Best kept secret of the church

What is the â€Å"best kept secret† of the church? Why? According to the clip, the â€Å"best kept secret' of the church is the Church's Catholic Social Teachings. It is God's special love for the poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and justice. I think it is the best kept secret of the church because the church has helped the poor in many ways and because of authoritative statements-?whether from church or government-?have less attraction today than acts of authentic witness.Also is it will also make social sues which will make the Catholic church receive not so good comments so they do not let other people know the secret of the church. And doing good doesn't need to be rewarded by other people, but to be rewarded by God alone. 2. Give at least 5 issues presented by the clip. A. Poverty because many Filipinos are â€Å"kapok† and uneducated b. Concentration of Wealth Because the poor thinks they are poor, they remain poor. C. Environmental Abuse The co ntinuity of illegal logging that makes the Earth worse. D. Inequality in land distributionThere are many informal settlers in our country because they don't have their own land and they can't buy because they don't have that kind of money. E. Social inequality The government doesn't entertain the poor people because they know that they won't gain anything from them, and the higher people or rich people help but only a few times. 3. Chi arch responses/actions on the given issues. In our recent times, the church response to this by having an outreach program or sometimes ask for donations to offer foods for those who are in deed. B.Concentration of Wealth Because the poor doesn't think they can survive and have a better life if they work, they don't work. But then the church gives seminar to help those people to carry on with their lives so they don't have any more excuses. C. Environmental Abuse Due to the continuation of the doings of the illegal loggers, the church and its people d ecided to have a checkpoint and the people were there to secure their place and to reduce the risk of the earth being destroyed wherein due to his action they were able to capture illegal loggers and to take back the logs they got.Also the priests help in planting trees, which is also a good thing. D. Inequality in land distribution The church tried to help and give the poor people voice and maybe encouraged them to appeal to the court about their current situation of the land where they are staying now. Another is that the church provided the church to be the place where the people can have their meeting. E.Social inequality When inside the church, there are no social inequality shown wherein all the people are together and are happy with being together and they all share foods to eat and it helped them improve their social relations. 4. Do you agree or not in the church's doings? Why? Yes agree. Because the church are doing their best to help or to provide proper action in regards to those situation and it need not to be publicized. Doing something good does not need someone to commend you but to make the other person feel good and to know that God with reward you as well is what really matters.

Sun Tracking Control Strategy Engineering Essay

It is good known that in theory, 41 % more sunshine is available by tracking the PV faculty to follow the day-to-day class of the Sun, comparative to fixed installings. The overall aim of this survey is to develop a control algorithm that improved public presentation and dependability the two-axis solar tracker. To accomplish this end, this survey dressed ore on optimising the LM3S811 based accountant board, thrust hardware and package. Keywords: embedded system design, two-axis Sun trailing, control algorithm.A ±ntroductA ±onSolar energy systems and equipment such as PV and twenty-four hours illuming systems, solar aggregators, and solar-powered heat engines work best when their aggregators aim straight at the Sun. Adding a solar tracker to these systems increases their efficiencies at the disbursal of initial and operational costs and system complexness. It has been estimated that the usage of a trailing system, over a fixed system, can increase the power end product by 20 % – 40 % with cost addition 10 % -30 % [ 1-3 ] . Since the Sun ‘s place in the sky alterations with the seasons and the clip of twenty-four hours, tracker is used to aline the aggregation system to maximise energy production. Several factors must be considered when finding the usage of trackers. Some of these include: the solar engineering being used, the sum of direct solar irradiation, feed-in duties in the part where the system is deployed, and the cost to put in and keep the trackers. Concentrated applications like concentrated photovoltaic panels ( CPV ) or concentrated solar power ( CSP ) require a high grade of truth to guarantee the sunshine is directed exactly at the focal point of the reflector or lens. The two basic classs of trackers are individual axis and double axis. Single axis solar trackers can either hold a horizontal or a perpendicular axis. In concentrated solar power applications, individual axis tracker is used with parabolic and additive Fresnel mirror designs. Dual axis solar trackers have both a horizontal and a perpendicular axis leting them to track the Sun ‘s evident gesture virtually anyplace in the universe This paper presents a control scheme for a two axes solar tracker that is executed in an ARM based Stellaris L3S811 microcontroller. Correct sun place is inferred from the GPS. The proposed control scheme consists of a combination between ; an unfastened cringle tracking scheme, and a closed cringle scheme. The overall aim of this survey is to develop a control algorithm that improves public presentation and dependability the two-axis Sun tracker. To accomplish this end, this survey concentrates on optimising the accountant board, thrust hardware and package.Two-axA ±s Sun trackerThe Sun ‘s beams can be decomposed into two constituents, one perpendicular to the panel surface, and the other analogue to the surface, where merely the former radiation can be received by the panel. Therefore, the angle between the Sun ‘s beams and the normal of the panel which is called the incident angle should be every bit little as possible. Incidence angle alterations with the diurnal an d seasonal fluctuations. Therefore, the fixed-installed solar aggregators can non to the full absorb the solar radiation energy. If at any clip by automatically tracking solar aggregators, panel place can be adjusted harmonizing to the Sun ‘s flight to cut down the incidence angle ; it will be able to absorb more solar radiation energy than the fixed panels in the same irradiation conditions. The panel of dual-axis Sun tracking system rotates around the two reciprocally perpendicular shafts, AZ shaft and lift shaft, shown in Fig 1. It will track the Sun ‘s AZ angle and lift angle, so that the panel can accomplish incident angle of 0. Two methods are normally used in solar trailing to place and follow the place of the Sun at any blink of an eye of clip between dawn and sundown: the closed cringle control method and the unfastened cringle control method. The closed cringle control method uses several feedback detectors such as LDR, photodiode, light-intensity detectors, mention cells and a signal processing circuit [ 4-6 ] . The signal processing circuit compares the end product signals of the detectors and operates on a feedback cringle with the coveted signal status. The end of the cringle is to bring forth maximal entire mistake signal from detectors by continuously seting the tracker way until the shadow on the detectors is the lower limit. A drawback of the closed cringle control method is that it can non efficaciously track the Sun on a cloudy twenty-four hours without a robust algorithm. Fig. -Structure of the two-axis Sun tracker. The unfastened cringle control method uses the longitude and latitude informations of the solar tracker location to find and track the place of the Sun [ 7, 8 ] . It has the advantages of easy scheduling and high truth. The system is simpler and cheaper than the closed-loop type of Sun tracking systems [ 9 ] . It does non detect the end product of the procedures that it is commanding. However, a fixed get downing way of the tracker at dawn every twenty-four hours is required in this method. Therefore, the get downing way of the tracker must be corrected from clip to clip. Consequently, an open-loop system can non rectify any mistakes so that it could do and may non counterbalance for perturbations in the system.Specifying Elevation and Azimuth AnglesThe algorithm for Sun trailing uses the solar lift, i? ±e and azimuth, i? ±A angles computed at the solar tracker location. The tracker must be aligned horizontally to find the lift and AZ angles accurately along with the hr and decli ne angles with regard to the heavenly equator or plane as depicted in Fig.1. Solar lift, i? ±e is the angle between the skyline and the line linking the beginning and the Sun that is, the complement of the zenith angle. Solar AZ, i? ±A is the angular supplanting of the projection of the line to the Sun onto the horizontal plane from the south axis. The solar lift angle, i? ±e, of the orientation system in the perpendicular plane, ?e, can be calculated as follows [ 9 ] sini? ±e=sini? ¤ sini? ¦ +cosi? ¤ cosi? ¦ cosi? · ( 1 ) Where e is the lift angle of the system i? ¦ is the latitude. is the hr angle ( 15 & A ; deg ; / hr ) , where ? = 0 at local midday. is the solar decline, where ? is calculated from Cooper ‘s equation, ( 2 ) N is the twenty-four hours of the twelvemonth ( 1 – 365 ) with N = 1 stand foring the 1st of January. Fig. – The relation between lift and zenith angles. The azimuth angle of the system in the horizontal plane, ?A, is calculated as [ 9 ] . ( 3 ) The solar trailing system normally returns to its initial remainder place after sundown, and starts to track the Sun after the Sun rises above the skyline. The dawn and sunset times can be calculated utilizing [ 13 ] for system location.DesA ±gn and application3.1. Mechanical DesignThe panels ‘ support construction was designed with two grades of freedom in order to change the disposition and orientation. Besides, the construct of the panel ‘s support every bit good as the system that allows this support to go around around the two axes was developed. The tracker is composed of a fixed base which is straight on the land, holding a mechanism that connects the base to the back uping construction of the panels. This mechanism consists of two parts, which have a grade of freedom ( from each other ) in two axes. For altering the disposition of the construction, extra linear actuator is mounted to the solar tracker control system. Linear actuators are highly precise by design, particularly when compared to pneumatic and hydraulic solutions. Screw based mechanical additive actuators allow to progress or withdraw the motivation rod by highly little increases, which is required for the exact placement of solar tracker. Electric additive actuator consumes highly low electricity and are available in 12 Volts d.c. it can be powered by the solar panel itself supported by a battery. Linear actuators can be remarkably little, particularly when sing the scope of gesture that is required for traveling the Sun tracker. Photograph of the mechanical construction is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. – Mechanical construction of the Sun tracker.3.2. Hardware DesignThe hardware design combines the embedded microcontroller with two DC motor drivers, rotational DC motor, DC motor controlled additive actuator, solar rotary motion mechanism, GPS, pyranometer, wind gauge, tilt switches and MEMBS based inclinometer. A general block diagram of the control system is shown in Fig. 4. Global placement system ( GPS ) is connected to the microcontroller via a standard consecutive RS-232 port. GPS sends to the microcontroller sentences, that contains a twine of characters, continuously. These sentences chiefly include longitude, latitude, height, day of the month and clip for location where GPS is placed. Since microcontroller has the existent clip clock circuitry, it is moderately accurate over short periods, but it needs standardization sporadically. As a consequence, the GPS clock signal is used to update the microcontroller ‘s internal clip sporadically and therefore effects of the long term mistakes are eliminated. As portion of the attempt to better solar tracker dependability and better understanding public presentation, a pyranometer is being added to solar tracker. This pyranometer allows the informations acquisition system to mensurate exactly the irradiance witnessed by the PV faculties on that tracker, and therefore better supervise the impact of the tracking algorithm on the energy end product of the system. Solar tracker steps tilt angle with potentiometer that has long-run dependability job. A higher dependability option is a solid-state inclinometer. It has three chief advantages ; inherently higher dependability, higher declaration less than 0.1 & A ; deg ; , direct measuring of angle. In this undertaking, micro electromechanical systems based on electronic inclinometer ADXL345 is used [ 11 ] . Digital end product informations is formatted as 16-bit two ‘s complement and is accessible through either a SPI ( 3- or 4-wire ) or I2C digital interface The inclinometer would typically be mounted straight underneath a tracker ‘s plane, from where the disposition can be measured. Fig. – Sun Tracker control system block diagram. The solar tracker is fitted with bound switches to guarantee robust operation. A micro roller switch mounted on the base of the solar tracker prevents multiple revolution completion of the AZ tracking phase. The solar aggregator besides includes two more bound switches on the zenith tracking phase to forestall over travel harm to the additive actuator mechanism. The initial reset balance usage tilt switches. The mechanism include four tilt switches ( E, West, south and north ) To protect tracker constituents from over air current velocity, system besides requires an wind gauge to mensurate wind velocity. Consequently, we need powerful and cost-efficient microcontroller to link all these parts and manage to track the Sun. It must hold two consecutive port, ( UART ) one for communicate computing machine the other 1 for GPS, two PWM signals for motor A and motor B, one I2C port for solid-state inclinometer, hardware counter input for wind gauge, parallel input for pyranometer, at least four digital inputs for tilt switches. In add-on, these characteristics we need package development tools for microcontroller. Sing the computation of the mentioned before, 32-Bit Stellaris microprocessor LM3S811 which is optimized for small-footprint embedded applications, fits best to the Sun tracker system. TI Stellaris LM3S811 microcontroller has a Reduced Instruction Set Coding ( RISC ) ARM nucleus, internal oscillators, timers, UART, USB, SPI, pull-up resistances, PWM, ADC, parallel comparator and watch-dog timers are some of the characteristics [ 10 ] .Software DesignThe developed Sun tracking algorithm enables high-precision finding of Sun angles and times for dawn, solar midday and sunset year-round. The flow chart of the algorithm is drawn in Fig. 5. The computation of the Sun angles with the Sun tracking algorithm package merely requires the specification of the day of the month, clip and exact longitude, latitude and lift of the location through a GPS system. Fig. – Flow chart of Sun tracking algorithm. The algorithm we developed for the control of the Sun tracker is composed of two chief subdivisions. In the input subdivision, the solar lift and AZ angles every bit good as dawn, sundown, solar midday and present solar times are calculated harmonizing to subdivision 2 and used as shared variables in other parts of the package. When the system starts, Stellaris foremost sets tracker to the place place and so takes GPS information to cipher the Sun set and rise times. The present solar clip is compared with the dawn and sunset times to find whether tracking should get down or halt. At dark clip, it waits following sample clip. Sample clip period may be defined harmonizing to proficient restraints. First restraint is GPS hot start clip that is 1 second for GPS. It can non be shorter than this value. The other restraint is the energy consumed by motor A and B during one tracking measure. We set sample clip to 2 minute during experimental work. The present solar clip between dawn and sun set clip ‘s Stellaris reads pyronometer value to look into if there is adequate solar radiation to bring forth power. Otherwise, Sun tracker stays at place place until solar radiation rise to lower bound of solar radiation. After solar radiation reaches the coveted value, so algorithm reads anemometer value to specify whether the Sun tracker can travel safely. If non, Sun tracker stays at place place at least during one sample clip. Otherwise, it starts tracking the Sun. In the end product subdivision of the algorithm, the package takes azimuth, ?A, and lift, ?e, angles from shared variables and converts them to drive gesture. The deliberate angles ?e, ?A, are so subtracted from the old place values. Harmonizing to the obtained angle difference and their marks, microcontroller sends PWM and way signals to the motor accountants. Motor A and motor B takes solar panel to the new place. Motor A can drive solar panels to turn in the horizontal plane in order to track the alterations in AZ angle ; its positive place is westbound. Similarly, motor B can drive solar panels to turn in the manner of fliping so as to track the alterations of solar lift angle ; its positive way is downward. At the terminal of tracking, the place of mechanisms demands to be defined. The electronic inclinometer ADXL345 sends x, Y, omega axis values to the Stellaris. This digital axis values are converted to angles by the microcontroller. By comparing the mensural angles with deliberate angles, the two motors take different motions to complete come up to the coveted place of the solar panel. Finally, when this twenty-four hours is over, the system backs to the place place to wait for the following twenty-four hours.ResultS and dA ±scussA ±onSun tracker was tested both in the research lab and out-of-doorss utilizing SM-55 solar panel [ 12 ] . During the out-of-door trial, the Sun tracking s ystem was moved to outside of a edifice so that we could compare the consequences between fixed place and two-axis Sun tracking systems. During a 24-hour test period, the two-axis solar tracker was required to run for about 2 proceedingss every hr to keep proper alliance with the Sun. Fig. – Outdoor trial consequences of sun tracker. During the trial procedure, solar panel charged to the battery, and solar panel current and electromotive force values were measured and stored every minute utilizing a information lumberman. End of the twenty-four hours, the solar panel, charged the battery up to 408.2 Watt-hour energy for about 11 hours. The recorded information on the twenty-four hours 5.5.2012 proved that the two-axis solar tracking PV panel produced more energy than the fixed 1 with about 40.7 % .ConclusA ±onIn this survey, a cost effectual two-axis Sun tracker has been developed. The ARM Cortex-M3 nucleus microprocessor successfully calculated the tilt angle of the solar panel in order to look into the accurate Sun lift angle. The placement technique, which has been investigated by the DC motor and additive actuator, reduced the mistake in turn uping the lift AZ angles to 0.1 & A ; deg ; . The proposed tracker has increased the energy collected by 40.7 % .

How Movies Portray History

I’ve always watched movies for the sole purpose of entertainment. Thinking about the historical backgrounds they entail never really crossed my mind. The way Hollywood portrays historical events in films isn’t very accurate, which some people see as a problem. After listening to both James Wermers & Dr. Chiltons presentations and reading The Art of War article my train of thought has changed on how films portray history. First, let’s consider the three perspective on the issue of how movies portray history.James Wermers had many opinions on filmography and history. According to him, producers have full rights to using history in fims. He believes that even though history is fair game to the film industry, movies don’t always portray historical events as accurate as they occur. He spoke about film producers use of CGI in movies and how it adds to a movies over all look. Even though CGI is a very clever use of computerized effects, it is not always used as i t should be.He stated, â€Å" CGI is no longer used for a certain effect, it is no longer the question of should we use it but how. † The reality of historical events isn’t always as accurate as it could be says Wermer but it is a good basis to a movie. Dr. Chilton had a political opinion on the matter. She stated that â€Å"filmmakers frequently use films to make statements, whether political or economic, or social, therefore, movies and their makers are protected by the First Amendment. † Whether or not we like how filmmakers are or portraying a specific event. they are entitled to portray it as they please. As Dr. Chilton reminds us, freedom of speech does not only refer to actually speech, it involves writing, sculptures, murals, and of course movies. In the Art of War article we see the artistic aspect of using CGI in films . Even though it states that a lot of the effects in the movie were very unrealistic that is also what made the movie so beautiful. It created this gorgeous scenery that could only be imagined but CGI made it possible to see.Even though the process of filming with CGI is a bit strange and hard to picture until the final product is shown, once you see everything put together it is amazing. After watching 300 and taking in all three of these aspects on movies portrayal of historical events my train of thought has changed immensely. I will now be more cautious as to what I’m actually watching. Is it actually true, is this really how things happened, and is that a real back drop or is it just CGI. I also now question the message movies contain. Instead of just watching to be entertained, I will now watch films with a lot of questions in mind.

Minimalism movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Minimalism movement - Essay Example Christian Zeal and Activity is another musical piece composed by the American composer John Adams in 1973. This piece has also received critical acclaim for advancing the movement of minimalism in music. It is one of the earliest and simplest minimalist compositions of Adams. The original 1973 composition is based on an unencumbered instrumental arrangement of a Christian hymn and an on-air conversation between a host and a listener. This piece is recognized for its fragmented nature, a steady pulse, repetitive rhythmic phrases, and harmonic stability. Christian Zeal is a very good example of Adams’ exploration into the application of minimalistic technique. Here, he combines a hymn based on rich and harmonized chords with a â€Å"tape of repeated phrases of a sermon on the power of faith healing† . Instead of deconstructing the verbiage like other minimalist composers like Reich, Adams relies on repetition of musical phrases. Finding himself trapped between modernism a nd tradition, he found relief in minimalism of which Christian Zeal is a very interesting example. Impressed by the minimalist avant-garde, he recognizes minimalism in this musical piece by using simple elements to create â€Å"a steady background pulse, repetitive motifs and stable harmonic areas† . In Adams’ own words, the harmonies in Christian Zeal are meant to create a hypnotic effect to make the listeners â€Å"float in a kind of dream polyphony. This piece takes a turn from conventional minimalist approach used by other famous composers like Reich.

Reflective paper on Baldridge principles, organizational issues, Assignment

Reflective paper on Baldridge principles, organizational issues, personal and organizational learning - Assignment Example The Baldridge criteria are a results oriented and proven management techniques that feature on the characteristics of organizations that do very well. Whether in the education sector, healthcare, security or business organizations, the Baldridge process importantly helps ensure that organizations that use this model are kept accountable, are managed in a sustainable manner, are properly aligned, improved, rewarded, recognized, while also immensely helping with the organization’s recruitment endeavors. In truth, there are a myriad of different approaches of organizational and personal improvement and management, but the Baldridge criteria stands solidly apart. For one, unlike other approaches, this process offers an improvement framework that is non-prescriptive. Additionally, the techniques are all-inclusive and integrated, addressing all the factors involved within the organization, its workings and outcomes. Moreover, the brilliance of the process resides in its focus on common needs of the set-up, rather than on benign aspects such as techniques, tools and procedures. The technique addresses the desires of all the stakeh olders in an organization and is essentially adaptable and accommodative to various organizational and personal practices and needs. The criteria of the Baldridge allow for organizations to conduct self-assessment and gives insightful feedback to users. The criteria also assist in enhancing the performance capabilities, practices and results while further facilitating proper communication methods/ techniques within the organization. Not only do the Baldridge criteria focus on improving the organization, but it also focuses on personal (individual) learning within these settings of application. This is significantly contributed by its core values and concepts which strongly advocate for visionary leadership (that demands the setting of proper examples from leaders so that ethical behavior, values and expectation are reinforced even as

Environment and Space Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environment and Space - Assignment Example It is free from column ensuring maximum visibility from inside where the glass facades provide an attractive recreation environment. However, the building has an impressive multi-purpose banqueting hall that can hold approximately 2000 people in comfort. In addition, it has a landmark high office tower, a five star hotel, a retail mall, car parking, and residential accommodations (Stevenson, 1997). The Alfaselaya building is designed and supervised by a joint venture between Buro Happold and Foster and partners. The Buro Happold has a wide number of services such as design for construction and fit out, inspirational design, integrated design, intelligent reuse of sites and buildings, efficient and green design, and operational effectiveness of buildings. On the other hand, the foster and partners is one of the integrated design and innovative architecture practices in the globe. The practice has opened up a sustainable architectural approach over the past 4 decades. This is evident from it work that range from urban masterplans, airport, public infrastructure, offices and workplaces, civil and cultural buildings to product design an private houses (Stevenson, 1997). The Buro Happold and Foster and partners ventures came up with a thorough plan in designing of the Alfaselaya complex to ensure error free fit out and construction. There are a number of design directions provided by the two ventures. The first one was providing quality architectural design to ensure that the quality of Alfaselaya’s surrounding had a quality influence on peoples’ lives. The second one was environmental engineering design. The environmental engineers formed an integral part in ensuring electrical, mechanical and fire protection of the building (Stevenson, 1997). The third one was ensuring proper structural engineering. They came up with seismic and dynamic design to form a geometrical and conventional structure. The next one was coming up with a design that ensured

Jackson Pollocks and Yunhee Tohs Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jackson Pollocks and Yunhee Tohs Painting - Essay Example One of the most striking similarities between Pollock and YunheeToh in their paintings is that both of these artists took a divergent painting approach as compared to the common painting methods. Toh abandoned the materials that are usually used in painting, which were pencils and brushes and used her hands in creating this painting. Toh used her hands in an attempt to create artistic expressions that were accurate and direct. She opted to use her hands on this painting because she felt that graphite drawings were more time consuming and did not bring out the art form that she desired. Pollock on the other hand, was a liquid painter who later used paint pouring as an emerging technique on his canvases, which became his signature ‘drip’ technique. In this painting, Pollock paved the way for what was later to become the action painting term where the artist deviated from painting on a mounted canvas to working on it on the studio floor. The similarity between these two pai ntings is that the creation of both of them happened from new dimensions as these artists challenged the Western tradition of using the painting brush and easel. Pollock was an extremist, especially because he went against the conventional painting techniques meaning that he was not afraid to explore. The One: Number 31, 1950 is a unique painting as Pollock did not make his painting brush to interact with the canvas through the strokes being able to create the elements of art. Additionally, Pollock’s painting was quite extreme.

Build a Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Build a Model - Essay Example The y-intercept is located at point b which is just above the origin. At this point the income tax is zero and the real interest rate is very low but not zero. The slope of the function is given by m= Δr/Δt. From the diagram below it can be noted that the rate of real interest increases with an increase in income tax and reduces with a decrease in income tax (Dai et al. 38). The choice of y-intercept is at point b because at no time in the economy will the real interest rates are zero. The metrics used on the y axis are sensitive to the bond market while the x axis values consider income taxed on households. The slope represents the change of real interest rate with income tax (Dai et al. 37). Government expenditure is an alternative independent variable in this model. Government expenditure is inversely related to real interest rate. An increase in government expenditure leads to an increase in money supply which would lead to a reduction in interest rates. A fall in government spending leads to reduction in money supply and in turn interest rate reduces (Dai et al.

Marketing plan ( market the city of toronto) Assignment

Marketing plan ( market the city of toronto) - Assignment Example This has the effect of improving on their revenue base. At the same time, companies want to gain global recognition. In essence, this is something, which is rather beneficial when it comes to business (Crouch, 2011). Various cities use different approaches in the course of their marketing. It is imperative to note that the method, which is to be used, is largely dependent on the expansive market. The financial outlay is something, which will influence the methods of advertising and marketing. The first thing, which is rather noteworthy, is to gain an understanding of these international markets. Thorough analysis has to be undertaken before the firm can even think of venturing into these markets. A feasibility study regarding the success of the business has to be done. This is particularly pertinent, as it will serve to point out whether the business will stand a chance of success in the new market. This is as opposed to going blindly into these markets without prior knowledge (Pepal l et al. 2005). The city, which is in perspective, in this case is Toronto. Toronto is a city, which is considered to be rather tech-savvy. At the same time, it is also considered as one of the best cities in North America when it comes to jobs that are related to Information technology. The environment in the city is one, which has attracted several major global firms. These firms have set up offices in the city. These include Xerox and General Motors just to mention a few. These developments put Toronto at a rather significant place when it comes to the developments that are attributed to jobs and employment opportunities. The city is also very flexible in the sense that it easily adapts to the changes that are happening in the world and picking up the latest trends that come by. One of the things, which seem to be rather influential in attracting people into the city, is to do with the good reputation, which the country has on a global platform. It is worth noting that people wil l always want to associate themselves with desirable things. The name and reputation of the city is already established. For this reason, the main thing, which should be focused on, is the development of the industries and institutions, which are existent in the city. For example, the educational institutions ought to be developed and marketed even more. This is because they are the primary institutions, which serve to attract foreign individuals into the city. The museums and art centers that are in the city are also important for attracting tourists into the city. The infrastructure which is in the city is significant and is in a position to support the number of people who might flock the city from foreign countries (Bunting & Filion, 2000). The other issue, which comes into perspective aside from the place, is the price. This price is in relation to the cost of living and that to do with other elements within the city. On average, the cost of living in the city is rather encoura ging (Lee & Lovekin, 2009). This is something, which is even pointed out by the average wage rate in the city. This is in the region of $24 per hour. There is quite a significant stability when looking at the economic condition in Toronto when comparing it to other major cities. The instances of price fluctuations are at a minimal. There is a significant promotion of the city and its associated elements. This is

Identifying Salmonella Choleraesuis Essay Example for Free

Identifying Salmonella Choleraesuis Essay The purpose of this study was to determine what an unknown bacteria was using several different microbiology lab techniques including an API test, an oxidase test, a gram stain, a hanging drop slide, and morphology identification. The unknown bacterium, which was contaminated with Serratia marcescens, was isolated by streaking the bacteria solution to single colonies. The isolated unknown white bacteria, had the appearance of circular form, convex elevation, entire margin, elongated cocci. The tests than showed that the bacteria was gram-negative, non-motile, and was identified as a Salmonella species bacteria, Salmonella choleraesuis. Introduction When applying biology to real world cases, it takes numerous tests to be able to identify exactly what a type of bacteria an unidentified bacterium is, whether it is a bacterium that is causing a person to be ill or a bacterium that is being studied in a laboratory. Often times a bacteria is taken from a contaminated sample that may contain more than one type of bacteria and therefore the specific bacteria that is to be identified has to be isolated. This can often be done by streaking the sample to single colonies. The individual colonies can then be put through several different tests that allow one to identify distinctive aspects of the bacteria. Some examples of these tests are a gram-stain and an API test. These tests allow one to figure out what properties a bacteria strain contains, such as gram negative or gram positive with the gram staining test, or what bacteria an unknown is based on positives and negative of the API test. The results of API tests, will show extremely accurately what a bacteria is based on previous tests performed. One such bacteria than can be identified is Salmonella choleraesuis. There have been many studies done where the particular strain of Salmonella needed to be identified so that a vaccine could be found. In one such study, the strain of Salmonella Choleraesuis had to be identified in order to then use live Salmonella choleraesuis to reduce the seroprevalence and the number of Salmonella carrier pigs at slaughter (Schwarz et al, 2011). By being able to identify the specific strain of the species Salmonella, scientists were about to prevent Salmonella from being passed on through pigs because of the Salmonella choleraesuis vaccine. Identification of a specific bacteria can help scientists make so many improvements in getting rid of deadly bacteria. Materials and Methods This lab was performed over several different days in order to utilize several different techniques in identifying the unknown bacteria. A tube that contained a red species S. marcescens and a white unknown bacteria was streaked to single colonies onto an agar plate using an inoculating loop. The plate was placed in the 37Â ° incubator for 24 hours. Once incubation had occurred the single colonies were used for the different microbiology lab techniques. The first of these techniques used was to determine what the morphology of the unknown bacteria was. The second of these tests was a gram stain. This test was done in order to determine if the unknown bacteria was gram negative or gram positive. The third technique used was a hanging drop slide, which was prepared using another single colony and a light microscope at 100x resolution, in order to observe the bacteria’s motility. The fourth test used was an oxidase test, which was also performed using another single colony of the unknown bacteria. This was done by placing the bacterial colony on filter paper and adding drops of oxidase reagent. The filter paper was then observed to see if it changed blue or not, in order to see if the bacteria produced cytochrome c oxidase. The final test used in the experiment was an API test. To begin the API test, a solution with bacteria and 5 mL of sterile saline, had to be made with a turbidity the same as the McFarland No. 3 (BaSO4) standard. This was done by adding loopfuls of bacteria to the saline solution, mixing the solution on the vortex, and then comparing the turbidity to the McFarland No. 3 standard, until the tubes were both at the same cloudiness. This created solution was then used in the API test by adding specified amounts to each of the microtubes on the API strip. For each of the microtubes whose names were not underlined or boxed, the tubes were filled to where the microtubes met the capsule. In the microtubes whose names were underlined, the microtubes were slightly underfilled, and then the capsule was filled with mineral oil in order to create and anaerobic environment. The last of the microbes were the ones whose names were boxed. In each of these the microtube and the capsule were filled all the way up with the bacteria. The API test strip was then placed in the 37Â °C incubator for 20 hours. After this time, observations were made about each of the different microtubes based on a given summary of results chart for the API test. A select number of microtubes had to have a few reagents added such as 10% ferric chloride, Barritt’s A and B solutions, Kovacs’ reagent, nitrate test reagent, zinc, and hydrogen peroxide, in order to see how the specific microtubes reacted at that time. Once the API test was performed, the negatives and positives found for each of the microtubes was used to identify the unknown bacteria using an identification table that showed the positives and negatives of many known bacterias. Results In the first part technique used in the lab, the morphology of the unknown bacteria colonies was found to be circular form, convex elevation, and entire margin. The second technique used, gram-staining, produced pink bacteria, which had the appearance of elongated cocci. The pink color indicated that the unknown bacteria was gram-negative. In the third technique, the hanging drop slip, there was not true motility and instead only Brownian movement. In the fourth technique, the oxidase test, the filter paper did not turn blue. In the final test, the API test, the results (Fig. 1) shows that the unknown bacteria being studied was Salmonella species, or more specifically, Salmonella choleraesuis. (Fig. 1) The API strip results after 20 hours of incubation at 37Â °C Discussion Through the use of the API test, the results most accurately showed that the bacteria was Salmonella species. This is what the bacteria was, however, it was a specific kind of Salmonella, S. choleraesuis. In the results of the tests, there were four different microtubes that contained different results than in the identification table. In each of the these cases, the API test showed positive results when the table showed negative results. Just because these didn’t match exactly, didn’t mean that the experiment didn’t work right. Each organism is different and because of this will have different reactions at times. In each of the cases, there was a small percentage that the results would be different than the identification table said it would be. With that, the Salmonella species all together was able to be identified better because, in general the different strains of Salmonella each come from the same species. There could also have been slight error when the mi crotubes were filled up. There may have been times when the tubes were overfilled or underfilled or air bubbles may have gotten into the tubes changing the results. Overall, the results were fairly accurate since the Salmonella species was able to be identified. The other tests used in the experiment were also useful in helping identify that S. choleraesuis was the unknown bacteria. It can be shown through previous tests that S. choleraesuis and Salmonella strains have similar characteristics to those found from the techniques used in this lab. In several cases it is shown that Salmonella strains are gram-negative (Kempf et al, 2012). The fact that S. choleraesuis fit the characteristics of previous studies helps show that bacteria was found correctly when preforming the different techniques. References Agbor, T. A., McCormick, B. A. (2011). Salmonella effectors: Imortant players modulating host cell function during infection. Cell Microbiology , 13 (12), 1858-69. Schwarz, P., Kich, J. D., Kolb, J., Cardoso, M. (2011). Use of an avirulentlive Salmonella Choleraesuis vaccine to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella carrier pigs at slaughter. Vet Rec , 21 (169), 553.

Public Attitudes of Proposed Wind Farm

Public Attitudes of Proposed Wind Farm With Irelands excellent wind resources, wind power has become one of the most rapidly growing sources of renewable energy in Ireland (Comhar, Nov 11). Many people in Ireland claim to be in favour of wind farming, and maintain that wind power is good source of renewable energy, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, numerous people also believe that these wind farms spoil the scenery and may have a negative effect on the local landscape, as well as having negative effects on tourism in the area concerned. As plans to create a new wind farm in County Clare have been put in motion, I wish to access the opinions of the citizens of West Clare on the proposed construction of a wind farm on the western slope of Mount Callan. Aims and Objectives As both the people of West Clare, and the wind farm itself, have to co-exist in the area in question, the opinions and attitudes of the local people are paramount in formulating an effective plan, and in executing it to final completion of the project. As the financial sustainability of the residents of the chosen area rely primarily on agriculture and tourism, opinions given on the impact the building of a wind farm may have on both of these economic areas are crucial to effectively and smoothly completing the project. The aim of this project is to access the opinions and attitudes of the citizens in West Clare on the proposed construction of a wind farm on the western slope of Mount Callan. The main objectives of this survey are to: Access whether or not the citizens of West Clare support the use of wind power. Access whether or not the citizens of West Clare support or oppose the construction of a wind farm on Mount Callan. Access whether or not the citizens in West Clare believe that a wind farm would benefit their local economy. To find out the opinions of the citizens of West Clare, on the effects a wind farm would have on the local landscape. Methodology Statistical analysis mapping can be used to combine quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. This is used to create a basis for the primary research. I have used the statistical analysis mapping method to extract data from the census in order to help me identify my area of study. To provide appropriate information for my study, I have mapped data relating to location, age, gender and length of time living at the current location (Kitchin Tate, 2000). Kilmihil, Creegh and Liscasey are the three closest townlands to the proposed construction site of the wind farm. These three townlands have a combined population of 724 with 65% of people being over the age of twenty. Of the population over the age of twenty, 52% of them are male and 48% are female (CSO). I will take a sample of 100 people, 52 male and 48 female from the combined population of the three towns aged over twenty. I will use systematic random sampling, selecting the fifth element at random, to conduct the questionnaire for quantitative data collection. These questionnaires will be distributed personally in local centres. This method of research has been used by Michler and Kodeih in their article Mussel and Seaweed Cultivation in Offshore Wind Farms: An Opinion Survey (Michler Kodeih, 2008). Q1.To which age category do you belong?20 – 30 31 – 40 41 – 50 51 – 64 65+ Q2Gender:Male Female Q3. Marital Status:Single Married Widow/Widower Q4.How many Children do you have?0 1 – 2 3 – 5 6+ Q5.Do you live in an urban or rural area?Urban Rural Q6.How long have you lived here? Q7.Is your household accommodation: Owner occupied with a mortgage? Owner occupied without a mortgage? Being purchased from the Local Authority? Being Rented from the Local Authority? Being rented from a private landlord? Q8.What is your occupation? Q9.If your occupation relates to agriculture, Arable farming what kind of agriculture are you engaged in? Livestock Other Q10.Do you think wind farms will affect agriculture?Yes No If yes, please explain. Q11. Would you support the constructionYes of a wind farm in your area? No Q12.Do you think a wind farm would affectYes the house prices in your area? No Q13.Do you think a wind farm wouldYes benefit your local economy? No Q14.Do you think that wind farm will Yes contribute to Irelands energy independence? No Q15.What affect do you think a wind farm would have on the local landscape? Q16.What problems do you think a wind farm in your area might cause? Q.17Would you be willing to take part in a follow upinterview to further express your views on wind farming? Yes No If Yes, please complete the following Name: Address: Phone Number: â€Å"Qualitative research methods are necessary when limited research has focused on a concept or phenomenon and it â€Å"needs to be understood† (Hunt, 2010). I will focus on interviews with the residents of these three towns to collect quantitative data. I will use an open-ended interview to conduct this part of the project. This technique uses a type of structured questionnaire, which does not constrict the answers of interviewee to categories provided by the interviewer; this better reflects the interviewee’s own thinking (Kitchin Tate, 2000). I have included a question on the quantitative questionnaire enquiring whether or not participants would be willing to take part in an interview. I am hoping I will receive twenty five participants that will agree to this. If I do not receive the required amount of participants for interviewing from the questionnaire, I will utilise the practice of cold calling to obtain the remaining participants. I will use a sample size of twenty five people, thirteen male and twelve female. I will interview six people from Kilmilhil, ten people from Liscasey and nine people from Creegh, to access their opinions on the proposed wind farm. This method of data collection was used by Sustainable Energy Ireland in their article on Attitudes towards the developments of wind farms in Ireland (ESI, 2003). Interview schedule I have read and understood this consent form completely and am willing to take part in this interview. I understand the purpose of this interview. I am aware that I can withdraw from this interview at any time. I understand that all my answers will be considered in the strictest confidence. Signed:Date: I am interested in the opinions of the citizens of West Clare on the construction of a wind farm on the west slope on Mount Callan. I would like to ask you a series of questions related to this topic. Q1. To what extent would you support or oppose the construction of a wind farm in your area? Q2. Are you in favour of the further developments of wind farms in Ireland? Q3. What benefits do you think a wind farm would bring to your area? Q4. What problems do you think a wind farm might cause in your area? Q5.What affects do you think a wind farm would have on the local landscape? Q6. Do you think the construction of a wind farm in your area would contribute to Ireland’s energy independence? Q7. Are you concerned about climate change? Q8. Would you be willing to pay more for your electricity if it comes from a clean renewable source? The benefits of generating primary data are that it is known precisely how the data was produced, and if any problems arose in the process. This is the system mostly used for data collection; however is some cases the generation of primary data is not possible then secondary data may be used. Secondary data may also be used to help supplement the primary data you have already collected (Kitchin Tate, 2000). As numerous methods of data collection are required to conduct this study, use of secondary document analysis will also be employed. The data in these documents have been collected and analysed by someone else, and usually for a different purpose. However these secondary sources are useful and can aid in strengthening the understanding of a chosen topic. The sources I intend to use are as follows: Busch, M., Gee, K., Burkhard, B., Lange, M., Stelljes, N. (2011). Conceptualizing the link between marine ecosystem services and human well-being: the case of offshore wind farming. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services Management 7:3, pp. 109-203. Comhar. (Nov 11). Community Renewable Energy in Ireland: Status, barriers and potential options. Dublin: Comar Publications. CSO. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 18, 2014, from Central Statistics Office: http://census.cso,oe/sapmap/ ESI. (2003). Retrieved 04 2014, 19, from Sustainable Energy Ireland: http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Renewables_Publications_/Wind_Power/Attitudes_towards_the_development_of_wind_farms_in_ireland.pdf Hunt, T. (2010). Big wind in small town Ontario:. Toronto: Department of Geography, Collaborative Program in Environmental Studies, University of Toronto. Kitchin, R., Tate, N. J. (2000). Conducting research into human geography: Theory, methodology and pratice. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Michler, C. T., Kodeih, S. (2008). Mussel and seaweed cultivation in offshore wind farms: An opinion survey. Coastal management, 36(4), pp. 392-411. Smith, E. R., Klick, H. (2007). Explaining NIMBY Opposition to Wind Power. Santa Barbara: University of California, Santa Barbara. DeLacy, P. Barton, (2001) Wind farms: a valuation primer, Appraisal journal, 79(1), pp. 28-43. Wilson, Keith (2011), Winds of change, Geographical, 83(5) p. 74. Bibliography Works Cited Comhar. (Nov 11). Community Renewable Energy in Ireland: Status, barriers and potential options. Dublin: Comar Publications. CSO. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 18, 2014, from Central Statistics Office: http://census.cso,oe/sapmap/ ESI. (2003). Retrieved 04 2014, 19, from Sustainable Energy Ireland: http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Renewables_Publications_/Wind_Power/Attitudes_towards_the_development_of_wind_farms_in_ireland.pdf Hunt, T. (2010). Big wind in small town Ontario:. Toronto: Department of Geography, Collaborative Program in Environmental Studies University of Toronto, pp. 24-27 Kitchin, R., Tate, N. J. (2000). Conducting research into human geography: Theory, methodology and pratice. Essex: Pearson Education Limited, pp. 28-44 Michler, C. T., Kodeih, S. (2008). Mussel and seaweed cultivation in offshore wind farms: An opinion survey. COASTAL MANAGEMENT 36: 4, pp. 392-411. SEI. (2013). Retrieved 04 19, 2014, from Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland: http://census.cso.ie/sasapmap

love history :: essays research papers

Well where do i start? i started going out with this guy named Derek on April 3rd 2001. I din't even like him but he seemed like a nice guy so i thought i would give him a try. well we started going out and hanging out alot. I've always been shy around guys and i was with him at first. Then after a few months i started feeling totally comfortable. We hung out like everyday and did everything together! I totally ditched all of my friends for him and he did the same to his friends to me. Well everything was all going well we never really fought or anything. We were perfect i thought so he thought so and so did everyone else. He was my whole world he went everywhere with me and i loved him so much. We had the cutest things we did together, i know we made people sick because of how cute we were. I never though we would break up ever! Well around our 9 months we kinda started fighting and not getting along to well. we were gonna take a "break" but we decieded not to that we wer e fine. (we took a break about 3 months after we started going out becausei kissed someother guy but we went back out and by the way i apologized so much for that i still feel bad about it) but we started fighting more. So we finally took a break it lasted not even 2 days and we got back together i missed him so much in those 2 days and cried so much than i ever have! but then 2 days after we got back together we broke up again. He did'nt want to talk or work anything out at all. and it just seemed like he didnt care anymore. Well we broke up and i still really missed him we still hung out and stuff but it was nt the same at all! then i was going on vacation to flordia for winter break. i knew he was afraid i would cheat on him there so that was another reason that he wanted to break up. neways we hung out before i went and we kissedd and blah blah then i left all i could do was think about him there. i was there a lil over a week and i only talked to him a few times.

explorers from 1500 :: essays research papers

ALBUQUERQUE, AFONSO DEAfonso de Albuquerque (14??-1515) was a Portuguese soldier and explorer who sailed to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas, a group of Islands in Indonesia) in 1507-1511, trying to monopolize trade with this area; from Europe, he sailed around Africa to the Indian Ocean. He was appointed the Viceroy of India by King Emmanuel in 1509. He forcibly destroyed the Indian city of Calicut in January, 1510, and took Goa (in southern India) in March, 1510, claiming Goa for Portugal. AYLLON, LUCAS VAZQUEZ DELucas Và ¡zquez de Ayllà ³n (1475-1526) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who tried to start a colony in North America in 1526. He was the first European colonizer of what is now South Carolina. His attempt to settle the coast of the Carolinas (near the mouth of the Peedee River at Winyah Bay) was unsuccessful. BALBOA, VASCO NUNEZ DEVasco Nunez de Balboa (1475-1519) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was the first European to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean (in 1513), after crossing the Isthmus of Panama overland. CABEZA DE VACA, ALVAR NUNEZAlvar Nuà ±ez Cabeza de Vaca [Cabeza de Vaca means "head of a cow"] (1490?-1557?) was a Spanish explorer who sailed to North America from Spain, leaving in 1527. He traveled from Florida to Texas on a raft, then walked from Texas to Mexico City. He also explored the Paraguay River in South America. De Vaca and his fellow travelers were the first Europeans to see the bison, or American buffalo. CABRAL, PEDRO ALVARESPedro à lvares Cabral (1467-1520) was a Portuguese nobleman, explorer, and navigator who was the first European to see Brazil (on April 22, 1500). His patron was King Manuel I of Portugal, who sent him on an expedition to India. Cabral's 13 ships left on March 9, 1500, following the route of Vasco da Gama. On April 22,1500, he sighted land (Brazil), claiming it for Portugal and naming it the "Island of the True Cross." King Manuel renamed this land Holy Cross; it was later renamed once again, to Brazil, after a kind of dyewood found there, called pau-brasil. Cabral stayed in Brazil for 10 days and then continued on his way to India, in a trip fraught with shipwrecks (at the Cape of Good Hope), and fighting (with Muslim traders in India). After trading for spices in India, Cabral returned to Portugal on June 23, 1501, with only four of the original 13 ships.

Epiphany in Astronomer’s Wife, When I consider how my light is spent and Everything That Rises Must :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Epiphany in Astronomer’s Wife, When I consider how my light is spent and Everything That Rises Must Converge The short story, â€Å"Astronomer’s Wife,† by Kay Boyle is one of perseverance and change. Mrs. Ames, because of neglect from her husband, becomes an emotionless and almost childlike woman. As a result, Mrs. Ames, much like John Milton in his poem, â€Å"When I consider how my light is spent† (974), is in darkness, unaware of the reality and truth of the outside world. However, the plumber who is trying to repair leaking pipes in her house, starts by repairing the leaking pipes in her heart. He helps her realize that the life she is living is not a fulfilling one. In short, to Mrs. Ames, â€Å"[†¦] life is an open sea, she sought to explain in sorrow, and to survive women cling to the floating debris on the tide† (Boyle 59). Similarly, in Flannery O’Connor’s short story, â€Å"Everything That Rises Must Converge,† the mother is also â€Å"cling[ing] to floating debris† (Boyle 59). She is trying to hold on to her old life, the one in which she is socially better than blacks and other women. But, like Milton and Mrs. Ames, she is soon forced to see the world in a new perspective. Thus, a new life is created for Mrs. Ames and the mother after their epiphanies, with the realization of a new world, one in which hard work and understanding can lead to change in one’s life and of one’s identity. Before Mrs. Ames and the mother realize the restrictions of their old lives, their worlds have been full of disillusionment and ignorance. Mrs. Ames, for example, is oppressed by her husband’s silence and the search for love and tenderness from anyone, because she lives each day alone, ignored by her scornful husband. And, as a result of being left companionless, she does not mature, rather she longs for tenderness. In other words, Boyle explains her dysfunctional relationship with her husband, â€Å"The mystery and silence of her husband’s mind lay like a chiding finger of her lips. Her eyes were gray for the light had been extinguished in them† (57). That is, Mrs. Ames’ spirit remains oppressed by her husband who treats her as a child, and, in doing so, isolates her from his world.

Police Stress

Police Stress page2 The first type of stress is external stress. The way that this stress is described is by stress that is caused by real threats and dangers. A few of these are like a call like a man with a gun and other dangerous type of situation. With this kind of stress it is able to affect a police officer on the job. This is because this is where the danger is and when these types of situations happen at. The way that this type of stress can affect a police officer social life is mentally. They can be out with other people having fun and joking around. Then in the officer mid they would be thinking about something that had happen that day. This kind of stress can also affect their personal life as well. The way that this happens is the officer does not know how to deal with or let go of the types of situations that they have to deal with on a day to day basis. I think that they could deal with this type of stress thought therapy or by talking to someone. This next type of stress is called organizational stress. The best way to describe this type of stress is by being over worked. This type of stress can affect an officer job by them being tired and from them being away from their family all the time. This type of stress also affects them socially. This is because they do not want to make plans to go and do something because of fear of them being called in for work. This type of stress can have an effect on their personal life as well. The way that this happens is the officer’s family starts to feel neglected and the officer stares to feel that he is letting them down. The way that they are able to deal with this type of stress is by going and getting some help, talking to someone or asking for some time off. The third type of stress that a police officer has is called personal stress. The way that this type of stress is described is by a police officer not getting along with fellow officers. The way that this affects the officer’s job is by having problems within the police department that they work in. The way that it affects them socially is it can cause tension in their socially life between people that they know. This stress also affects their personal life as well. This happen they take home this stress and use it against the people there. The way that they can deal with this is by getting to know the people they work with or talking with someone. The last type of stress there is for a police officer is called operational stress. The way that this type of stress is described is by having to deal with the day to day duties that they have to do on the job. This can affect their job because they do not do their job as well and sometimes they fail at it. The way that this affects them socially is by the way they look at criminals, Police Stress page2 citizens and their families. This can also affect them personally the way that it doses this is by making hard to deal with their family as well as work. The way that they can deal with this is by talking to a therapist or someone at work.

Opsec

What is OPSEC and Why Do We Have It What is OPSEC? It’s a process of protecting little pieces of information that might grouped together to give the bigger picture. It is also protecting critical information deemed mission essential for military commanders. It is simply denying your adversary the information that they might need to harm you or the mission. The AR that covers OPSEC is AR 530-1 and goes over purposes, responsibilities, policy, procedures, training requirements, OPSEC review, assessment, survey, contract and subcontract requirements and special access programs.The reasons why we have OPSEC is because any vital information that the enemy can get their hands on can give them an advantage on the battle field or operations. Those little pieces of information could show the enemy the full picture of what it is that we plan to execute. Most don’t know what is considered vital information. Think about it, what would you like to know about your enemy and how to in filtrate, interfere or stop their objective. How about where you are going, when you are going, how are you moving, what equipment that you will be using and even what paths have you taken before.Even your unit’s job association can be a part of the information they can gather on. Certain identifying marks such as your unit patch, or any other unit/ battalion identifiers can even give information. For instance the enemy is looking at the patch and can look up through Google and find out what unit you are with and keep open eyes and ears to see if they can get any information on what your purpose is and where you will be. Even taking pictures in certain places can give the enemy a layout of an area.It’s not wise to take pictures of equipment, it would not be hard with the information highway to find out all they need to know about certain functions of our equipment and their weak spots as well. In this day in age we have the social media network that can also help the e nemy track and get information. How OPSEC affects family and social networking We all have friends and family that want to know what you are doing but there are only so many things that you can tell them without violating OPSEC.You are not the only one who needs to understand why there is OPSEC, your family needs to understand its importance as well. Any information you give them and they put out there can affect you and them. The military offers family members who are curious about OPSEC classes and briefs at the FRG meetings. They go over what it stands for and why it’s so important in the military. There are also links on the internet that explain and answers a lot of questions they may have.There is also a Facebook page that family members can go on, it’s called Army Operation Security. Your family has to understand that there is only so much you can tell them and even what you do tell them they don’t need to be telling others or posting it on Facebook. With out thinking they could accidently put the information out without knowing if the person they told is the enemy or a spy. You know what they say keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer.The enemy thinks the same way and will do whatever it takes to get the information they need to plan and infiltrate our operations. Families are the biggest target for our enemies to infiltrate and get information. One more important thing to think about is the enemy could be anyone, American or even your family you never know. There are many reasons why we have OPSEC but not taking the proper measures can result in serious injury or death to personnel, damage to weapons systems, equipment and facilities, loss of sensitive technologies and mission failure.The process of OPSEC There is a process to OPSEC as well the subjects that are covered are identification of critical information, analysis of threats, analysis of vulnerabilities, assessment of risk, an application of appropriate OPSEC measures and assessment of insider knowledge. Identification of critical information is the process of identifying what information is needed by the enemy, not so much protecting everything that is classified or sensitive unclassified, but protecting what is more vital and would be more useful to the enemy.Analysis of threats is the research and analysis of intelligence, counterintelligence and open source information on the likely enemies of a planned operation. Analysis of vulnerabilities is to examine each and every aspect of the planned operation and try to identify certain OPSEC indicators that could reveal critical information and then compare those indicators with the enemy intelligence collection capabilities used in the previous actions that they have taken in the past.Assessment of risk is where they first analyze the vulnerabilities identified in the previous action and see what OPSEC measures can be taken to prevent the opportunity of the enemy getting information, and t hen those measures are selected for execution based upon a risk assessment done by the commander and staff. Application of appropriate OPSEC measures is when the command implements the OPSEC measures selected in the assessment of risk, action, or in the case of planned future operations and activities, which includes the measures in specific OPSEC plans.Assessment of Insider Knowledge is assessing and ensuring employees, contractors, and key personnel having access to critical or sensitive information practice and maintain proper OPSEC measures by organizational security elements; whether by Open Assessment or Covert Assessment in order to evaluate the information being processed and / or handled on all levels of operation ability (the employees/mid-level/senior management) and prevent unintended/intentional disclosure. These are all important steps that are taken to implement those measures to use as soldiers.All this information that they gather and analyze gives us the understand ing of what the enemy is looking, what they have done in the past and what they may plan in the future. We have briefs annually that go over such information that they gather and the measure to prevent them from happening again. We even sign a nondisclosure agreement after we are briefed on what we are not supposed to do when we have information that is mission critical. Basically they go over the does and don’ts in this brief and we are bound in contract not to disclose any of this information to whom it doesn’t concern.Later in this essay, you will know the consequences to violating the nondisclosure agreement. Indicators and Vulnerabilities There are other forms of analyzing ways that the enemy would get information and create weak spots in our operations or mission tasks, they are Indicators and Vulnerabilities. Indicators, consists of five characteristics which are signatures, associations, profiles, contrasts and exposures. A signature can cause certain indicator s to be identifiable and stand out.If a signature is unique and stable, it reduces the unclear and uncertainty of a particular indicator and reduces the number of additional indicators that must be observed in order to determine the significance. If the indicator’s signature is stable, meaning that the behavior is constant and repeated, an adversary may accurately predict future actions. By varying the pattern of behavior, the signature’s stability can be interrupted and increase the uncertain information of an enemies observations. An association is the relationship that an indicator has to other information or activities.Adversarial Intelligence Analysts spend a considerable amount of time comparing current observations with past observations, which may reveal possible relationships. For example, an observer may note a particular employee report to work after hours. Though previous observation, the Analyst is aware of that employee’s position as an on-call com puter forensics analyst. Given the association between those two observations, the Adversarial Intelligence Analyst could conclude that the organization has suffered a computer breach of some sort.An association can also take the form of a pattern. For instance, if it is observed that we do a test fire on our weapons before rolling out the gate to go on mission, an analyst may be able to accurately predict these procedures. Lastly, an association can take the form of organizational patterns, particularly in military units. The analyst may be aware that a particular unit is comprised of Headquarters Company, a maintenance company and a transportation company.If one of these elements is detected, the presence of the others would be strongly suspected. A profile is the sum of multiple signatures, and what that means is when multiple signatures are detected, the combination therein would be more or less unique to a particular mission or task. For instance, if signatures are detected tha t indicate that aircraft fueling capacities are in place, as well as air traffic control, personnel and weaponry, a profile can be compiled indicating future air-based operations.If a unique profile is observed, an analyst may be able to accurately determine which type of operation is in progress, minimizing the need for additional observation and analysis. Contrasts are any differences between the established pattern and current observations. Contrasts are the most reliable indicators because they depend on differences in established and repeated profiles, and need only to be observed rather than understood. A contrast can take many forms; for instance leaving work at a different time or the presence of vehicles or aircraft that were not previously observed.When noting a difference, the analyst will attempt to determine if the change is isolated or widespread, if the change has occurred previously (and has a matching association), if anything significant has occurred since the chan ge and what the change may represent. The exposure of an indicator refers to the length of time and the time frame in which the indicator is observed. If an indicator is allowed to be observed for a long period of time, it will be assimilated into the profile and be assigned a meaning. If an indicator is able to be observed for only a short period of time and does not repeat, it is less likely to attract attention.However, if the indicator is observed for short periods of time, but is repeated frequently, it will begin to be seen as a contrast to a normal profile. These can be found on OPSEC professionals. com. Vulnerabilities, is the information and indicators that can weak spots to infiltrate and disrupt the mission plans or operation. Finding and preventing the vulnerabilities can reduce the affect that it may have on missions and operations that are planned and executed. For instance, your path that you take to a given destinations, and the terrain were they could plant IED†™s.If someone was to give out information as to where the mission was going and when, it could give the enemy the time to organize a plan of attack on that convoy or mission of operation. Convoy and Equipment security Convoy security is a very important part of our job and there are techniques that we have in the way we pull security and make ourselves less known to the enemy as well. For example, when we have to halt the convoy for complications that arise, we will turn off our lights to make ourselves less know. We also, put spaces between us to eliminate more damage in the event that we are hit with either small arms fire or an IED.Identifying marks on the vehicle is not permitted because it can be traced and monitored by the enemy and observe and predict the way we move and how we operate. These techniques that we have shouldn’t be spoken to anyone as well. If the enemy was to know this information it would give us an even more disadvantage in completing our mission. Ev en the classes that we take like (Crow, Puma, Crew, etc. ) should not be shared information, the enemy would love nothing more that to understand our equipment and the way it works.They will try to find the weakness in anything that we use to plan, secure, and complete our missions and tasks. Radio frequencies are another very important part of information that could be very valuable to the enemy. With that information they could pretty much get just about anything that they would possible need to know to infiltrate us, harm us, equipment and the very mission itself. All this information and more is vital to our very purpose here and simply if the person to whom at anytime you are speaking with or if there are others around and they do not need to know don’t say anything.One other thing that is important to remember there are a lot of DOD contractors around that know and understand about OPSEC, and they are listening around you and will report this information that they hear. Even our battle drills we go over on how we respond and operate under certain conditions can be considered valuable information to the enemy, and something they could use against us. How to Conduct an Operations Security (OPSEC) Assessment OPSEC Assessments are conducted to evaluate an adversary's or competitor's ability to access your critical information, intellectual property, proprietary information or personal information.OPSEC Assessments directly benefit anyone desiring to protect information or assets from disclosure. Operations Security (OPSEC) Assessments enable insight to your predictable indicators, exploitable processes and procedures while presenting specific measures to counter potential vulnerabilities. Assessments can be conducted by internal representatives from each department or can be performed by external experts and typically run from 1-3 weeks.Step 1: Identify information critically important to the organization, mission, project or home [intellectual proper ty, mission details, plans, R&D, capabilities, degradations, key personnel deployment data, medical records, contracts, network schematics, etc. ] Step 2: Identify the relevant adversaries, competitors or criminals with both intent and capability to acquire your critical information. Step 3: From the adversary's, competitors, or thief's perspective, identify potential vulnerabilities and means to gains access to results of step 1. Interview a representative sample of individual.Step 4: Assess the risk of each vulnerability by its respective impact to mission accomplishment / performance if obtained Step 5: Generate / recommend specific measures that counter identified vulnerabilities. Prioritize and enact relevant protection measures. Step 6: Evaluate measure effectiveness, adjust accordingly. This was reference at http://www. wikihow. com/Conduct-an-Operations-Security-%28Opsec%29-Assessment There are many tips when conducting a Operations Security (OPSEC) Assessment here are a cou ple. Don’t try to perform all analysis on your own, obtain threat data from the experts.The cost of OPSEC money wise would be prohibitive to attempt to protect information that is already accessible to the public so focus on what you can protect than what is already publicly accessible. Even though 100% awareness of OPSEC is realistic, zero vulnerabilities are not. Your critical information list should not be secret and inconspicuously posted near PC monitors, phones, copiers, etc. You should keep your list to about ten items. Those aware of what to protect have a better chance of protecting sensitive information as opposed to those unaware of its value is a general rule.Regular assessments ensure your best protection. OPSEC often provides low cost solutions to high tech problems. Instead of a long drawn-out report on observations, findings and proposed counter measures can be formatted in a presentation template. To mitigate vulnerabilities you should include a plan of actio ns and milestones (POA&M) in the brief to decision makers. Consequences to violating OPSEC There are many consequences to violating the nondisclosure statement that all soldiers, NCO’s and Officers are obligated to adhere and follow. This is a direct order from your chain of command.This statement informs you of the obligations and responsibilities concerning OPSEC procedures and consequences that will occur if violating this statement. OPSEC involves vital and important information on mission operations. This includes dates, times, cargo, number of personnel and vehicles, even the rout and destinations of missions. Violations of OPSEC can happen many different ways especially with current technology. Cellular phones are the easiest and most convenient method of use getting and giving information. However, another method would be the internet.People who make random posts on facebook or other forms of social media pages or write blogs about things they do in combat areas revea l types of information without realizing what they have done. Revealing this type of information, whether it was intentional or not can have severe consequences from the Military Judicial System. These consequences include UCMJ, Article 15, Military Court Martial, and separation from the military and loss of all VA benefits. Another and more substantial result of the violations is the loss of people’s lives because the enemy found this information from unsecured communication networks.The first course of punishment is an Article 15 of the UCMJ. A Soldier will receive the maximum punishment from an Article 15. Which would be 45 days extra duty, 45 days of restriction, loss of pay and reduction of rank. If the information the Soldier revealed results in the convoy getting ambushed and Soldiers die, that Soldier may have to appear before a Military Court for a Court Martial Hearing. If the Courts finds the Soldier guilty of the charges they have been accused of. This will result in a Dishonorable Separation from the Military.A Dishonorable Separation from the Military may result in future difficulties in civilian life after you are released from the Military. The main problem might be trying to attain a civilian job. When employers see a dishonorable discharge from the military service and the reasons to which you obtained this action. They will be less likely to employ such a person who they can’t trust in. Along with the dishonorable discharge, you will loss all benefits and entitlements. The Bureau of Veteran affairs will also give soldiers loans to buy a house or brand new vehicle.This will also be taken from, because due to the soldier’s indiscretion to reveal vital information and risk the lives of their fellow comrades. References Operation Security on Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Operations_security Operation Security AR 530-1: www. fas. org/irp/doddir/army/ar530-1. pdf OPSEC Indicators: www. opsecprofessionals. org/artic les/indicators. htm How to Conduct an Operations Security (Opsec) Assessment: http://www. wikihow. com/Conduct-an-Operations-Security-%28Opsec%29-Assessment

Narrative on Culture

Culture Crossing Do you ever look at a complete stranger and immediately categorize that person? I will be the first to admit that I have done so more than I would care to acknowledge. I was definitely raised to look down upon people, especially the Jewish, in spite of what my parents will tell you. Although I was never actually told not to like or associate with a Jewish person, the adults in my family made it known that it was unacceptable by saying unpleasant things about them. I heard the jewish would come to nice neighborhoods, take them over, and ruin them.I also heard that they killed Jesus. It was inevitable that I too would see Jewish people as inferior to me. With all the bad things I heard, it only seemed natural. I thought Jewish people were arrogant, greedy, conniving, and uneducated. I thought they should leave our country because their religion and cultural beliefs were un-American. From the time I was a little girl through my early twenties I looked down upon Jewish p eople until I met Joel one day while I was working. It was a typical Friday at the Department of Motor Vehicles.It was fifteen minutes until closing time and the place was packed. I was about to call my next customer when a short man dressed in black and white from head to toe with long chin-brushing curls as sideburns wearing a black hat approached my window. He was a Hasidic Jew and I was not happy. I acknowledged him. â€Å"Yes? † â€Å"Are you going to call this ticket number? † â€Å"Nope. Have a seat,† I said annoyed. â€Å"I'm sorry to have bothered you. † As he was sitting back down I noticed the ticket number he had in his hands. It was a dealer ticket. We stop calling dealers at 4:30 p. m because it's time consuming.I was contemplating if I was going to tell him this or let him find out the hard way. There was a big sign by the ticket machine that clearly states that we don't accept dealer paperwork after 4:30 p. m. Some of my coworkers noticed him and started making fun of his clothes, yiddish accent and, stupidity for not reading the sign. Although I tended to agree with them, I decided to be nice and help this man because I was sick and tired of hearing my coworkers ridiculing him. He was, after all, in hearing distance. I motioned the Hasidic man up to my window with my index finger. Sir, I normally would not help you because we don't accept dealers after 4:30 p. m but, I see you only have one deal so I will help you just this one time. † He smiled from ear to ear and thanked me. I knew from experience that Hasidic men are not allowed to touch an object at the same time as someone from the opposite sex so, I was very surprised when he handed me the papers through the bars rather than sliding them underneath the window barrier. I didn't know what to do. Should I let the papers fall to the desk? I did not want to be impolite so I took the papers from him.After looking at his papers I soon realized that I would be u nable to process the transaction and I delivered the bad news to him. Expecting the worst, I was ready for the hostile reply I usually get from anyone I give unpleasant news to. Instead, he was polite and humble. He thanked me over and over for taking him. I was pleasantly surprised and smiled. I told him the additional papers he needed and even wished him a good evening. He was walking away when he turned and asked, â€Å"What is your name? † â€Å"Ann† I suspiciously replied. â€Å"My name is Joel. Have a great weekend Ann!I will see you first thing on Monday,† he said cheerfully as he walked towards the door. I wondered what was wrong with him. I had never came across a Hasidic man like him. As the metal gates lifted to the D. M. V entrance Monday morning, I noticed Joel was the first in line. He waved. Oh, geez. That was weird. My coworkers took notice of him and started to tease me. â€Å"Look, there's Annie's special friend,† said one. â€Å"Annie' s curly locks is here,† snorted another. I chose to ignore their snide remarks and called him up to my window. â€Å"Good Morning Ann! How was your weekend? † Joel asked.He placed a small tin of cookies on the counter. â€Å"These are for you. They are from my brother's bakery in Brooklyn,† he joyfully said as he slid the tin underneath the window bars. I told him that I couldn't accept them and thanked him. â€Å"You have kids? Yes? Please take them home to your children then,† he insisted. I took the cookies and hid them in my desk draw. â€Å"Thank you Joel, that was very kind of you. My children will love the cookies. † I hoped no one noticed the exchange. I did not want to be teased my coworkers. While editing and processing his paperwork, Joel started telling me jokes.They were funny but I didn't dare laugh because they were about the Jewish. â€Å"Not all Hasidic's are extremists, Ann,† he laughed. I didn't know how to respond. I never met a Hasidic man that was as friendly and talkative as Joel. I wondered if he was from Kiryas Joel, the village within the town of Monroe where it's residents strictly observe the Torah and its commandments. If he is, I'm thinking he shouldn't be talking to me like this. Hasidic men are proscribed from associating with woman who are not their wives or relatives. What if another Hasidic witnessed him talking to me? Joel, do you live in Kiryas Joel? † I shyly asked. â€Å"Yes, I do. Why do you ask? † â€Å"Um, can't you get in trouble for talking to me? † I had a hard time getting the words out. I was embarrassed. â€Å"I have many rules but it doesn't mean that I follow them to a T? † I was intrigued. I knew little about Hasidism. I determined this would be an excellent opportunity to learn. â€Å"Would you mind if I asked you questions about your religion? † I quietly asked. Joel gave me permission to ask him anything. As time went on, I called hi m right up to my window.None of my coworkers wanted to help him anyway and, I looked forward to our conversations. I asked him questions about everything from having sex through a hole in the sheet to having a holiday that they are ordered to get drunk. Joel eagerly shared his experiences in detail leaving nothing out. He explained holidays, the importance of tradition, and beliefs. I learned the life of a Hasidic from birth through marriage. Joel educated me on why they dress all in black, what kind of education they receive, gender roles, acceptable entertainment, and any other aspect that I thought to ask him about.He explained the discipline involved to abstain mainstream American culture. When he spoke about his arranged marriage, I began to understand and respect the idea behind it. It did seem safer in the big picture because partners were picked that were good for a lifetime not short infatuations. I was amazed how open-minded I was becoming. I had gained respect for his rel igion and became quite fond of Joel. I saw him as a whole person rather than the Hasidic Jew I once seen. My religious and cultural upbringing fostered my ignorance.I grew up feeling superior to people outside my culture and religion because I simply didn't know any better. Meeting Joel changed my view on culture and religion. Through sharing his traditions and beliefs, I realized that other cultures interact differently and it's often misconceived as rudeness, anger and, foolishness. Getting to know Joel made me see that our cultural and religious beliefs didn't make us any less or any more of a person. Based on our common humanity, I learned to respect cultural and religious diversity.

Importance of Home in the Wind in the Willows

WillowsThere’s No Place Like Home: An Analysis of Two Characters’ Journeys in â€Å"The Wind in the Willows† As discussed in this course, classic children’s literature often involves some kind of journey for a character, in which they temporarily leave home, only to discover a self-truth and a new appreciation for that which they often took for granted. Kenneth Grahame’s â€Å"The Wind in the Willows† is no exception. The two animals that most notably go through a transformation as a result of leaving home are Mole and Toad. While their reasoning and experiences along the way differ, they both prove changed characters, and for the better. The Wind in the Willows† begins with a busy Mole, caught in his spring-cleaning daze, and within the first paragraph he has decided to leave the work behind as â€Å"something up above was calling him imperiously† (Classics of Children’s Literature, pg. 637). Mole’s home is undergr ound, and as soon as he breaks the surface, the nature around him is described as very positive with words like â€Å"sunlight†, â€Å"warm†, â€Å"caress†, and â€Å"happy† (pg. 637). He takes in his surroundings and is pleased to â€Å"be the only idle dog among all [the] busy citizens† (pg. 637).He quickly comes across the river, something that he’s never seen before, and makes friends with Rat, a loyal and happy member of the River Bank. The experience on a boat is grand, and Rat doesn’t have to say much to convince Mole that venturing out was the best idea: â€Å"Absorbed in the new life he [Mole] was entering upon, intoxicated with the sparkle, the ripple, the scents and the sounds and the sunlight, he trailed a paw in the water and dreamed long waking dreams† (pg. 639). Rat goes on to teach Mole all the necessary â€Å"animal etiquettes,† different things about the inhabitants of the Wild Wood, and how to do river tasks, like rowing.Even though he fails in first attempts to fit in, Moles spirits are easily lifted by the comfort of his friends. Mole stays with Rat through the summer and continues learning and growing as a character. The pair goes to visit another friend, Toad, who is all too eager to travel and go on a journey with his horse drawn carriage. The night before they are supposed to leave, Mole says that he’ll do whatever Rat wants, but asks, â€Å"Shall we run away to-morrow morning, quite early-very early- and go back to our deal old hole on the river? † (pg. 647). Here, he mentions home for the first time, and seems to miss it.However, Rat declines, which suggests that Mole has not learned all he needs to and is not ready to return. The journey with Toad comes to a quick end, and Mole and Rat go back to the river. However, Mole does something out of character when he decides to set out on his own to meet Badger, an â€Å"important personage† (pg. 650). Agai nst Rat’s previous warnings, Mole goes into the Wild Wood and becomes afraid of noises and unfamiliar sights. Rat quickly comes to his rescue and says that even Toad â€Å"wouldn’t show his face here alone,† which suggests that Mole has become braver.After meeting Badger, Mole and Rat decide to return back to the river and Mole is very excited, â€Å"eagerly anticipating the moment when he would be at home again among the things he knew and liked† (pg. 663). When they begin their journey back, Mole feels summoned â€Å"like an electric shock† and he realizes where he is. â€Å"Now, with a rush of old memories, how clearly it stood up before him†¦the home had been happy with him, too, evidently and was missing him, and wanted him back† (pg. 665). Mole wants to see his old home, but at first Rat doesn’t think it’s a good idea and convinces Mole to move on. Emotion overcomes Mole, and he sobs.At this point, home is everything to him, and he finally does deserve to go back. Rat realizes that the trip back is very important to his friend, and they turn back to find Mole’s old dwelling place. They find it and begin making a fire, welcome in some friends, and eventually settle down to dinner. It is a splendid time, and Mole, upon going to bed, realizes â€Å"how much it all meant to him, and the special value of some such anchorage in one’s existence†¦[however] he did not at all want to abandon the new life and its splendid spaces†¦it called to him still, even down there, and he knew must return to the larger stage† (pg. 671).It is in this moment that Mole appreciates his home, but realizes that he has changed for the better, and is ready to go back up and out to see what great, new experiences await him. Toad is not so easily moved by his home/away/home journey. Before he is introduced officially in the story, Rat says that Toad is â€Å"always good-tempered, always glad to see you, always sorry when you go,† and goes on to add â€Å"perhaps he’s not very clever†¦it may be that he is both boastful and conceited† (pg. 644-645). There are many instances when Toad is a bit too proud, whether it be talking about his house or his heroic deeds at the end of the story.The fact that Toad is wealthy seems to go along with him being obsessed with the latest craze, as he can afford to indulge in them. However, because of his boastful attitude and unawareness of consequences, it seems fitting that when he becomes infatuated with cars and driving, he never really succeeds at mastering it. Toad is more than happy to leave his fine estate for â€Å"the open road† (pg. 646). Travel and the like excite him, and it seems that he takes his home very much for granted at this point. Later on in the story, his friends, in hopes that he might be cured of his â€Å"poop-poop† daze, hold him under house arrest.This sheds a negative light on his home, making it a prison from which he escapes. Toad’s version of freedom is finding a new car, dressing the part and driving like a maniac. He even steals several cars (stooping to a new low) and crashes them. Toad’s freedom, his escape, is reckless and irresponsible and therefore it is essential that he come to a resolution to change. When Toad is finally placed in jail, he begins to reflect on his mistakes, calling himself a â€Å"stupid animal† (pg. 684). He even thinks about Toad Hall and his friends and there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel: â€Å"the cure was almost complete† (pg. 85).Not quite. Toad lucks out quite a few times, and several people take pity on him-the jailer’s daughter, the engine driver, the driving couple-even though he doesn’t really deserve it. Grahame uses these people to remind the reader that Toad isn’t all-bad, he’s just going through some kind of crisis. He even says that ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s when he’s at Toad Hall with his friends that he’s â€Å"at his best† (pg. 686). It is also interesting that as soon as Toad starts to think about how clever and amazing his actions are, karma finds him and he is once again running away from a pursuit.He is much like a child, throwing tantrums and being stubborn. When Toad ends up in the woods, he is finally finding his way back, feeling free in the wilderness. After being rescued from the river by Rat, Toad is excited to reveal all his adventures and cleverness. He even pledges to â€Å"lead a quiet, steady, respectable life†¦just as [he] used to in the good old days, before [he] got restless† (pg. 710). This proud moment is put on hold when he learns that Toad Hall has been seized. Suddenly, when he realizes his home is in danger, a fire is lit inside Toad, and he is ready to fight for it.Toad seems to have come to a breaking point, and the fact that he has to win his home back makes the ch ange in him more obvious. Although Toad, after the battle, still wants praise and to give speeches and sing songs (on his behalf), there is finally a complete turn around. Toad has a few last conceited moments, but it is only between him and his home. He sings to a room with empty chairs, which shows just how important the home was to his transformation. It was the last thing that would see him in his old ways, and the thing in which he would build a new life and character.At earlier instances, the reader may not be convinced of Toad’s change, but Grahame assures us saying, â€Å"He was indeed an altered Toad! † (pg. 724). Both of these animal characters in â€Å"The Wind in the Willows† have human qualities of wanting something more, something new to spark interest and passion. Grahame, through Mole and Toad, has shown the benefits of leaving home at some point so that it might be better appreciated upon return. Change is necessary to both these characters, and results in them both being much happier and satisfied with their lives.

PERSONAL STATMENT (short) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PERSONAL STATMENT (short) - Essay Example At this young age I saw what a difference a nurse can make. Nana, during this time, became ill and had to have both legs amputated. We got through it together. Those years were not all easy, but I gained much from them. I learnt lessons that have followed me throughout my life: perseverance, empathy, team work, and compassion. Sadly, Mum passed away, after a long battle with cancer, five years ago. With her last two years on earth, I was her primary caregiver. Although a sad time in life, I was blessed to be able to care for her during her final years. I am a mother now of two beautiful children, ages 15 and 17. Watching them grow up and seeing how they have matured has brought me great joy. To experience the wonder of new discoveries through their eyes and assisting them to grow and mature into the young adults they have become is an experience I will always treasure. Having my own children has taught me that I have a natural talent in working with children. As my own children got older, I realized I missed the daily interactions with younger children and that was enough to ascertain my career working with children. Initially, I became a Nursery Assistant working mostly as a caregiver. Although, neither glamorous nor high paying job, it was immensely rewarding.