Junk Food

The argument as to whether or not schools should be able to sell junk food is a highly controversial topic. To begin with, there is the problem to defining junk foods. Are we talking about potato chips, soda, and Twinkies? What about fried chicken fingers, cheeseburgers, and pizza-foods many schools serve? Most cases, when faced with the decision, a child will no doubt choose what is offered without knowing it is a health issue. What would a change in the availability of these snacks teach children?Some argue that removing these snacks from schools takes away rights. Although the selling of unhealthy foods serves as a source for additional revenue for schools, school administrators should ban the sale of items that promote an unhealthy lifestyle. Not only does junk food cause unhealthy eating habits that lead to child hood obesity, but it also contributes to health issues such as diabetes, heart disease. Fast food or junk food has had a big effect on the community that many people do n’t realize.The industry markets foods to kids often advertizing to them on their way home from school and during programming watched after school. A lot of the food Is high in sugar and fat. Public opinion on the issue is varied. Poor eating habits developed at an early age can lead to a lifetime of health issues. School is where children spend most of their time, and it’s where we lay the foundation of healthy habits. In an online poll 40% of parents stated that their child doesn’t eat breakfast on a regular basis.That means 20 to 50 percent of these students total daily calories are coming from these unhealthy lunches and vending machines at school. This can be a can of soda, perhaps washing down a chocolate bar followed by a bag of potato chips. Students may be junk food junkies but the schools are hooked as well and have become increasingly dependent on the revenue that soda and candy machines bring in each year. While soda sales may help supplement the sch ool's bottom line, health experts are increasingly worried that soft drinks are contributing to a student's poor health. t was concluded that teen-aged boys' soda consumption has tripled in the last 20 years and doubled for girls. Teens now drink twice as much soda as milk. On the other hand, children are taught in the classroom about good nutrition and the value of a healthy lifestyle, but we continue to make the junk food available to them. Our children's eating habits are engrained in them from a young age, so what are we teaching our children? At what cost is it ok for junk food to be available o them at school? For the first time, the government is proposing broad standards to make sure all foods sold in schools are healthier. Under the Agriculture Department proposed on 2/1/2013, food like fatty chips, snack cakes, nachos and mozzarella sticks would be taken out of lunch and vending machines, to be replaced by baked chips, trial mix, and diet soda. Food sold through vending ma chines has never before been federally regulated. Junk Food The argument as to whether or not schools should be able to sell junk food is a highly controversial topic. To begin with, there is the problem to defining junk foods. Are we talking about potato chips, soda, and Twinkies? What about fried chicken fingers, cheeseburgers, and pizza-foods many schools serve? Most cases, when faced with the decision, a child will no doubt choose what is offered without knowing it is a health issue. What would a change in the availability of these snacks teach children?Some argue that removing these snacks from schools takes away rights. Although the selling of unhealthy foods serves as a source for additional revenue for schools, school administrators should ban the sale of items that promote an unhealthy lifestyle. Not only does junk food cause unhealthy eating habits that lead to child hood obesity, but it also contributes to health issues such as diabetes, heart disease. Fast food or junk food has had a big effect on the community that many people do n’t realize.The industry markets foods to kids often advertizing to them on their way home from school and during programming watched after school. A lot of the food Is high in sugar and fat. Public opinion on the issue is varied. Poor eating habits developed at an early age can lead to a lifetime of health issues. School is where children spend most of their time, and it’s where we lay the foundation of healthy habits. In an online poll 40% of parents stated that their child doesn’t eat breakfast on a regular basis.That means 20 to 50 percent of these students total daily calories are coming from these unhealthy lunches and vending machines at school. This can be a can of soda, perhaps washing down a chocolate bar followed by a bag of potato chips. Students may be junk food junkies but the schools are hooked as well and have become increasingly dependent on the revenue that soda and candy machines bring in each year. While soda sales may help supplement the sch ool's bottom line, health experts are increasingly worried that soft drinks are contributing to a student's poor health. t was concluded that teen-aged boys' soda consumption has tripled in the last 20 years and doubled for girls. Teens now drink twice as much soda as milk. On the other hand, children are taught in the classroom about good nutrition and the value of a healthy lifestyle, but we continue to make the junk food available to them. Our children's eating habits are engrained in them from a young age, so what are we teaching our children? At what cost is it ok for junk food to be available o them at school? For the first time, the government is proposing broad standards to make sure all foods sold in schools are healthier. Under the Agriculture Department proposed on 2/1/2013, food like fatty chips, snack cakes, nachos and mozzarella sticks would be taken out of lunch and vending machines, to be replaced by baked chips, trial mix, and diet soda. Food sold through vending ma chines has never before been federally regulated.

Dream analaysis

Table of Contents Sigmund Freud, The father of psychology as referred to many around the world till this very day. Freud developed an interest in dreams as his patient would disclose their dreams whilst in therapy under his supervision, which today is called psycho analysis.Carl Jung another very important figure in the shaping of psychology was in fact a student of Freud, but although he Jung was indeed a student of Freud they did not necessarily come to the same conclusion when it came to their theory about the interpretation of dreams. In short according to Freud , dreams are the reflection f the unconscious whereas Jung not only expanded on that but also added a twist and went on to say that dreams not only lead to a personal sub consciousness they also contained a collective unconsciousness.Bring (1995) I will roughly present the two theories and attempt to describe the theoretical foundations of psychoanalysis and Jungian analysis and therapy, discuss the key concepts in the va rious theories, explore the implications of the key concepts on personality theory and counseling as well as summarize basic techniques and therapeutic goals and processes, on the one f the theories I will Journal one of my own dreams and attempt to interpret it.The theoretical foundations of Psychoanalysis and Jungian Analysis Now as mentioned earlier in the introduction, Freud ultimately became accustomed to hearing the dreams of his patients and rather developed a profound interest in the subject of dreams, he soon included the interpretation of dreams in psychoanalysis alongside hypnosis and free association. Bring (1995) As the end of the 19th century wound up, Freud had then researched and unveiled the mechanisms of dreams, and there after dream analysis became the indispensable LOL in the psychoanalysts therapy.Bring (1995) Then again what is the purpose of dreams or how does one achieve a good quality dream or better yet how does one interpret their own dreams or those of ot hers? Another important note is that dream are or may be influenced by notion of Fraud's three structures of personality namely the id the ego and the super ego. Corey (2009) The id is the foundation of personality that revolves mainly around instincts and pleasure, and therefore it never has any rationality in the way it goes about.The ego is where all reasoning is communicated, s its code is based on the reality principle to satisfy or control the impulses of the id. The superego is modeled on a moral code and either rewards with feelings of pride and self-love or punishes with guilt and inferiority Corey (2009) â€Å"A dream is a work of art which requires of the dreamer no particular talent, special training, or technical competence. Dreaming is a creative enterprise in which all may and most do participate. Hall (1953) But who's to say dreams aren't Just a form of an activity that keeps us from being disturbed during sleep, Just as we do activities or work in day mime to preve nt us from falling asleep or to simply keep us busy. â€Å"Dreams are things which get rid of (psychical) stimuli disturbing to sleep, by the method of hallucinatory satisfaction. † Richards (1978) As cited by Corey (2009, P. 76) Freud suggested that dreams are the â€Å"royal road to the unconscious† and â€Å"an attempted wish-fulfillment. † As cited by Hall (1953).Jung also incorporated four stages to dream interpretation but not exactly like the elements in that of the dream work notion from Freud. Jung theorized that the first phase named the exposition accounts for the setting of the dream entailing a conflict expressed in the dream. The plot is the second phase that usually administers a different angle or change, in the next phase, the culmination is where most of the critical transformation occurs in order to bring closure to the dream or dreamer.Leaving the fourth and final stage being the denouement, well this is where Jung believed that, it is what i t is, meaning the dream will always have an ending that can't be influenced to suite the dreamer, much rather t will be a truthful ending based on a real conflict or reflection of one's life. Bring (1995) Jung maintained the notion of the collective unconscious consisting of various myths, religions and many more thoughts that are spiritual or superstitions hard wired in our unconscious to help make rational or realistic decisions otherwise known as Archetypes.The persona, the anima & animus and the shadow are the key concepts of the archetypes. The Persona is in a sense the human veil we wear or the image we choose to portray to the public for our protection of our inner self. (Veered 997) As cited by Bring (1995) â€Å"The persona consists of what a person appears to be to others, in contrast to what s/he actually is. That is to say the persona is the role the individual chooses to play in life, the impression and the way s/he wishes to appear to, and makes on, the outside world. † .The animus and anima refer to concept that there are both masculine and feminine forces in both the male and female sexes respectively. The shadow can well be the most dangerous and powerful factor in the archetypes as it â€Å"represents our dark side, the thoughts, feelings, and actions that we end to disown by projecting them outward. † Corey (2009,P. 80) Jung also proposed that in order for us to become integrated we had to acknowledge and accept that in our own nature there are both constructive and destructive forces forming our dark side otherwise known as the shadow.Corey (2009) My dream My dream starts with me entering one of my most trusted barbershops; I wait for my barber to finish with another client first before he attends to me. When he finally comes around to me I am so excited I can hardly talk anymore, so with me not being able to talk and tell him what hairstyle I want he gets started. He started off by shaving the back of my head completely bold then holding up a mirror to show me what he did without me knowing.He had this continuous grin on his face as if he had accomplished the greatest thing in his life while continuing to shave my head. In that same instance I'm kicking and screaming and flashing red with anger as I want to smack this barber so dearly, but I could not get up from the chair and strangely enough there where really no strings or anything holding me down. After I left the barber shop I went into great depression, never leaving the house not even for school, which resulted in me being expelled from school.The sound of my alarm ended the dream, which I am surprised to even remember afterwards, so there e is most definitely a strong conflict I need to deal with. See appendix 1 for free association Dream interpretation I will be using Fraud's theory for the interpretation of my dream. I will incorporate the likes of the manifest and latent content, the residua notion and a piece of the topographical model will be included.The manifest content derived from this dream was merely the agonizing thought of me losing my beloved hair, which completes my arsenal image. The latent content however was quite strongly suggestive in the thought of what could happen if ever I was to lose my hair, the id mechanism is driven by instinct, and it was left severely damaged in a sense that it could not in fact not react instinctively to this conflict situation.However the ego mechanism I believe is the reason I felt like I was pinned to my seat, and although it did not present any psychical restraints, I was indeed psychologically paralyzed in that moment of anger. The ego fortunately did not satisfy the id's instinct to strike as it relies heavily on the lethality principle and rational thinking, otherwise I would be faced with the consequences of reality. Because the id did not get its way in the beginning, led to the super ego being thrown off course as it strives for perfection and towards an ideal situa tion.The thought of my hair gone is not in any anyway an ideal situation as the only way I could rectify that mistake was to wait till the hair grew back and that in itself send me into a great depression, as the changes made to my appearance where not customary to the super egos values and standards of society. Corey (2008, P. 2) How this dream came about however is in fact related to the thought of me visiting the barber for my regular haircut.Mind you, I pass by this particular barber shop on my way to school, which has me preoccupied with assignments at the moment. So the day before I had this dream I was actually standing at the entrance of this barber shop contemplating whether I had enough time to get a full hairdo or not, I decided not to in the end, and that lead to experience forming the residua of the day that caused the occurrence of the dream I would think. Bring (1995) ConclusionThis essay has in fact taught me a lot about dreams pointing mainly at the significance or message in regards too real life conflict fear or wish it may be trying to bring to the conscious mind. The help to realizes the conflict being presented in the dream is Just as good as the interpretation of the dream in particular, so one has to be careful in the conclusions they draw to because if you were to conclude and started confronting a conflict not stressed in the dream it could well lead to many more unwanted conflicts.But in fact the complete opposite happened, I went there expecting that good Sunday feeling but the barber had a different agenda, he turned my whole experience upside down, he almost was like the id in a errors much to the notion of it being impulsive and doing what it pleases, the barber Just started shaving my head bold without waiting for directions, merely because I could not talk.The possible associations I can relate that image to is that of me attending my first year of college and the time of assignment has arrived and I'm much clueless as what the lecturer expects of me so I am rather drawn to Just go in the direction of trial and error in trying to be original. After the barber starts destroying my image, I want so badly to strike him but I cannot bring myself to do it.For me the part where the barber is destroying my image points to the possibility of me failing my assignment and the part where I want to strike but can't relates to the fact that I want to voice my anger on the subject of not being guided properly to complete these assignments but can't because I know it's an academic department where one is expected to find their own way. The part of going into this deep depression and being suspended interrelates to the feeling of despair and hopelessness on the subject of school and wanting to drop out already.

Asthma worse in schoolchildren Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Asthma worse in schoolchildren - Research Paper Example A survey of schoolchildren in Taiwan had revealed that owing to fungal spores in classrooms, the rate of the disease has increased from 6 percent to 11 percent. Hence it is understood that schoolchildren are faced with significant environmental challenges that impact their health and cause asthma to deteriorate (Asthma worse in schoolchildren with more fungal spores in the classroom, 2014). In general, buildings that are not maintained properly and lack proper systems of ventilation tend to allow mold to thrive in. as a result the quality of indoor air within the buildings get affected severely. Spores of mold are known to drift down through classrooms, if school buildings are considered from tiles of the ceilings. Consequently, health hazards for schoolchildren arise, of which the impacts of asthma are significantly concerning as the condition gets worsened owing to such fungal spores (Dykiel, Hobbs and Roberson, 2009, p.140). There are certain schools that have evaluation systems for their various facilities. From such evaluations, it has been obtained that shortcomings in the facilities of a school buildings result in problems related to mold and their spores. This can be associated with larger problems associated with the buildings such as poor oversight in relation to the construction of the buildings, lack of planning for handling situations of crisis, and so on (Dykiel, Hobbs and Roberson, 2009, p.140). The presence of fungi is possible anywhere if oxygen and moisture are available. In buildings, the growth of the fungi increases when excessive accumulation of moisture occurs in the buildings, and the problem persists or increases if the issue remains unattended. Different studies have similar views that reflect on the fact that airborne fungal spores act as allergens causing severe impacts of asthma. However some studies are not sure of the

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Microeconomics - Essay Example This is illustrated by the diagram below. c) In order to achieve a socially efficient level of coal gas mining, policies that promote the underground water system understanding, interconnectivity and the gas extraction and processing life cycle should be adopted. Secondly, policies that demand absolute scientific knowledge of the industry and its potential impacts on the society matter. These to enable a comparison of efficient coal power generation and the societal efficient production requirements to minimize the adverse effects on the society. a). The key most barrier to entry that would help to establish and keep Monsanto’s market power in the United States seed market is the patenting of the Monsanto seeds that prevents farmers from stocking other seed companies. The high cost of entry into the seed industry as a result of the high prices charged by Monsanto is another significant barrier to entry. New companies would find it very expensive to incur high entry costs that may be risky given the established Monsanto Company. The policies and the high prices are the significant barriers to the entry of other companies into the industry. b). If the United States Department of Justice investigations resulted in the cancellation of the Monsanto patents as an anticompetitive practice in the seed industry, a number of resultant effects would be experienced. Firstly, the level of competition in the US seed industry will most likely increase as more seed companies will be able to venture into the industry with reduced barriers to entry. The farmers will have a choice between varieties of the seed companies for their seed markets. Secondly, the supply of seeds is likely to increase with increased number of seed companies into the industry. As a result, the prices of seeds in the market will be driven down by the increased supply, and this would reduce the

Potential sheath removal issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Potential sheath removal issues - Assignment Example The blockage may be attributable to conditions including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease (PAD) and renal vascular hypertension. Carotid artery stenosis, venous narrowing and narrowing in dialysis fistula or grafts can also result in blockage. Patient preparation is essential. Medications, herbal supplements, recent illnesses, medical conditions and allergies should be well documented (Benson et al. 2005). This is because the procedure involves anaesthesia and iodine in the x-ray dye. Medication used especially blood thinners, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin should be reported. The procedure involves imaging using radiation. It is, therefore, essential that women be examined for pregnancy to minimize radiation exposure to the foetus. Before the procedure, patients are restricted to eat or drink except medication. The procedure involves the use of several equipment a balloon catheter, stent, sheath, wire guide and x-ray imaging equipment. The imaging procedure applies the principle of fluoroscopy to develop an angiograph (O’Grady 2002). During the procedure, the guide wire directs placement of the angioplasty balloon catheter and the vascular stent. The sheath is used for catheter exchanges during the procedure. A vascular tube is placed to allow catheter exchanges and is usually removed after the procedure by a nurse. The procedure is executed in an interventional radiology suite by an interventional radiologist. Seldinger technique is the preferred technique for percutaneous catheterization of the femoral artery. It is effective for both arterial and venous access. Although a radial approach is applicable, the femoral approach is the most preferred method. In this procedure, the ideal puncture site is the femoral artery (Berry 2004). The femoral stick is well located to avoid surgical complications. The puncture site is precisely selected to avoid complications associated with the surgical procedure.

Howard Carter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Howard Carter - Essay Example Perhaps Howard Carter's artistic abilities were never fully cultivated because his family did not have much money, or perhaps it was because Carter spent much of his early life as a very sickly, weak little boy (10). Whatever the reasons were, Carter never saw himself as good as his father, who taught Carter all he knew about drawing (11). However, Carter was good enough to get a job as an assistant copyist with Percy Edward Newberry (20). The recommendations of a family friend, Mrs. Margaret Tyssen-Amherst also helped to secure this position (22), thus began Howard Carter's career as an archaeologist. In the autumn of 1891, when Carter was just 17 years old, he made his first trip to Egypt and experienced sea-sickness for the first time (Reeves and Taylor 1993, 23). The voyage across the Channel is vividly - although not too fondly - remembered by Carter in his autobiographical sketches: It was then that I discovered I was not physically fitted for a sailor; that an appetite for food oozy with oil, and the motion of the ship caused very adverse sensations which centered around the sensitive nerves of the solar plexus, and which in my case resulted in a complete 'knock-out' (23-24). Carter was extremely relieved when the ship at last landed in Alexandria (24). From there, he journeyed to Cairo, where he met the famous archaeologist William Matthew Flinders Petrie (24). A few days later, he joined Newberry's archaeological work in Beni Hasan (24). Howard Carter soon proved his merit as a copyist. As Newberry wrote to one of his acquaintances: I never reckoned on getting done so fast. It is astonishing how much can be done by two men working hard when the hands are willing. I believe that Carter and I could almost trace all the tombs in Egypt in five years!!! On Sunday last I tried Carter at painting and found he could copy things here very well indeed (Reeves and Taylor 1993, 27). Not only did Carter copy quickly, he also copied with great attention to detail. A sketch he did of a relief in a tomb at Deir el-Bersha shows a complex and faithful rendering of how a gigantic stone statue was transported from the stone quarry where it was carved (31). When it is compared with other copies of the same picture, there is no doubt that Carter's is far superior (31). Carter's successes at the excavation of Queen Hatshepsut's tomb in Deir el-Bersha earned him a position as the first Inspector General of Monuments for Upper Egypt at the very young age of 25 (Warren 2005). He was responsible for supervising all archaeological activities that went on in the Upper Nile Valley, including the ancient city of Thebes (Warren 2005). During his tenure, he conducted extensive excavations and preservations, and established electric lighting in the Valley of the Kings and the temples of Ramses II and Nefertari at Abu Simbel (Warren 2005). Carter also made a significant discovery at the Tomb of the Horse, or Bab el-Hosan. He found a sepulchre with what he thought was a human body, but it turned out to only be a statue (Reeves and Taylor 1993, 66-67). The usually meticulous Carter informed the British Consul-General in Egypt, Viscount Cromer, of the discovery before he had actually examined it closely. His friend and employer, Gaston Maspero, describes the inci dent in this way: [Carter] had announced his discovery too soon to Lord Cromer. Lord Cromer came

Working with Federal Reserve's Publications Essay

Working with Federal Reserve's Publications - Essay Example In the financial market, the demand for credit in the different districts has shown a mixed trend compared to the previous Beige report. The Federal Reserve has also reported that the pressure of prices in the economy has eased from that recorded before. To maintain price stability and stabilize the economy, the Federal Reserve uses the Monetary Tools of Open Market Operations, Discount Rate, Reserve Requirements, Interest on Required Reserve Balances and Excess Balances, Term-Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility and Term Deposit Facility. Ultimately, the paper enumerates an outlook for the economy in the coming twelve to eighteen months. The Federal Reserve System is U.S.A.’s central banking system. It is also known as The Federal Reserve and sometimes informally referred to as the Fed. The enactment of the Federal Reserve Act established the Federal Reserve System in 1913. The Federal Reserve conducts the nation’s monetary policy, supervises and regulates the banking institutions, maintains the stability of the financial system and provides financial services to the Government of U.S.A, the country’s depository institutions and foreign official institutions. The Federal Reserve offers to the general public a variety of publications including the Federal Reserve Board testimonies, press releases, monetary policy reports, the Beige Book etc. which offer a detailed analysis of the current economic activity, the financial markets and the monetary policy tools used to maintain price stability and foster economic activity. Federal Reserve’s assessment of the current economic activity and financial markets According to the Federal Reserve Beige Book of July 2011, economic activity in the twelve districts of the U.S.A continued to grow. However, in many districts the rate of growth has been moderate than that reported before. Overall assessment of consumer spending indicated an increase and a majority of the districts reported a humble in crease in the non-auto retail sales. Auto sale slowed down compared to the previous Beige Book report and the disruptions in the Japanese supply chain caused the auto inventories to remain lean. The retail margins continued to be squeezed under pressure in prices from ‘food, energy, cotton, and other supplier inputs’. The Federal Reserve presumes that a decrease in the gasoline prices could have provided an impetus to shopping trips and other additional spending. The summer flavor of tourism had initiated better performance than last year in most of the areas. In most of the districts, activity in the non-financial service sectors reported a growth overall. Manufacturing activity also increased overall in the districts. Firms generally retained their optimistic manufacturing outlook, but were cautious regarding their capital spending strategy. Activity in the residential real estate market remained weak although construction as well as movement in the residential rental sphere improved from before. The agricultural sector in seven districts (which reported on the sector) was unfavorably affected by both drought and extreme flood conditions. However, the energy and mining sectors in the districts which reported on these sectors recorded a robust growth for majority of energy-related products. The production of coal was sluggish. The labor market conditions in the U.S economy remained moderate and most of the districts reported modest increases in the hiring of labor. (The Federal Reserve, July 2011, p. 4, 5) In the financial market, the Federal Reserve reported a mixed loan demand from the districts in comparison to the previous report. Total increase in loan demand was recorded in the New York, Chicago and Richmond districts although they originated from different

An Issue Pertaining to Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

An Issue Pertaining to Business Ethics - Essay Example Recent reports have shown that over 10 million men and women in England drink above the recommended guidelines. This obviously means that it will in all possible ways affect their body and mind in a negative way. The guidelines set to drinking have been set by the careful and thorough study of the intake of alcohol and those set limits are not meant to be crossed. These individuals in their practical life, therefore, perform lesser than their capability. It affects their performance, behavior, mental and stress level. They get tired easily and therefore are unable to work for even average work hours. It also causes a greater rate of absenteeism amongst individuals and a company cannot properly function with these conditions. Absent employees and the ones present not working at their best is something an organization should worry about. â€Å"By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever according to the tendency it appears to have to augment or diminish the happiness of the party whose interest is in question† (Bentham, 1789). An individual’s actions inside the organization that he is working in, that directly affect the organization need to be paid attention and controlled. It’s for the benefit of everyone that every particular individual behaves in the most appropriate of ways, ways that are ethical. The health profession, in particular, primary care physicians, has long been encouraged to guide their patients’ drinking behavior (ICAP, 2002). Alcoholic behaviors of individuals is an important issue and require urgent attention, reports suggest that around 200,000 people go to work with a hangover. Alcohol also directly affects individuals work behavior. It is reported to promote rude behavior, non-serious attitude and in some cases violent behavior as well.  Ã‚  

The relationship between environmental regulation and companies' Essay

The relationship between environmental regulation and companies' commercial competitiveness regarding the Porter Hypothesis - Essay Example This idea was stated twenty years ago and appeared to be disproving for all the previous opinions, which came to the same conclusion: environmental regulation are not beneficial for organizations as they have to spend much for innovations that decreases their profit. Hypothesis by Porter disproves such opinion stating that the strict policy stimulates â€Å"innovation offset†. If resources are used efficiently, the economy will only benefit. Since the hypothesis was stated there has been much controversy around it, many disproving theories have appeared notwithstanding that some of Porter’s words were simply misunderstood (Ambec et al, 2011). Certainly, such a supposition can’t be considered as correct without case study. The given paper will try to define if the Porter hypothesis is correct by analyzing the corresponding literature. The main questions â€Å"Over the past 20 years, much has been written about what has since become known simply as the Porter Hypo thesis (PH). Yet even today, we find conflicting evidence and alternative theories that might explain the PH, and oftentimes a misunderstanding of what the PH does and does not say† (Ambec et al, 2011). Actually, for now experts hesitate to answer the question what influence environment innovations have on organizations. The issue remains unclear. It is obvious that environmental innovations are not provided for free and they become a reason for additional expenses that at first sight can’t bring any advantage to firms. At the same time such regulation create good environment for eco-innovators’ activity (Ambec et al, 2011). To prove or disprove Porter’s hypothesis it is necessary to determine if environmental innovation determined by regulation is as successful as innovation determined by new technical and market opportunities. It is not less important to answer the question if regulatory-based environmental innovation is beneficial for organizations and their activity. The Porter hypothesis is correct The review of literature shows that despite numerous hesitations, controversies and disproving opinions â€Å"Porter spirit† appeared to be contagious that would never happen it the argument were wrong and useless. According to Alex Krauer, "Financial performance and environmental performance can go hand in hand. Eco-efficiency is the key to sustainability, in both economic and ecological terms. The key to eco-efficiency is innovation and productivity improvement" (cited in Bernauer et al). This argument serves as the proof of Porter hypothesis’ popularity, moreover many developed countries try to bring this idea to life. Such approach was given a definition of a â€Å"win-win† opportunity, when both the wolves have eaten much and the sheep have not been touched. Porter states: â€Å"†¦properly designed environmental standards can trigger innovation that may partially or more than offset the costs of complyi ng with them† (cited in Bernauer et al). It means that the environmental regulation does not bring any problems, on the contrary it brings new opportunities. Innovation survey that has been held in Germany revealed that the outcome depends on the field regulation is applied in. The field of company’s activity plays the decisive role. â€Å"Regulations in favor of sustainable mobility contribute to higher sales with market novelties while regulations in the field of water management lower this type of innovation success†

Case analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Case analysis - Assignment Example Further, the company introduced e-books which most people found convenient and were environmental friendly than print books. Therefore, the company opted to receive and reuse unwanted books, which they thought was still an appealing option for green consumer. The firm gave the community and the school a nonprofit equity stake, which offered them with high financial value in case the firm was sold or merged. In turn, this would ensure that such nonprofit partners understand that future stock alternatives were going to rely on their performance as a company in ensuring literacy level is on the raise. It is evident that as the company expanded, it had to rethink about its donation percentage since the current donation practice disadvantaged it. Therefore, the management was forced to amend the original fifteen percent of all sales because when the company expanded nationally, the average sale of university and college books started dwindling, which meant that, they were operating under a loss. The company continued to perform dismally but changes in oil and gas prices positively affected the company in the sense that the fifteen percent donation increased the firm’s gross margin. Initially, the company had thought of giving half of its profit margins to nonprofit partners such as the community and the school. However, they realized that this concept was a big problem to external investors. If they could give half of the company’s profit margins, it meant creation of lower valuation for the firm because investors would claim fifty percent of what they might have received otherwise. In turn, this would lead to inability to raise funds thus straining themselves. Better World Books donated over $ 8 million to international literacy programs via the sale of its books. Since the company sold over 10,000 copies of books on daily basis, it attained a profit margin

Why You Wish to Attend the University Essay Example for Free

Why You Wish to Attend the University Essay Frequently Asked Questions Still searching for the answers to your questions? Don’t worry. We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions just for that purpose. Check out the questions below to see if your questions made the list! As always, you can always give us a call at 209.946.2211 or contact us. Questions About PacificIs Pacific a public or private university? Whats the difference between a college, a school and a university? What type of university is Pacific? What is Pacific known for? Is Pacific a religious or church-related university? How big is the campus? How old is Pacific? Is Pacific accredited? Who is the President of Pacific?Questions About Student LifeHow many students go to Pacific, and where are they from? What is the ethnic breakdown of the student body? Whats there to do on campus for fun? Do most students stay on campus during weekends? Are students able to get housing? What kind of housing is available? Is there a freshman dorm? What are the residence halls like? Which one is the best? Do residence halls have Internet access? Do I need a computer? Will I have a roommate? How are roommates matched? Do you have sororities and fraternities? How big is the Greek System? What role do social fraternities and sororities play at Pacific? Should I bring a car to campus? Hows the parking on campus? How many students have cars? How safe is campus? Is there an escort service? What is the alcohol policy? Do students drink on campus? Is there an alcohol problem on campus? Is Pacific a dry campus? What is Stockton like? What about outside of Stockton? What is the weather like? What types of sports does Pacific have? Are athletic scholarships offered? Didnt Pacific have varsity football? What happened?| Questions About AcademicsHow many majors are there? What are the largest/most popular majors? Whats the student/faculty ratio? What is the average class size? How many faculty members are there, and what are their qualifications? Are classes taught by professors or graduate students? What kind of advising program is available? Can you graduate in four years? When can students take classes in their major? How many students are in the school/college or major Im interested in?Questions About Admission and Financial AidWhat does the Office of Admission look for in an applicant? What is the difference between Early Action and Regular Admission? Is Early Action Binding? When is the Application deadline for your accelerated Pre-Pharmacy and Pre-Dentistry programs? What if I missed the deadline or apply late? Which Standardized tests do I need to take? I didnt send my score until the deadline; how long will it take you to receive them? Are you using the SAT Writing Section or ACT Writing Section for admission evaluation? Ive been taking college courses while in high school. Will they transfer? What is the difference between a weighted and unweighted GPA? Should I take AP/ Honors classes even though you do not take a weighted GPA? What scores from AP/ IB exams do you accept for credit? Is there a special admission process for students with learning differences? Does Pacific accept home-schooled students? How do you apply for financial aid? How much financial aid will I get? What types of financial aid are available?| Questions About Pacific Is Pacific a public or private university?| TOP Pacific is an independent university. This means that anyone who qualifies can attend, but we do not receive direct funding from the government. What’s the difference between a college, a school, and a university?| TOP A college usually is comprised of several different departments and grants bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts or science or both. A school gives instruction in a specialized field and usually grants a degree particular to its field. A university includes several schools and colleges, and grants bachelor’s degrees, as well as master’s degrees and sometimes, doctoral degrees. What type of university is Pacific?| TOP Pacific is a national doctoral university with three campuses and eleven schools and colleges. Eight of our schools and colleges provide undergraduate education on the Stockton campus, including a college of liberal arts and sciences (College of the Pacific). The Stockton campus also has a graduate school. The other two campuses are the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and the School of Dentistry in San Francisco. What is Pacific known for?| TOP We are known for our excellence in the strength of the undergraduate education and the relationships between our faculty and students. The variety of academic and co-curricular choices, our small class size, our long-standing reputation for innovation and the beauty of our campus are also characteristics of which we are proud. Is Pacific a religious or church-related university?| TOP No. Pacific was founded by the Methodist Church. We do have a chapel, a full-time chaplain and a number of religious-oriented clubs. Our academic department of religious studies also offers a major in religion for students who wish to learn more about it. How big is the campus?| TOP The Stockton campus (including South Campus and the area north of the river) is 175 acres. We have more than 75 academic and residential buildings. How old is Pacific?| TOP We became California’s first chartered institution of higher education in 1851. We were also the first co-ed university (the first graduating class had five men and five women). We celebrated our sesquicentennial year (150th Anniversary) in 2001. Is Pacific accredited?| TOP Pacific is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Many of our academic programs also have additional accreditation by appropriate professional organizations as well. Who is the President of Pacific?| TOP Pamela A. Eibeck became the 24th President of University of the Pacific on July 1, 2009. She is Pacifics sixth President since the University moved to Stockton in 1924. Her Presidency follows a distinguished career as a researcher, teacher, educational reformer, and university administrator. back to top Questions About Student Life How many students go to Pacific and where are they from?| TOP The Stockton campus has about 4,500 students (3,360 undergraduates, 620 professional pharmacy students, and 540 graduate students, mostly in Education and Business). Approximately 80% are from California, the rest are from 43 other states and 42 other countries. What is the ethnic breakdown of the student body?| TOP 44% of our undergraduates are from ethnic and racially under-represented American minorities, and another 4% are from other countries. (eight percent did not state ethnicity.) African-American 3% Asian/Pacific Islander 30% Hispanic 9% Multi-Ethnic 1% Native American 1% White/Caucasian 45% International 3% Unknown 8% What’s there to do on campus for fun?| TOP A lot! There are more than 100 student organizations and dozens of athletic activities. There are social, academic, athletic, ethnic, political, religious, service and special interest clubs. There’s a great Theatre Arts department which produces five to seven shows a year, including plays, musicals, and dance — and all students are encouraged to try-out and participate. The Conservatory of Music presents more than 100 performances each year. There are 25 intramural sports, 8 club sports and 16 Division I intercollegiate sports. There are Residence Hall Associations and Student Government groups for both the University as a whole and for each school or college. There are social and professional sororities and fraternities. (And lots of other things too!) Do most students stay on campus during weekends?| TOP Most students stay on campus during the weekends, although some will leave. It depends on the time of year. We are close to many great recreational areas, which students can easily get to on a weekend. Are students able to get housing?| TOP More than 60% of students live on campus. The University of the Pacific requires all students of freshmen and sophomore class standing who are under the age of 23 to live on-campus. Students are exempted from the residency requirement if the student lives with their parents/guardians in their permanent residence within 50 miles of the University of the Pacific’s Stockton campus. Students must submit the [emailprotected] form along with any proper documentation to support their request. What kind of housing is available? Is there a freshman dorm?| TOP There are residence halls, apartment complexes, suite-style learning communities and housing for sororities and fraternities. There is no â€Å"freshman dorm,† although all freshmen live in a residence hall. Upper class students can live in any of the on-campus environments they wish to or they may move off campus. What are the residence halls like? Which one is the best?| TOP One of the great things about the residence hal ls is the variety of sizes and themes. There is no best residence hall — it depends on what you want. If a student wants to live in a big or small hall, one with a theme or one without, we have them all. Do residence halls have Internet access?| TOP All of the residence halls have direct broadband access to the Internet. Do I need a computer?| TOP Well, you will probably want a computer. But University of the Pacific does have many computer laboratories on campus where you can go to use a computer, printer or access the Internet. Will I have a roommate? How are roommates matched?| TOP Almost all freshmen will be assigned roommates. This matching is done using the information the incoming student provides during the summer. It’s very important to fill out this housing information card accurately and honestly. Entering students can indicate a preference of roommate. Do you have sororities and fraternities? How big is the Greek System? What role do social fraternities and sororities play at Pacific?| TOP Between 20% and 22% of undergraduates join the social or multicultural Greek system. So it’s large enough to be active, but not so big that it’s overwhelming. If a student wants to be involved, it’s available. If not, it’s not the only social life on campus. Students can’t join a social or multicultural sorority or fraternity at Pacific until the spring semester of their freshmen year (it’s called â€Å"deferred rush†), so students can learn about the Greek system before deciding whether or not to join. Pacific has 14 social or multicultural Greek houses. Should I bring a car to campus?| TOP Most students agree that a car makes it easy to get around. Stockton, like most cities in California, is quite spread out. City buses regularly leave campus, so it is up to the student to decide if the responsibility of having a car on campus is worth the convenience. How’s the parking on campus? How many students have cars?| TOP Any student can have a car on campus. Cars must be registered and have a parking permit. Parking is available around campus. A â€Å"reasonable† estimate is that about 50% of our undergraduate students have cars. How safe is campus?| TOP Campus is very safe, but you still need to pay attention to what’s going on around you. The University has an excellent safety record and is very proactive in making campus as safe as possible. Our Department of Public Safety is a trained police force that patrols campus 24 hours a day. There are also approximately 60 emergency â€Å"blue light† phones around campus connecting you immediately to Public Safety. Is there an escort service?| TOP Public Safety will provide an escort for anyone who requests it. What is the alcohol policy? Do students drink on campus? Is there an alcohol problem on campus? Is Pacific a â€Å"dry† campus?| TOP Here’s the basic policy. State law stipulates that only persons 21 and older may possess and consume alcohol. It is the student’s responsibility to comply with the law. Possession and consumption of alcohol on campus is permitted in several areas designated for events and gatherings. The University has several programs to educate students and provide alternatives to alcohol. What is Stockton like?| TOP Stockton is the 11th largest city in California and the 74th largest city in the United States. The population is close to 290,000. Stockton has many of the advantages of a large city: lots of restaurants, several shopping malls, movie and civic theaters, a symphony, museums and recreational activities. But it is small enough so you won’t get overwhelmed. It has been a multicultural city since 1850, where people from all ethnic groups work well together. It is a great place to learn about community. Stockton is on the San Joaquin Delta, a 1,000-mile waterway, where you can water ski, jet ski, wind surf, sail, etc. What about outside of Stockton?| TOP Stockton has the good fortune to be located in a position to take advantage of all that Northern California has to offer. We are 45 minutes south of Sacramento, 90 minutes east of San Francisco, Napa or San Jose, only 2 hours from Santa Cruz or Yosemite National Park, and less than 3 hours from Lake Tahoe. What is the weather like?| TOP Stockton’s climate is very nice. We are far enough north that we get all four seasons, but none of them are extreme. The annual temperature ranges from 37 degrees in January to 94 degrees in July. Yes, some summer days are hotter, but it usually cools off in the evening thanks to breezes off the Delta. Our winters are warmer than the northeastern and mid-western parts of our country (no snow), but it is a bit cooler than Southern California. Our occasional, famous â€Å"thick winter fog† (known as â€Å"tule fog†) isn’t quite as much fun as playing in the snow, but it does resemble the weather in San Francisco or London. What types of sports does Pacific have?| TOP We have three types: Intercollegiate, Club and Intramural. Our Intercollegiate sports compete in NCAA Division 1A mostly in the Big West Conference. Our club sports all have coaches and travel to compete against other colleges and universities in northern and central California. Intramurals are sports, in which students at Pacific create their own teams and then compete against other Pacific student teams. Some examples of intramurals include: softball, basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer and inner tube water polo. Are athletic scholarships offered?| TOP Yes. All Division I intercollegiate teams have scholarships available. If a student is interested in information, she or he should contact the specific coach directly. Didn’t Pacific have varsity football? What happened?| TOP Yes, we did have a football team for many years but the costs of running a Division 1A team prohibited the continuation of the program at that level. back to top Questions About Academics How many majors are there?| TOP There are over 80 majors in eight different undergraduate schools and colleges. Students may enroll in classes offered at any of the University’s undergraduate schools or colleges — a Psychology student can take Business classes, or an International Studies student can take Conservatory classes. What are the largest/most popular majors?| TOP 33% of our undergraduates are students in the arts and sciences (College of the Pacific), but they are majoring in almost 40 different subjects. The largest programs throughout the University are business, pre-pharmacy, biology, international studies, sports sciences, and engineering. What’s the student/faculty ratio?| TOP 14:1. This means that we have one faculty member for every 14 students on campus. What is the average class size?| TOP Our average class size is 20 students, and over 80% have fewer than 30 students. Some classes are as small five to eight students, and very few have more than 50 students. How many faculty members are there and what are their qualifications?| TOP There are 370 highly qualified faculty members, 93% hold a doctorate or the highest degree in their field. Most faculty members are involved in research, but their primary responsibility is to teach undergraduate students. Are classes taught by professors or graduate students?| TOP Almost every class is taught by a professor. Some labs or discussions may be led by a Teaching Assistant. What kind of advising program is available?| TOP All faculty members serve as advisers. Every entering student is assigned both a faculty and student adviser at orientation. Can you graduate in four years?| TOP That’s the plan. University of the Pacific is the first university in the nation to guarantee that a student could graduate in four years if they are enrolled in a four-year program. When can students take classes in their major?| TOP Students can start taking classes in their major in any program as early as freshman year. How many students are in the school/college or major I’m interested in?| TOP The College of the Pacific is the arts and sciences division, and has about 1400 undergraduates enrolled in 40 different majors. The largest majors are Biology, Sport Sciences, Communication and Psychology. Many students start out as Exploratory (our term for undeclared). The Conservatory of Music has about 170 undergraduates in six majors: Music Performance, Music Composition, Music Education, Music History, Music Management and Music Therapy. The Eberhardt School of Business has about 550 undergraduates who all have the same major: Business Administration. There are, however 11 different concentrations to choose from: Accounting, Arts Entertainment Management (in Music, Visual Arts or Theatre Arts), Business Law, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Finance, General Business, Human Resources, International Business, Marketing, Management Information Systems, and Real Estate. The School of Engineering and Computer Science has over 500 undergraduates in nine majors: Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Engineering Management, Computer Science, and Computer Information Systems. Benerd School of Education has 170 undergraduates studying to be elementary school teachers, works with another 200 from other majors who are pursuing secondary teaching credentials, and has 300 credential and/or graduate students. The School of International Studies has about 150 undergraduates in four majors: International Relations, Global Economic Relations, International Environmental Policy, and International and Regional Studies. The Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences includes the largest single major, Pharmacy. There are about 900 total students in Pharmacy, about 415 pre-pharmacy undergraduates and about 620 PharmD. professional students. This School also includes our graduate program in Physical Therapy, undergraduate program in Dental Hygiene and both our undergraduate and graduate programs in Speech and Language Pathology. Center for Professional and Continuing Education, Pacific’s adult re-entry division offers an evening degree program in Organization al Behavior that enrolls 20 students. back to top Questions About Admission and Financial Aid What does the Office of Admission look for in an applicant?| TOP An applicant’s achievements and accomplishments will be personally reviewed to determine if they are prepared to succeed at Pacific. Primary consideration is given to an applicant’s academic course selection and achievement. We do not use formulas or indexes in admission decisions. Successful applicants are expected to have completed a college preparatory program, including English (4 years), Math (3 or 4 years), Lab Science (2 or 3 years), Foreign Language (2 years of same language), History or Government (1 year), Fine or Performing Arts (1 year), and academic electives (1 to 3 years). These requirements are similar to the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) A-G requirements. What is the difference between Early Action and Regular Admission?| TOP Pacific has two different dates for you to apply. Our Early Action date is November 15. Early Action provides students an opport unity to apply to Pacific before the Regular Admission Deadline of January 15. Students who apply in Early Action will typically receive a decision on their file by January 15. If the Office of Admission does not accept you during Early Action, your file will automatically be reconsidered during Regular Admission. Students who apply under Regular Admission or who have been deferred to Regular Admission, will receive their decision by March 15. Is Early Action Binding?| TOP No. If a student applies to Pacific as an Early Action candidate, they are under no obligation to attend the University if they are admitted. Once a student has been admitted, they have until May 1 to confirm with Pacific. When is the Application deadline for your accelerated Pre-Pharmacy and Pre-Dentistry programs?| TOP Students considering the accelerated Pre-Pharmacy and Pre-Dentistry programs as major options must apply by November 15 to be considered as on time. What if I missed the deadline or apply late?| TOP We encourage you to apply, even if your application will be late. Priority of review and Admission goes to students who have applied by the appropriate deadlines. Which Standardized tests do I need to take?| TOP You must take either the SAT or ACT in order to apply to Pacific. When we review your application we will take the highest individual scores from any two tests. Subject Tests are NOT required to complete an admission application or to be admitted. The following SAT Subject Tests are, however, strongly recommended for the indicated groups because they will be used for placement purposes if a student enrolls. All Students should take either of the SAT Subject Tests in Mathematics Students applying for the following majors should take the SAT Subject Test in Chemistry: Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Chemistry-Biology, Civil Engineering, Dental Hygiene, Dental/Pre-Dental, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Management, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Pre-Pharmacy I didnt send my score until the deadline; how long will it take you to receive them? Because Pacific receives your test information electronically, it should only take one week for your scores to arrive after you have designated University of the Pacific to receive them. In most cases, there is no need to rush your scores to us. Are you using the SAT Writing Section or ACT Writing Section for admission evaluation?| TOP While Pacific will receive your scores from the writing section of the SAT or ACT, those scores will not be used for your admission evaluation. Data about how to use these scores will be collected and researched to determine its best use in for future groups of applicants. I’ve been taking college courses while in high school, will they transfer? Pacific encourages its students to take college classes, as long as they feel that they can complete them successfully. To get an idea if a class you have taken will transfer look at the list of colleges provided. Simply scroll down the list of colleges and select the school where the course was taken. Once you have selected the school you will see a list of the course numbers that we accept from that institution. If a college course appears on your high school’s official transcript it will be included in your GPA computation. You must send us an official transcript from every institution from which you have taken a college course. What is the difference between a  "weighted† and â€Å"unweighted† GPA? A weighted GPA means that the Honors/ AP/ and IB classes you have taken have a maximum value of 5.0 (for an A), as compared to a â€Å"normal† 4.0. When Pacific reviews your application we take out the extra points for your Honors/ AP/ and IB classes and base your GPA on a 4.0 system. Should I take AP/Honors classes even though you do not take a weighted GPA? YES! We encourage you to take the most rigorous course schedule possible. A more competitive course load will make your application and chances for admission more favorable. In addition to increasing the likelihood that you will perform more strongly on standardized tests, the personal nature of our application review process means that we are reviewing your file individually and with great detail. The classes you have taken and your successes in those classes are two of the strongest factors of the application review. What scores from AP/IB exams do you accept for credit? College credit (four units per examination) may be granted to students who achieve scores of 4 or higher on Advanced Placement examinations and/or scores of 5 or higher on International Baccalaureate exams taken at the higher level. Is there a special admission process for students with learning differences? There is no special application review process for students with learning differences. We do recommend that you send either an essay or a letter of recommendation that informs us that you have a learning difference and may be seeking accommodations. To receive accommodations, once admitted, students at University of the Pacific must forward appropriate documentation to the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Educational Resource Center. Does Pacific accept home-schooled students? Pacific encourages all variations of home schooled and individually educated students to apply. If a student does not have a transcript proving that they are registered with a school district then a student must take either the GED or High School Proficiency Exam. While we will accept â€Å"narrative† assessments of subject performance, for application review, Pacific strongly suggests that students send in a grade report or transcript that shows a graded assessment of course work, so that a GPA can be established. You must have a GPA if you wish to receive or be eligible for Merit Based Scholarships for Pacific. In all cases, home schooled students must take standardized tests. How do you apply for financial aid?| TOP We require only the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a form you can pick up from your high school guidance counselor, download online, or submit online. First time applicants are required to send the Office of Financial Aid a copy of the student and the parents’ current year’s income tax return. How much financial aid will I get?| TOP That depends on a lot of factors including family income, number of students in college, assets, savings, etc. Your parents’ retirement funds and equity in the family home are not taken into consideration. What types of financial aid are available?| TOP There are three types of financial aid: scholarships or grants, loans and employment. back to top

Human impact on coral reefs

Human impact on coral reefs Human Impact On Coral Reefs In The Last 30 Years Abstract Coral reefs are the homes that provide shelter for approximately one quarter of all known marine species as well as being the most diverse ecosystems. Coral reefs are vulnerable to even the slightest environmental changes. A review of the literature of the last 30 years shows that the frequency of human activity has intensified to a new level where human actions have extended to the coral reefs on a global scale. Humans are actively damaging the coral reef ecosystems on our earth. Coral reefs are overfished, poisoned by chemical pollution, smothered by sediment, and choked by macroalgae growing on nutrient rich sewage and fertilizer runoff. In the meantime, global warming and ocean acidification is a greater contribution to coral reef mortality. The main driving force behind the coral crisis is the continuing increase in human population. These will give a burden to environment, and eventually will impact on marine life, especially the coral reefs. Through the review of the past pape rs, I found that from the least and latest topic of ocean acidification to the largest one (sedimentation and nutrient enrichment), scientists are getting concerned about the problem relate to carbon dioxide which results in climate change and ocean acidification globally, especially in the recent years. Lots of coral reef scientists have risen to this key issue. Introduction â€Å"Coral reefs are evaluated to cover 284,300 square kilometers, with the Indo-Pacific region (including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the Pacific) accounting for 91.9% of the total. Southeast Asia accounts for 32.3% of that figure, while the Pacific including Australia accounts for 40.8%. Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs only account for 7.6% of world total†. (Spalding, M., Ravilious, C., and Green, E. (2001). World Atlas of Coral Reefs. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press and UNEP/WCMC) It is reported that Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji contain almost over half of the worlds reefs. It is now generally acknowledged that coral reefs are among the most threatened global ecosystems, and among the most vital (Costanza et al. 1997; Bryant et al. 1998; Boesch et al. 2000; Reaser et al. 2000; Wilkinson 2000). However, one of the upcoming crises is a major threat of death of corals and large scale damage of coral reefs in all over the world. This crisis is partly a result of the frequency of human activities which are having a negative effect on marine ecosystems, especially on coral reef ecosystems. A study from 1998 showed that coral reefs around the world were affected by human activities (Lauretta B. et al. 1998, Fig. 2). The study showed the relative proportion of reefs at risk in five regions, with Southeast Asia having the highest area at risk. This phenomenon probably is related to the overfishing in this area which leads to coral reefs being at the highest risk compared to the rest of the world. It is known that the current situation is directly or indirectly consistent with human activities. However, the question remains that to what extent has human activity changed the coral reef ecosystems? So in this report, I would use ISI web database to search articles related to coral reefs crisis. Basically, I will try to answer this question. To do this I will discuss the various threats to coral reef, including overfishing and fish live trade issue, pollution-including terrestrial runoff, chemical compounds and sedimentation, and macroalgae overgrowth which is causing by nutr ient enrichment under the seawater, and global warming and ocean acidification which contribute to coral disease and coral mortality. Impacts Of Overfishing It is sure about that overfishing in general is a damaging problem to many coral reefs around the world. In this field, it is shown that scientists did research in the topic of overfishing and fish trade was increasing since 1990. (Figure 3) In recent years, as a result of human interference on coral reefs, coral mortality is higher than ever before. When this occurs, the algae immediately take this opportunity for growth, which results in seedlings of coral not being able to attach to the reef. This type of event highlights the important role of herbivorous fish on the restoration of coral reefs. But if herbivorous coral reef fish are captured in large numbers, ethnic groups are difficult to recover. In this situation, macroalgae continues to overgrow, and inhibits the growth of corals. For example, The Caribbean region has been hit particularly hard, with 40% of absolute coral cover lost since the late 1970s due to overfishing and macroalgae overgrowth (Gardner et al. 2003). So some authors argue that overfishing is an important reason why reef corals have declined in recent years. (Aronson et al. 2006) However, overfishing has also been due to the improvement of global fishing technology, and a variety of advanced equipment is used in the exploitation of fishing. A large number of fish becomes extinct annually. As a result of advanced fishing technology, the worlds annual catch of fish is continuing to rise. Indeed, on one hand, increased fishing will provide sufficient global supply of fish products. However, at the same time, the increase in fisheries production will reduce the global average price of fish in the global market, and this decline will lead to the reduction of fishing profits, which in turn will drive an increase in catches again, ultimately leading to a vicious circle in fisheries. On the other hand, large scale fishing can lead to the sharp decline in fish population. Without predators, algae can overgrow and suppress coral recruitment. Even though, some scientists argue that these algae are not directly killing corals. In fact, they are competing with corals in t he space and intake of light. So without light, corals will die eventually due to corals can not get nutrients to survive. (Figure 4) Pollution A major threat besides the overexploitation of fishery resources is undoubtedly the strong increase in coastal development, and discharge of untreated sewage into the near-shore waters, resulting in enormous amounts of nutrients spreading into the sea and coastal zones (Burke et al., 2002; Wilkinson, 2002; Brown et al., 2006; UNEP, 2006). For example, around 60% of the wastewater discharged into the Caspian Sea is untreated, in Latin America and the Caribbean the figure is close to 80%, and in large parts of Africa and the Indo-Pacific the proportion is as high as 80-90% (UNEP, 2006). Agricultural run-off to the ocean, Nitrogen exports to the marine environment is projected to increase at least 14% globally by 2030 (UNEP, 2006). During the past 30 years, more and more scientists were on to the problems of sedimentation and nutrient enrichment and chemical pollution and oil spills. It is shown that a big number of topics on pollution and nutrient enrichment and so on. (Figure 5 and 6) Basically, the scientists wanted to understand how did sedimentation and nutrient enrichment and chemical pollution and oil spills impact on the corals? There are various mechanisms by which these factors can harm coral reefs. First of all, suspended sediment makes water turbid which allows less sunlight to penetrate the water. With less sunlight, zooxanthellae which live within the corals tissue can not photosynthesize to produce organic nutrients that support the corals to thrive. In addition, it is known that zooxanthellae are sensitive to chemical changes (Parker et al. 2008). In industrial wastewater and farming runoff, there are always chemical compounds which can make zooxanthellae toxic to corals as well as in the case of oil spills. So to protect themselves, corals have to eject the zooxanthellae (Parker et al. 2008). After a period in this situation, corals will die. Furthermore, farming near the coast results in large quantities of sediment and soil going into sea and onto coral reefs. This dirt, silt or sand can make water muddy, smothering the corals (Rogers 1990). In addition, the use of fertilizers for farming is another problem resulting in increased nutrient flow into the ocean. The discharge human sewage leads to the nutrient enrichment in certain areas, especially in the estuary, which may result in rapid growth of algae which as mentioned before they will outcompete corals, cutting off the supply of light as well. Ocean Acidification In this area, it is shown that more and more conservationists were interesting in ocean acidification in recent years (Figure 7). It seems a very new field that scientists have only focused on just 7 years ago. It might be scientists aware of the issue of acidification rising, which is now noticing that acid level rising makes an impact on coral reefs. Ocean acidification is related to the carbon dioxide being released in to the atmosphere and reacting with seawater. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earths atmosphere now exceeds 380 ppm, which is more than 80 ppm above the maximum values of the past 740,000 years (Petit et al. 1999; EPICA community members, Nature. 2004). Carbon dioxide reacts with water to form a weak acid H2CO3, which results in acid levels increasing in the oceans of the world. Ocean acidification is a current key problem that all marine animals have to face, especially coral reefs. As previous mentioned that corals get organic nutrients from a mutualistic symbiont zooxanthellae to grow. These algae are sensitive to acid rising in the seawater. If the environmental conditions are changing, corals will eject algae and turn to white, a phenomenon known as coral bleaching. Global Warming With respect to global warming, corals are sensitive to the sudden temperature changing as well, which means the change of temperature is a factor causes their photosynthetic process to break down. When this happens, zooxanthellae become toxic to corals. Then, if they want to protect themselves, the corals have to expel the zooxanthellae. And they will get starved and become bleaching. As is figure 8 shown that another very important threat affecting coral reefs is global warming. The rise in temperature can result coral bleaching. It is usual to see coral bleaching just temperature a little higher than hottest summer temperature (Parker et al. 2008). Large-scale bleaching events seem to be becoming increasingly common (Wellington et al. 2001). If temperature continues to increase, in the future, this means that coral bleaching events may increase their frequency an extent of severity. Even though populations adapt and corals do survive, this pressure increases their susceptibility to disease and reduces their ability to reproduce. Overall From 11393 articles found in the literature search on the topics of coral reefs, one eighth of papers are related to the impact of human activities on coral reefs (Figure 9 and Figure 10). Of course, there should be more factors impacting on coral reefs and have contributed to their mortality. Indeed, the coral reef crisis in all over the world is getting worse and worse, even in the future the coral reef would face further threats. But this does not mean we have no ideas to save them, the figure 11 also shows that marine biologists were concerned about the coral reef crisis more than before, larger possibly because more and more scientists were aware of the importance of coral reefs to the entire marine ecosystems. Protecting coral reef ecosystems probably is an effective pathway to get most species recovered. Conclusion During the past 30 years, marine ecosystems took place some changes. The interference of human activities directly or indirectly gives more and more burden for our earth. The damaged environment makes some species become threatened species or endangered species, even critical endangered species. Even though, coral reefs are not becoming extinct, they are facing high risk which leads them to die. Indeed, the world lost a large scale of coral reefs which all due to the humans since early 20th century. From the review of the literature of the past 3 decades, scientists are focusing now more on climate changes, including global warming and ocean acidification, which results in corals death. Compared to the previous large number and key issues, like fishing and pollution problems, scientists are beginning to find more new factors that influence the coral reefs. From this trend, we can see that there should be more work to do to find a solution to marine scientists. With the population con tinuing to rise, it is difficult to imagine what will happen in the near future. For the humans, perhaps, they have to think about what they can and should do to reduce the dead of corals and the damage of coral reefs. To find a solution to solve the coral reef issues, humans have to give more actively motivations and passions to change the current situations.

The Phonological Similarity Effect In Working Memory Psychology Essay

The Phonological Similarity Effect In Working Memory Psychology Essay A considerable amount of cognitive, behavioural research has been conducted on the working memory model and the role of the phonological loop and similarity effects on the serial recall paradigm. The purpose of this study was to extend the existing research available in support of the evidence for Baddeley and Hitch (1974) working memory model and the role of the phonological loop. A group of 18 undergraduate university psychology students were each subjected to two individual visual phonological tests to provide data on recall scores for a set of six similar and dissimilar letters. The data obtained was analysed separately before performing a using a two tailed paired related sample t-test. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in scores obtained on recall of dissimilar and similar letters with higher scores being recorded on recall of dissimilar letters. Introduction The concept of a well-defined form of memory that is able to store information on a temporary basis whilst being utilised in the service of cognitive process is not new idea, but theories regarding the components that make up the short-term storage memory have evolved considerably during the last century (Gross, 2010; Myers, 2005). The proposal of the multi-store model (MSM) by Atkinsons and Shiffrin (1968) introduced the concept that short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) had differing and distinct modes of storing information. This led to a considerable amount of research being conducted on how STM operated (Baddeley Hitch, 1974). Particular attention has been given to auditory and visuospatial input along with acoustically similar or dissimilar associations in the information being stored and the affect this may have on information recalled (Conrad, 1964; Wickelgren, 1965; Schulman, 1971; Atkinson Shiffrin, 1968). In Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) model, the function of STM is said to provide a means of controlling and enhancing information before it makes it into long-term memory. This is done through rehearsal and coding strategies (Atkinson Shiffrin, 1968). In 1974 Baddeley and Hitch introduced their Working Memory (WM) model, a more dynamic system, as opposed to the more passive Atkinson and Shiffrin MSM (Baddeley Hitch, 1974). A definition of working memory can be stated as the collection of cognitive processes that allows information to be held temporarily in an accessible state, whilst in the service of some cognitive task (Baddeley, 2001). One of the important characteristics that differentiate the WM model from the Atkinson-Shiffrin (1968) MS model is the use of two distinct short-term memory buffers, the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketch pad and the argument that the independence of these buffers allow for a greater flexibility in memory storage (Baddeley Hitch, 1974; Baddeley, 1986) These short term memory buffers are two of the four components that make up the WM model (Baddeley, 1986). At the core is the central executive hub, which processes data and cognitive tasks, followed by the two memory subsystems; the visuospatial sketch pad, which processes information received in either visual or spatial form and the  phonological loop  the area within the WM that deals with language information in auditory or visual form. The final component is the episodic buffer, which was introduced 20 years after the model was first proposed, which links all the components of WM with long-term memory to enhance function (Baddeley Hitch, 1974; Baddeley, 1986; Baddeley, 2000) According Baddeley (1986) the phonological loop is comprised of two individual subcomponents; the phonological store, sometimes called the inner ear which holds auditorily presented verbal information and the articulatory control process (ACP), sometimes called the inner voice. Although limits to working memory are easily observed, ever since George Miller (1956) suggested people can recall approximately seven independent, items or chunks of information at a time, it has been more difficult to determine what specific cognitive faculties underlie these observed limits. It has been proposed in several studies (Conrad, 1964; Wickelgren, 1965) that observed limit recall depends upon details of the stimuli. For example, immediate memory retrieval for lists of serial presented verbal information is better when the lists that contain letters or words that are dissimilar as indicated in the experiments performed by Conrad (1959) and Wickelgren (1965). Consequently it is claimed there is a correlation between phonologically similar and dissimilar information input and memory span, specifically that the recall for dissimilar words or letters would be greater than that for the similar ones presented either auiditorable or viusally (Conrad, 1964; Wickelgren, 1965; Muller, Seymour, Kieras, Meyer, 2003; Eysneck Keane, 2010). The aim of this study was to examine the evidence for Baddel and Shiffrins (1974) WM model with the hypothises that there is a greater ability to recall letters that are dissimilar in nature to those that share common phonological similarities. Method Participants A total of 18 participants were recruited from within a group of undergraduate students, enrolled on the Swansea Metropolitan Universitys Psychology Joint Hons degree course. The participants ages ranged between 18 and 51 years, (M =26.89, R=33, SD=10.26). The participant group was comprised of six males whos ages ranged between 24 and 51 years, (M=35.5, R=27, SD=11.47) and 12 females whos ages ranged between 18 and 38 years, (M=22.58, R=20, SD=6.5). Materials The study materials consisted of two sets of six sequence cards one set for the similar letters and one for the dissimilar letters. The similar letter set comprised of the letters P, E, V, T, C and G with the dissimilar letter set comprising of the letters J, H, P, V, X and F. Each participant was given a blank recall sheet to record their answers with researcher using a score sheet to record their individual scores for each set of letters. Design This quantitative within-subject study sought to investigate the scores obtained between two variables using the paradigm of serial verbal recall. The independent variable (IV) being the similar and dissimilar letter sets used and the dependent variable (DV), being that of the recall scores of each participant. Scores were recorded between 0 and 6 for each of the tests; with only letters recalled in their correct positions being positively scored. All the data obtained was analysed using a two tailed paired related sample t-test within a SPSS package. Procedure Both the participants and researchers were all part of the undergraduate psychology course and due to the study being performed as part of their studies, no consent for was required to be signed. Participants were informed of the requirements for the study before each researcher selected two individuals from the participant pool in order to carry out the experiment, with each participant being tested individually and in isolation of the other. The experiment procedure was explained to each individual participant prior to testing, with a test run being conducted in order to assure full understanding was reached. Each set of six similar and dissimilar letters were presented to the participant separately, with each letter card being presented visually for 1 second, with a 2 second delay between the presentations of each new letter. After all of the six letters had been shown a 5 second delay was counted down by the researcher to allow for rehearsal, before the Recall Now card was shown. The participant then attempted to recall the letters shown in their correct sequence of display on the recall sheet. This was repeated for the next set of letters, with the same procedures being repeated. There was no preference of order for the similar or dissimilar letter sets to be shown first. The recall sheets were returned to the researcher who calculated their scores on each of the tests with all scores for each pair of participants collected by the researchers and collated together to give an overall data set of 36 sets of scores. Results Table 1: Comparison of recall scores between similar and dissimilar word sets Test Type Total Score Mean Participants (n) Std Deviation t df Sig. (2-tailed) Similar 130 3.66 36 1.66 2.38 35 0.23 Dissimilar 158 4.39 1.5 Table 1 shows the mean scores obtained for each of the conditions being tested; similar recall test (M=3.61, SD=1.66) and dissimilar recall test (M=4.39, SD=1.5). As the table indicates the participants scored higher on the dissimilar recall test by correctly recalling more letters in the right order of display than when tested on the similar letter set. Analysis of these results show a significant difference in the recall scores, t (35) = 2.38, p Discussion The results obtained in this study has shown that there is a significant difference in the number of letters recalled in correct sequence between similar and dissimilar sets of letters, with dissimilar letters being recalled better than phonologically similar acoustic sounding letters. These results support previous acoustic similarity recall effects in STM research (Conrad, 1964; Wickelgren, 1965; Muller, Seymour, Kieras, Meyer, 2003; Jones, Macken, Nicholls, 2004; Page, Cumming, Norris, Hitch, McNeil, 2006) and in turn support the concept of the phonological loop as proposed by Baddeley and Hitch (1974) WM model. The study also supports the findings of Smith, Wilson, and Reisberg (1995) in that the visual presentation of the letters sets were processed indirectly into the phonological store component of the phonological loop through the ACP allowing the participants to rehearse the letters observed acoustically using the inner voice. However, there are some concerns on the effects of phonological complexity related to word length including the number of syllables or phonemic length of the letters within words, which suggests that the word length effect in the serial recall task may be better explained by differences in linguistic and lexical properties of words (Jalbert, Neath, Bireta, Surprenant, 2011). It can be argued that studies of this nature have a low ecological value, as they dont represent the real world. Baddeley, Gathercole, Papagno (1998), claim that the function of the phonological loop has evolved in order to facilitate the learning of unique phonological forms of new words. They propose that this is its primary purpose, to store unfamiliar acoustic patterns while more permanent memory records are being fabricated. Despite this study supporting the hypothesis that there is a phonological effect that influences the ability to successfully recall more letters that are dissimilar in nature as opposed to those that share common phonological similarities, the use of the phonological loop in retaining sequences of familiar letters/words is, it is argued secondary to its primary function of learning language (Baddeley, Gathercole, Papagno, 1998). References Atkinson, R. C., Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K. Spence, J. Spence (Eds.), The Psychology of Learning and Motivation (Vol. 2, pp. 90-191). New York: Academic Press. Baddeley, A. D. (1986). Working Memory. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Baddeley, A. D. (2000). The episodic buffer: A new component of working memory? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 4(11), 417-423. Baddeley, A. D. (2001). Is working memory still working? American Psychologist, 1-31. Baddeley, A. D., Hitch, G. (1974). Working Memory. In G. H. Bower (Ed.), The Psychology of Learning and Motivation: Advances in Research and Theory (Vol. 8, pp. 47-89). New York: Academic Press. Baddeley, A. D., Gathercole, S., Papagno, C. (1998). The phonological loop as a language learning device. Psychological Review, 105(1), 158-173. Conrad, R. (1964). Acoustic confusions in immediate memory. British Journal of Psychology, 55(1), 75-84. Eysneck, M. W., Keane, M. T. (2010). Cognitive Psychology: A Students Handbook (6th ed.). Hove, East Sussex: Psychology Press. Gross, R. (2010). Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour (6th ed.). London: Hodder Education. Jalbert, A., Neath, I., Bireta, T. J., Surprenant, A. M. (2011). When does length cause the word length effect? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 37(2), 338-353. Jones, D. M., Macken, W. J., Nicholls, A. P. (2004). The phonological store of working memory: Is it phonological and is it a store? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 30(3), 656-674. Miller, G. A. (1956). The maigical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81-97. Muller, S. T., Seymour, T. L., Kieras, D. E., Meyer, D. E. (2003). Theoretical implications of articulatory duration, phonological similarity and phonological complexity in verbal working memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 29(6), 1353-1380. Myers, D. G. (2005). Exploring Psychology (6th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers. Page, M. P., Cumming, N., Norris, D., Hitch, G. J., McNeil, A. M. (2006). Repitition learning in the immediate serial recall of visual and auditory materials. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 32(4), 716-733. Schulman, H. G. (1971). Similarity effects in short term memory. Psychological Bulletin, 75(6), 399-415. Smith, J. D., Wilson, M., Reisberg, D. (1995). The role of subvocalization in auditory imagery. Neuropsychologia, 33(11), 1433-1454. Wickelgren, W. A. (1965). Acoustic similarity and intrusion errors in short term memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 70(1), 102-108.

Animal Farm: Strong Vs Weak :: Animal Farm Essays

The pigs had objectives other than the benefits and the good of the other animals. On the contrary, their objectives were to use, conquer, and capitalize on them. One of the conflicts in Animal Farm is the strong against the weak. The strong are the pigs and the weak are all the other animals. There are two main offenders of the weak: Napoleon and the pigs in general.Napoleon was a tyrant. It is very likely Napoleon and the other pigs were conspiring to take over Animal Farm so that they could take advantage of the situation of having many animals at their disposal. Although, Napoleon played a very important role in the assault on the weak. Napoleon most likely was the originator of all the decisions that go against the morals of the animal society. He is the one that initiated the violation of established resolutions, and concealed it by altering the resolutions. What satisfied his pleasure is what took precedence over everything-the animals, honesty, commandments, etc. He gave himself the credit for every good thing, without any recognition to the other animals, such as the building of the windmill, and the victory of the Battle of the Windmill. In addition, he is the one that completely transformed the farm into the same or worse way it was in the hands of Man. He made the pigs mimic Man: adopted all its bad habits which were against the animals, with the exception of the pigs. The other pigs were also involved in taking advantage of the weak.The other aspect that was against the weak is that the pigs in general clearly took advantage of their leadership to exploit the other animals. This could be proven multiple times, starting from nearly the beginning of the story. Even when Snowball, a good guy, was still in the picture, this (exploitation) was happening by the pigs deceiving the other animals to hog all the apple crop. The pigs gave the other animals little food, while they lived a lavish lifestyle. They lied to the animals by telling them lies about their memories, and giving them false information for their own benefits such as, for example, equality in rations would be contrary to the principles of Animalism. They overworked the animals while they did not work laboriously, and used them for money.

lord of the files :: essays research papers

lord of the files Science 10 ecology project ① Extinction of species  A species becomes extinct when its last representative dies.  Extinction is forever - Once a species become extinct will never been seen again.  This has happened quite a lot of times on Earth.  Due, in many cases, to colonization and hunting by humans.  People feel that extinction is very sad, and try to protect life-forms on the brink of extinction by naming them "endangered species" and being nice to them.  Each living organism which humans force into extinction is a tragedy for nature.  Over fishing or excessive hunting by humans can reduce the populations of certain organisms on Earth.  Animals are hunted for their fur, meat or other valuable parts of their bodies. http://www.galactic-guide.com/articles/2R84.html http://www.saburchill.com/hfns02/chapters/chap019.html 1. lost of habitat  Sometimes human activities destroy the habitats of living organisms. The habitat of an organism is its home: where it lives, feeds, and reproduces.  Many species have become extinct because humans have destroyed or modified their habitats, polluted their environment  Human influences on the environment can be considered as being influences on the habitats of living organisms.  Any time humans alter the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere or biosphere, habitats are modified  Survival can become more challenging (or even impossible) for the organisms which live there.  When hunters miss their target, the lead shot which comes out of the gun is left behind in nature. Lead is a toxic metal.  The main component of a panda's diet is bamboo. Bamboo forests have been cut down by humans for centuries. http://www.saburchill.com/hfns02/chapters/chap020.html http://www.saburchill.com/hfns02/chapters/chap021.html 2. lost of biodiversity  This collection of vastly varied living organisms is our planet's biodiversity.  The richest parts of the planet's biodiversity are also the least well-known. It is estimated that 97% of all species on Earth live in the oceans below the zone where sunlight penetrates the water.  On the continents, it is estimated that 50% of all land-dwelling species live in tropical rainforests.  Throughout the history of the Earth, as new species evolve, other species become extinct. Overall, as time has progressed, there are more and more different kinds of organisms.  Human activities today are exterminating species up to 10 times faster than they would naturally disappear.  As the numbers of people increase, the numbers of species decrease.  http://www.saburchill.com/hfns02/chapters/chap024f.html 3. Introduction of exotic species  Humans have helped to spread many species across the world.  More often, however, species are introduced accidentally and have a negative impact.  Plant species used in agriculture, for example, have been deliberately introduced to new areas by humans.  Sometimes wild animals are introduced for hunting as a sport.

A Critical Pr?cis of ?The Mystery of Persons and Belief in God by C. S :: essays research papers

A Critical Prà ©cis of â€Å"The Mystery of Persons and Belief in God by C. Stephen Evans 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Name of author, title, appropriate publishing information, followed by a verb such as argues, believes, reports, and finally a â€Å"that clause containing the author’s thesis or major assertion. In â€Å"The Mystery of Persons and Belief in God† from the web site http://www.orgins.org/articles/evans_mysterypersons.html, C. Stephen Evans asserts that if we examine human nature and desires with a Christian mindset, we will discover good reasons for believing in God. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A brief explanation (one paragraph or less) how the author supports and develops his or her thesis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mankind’s evil deeds point to our greatness, for only a creature with self-consciousness and freedom can be truly evil. We are created in the image of God and we were created to enjoy a special relationship with God. We possess imagination and the power of reflective choice. We are creative beings with the power of free choice because we were made in the likeness of the Person who created the whole of nature by a free choice. Many people use this power of choice in terrible ways. This does not mean human freedom is an illusion; rather that God takes our freedom so seriously that he allows our actions to produce their full consequences. Down through the ages we have been incurably religious. The urge to believe in and worship a higher power is present in virtually every human culture. The fact that we have a deep need to believe in and find God strongly suggests that God is real.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A sentence stating the author’s purpose for writing. Evans is trying to convince the reader that humans were created with the need for God causing us to believe in and worship God hence God is real. 4.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A sentence identifying the author’s audience. Christian-minded believers of God who are seeking proof of God’s existence. 5. Your evaluation of what the author wrote (no more than three paragraphs). I found Evans’ arguments inadequate proof of the existence of God. Throughout the article the term â€Å"if Christianity is true†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is used repeatedly. The use of an â€Å"if† statement as the fulcrum of his philosophy places the entire philosophy on shaky ground. One would be forced to assume the Christian belief system is true, at least the most basic concepts, in order to believe in Evans’ philosophy. Additionally, Evans uses his arguments as particulars to jump to his final conclusion; a leap of faith, if you will.