Chronic Sorrow

Living with Chronic Sorrow The middle range theory of chronic sorrow theory was researched in the 1980’s validating parent’s feelings over the loss of not having the perfect child and having a child with a disability. Chronic sorrow provided a framework for understanding the reactions of individuals to various loss situations and offered a way to view the experience of bereavement. Involvement in an experience of a significant loss is the necessary antecedent to the development of chronic sorrow (Peterson & Bredow, 2009). The loss may affect individuals and family members at any time. Chronic sorrow may come to any of us during our lifetime. Chronic sorrow can best be described as a natural response to a tragic situation. Where life experiences cause deep distress, sadness, or regret especially for the loss of someone or something loved ( Gordon, 2009 ). Chronic sorrow is followed by a permanent loss of a personal attachment that may be ongoing with a sadness of such intensity that it recurs for the lifetime of the person. Mental pain, suffering and despair can all occur from chronic sorrow regardless if the loss is caused by injury, trauma or by death ( Alligood, & Tomey,(2010). Washington Irving says it best, â€Å"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of over whelming grief and unspeakable love. † The rational for choosing the middle range theory of chronic sorrow was because this theory was easy to identify with. From losing a home to a natural disaster, a job, and even in death of family members, friends and numerous pets this theory really hit home from personnel experiences. Possible Antecedents, Defining Attributes and Consequences Let’s start but trying to understand the antecedents of chronic sorrow and how they relate to ach other and affect each of us as individuals. This may help to understand how strongly emotions control and play an important part in our everyday lives. The antecedents that go along with chronic sorrow are loss and grief. They are experienced periodically by individuals of all ages through their life time. Whether in the death of a family member, friend or pet, losing a home and all worldly possessions or losing a functioning body part. To be able to get through these powerful feelings and emotions can be very difficult and even more difficult for others to understand (Peterson & Bredow, 2009). People all over the world are forced to deal with this daily, but until it happens to you, do you truly begin to understand the impact this has on ones’ own life. Every one of us will have to deal with loss at some time in our life. A loss can be described as â€Å"a pervasive psychic pain and sadness, stimulated by certain trigger events, which follows loss of a relationship of an attachment† (Teel,1991, pg. 1316). Losses come in many forms both large and small, such as loss of a job, a home, a way of life, a relationship, or loss of a significant other, spouse, family member or even a pet. The perception of the event, the situational supports, and the coping mechanisms all influence return of equilibrium or homeostasis. A person either advances or regresses as a result of the crisis, depending upon how the person manages the crisis (Potter & Perry, 2009). Experiencing a loss can trigger the grief process. Everyone is different and comes to terms with loss in different ways, so it is difficult to say how long a person’s process may take. Losses that are smaller and have less of an impact on peoples’ lives will take a much shorter time to resolve emotionally than more significant losses (Foust, 2006). Some people deal with the loss a day at a time, yet for some people it may be an hour at a time. As long as the person is not denying the loss, they are working through it. Action oriented is an internal management for coping with a loss. This includes continuing to be involved in interests, hobbies, activities, talking with friends, professionals and even joining a support group (Peterson and Bredow,2009). Lost your job, your home, a loved one, or a beloved pet? There are many forms of loss, and all are felt individually on a very personal level (Foust, 2006). A loss is losing or being deprived of something you once had. Any loss can have a profound effect on your life. Loss can happen at any time day or night and does not need a reason. A consequence of a loss can stop you from socializing, cause you to have lack of interests, and take you emotionally away from those who love you. A loss can impact your job, your home, your finances, and your relationships. This is a real emotion that people around the world experience daily. Coping with loss and grief can be challenging in many ways (Teel. 1991). A loss may be felt physically and emotionally, like something is missing. A feeling of worry and emptiness may be felt deep inside. Two types of losses most relevant to depressive symptoms are related to self, goal attainment, and loss of financial resources (Van Horn & Mischel, 2008). One may begin to suffer physical symptoms such as headaches, gastrointestinal upset, anxiety, sleeplessness, or anorexia. Emotionally you may feel tired, lack the ability to care about what is going on around you, sleep too much or too little, over eat or under eat, and neglect yourself and those around you. These are all feelings and emotions a person may experience in grief. Loss is an experience caused by changes and recognizing these changes are important in dentify feelings and most importantly, by allowing individuals to feel and express themselves begins the healing process (Love, 2007). Grief comes in many shapes and sizes. There is no â€Å"one size fits all† for the grieving process. Grief is the series of emotions that a person goes through after a loss. Grief may involve feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, shame, relief, jealousy, hopelessness and powerlessness ( Love, 2007). Many people allow for grief after the passing of a loved one, but many of today’s views tend to ignore the grief that can follow other kinds of losses. As a result, people find themselves unexpectedly alone dealing with the sorrow, anger and other emotions associated with grief at various times in their life. Confused and even ashamed, they may attempt to hide or avoid these emotions, pushing them inward rather than letting them out. This may cause destructive and devastating repercussions which can follow. Yet all of this can be avoided, if people recognize that there are all kinds of grief (Castledine,2002). Learning to deal with the loss and cope with ones misfortunes is where grief comes in. So, how long is the grieving process? Basically, a person grieves as long as it takes to come to terms with their loss and the impact that it has had on their life (Foust, 2006). The obvious time for grieving is after the death of a loved one. Many people experience this first with grandparents and parents, as well as aunts, uncles and family pets. Some people may suffer the difficult loss of siblings or spouses and still others may experience the tragic loss of a child. There is no way to measure grief, and no instrument or scale to measure for sorrow. Each person grieves these losses uniquely and differently. When a death of a loved one occurs those left ehind are often allowed time and space for grieving and usually supported by family and friends (Burglass, 2010). But what happens when someone loses a beloved pet? Or when a family loses a home? Or better yet the loss of a functioning body part, example hearing, seeing or loss of limb? These too are times of great loss. Unfortunately, they are seldom recognized as suc h and because of this the grieving are left alone to work through emotions that are many times misunderstood by those around them (Castledine, 2002). Coworkers, friends or even spouses can find it hard to understand ones grief and even find it difficult to handle. A person must grieve in order to heal and move forward. The suffering of dazed confusion, distress and unrelenting despair will generally ease with time (Love, 2007). At home, whenever you are alone, don’t push or force yourself to do anything. Relax and do what comes naturally. Many cultures do not encourage people to grieve openly. Crying and other ways of expressing distress can be seen as signs of weakness. Crying can actually help relieve stress, so cry, take a bath or watch television (Gipson, 2009). Do whatever makes you feel comfortable and helps you relax. Management forms of grief can be in the form of faith, istractions, like work, hobbies, and honoring your loss through ritual is important in overcoming the loss. There are many ways to go through the grieving process, regardless of how one grieves, grief is critical in the healing process (Potter & Perry, pg. 496). Any loss can warrant grief. Grief is a normal reaction to loss and is not usually associated with lon g term negative consequences. Grief is a natural psychological and sometimes physical response to loss or change. Though death is most commonly associated with grieving, many other life changes can have the same result (911, Oklahoma City bombing). Losing a job (being laid off after working several years for the same company), losing a home (natural disaster, fire, tornado or even hurricane), having children leave home ( go away to college, military service, get married), retiring, divorce, declaring bankruptcy (loss of financial resources) a breakup, even moving can all create a sense of real loss and grief (Love, 2007). Grieving is a natural and healthy reaction to all losses. The five stages of grief denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are all natural feelings when one experiences a significant loss. These can also be overlapped with shock, yearning and protest, despair, and recovery (Buglass, 2010). Grieving helps people understanding what has occurred and how to adapt to a new set of circumstances in their life. What makes the grieving process so challenging, is that many of the emotions we experience are painful and most people do not want to feel painful emotions. Another challenging piece is that many people are not prepared for the variety of emotions that occur. Most people expect to feel sad, but may not expect to feel angry, anxious, hopeless, terrified, confused, frustrated, lonely, and so on. The emotions felt do not occur in any predictable pattern and many people often tend to cycle through them throughout the grieving process (Drench, 2004). Grief is something that cannot be fixed and one cannot take a pill to make the grief go away. A person needs to experience the loss and all the negative emotions that result in order to accept the loss. Grief cannot be medicated with pills or alcohol. In fact, individuals that do attempt to take medication are using their own form of denial which usually lengthens the process and may even add a drug or alcohol addiction problem on top of their grief. The good news is that there are things that people can do to help cope and work through the grief process (Potter and Perry, pg. 496). These are a few examples people may use to help work through the grieving process. Take care of yourself by getting rest, eating regularly and maintain a regular routine. This can be challenging during the early process, but is essential with recovery (Potter & Perry, pg. 496). Support systems of family, friends and colleagues who will listen, offer advice and provide emotional support can benefit you. Talk about your loss helps get your thoughts and feelings ut. Journaling is also a helpful to get your thoughts out. In a private journal or diary people are able to express their emotions and vent their feelings honestly without hurting anyone or without concern for how they may appear to others (Potter & Perry, pg. 496). Time management techniques include developing a list of tasks that are felt to be important and need to be accomplished. Perform the tasks at the top of the list that require immediate attention, those that are not as important can be delayed (Potter & Perry, pg. 497). Guided imagery and visualization can help with relaxation. Gather pictures and other things that remind you of your loss, person, pet, house or phase of your life you have lost. Try talking with family and friends about your memories. Funniest, worst, happiest, anything you share will help with adjusting to the loss. Play music that reminds you of your loss. Music is a powerful memory that can make you feel good or is comforting to you (Potter & Perry, pg. 497). Progressive muscle relaxation may help with physiological tension. Exercise, fresh air, Sunshine, visiting with friends may all help. Deep breathing exercises may help reduce stress nd relax muscles (Potter & Perry, pg. 497). Have a friend share in an activity that may have been your activity with what or whom you lost. An example would be if you went to breakfast every morning at McDonalds, it can make you sad and upset to think about going back there. Sharing the activity with a friend will not replace your loss, but may help establish a new routine for you. That is what grieving i s about, facing and dealing with your new circumstances rather than avoiding them (Gipson, 2009). Many of these suggestions are easy things to do. What is not easy is managing negative motions. The grieving process does take time, but you can get through the loss and grief by dealing with your emotions one day at a time. None of these suggestions will take grief away, but may help to manage feelings and emotions that are experienced. Managing ones feelings can assist in feeling like the person is taking an active role again in their life. If the feelings a person experiences becomes overwhelming or significantly interferes with their life (can’t go to work, feeling suicidal, panic attacks, difficulty in carrying out every day routines, etc. ). This person ould likely benefit from seeing a therapist that can assist them with the grieving process and help them with acceptance and recovery (Buglass, 2010). Grieving can be difficult and a person does not have to go through this a lone (Gipson, 2009). Case Study Three young men, Brad, Tom and Mike return home from active military duty with the loss of a lower leg while fighting for our country. Each man experiences their loss differently and uniquely. The first, Brad, is supported by his wife, parents, two children and many other family members and friends. Brad’s leg has healed and a useful diverse type of prosthesis has been itted to his lower leg. After many months of rehabilitation Brad is able to walk again with the use of his new prosthesis. The prosthesis fits well with no skin irritations. Brad is able to enjoy many of the things he did prior to losing the leg (fishing, dancing, playing ball with his child). Brad is a very spiritual man and with the help of his wife, parents, family and friends he has been able to accept his loss and move forward. The quality of life Brad once new has slowly returned to an almost normal state. Although Brad does miss the loss of is leg he has adjusted to his ne w life and faces daily challenges as they come. The second, Tom, is also supported by his wife, parents, one child and many friends and family. The leg due to infection took longer than Tom expected to heal delaying his recovery time. Tom had a useful diverse type prosthesis fitted to his lower leg. Tom attended many more months of rehabilitation than Brad, do to skin integrity problems. Skin issues have disrupted the daily use of the prosthesis interfering with Tom’s independence and lifestyle. Tom has had difficulty at first adjusting to his new lifestyle. Everyday tasks have been very challenging for Tom at times. Toms’ wife, parents, family and friends have een very supportive to Tom every step of the way. A remote controlled wheel chair is available for Tom on the days he is unable to wear his prosthesis. Tom has learned to do many tricks with his wheel chair and has joined a wheel chair basketball team because he likes showing off. Toms’ acceptance and recovery was a lot slower, but in the end he was abl e to adjust to his new lifestyle. The third, Mike, is supported by his wife, parents, family and friends. Mike was diagnosed with Diabetes after returning home from active duty. Mikes’ leg had a hard time healing due to infection and adjustment to having Diabetes. Mike did not like having Diabetes and would refuse to eat the right foods. Mikes’ blood sugar was out of control because of his refusal to take medication prescribed and frequently drinking. These actions were responsible for causing skin integrity problems. After a long, hard, trying year, the leg finally healed. Mike was fitted with a useful diverse type prosthesis. Skin issues continued to be a problem because of Mikes Diabetes and his refusal to eat healthy and take his medication properly. The prosthesis was painful and awkward for Mike to use. Just looking at the prosthesis filled Mike with such an incredible loss. Mike was angry with everyone that tried to help him. He sat day after day in a wheelchair drinking beer. Mike refused to take a bath, shave, eat, or go anywhere he might be seen by people that knew him. Mike would stay for days at a time in bed and refuse to get up. Counseling was verbally rejected every time counseling was brought up by anyone. Mikes’ doctor placed him on depression medication which he refused to take on a regular basis. Mikes friends stopped dropping by to see him. Mikes’ wife was having difficulties dealing with Mikes’ drinking and verbal abuse. She would argue with Mike till she cried and could no onger take Mikes’ drinking and feeling sorry for himself. His parents tried being very supportive, but also found Mike really difficult to deal with. Mike continued to drink and blamed everyone for the loss of his leg. Mike refused to accept the loss or move forward. Mikes’ wife finally after two years had all the verbal abuse she coul d handle and left him. Mike ended up moving back home and living with his parents. He still is unable to wear the prosthesis and to this day rarely leaves his parents’ home. As a nurse working with individuals, families and patients we need to be able to recognize hese individuals that are suffering. By listening to what the person is saying and their body language should be triggers for nurses if this is a person wanting, needing or requiring some kid of outside assistance. Chronic sorrow is characterized as pervasive, permanent, periodic sadness or other grief- related feelings associated with ongoing disparity resulting from a loss experience (Lindgren, Burke, Hainesworth, & Eakes,1992). The concept of chronic sorrow as you have read may go hand in hand with the antecedents grief and loss. For a person to experience one, they can experience the other. Even though the loss may have been for seen or was totally unexpected, a person does not always overcome the loss or grief over night. For some people this may take days, weeks or even years. Then for others like Mike, they may be so devastated over the loss with grief that the loss is unbearable. They never overcome the loss and live with chronic sorrow. Reference Alligood, M. R. , & Tomey, A. M. (2010). Nursing Theorists and Their Work (7th ed. ). Maryland Heights, Missouri: Mosby Elsevier Inc. Bickerstaff, K. A. , Grasser, C. M. , and McCabe, B. (2007). 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(2007). â€Å"That was my old life; it’s almost like a past- life now†: Identity crisis, loss and adjustment amongst people living with chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychology and Health 23(4), 459-476. Dougherty, P. J. , McFarland, L. V. , Smith, D. G. , Esquenazi, A. , Blake, D. J. , & Reiber, G. E. (2010). Multiple traumatic limb loss: A comparison of Vietnam veterans to OIF/OEF service members. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development 47(4), 333-348 Drench, M. E. (2004). Loss, grief, and adjustment: A primer for physical theraphy, part 1 Retrieved September 5, 2011, from: http://ezproxy. snu. edu:2056/ehost/detail? vid=18&hid= 126&sid=69ff5835-74c8-43e1-bffd-3252bfa3a859%40sessionmgr111&bdata=JnNp dGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=rzh&AN=2003126574 Durkin, A. , (2009). Loss of a companion animal understanding and helping bereaved. Retrieved September 5, 2011, from: http://ezproxy. snu. edu:2056/ehost/detail? vid= 22&hid=126&sid=69ff5835-74c8-43e1-bffd-3252bfa3a859%40sessionmgr111&bdata= JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=rzh&AN=2010347175 Dugan, B. ( 2007). Loss of identity in disaster: How do you say goodbye to home? Perspectives in Psychiatric Care . 43(1),41-46 Retrieved September 8, 2011, from: http://content. ebscohost. com/pdf18_21/pdf/2007/22L /01Feb07/23785080. pdf? T=P&P=AN&K=2009508445&S=R&D=rzh&Ebsco Ehrlich, M. , Harville, E. , Buekens, P. , Pridjan, G. , & Elkid-Hirsch, K. , (2010). Loss of resources and hurricane experience as predictors of post partum depression among women in southern Louisiana. Journal of Womens Health 19(5), 877-884 Epstein, R. A. , Heinemann, A. W. , and McFarland, L. V. ,(2010). Quality of life for veterans and servicemembers with major traumatic limb loss from Vietnam and OIF/OEF conflicts. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development 47(4), 373-386. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from: http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? vid=22&hid=127&sid=1346ad7f-572a- 4072- b160-a0ba9b0916e1%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2 ZQ%3d%3d#d b=rzh&AN=2010714399 Foust, J. , (2006). Re: Grief sorrow loss and morning [Online forum comment]. Retrieved September 5, 2011, from: http://theraphyinphiladelphia. com/selfhelp/tips/C86/ Gailey, R. , McFarland, L. V. , Cooper, R. A. , Czerniecki, J. , Gambel, J. M. , Hubbard, S. , Maynard, C. , Smith, D. G. , Raya, M. , & Reiber, G. E. (2010). Unilateral lower-limb loss: Prosthetic device use and functional outcomes in servicemembers from Vietnam war and OIF/OEF conflicts. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development 47(11) 317-332 Gipson, J. , (2009) Living with loss. Mental Health Practice 12(5), 22-24. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from: http://ezproxy. snu. edu:2056/ehost/detail? vid=7&hid=8&sid=82932029- 8cc8-434b-afd5-63517ab0000e%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3Q tbGl2ZQ%3d %3d#db=rzh&AN=2010193668 Gordan, J. , (2009). An evidence-based approach for supporting parents experiencing chronic sorrow. Retrieved september 5, 2011, from: http://ezproxy. snu. edu:2056/ehost/pdfviewer /pdfviewer? sid=69ff5835-74c8-43e1-bffd-3252bfa3a859%40sessionmgr 111&vid=41&hid=126 Hamilton, M. , (2005). Grief and bereavement: coping with loss of a spouse. Journal of Nursing and Residential Care 7(5), 214-216 Retrieved September 22,2011, from: http://ezproxy. snu. edu:2056/ehost/detail? vid=6&hid=8&sid=82932029-8cc8-434b-afd5- 63517ab0000e%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db =rzh&AN=2005101521 Kratza, A. , Williams, R. , Turner, A. , Raichle, K. , Smith, D. , & Ehde, D. (2010). To lump or to split? 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A. & Perry, A. G. , (2009). Fundamentals of Nursing (7th ed. ). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby Elsevier Inc. Risley-Curtis, C. , (2010). Social work practitioners and the human-companion animal bond: a national study. Social Work 55(1), 38-48. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from: http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? sid=0d5bc274-2c67-4cb4-8eca- 959ee2d730dd%40sessionmgr12&vid=1&hid=17&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3 QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=rzh&AN=2010505488 Scaletti, R. , & Hocking, C. , (2010). Healing through story telling: an integrated approach for children experiencing grief and loss. New Zealand Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57(2), 66-71. Smallbone, C. , & Staniland, K. , (2011). Care in the community; what would happen if the lights went out? British Journal of Community Nursing 16 (7), 342-346. Teel, C. S. , (1991). Chronic sorrow: analysis of the concept, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 16, 1311-1329. Van Horn, E. & Mishel, M. , (2008). Loss of resources and depressive symptoms after traumatic injury. Southern Online Journal of Nursing Research 8(3), 15-37. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from: http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? vid=11&hid=17&sid=fb4631bd-e30d- 4d04-86b99daef0a7f731%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d% 3d#db =rzh&AN=2010058219 Wells, D. L. , (2009 ). Associations between pet ownership and self-reported health status in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, The Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine 15(4), 407-413. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from: http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? vid=20&hid=127&sid=1346ad7f-572a- 4072-b160-a0ba9b0916e1%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ ]=%3d%3d#db=rzh&AN=2010261702 Wilson, H. S. , (1989). Research in Nursing (2nd ed. ). Redwood City, California. Addison Wesley

Character and Point of View in “The Red Convertible” Essay

â€Å"The Red Convertible† is a short story by Louis Erdrich, in which two native American brothers named Marty and Henry decide to buy a red convertible Oldsmobile together. The two brothers spend much of the summer travelling around together in the car until the older brother, Stephan, is deployed to Vietnam. When Stephan returns, he is not the same and Marty tries desperately to recover their past relationship. The round, static, perseverant character of Marty in â€Å"The Red Convertible† is revealed through the first person point of view. The younger brother in the story, Marty, is round and static. Throughout the entire story, the reader is given insight into Marty’s thoughts and feelings, such as, â€Å"I was sorry I’d ever bought it, though, because of Stephan, and I was also sorry I’d bought color† (Erdrich 5). Marty does not openly convey this statement to his family. Marty’s beliefs and values do not change over the course of the story. In the beginning he, â€Å"thought back to times we’d sat still for whole afternoons† (5) and in the end of the story he yells at Stephan, â€Å"wake up, wake up, wake up!† (8). This shows that at the end of the story, Marty wants things to be normal just like he did in the beginning of the story. Marty’s perseverant nature influences the story because it shows how deeply he longs for his relationship with his brother to be normal again, and creates a sense of desperation. For example, Marty says, â€Å"One night Stephan was off somewhere. I took myself a hammer. I went out to that car and I did a number to its underside. Whacked it up† (6). This shows how much he is willing to do to make Stephan normal again despite Stephan’s serious condition. Also, when Marty says, â€Å"By the time I get out of the river, off the snag I pulled myself onto, the sun is down† it is implied that he tried to save Stephan from drowning, again showing how desperate Marty is to have his brother back. The point of view of the story is first. The author repeatedly uses statements like â€Å"I’m laughing so hard† (10) and, â€Å"I walk back to the car† (10). This makes it clear that the story is being told from Marty’s point of  view. The effect of using a first person point of view in the story is allowing the reader to have an emotional connection with Marty because it puts the reader in his shoes. The story may not be effective if told from another point of view such as third dramatic because the reader would not be able to fully understand the depth of Marty’s connection with his brother because his feelings would not be expressed in the story. The round, static, perseverant character of Marty is revealed through the first person point of view. Because the story is told from Marty’s perspective, it reveals how desperately he wants Stephan to get better. For example, Marty says â€Å"I tell you right then I wanted to smash that tube to pieces† (5). This shows how he was ready to destroy something he worked hard for in hopes it will help to make his brother better. Throughout the story Marty continues to do things to try to make Stephan better and through the first person point of view the reader sees how often he hopes and tries to accomplish this. By the authors use of the first person point of view, it allows the reader to be put into Marty’s shoes, therefore developing a round, static character and reveals to the reader how perseverant Marty was due to his relationship with his brother. Work Cited Erdrich, Louise. The Red Convertible. Print.

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research Paper - Essay Example This war gained heavy criticism and the critics have established that US was wrong in conducting this war. War on Iraq was not justified due to several reasons including: it had no weapons of mass destruction, it was a weak nation, Iraq did not participate in the attack on the World Trade center, led to increase in terrorists, war was ethically wrong, led to loss of allies, higher cost lower benefits, war was fought for self interest over the interest of the community and led to the destruction of the global economy. Body The main official reason due to which US attacked Iraq was that Iraq and Saddam was in control of weapons of mass destructions and these weapons even were expected to include nukes. US might have made a just decision of going to war on this particular reason but later it was figured out that intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction was misleading and no weapons of mass destruction were identified in the nation (O’Neill, 2012). The basis on which thi s war took place was that Iraq has previous used weapons that were dangerous in nature during the period of 1980s, but all those weapons were either utilized or recognized as unusable during the 1990s (Zinn, 2002). This clearly represents that US attacked Iraq on the basis of obsolete intelligence and the decision of going to war made by the administration of Bush was not justified. The intelligence gathered during the 1990s clearly showed that Iraq was not in possession of weapons of mass destruction and was not a plausible threat either to US or its allied nations. Even Saddam Hussein never had threatened US and neither to its allied force of attacking them. Neither Saddam nor Iraq poised a threat to the neighboring countries and neither the neighboring countries feared Iraq. Iraq had never attacked any of its neighbors since the end of the Gulf War as it had become quite weak and could not afford any war (O’Neill, 2012). US suspected that Iraq and Saddam had close ties wit h the terrorist group Taliban and its leader Osama Bin Laden and the US even suspected that he might have contributed to the attacks of 9/11 (Zinn, 2002). Since 9/11 US has been at a war against terrorism and has been at war with Afghanistan and Al-Qaeda and its leader Osama Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda had openly accepted the responsibility of the 9/11 attacks and even threatened US to attack US and allied nations in future due to which US launched an attack at Afghanistan and stood victorious. But Saddam Hussein had never conducted such threatening activities and should not have been attacked on the basis of terrorism. Instead of wasting resources in Iraq and causing damage throughout the world US should have focused on its war against terrorism in Afghanistan where the real terrorists exist and who continue to not only disturb the US society, but societies all over the world. Attack on Iraq did not lead to decrease in attack conducted by terrorist groups; rather terrorist groups have beco me much stronger due to this war. Individuals living in Iraq and other countries have started raising their voices against US and there are even those who do not appreciate what US did to Iraq, due to this the terrorist groups have gained more men and more personnel to dismantle US as these terrorist groups use the hatred against US to cause destruction in US. Instead of US distributing its resources

Physiology research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Physiology - Research Paper Example In this regard, the articles primary focus was to establish the functioning underlying the aforementioned cellular mechanism. To this end, one of the methods used was electrophysiology in which all the procedures were concordant to the OHSU IACUC guidelines. This method was soon followed by a procedural process of perforated-patch recordings. The third method or procedure entailed targeted iontophoresis of Ni2+ or Na+. The primary chemicals used in the process were Alexa Fluor 594 hydrazide Na+ salt and Fluo-5F pentapotassium salt derived from Invitrogen. GF-109203X and (-) –Quinpirole hydrochloride were from Tocris Bioscience (Ellisville,MO,USA), NBQX, R-CPP, D- AP5, and SR95531 were derived from Ascent Bristol. The remaining chemicals were derived from Sigma-Aldrich. Finally, all the statistical data were tabulated as means  ± standard error of the mean (SEM). In addition, an ANOVA in tandem with a Mann-Whitney U test was used. Furthermore, Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test were changed to cumulatice probability distributions. To this end, the findings indicated that calcium-permeable ion channels played a pertinent role in the generation of spontaneous bursts within the auditory brainstem neurons. In this regard, the research exhibited that T-type Ca 2+ channels that were concentrated on the site of action potential initiation in the axon initial area plays a pertinent role in the spontaneous burst creations. Moreover, the calcium influx resulting evident as a block in the auditory system neuron was enough in the conversion of neurons bursting spontaneously within the neurons that fired and exhibited a regular pattern. Evidently, within the auditory brainstem interneurons, the influx of axon initial segment is down-regulated selectively through signalling of dopamine. The research equally showed that the block of calcium could be mediated through the assistance of the

Econ reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Econ reading - Assignment Example On the contrary, Fiat money is the one that does not have intrinsic value. Fiat money may be utilized upon government decree. On the other hand, demand deposits are account balances in a bank that depositors may obtain via writing a check upon request. Therefore, demand deposits should be included in the stock money in order to measure the value of money in the stock (Mankiw, 2011). The U.S Federal Reserve System acts as a central bank, it sets monetary policies in an economy. The Federal group is appointed by the president upon senate approval. Fed can increase the amount money in circulation through open market operation, whereby, Fed can make dollars and utilize them to buy bonds this led to an increase the amount of money in circulation (Mankiw, 2011). On the contrary, banks do not hold 100 reserves because they lend some money to earn profits. The relationship between amount of reserves and amount of money in the banking system a rises because banks accepts deposits from the pub lic and lend out some deposits while ensuring proportion bank reserve is maintained (Mankiw, 2011). If bank A has a leverage ratio of 10, while Bank B has a leverage ratio of 20 whereby, similar losses on bank loans at the two banks cause the value of their assets to fall by 7 percent. The above statement indicates that bank B showed a larger change in bank capital than bank A because its capital value declined twice as much as bank A. However, the two banks remained solvent because they can be able to meet their financial obligation. Connectively, discount rate is an interest rate charged by Fed to commercial banks when advancing loans, when Fed raises discount rates, the amount of money in circulation decreases (Mankiw, 2011). Discount rate is the interest rate charged by Fed to commercial bank on borrowed funds, when Fed raises the discount rates, bank reserve decrease this in turn causes the cost of borrowing to increase. This discourages borrowing and consequently reduces the a mount of money in circulation (Mankiw, 2011). . On the other hand, a reserve requirement is the amount of funds that a bank should retain after advancing loans. Whereby, an increase in reserve requirement causes an increase in reserve ratio, this in turn leads to a decrease in money supply. Additionally, Fed can not perfectly control the supply money because it does not have control of the amount of money held in the pockets of households. Secondly, Fed does not have control of the amount of money advanced as loans by the banks (Mankiw, 2011). 2.) Answer Questions for Review #1 in the middle of page 666 The value of money may be affected through increasing price level. This is because the money tends to lose its value this further reduces the purchasing power of money. According to the quantity theory of money, an increase in quantity of money leads to an increase in inflation rates. In above connection, nominal variables are those measured in monetary terms while real variables are those that can be measured in physical terms. According to the principle of monetary neutrality, nominal variables may be affected by changes in quantity of money. Inflation is like a tax in the senses that when government print money, the amount of money held by people losses value due to increase in money supply (Mankiw, 2011). According to Fishers effect, an increase in inflation rate causes real interest to fall. On the hand, nominal interest rate increases. The cost of inflation may involve menu cost that causes the company to adjust its prices such cost of printing new catalogues, advertising to mention just but a few. The most important cost for the U.S economy is inflation cost because an increase the tax burden

Journal Entry #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal Entry #1 - Essay Example This being said, there is one aspect of culture that is particularly contentious even in our multicultural setting, and that is religion. This should not be surprising, since even within a single culture the topic of religion is a sensitive one. There was a time when the American forefathers did not find any unusual issue with the phrase â€Å"In God We Trust† so as to embellish it in the nation’s currency. Recently, however, even the invocation of God in inter-denominational prayer and the singing of Christmas carols in public places have come under attack – because it seems that the disbelief in God itself has become a religion to be respected. Religion is so ingrained in the very core of people’s beliefs and aspirations that an attack upon it is taken as an affront against the Supreme Being (or non-being, in the case of atheists) that demands defense and, at times, militant vindication. The workplace is a particularly delicate place to have problems of religious intolerance. This is because we most likely spend more time at work than at home – at least the greater part of our waking hours. Work demands of us our skills, concentration, creativity, and dedication to the organization’s goal, which is why any irritant to disturb the peace in the workplace will tend to be counterproductive for both the individual and the firm. The situation becomes complicated when individuals in the workplace would be followers of mainstream or radical religious teachings which draw an opposition to other religions, the followers of which may be their co-workers in the firm. Or, it may also be that actions that appear perfunctory to some may, without their knowledge, be offensive to others or denigrate what they conceive to be sacred and holy. Furthermore, the fact that religious teachings have been imparted by the family to the individual at a tender age may have also impressed upon him the

Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Inflation - Essay Example Inflation defined in this way refers to monetary inflation, which is the difference between the growth in money supply and the growth in availability of goods and services in the economy (Siegl, 2009). There are various measures of inflation, but most commonly, inflation is measured by using Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI refers to price of a basket of commodities and services that an average customer buys and changes in this index allows economists to study the rise and fall of the general price level in the economy which helps them to study the rate of inflation in the economy. In the latter half of 2012, Bank of England Chief Economist, Spencer Dale, had warned that the average standard of living for the Britons would fall in 2013. The country (UK) is still on the recovery phase from the shock of the financial crisis, this process is a slow and painful one. With a high unemployment rate of 7.8% and wage growth struggling to keep up with inflation, 2013 is looking to be anothe r year of hardship. Causes of inflationary pressure Inflation refers to the upwards movement of the general price level in economy. Prices are determined in the free market economy through the interaction of the sellers and the buyers in the economy. Most economists consider that the inflationary pressure in the economy is caused from either the demand side (demand pull inflation) or the supply side (cost push inflation) pressure on the equilibrium condition in the market (P. J. Welch and G. F. Welch, 2009). Demand pull inflation In long run, when the total output in economy moves towards the full employment output, the economy operates nearly at the full capacity. At full capacity, the economy produces the maximum amount of output by utilizing the available factors of production and the production level cannot be expanded easily. Figure 1: Demand Pull inflation (Source: Pettinger, 2013) At the other end, consumers in the economy are themselves the workers and they are earning more since output level is high at this stage. Hence, there is high consumer demand for services and commodities. This demand pressure from households coupled with the near full capacity production by the producers in the economy triggers inflationary pressure in the economy (P. J. Welch and G. F. Welch, 2009). Cost push inflation Inflationary pressure also occurs when cost to sellers of goods and services rise. Any source of cost to businesses is also a source of increase in rise in prices. Cost to producers and sellers are transferred to buyers partially or wholly and they through rise in prices. Figure 2: Demand Pull inflation (Source: P. J. Welch and G. F. Welch, 2009) Upwards pressure is created on prices if costs of labour, fuel, raw materials and other factors of production rise. At times firms’ attempt to enhance profit in certain industries increases prices and creates inflationary pressure (P. J. Welch and G. F. Welch, 2009). Inflation in UK Between 1989 till present (20 13), inflation rate in the UK averages at 2.81%. In May 2013, the inflation rate was 2.70% (Trading Economics, 2013). The inflation rates between 2011 and 2013 is shown in the following figure. Figure 3: Inflation rates in UK 2011-2013 (Source: Trading Economics, 2013) Demand side policies to combat inflation The most important tool to control inflationary pressure in the UK has been monetary policy changes. In the UK, the Bank of England adopts a monetary policy that helps

Occupational Crime and Avocational Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Occupational Crime and Avocational Crime - Essay Example One of the more important challenges confronting the financial heath of retail companies is employee theft. A study undertaken by Hollinger and Pernice (1998) determines that employee theft is the primary cause of inventory shrinkage in retail companies, culminating in losses of billions of dollars per annum. Not only had that but, in immediate comparison to shoplifting, the researchers found that while a single incident of shoplifting averages $212.68, one incident of employee theft averages $1,058.20. Within the context of the aforementioned comparison, it is hardly surprising to discover that employee theft is the primary factor behind inventory shrinkage.Given the dimensions of the problem, as articulated in the preceding paragraph, it is incumbent upon retail companies to design and subsequently implement a strategy as would confront and overcome employee theft. Hollinger and Pernice (1998) maintain that electronic surveillance has, over the years, proven its effectiveness and, in immediate comparison to other strategies, has proven to be â€Å"the most popular loss prevention system† (Hollinger and Pernice, 1998, par. 6). The knowledge that their crime may be recorded and that they may have to face the concomitant legal and career repercussions functions to control an employee’s desire or tendency to steal. As such, the adoption of electronic surveillance may be a solution to the problem.The fact is that such systems are expensive and function to demoralise employees. Friedrichs (2004) emphasizes, other than the cost factor, electronic surveillance may not be the optimal solution to inventory shrinkage due to the negative effect that such systems have upon employee loyalty. In other words, despite the fact that the system has a proven advantage, it has an undesirable effect on employee morale. Rather than install expensive electronic surveillance systems, it is more advisable for a retail company to comprehend the nature of the workplace environment and the factors therein which either allow or motivate such actions. Friedrichs (2004) argues that employee disgruntlement, borne out of the feeling of being underpaid, overworked and unappreciated, and the existence of opportunities to steal are the primary causal factors of inventory shrinkage. In other words, a lack of commitment to the workplace, concomitant with workplace disorganization compels employee theft. The solution to employee theft, as explained in the

Financial Intermediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Intermediation - Essay Example In addition, the study would also reflect about how the policymakers have made deliberate efforts to ease up different financial markets, encourage foreign competition and deregulate interest rates (Ariss, 2010). Globalisation is another issue in today’s economic concern. Increasing competitiveness would be the result of increasing the level of globalisation, as this tends to promote foreign investments by developing domestic businesses and improvising the performance of domestic banks. In relation to the above context, the study of Ariss (2010) mainly depicted the implications of changing banks’ structure and their prospects towards rapid development in contemporary world. Ariss (2010) reflected in the study that the banks could improve their profit efficiency with commanding a high price mark-up over the marginal costs, but it could not help in terms of cost efficiency levels. Apart from this, the study of Ariss (2010) also inferred that when the banks are able to gain market power, it can reduce various risks that emerge while performing distinct operations and likewise confirm firm stability. In this particular issue of stability, the study of Ariss (2010) discussed about the methodology of distinct economic variables including market power, regulatory environment, cost efficiency, sustainability in economic market and alternative efficiency with portfolio characteristics. The aforesaid study of Ariss (2010) indicated the acquisition process prevailing in the economic market including merger between domestic business and foreign investments or business to develop sustainability programme in competitive business setting of developing countries (Aris s, 2010). More importantly, with regards to the above context, the study of Ariss (2010) revealed that the occurrence of worldwide crisis in financial sectors would demonstrate the role of a country towards developing its uproar hitting financial

Dissolved Oxygen Essay Example for Free

Dissolved Oxygen Essay Oxygen in Liquids (DISSOLVED OXYGEN) Dissolved Oxygen – the amount of dissolved oxygen in a body of water as an indication of the degree of the health of water and its ability to support a balanced aquatic ecosystem. Oxygen – is a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that dissolves in water. Small but important amounts of it are dissolved in water. OXYGEN: Aquatic Life Depends on it Plants and Animals depend on dissolved oxygen for survival. Lack of dissolved oxygen can cause aquatic animals to leave quickly they are or face death. Factors Affecting Oxygen Levels Temperature Rate of Photosynthesis Degree of Light Penetration (turbidity water depth) Degree of Water Turbulence or Wave action The amount of oxygen used by respiration and decay of organic matter Oxygen in the Balance Dissolved Oxygen levels that are at 90% and 110% saturation level or higher consistently considered healthy or good. If the Dissolved Oxygen are below 90%, there may be large amounts of oxygen demanding materials. What Is Dissolved Oxygen In Water? Dissolved oxygen in water is vital for underwater life. It is what aquatic creatures need to breathe. Why Is Dissolved Oxygen Important? Just as we need air to breathe, aquatic organisms need dissolved oxygen to respire. It is necessary for the survival of fish, invertebrates, bacteria, and underwater plants. How Is Dissolved Oxygen Measured? Dissolved oxygen concentration can be reported as milligrams per liter, parts per million, or as percent air saturation. Polarographic Cell It is very similar to the galvanic cell. However, the polarographic cell has two noble-metal electrodes and requires a polarizing voltage to reduce the oxygen. The dissolved oxygen in the sample diffuses through the membrane into the electrolyte, which usually is an aqueous KC1 solution. If there is a constant polarizing voltage (usually 0.8 V) across the electrodes, the oxygen is reduced at the cathode, and the resulting current How is proportional to the oxygen content of the electrolyte. This current flow is detected as an indication of oxygen content. Galvanic Cell All galvanic cells consist of an electrolyte and two electrodes (Figure 8.43c). The oxygen content of the electrolyte is equalized with that of the sample. The reaction is spontaneous; no external voltage is applied. In this reaction, the cathode reduces the oxygen into hydroxide, thus releasing four electrons for each molecule of oxygen. These electrons cause a current flow through the electrolyte.. The magnitude of the current flow is in proportion to the oxygen concentration in the electrolyte. Flow through Cells In the flow-through cells, the process sample stream is bubbled through the electrolyte. The oxygen concentration of the electrolyte is therefore in equilibrium with the samples oxygen content, and the resulting ion current between the electrodes is representative of this concentration. These types of cells are usually provided with sampling consisting of (but not limited to) filtering and scrubbing components and flow, pressure, and temperature regulators. Thallium Cell Thallium cells are somewhat unique in their operating principle and cannot be classified into the category of either galvanic or polarographic cells. At the same time, they are of the electrochemical type. One thallium-electrode cell design is somewhat similar in appearance to the unit illustrated on Figure 8.43c except that it has no membrane or electrolyte. This cell has a thallium outer-ring electrode and an inner reference electrode. When oxygen contacts the thallium, the potential developed by the cell is a function of  the thallous ion concentration at the face of the electrode, and the ion concentration is in proportion to the concentration of dissolved oxygen. Fluorescence-based Sensor In this case, a compound containing ruthenium is immobilized in a gas-permeable matrix called a sol-gel. Sol-gels are very low-density, silica-based matrices suitable for immobilizing chemical compounds such as the ruthenium compound used in this measurement technique. Effectively, the sol-gel is equivalent to the membrane in a conventional DO sensor. Using fiber optics, light from a light-emitting diode is transferred to the backside of the sol-gel coating. The emitted fluorescence is collected from the backside of the sol-gel with another optical fiber and its intensity is detected by photodiode. A simplified sensor design is shown in Figure 8.43g. If no oxygen is present, the intensity of the emitted light will be at its maximum value. If oxygen is present, the fluorescence will be quenched, and the emitted intensity will decrease. Twinkler Titration The Winkler Method is a technique used to measure dissolved oxygen in freshwater systems. Dissolved oxygen is used as an indicator of the health of a water body, where higher dissolved oxygen concentrations are correlated with high productivity and little pollution. Temperature Effects Pressure Effects Salinity Effects Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measure of the oxygen used by microorganisms to decompose this waste. If there is a large quantity of organic waste in the water supply, there will also be a lot of bacteria present working to decompose this waste. In this case, the demand for oxygen will be high (due to all the bacteria) so the BOD level will be high. As the waste is consumed or dispersed through the water, BOD levels will begin to decline. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is a measure for the quantity of oxygen required for the biodegradation of organic matter (carbonaceous demand) in water.It can also indicate the amount of oxygen used to oxidise reduced forms of nitrogen (nitrogenous demand), unless their oxidation is prevented by an inhibitor. A test is used to measure the amount of oxygen consumed by these organisms during a specified period of time (usually 5 days at 20 ÌŠÌŠÌŠÌŠC). Classification: BOD is devided in two parts which is Carbonaceous Oxygen Demand and the Nitrogenous Oxygen Demand. Carbonaceous Oxygen Demand it is the amount of oxygen consumed by the microorganisms during decomposing carbohydrate material. Nitrogenous Oxygen Demand it is the amount of oxygen consumed by the microorganisms during decomposing nitrogenous materials. Relationship of DO and BOD If the Dissolve Oxygen (DO) of a water is high, the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)is low. If the BOD of the water is hight, the DO is low.Therefore DO and BOD is inversely Proportional to each other. Why we should need to know BOD? BOD directly affects the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers and streams. The greater the BOD, the more rapidly oxygen is depleted in the stream. This means less oxygen is available to higher forms of aquatic life. The consequences of high BOD are the same as those for low dissolved oxygen: aquatic organisms become stressed, suffocate, and die. Knowledge of oxygen utilization of a polluted water supply is important because: 1. It is the measure of the pollution load, relative to oxygen utilization by other life in the water; 2. It is the means for predicting progress of aerobic decomposition and the amount of self-purification taking place; 3. It is the measure of the oxygen demand load removal efficiency by different treatment process. Factors that contributes to variations in BOD The Seed Is the bacterial culture that affects the oxidation of materials in the sample. If the biological seed is not acclimated to the particular wastewater, erroneous results are frequently obtained. pH The BOD results are also greatly affected by the pH of the sample, especially if it is lower than 6.5 or higher than 8.3. In order to achieve uniform conditions, the sample should be buffered to a pH of about 7. Temperature Standard test condition calls for a temperature of 20 ÌŠC (68 ÌŠF). field tests often require operation at other temperatures and, consequently, the results tend to vary unless temperature corrections are applied. Toxicity The presence of toxic materials may result increase in the BOD value as a specific sample is dilluted for the BOD test.Consistent value may be obtained either by removing the toxic materials from the sample or By developing a seed that is compatible with the toxic material in the sample. Incubation Time The usual standard lab test incubation time is 5 days, results may occur at a flat part or occur at a steeply rising portion.Depending on the type of seed and the type of oxidable material, divergent result can be expected. Nitrification In the usual course BOD test, the oxygen consumption rises steeply at the beginning of the test owing to attack on carbohydrate materials. Another sharp increase in oxygen utilization occurs sometime during 10th to 15th day in those samples containing nitrogenous materials. How we determine or measure BOD? Five-Day BOD Procedure The BOD test takes 5 days to complete and is performed using a dissolved oxygen test kit. The BOD level is determined by comparing the DO level of a water sample taken immediately with the DO level of a water sample that has been incubated in a dark location for 5 days. The difference between the two DO levels represents the amount of oxygen required for the decomposition of any organic material in the sample and is a good approximation of the BOD level. Test procedures: 1. Take 2 samples of water 2. Record the DO level (ppm) of one immediately using the method described in the dissolved oxygen test. 3. Place the second water sample in an incubator in complete darkness at 20oC for 5days. If you dont have an incubator, wrap the water sample bottle in aluminum foil or black electrical tape and store in a dark place at room temperature (20 ÌŠC or 68  °F). 4. After 5 days, take another dissolved oxygen reading (ppm) using the dissolved oxygen test kit. 5. Subtract the Day 5 reading from the Day 1 reading to determine the BOD level. Record your final BOD result in ppm. Note: Generally, when BOD levels are high, there is a decline in DO levels. This is because the demand for oxygen by the bacteria is high and they are taking that oxygen from the oxygen dissolved in the water. If there is no organic waste present in the water, there wont be as many bacteria present to decompose it and thus the BOD will tend to be lower and the DO level will tend to be higher. At high BOD levels, organisms such as macro  invertebrates that are more tolerant of lower dissolved oxygen may appear and become numerous. Organisms that need higher oxygen levels) will NOT survive. Extended BOD Test Continuation of BOD test beyond 5 days shows a continuing oxygen demand, with a sharp increase in BOD rate at the 10th day owing to nitrification. The latter process involves biological attack on nitrogenous organic material accompanied by an increase in BOD rate. The oxygen demand continues at a uniform rate for an extended time. Manometric BOD Test In the manometric procedure, the seeded sample is confined in a closed system that includes an appreciable amount of air . As the oxygen in the water is depleted, it is replenish by the gas phase. A potassium hydroxide (KOH) absorber within the system removes any gaseous carbon dioxide generated by bacterial action. The oxygen removed from the air phase results in a drop in pressure that is that is removed with a manometer. This fall is then related to the BOD of the sample. Electrolysis System for BOD The measuring principle for all electrolytic respirometers is quite similar. As micro-organisms respire they use oxygen converting the organic carbon in the solution to CO2 gas, which is absorbed to alkali. This causes a reduction in the gas pressure, which can be sensed with various sensors or membranes. A small current is created in electrolysis cell and this generates oxidation/reduction reactions in the electrolysis cell and oxygen is formed at the anode. Electrolysis of water can supply oxygen to a closed system as incubation proceeds . At constant current, the time during which electrolysis generates the oxygen to keep the system pressure constant is a direct measure of the oxygen demand. The amount of oxygen produced by the electrolysis correlates with the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Is the standard method for indirect measurements of the amount of pollution in a sample of water that cannot be oxidized biologically. Is based on the chemical decomposition of organic and inorganic contaminants, dissolved or suspended in water. Why Measure Chemical Oxygen Demand? It is often measured as a rapid indicator for organic pollutant in water. Normally measured in both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants and gives an indication of the efficiency of the treatment process. It is measured on both influent and effluent water. Standard Dichromate COD Procedure A sample is heated to its boiling point with known amounts of sulfuric acid and potassium dichromate. The loss of water is minimized by the reflux condenser. After 2 h, the solution is cooled, and the amount of dichromate that reacted with oxidizable material in the water sample is determined by titrating the excess potassium dichromate with ferrous sulfate. Dichromate consumed is calculated as to oxygen equivalent for the sample and stated as milligrams of oxygen per liter of sample (ml/l). Factors preventing the concordance of BOD values to COD values: Many organic materials are oxidizable by dichromate but not biochemically oxidizable, and vice versa. For example, pyridine, benzene, and ammonia are not attacked by the dichromate procedure. A number of inorganic substances such as sulfide, sulfites, thiosulfates, nitrites, and ferrous iron are oxidized by dichromate, creating an inorganic COD that is misleading when estimating the organic content of wastewater. Although the factor of seed acclimation will give erroneously low results on the BOD tests, COD results are not dependent on acclimation. Chlorides interfere with the COD analysis, and their effect must be minimized in order to obtain consistent results. The standard procedure provides for only a limited amount of chlorides in the sample. This is usually accomplished by diluting the sample to achieve a lower chloride concentration and interference. This can be a problem for low COD  concentration samples, as the dilution may dilute the COD concentration below the detection level or to levels at which accuracy and repeatability are poor. COD Detector The term COD usually refers to the laboratory dichromate oxidation procedure, although it has also been applied to other procedures that differ greatly from the dichromate method but which do involve chemical reaction. These methods have been embodied in instruments both for manual operation in the laboratory and for automatic operation online. They have the distinct advantage of reducing analysis time from days (5-day BOD) and hours (dichromate, respirometer) to minutes. Automatic On-Line Designs Takes a 5 cc sample from the flowing process stream. Injects it into the reflux chamber after mixing it together with dilution water (if any) agents. One ozone-based scheme enriches dilution water with and with two reagents: dichromate solution and sulfuric acid. The reagents also contain an oxidation catalyst (silver sulfate) and a chemical that complexes chlorides in the solution (mercuric sulfate). The mixture is boiled at 302 °F (150 °C) by the heater. Vapors are condensed by the cooling water in the reflux condenser. During which the dichromate ions are reduced to trivalent chromic ions, as the oxygen demanding organics are oxidized in the sample. The chromic ions give the solution a green color. The COD concentration is measured by detecting the amount of dichromate converted to chromic ions by measuring the intensity of the green color through a fiber-optic detector. The microprocessor-controlled package is available with automatic zeroing, calibration, and flushing features. Sampling and Traditional Parameter Parameter Limit Value Sampling: pH, Standard Units 6.0 9.0 Traditional Parameters: Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) ≠¤ 30 ppm Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) ≠¤ 200 ppm COD has a large value than BOD because BOD measurement is based only in decomposition of organic matter while COD measures the decomposition of both organic and Inorganic compound. Sources of Error Cause of using nonhomogeneous sample is the largest error. Use of volumetric flasks and volumetric pipettes with a large bore. Oxidizing agent must be precisely measured. Make sure that the vials are clean and free of air bubbles. Always read the bottom of the meniscus at eye level. Total Oxygen Demand (TOD) The quantitative measurement of the amount of oxygen used to burn the impurities in a liquid sample. Thus, it is a direct measure of the oxygen demand of the sample. Measurement is by continuous analysis of the concentration of oxygen in a combustion process gas effluent. A quantitative measurement of all oxidizable material in a sample water or wastewater as determined instrumentally by measuring the depletion of oxygen after high-temperature combustion. BOD and COD have long time cycles. COD use corrosive reagents with the inherent problem of disposal. Analysis is faster, approximately 3 min, and uses no liquid reagents in its analysis. Can be correlated to both COD and BOD. Unaffected by the presence of inorganic carbon. Also indicate noncarbonaceous materials that consume or contribute oxygen Since the actual measurement is oxygen consumption. Reflects the oxidation state of the chemical compound. TOD Analyzer The oxidizable components in a liquid sample introduce into the combustion tube are converted to their stable oxides by a reaction that disturbs the oxygen equilibrium in the carrier gas steam. The momentary depletion in the oxygen concentration in the carrier gas is detected by an oxygen detector and recorded as a negative oxygen peak. Sample Valves Sliding Plate Upon a signal from a cycle timer, the air actuator temporarily moves the valve to its â€Å"sample fill† position. At the same time, an air-operated actuator moves a 20-ul sample through the valve into the combustion tube. A stream of oxygen-enriched nitrogen carrier gas moves the slug of sample into the combustion tube. Rotary Sampling Valve A motor continuously rotates a sampling head, which contains a built-in sampling syringe. For part of the time, the tip of the syringe is over a trough that contains the flowing sample. 2 or more cam ramps along the rotational path cause the syringe plunger to rise and fall, thus rinsing the sample chamber. Just before the syringe reaches the combustion tube, it picks up a 20-ul sample. As it rotates over the combustion tube, it discharges the sample. Oxygen Detectors Platinum-lead Fuel Cell Fuel Cell Generates a current in proportion to the oxygen content of the carrier gas passing through it. Before entering the cell, the gas is scrubbed in a potassium hydroxide solution, both to remove acid gases and other harmful combustion products to humidify the gas. The oxygen cell and the scrubber are located in a temperature-controlled compartment. The fuel cell output is monitored and zeroed to provide a constant baseline. The output peaks are linearly proportionate to the reduced concentration of oxygen in the carrier gas as a result of the sample’s TOD. Yttrium-doped Zirconium Oxide Ceramic Tube Coated on both sides with a porous layer of platinum. It is maintained at an elevated temperature and also provides an output that represents the reduction in oxygen concentration in the carrier gas that is a result of the sample’s TOD. The operation of these oxygen detectors involves the ionization of oxygen in both a sample and a known reference gas stream. When the sample and reference gas streams come in contact with the electrode surfaces, oxygen ionizes into O-2 ions. The oxygen ion concentrations in each stream is a function of the partial pressure of oxygen in the stream. The potential at each electrode will depend on the partial pressure of oxygen in the gas stream. The electrode with higher potential (higher oxygen concentration) will generate oxygen ions, whereas the electrode with lower potential (lower oxygen concentration) will convert oxygen ions to oxygen molecules. Calibration Analysis is by comparison of peak heights or areas to a standard calibration curve. To prepare this curve, known TOD concentrations of a primary standard (KHP) are prepared in distilled and deionized water. Standard solutions are stable for several weeks at room temperature. Water solutions of other organic compounds can also be used as standards. Several analyses can be made at each calibration concentration, and the resulting data are recorded as parts per million (ppm) TOD vs. peak height or area. Applications: Correlation: Many regulatory agencies recognize as the basis for oxygen-depleting pollution control only BOD or COD (preferably BOD) measurements of pollution load, because they are concerned with the pollution load on receiving waters, which is related to lowering the DO due to bacterial activity. If other methods described are to be used to satisfy legal requirements of pollution load in effluents or to measure BOD removal, it is important to establish a correlation between the other methods and BOD or COD (preferably BOD). Salient Features: a measurement of property of the sample, i.e. the amount of oxygen required for bacterial oxidation of bacterial food in the water, the BOD dependence of the oxygen demand on the nature of the food as well as on its quantity dependence of the oxygen demand on the nature and amount of the bacteria Another extensive study concluded the following: (1) A reliable statistical correlation between BOD and COD of a wastewater and its corresponding TOD can frequently be achieved, particularly when the organic strength is high and the diversity in dissolved organic constituents is low. (2) The relationship is best described by a least squares regression with the degree of fit expressed by the correlation coefficient (3) The observed correspondence of COD-TOD was better than that of COD-BOD for the wastewaters. (4) The BOD-COD ratio of an untreated wastewater is indicative of the biological treatment possible with the particular wastewater. Comparison: COMPARISON BOD COD TOD Definition The oxygen required when a population of bacteria causes the oxidation reaction in a population of bacteria. The oxygen equivalent when the oxidation is carried out with a chemical oxidizing reagent such as potassium dichromate. The oxygen equivalent when oxidation is caused by heating the sample in a furnace in the presence of a catalyst and oxygen. Analyzer Utilize bacteria to oxidize the pollutants Measured through chemical oxidation and catalytic combustion techniques Oxidize the sample in a catalyzed thermal combustion process and detect both the organic and inorganic impurities in a sample Response-Range 5 days 30 mg/L 2 hours 250-500 ppm 3 minutes 100-100,000 mg/L Inaccuracy-Cost 3 – 20% / $500 $20,000 2 – 10% / $8,00 $20,000 2 – 5% / $5,000 $20,000

An Open Innovation Business Model Commerce Essay

An Open Innovation Business Model Commerce Essay It is very important to know what innovation is before we can further proceed in answering the question. An innovation is a product or service with a bundle of features that is new in the market, or that is commercialized in some new way that opens up new uses and consumer groups for it. Innovation is invention implemented and taken to market (Chesbrough 2003). Invention however is the creation of something that was previously unknown (Chesbrough, Vanhaverbeke et al. 2006). In summary, INNOVATION= INVENTION+COMMERCIALIZATION. Today companies who, want to deliver consistent organic growth to their shareholders, customers, and their employees can do that only through innovation (Chesbrough 2006). So what is Open Innovation? Illustration 1: Concept of open innovation Open innovation is the use of purposive inflows and outflows of knowledge to accelerate internal innovation, and expand the markets for external use of innovation, respectively. [This paradigm] assumes that firms can and should use external ideas as well as internal ideas, and internal and external paths to market, as they look to advance their technology. (Henry Chesbrough, Open Innovation: Researching a New Paradigm). As mentioned by Chesbrough, there are a total of 5 paths to Open Innovation. Firstly, the old fashion model. It work like a fortress, the firm will take ideas internally to market. This path works the same as a closed innovation concept. The second path would be opening up the abilities for others. This can be achieved by bringing in ideas internally; ideas that does not fit into the firm business but might be useful for others. The third path would be acquiring ideas externally. Ideas are everywhere; firms can acquire ideas from university, individuals, start-up companies and etc. They can then come out with new opportunities and solutions using these acquired knowledge by taking them to a new market; a market that the firm might not have gotten into. The forth path would be to bring in external technologies and ideas to fill the gap that the firm might be facing problem with. Without open innovation, companies might need to use more resources to fill the gap. Lastly, an internal project that does not look promising until a certain level of development can be taken out and allow the team to continue working on it outside. This process can help to raise new money, acquire new customer and hire new employees (Specialist) to further develop the project. At certain point, if it seems feasible and viable, firms have the option to bring the project back if it turns out to be strategically interesting. The 5 paths are very important in helping use to understand why firms are moving towards the open innovation business model. The opposite of Open Innovation-The Closed Innovation In order to understand Open Innovation better, we will need to know the opposite of it- the Closed Innovation. In short, Close Innovation is a paradigm that successful innovation requires control and ownership of the Intellectual property (IP). A company should have full control of everything that relates to ideas. Some companies therefore decided to run their own research and development (RD) units. The entire new product development cycle was then incorporated within the company where innovation was done in a closed and self-supporting way (Wikipedia). It has always been the case whereby internal Research and Development (RD) was regarded as a strategic asset and it creates barrier to competitive entry in many industries. Only bigger firms with substantial resources and long-term research programs are capable to compete within their respective industries. This eventually led to higher profit margin as well. Competitors had to start their own laboratories using their own resources in order to compete. Therefore firms invested heavily in internal RD, which eventually led them to breakthrough innovation that enabled them to create new products and services to generate more revenue and profit margins (Chesbrough 2003). Therefore the protection of intellectual property in a closed innovation paradigm is very tight. It is so tight that firms will store their technologies until they are ready to use it. In the meantime, firms will also minimize or rather ensure zero leakages incident of information that relate to the technology. (Chesbrough 2003) Differences between closed and open innovation Table 1: Open Innovation Principles, Source: H. Chesbrough (2003) One major difference between closed and open innovation are how firms filter their ideas. In any RD process, researchers must separate the bad proposal from the good ones and eventually only the good proposal will be commercialised and the bad ones will be discarded. Both open and closed model can remove false positives (that is bad ideas that initially look promising), but open innovation can revived these false positive and false negatives (ideas that initially seem to lack promise but turn out to be surprisingly valuable) to recoup losses incurred during the RD process. A classic example will be Xerox and Palo Alto Research Centre (PARC). Researcher there developed many breakthrough technologies such as Ethernet and Graphical User Interface (GUI). However Xerox main focus is on high speed printer and copier, hence these technologies were not viewed as promising by the firm. This is what we call false negative. GUI was eventually used by APPLE in Macintosh operating system and Micr osoft in Windows operating system respectively. Why open innovation? Today, in many industries, the traditional logic of supporting an internally oriented, centralized approach to RD has become obsolete. Ideas must be used with alacrity as useful information and knowledge can be obtained easily. A firms ability to exploit external knowledge is a critical component of innovative capabilities (Cohen and Levinthal 1990) instead of exploiting only internal knowledge. In short, firms that can integrate external ideas to advance their own businesses while leveraging their internal ideas outside their current operations will likely thrive in this new era of open innovation. As time passed by, Closed innovation model begin to obsolete fundamentally and ultimately eroded. This eventually led to closed innovation giving place to open innovation paradigm (Chesbrough 2003). Increase in availability and mobility of skilled workers encourage firms to go into an open innovation business model. This is because the labour market is linked to the market of know-how (Teece 2000), these labors are likely to be lured by better compensation package which will then led to information leakages. This makes the labour market highly mobile which encourage companies to shift from a closed innovation model to an open innovation model. Also, ideas can no longer be stored on the shelf anymore. Failure to utilize own technologies might result in firms seeing their own technologies ended up being exploited by other firms. This is due to a widespread of knowledge pool among companies, customer, suppliers and other parties. Hence the closed innovation business model is once again proven to be less useful to many firms. Rising development costs and shorter product life-cycles has resulted in firms finding it increasingly difficult to justify investments in innovation (Chesbrough 2007). This actually made the open innovation model important. It is very important for firms to process knowledge at a faster pace to prevent worker and venture capitalist to steal their ideas. It is not surprising at all that external suppliers offer better quality work of what a company can achieve internally (Chesbrough 2003). Hence, in today context, most of the bigger firms actually engage the services of external suppliers so that they can apply their investment to cover more areas in less time. However it is important to note that this allows other firms to move faster and cover new markets as well. An example of this would be Samsung and Apple. Apples A5 chip is built by Samsung à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½, the processor that powers Apples iPhone 4S and iPad 2 is being manufactured in Texas by rival Samsung. As mentioned earlier in this essay that a company such as XEROX that is too focus internally (closed innovation approach) will eventually miss out numerous opportunities because many will fall outside the firms current businesses or will need to be integrated with external technologies to unleash their full potential. As RD functions are organised as separate function within organisations, there bound to have some technologies that are under- or unutilised. These ideas are kept on the shelf of the knowledge bank until downstream business is ready and willing to use them (Chesbrough 2003). Firms will do well if they are able to make full use of extensive technologies (Chesbrough, Vanhaverbeke et. al. 2006). Its also possible to innovate with discoveries of others (Chesbrough 2003). Firms can leverage on external knowledge instead of ignoring it and pursuing only internal RD (Chesbrough 2003). Valuable ideas come from inside or outside the company and can go to market from inside or outside the company as well (Chesbrough 2003). Both external and internal ideas are equally important. Firms can focus on a particular area without having to do everything (Chesbrough 2003). Therefore Open Innovation offers lower costs for innovation, faster times to market, and risk sharing with others. (Chesbrough 2006). Open innovation does not mean that internal RD must be removed from a firms RD process. A firm can achieve additional benefits when implementing internal RD in Open Innovation context as the internal RD can fill the gaps (leveraging on external) in what others are doing. Firms that adopt Open Innovation business model do not need to invent the most novel or best technologies and knowledge in order to thrive and lead in their respective industry. Firms just need to be sure that they are making the best use of internal and external knowledge in a timely manner and innovate to create new products or services. Smaller firms such as SMEs have more reasons to move towards the Open Innovation business model. This is because they have less internal RD capability, less market power which mean weaker ability to capture value and IP enforcement are often costly to them (Henry Chesbrough 2008). Markets that is too small for larger firms might be attractive for SMEs. Smaller firms are able to execute plans at a faster rate because there are less internal politics (Henry Chesbrough 2008). Eventually larger firms will value this collaboration with smaller firms and they will create platforms that seek supporting investment from SMEs and SMEs can expand globally at a lower cost. As for larger firms, the Open innovation business model plays an important role. Radical innovations were viewed as an approach to generate growth for large established company as they depend on breakthrough innovation to move to the next platform for growth. However larger firms are lacking of supportive infrastructure to enable breakthroughs to be commercialized. Open innovation model can aid firms in building this supportive infrastructure. Larger firms can then focus on building deeper core competencies. Example 1: Intel Firms can benefit from innovation even if they do not own the technologies they use. An example would be computer processor maker, Intel. Intel has been successful for years without conducting much basic research on its own. All development took place within existing production laboratories as Intel does not have any development facilities. However Intel decided to take a change at a later stage, three research laboratories with different focus in their respective areas were established later. In addition to that, Intel actively promotes linkages between its research laboratories and external research community. They held conferences, research forums and seminars in attempt to bring both internal and external researches together. (Chesbrough 2003) Strong connections between them and newly incorporated firms allow Intel to extend its business strategy by leveraging on the advantages that these start-ups possessed. Intel benefitted tremendously from this far-sighted approach with corporate venture capitalist. To sum up, Intel actually adopted the third and fourth path to Open Innovation as mentioned earlier in this essay. Their primary focus is on accessing and leveraging on external knowledge (Chesbrough 2003). Example 2: The rise of Adobe and fall of Metaphor Computer We all know that Adobe systems owe its success to their first product, the PostScript. Postscript created a new industry segment within personal computer industry, known as desktop publishing. This technology was initially developed within Xeroxs Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). Within PARC, what was then called Interpress was a means of allowing Xeroxs laser printers to print what was displayed on a Xerox Star workstation. This capability became known as WYSIWYG, or what you see is what you get. John Warnock and Charles Geschke, who both worked on this technology while at PARC, wanted to create a standard around Interpress. However, their management within Xerox resisted this, because they did not want to give away one of the primary differentiating features of the Star system. Extracted from Intel ® Technology Journal. From the extract above, we can see that both John and Charles innovation does not look promising to PARC at that point of time. Eventually Hewlett Packard and Canon agreed to bundle in the Technology which was later labeled as PostScript as a standard item in their laser printers, while Apple agreed to support PostScript in its software. If back then PARC adopted an Open Innovation business model, they would have benefited. This is mentioned earlier on as the fifth path to Open Innovation business model. However HP, Canon and Apple benefited from the model as they have all taken the third and fourth approach to Open Innovation business model. And lastly Adobe uses the first and second approach, which eventually led them to success. Unlike Adobe, Metaphor chooses to adopt a closed innovation approach. Nothing was carved out and shared with other firms. Lack of third-party support eventually led them to their downfall. Conclusion As ideas and technologies become obsolete at a very fast pace (Chesbrough 2006) and many useful knowledge has been widely spread, open innovation is vital for firms as they can use external as well as internal ideas and paths to market as they look to advance their technology (Chesbrough 2003) while pursuing lower costs for innovation, faster times to market, and the chance to share risks with others (Chesbrough 2006). In order to thrive in this new era, firms must adopt an open innovation business model. However it is important to note that, closed innovation is still applicable to certain industry such as the Pharmaceutical industry. Open Innovation business model is merely an evolution of closed innovation as it consist partial traits of the latter. ******** The End ********

Neoclassic vs Baroque Essay -- Essays Papers

Neoclassic vs Baroque The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David is Neoclassic art style. The painting shows Socrates, condemned to death, calm and at peace, discussing the immortality of the soul. Surrounded by his grieving friends and students, he is teaching and philosophizing. His wife was dismissed to the hallway to grieve due to her weakness. Plato is depicted as an old man seated at the foot of the bed. Socrates has the body of a young athlete, as well as others in the painting. Each one of the twelve subjects surrounding him is meticulously drawn in detail. The dramatic use of light and dark (chiaroscuro) is seen in the focus, or emphasis, towards Socrates. There are definitive lines on the walls. These create shadows in the room and in the hallway. The texture of the floor and walls seem smooth and hard. The cloaks worn are colorful and seem soft to the touch. The painting has a high degree of communicative value do to the variety of colors used. In Neoclassical art, the emphasis is on form, simplicity, proportion and restrained emotion. The aesthetic attitudes and principles were based on the culture, art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome in antiquity. It invokes characteristics such as harmony, clarity, restraint, universality and idealism. The artists of this period concerned themselves with human affairs ruled by reason, the outgrowth of the Enlightenment. There was a regard for tradition and reverence for the classics, with an...

College Admissions Essay: Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back :: College Admissions Essays

Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back A challenge is nothing more than an obstacle that lies in one's path. I have had my fair share of such obstacles The main one has been my deafness. Many people consider deafness a disabilitya handicap that leads to problems or failure. I am proof that this stereotype is false. I was raised with the awareness that a person in my position can either be a "deaf person" or a person who happens to have a problem hearing. I chose to be the latter. An example of the ways in which this decision shaped my life was the way I dealt with the junior and senior high school foreign language requirement; I have none: since I'm deaf, I am exempt from taking a foreign language. However, I never considered taking advantage of this exemption. I turned a "deaf' ear to my friends who said that I was crazy to take a course that I didn't need or my parents warning that it might be extremely difficult. Taking a foreign language was something that I wanted to do (not merely to prove to others that I could do it) because knowing another language seemed so interesting. Why should I have to go through life with only one language when everyone around me was learning new languages? So I began studying Spanish in seventh grade. Trying to articulate sounds that I could not hear was incredibly frustrating, as was the realization that my grades in Spanish were much lower than my grades in my other subjects, including my AP courses. Every semester, instead of my average being high enough for High Honor Roll, I was only able to make Honor Roll. Still, I was determined to succeed and I did. I can speak, read, and write Spanish. I am proud of my decision to persevere despite the knowledge that my perseverance would lower my academic average. Like so many experiences in my life, a challenge that I could have avoided became a test of my determination. Also, I enjoy challenges that have helped me develop as a human being. For example, chairing committees in Model Congress provided me with opportunities to work with students of different ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Similarly, my volunteer activitiesworking on Thanksgiving Food Drives for the homeless, the Interact Food Drives, and Hurricane Relief effortsenabled me to improve my ability to collaborate with a variety of people. College Admissions Essay: Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back :: College Admissions Essays Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back A challenge is nothing more than an obstacle that lies in one's path. I have had my fair share of such obstacles The main one has been my deafness. Many people consider deafness a disabilitya handicap that leads to problems or failure. I am proof that this stereotype is false. I was raised with the awareness that a person in my position can either be a "deaf person" or a person who happens to have a problem hearing. I chose to be the latter. An example of the ways in which this decision shaped my life was the way I dealt with the junior and senior high school foreign language requirement; I have none: since I'm deaf, I am exempt from taking a foreign language. However, I never considered taking advantage of this exemption. I turned a "deaf' ear to my friends who said that I was crazy to take a course that I didn't need or my parents warning that it might be extremely difficult. Taking a foreign language was something that I wanted to do (not merely to prove to others that I could do it) because knowing another language seemed so interesting. Why should I have to go through life with only one language when everyone around me was learning new languages? So I began studying Spanish in seventh grade. Trying to articulate sounds that I could not hear was incredibly frustrating, as was the realization that my grades in Spanish were much lower than my grades in my other subjects, including my AP courses. Every semester, instead of my average being high enough for High Honor Roll, I was only able to make Honor Roll. Still, I was determined to succeed and I did. I can speak, read, and write Spanish. I am proud of my decision to persevere despite the knowledge that my perseverance would lower my academic average. Like so many experiences in my life, a challenge that I could have avoided became a test of my determination. Also, I enjoy challenges that have helped me develop as a human being. For example, chairing committees in Model Congress provided me with opportunities to work with students of different ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Similarly, my volunteer activitiesworking on Thanksgiving Food Drives for the homeless, the Interact Food Drives, and Hurricane Relief effortsenabled me to improve my ability to collaborate with a variety of people.

Being Eleven :: English Literature Essays

Being Eleven Yep! If you are reading this you’ve probably already conquered the tumultuous eleventh year of your life. However, if you are ancient you have probably forgotten all about being eleven, so here are the advantages and disadvantages. First of all, there are many advantages of being eleven. For instance my parents trust me more. My parents let me stay home alone instead of having a babysitter. They also let me go to movies without them leading me by the hand. My parents don’t act so paranoid about me staying in the yard to play. My next positive thing about being eleven is I can go more places with my friends. For example, I don't have to go to the family skate, I can go to the friday night skate with my friends. My parents can drop us off at the front of the movie theater and we can pick what movie to watch. I can also go to the mall with a group of my friends. My third positive reason is I can choose more sports or activities. For instance, I can play tackle football instead of touch or flag football. I have the choice to play girls basketball or softball. I can also go to the school dances. My final advantage is I have more privileges. I can enter better web sites such as www.bonus.com. I can have my own e-mail address instead of writing mail by hand. My parents let me stay on the phone longer. I can stay on for about an hour instead of thirty minutes. On the other hand, there are several disadvantages of being eleven. For example, I have more chores around the house. When I come home, I always have to do the dishes instead of playing. I also have to do the laundry at night on weekdays and weekends. I have to mow the lawn every time it grows. My next example is I have harsher punishments. When I get in trouble I am either grounded for a week or even two. I also have to do all the chores when I am grounded. Another thing is I can’t go outside, play on the play station or watch television. As another example, I don't get to vote. When election time comes I can’t have a say in who I want to run my country. Being Eleven :: English Literature Essays Being Eleven Yep! If you are reading this you’ve probably already conquered the tumultuous eleventh year of your life. However, if you are ancient you have probably forgotten all about being eleven, so here are the advantages and disadvantages. First of all, there are many advantages of being eleven. For instance my parents trust me more. My parents let me stay home alone instead of having a babysitter. They also let me go to movies without them leading me by the hand. My parents don’t act so paranoid about me staying in the yard to play. My next positive thing about being eleven is I can go more places with my friends. For example, I don't have to go to the family skate, I can go to the friday night skate with my friends. My parents can drop us off at the front of the movie theater and we can pick what movie to watch. I can also go to the mall with a group of my friends. My third positive reason is I can choose more sports or activities. For instance, I can play tackle football instead of touch or flag football. I have the choice to play girls basketball or softball. I can also go to the school dances. My final advantage is I have more privileges. I can enter better web sites such as www.bonus.com. I can have my own e-mail address instead of writing mail by hand. My parents let me stay on the phone longer. I can stay on for about an hour instead of thirty minutes. On the other hand, there are several disadvantages of being eleven. For example, I have more chores around the house. When I come home, I always have to do the dishes instead of playing. I also have to do the laundry at night on weekdays and weekends. I have to mow the lawn every time it grows. My next example is I have harsher punishments. When I get in trouble I am either grounded for a week or even two. I also have to do all the chores when I am grounded. Another thing is I can’t go outside, play on the play station or watch television. As another example, I don't get to vote. When election time comes I can’t have a say in who I want to run my country.