My Teacher Has a Big Influence on My Life Essay

One day I was sitting in my math class, feeling bored and sleepy, when my teacher, Mr. .Ahmed woke me up by his words.He told us his story aboutmath and how his life changed after he changed his way of thinking. He also told us that he used to hate math, but he became good at math after he decided to like it. From that moment, I decided to adopt my teacher`s attitude, and I learned to be open-minded, flexible in my life and positive about math. Mr.Ahmed was a great man; he liked to teach mathfrom his heart. He used to tell us his life story in a way to convince all students to fight negative thoughts and usepositive thoughts instead. Therefore, it taught menot only to change my way of thinking but it also helped me to become open-minded. Because my father never liked math, I assumed that I would not either, so I would never been better than that.In addition Ispent the next few days thinking about the teacher`s story. I was wondering how I could be good at math, and the teacher`s word s were still echoing deeply in my earsâ€Å"My dear kids, open your mind,think in a different waysand imagine yourselves doing what you want to be.† Consequently, I learned to clear my mind, think in a different way and focus on my goals. Another aspect that attracted me more to the teacher’s story was its similarity to my situation. I didn’t like math that time, but my teacher’s words gave me tremendous inspiration I still use that till now. I also became flexible in my life; I could do anything to improve my life without listening to the negative thoughts. I was trying different ways of thinking and listening to the different points of view. As result my family noticed the big change in my life, because prior to that time I waslazy,careless, andunorganized. The next week I felt I was a different person who had a great power to do whatever it took to actualize my plans in life.Not only was my education improved but also my life.Being responsive to change helped me a lot to be successful in most classes and to be friendly with everyone. In addition my brothers appreciated my change and felt like they had their brother back. Finally, my teacher`s story put me on the solid path to walk without failing. My life changed in a positive way from being a lazy student, who hated anything related to math or science, to becoming bright student who enjoyed learning in all aspects. I became very optimistic, confident to face any problems with open heart.In one year my grades changed from D`s to A`s,so my family rewarded me with Safari to Kenya.Since I changed my way of thinking, I changed my life in a remarkable way. My teacher`s advice encouraged me to study human development and psychology.I also decided to study mathematics and to become a math teacher like Mr. Ahmed .Time passed so quickly that I couldn’t believe that I was standing in frontof my own math classteaching.In The first class I couldn’t hide my tears because I remembered my great instructor. My students noticed this, and I told them my story with Mr. Ahmed. I was astonished and unable to understand how his words were powerful for me,completely altering the course of my life. I was writing to my teacher for years telling him every detail of my life; he was a good supporter to me. Additionally, he was very happy to see me successful in my life .When I heard his death , I was feeling sad for months .However , remembering his words â€Å" man will die but his actions and words stay for good† kept me breathing till now. My teacher`s words taught me to appreciate life, and think positively, be open-minded, and be flexible in life. Although he is gone and I am sad for loss of his physical presence, I keep him and his advices in my heart. Therefore, I will keep him as symbol of my success and happiness.

Blacks in the Military

Behind the American dream lies a series of rebels and insurrections on the part of black Americans in order to mark their presence equal to that of the white citizens of the country. Just like the rise of a black man in the society did not happen over night, his status and entrance into the military services also took decades to create a non-segregated military of the contemporary America.The participation of blacks in the U. S. military is a path with its commencement right after the exemption of prohibitive years when the U. S. army permitted the black men to serve the military as cooks and stewards. In the wake of centuries, these African Americans achieved their current status as equal members of the unified U. S. army. This paper succinctly recounts the history of blacks’ entrance into the military and their gradual rise of status over the period of time. The paper also elucidates the importance of the blacks for the U. S. during the times of different wars and the impact of such military activities on the black men in the armed forces of America today. Introduction:â€Å"We must tell stories of black successes to every child in our country because we need heroes. We need them as much as we need our dreams, and black Americans have always provided both_ George H. W. Bush (Rosenthal: 1991). † In the contemporary world, the word ‘black’ refers to a multifaceted concept. Generally the term signifies the people with dark skin involving the human population from Africa, Oceania and Southeast Asia etc. In a more peculiar sense, the word refers to a black-white segregation with its origins profoundly rooted in the American history.More formally, the term Afro-Americans is also employed for the people who had been brought to the U. S. as slaves and had been allocated to different colonies within the country. Although initially allocated as the servants of whites, the blacks gained power with the passage of time resulting in an insurrecti on against the whites due to the inhuman attitude towards them. Once prohibited to cross the premises of educational institutes or dine in the whites’ restaurants, blacks of the contemporary U. S.society not only enjoy equal rights but have proved to be a significant contribution to the country in every walk of life and form one of the chief minorities of America. According to the statistics of 2006 by U. S. Census Beareu about 13. 1 percent of total U. S. population comprises of this minority with a numeric figure around 39,151,870. Today, to more than any area of national strength, these black men and women provide a tenacious contribution to the military of the United States. History of Blacks’ Entrance in the Military: â€Å"Although African Americans have participated in every major U.S. war, the battle for integration and for recognition of the accomplishments of black soldiers has been a slow process (Haney: 2007). † Since the arrival of blacks, no war ha ving U. S. as a participant went without the presence of blacks in the country’s military. During the time of French and Indian wars in the 18th century, the American army heavily depended on black people working as labourers, scouts and drivers etc. Even during the time of World War I, about 404,348 black men and women worked in the Services of Supply-in quartermaster, stevedore, and pioneer infantry units (Lee: 1966, p.5). As a result of their active contribution, the United Press reported that the ‘American Negro troops proved their value as fighters’ (Lee: 1966, p. 6). though appreciated in printed media, the reality possessed extreme racism running between the blacks and whites. After the commencement of the Second World War, the number of blacks enlisted to the military services increased from 3,640 men on 31 August 1939 to 97,725 on 30 November 1941. the following years marked a further increase of black enlistees (Lee: 1966, p. 88). Revolutionary War:Acco rding to the statistics provided by Albrecht and Davis based on U. S. Census Bureau, U. S. Army and U. S. Department of Defence, the eighteenth century holds the history of the Revolutionary War that marked a presence of 5000 black soldiers in the continental army and far more with the British forces as a result of Lord Dunmore’s proclamation in November 1775 promising the freedom of negroes if they support the British. As a result more and more African Americans joined forces against the Patriots since freedom was something they cherished most.So, this war was unique in a sense that blacks served both the continental army and the British colonizers as a part of their military to be used against Americans however the majority of black men and women served the British in road building and other such meagre tasks since they were promised emancipation from years of slavery (PBS). Civil War: Since the year 1861, Civil war has never lost its debate for one reason that its undercur rents still flow in the roots of modern American society. Owing to the great impact of war between whites and blacks, Higham believes thatâ€Å"No other subject in U. S. history, perhaps no other subject in the history of the world, has elicited the tremendous outpouring of writing that has been lavished on the American Civil War (1996). † Although the blacks served in the Revolutionary War, it was till 1792 that the federal law of the United States prohibited the entrance of blacks as arms bearing soldiers. As a consequence of this law, the aspiring blacks raised the issue in Boston requesting the government to bring alternation in the rule. Resulting from the proclamation of emancipation made by Gen.John C. Fremont in Missouri and Gen. David Hunter in South Carolina, an increasing number of slaves were emancipated on one hand when on the other hand the whites’ spirit of voluntary services in military declined. In such a scenario, the need of military personnel in Uni on army was overwhelming thereby making the Government reconsider the ban on blacks. This led to the exemption of ban resulting in gradual recruitment of black volunteers to serve in the army. Formally, it was in the form of Union Army that emerged as a result of acts passed by the Congress in 1862.According to the Second Confiscation and Militia Act, all the slaves with their masters serving in the Confederate Army were freed. In about 2 days, slavery was abolished in all the states of the country. Seeing the aggrandizing number of black men willing to join military the government established a separate Bureau of Colored Troops by 1863. The active participation of blacks in U. S. not only marked a significant chapter of history but also left an impact on literature as the influence can be witnessed in the works of Rudyard Kipling and Kate Chopin.Similarly, movies like ‘Glory’ are constant reminders of blacks’ military role in war times. The U. S. Coast guard bei ng one of the smallest yet effective of the seven uniformed services and military branches of t he U. S with a purpose of patrolling the maritime region also marked an informal entrance of blacks in about 1831 when Captain W. W. Polk, USRCS, commanding the Revenue cutter Florida requested to the Treasury Secretary Samuel D. Ingham to employ his black slave of 21 years on board.After a month of permission, the free blacks were employed as stewards and cooks. The year 1887 marked a heyday for the African Americans military status in the coast guard when Captain Michael A. Healy was commissioned as the commander of the cutter Bear till 1895 (U. S. Coast Guard). Korean War By 1930s the prejudices of whites against blacks started to debilitate. It was in 1937 that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A passed a resolution which said, â€Å"We accept completely the ideal of the brotherhood of all races, as all are the children of God.We therefore call upon Christians ev erywhere to practice mutual good-will and cooperation among all racial groups, to eliminate every form of discrimination, and to work actively for the recognition of civil and religious rights of all minority groups(Sternsher: 1969. p. 105). † Although a part of military comprising of nearly one million soldiers, the blacks were still considered unfit for military services by the white military men till 1941 when black leaders proposed a constitution of all-black combat units on experimental basis.The outstanding performance of these black units led to their participation on permanent basis thereby disentangling the military from the shackles of prejudices against the minority. In the words of Retired U. S. Army Colonel Bill De Shields, â€Å"The symbol of black participation at that time was ‘the Double V'. in other words, ‘Double V' meant two victories: victory against the enemy abroad, and victory against the enemy at home. The enemy at home of course being rac ism (VOA: 2005). † By the late 1950s that marked the end of Korean War, the black units were kept separate.Although some blacks worked in white units too, their presence was only in the capacity of lower staff members. Vietnam War: The era of Vietnam War was the time when U. S. Army had fully integrated with whites and blacks serving in the same combat units and absence of racism. The blacks by this time had appraisal in their ranks and served even as generals (VOA: 2005). Of all the races participating in the Vietnam War, blacks are often considered to have suffered the most in terms of the casualty rate. Comprising of 11 percent of the total participating population, blacks served the U.S. in Vietnam in disproportionate number comprising of about 20 percent of early combat deaths. Later the proportion of casualties declined to about 12. 5 percent (Albrecht and Davis). The figure points out the increasing role of blacks in the military. There lie several reasons behind the gr eater black demise in comparison with other races. Firstly, as the fight between South and North escalated, the U. S. needed more soldiers because of the heavy rate of casualty at the front thereby resulting conscription of people for military services.According to the studies of Defence department of Sam Houston University, a considerable number of blacks entered the U. S. military in this way that formed 16 percent of its total population. Secondly, it is often reckoned that the high casualty rate was not just because of increasing number but partly due to the higher morale and willingness of blacks to offer their voluntary services causing their casualty rate supersede other races in terms of their participating population. It was the consequence of extraordinary morale of African American military men that about 20 medals of bravery were awarded to these black soldiers.Persian Gulf War: Continued for a time span of almost a year from 1990 to 1991, the statistics of Persian Gulf War as reported by the U. S. Defence Department suggest the presence of black men and women to have made up to 25percent of the American troops when their total share in the U. S. population was about 12percent. This according to Pentagon officials was a result of their willingness rather than their conscription into the military services. The era of Persian Gulf War marked an augmentation of blacks in the military when their joining superseded the whites by three times.This according to many analysts was a way for blacks to improved quality of life. According to Martin Binkin a military analyst, the percentage of black young men and women serving in military forces by 1991 was 30-33percent in comparison with that of 16 to 17percent for the white youngsters (Wilkerson: 1991). It was such participation and morale of black Americans in the Persian Gulf War that President H. W. Bush exalted their chivalry with the following words, â€Å"For two centuries, black soldiers have establish ed a record of pride in the face of incredible obstacles (Rosenthal: 1991). † Iraq War:In the words of Gregory Black, founder of web portal of black military, â€Å"The first reason for the drop is the black community’s overall objection to the war (Foley: 2007). † The growing unpopularity of Bush Administration after the invasion in Iraq and continual spending on the war to cause a deficit in the year 2008 is not only confined to the international community but has greatly affected the numeric strength of the U. S. military. Although, the U. S. army has suffered an enormous decline in terms of the number of people applying for the military services, the fall of military participation is highest for the black community.According to the analysis of Williams and Baron in The Boston Globe, the blacks’ percentage in the U. S. military has declined by 58percent since 11 September 2000 but Iraq War seemed to have greatly catalyzed the process as suggested by oth er military analysts, Pentagon surveys, and interviews with young African-Americans. The analysis of James Foley made in the fall of the last year suggests that the whites who formed 61 percent of the recruits in the year 2000 now make up around 67 percent of the U. S. military force (2007).Michael O'Hanlon, a military analyst for the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution, witnesses this trend to be a loss for the American army since he believes that the ‘African-Americans have been such a key part of the modern military (whose decline) portends the possibility of a longer-term loss of interest. It can be tough to get it back’ (Williams and Baron: 2007). For the blacks, the threat of Iraq War is double edged. It does not only mean a loss of a few lives but poses a threat of the loss of a whole generation since the blacks are in minority as approved by the fact that 3,540 U. S.troops have died in Iraq’s bloodshed till the last year (Baldor: 2007). Also, the discou raging attitude from the military has dissuaded many blacks. Lieutenant Colonel Irving Smith, a sociologist at the US Military Academy at West Point, the basic goal behind excessive blacks’ participation was to reach equal status of citizenship and leadership roles in the mainstream but ‘The fewer African-Americans that enlist, the fewer African-Americans there are that can tell their stories in the future. The fewer that get commissioned as officers, the smaller the leadership pool will be in the future’ (Williams and Baron: 2007).At the top of everything James Foley in his article ‘Black interest in military service decreasing’ also believes that the decline is also because the key influencers in the black community are against the war. As a result of their ascendance on their followers, more and more blacks are being dissuaded from their participation in the U. S. military (2007). It was the foresight of blacks regarding their decline as a result of Iraq invasion that in the year 2003, different polls investigating the attitude of people towards Iraq invasion suggested that the blacks opposed Iraq War much more than the whites.Pew Research Centre’s poll suggested the support of 44 percent of African-Americans in comparison with 73percent whites, According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution/Zogby America poll, only 23percent blacks supported the war whereas according to the findings of the Joint Centre for Political and Economic Studies, the percentage of these black votaries declined to 19 percent (Jackson: 2003). The reason behind such opposition is that the blacks make up far more percentage in the U. S. military as compared to their share in the country’s population.Conclusion: Due to a record of excessive invasions and interventions of the U. S. in the past few decades, what stays most wounded is the military wing of the country. Since the operations of the U. S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq, the count ry’s army has lost its charm for many U. S. citizens to a considerable deal. Of these Americans, the reaction is most severe from the black community as proved by the fact that the participation level of blacks in the U. S army has enormously declined over the last few years.With a history of intrepid contribution as warriors and soldiers of the Spanish American War in 1898, the Korean war in early 1950s, the Vietnam war of 1960s and 1970s and the Persian Gulf war of early 1990s, the blacks of the contemporary U. S. seem less inclined to the military services thereby causing a serious threat to the over all strength of the U. S. With their contribution in all the capacities of armed forces, the black military men of today play a key role for the unified army at one hand whereas their very presence poses a risk of losing entire generations of African Americans on the other hand.Keeping in mind the nature of risks for black Americans, it is likely that the recent trend of decli ning participation would continue for the years to come thereby debilitating the military strength of the world’s super power. References African Americans in the United States Coast Guard. U. S. Coast Guard. Jan. 1999. Retrieved on 24 Feb. 2008 < http://www. uscg. mil/hq/g-cp/history/h_Africanamericans. html> African-American Soldiers in World War II Helped Pave Way for Integration of US Military. Voice of America. 10 May 2005.Retrieved on 24 Feb. 2008 Baldor, Lolita C. Number of Blacks Joining Military Down. Washington Post. 25 Jun. 2007. Retrieved on 25 Feb. 2008 Black Americans in Defense of Our Nation, Sam Houston State University, Department of Defence, 1985, retrieved on 24 Feb. 2008 Foley, James. Black interest in military service decreasing.Medill Reports Washington. 29 Nov. 2007. Retrieved on 25 Feb. 2008 Haney, Elissa. Info Please. Blacks in the Military: The fight for recognition of African-American soldiers. 2007. Retrieved on 24 Feb. 2008 < http://www. infop lease. com/spot/bhmmilitary1. html> Higham, Robin and Woodworth, Steven E. The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996. Jackson, Derrick Z. Blacks Have Good Cause to Oppose War in Iraq.Common Dreams News Centre. 26 Feb. 2003. Retrieved on 25 Feb. 2008 Lee, Ulysses. The Employment of Negro Troops. Washington D. C. : U. S . Government Printing Office. 1966. Rosenthal, Andrew. War in the Gulf: The Black G. I. ; Blacks Are Hailed by Bush for their role in Military. The New York Times. 26 Feb. 1991. Retrieved on 25 Feb. 2008 Sternsher, Bernard.The Negro in Depression and War: Prelude to Revolution, 1930- 1945. Chicago: Quadrangle Books, 1969. The Revolutionary War. PBS. Retrieved on 24 Feb. 2008 Wilkerson, Isabel. War in the Gulf: The Troops; Blacks Wary of Their Big Role as Troops. The New York Times. 25 Jan. 1991. Retrieved on 25 Feb. 2008 Williams, Joseph and Baron, Kevin. Military sees big decline in black enlistees. The

Reflection and Refraction of Light Essay

Objective The purpose of this experiment is to prove the laws of reflection and refraction, and to determine the angle of the total internal reflection and the index of refraction in the experiment. Theory The theory being experimented in this procedure is that of Willebrord Snell. From his theory we understand that the incident ray, the normal line and the refracted ray all lie on the same plane. We also understand that the relationship is defined in a ratio with the following equation; Which means that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction, I equal to the ratio of the speed of light in the original medium and the speed of light in the refracting medium. Procedure We set up the optics track, light source and the ray table. We then aligned the flat side of the mirror with the ray of light from the light source. We rotated the ray table in increments of 10 ÌŠ. The first set were done going clockwise. Once done we then did the same thing but going counterclockwise. This gave us the Angles of Reflection. FromThe two Angles of Reflection we were able to calculate the average Angles of Reflection, listed in Table 1. For the Law of Refraction, we replaced the mirror with a Acrylic cylindrical lens. We rotated the ray table clockwise by increments of 10ÌŠ again. We repeated the same measurements but instead with counterclockwise angles. From the two angles of refraction we were able to calculate the average angles of refraction. Finally, we aligned the flat side of the lens so that incoming light ray struck the cylindrical surface. We rotated the ray table until the refracted ray disappeared completely and only the reflected ray was visible. This is the angle of incidence. This gave us our angle of incidence theoretical value. From this we were also able to calculate the angle of refraction.

Accounting is not a root cause of the financial crisis, but it has an Essay

Accounting is not a root cause of the financial crisis, but it has an important role to play in its resolution - Essay Example The United States of America was the epicenter of this crisis. The sub-prime crisis caused many key businesses to close down and equity markets all around the world recorded tremendous decrease of their respective indices. This financial crisis almost created mass scale unemployment around the world. It is very interesting to study the role of financial accounting in this crisis. Many experts have expressed the view that the method of fair value accounting have exacerbated this crisis but did not initiate it. The first part of this essay will aim to analyze the role that fair value accounting played during this crisis and whether it has enhanced the crisis or not. Second part of this essay tries to find out whether accounting can provide remedial solutions to this crisis. Role of accounting in the financial crisis According to Financial Accounting Standards, even in the absence of active market or during unfavorable market conditions the banks are required to calculate the values of its assets which will be different and lower than the true value. The final figures of various financial instruments like the Credit Default Swap are calculated at fair value and as a result create misleading impressions. Due to the fair value accounting the banks will sell the various securities at a relatively cheaper price. This would trigger the panic button in the markets and as a result there would be a global meltdown. Through the fair value method of accounting it is not possible for the banks to measure the financial instruments accurately. As a result the banks are forced to incur losses because it sells its assets at lower prices. These losses affect the entire financial markets. There is also a possibility that the banks spent large amount of money to acquire assets at market value calculated according to the fair value accounting method but these investments eventually becomes a burden and cause huge losses. But a closer examination of the situation will bring out the f act that the role of fair value accounting in this financial crisis is very minimal. The US banks lost most of their fortune on loans that they made to non credible borrowers. Losses due to mark to market were far lower than the losses the bank made from bad loans to non credible borrowers. The banks recorded high losses even when they have not valued the price of their various financial instruments under the method of fair value accounting. The major portion of the losses constitute of defaulting loans that their debtors failed to pay off in time. Economists like Easton, Burks and Badertscher have tried to find whether due to the fair value accounting the banks during the sub-prime crisis had sold their securities at lower prices than the actual but they have not found any evidences which would support this idea. According to another expert Shaffer the impact of loan losses was much greater than the losses suffered by the bank due to fair value accounting. So it is quite clear that fair value accounting method did not play any significant role to create the financial crisis but it only helped to worsen the crisis further1. Role of accounting in the recovery from the crisis Generally, most of the organizations use a method of accounting that combines the methods of historical cost accounting and fair value accounting. This creates confusion in the minds of the investors. Panic among the investors accelerated the crisis as the companies failed to give their investors a clear picture of the net asset values and the total values of its assets. The common investors lost all

Compare the Industrial Age with the Era of Modernism Essay

Compare the Industrial Age with the Era of Modernism - Essay Example During that era, revolution begun by the mechanization of the textile industry and the iron-making techniques that were developed that increased the use of refined coal (Shamkhal 2011). The revolution was also characterized by the introduction of steam power that was primarily fuelled by coal. There was also the introduction of canals, improved railways and roads that also played a part in expanding trade. During this period, however, things were done in a more primitive and backward way, when compared to the modern era. The modern era is also characterized by a number of revolutions and innovations that are majorly seen in the way people do things that are more mechanized and computerized than the industrial era (Nagla 2010). The modern era brought about the invention of faster-operating computers that have propelled so many other innovative activities come up that completely bring the whole world a global village. During the modern era, people use machines operated by nuclear and electricity power. Trade has been made easy by the roads that have been tarmacked, electric trains and aircrafts that enable goods to be ferried from one country to another within hours. Therefore, the two era were marked by revolutions; however, the modern revolution is characterized with more innovation, faster ways of doing things as well as advanced technology. On the other hand, the industrial revolution was also characterized with lots of inventions and improvement of technology even though the technology used then was backward and could not do much. A lot of changes have been realized since the revolution era. To begin with, in the communications sector, during the industrial revolution, people used to pass information through the use of the word of mouth. Then the use of sending letters came up which could take several days, weeks or even months before being

Personal essay on one thing I would change in the world

Personal on one thing I would change in the world - Essay Example I grew up in a small village, where I saw girls aged five or six, carrying younger siblings, and begging on the streets for food. They were dirty, unkempt and wore clothes that were little more than rags. I wondered, why their parents would not give them enough to eat, till I was told that their parents probably gave them all they had, and went hungry themselves. They lived in hovels, and often while the older children begged, the younger ones were asleep on the roadside probably having exhausted themselves crying. As I grew up, and left the village to pursue my studies in a bigger town, these images stayed with me. However, to my dismay, I found that there were more such beggars there, than I had seen in my village. It struck me then, that I lived in a poor country where poverty was a curse suffered by large numbers of the population. It was at this stage of my life, that I made up my mind to do my bit to ease the pain of these poor, unfortunate people. My parents were happy to see that I felt so much sympathy for those less fortunate than me, and encouraged me to do small things like offering food, sweets or clothes to poor people nearby on my birthday, instead of having a party for my friends. Fortunately, my school too was at the forefront of social work, involving educating those who did not have the means to go to a proper school. We students, were taken to nearby rural areas, to mingle with the villagers and understand their problems. We also sometimes helped the younger children with t heir homework, and encouraged them never to stop their schooling, because many children are forced to stop going to school, and instead help their parents out in small jobs. As I graduated from high school, I realized that the means to end poverty was education. I found that poor children were less healthy, and more prone to disease than their peers in more advantaged homes. Living in unhygienic surroundings, and never having the benefit of being educated in the

The Professional Engineer and Micro-Electronics Essay

The Professional Engineer and Micro-Electronics - Essay Example This report is a comprehensive assessment of the work of professional engineer, who abides in a challenging work environment and has to incorporate with several legal and ethical obligations. The objective in this report is to investigate that how professional engineers work for sustainability, and what methods and programs they use to address complexity in their work environment. The Professional Engineering Tool Flow and Process Diagrams In the engineering practice, it has been noted that complexity lies in each of the engineering process. It could be a manufacturing process, process of design, or process of inventory that involves complexity. To understand complexity of a particular process, the professional engineer uses the tool of process diagram which is also called as flow diagram or process chart in engineering terms. This tool provides schematic representation of a process. Process diagram actually gives the whole picture of the process (the inside and outside of a process) ongoing in engineering. Mostly, chemical manufacturers, automotive firms, and electrical firms use this apprehensive tool to analyze the critical and problematic areas of a process. To condition a process, this tool is wide in its application. The Case of a Low-Capacity Manufacturer It is a noted fact that manufacturers try their best to improve and condition their manufacturing processes. ... rategic analysis tool such as the process diagram, which highlights the corrupt areas of a process, giving a reason to readjust or remove those areas (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). The literature brings the case of an apparel manufacturer which re-designs its production system and production facility by means of using process diagram tool. The process diagram assists and guides the manufacturer in different stages. It assists first in terms of reflecting on how the process is going and how possibly it can be modified or improved (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). The process diagram labels the schematic flow of the process that involves stages of blowing, basting, steeping, drying, dying and finishing altogether for producing a felt hat. These are stages that require readjustment and reformation as asserted by the manufacturer (Egelston, 2012). Using the process flow diagram, the manufacturer displays the AEIOUX sequence of its process. The areas which are absolutely necessary A, especially important E, important I, ordinary O, unimportant U, and undesirable X are highlighted using the analytical tool of process diagram (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). Using the process flow diagram, the manufacturer is able to take important decisions like which areas can be removed or can be brought to readjustment after the analysis has been made. The manufacturer improves the quality of its process by deploying the comprehensive analysis tool- the process flow diagram. Actually, the diagram has provided the algorithm to the manufacturer to improve and condition its whole production system (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). Process Flow Diagram of Felt Hat Manufacturing (Carlo & Arleo, 2013) The consequences led by the effective analysis tool (the process diagram) is that cost has got reduced and waste which was earlier

Social entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social entrepreneurship - Essay Example From the period, the concept of fifteen began taking shape in his mind. His vision is using the magic of food to provide a chance of employment to the young youths who had dropped out of school. However, the realization of his dream took him 10 years to bring to fruition (Slocum et al. 2011, 189). He was more excited with the social enterprise model whereby an enterprise was driven by social ambitions rather than financial gain that brought motivation to him to start his enterprise. The enterprise is referred to as Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen in London also referred to as Naked Chef star restaurant in US has a unique way of going about its business. The enterprise is known for its charity acts as it employs ex-convicts that lack any experience in the restoration enterprise with little or no social skills some with criminal records and turns them to productive members of the society. Jamie believes that by equipping a sense of responsibility and routine to the young people, they will develop the notion of order resulting in a steady rhythm that is ideal for social integration (Warin 2011, 34) (Illustrated in appendix 3 and 4). Jamie Oliver is a son of a pub owner in  England, and  he is a  dropout  of high school, thus never completed school  who parlayed is a strong personality in entrepreneurial skills. His dream is to have a strong, suitable movement of educating children on food. Jamie intention was to create a fine restaurant in London and on the other  side he  utilized the magic of cooking to provide opportunities for the young people who were not privileged and were facing enormous challenges in their lives (Flego et al. 2013, 411). These are the ex-con youths as well as those who lacked education. Thus, his goal was to provide an opportunity to these individuals giving them a chance of unlocking their true talent through training and mentoring. According to Jamie, training those

Small and medium enterprises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Small and medium enterprises - Essay Example An SME should give the primary importance to alliance and strategic partnerships at both local and global levels in order to increase the productivity. This will give a huge boost to the yield to cost ration which is the most decisive factor in any SME as they are required to fulfill some business rules and rules to survive in the emerging economic world of today (Nelson & Prescott, 2003). The paramount reason behind these success criteria is the fact that in the ever increasing global economic scale, the SME finds itself being in some tightened conditions thus experiencing jeopardy and limiting factors in the economic growth. Alliances with some partners will not only give them important horizons and resources to get a global exposure but it will also expand the business opportunities to increase the profit and lifetime of the business initiative. A very famous concept in business studies known as transaction-cost theory should be followed in order to increase the certainty level of the success of the partnership (Yasuda, 2005). This theory illustrates and suggests that the SME should make alliance with a partner that can minimize the sum of the fixed and continual costs throughout the business process. The famous example in this case can be taken that of Austria economy which enjoys almost 99 percent of the SME initiative which were at the start partnership based. (OECD, 2005). Similarly, the other success criteria are limited target marketing because e increasing the target market at the start.

Cat in the Rain Ernest Miller Hemingway Essay Example for Free

Cat in the Rain Ernest Miller Hemingway Essay Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His distinctive writing style, characterized by economy and understatement, influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his life of adventure and public image. He produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Hemingways fiction was successful because the characters he presented exhibited authenticity that resonated with his audience. Many of his works are classics of American literature. He published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works during his lifetime; a further three novels, four collections of short stories, and three non-fiction works were published posthumously. â€Å"Cat in the rain† is a piece of fiction referring to the literature of interpretation. This story is also a psychological one because the author investigates human characters and their relationships. The story is told in the 3rd person narrative. The title of the story admits the fact that the cat’s image makes great play in the story. We can say that it is symbolic title. The characters presented Directly. The text of the story is not homogeneous: it is interrupted with the elements of description and the characters’ dialogues. The plot of the story is meant to begin before the narration itself starts. There isnt any preface to the story, the reader knows nothing about the couple’s past. Author shows his characters in a certain period of their lives. â€Å"Cat in the rain† is about an American couple on vacation in Italy. While at their hotel the woman saw a cat and the story progresses from there. During the story it is made obvious that the couples relationship wasn’t good. Author uses the cat stuck in the rain with nobody to care for it to symbolize the wife wasn’t loved by her husbund. So, the story begins with the description of the hotel where two Americans stopped: â€Å"Palms grew and the bright colors of the hotels facing the gardens and the sea†. We can say that this place is very beautiful. But only one thing breaks the idyll the rain, that’s why the couple stays in and just a cat in the rain attracted the young woman’s attention. She wanted to get the cat inside. At first sight everything seems to be ideal: a cozy room on the second floor, lovely view from the window. And only the description of the rain evokes the mood of sadness in the reader. To bring home this air of melancholy which is felt when it is raining, the author uses such stylistic device as parallel constructions: The rain dripped from the palm trees. The water stood in pools on the gravel paths. The sea broke in a long line in the rain and slipped back down the beach to come up and break again in a long line in the rain . We can notice that nouns rain, pools, sea belong to one sphere the water. This stylistic device is employed by the author to create the atmosphere of inevitability. People can not hide from the rain. Water is everywhere: it is on the ground, it is pouring from the heavens as though the nature weeps for something. Here author uses alliteration of sounds [r], [l]: Rain dripped from the palm trees, the sea broke in a long line in the rain, it brings the rhythm to the description of the weather. Complication starts when the American young lady saw a cat in the rain. The cat sat under the table and tried to make herself so compact that she wouldnt be dripped on†. Suddenly the girl felt strong desire to get this cat. It must have been a miserable spectacle: wet, homeless cat crouching under the table in the empty square. The girl decided to go down and get this cat. Here we get acquainted with her husband. He is lying on the bed and reading and he has no desire to go out in such weather for the cat his wife wants so much. Although he proposed it but sooner out of politeness and he did not insist. â€Å"Don’t get wet†- he said, but it wasnt a care he said it just to say something. Later we can see that the hotel-keeper gives to her more attention than her own husband. Thats why she liked the owner of the hotel so much. Emphasizing the girls attitude to the hotel-keeper the author resorts to repetition: She liked the deadly serious way he received any complains. She liked his dignity. She liked the way he wanted to serve her. She liked the way he felt about being a hotel-keeper. She liked his old, heavy face and big hands . Unconsciously comparing him with her indifferent husband she liked him because he displayed a kind of attention to her. He always bowed seeing her. His attention can be explained by the fact that he was the owner of the hotel and it was his due to take care of his clients, especially if they were foreigners. He just wanted them to feel comfortable and convenient. He displayed paternal care and attention to her. May be the girl was disposed to the hotel-keeper because he reminded her of her own father who was always kind to her. Anyway, it was so pleasant for the girl to feel sympathy and care. The author says: The pardons made her feel very small and at the same time really important. She had a momentary feeling of being of supreme importance. That is the reason she liked him. He made her feel important. He listened to her every word and request, and she knew that her every little whim will be fulfilled, and that can not be said about her husband who never worried about her feelings. The climax starts when the young lady went upstairs in her room. The only reaction of her husband was the question if she got the cat. He did not notice her disappointment. Suddenly the girl felt unhappy. Through her sad monologue the writer shows all her dissatisfaction with the life, beginning with the absence of the cat and ending with her short clipped hair. I get so tired of itâ€Å"- she says about her hair, but it is not just looking like a boy that she is tired of. She is tired of a boring life, of her indifferent and selfish husband who remains deaf to her despair. She does not say directly that she is not satisfied with her family life. But the reader can see it in the context. She says: I want to pull my hair back tight and smooth and make a big knot at the back that I feel. I want to have a kitty to sit on my lap and purr when I stroke her. She wants to have long hair to look solid and respectable. She wants to have children and her own house which she associates with silver and candles. And the cat in her dreams is a symbol of refuge, something that she corresponds with such notions as home and cosiness. The author underlines the idea of dissatisfaction using repetition. In importunate repetition of the construction I want the reader can see the girls emotional state. This stylistic device discloses her excitement. The emotional tension increases. And I want to eat at a table with my own silver, and I want candles. And I want it to be spring and I want to brush up my hair out in front of the mirror and I want the kitty and I want some new clothes . Here is an example of polysyndeton. The abundant use of the conjunction and makes the members of enumeration more conspicuous and also serves to emphasize the girls state of confusion. The syntax also contributes to the effect of extreme agitation of the girl. The writer deliberately avoids the use of commas in the girls speech to show uninterrupted, without any pauses flow of speech which testifies to her emotional excitement. This abstract may be regarded as the climax of the story. Here the emotional tension reaches its highest degree. The girl throws out all her discontent, all her negative emotions which she accumulated during her joint life with her husband. Then the peak of the climax comes: Oh, shut up and get something to read says her husband. Estrangement grows between two people. The girl feels insulted and stays looking out of the window. It is still raining. The rain is present during the whole narration. The moment when hotel-keeper passed her a cat is outcome. Probably pardrone didn’t understand the melancholy of the girl. However human advantage, a kindness are opposed egoism of her husband. In this story, cat is the symbol of woman. Woman feels lonely, dependent, and unhappy. She is just like a cat in the rain wet, alone. She is neglected like a poor kitty. She needs to be loved (by her husband) and need interest, security, and comfort. Her husband doesnt attach importance her ideas, feelings. He doesnt behave her like his wife, so the woman doesnt like her life, her clothes, and her hair. She wants to have a kitty because she wants give her love to this poor kitty. In ‘Cat in the rain† we can see a hidden idea between the lines, author doesn’t say it directly. Hemingways talent lies in deep psychological insight into human nature.

Success Depends on Good Leadership

Success Depends on Good Leadership Introduction Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective of a firm. An organisations success depends on the good leadership in that organization. Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and the will power, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self study, education, training and experience. To inspire workers into higher levels of team work there are certain things to know and do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills. Leadership is a process where by an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership knowledge and skills. This is called process leadership. While leadership is learned, the skills and knowledge processed by the leader can be influence by his or her attributes such as beliefs, values, ethics, an character. Knowledge and skills contribute directly to the process of leadership, while the other attributes give the leader certain characterstics that make him or her unique. (http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html) Characterstics of a good leader Trust worthy A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead other. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and intergrity. A good leader walks the talk and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads . Enthusiasthic A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be ableto be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action. Although the responsibilities and the roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. Confident A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confidentas a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members. Tolerant Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head. Main focus on goal A good leader, as well as keeping the main goal in focus, is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. While keeping the goal in view, a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it. Positive A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor. Good communicator A good leader easily explain to the others what he want to say and easily convey the ideas. He also easily understands the problems of his workers. Good communication makes a leadership more efficient and effective. These personal characteristics are foundational to good leadership. Some characteristics may be more naturally present in the personality of a leader. However, each of these characteristics can also be developed and strengthened. A good leader whether they naturally possess these qualities or not, will be diligent to consistently develop and strengthen them in their leadership role. (http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Personal-Characteristics-Of-A-Good-Leaderid=59305) Two good business leaders Vijay Mallya (Chairman of the United Breweries Group and Kingfisher Airlines) Talk of style, elegance and flamboyance He is a tycoon of indian business industry. He is very stylish and had a great impact on his collegeous. He also invest his money in games. Last year he invest money in Indian primier league of cricket. He invest on banglore team. He always remain in top stories in india. Vijay Mallya is the apt name. Even though Kingfisher Airlines might be incurring losses every quarter, Vijay Mallya has always been in the limelight for every other reason. His Kingfisher beer is omnipresent in India, and also after purchasing the Whyte and Mackay in 2007 for $1.2 billion, he gathered the chance to sell premium scotch to the worlds largest whiskey market. He is a good leader. Even though in losses he never gives up, he always move forward to gain profits. Ratan Tata (Chairman, Tata Group) a) He has always been soft-spoken and media-shy. b) The most admired business leader in India. Steel, telecom, autos, and mining interests of his group are diverse. More recognition was meted out to the group by the multibillion-dollar takeovers of steelmaker Corus and automakers Jaguar and Land Rover. New craze with the launch of the small car in India, Ratan Tata has made it really big in the Indian business environment. (http://business.mapsofindia.com/india-business/top-indian-business-leaders-2009.html) Part B 1. Poor communication by senior management The culture in our workplace, and the way we feel about working somewhere has a direct correlation to the performance levels that can be achieved. It is likely, then, that the performance in your business area is also under-achieving, which will add additional pressures to a management team already under stress. Any senior manager worth their salt should recognise that the leadership team are having a negative impact on performance and culture in your organisation, and that it needs to change. So it is the responsibility of the leader or manager to sort out the problems of the workers by communicating well with them. 2. Office politics In the organization sometimes the leaders use the politics amoung the workers to increase the profits or efficiency of the firm, which sometimes had adverse impact on the structure. The leaders praise the nearer worker to them than the actual one. on that fact that worker always pull others downwards. It decreases the effieciency of the works and firm march towards loses. 3. Lack of teamwork Team work has great influence on work place if there is not proper flow of information from top level to lower level it means there is lack of team support in an organization. As a result company production drop immediately and it means company have to improve it for workers satisfaction and in this way organization look forward for future profit. 4. The use of politically correct language Political correct language is a term used to describe language, ideas, policies, or behaviour seen as seeking to minimize offence to gender, racial, cultural, disabled, aged or other identity groups. Use of correct language can improve good communication between staff members and employers in this way we can say that companies can move forward without any hazard. 5. Nosy co-workers If a company unable to handle workers properly and dont  provide skills and material on time so there is problem related to product shape and size.workers dont show enthusiam in work this means an organisation unable to meet the reqirement of workers. References http://business.mapsofindia.com/india-business/top-indian-business-leaders-2009.html. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://business.mapsofindia.com/india-business/top-indian-business-leaders-2009.html http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Personal-Characteristics-Of-A-Good-Leaderid=59305. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Personal-Characteristics-Of-A-Good-Leaderid=59305 http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html.

Association Between Excess Iron and Type 2 Diabetes

Association Between Excess Iron and Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes is a lifelong and costly metabolic disease that could lead to several life threatening complications, such as diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease (CVS). Therefore, a better understanding of its pathophysiology and identifying the possible mechanisms underlying this disease could be helpful in preventing its occurrence and complications. Obesity is found to be the major risk factor that derives type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recently several studies has demonstrated that there are other risk factors that participate in developing T2D such as iron accumulation in the liver. Studies showed that high levels of iron are associated with oxidative stress. Iron is considered a strong pro-oxidant through the production of hydroxyl radicals, powerful oxidant species. In addition, iron overload is found to be associated with lipid accumulation in the liver cells (steatosis) which leads to insulin resistance. Fatty liver, oxidative stress, obesity and other factors are considered tr iggering factors that increase the risk of developing T2D. Therefore, iron might be involved in diabetes pathophysiology. It is also anticipated to be a risk factor for developing insulin resistance and other diabetic complications. It is also important to investigate whether high iron levels could increase the risk of diabetes or having diabetes will elevate iron levels. Background Introduction Diet and lifestyle play a major role in prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D)[2]. Macronutrients, such as carbohydrates and fat should be restricted to decrease the chance of developing T2D. However, the impact of micronutrients on the reduction of the incident of T2D is not well established [2, 3]. Several studies suggested that some micronutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and iron could cause insulin resistance and diabetes [2]. Iron is considered as an essential nutrient for humans as it is the major component of oxygen transporters in the body, and it is has a metabolic function as a cofactor for several enzymes. However, excess amount of iron is found to be harmful to the body by altering glucose metabolism and the production of reactive oxygen species that play a role in the generation of additional reactive oxidants, such as hydroxyl radicals in which iron salt plays a catalytic role in a reaction. This reaction is known as a metal catalysed Haber-Weiss reaction [4, 5]. Pancreatic islets are found to be more susceptible to oxidative stress as their defence against oxidants is weak. Mouse model with high levels of iron and oxidative stress mediates apoptosis of pancreatic islets with a subsequent decrease in insulin secretory capacity [5, 6]. Previous studies on animals showed an increase in diabetes incidence after parenteral administration of iron. Evidence on the role of iron in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus was first discovered in patients with classic hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). This hereditary disorder is characterised by a progressive accumulation of iron in the heart, liver, pancreas, and other parts of the body. The frequency of diabetes was found to be increased in those patients [5]. Other studies suggested that phlebotomy or iron chelation therapy will decrease iron level and thus improve insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients [7]. Other studies on thalassemic patients showed an increase in insulin resistance[5]. Although the exact mechanism on the participation of iron in the onset of diabetes is not exactly known, however, iron overload found to be associated with hepatic dysfunction, insulin deficiency and insulin resistance.[5] Previous evidence confirms the association between iron overload and insulin resistance. However, further investigation is warranted to prove the relationship between the accumulation of iron and the progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recently, correlation between hepatic iron overload with chronic liver disease such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have been considered. Like glucose, iron level is regulated by a mechanism similar to that for glucose. It is regulated by a hepatic peptide hormone called herpcidin. High levels of iron stimulate the synthesis of herpcidin, which in turn decreases the iron exporter ferroportin in macrophages and intestinal cells and thus reduce serum iron. High consumption of food that contains iron and glucose will also increase the risk of hyperglycaemia and iron overload. Males are at higher risk to develop iron overloading than females, because females lose iron from blood during menstrual cycle.[8] Kowdley et al, investigated the role of serum ferretin levels and the accumulation of iron in NAFLD [9]. An increase in ferretin levels is associated with greater accumulation of iron in hepatic cells, but even in patients without iron overload, ferretin was associated with advance stages of NAFLD. This concludes that iron overload is unrelated to advanced stages of NAFLD characterised by systemic inflammation. This study gives a contradictory role of iron overload in patients with NAFLD.[8] Insulin-resistance is found to be related to hepatic iron-overload syndrome. Typically, in NAFLD, the iron accumulation is mild and involves hepatocytes and sinusoidal Kupffer cells. Nevertheless, iron reduction treatment was found to be beneficial in the treatment of NAFLD disease activity as well as increase in insulin sensitivity.[10] Iron overload has also been found to be associated with diabetic complications, such as diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease [5]. Animal studies showed an increase in the amount of iron in the kidneys. An increase in urinary iron was also found in patients with diabetic nephropathy [5]. In patients with CVD, high iron levels are associated with several complications such as myocardial infarction (MI) [5]. Diabetes is found to be associated with more than one risk factor including iron overload, fatty liver and obesity. More research is warranted to investigate the correlation between elevated iron levels and the incidence of T2D. Obesity is another detrimental factor that is found to be prevalent in diabetic patients. It is considered a major cause of inflammation, which may be responsible for developing insulin resistance leading to diabetes. High levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) have been reported in obese patients [11].Therefore, our study will also investigate the relationship between obesity, T2D and iron levels. Aims and objectives Because iron overload is found to affect major tissues involved in glucose and lipid metabolism (pancreatic B cells, liver, and adipose tissue)[12]. Iron overload is found to be related to several metabolic chronic disease, such as T2D, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver and other complications [12]. Our aim of the study is to investigate the association between excess iron in the body and T2D. This study also aims to elucidate how iron levels and T2D are related to obesity. Plan of investigation A cross-sectional observational study will be carried out. It will include a group of 180 participants. The study population will be categorized into four groups consisting of Group 1: Healthy individuals (controls); Group 2: Obese healthy individuals; Group 3: Normal weight diabetic patients; Group 4: Obese diabetic patients [13]. The inclusion criteria are patients aged between 40 and 70 years with a male to female ratio of 140:40; only postmenopausal women will be included to reduce possible confounding by iron deficiency. The exclusion criteria are any history of uncontrolled hypertension, cardiac, pulmonary, and neurological complications. Participants having recent infectious, inflammatory or neoplastic conditions; or with laboratory evidence of inflammation (C-reactive protein >0.5 mg/dl or white blood cell count >11,000/uL, platelet count >400,000/uL), and individuals who is anaemic will be excluded [13]. Heavy smokers and alcoholics will also be refused enrolment. Methods and materials General measurements: On the first day, every participant will be allocated to the appropriate group after conducting diferent measurements. Body mass index (BMI) will be measured for each patient by dividing their weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters) squared. Any participant with a BMI> 30 is considered to be obese. Then, the blood pressure will be taken by a standard sphygmomanometer for each patient while they are on a supine position. Patients will be asked to avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine 12 hours before the measurements.[14] Then each participant will be asked to fill in a 50-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess their iron consumption.[2] Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) will be used to measure blood glucose levels for participants then results will be recorded. Before OGTT they will be asked not to eat, or drink for up to 8-12 hours. Participants will have to ingest 75 g glucose in 250-300 ml water over five minutes. Then the blood samples will be taken after 2 hrs of glucose ingestion. (Normal value less than 140 mg/dL) [15]. Iron overload will be measured by ferritin blood test; overnight blood samples will be obtained. Ferritin can be measured in serum using serum separator tubes (SST), or plasma using lithium heparin or EDTA tubes. Centrifugation and separation within 24 h of sample collection is required and ferritin is stable for 7 days at 2-8Â °C. The samples must be centrifuged to remove precipitates and fibrin [16]. Statistical methods: Statistical analyses will be performed utilising Minitab software. Descriptive statistics will be performed for each group. The mode of distribution for continuous variables will be detected according to Anderson darling test. Serum ferritin values for each group will be compared with the control group and the significant difference will be determined by Student t-test or Mann Whitney test according to the mode of distribution. A p-value lower than 0.05 will be considered significant. By comparing ferritin levels of the control group with the obese nondiabetic group, we will determine if there is a significant relationship between obesity and iron levels. On the other hand the relationship between iron levels and diabetes will be determined by comparing the group of diabetic healthy weight with the control group. We could also determine the role of obesity in T2D. The association between the serum ferritin levels, BMI and blood glucose levels will be determined by Spearman’s r ank correlation test. Higher correlation is demonstrated with Rho values close to 1. The 50-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) filled in by each group of participants will be analysed trough Minitab software. This will help to evaluate the association between dietary intake of iron and the risk of T2D. Fund should be allocated to purchase tools and materials to successfully conduct this project. Tools of measuring glucose level are essential during different phases of this project. These tools will estimate blood glucose levels and provide data that will enrich analysis. Serum separator is essential to estimate iron levels necessary to conduct analysis and find correlation with blood glucose level. Estimation of iron and blood glucose and their correlation is advantageous for participants. The results of this project will reflect on their diet specifications by either increasing or decreasing iron content. This project will provide insights to how much iron should be minimally consumed to reduce the incidence of diabetes. Also, many recommendations for obesity will be flagged up in this project to reduce the incidence of diabetes and raise awareness toward diabetes and its complications. This study also requires the participation of a part-time technical assistant in distributing the questionnaire, collection of data and feedback. An experienced researcher is required to guide me in the experimental part of the study as he has a broad expertise and knowledge in practical issues. Given the large sample size taken in this project, support needs to be offered by researchers and technical assistants to collect blood samples and conduct the required tests to meet the pre-determined objectives in a timely fashion The use of participants in the study helps to make a difference in care for future diabetic patients by providing information about the risk factors that will derive the disease, with the possible interventions. It will also benefit the participant themselves by gaining knowledge about the different dimensions of diabetes and through helping them to improve their quality of life by changing their lifestyle and diet modification. Of note, this study will not cause any harm for participant.

The Civil Rights Movement :: African-American Civil Rights Movement

In the postwar years, the NAACP's legal strategy for civil rights continued to succeed. Led by Thurgood Marshall, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund challenged and overturned many forms of discrimination, but their main thrust was equal educational opportunities. For example, in Sweat v. Painter (1950), the Supreme Court decided that the University of Texas had to integrate its law school. Marshall and the Defense Fund worked with Southern plaintiffs to challenge the Plessy doctrine directly, arguing in effect that separate was inherently unequal. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on five cases that challenged elementary- and secondary-school segregation, and in May 1954 issued its landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that stated that racially segregated education was unconstitutional. White Southerners received the Brown decision first with shock and, in some instances, with expressions of goodwill. By 1955, however, white opposition in the South had grown into massive resistance, a strategy to persuade all whites to resist compliance with the desegregation orders. It was believed that if enough people refused to cooperate with the federal court order, it could not be enforced. Tactics included firing school employees who showed willingness to seek integration, closing public schools rather than desegregating, and boycotting all public education that was integrated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The White Citizens Council was formed and led opposition to school desegregation allover the South. The Citizens Council called for economic coercion of blacks who favored integrated schools, such as firing them from jobs, and the creation of private, all-white schools. Virtually no schools in the South were desegregated in the first years after the Brown decision. In Virginia one county did indeed close its public schools. In Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, Governor Orval Faubus defied a federal court order to admit nine black students to Central High School, and President Dwight Eisenhower sent federal troops to enforce desegregation. The event was covered by the national media, and the fate of the Little Rock Nine, the students attempting to integrate the school, dramatized the seriousness of the school desegregation issue to many Americans. Although not all school desegregation was as dramatic as in Little Rock, the desegregation process did proceed-gradually. Frequently schools were desegregated only in theory, because racially segregated neighborhoods led to segregated schools. To overcome this problem, some school districts in the 1970s tried busing students to schools outside of their neighborhoods. As desegregation progressed, the membership of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) grew.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The KKK used violence or threats against anyone who was suspected of favoring desegregation or black civil rights. Klan terror, including intimidation and murder, was widespread in the South in the 1950s and 1960s, though Klan

Essay on Viscontis Interpretation of Manns Death in Venice

Visconti's Interpretation Mann's of Death in Venice Thomas Mann's "Death in Venice" is a very complex novella. To put it on screen, a director has to pick the most important (or easiest to portray) elements from the mythological, psychological and philosophical lines of the story. The plot would remain largely intact. I am most interested in the story of Aschenbach's homosexuality, so I would be concerned with the strange-looking men, Aschenbach's dreams, and the parallel between the denial of the sickness in Venice and his own denials about Tadzio. Throughout the novel, Ashenbach notices strange-looking men. The same language is used to describe the features they share. The first is the catalyst for his adventure. The traveler is clean-shaven, snub-nosed, a redhead, with furrows between his eyebrows and his teeth bared (p 4 Norton Critical). Next are a hunchbacked, scruffy sailor and the theatrical goateed ticket-taker (13). Then, the old fop in the yellow suit. He has a sinewy neck, dentures, a floppy hat, and a habit of running "the tip of his tongue around the corners of his mouth in an obscenely suggestive manner," (14). Aschenbach arrives in Venice only to be confronted with another blip on his gaydar, the gondolier. He is brutal-looking, with a yellow sash, unraveling straw hat, blonde hair, a snub nose, bared teeth and furrows between his eyebrows. He tells Aschenbach "You will pay," (18). The last strange fellow, the guitarist, comes much later on. He is emaciated, with a shabby hat, red hair, scrawny neck, beardless, p ale, a snub nose, with furrows between his eyebrows and a habit of "letting his tongue play lasciviously at the corner of his mouth." He also smells of disinfectant (50). The guitarist, like most l... ...es linger on his admirer, and Aschenbach does not seem as pathetic. The object of his affection is willing, and we lose some of the tension from the novel. Most of the mythological, psychological and philosophical references have been removed. Visconti makes Aschenbach a composer, not a writer, with a strong relationship to his (dead?) family. His character is not as fully rendered as in the novel but it is sufficient. Tadzio is probably the best part of the movie. The casting was spot-on and one can see how a grown man could fall in love with that. Some of the strange men are there, most notably the guitarist, but the repetition is not emphasized. The film shows Venice's descent into epidemic well, with the street bonfires and disinfecting of the streets. Overall the movie is almost watchable for an art film, but it does not do justice to the very complex novella.

Financial statements Essay

1) Which of the following statements is true? 2) Notes to the financial statements include which of the following: 3) Which of the following financial statements is divided into major categories of operating, investing, and financing activities? 4) If the retained earnings account increases from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, then 5) If services are rendered on account, then 6) An investment by the stockholders in a business increases 7) Using accrual accounting, expenses are recorded and reported only: 8) A small company may be able to justify using a cash basis of accounting if they have: 9) Stockholders’ equity can be described as claims of 10) Common stock is reported on the 11) The Vintage Laundry Company purchased $6,500 worth of laundry supplies on June 2 and recorded the purchase as an asset. On June 30, an inventory of the laundry supplies indicated only $2,000 on hand. The adjusting entry that should be made by the company on June 12) On July 1 the Fisher Shoe Store paid $15,000 to Acme Realty for 6 months rent beginning July 1. Prepaid Rent was debited for the full amount. 13) Use the following data to determine the total dollar amount of assets to be classified as current assets. 14) Use the following data to calculate the current ratio. KoonceOffice Supplies Balance Sheet December 31, 2012 Cash $130,000 Accounts Payable $140,000 Prepaid Insurance 60,000 Salaries Payable 20,000 Accounts Receivable 100,000 Mortgage Payable 160,000 15) In horizontal analysis, each item is expressed as a percentage of the 16) When a change in depreciation method occurs: 17) Which of the following statements is true with respect to financial statement reporting for all cases when a company changes from one acceptable accounting method to another? 18) Which of the following would be considered a change in accounting principle? 19) From an internal control standpoint, the asset most susceptible to improper diversion and use is 20) A very small company would have the most difficulty in implementing  which of the following internal control activities? 21) The reconciliation of the cash register tape with the cash in the register is an example of 22) Deposits in transit 23) Which of the following items on a bank reconciliation would require an adjusting entry on the company’s books? 24) Notification by the bank that a deposited customer check was returned NSF requires that the company make the following adjusting entry: 25) Why do pension and mutual funds invest in debt and equity securities? 26) Which of the following is a debt security? 27) Reed Company acquires 80 Holmes 10%, 5 year, $1,000 bonds on January 1, 2012 for $82,000. This includes a brokerage commission of $2,000. The journal entry to record this investment includes a debit to 28) Reed Company acquires 80 Holmes 10%, 5 year, $1,000 bonds on January 1, 2012 for $82,000. This includes a brokerage commission of $2,000. Assume Holmes pays interest semiannually and the July 1 entry was done correctly. The journal entry at December 31, 2012 would include a credit to 29) A company that owns more than 50% of the common stock of another company is known as the 30) If a parent company has two wholly owned subsidiaries, how many legal and economic entities are there from the viewpoint of the shareholders of the parent company?

Shareholder Activism Essay

Can shareholder activism actually deliver the desired change? Introduction The increasing awareness of shareholders and their level of importance to the modern organisation have raised multiple questions as to the potential role which shareholders can play in influencing the decision making of the management team and their willingness to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. Where shareholders have an impact to any degree, this is referred to as shareholder activism and is largely described as being the role that shareholders play in dominating the decisions made by management teams (Bainbridge, 1995). Whilst it is readily accepted that shareholders own the company, whereas directors manage the company, there has historically been a misapprehension that shareholders are simply interested in the financial profits that the company produces. It is argued in this paper that this is not the case and shareholders are becoming much more involved in ensuring a balanced approach and that organisations have a wider awareness of issues such as corporate social re sponsibility (Schacht, 1995). The purpose of this paper is to consider whether or not this type of shareholder activism can actually be seen to be delivering a positive change, specifically in the area of corporate social responsibility. In order to look at this issue and the development of CSR, shareholder activism in its entirety needs to be looked at, before then considering the legal regime which encourages such activism and any specific cases that are relevant, before drawing conclusions on the key question. Shareholder activism – the Theoretical Perspective The management of an organisation has, for a long time, accepted that the performance of a business is down to them and that, if the shareholders are unhappy about the performance or the returns of the business they may potentially walk away from the organisation or the position of the manager may be in jeopardy. Where shareholders take this type of action on board, it can be suggested that shareholder activism is in operation. Broadly speaking, there are several key reasons why which investors may pursue the shareholder activist approach. Firstly, shareholder activism occurs in order to procure a better return on shareholder investment; secondly, to ensure that the company pursues a different corporate strategy that will ultimately improve performance and profitability, a key example of this being the suggestion that the company should demerge; thirdly, to make changes in the management team; fourthly in order to pursue some form of special interest, such as a social and ethical agenda (it is this agenda which will be looked at in more detail in the paper below). Finally, shareholder activism is undertaken to influence the outcome of some form of corporate agenda that has already been pursued (Tarrow, 1994). Shareholders have always had the option of essentially voting with their feet, when they disapprove of the decisions of the management team. For example, they can simply sell their shares, where traditionally the criticisms of management decisions would take place in private, with shareholders simply moving away when they were displeased. Although the concept of shareholder activism is not necessarily new, in recent years, it has certainly increased in its operation and become much more prevalent. Examples of recent shareholder activism include action by an institutional investor, Knight Vinke Asset Management which lobbied for changes in the HSBC strategy, or in Tesco where shareholders became involved in demanding changes in working conditions relating to clothes’ suppliers in Asia. Interestingly, shareholder activism does not depend on the size of the market, with shareholder activism being a tool that can be used in any type of organisation. Those holding shares are also potentially able to act in this way and therefore this lends a considerably more diverse meaning to the notion of shareholder activism, which can be derived from a much broader range of sources (Roe, 2003). With this potential diversity in mind, the next step is to look at the tools that are available for the activist shareholder and to identify the statutory basis upon which such action can take place. Legal Basis One of the key statutory powers which are available in order to support shareholder activism is that of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act). This Act lays down the legal framework which enables a shareholder to exercise any of their legal rights when they are pursuing an activist agenda. The precise options available to the shareholder will depend on the type of company in which they hold shares; for example, there are different rights attached to public companies. For the purpose of this analysis, all potential legal rights will be looked at and it should be borne in mind that these may not always be available, particularly to shareholders of private companies (Warneryd, 2005). In accordance with sections 303 to 305 of the Act, shareholders are able to call a general meeting. This is a strong element of the shareholder activism as it provides members with a platform in which they can make their requirements known. In the aftermath of the Shareholder Rights Directive 2009, members and groups of shareholders representing a minimum of 5% of the public companies voting rights are able to demand that the directors call a general meeting of the company. Similarly, where the directors choose to convene a general meeting there are rules associated with giving notice to the individual shareholders. This allows shareholders the opportunity to bring a platform upon which to discuss their own issues. Secondly, in accordance with sections 314 – 317, members with a shareholding of at least 5% or shareholders or that have at least 100 shares with an average of at least ?100 per member are entitled to demand that the company circulates a statement to shareholders of up to 1,000 words regarding a proposed resolution or any other business that is going to take place at the meeting. This again provides the shareholders with the information that they need in order to be potentially active. It is also noted that beneficial owners of shares can count towards the threshold in order to meet the 5% trigger (Belloc and Pagano, 2009). As well as the ability to gain access to the meeting and information in relation to the meeting, shareholders are also entitled to be active within the meeting itself. In accordance with section 338, shareholders holding a total of 5% shares can propose a resolution, a strategy that was used by the investor â€Å"efficient capital structures† but they required a resolution as part of the 2007 AGM of Vodafone plc to pursue a specific strategy. Furthermore, section 168 provides shareholders with the ability to propose the removal of the directors. Arguably, this is one of the greater sanctions available to shareholders, from the perspective of the individual directors. Where this process is being initiated, special notice of 28 days must be given of the intention to propose this resolution and to reasonably work in line with the articles of association of the company (Filatotchev, et al 2006). Importantly, section 116 of the Act allows any shareholders to gain access to the shareholder register which then may offer them the opportunity for the shareholders to join forces in order to deal with a particular agenda, making the ability to reach the 5% thresholds somewhat easier. There are, however, requirements for shareholders to ensure that when they are canvassing support they are doing so for the proper purpose. There are certain thresholds which allow shareholders to have rights, with 5% offering the opportunity to propose a resolution, to require an independent report in the case of quoted companies, the power to require companies to publish audit concerns, again in quoted companies, and also the power to include a matter that should be considered at AGM. When the required percent of the shareholders join forces, the power becomes much more threatening to the management team, as this is the requisite amount required a specific resolution. For example, at 75%, the shareholders can require a special resolution to be passed. The regime associated with proxies can play a very important role when it comes to shareholder activism with the 2006 Act making changes as to the way in which proxies can operate, allowing the property to be much more effective. For example, members have an absolute right to appoint a proxy who can attend a meeting and vote on their behalf. Another key area of shareholder activism emerged from the ability to use corporate representation, rather than using a proxy, as this allows shareholders a much greater degree of practical flexibility when they are unable to comply with proxy deadlines, or some other form of formality. Corporate shareholders are also able to appoint representatives by virtue of their own board resolution. Finally, it is worth noting that shareholders’ rights can be utilised by indirect investors. For example, under the 2006 Act, it is possible for the beneficial shareholders holding shares to enjoy information rights, i.e. to obtain information in relation to the company and in many cases the beneficial shareholders can count towards reaching the 5% thresholds. Although this goes beyond the scope of the discussion here, it is worth noting that these beneficial shareholders can have a direct impact on any agenda for shareholder activism.Examples of Shareholder ActivismIn order to gain an understanding of just how effective these legal provisions can be, the situation in Tesco can be looked at. In 2007, the poverty charity â€Å"War on Want† used the fact that it held a 5% shareholding in order to present a resolution at the 2007 AGM, with a view to ensuring a better deal for suppliers, in particular across Asia. The matter did not rest there and in June 2008 Tesco was tar geted once again by a group of shareholders who were headed by an individual high- profile shareholder, to look at the living conditions of chickens, prior to their purchase by Tesco for sale. The shareholders in both these cases used section 338 of the Companies Act 2006, in order to demand resolutions relating to their individual issues. Once this resolution had been demanded, the company was required to circulate information relating to the resolution, as well as any supporting statements (Aguilera, 2005). This type of shareholder activism was seen to be successful in these individual cases and provided a real forum for the shareholders with a relatively minimal percentage to change the strategy and activities of the organisation itself. Tesco is not alone in facing these types of issues and many other large companies have also faced action from minimal shareholders, relating to specific issues such as wages for staff or supplier issues. This shows a clear indication of the willingness of shareholders to become much more active in putting their points forward and being willing to take on corporations by forcing resolutions to be placed and information to be provided to the broader shareholding (Hendry et al 2007).Analysis and ConclusionsThe question presented here is to consider whether or not shareholder activism can truly have an impact on organisations, when it comes to encouraging changes and improving corporate social responsibility within the organisation. By looking at the history of shareholder activism and the way in which shareholders are becoming much more willing to engage in the operation of the company, as well as examining the provisions of the 2006 Act which provide shareholders with the ability to un dertake these activities, it is argued here that shareholder activism is a growing and real threat to management teams of all sizes. In particular, the 2006 Act offers a considerable opportunity for shareholders to demand information and to have certain items discussed at the AGM. By merely providing this platform for discussion, shareholders can become more active in order to ensure their ultimate agenda is not pursued. By looking at this and using a company such as Tesco as an example, it can be seen that groups of shareholders are gaining real attention and are able to have a direct and dramatic impact on the decisions made by the management teams, particularly when faced with the ultimate sanction that shareholders can request the removal of those directors who fails to comply (Gillan and Starks, 2000). It is concluded here, therefore, that shareholder activism is a real and direct method whereby shareholder groups can encourage changes in the strategy of the organisation relating to both corporate, social responsibility and any other relevant issues. References Aguilera, R.V. (2005) ‘Corporate governance and director accountability: An institutional comparative perspective’ British Journal of Management, 16: S39–S53. Bainbridge, S. M. (1995) The politics of corporate governance, Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol. 18 (3), pp. 671-735. Belloc, M. and Pagano, U. (2009) Co-evolution of politics and corporate governance, International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 29 (2), pp. 106-114. Filatotchev, I., Jackson, G., Gospel, H., and Allcock, D. (2006) Key Drivers of ‘Good’ Corporate Governance and the Appropriateness of UK Policy Responses The Department of Trade and Industry and King’s College London. Gillan, S.L. and Starks, L.T (2000) ‘Corporate governance proposals and shareholder activism: The role of institutional investors’ Journal of Financial Economics, 57 (2): 275- 305. Hendry, J., Sanderson, P., Barker, R. and Roberts, J. (2007) ‘Responsible ownership, shareholder value and the new shareholder activism’ Competition & Change,11 (3): 223-240. Roe, M.J. (2003) Political Determinants of Corporate Governance: Political Context, Corporate Impact Oxford University Press. Schacht, K.N. (1995) ‘Institutional investors and shareholder activism: Dealing with demanding shareholders’ Directorship, 21 (5): 8-12. Tarrow, S. (1994) Power in Movement: Collective Action, Social Movements, and Politics in Marens, R. (2002) ‘Inventing corporate governance: The mid-century emergence of shareholder activism’ Journal of Business & Management, 8 (4): 365. Warneryd, K. (2005) Special issue on the politics of corporate governance: Introduction, Economics of Governance, Vol. 6 (2), pp. 91-92.

Chem Lab Mixtures Essay

In this lab, a mixture of naphthalene (C10H8), common table salt (NaCl), and sea sand (SiO2) will be separated using the separation techniques in order to demonstrate the properties of mixtures and their ability to be separated by physical means. INTRODUCTION: This lab was based on the separation of the components of a mixture. A mixture can be defined as a physical combination of two or more pure substances. Separation techniques are used to separate components that are not chemically combined. All of these techniques involve changes in the physical state of a chemical compound rather than chemical changes. The three objectives in this lab were 1. Learn the different separation techniques which include; sublimation, extraction, decantation, filtration and evaporation. 2. Separate three components in a mixture using the separation techniques learned. 3. Determine the mass percentages of each of the three components present in a mixture. The 5 separation techniques are†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1) Sublimation: involves the heating of a solid that passes directly from the solid phase into the gaseous phase. The reverse process where a gas goes into the solid phase is called deposition or condensation. 2) Extraction: involves using a solvent that selectively dissolve one or more components from a solid mixture. 3) Decantation: involves the separation of a liquid from insoluble solid sediment by carefully pouring the liquid from the solid without disturbing the solid. 4) Filtration: involves separating a solid from a liquid through the use of a porous material such as filter paper. The porous material allows the liquid to pass through it but not the solid. 5) Evaporation: involves the process of heating a mixture in order to separate a volatile liquid in the form of a vapor, while the remaining component dry. The mixtures that will be separated are naphthalene, common table salt, and sea sand. The separation of this mixture involves three steps which are heating the mixture to sublime the naphthalene, then dissolving the table salt with water to extract and evaporating water to recover dry NaCl and sand. To determine the percentage of each component in the mixture, this formula can be used. % component= grams of component isolated grams of initial sample PROCEDURE: A. Preliminary Steps 1. Obtain a clean, dry 150-mL beaker and weigh it to the nearest .001g. 2. Obtain a sample of the mixture from your instructor and carefully transfer 2g of the mixture into the beaker. 3. Record the weight of the beaker with the mixture inside to nearest .001g and calculate the exact weight of the mixture by subtraction. B. Sublimation of Naphthalene 1. Set up and do the sublimation in the hood. 2. Place an evaporating dish with some ice on top of the beaker containing the mixture and place the beaker on a wire gauze with an iron ring and ring stand assembly. 3. Carefully heat the beaker with a Bunsen burner until vapors appear in the beaker. A solid should collect on the underside of the evaporating dish. Continue heating for 10 minutes. 4. After 10 minutes, remove the Bunsen burner from under the beaker and then remove the evaporating disk from the beaker and collect the solid by scrapping it off the dish with a spatula onto a weighing paper. 5. Stir the contents of the beaker with a glass rod. Return the evaporating disk to the beaker and apply the heat again. Continue heating and scraping off solid until no more solid collects. 6. Weigh all the naphthalene collected and record it on the Report sheet to the nearest .001g. 7. Allow the beaker to cool and then weigh the beaker with the contained solid. Record the weight of the naphthalene sublimed by subtracting the weight of the beaker with remaining solid after sublimation from the weight of beaker 1 with original mixture. C. Separation of the Water Insoluble Solid 1. Add 25mL of distilled water to the solid in the beaker. Heat gently and stir continuously for 5 min. 2. Weigh a second clean, dry 150-mL beaker with 2 or 3 boiling stones to nearest .001g and record its mass onto the data sheet. 3. Assemble the apparatus for gravity filtration as shown in Figure 3.4 4. Fold a piece of filter paper according to the technique in Figure 3.5. 5. Wet the filter paper with water and adjust the paper so that it lies flat on the glass of the funnel. 6. Position beaker 2 under the funnel and pour the mixture through the filter, first decanting most of the liquid into beaker 2 and then transferring the wet solid into the funnel. Collect all the liquid in beaker 2. 7. Rinse beaker 1 with 5-10-mL of water, pour over the residue in the funnel and add the liquid to the filtrate. *Repeat this step once more. 8. Place beaker 2 on the wire gauze with an iron ring and ring stand and heat using the Bunsen burner. As the volume of liquid is reduced, sodium chloride will appear. When the liquid is fully evaporated, allow the beaker to cool d own. 9. Weigh the beaker, stones, and the solid residue to the nearest .001g. Calculate the weight of the recovered NaCl by subtraction. D. Drying the Sea Sand 1. Weigh a third dry 150-mL beaker and transfer the sand from the filter paper to beaker 3. 2. Place beaker 3 with the sea sand on the wire gauze with an iron ring and ring stand and heat the sand to dryness. When dried, the sand should be freely flowing. 3. Allow the sand to cool to room temperature. 4. Weigh the beaker and the sand to the nearest .001g. 5. Calculate the weight of the recovered sand by subtraction. Results and Discussions: In this lab certain separation techniques were used and learned. When measuring the different amounts of the three components of the mixture, all measurements were based on significant figures. Thus, each certain digit plus one uncertain digit was included in all measurements. First, the sublimation of naphthalene was done by heating the mixture. The original weight of the naphthalene collected was .070g and after sublimation the weight of naphthalene was .095g. Next, extraction was observed in separation of the water insoluble solid. The NaCl was separated from the SiO2 because of the solubility of NaCl in water and the insolubility of SiO2 in water. Solubility is the ability of a substance to dissolve when in the presence of a certain solvent. The NaCl was said to dissolve leaving only the insoluble sea sand in the beaker with the water. Filtration was also observed in this experiment when the piece of filter paper was wetted and used for gravity filtration. The NaCl dissolved in the water, and by decantation, the process of separating a liquid from a solid by gently pouring the liquid from the solid so as not to disturb the solid, the NaCl solution was separated from the SiO2. Heating can cause substances to evaporate, which represents a change in state, so the water was evaporated from the NaCl, which left behind the solid NaCl. The amount of NaCl in the experiment was measured to be 0.822g, but the origi nal sample with the weight of the beaker included actually weighed 65.001g. Then, the remaining component of the mixture, SiO2, was measured to be .927g once it had dried out. Originally the weight of the beaker and SiO2 was 67.078g. The comparison between the measured masses of the three different substances in the mixture and the actual masses of the components proved that the substances of mixtures are able to separated, yet still retain their chemical and physical properties. After the components of the original sample were successfully separated, their weights were added together. The measured total weight of the three separate components of the recovered solids was 1.844g. The percentage yield and percentage of all the substances was found. The percent yield was found by dividing the mass of the recovered solids by the mass of the mixture, then multiplying the answer by 100. The percentage yield for this experiment was 88.314%. The makeup of that 88.314% is divided between naphthalene at 4.550%, NaCl at 39.368%, and sea sand at 44.397%. Sources of Error: Ideally, the total percentage should have been 100%, because substances are neither created nor destroyed during these physical separation methods but due to minor errors such as incorrect measurements, could have caused this slight deviation from the actual total. One possible lab error that may have affected this outcome is that some amount of naphthalene may have been lost to the air, thus resulting in a lower calculated mass. or because there was not enough ice on top. It can also be possible that accurate weighting measurements of the mixtures were not taken. Sample Calculations Weight of naphthalene after sublimation =(weight of beaker 1 and mixture) – ( weight of beaker 1 and solid after sublimation) (68.239)-(68.144)= .095g Percentage yield= (grams of solid recovered/grams of initial sample) x 100 Percentage of naphthalene: (1.844/2.088)x100= 88.314% Conclusions: The main concept I learned that was being applied and studied in this lab was that mixtures can be separated into their components by physical means. The purpose of the lab is to become familiar with the methods of separating substances from one another using decantation, extraction, and sublimation techniques. Mixtures occur in everyday life in materials that are not uniform in composition. It is a combination of two or more substances. Mixtures are characterized by the fact that each of the substances in the mixture retains its chemical integrity, and that mixtures are separable into these components by physical means. In this lab, the starting point was a mixture of naphthalene, NaCl (sodium chloride), and SiO2 (sand). In the lab, it was determined that naphthalene can be sublimed from the mixture without having an effect on the other substances. It was also realized that NaCl is water soluble, while SiO2 is not water soluble. Since the SiO2 is not water soluble, is would remain a fter the water with NaCl was decanted.