Monday, November 25, 2019

Retirement and old age Essays

Retirement and old age Essays Retirement and old age Essay Retirement and old age Essay Retirement and old age Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions no longer allow the person to work any more (by illness or accident) or as a result of legislation concerning their position. Nowadays most developed countries have systems to provide pensions on retirement in old age, which may be sponsored by employers and/or the state. In many poorer countries, support for the old is still mainly provided through the family. In many western countries this right is mentioned in national onstitutions. The standard retirement age varies from country to country but it is generally between 50 and 70 (according to latest statistics, 2011). The list includes 91 countries, home to 89 percent of the worlds elderly. Sweden tops the list, followed by Norway and Germany. It is interesting to note that Japan, where the annual event of elderly people honouring became a national holiday half a century ago, only Just reaches the top ten. Also, Austria, which in a similar, recent survey by Forbes, was at the top of their list, was not included in this survey at all. Our country occupied 60th osition, ahead of Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova and Russia. The most uncomfortable countries for the elderly to be living are Pakistan, Tanzania and Afghanistan. The study shows that the indicator of GDP per capita is a poor one for elderly people. For example, poorer countries like Mauritius and Sri Lanka are high up on the list thanks to their progressive social policies, whilst the USA, with all its riches, is only in eighth place. Experts took into account, not only the income of those who are over 60, but also their state of health, education, employment, favourable environment and their social activity. The number of people of honourable age is growing, and by 2050 there will be more than 2 billion of them. According to forecasts, the amount of elderly people in Belarus will reach 28 percent in the next 12 years. The youngest people, teenagers, people in their 20s, are the least happy bunch. Theres a lot of uncertainty and you are forming your identity and youre not really sure who you are. You might not have the confidence that you have when youre older. But the surveys show that people tend to get happier as they get older and that peak happens fairly late. By DianaSea

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Finance slp 02 pc quote web Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Finance slp 02 pc quote web - Essay Example As Wal Mart has a beta coefficient of 0.1467 it implies that the stock generally follows market movements. It also shows the relatively less risk it carries relative to the market (Levinson 2006). However, recognizing the theory of risk and return, the gains in investing in Wal Mart’s stocks is proportional to the risk involved in holding the stock. Since the stock generally carries less risk than the entire market, it also gains less relative to it. When investors put their fund in stocks, they expect to have financial gain from it. The cost of equity is the return that stockholders require for a specific stock that they hold. Using the Capital Asset Pricing Model, Wal Mart’s cost of equity can be computed as: Using the yield to maturity of US bonds maturing in one year (4.5%) as the risk free rate and the difference between the return of the market and risk free rate as 6.5%, the cost of equity of Wal Mart is 5.45% computed as ( 4.5% + 0.1467 (6.5%)). Two other stocks in my portfolio are Nike and Fed Ex which have beta coefficients of 0.8244 and 0.8418. When taken altogether, the average beta coefficient of my portfolio is 0.6043 ((0.8244 + 0.8418 + 0.1467)/3). Using the assumption above, the cost of equity is 8.42% (4.5% + (0.6043) (6.5%). Looking at the beta of the chosen business organizations, it becomes apparent that it can still be diversified. All of the beta coefficients are positive and less than one which means that they are carry less risk and are generally less volatile than the market (Keown et al 2005). I can try to further diversify the portfolio by getting a stock whose beta coefficient is more than 1 in order to shoulder more risk which in turn generates more returns (Keown et al 2005) . It will also be logical to carry a stock whose performance is negatively correlated to the market. This stock will have a negative beta

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Property law assignment about Certainty of objects in discretionary Essay

Property law assignment about Certainty of objects in discretionary trusts - Essay Example The case of McPhail decided on the essential element of the ‘is or is not’ test and the important points that were made were that the courts that is the fact that the ‘is or is not’ test deals with conceptual certainty and the fact that that the ‘the court is never defeated on the basis of evidential certainty’. The decision is said to be the key case in this respect because the problem on the ‘is or is not’ test in respect of the broad list was considered. The essential problem in respect of certainty of objects was that the is or is not test needed be clearly spelled out in respect of such lists. This was because the trusts with such lists would fail for uncertainty of objects and thus the principle needed establishment, which was clearly done by the important decision in McPhail and a demarcation and principle in respect of such lists was clearly identified. 2. Explain the background to the Court of Appeal decision in Re Badenâ⠂¬â„¢s DT No.2, and its lasting significance. (500-600 words) The issue in this question requires an analysis of the background of the case in respect of Re Baden’s DT No.2. ... The trust in this case was about, amongst others, employees and their ‘dependants’ and ‘relatives’. The court stated that ‘dependants’ was not uncertain and the reasoning for this was that the Parliament had used it often whereby it had described dependants. However, there were issues in respect of ‘relatives’ whereby differences in interpretation arose. The meaning that was normally ascribed to relatives was descendants who originated from common ancestors thereby discussing the indefinite and large number of distant relatives. It was discussed at length that the common ancestor was not a conceptual uncertainty and the problem lied in respect of the evidential uncertainty that is the problem of proving the connection. In the case of Re Baden there was property which had been left "to or for the benefit of any of the officers or ex officers or ex employees of the company or to any of the relatives or dependants of any such persons". The applicant argued that for identification of the beneficiary it was important the each and every individual should be identified so as to ensure the question of whether they were a class or not. The respondent argued to the contrary and stated that this was not necessary to identify each and every individual and therefore the trust should be held to be valid and should not fail on the basis of uncertainty of objects. It was further argued that if the class was not considered and the trust was held to be failed then it would be contrary to the wishes of the settler as the reason for such a broad class was the intention of the settler and he could have clearly narrowed the class if he wanted to and therefore the settler had clearly by writing the words had taken

Monday, November 18, 2019

MGMT Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MGMT - Term Paper Example It is their management which is primarily responsible for the formulation of strategies, assigning goals, implementation of strategies, tracking the success of these by matching them to their predetermined goals. This is done in my forms however their strategic thrusts rely heavily on feedback which they receive. The most effective feedback is by the numbers which are generated by each store. These are then forwarded to the headquarters by the use of the vast digital network. In 2007 Wal-Mart was labeled one of the most competitive and innovative companies in the world (Plambeck, 2007). Their ability to be innovative is critical for them being able to achieve sustainability through measures that positively impact and reduce strain on the environment. This they do by three ambitious goals: incorporating as much of renewable energy as they can as part of their operations, minimizing the creation of waste and continuously striving to sell products which lead to sustaining their resources as well as the environment. As far as innovation is concerned an analysis of the activities and measures taken by Wal-Mart focus on incorporating a culture which aids the organization through making efficient use of a learning culture. This can be seen in the extensive measures taken by Wal-Mart to facilitate learning of the employees and introducing frequent training sessions. From the instance an employee starts working at Wal-Mart they undergo a extensive customer service training, they also undertake on the job training and ongoing formal training as far as responsibilities of the work are concerned. Analysis suggests that initially it was customer service and the ten foot rule applied to the workforce which served as driving forces for Wal-Mart’s innovative culture. Suggestions, feedback and communication with the employees were valued and some of their suggestions were even adopted

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Fault Tree Analysis

Fault Tree Analysis Fault Tree Analysis Fault tree analysis (FTA) is a failure analysis in which an undesired state of a system is analyzed using boolean logic to combine a series of lower-level events. This analysis method is mainly used in the field of safety engineering to quantitatively determine the probability of a safety hazard. An Overview of Basic Concepts This quick subject guide provides an overview of the basic concepts in Fault Tree Analysis (FTA, system analysis) as it applies to system reliability and a directory of some other resources on the subject. History of Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is another technique for reliability and safety analysis. Bell Telephone Laboratories developed the concept in 1962 for the U.S. Air Force for use with the Minuteman system. It was later adopted and extensively applied by the Boeing Company. Fault tree analysis is one of many symbolic analytical logic techniques found in operations research and in system reliability. Other techniques include Reliability Block Diagrams (RBDs). Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) was originally developed in 1962 at Bell Laboratories by H.A. Watson, under a U.S. Air Force Ballistics Systems Division contract to evaluate the Minuteman I Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Launch Control System. Following the first published use of FTA in the 1962 Minuteman I Launch Control Safety Study, Boeing and AVCO expanded use of FTA to the entire Minuteman II system in 1963-1964. FTA received extensive coverage at a 1965 System Safety Symposium in Seattle sponsored by Boeing and the University of Washington. Boeing began using FTA for civil aircraft design around 1966. In 1970, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a change to 14 CFR 25.1309 airworthiness regulations for transport aircraft in the Federal Register at 35 FR 5665 (1970-04-08). This change adopted failure probability criteria for aircraft systems and equipment and led to widespread use of FTA in civil aviation. Within the nuclear power industry, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission began using probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods including FTA in 1975, and significantly expanded PRA research following the 1979 incident at Three Mile Island. This eventually led to the 1981 publication of the NRC Fault Tree Handbook NUREG-0492, and mandatory use of PRA under the NRCs regulatory authority. Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) attempts to model and analyze failure processes of engineering and biological systems. FTA is basically composed of logic diagrams that display the state of the system and is constructed using graphical design techniques. Originally, engineers were responsible for the development of Fault Tree Analysis, as a deep knowledge of the system under analysis is required. Often, FTA is defined as another part, or technique, of reliability engineering. Although both model the same major aspect, they have arisen from two different perspectives. Reliability engineering was, for the most part, developed by mathematicians, while FTA, as stated above, was developed by engineers. Fault Tree Analysis usually involves events from hardware wear out, material failure or malfunctions or combinations of deterministic contributions to the event stemming from assigning a hardware/system failure rate to branches or cut sets. Typically failure rates are carefully derived from substantiated historical data such as mean time between failure of the components, unit, subsystem or function. Predictor data may be assigned. Assigning a software failure rate is elusive and not possible. Since software is a vital contributor and inclusive of the system operation it is assumed the software will function normally as intended. There is no such thing as a software fault tree unless considered in the system context. Software is an instruction set to the hardware or overall system for correct operation. Since basic software events do not fail in the physical sense, attempting to predict manifestation of software faults or coding errors with any reliability or accuracy is impossible, unless assumptions are made. Predicting and assigning human error rates is not the primary intent of a fault tree analysis, but may be attempted to gain some knowledge of what happens with improper human input or intervention at the wrong time. FTA can be used as a valuable design tool, can identify potential accidents, and can eliminate costly design changes. It can also be used as a diagnostic tool, predicting the most likely system failure in a system breakdown. FTA is used in safety engineering and in all major fields of engineering. More on Fault Tree Diagram (FTD) Fault tree diagrams (or negative analytical trees) are logic block diagrams that display the state of a system (top event) in terms of the states of its components (basic events). Like reliability block diagrams (RBDs), fault tree diagrams are also a graphical design technique, and as such provide an alternative to methodology to RBDs. An FTD is built top-down and in term of events rather than blocks. It uses a graphic model of the pathways within a system that can lead to a foreseeable, undesirable loss event (or a failure). The pathways interconnect contributory events and conditions, using standard logic symbols (AND, OR etc). The basic constructs in a fault tree diagram are gates and events, where the events have an identical meaning as a block in an RBD and the gates are the conditions. Fault Trees and Reliability Block Diagrams The most fundamental difference between FTDs and RBDs is that in an RBD one is working in the success space, and thus looks at system successes combinations, while in a fault tree one works in the failure space and looks at system failure combinations. Traditionally, fault trees have been used to access fixed probabilities (i.e. each event that comprises the tree has a fixed probability of occurring) while RBDs may have included time-varying distributions for the success (reliability equation) and other properties, such as repair/restoration distributions. Drawing Fault Trees: Gates and Events Fault trees are built using gates and events (blocks). The two most commonly used gates in a fault tree are the AND and OR gates. As an example, consider two events (or blocks) comprising a Top Event (or a system). If occurrence of either event causes the top event to occur, then these events (blocks) are connected using an OR gate. Alternatively, if both events need to occur to cause the top event to occur, they are connected by an AND gate. As a visualization example, consider the simple case of a system comprised of two components, A and B, and where a failure of either component causes system failure. The system RBD is made up of two blocks in series (see RBD configurations), as shown next: The fault tree diagram for this system includes two basic events connected to an OR gate (which is the Top Event). For the Top Event to occur, either A or B must happen. In other words, failure of A OR B causes the system to fail. Relationships Between Fault Trees and RBDs In general (and with some specific exceptions), a fault tree can be easily converted to an RBD. However, it is generally more difficult to convert an RBD into a fault tree, especially if one allows for highly complex configurations. The following table shows gate symbols commonly used in fault tree diagrams and describes their relationship to an RBD. (The term Classic Fault Tree refers to the definitions as used in the Fault Tree Handbook (NUREG-0492) by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). Methodology FTA methodology is described in several industry and government standards, including NRC NUREG-0492 for the nuclear power industry, an aerospace-oriented revision to NUREG-0492 for use by NASA, SAE ARP4761 for civil aerospace, MIL-HDBK-338 for military systemsfor military systems. IEC standard IEC61025 is intended for cross-industry use and has been adopted as European Norme EN61025. Since no system is perfect, dealing with a subsystem fault is a necessity, and any working system eventually will have a fault in some place. However, the probability for a complete or partial success is greater than the probability of a complete failure or partial failure. Assembling a FTA is thus not as tedious as assembling a success tree which can turn out to be very time consuming. Because assembling a FTA can be a costly and cumbersome experience, the perfect method is to consider subsystems. In this way dealing with smaller systems can assure less error work probability, less system analysis. Afterward, the subsystems integrate to form the well analyzed big system. An undesired effect is taken as the root (top event) of a tree of logic. There should be only one Top Event and all concerns must tree down from it. Then, each situation that could cause that effect is added to the tree as a series of logic expressions. When fault trees are labeled with actual numbers about failure probabilities (which are often in practice unavailable because of the expense of testing), computer programs can calculate failure probabilities from fault trees. The Tree is usually written out using conventional logic gate symbols. The route through a tree between an event and an initiator in the tree is called a Cut Set. The shortest credible way through the tree from fault to initiating event is called a Minimal Cut Set. Some industries use both Fault Trees and Event Trees. An Event Tree starts from an undesired initiator (loss of critical supply, component failure etc.) and follows possible further system events through to a series of final consequences. As each new event is considered, a new node on the tree is added with a split of probabilities of taking either branch. The probabilities of a range of top events arising from the initial event can then be seen. Classic programs include the Electric Power Research Institutes (EPRI) CAFTA software, which is used by many of the US nuclear power plants and by a majority of US and international aerospace manufacturers, and the Idaho National Laboratorys SAPHIRE, which is used by the U.S. Government to evaluate the safety and reliability of nuclear reactors, the Space Shuttle, and the International Space Station. Outside the US, the software RiskSpectrum is a popular tool for Fault Tree and Event Tree analysis and is licensed for use at almost half of the worlds nuclear power plants for Probabilistic Safety Assessment. Analysis Many different approaches can be used to model a FTA, but the most common and popular way can be summarized in a few steps. Remember that a fault tree is used to analyze a single fault event, and that one and only one event can be analyzed during a single fault tree. Even though the fault may vary dramatically, a FTA follows the same procedure for an event, be it a delay of 0.25 msec for the generation of electrical power, or the random, unintended launch of an ICBM. FTA analysis involves five steps: Define the undesired event to study Definition of the undesired event can be very hard to catch, although some of the events are very easy and obvious to observe. An engineer with a wide knowledge of the design of the system or a system analyst with an engineering background is the best person who can help define and number the undesired events. Undesired events are used then to make the FTA, one event for one FTA; no two events will be used to make one FTA. Obtain an understanding of the system Once the undesired event is selected, all causes with probabilities of affecting the undesired event of 0 or more are studied and analyzed. Getting exact numbers for the probabilities leading to the event is usually impossible for the reason that it may be very costly and time consuming to do so. Computer software is used to study probabilities; this may lead to less costly system analysis. System analysts can help with understanding the overall system. System designers have full knowledge of the system and this knowledge is very important for not missing any cause affecting the undesired event. For the selected event all causes are then numbered and sequenced in the order of occurrence and then are used for the next step which is drawing or constructing the fault tree. Construct the fault tree After selecting the undesired event and having analyzed the system so that we know all the causing effects (and if possible their probabilities) we can now construct the fault tree. Fault tree is based on AND and OR gates which define the major characteristics of the fault tree. Evaluate the fault tree After the fault tree has been assembled for a specific undesired event, it is evaluated and analyzed for any possible improvement or in other words study the risk management and find ways for system improvement. This step is as an introduction for the final step which will be to control the hazards identified. In short, in this step we identify all possible hazards affecting in a direct or indirect way the system. Control the hazards identified This step is very specific and differs largely from one system to another, but the main point will always be that after identifying the hazards all possible methods are pursued to decrease the probability of occurrence. Comparison With Other Analytical Methods FTA is a deductive, top-down method aimed at analyzing the effects of initiating faults and events on a complex system. This contrasts with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), which is an inductive, bottom-up analysis method aimed at analyzing the effects of single component or function failures on equipment or subysystems. FTA is very good at showing how resistant a system is to single or multiple initiating faults. It is not good at finding all possible initiating faults. FMEA is good at exhaustively cataloging initiating faults, and identifying their local effects. It is not good at examining multiple failures or their effects at a system level. FTA considers external events, FMEA does not. In civil aerospace the usual practice is to perform both FTA and FMEA, with a Failure Mode Effects Summary (FMES) as the interface between FMEA and FTA. Alternatives to FTA include Dependence Diagram (DD), also known as Reliability Block Diagram (RBD) and Markov Analysis. A Dependence Diagram is equivalent to a Success Tree Analysis (STA), the logical inverse of an FTA, and depicts the system using paths instead of gates. DD and STA produce probability of success (i.e., avoiding a top event) rather than probability of a top event. References Ericson, Clifton (1999). Fault Tree Analysis A History (pdf). Proceedings of the 17th International Systems Safety Conference. http://www.fault-tree.net/papers/ericson-fta-history.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Rechard, Robert P. (1999). Historical Relationship Between Performance Assessment for Radioactive Waste Disposal and Other Types of Risk Assessment in the United States (pdf). Risk Analysis (Springer Netherlands) 19 (5): 763-807. doi:10.1023/A:1007058325258. SAND99-1147J. http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/759847-JsFRIG/webviewable/. Retrieved 2010-01-22. Winter, Mathias (1995). Software Fault Tree Analysis of an Automated Control System Device Written in ADA (pdf). Masters Thesis (Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School). ADA303377. http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA303377. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Benner, Ludwig (1975). Accident Theory and Accident Investigation. Proceedings of the Society of Air Safety Investigators Annual Seminar. http://www.iprr.org/papers/75iasiatheory.html. Retrieved 2010-01-17. DeLong, Thomas (1970). A Fault Tree Manual (pdf). Masters Thesis (Texas AM University). AD739001. http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=AD739001Location=U2doc=GetTRDoc.pdf. Retrieved 2010-03-09. Eckberg, C. R. (1964). Fault Tree Analysis Program Plan. Seattle, WA: The Boeing Company. D2-30207-1. http://www.dtic.mil/srch/doc?collection=t3id=AD0299561. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Begley, T. F.; Cummings (1968). Fault Tree for Safety. RAC. ADD874448. http://www.dtic.mil/srch/doc?collection=t3id=ADD874448. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Hixenbaugh, A. F. (1968). Fault Tree for Safety. Seattle, WA: The Boeing Company. D6-53604. http://www.dtic.mil/srch/doc?collection=t3id=AD0847015. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Acharya, Sarbes; et. al. (1990) (pdf). Severe Accident Risks: An Assessment for Five U.S. Nuclear Power Plants. Wasthington, DC: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. NUREG-1150. http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1150/v1/sr1150v1-intro-and-part-1.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Vesely, W. E.; et. al. (1981) (pdf). Fault Tree Handbook. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. NUREG-0492. http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr0492/sr0492.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Vesely, William; et. al. (2002) (pdf). Fault Tree Handbook with Aerospace Applications. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codeq/doctree/fthb.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-17. 7.9 Fault Tree Analysis (pdf). Electronic Reliability Design Handbook. B. U.S. Department of Defense. 1998. MIL-HDBK-338B. http://www.everyspec.com/MIL-HDBK/MIL-HDBK+(0300+-+0499)/download.php?spec=MIL-HDBK-338B.015041.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-17. Fault Tree Analysis. Edition 2.0. International Electrotechnical Commission. 2006. IEC61025. ISBN2-8318-8918-9. Long, Allen (pdf), Beauty the Beast Use and Abuse of Fault Tree as a Tool, fault-tree.net, http://www.fault-tree.net/papers/long-beauty-and-beast.pdf, retrieved 16 January 2010.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Poem analysis. Essay -- English Literature

Poem analysis. POEM The deathly child is very gay, He walks in the sunshine but no shadow falls his way. He has come to warn us that one must go who would rather stay Oh deathly child With a hear of woe And a smile on your face, Who is it that must go? He walks down the avenue, the trees Have leaves that are silver when they are turned upon the breeze He is more pale than the silver leaves more pale that these He walks delicately, He has a delicate tread. Why look, he leaves no mark at all Where the dust is spread Over the cafà © tables the talk is going to and fro An the people smile and they frown, but they do not know That the deathly child walks. Ah who is it that must go? I think that this poem is about the angel of death who is here to take the soul of a person. The first text gives us a brief outline of the poem. From the second to the fourth text we find a description of the deathly child and the last text gives the perception of the public as from the deathly child's own perspective. The deathly child decides whose soul to take as he passes the people. The language of the text has an interesting rhythm effect which has some underlying regularity mixed with variation. In the first, middle and last text, the last word in each stanza all rhyme, however the last word in the second and fourth stanza rhymes.which appears to look like this: - 1st text all rhymes 2nd text 2nd and 4th stanza rhymes 3rd text all rhymes 4th text 2nd and 4th stanza rhymes 5th text all rhymes I have also noticed that when looking at the poem, these rhythmic words have only one-word syllables, when pronounced they are stressed. The first, third and fifth texts have... ...e leaves no mark at all where the dust is spread". I think that the writer writes in this particular way, because the writer is describing the deathly child as something different from the humans. If someone does not have a shadow, it means that they do not have a soul. When it says "he leaves not mark at all where the dust is spread" is shows that the deathly child cannot be seen. Graphology: all lines begin with a capital letter because to give relations between speech and writing. And there are no two sentences within the same line, except the last stanza, which not only has a capital at the beginning of the line but also in the next sentence. I have also noticed that all the stanzas in the middle text begin with the letter "h" and the first letters in the first and second texts are also represented in the third and fifth text but in different order.

Monday, November 11, 2019

A Stereotypical Teenager Essay

Loud, obnoxious, rebellious, out of control, and up to no good†¦ these are just a few of a wide number of stereotypes that are attributed to American teenagers. What is it about teenagers that make the rest of society seem to turn against them? I believe that there are many misconceptions about teenagers. Many people in different generations sincerely believe that all teenagers are up to no good, and are guaranteed trouble no matter where they are. I am not arguing that teenagers like that don’t exist, because there are plenty of them out there, but it bothers me that one type of teenager has been able to spoil the image of all other teenagers. Personally I think that these stereotypes apply more to me because I am a male. In addition to being a male teenager, I also have noticed that people think negatively of me because I wear a longer hair style than what is typically expected in society. Some people grow long hair to show rebellion, or to be unique, but I wouldn’t classify myself into either of those categories, I simply enjoy having it more than short hair. But because of that, many members of society link certain stereotypes of male teenagers to me because I show long hair. I could be considered many different things including: rebellious, troubled, angry, arrogant, or any other sort of stereotype out there. How could anyone possibly claim to know all of these false accusations simply based on my age, and my gender? At times it can be bothersome when people take certain precautions around teenagers, because they believe that we are all reckless, and dangerous. Parents will cross to the opposite side of the street with their kids, people clear sidewalks when walking, other drivers tense up on the road, and all while this is happening, other people will keep one eye carefully watching, just to make sure that all of the rotten teenagers don’t do anything dangerous. I sometimes think that people see me and other teenagers as giant, shiny explosives that are about to detonate, so everyone else needs to distance themselves as much and as quickly as possible. Just because a teenager happens to be walking around outside, that should in no way trigger a response where people feel that it isn’t safe to be near  teenagers. Although it does bother me, I can also see a point of view where I would do the same thing. If I saw someone outside that looked a little bit off-beat to me, I would most likely go a different path as well. However, that raises the question, why does society take in all of these stereotypes and live all of their lives believing false statements? All of it is ridiculous I believe. Anyone that knows me will be able to explain that I am the exact opposite of a stereotypical teenager, so no one should need to take precautions if they see me out somewhere. A stereotypical teenager would most likely be thought of being connected to alcohol, tobacco, and drugs in some way, shape, or form; I on the other hand do not do any of those things, and am strongly against them. Because I do not consider myself anywhere close to a stereotypical teenager, it does bother me when people mistake me for doing those types of activities. All of these common stereotypes don’t do any good for the people who actually work hard, and try to do something with their lives. For many people, stereotyping does more than just become a bothersome hassle. For a handful of teenagers, the effect of stereotyping makes them feel pressured into behaving like a stereotypical teenager. For example, some people do drugs and alcohol because they are expected to by society’s stereotypes, so someone may think, â€Å"Oh, I am a teenager now, I guess because other people are drinking then I have to as well.† I don’t even see peer pressure as that much of an issue here, people tend to start drinking or doing drugs voluntarily; more often than not, there isn’t peer pressure that is forcing them into doing something. And that creates an entire roundabout of madness. To simplify this; many people start acting like stereotypical teenagers, because they feel that they need to in order to be a â€Å"normal† teenager. But that in turn makes society cast out teenagers, when it is actually those same members of society who created these stereotypes for teenagers to follow. In reality, there are several statistics that illustrate a decline in teenage drug abuse, alcoholism, and teenage pregnancy, yet stereotypes still exist (Poole). Are all teenagers loud, obnoxious, rebellious, out of control, and up to no good? Obviously not, there is no way that every single teenager in the world  could fit that description. And yet, society still labels every teenager in the world by a description very similar to that. The few teenagers that live a life similar to that have managed to destroy the image of every teenager that happens to be a good kid. It seems that hardworking, determined, and honest teenagers don’t have a place in the world anymore. They are out there, and ready to be noticed, but the rest of society has chosen to view them in the same manner as the bad crowds that exist in the teenage population. Quite strange, that the model teenager that is acceptable in society is not taken seriously. Why does society view superior teenagers that way? It is not only teenagers; it is everybody in the world. No person will ever be right in prejudicing someone, no matter who they are.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Dreams in The Great Gatbsy Essays

Dreams in The Great Gatbsy Essays Dreams in The Great Gatbsy Essay Dreams in The Great Gatbsy Essay Jay Gatsby’s life is revolved around a series of lies and dreams; he believes so strongly in these lies and dreams that he eventually believes them to be true. Gatsby is one of the most hopeful characters in literary history; he has an incredible ability to convince others, and himself, that what he says is always true. Despite Gatsby’s money and tremendous backstory, he has one dream that is the centerpiece for every single action he does after the war, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby and Daisy had a romantic history from before the war, and while Gatsby was away, Daisy married and had a child with Tom Buchanan. Despite this, Gatsby still truly believed that he could win Daisy back and have everything go back to the way it was when they were teenagers, which sparks the famous quote, â€Å"can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!† (110). Gatsby has an elaborate plan to win Daisy back: he will become very rich (assumably through illegal means), and he will move into a mansion just across the bay from her where he will throw elaborate and wonderful parties in hopes that Daisy will stop by. Gatsby’s dream is that Daisy will see what Gatsby has done, and that now he is wealthy enough for her, and she will run away with him. Gatsby’s dream takes a slightly different course than her wandering into his house randomly; Gatsby’s new neighbor, Nick Carraway, is cousins with Daisy, prompting Gatsby to ask Nick to arrange a get together at Nick’s house. After rekindling, Gatsby and Daisy begin a romantic affair, and it seems that Gatsby’s long anticipated dream was about to come true. There is a brief moment in the climax of the story where if Gatsby would have taken his chips and walked away from the table, he would have achieved his dream of winning Daisy back, but Gatsby keeps playing, and ends up losing everything. Daisy had confessed that she no longer loved Tom, and that she was in love with Jay, but when Gatsby insists that Da

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Sea Otter Facts

Sea Otter Facts Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are an easily recognized and beloved marine mammal. They have furry bodies, whiskered faces, and a propensity to lay on their backs and float on the water, a behavior that humans perceive as evidence of fun-loving.  They are native to the northern coastlines of the Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan to Baja, Mexico. Most critically, they are a keystone species, meaning that their continued existence is required for several other species to survive. Fast Facts: Sea Otters Scientific Name: Enhydra lutrisCommon Name: Sea ottersBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 3.3–4.9 feetWeight: 31–99 poundsLifespan: 10–20 years  Diet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Coastlines of the North Pacific Rim, from northern Japan to the central Baja peninsulaConservation Status: Endangered Description Sea otters are carnivores in the family Mustelidae- a group of animals that also includes terrestrial and semi-aquatic forms such as weasels, badgers, skunks, fishers, minks, and river otters. Sea otters are the only fully aquatic form of otters, but they share features with the others such as thick fur and short ears. This thick fur keeps the animals warm ​but unfortunately has led to over-hunting by humans of many of these mustelid species.   Sea otters are the smallest fully marine mammal in the world: Males range in length between 3.9–4.9 feet, while females range between 3.3–4.6 feet. The average body mass for males is about 88 pounds, with a range of 49–99 pounds; females range from 31–73 pounds.   Temperature balance is a significant challenge for sea otters, who lack the blubber of other marine mammals such as seals and walruses. Otters have a dense fur made up of a combination of undercoat and longer guard hairs that provides insulation, but it must be almost continuously maintained. Fully 10 percent of a sea otters day is spent grooming its fur. However, fur is an inflexible insulation, so, when necessary, sea otters cool off by flapping their nearly-hairless rear flippers. Habitat and Distribution Unlike some marine mammals like whales that would die if they were on land for too long, sea otters can go up onto land to rest, groom, or nurse. However, they do spend most if not all of their lives in the water- Sea otters even give birth in the water. Although there is just one species of sea otter, there are three subspecies: The Russian northern sea otter (Enhyrda lutris lutris), which lives in the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka Peninsula, and Commander Islands off Russia,The northern sea otter (Enhyrda lutris kenyoni), which lives from the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, down to Washington state, andThe southern sea otter (Enhyrda lutris nereis), which lives in southern California. Diet Sea otters eat fish and marine invertebrates like crabs, urchins, sea stars, and abalone, as well as squid and octopuses. Some of these animals have hard shells, which protect them from predators. But that isnt an issue for the talented sea otter, which cracks open the shells by banging them with rocks. To hunt prey, sea otters have been known to dive as deep as 320 feet; however, males mostly forage at depths of around 260 feet and females about 180 feet. Sea otters have a baggy patch of skin under their forelimbs which is used for storage. They can keep extra food in this spot, and also store a favorite rock for cracking the shell of their prey. Jeff Foott / Getty Images Behavior Sea otters are social, and hang out together in groups called rafts. Sea otter rafts are segregated: Groups of between two and 1,000 otters are either all males or females and their young.  Only adult males establish territories, which they patrol during mating season to keep out other adult males. Females rove freely between and among male territories. Mint Images - Frans Lanting / Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring Sea otters reproduce sexually and that only occurs when the females are in estrus. Mating is polygynous- one male breeds with all the females in its breeding territory. The gestation period lasts for six months, and females nearly always give birth to a single live pup, although twinning does occur. Young sea otters have a form of extremely woolly fur that makes an otter pup so buoyant that it cant dive underwater and can float off if not tended carefully. Before a mother otter leaves to forage for her pup, she wraps the pup in a piece of kelp to keep it anchored in one spot. It takes 8–10 weeks for the pup to shed its initial fur and learn to dive and the pup stays with the mother for up to six months after birth. The females enter estrus again within several days to weeks after weaning.   Female sea otters become sexually mature at about 3 or 4 years of age; males do so at 5 or 6 although most males dont establish a territory until they are 7 or 8.  Female otters live 15–20 years and can have pups every year from the first estrus; males live for 10–15 years. Keystone Species Sea otters are a keystone species and play a critical role in the food web of the kelp forest,  so much so that even terrestrial species are influenced by sea otter activity. When sea otter populations are healthy, urchin populations are kept in check, and kelp is abundant. Kelp provides shelter for sea otters and their pups and a variety of other marine organisms. If there is a decline in sea otters due to natural predation or other factors such as an oil spill, urchin populations explode. As a result, kelp abundance decreases  and other marine species have less habitat. Kelp forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and a healthy forest can absorb as much as 12 times the amount of CO2 from the atmosphere than if it were subject to sea urchin predation.   When sea otter populations are abundant, bald eagles prey primarily on fish and sea otter pups, but when sea otter populations declined in early the 2000s due to predation by an increased population of orcas, bald eagles preyed more on marine birds and had more offspring because of the higher caloric content of a seabird diet. Threats Because they are dependent on their fur for warmth, sea otters are heavily affected by oil spills. When oil coats a sea otters fur, air cant get through and the sea otter cant clean it out. The infamous  Exxon Valdez  spill killed at least several hundred sea otters and affected the sea otter population in Prince William Sound for well over a decade, according to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council.   While sea otter populations increased after legal protections were put in place, there have been recent declines in sea otters in the Aleutian Islands (thought to be from orca predation) and a decline or plateau in the populations in California. Other than natural predators, threats to sea otters include pollution, diseases, parasites, entanglement in marine debris, and boat strikes. Conservation Status Sea otters first became protected from the fur trade by the International Fur Seal Treaty in 1911, after the population had decreased to about 2,000 as a result of unrestrained hunting for furs. Since then, sea otter populations have rebounded, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as a whole as Endangered. The ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System lists both northern and southern sea otters as threatened. Sea otters in the U.S. today are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Sea Otter Skins. Gulf of Maine Cod Project, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries / National Archives Sources Anthony, Robert G., et al. Bald Eagles and Sea Otters in the Aleutian Archipelago: Indirect Effects of Trophic Cascades. Ecology 89.10 (2008): 2725–35. PrintDoroff, A. and A. Burdin. Enhydra lutris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T7750A21939518, 2015.  Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni). ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System, 2005.Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System, 2016.Tinker, M. T., et al. Otters: Enhydra Lutris and Lontra Felina. Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (Third Edition). Eds. Wà ¼rsig, Bernd, J. G. M. Thewissen and Kit M. Kovacs: Academic Press, 2018. 664–71. Print.Wilmers, Christopher C, et al. Do Trophic Cascades Affect the Storage and Flux of Atmospheric Carbon? An Analysis of Sea Otters and Kelp Forests. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 10.8 (2012): 409–15. Print.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Analysis essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Analysis - Essay Example The burger consists of a single beef patty which is topped with American cheese, fried onions, and thick steak sauce. The advertisement shows a young girl who is all eager to have a big bite of the burger she is looking at with surprise openly expressed in her eyes. The girl is tip-top, as if she is seducing the people out there to come at the fast food point and have this delightful treat. The media in general and this ad in particular is exploiting people, especially children, by way of sexual appeal and exaggerated messages in advertisements. Since the youth is more attracted toward junk food than adults, and because of the males’ attraction toward sexual content (the sexual innuendo will be described in a later paragraph), this advertisement has made use of the fragility of young minds to sell the product. Young people, such as teenagers, tend to have less-developed ability of decision-making or critical thinking, so they cannot realize what is wrong with what they are vie wing, and their minds learn or absorb every act they see. I believe that this specific advertisement is very effectively selling the product by manipulating young minds into getting away from healthy food and turning toward junk meals. Media is exploiting kids to make them their unsurpassed consumers. Children are being affected by the media every day and every moment they sit in front of the television. This eventually affects the whole society. Businesses are now targeting children because they form a huge part of American population today. The idea behind is that kids spend or make their parents spend a lot of money on things like video games, junk food, electronic items, and the like, and thus this spent money forms are great part of the country’s economy. Hence, advertisers and businesses are targeting children because they have an influence over purchasing and making decisions in all small and big shopping. Parents become helpless. When a teenager will see this specific advertisement, he will totally relish the yummy bite of the burger in his dreams, and will bug his parents to allow him to have it one way or another. This is because the message, which will be discussed in a later section, is so tempting that a teenager will not be able to resist the temptation. Companies have started calculating the nagging factor (John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) which determines how much anger or stubbornness kids have to show to their parents in order to persuade them to buy something of their choice. Mass media is manipulating kids’ minds through marketing in schools, public places, homes, and through television, internet and DVDs. Companies present new brands in front of kids and attract them through suggestive content that is shown to them through marketing services. Children get attracted to the sexually suggestive content shown in the advertisements. They are attracted toward buying new brands of cereals, clothes, bedspreads, kidsâ⠂¬â„¢ furniture, school bags and lunch boxes. Marketers understand the psychology of children and control them. Ethics are not taken into account while marketing the products and this inculcates unethical values amongst the children. They tend to learn violence, aggression, and sexual fantasies, and then try to incorporate these things in their own lives (Strasburger, Jordan and Donnerstein). Also, they learn that they are supposed to get everything they see and then force their parents to provide them with everything they are attracted t

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Pathological liar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pathological liar - Research Paper Example Once a lie is told, there is no changing it, no taking it back, and no easy resolution to solving the problems that it creates.† If lying becomes habitual and chronic, the liar becomes known to have developed into a compulsive liar. This is differentiated from a pathological liar, which is the topic of this research. This research paper is aimed at presenting relevant factors surrounding a pathological liar. A brief description of this disorder would initially be presented. The characteristics of this personality disorder would also be enumerated, as well as any remedies which might be available. â€Å"an individual who habitually tells lies so exaggerated or bizarre that they are suggestive of mental disorder†. In a study which differentiates a pathological liar from a compulsive liar, a pathological liar is described as: â€Å"someone who lies incessantly to get their way and does so with little concern for others. Pathological lying is often viewed as coping mechanism developed in early childhood and it is often associated with some other type of mental health disorder. A pathological liar is often goal-oriented (i.e., lying is focused - it is done to get ones way). Pathological liars have little regard or respect for the rights and feelings of others. A pathological liar often comes across as being manipulative, cunning and self-centered.† (TruthAboutDeception.com 2009). On the other hand, the same study defined a compulsive liar as â€Å"someone who lies out of habit. Lying is their normal and reflexive way of responding to questions. Compulsive liars ben d the truth about everything, large and small. For a compulsive liar, telling the truth is very awkward and uncomfortable while lying feels right. Compulsive lying is usually thought to develop in early childhood, due to being placed in an environment where lying was necessary. For the most