Shadow Kiss Chapter 3

Three â€Å"WHY SO GLUM, LITTLE DHAMPIR?† I was heading across the quad, toward the commons, when I detected the scent of clove cigarettes. I sighed. â€Å"Adrian, you are the last person I want to see right now.† Adrian Ivashkov hurried up beside me, blowing a cloud of smoke into the air that of course drifted right toward me. I waved it off and made a great show of exaggerated coughing. Adrian was a royal Moroi we'd â€Å"acquired† on our recent ski trip. He was a few years older than me and had come back to St. Vladimir's to work on learning spirit with Lissa. So far, he was the only other spirit user we knew of. He was arrogant and spoiled and spent a lot of his time indulging in cigarettes, alcohol, and women. He also had a crush on me – or at least wanted to get me into bed. â€Å"Apparently,† he said. â€Å"I've hardly seen you at all since we got back. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were avoiding me.† â€Å"I am avoiding you.† He exhaled loudly and raked a hand through the sable brown hair he always kept stylishly messy. â€Å"Look, Rose. You don't have to keep up with the hard-to-get thing. You've already got me.† Adrian knew perfectly well I wasn't playing hard-to-get, but he always took a particular delight in teasing me. â€Å"I'm really not in the mood for your so-called charm today.† â€Å"What happened, then? You're stomping through every puddle you can find and look like you're going to punch the first person you see.† â€Å"Why are you hanging around, then? Aren't you worried about getting hit?† â€Å"Aw, you'd never hurt me. My face is too pretty.† â€Å"Not pretty enough to make up for the gross, carcinogenic smoke blowing in my face. How can you do that? Smoking's not allowed on campus. Abby Badica got two weeks' detention when she got caught.† â€Å"I'm above the rules, Rose. I'm neither student nor staff, merely a free spirit wandering your fair school as I will.† â€Å"Maybe you should go do some wandering now.† â€Å"You want to get rid of me, you tell me what's going on.† There was no avoiding it. Besides, he'd know soon enough. Everyone would know. â€Å"I got assigned to Christian for my field experience.† There was a pause, and then Adrian burst out laughing. â€Å"Wow. Now I understand. In light of that, you actually seem remarkably calm.† â€Å"I was supposed to have Lissa,† I growled. â€Å"I can't believe they did this to me.† â€Å"Why did they do it? Is there some chance you might not be with her when you graduate?† â€Å"No. They just all seem to think this is going to help me train better now. Dimitri and I will still be her real guardians later.† Adrian gave me a sidelong glance. â€Å"Oh, I'm sure that'll be quite the hardship for you.† It had to be one of the weirdest things in the universe that Lissa had never come close to suspecting my feelings for Dimitri but that Adrian had figured it out. â€Å"Like I said, your commentary isn't appreciated today.† He apparently didn't agree. I had a suspicious feeling he'd been drinking already, and it was barely even lunchtime. â€Å"What's the problem? Christian'll be with Lissa all the time anyway.† Adrian had a point. Not that I'd have admitted it. Then, in that short-attention-span way of his, he switched subjects just as we neared the building. â€Å"Have I mentioned your aura to you?† he asked suddenly. There was a strange note to his voice. Hesitant. Curious. It was very uncharacteristic. Everything he usually said was mocking. â€Å"I don't know. Yeah, once. You said it was dark or something. Why?† Auras were fields of light that surrounded every person. Their colors and brightness were allegedly linked to a person's personality and energy. Only spirit users could see them. Adrian had been doing it for as long as he could remember, but Lissa was still learning. â€Å"Hard to explain. Maybe it's nothing.† He came to a stop near the door and inhaled deeply on his cigarette. He went out of his way to blow a cloud of smoke away from me, but the wind carried it back. â€Å"Auras are strange. They ebb and flow and change colors and brightness. Some are vivid, some are pale. Every once in a while, someone's will settle and burn with such a pure color that you can†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He tipped his head back, staring into the sky. I recognized the signs of that weird â€Å"unhinged† state he sometimes fell into. â€Å"You can instantly grasp what it means. It's like seeing into their soul.† I smiled. â€Å"But you haven't figured mine out, huh? Or what any of these colors mean?† He shrugged. â€Å"I'm figuring it out. You talk to enough people, get a feel for what they're like and then start to see the same kinds of people with the same kinds of colors†¦. After a while, the colors start to mean something.† â€Å"What's mine look like right now?† He glanced over at me. â€Å"Eh, I can't quite get a fix on it today.† â€Å"I knew it. You've been drinking.† Substances, like alcohol or certain medications, numbed spirit's effects. â€Å"Just enough to chase the chill away. I can guess what your aura's like, though. It's usually like the others, sort of those swirling colors – it's just kind of edged in darkness. Like you've always got a shadow following you.† Something in his voice made me shiver. Although I'd heard him and Lissa talk about auras a lot, I'd never really thought of them as anything I needed to worry about. They were more like some kind of stage trick – a cool thing with little substance. â€Å"That's so cheerful,† I said. â€Å"You ever think about motivational speaking?† His scattered look faded, and his normal mirth returned. â€Å"Don't worry, little dhampir. You might be surrounded by clouds, but you'll always be like sunshine to me.† I rolled my eyes. He dropped his cigarette onto the sidewalk and put it out with his foot. â€Å"Gotta go. See you later.† He swept me a gallant bow and started walking away toward guest housing. â€Å"You just littered!† I yelled. â€Å"Above the rules, Rose,† he called back. â€Å"Above the rules.† Shaking my head, I picked up the now-cold cigarette butt and took it to a garbage can that was outside the building. When I entered, the warmth inside was a welcome change as I shook off the slush on my boots. Down in the cafeteria, I found lunch wrapping up for the afternoon. Here, dhampirs sat side by side with Moroi, providing a study in contrasts. Dhampirs, with our half-human blood, were bigger – though not taller – and more solidly built. The girl novices were curvier than the ultra-slim Moroi girls, the boy novices far more muscular than their vampire counterparts. The Moroi complexions were pale and delicate, like porcelain, while ours were tanned from being outside in the sun so much. Lissa sat at a table by herself, looking serene and angelic in a white sweater. Her pale blond hair cascaded over her shoulders. She glanced up at my approach, and welcoming feelings flowed to me through our bond. She grinned. â€Å"Oh, look at your face. It's true, isn't it? You really are assigned to Christian.† I glared. â€Å"Would it kill you to be a little less miserable?† She gave me a censuring yet amused look as she licked the last of her strawberry yogurt off her spoon. â€Å"I mean, he's my boyfriend, after all. I hang out with him all the time. It's not that bad.† â€Å"You have the patience of a saint,† I grumbled, slouching into a chair. â€Å"And besides, you don't hang out with him 24/7.† â€Å"Neither will you. It's only 24/6.† â€Å"Same difference. It might as well be 24/10.† She frowned. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense.† I waved off my idiotic remark and stared blankly around the lunchroom. The room was buzzing with news of the impending field exercise, which would kick off as soon as lunch ended. Camille's best friend had gotten assigned to Ryan's best friend, and the four of them huddled gleefully together, looking as though they were about to embark on a six-week double date. At least someone would enjoy all this. I sighed. Christian, my soon-to-be charge, was off with the feeders – humans who willingly donated blood to Moroi. Through our bond, I sensed Lissa wanting to tell me something. She was holding off because she was worried about my bad mood and wanted to make sure I got enough support. I smiled. â€Å"Stop worrying about me. What's up?† She smiled back, her pink-glossed lips hiding her fangs. â€Å"I got permission.† â€Å"Permission for – ?† The answer flitted from her mind faster than she could have voiced it. â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You're going to stop your meds?† Spirit was an amazing power, one whose cool abilities we were just starting to figure out. It had a very nasty side effect, however: It could lead to depression and insanity. Part of the reason Adrian indulged in drinking so much (aside from his party nature) was to numb himself against these side effects. Lissa had a much healthier way of doing it. She took antidepressants, which completely cut her off from the magic altogether. She hated not being able to work with spirit anymore, but that was an acceptable trade-off for not going crazy. Well, I thought it was. She apparently disagreed if she was considering this insane experiment. I knew she'd been wanting to try the magic again, but I hadn't really thought she'd go through with it – or that anyone would let her. â€Å"I have to check in with Ms. Carmack every day and regularly talk to a counselor.† Lissa made a face at this last part, but her overall feelings were still quite upbeat. â€Å"I can't wait to see what I can do with Adrian.† â€Å"Adrian's a bad influence.† â€Å"He didn't make me do this, Rose. I chose it.† When I didn't answer, she lightly touched my arm. â€Å"Hey, listen. Don't worry. I've been so much better, and lots of people are going to have my back.† â€Å"Everyone except me,† I told her wistfully. Across the room, Christian entered through a set of double doors and approached us. The clock read five minutes until the end of lunch. â€Å"Oh man. The zero hour is almost here.† Christian pulled up a chair at our table and flipped it backwards, letting his chin rest on its slatted back. He brushed his black hair away from his blue eyes and gave us a smug smile. I felt Lissa's heart lighten at his presence. â€Å"I can't wait until this show gets on the road,† he said. â€Å"You and me are going to have so much fun, Rose. Picking out curtains, doing each other's hair, telling ghost stories â€Å" The reference to â€Å"ghost stories† hit a little closer to home than I was comfortable with. Not that choosing curtains or brushing Christian's hair was much more appealing. I shook my head in exasperation and stood up. â€Å"I'll leave you two alone for your last few private moments.† They laughed. I walked over to the lunch line, hoping to find some leftover doughnuts from breakfast. So far, I could see croissants, quiche, and poached pears. It must have been highbrow day at the cafeteria. Was deep-fried dough really too much to ask for? Eddie stood in front of me. His face turned apologetic as soon as he saw me. â€Å"Rose, I'm really sorry – â€Å" I put up a hand to stop him. â€Å"Don't worry. It's not your fault. Just promise me you'll do a good job protecting her.† It was a silly sentiment since she was in no real danger, but I could never really stop worrying about her – particularly in light of this new development with her medication. Eddie stayed serious, apparently not thinking my request was silly at all. He was one of the few who knew about Lissa's abilities – and their downsides, which was probably why he'd been selected to guard her. â€Å"I won't let anything happen to her. I mean it.† I couldn't help a smile, in spite of my glum mood. His experiences with the Strigoi made him take all of this more seriously than almost any other novice. Aside from me, he was probably the best choice to guard her. â€Å"Rose, is it true you punched Guardian Petrov?† I turned and looked into the faces of two Moroi, Jesse Zeklos and Ralf Sarcozy. They'd just stepped in line behind Eddie and me and looked more self-satisfied and annoying than usual. Jesse was all bronzed good looks and quick thinking. Ralf was his slightly less attractive and slightly less intelligent sidekick. They were quite possibly the two people I hated most at this school, mainly due to some nasty rumors they'd spread about me doing some very explicit things with them. It was Mason's strong-arming that had forced them to tell the truth to the school, and I don't think they'd ever forgiven me for that. â€Å"Punch Alberta? Hardly.† I started to turn around, but Ralf kept talking. â€Å"We heard you threw a big hissy fit in the gym when you found out who you were with.† â€Å"‘Hissy fit'? What are you, sixty? All I did was – † I paused and carefully chose my words. † – register my opinion.† â€Å"Well,† said Jesse. â€Å"I suppose if anyone's going to keep an eye on that Strigoi wannabe, it might as well be you. You're the biggest badass around here.† The grudging tone in his voice made it sound like he was complimenting me. I didn't see it that way at all. Before he could utter another word, I was standing right in front of him, with barely any space between us. In what I considered a true sign of discipline, I didn't put my hand around his throat. His eyes widened in surprise. â€Å"Christian has nothing to do with any Strigoi,† I said in a low voice. â€Å"His parents – â€Å" â€Å"Are his parents. And he's Christian. Don't confuse them.† Jesse had been on the wrong side of my anger before. He was clearly remembering that, and his fear warred with his desire to trash-talk Christian in front of me. Surprisingly, the latter won out. â€Å"Earlier you acted like being with him was the end of the world, and now you're defending him? You know how he is – he breaks rules all the time. Are you saying you seriously don't believe there's any chance at all he might turn Strigoi like his parents?† â€Å"None,† I said. â€Å"Absolutely none. Christian's more willing to take a stand against Strigoi than probably any other Moroi here.† Jesse's eyes flicked curiously toward Ralf before returning to me. â€Å"He even helped me fight against those ones in Spokane. There is no chance of him ever, ever turning Strigoi.† I racked my brain, trying to recall who had been assigned to Jesse for the field experience. â€Å"And if I hear you spreading that crap around, Dean isn't going to be able to save you from me.† â€Å"Or me,† added Eddie, who had come to stand right beside me. Jesse swallowed and took a step back. â€Å"You're such a liar. You can't lay a hand on me. If you get suspended now, you'll never graduate.† He was right, of course, but I smiled anyway. â€Å"Might be worth it. We'll have to see, huh?† It was at that point that Jesse and Ralf decided they didn't want anything from the lunch line after all. They stalked off, and I heard something that sounded suspiciously like â€Å"crazy bitch.† â€Å"Jerks,† I muttered. Then I brightened. â€Å"Oh, hey. Doughnuts.† I got a chocolate-glazed, and then Eddie and I hurried off to find our Moroi and get to class. He grinned at me. â€Å"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you just defended Christian's honor. Isn't he a pain in the ass?† â€Å"Yes,† I said, licking icing off my fingers. â€Å"He is. But for the next six weeks, he's my pain in the ass.†

Growing in Intimacy with God Essay

Introduction The beginning of our relationship with God is from the moment we accept and believe Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior. As it gets personal, it grows daily until it becomes deeper and intimate. Intimacy generally refers to the feeling of being in a close personal association and belonging together. It is a familiar and very close affective connection with another as a result of a bond that is formed through knowledge and experience of the other. In this lesson, we will learn and understand the work of God in our lives for us to be intimate with Him, yet it doesn’t require full force of effort from us. The following insights will help us to set ourselves to submit in the Lordship of God until we reach personal intimate relationship with Him. How would you complete the following statement? The most essential ingredient to living the Christian life is to†¦ †¢Fill your heart and mind with Scripture †¢ Pray as much as you are able. †¢Attend Christian meetings for inspiration. †¢Get involved in ministry. †¢Choose to do what is right and Godly. †¢None of the above. Each of the above choices are important to living the Christian life, but none of them qualifies as the â€Å"most essential† because they all fail to adequately deal with the primary obstacle Christian must overcome. This obstacle not only makes the Christian life difficult to live, but impossible to live. Why we can’t live the Christian Life? The primary obstacle that hinders Christians is the Sin Nature. Contrary to the belief that we are all born innocent, Scripture teaches that we do not become sinners, but that we are already born sinners. Psalms 51:5 The following Scriptures describes this problem Romans 3:10-12 Mark 7:21-23 Romans 8:7-8 Because of our sinful nature, not matter how many Scriptures we know, not matter often we pray, no matter how many inspirational meeting we attend, no matter how involved we are in ministry, or no matter how strong will to do right, our best efforts will fail because we do not deal with the main problem. When done in our own strength, these activities simply produce Spiritual pride! But God has provided a solution for us. God’s Solution God’s Solution to our Sin nature is to give us a New Nature! He did this by putting His Holy Spirit in us at the moment we received Jesus Christ! The following Scriptures describe this miracle. John 3:5-7 Ephesians 4:23-24 God’s spirit imparts God’s nature and power in us! Ezekiel 36:26-27 Acts 1:8 Philippians 2:13 (TLB) God’s Spirit gives us the Desire (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and the Power (Acts 1:8) to do His will! God’s Spirit in Us The desire in you to please God is the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart. It is evident of the New Nature you inherited when you were born again by God’s Spirit. We are born into this world with a Sin Nature. But the moment we trust Jesus Christ for forgiveness, we are â€Å"born again† with a new nature, which is not only the new me but the real me! The sin nature, or Old me, can never please God and does not even want to, but our New Nature not only desires to please God, but it is able to by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Notice that the Christian’s Sin Nature will cease at the moment death, while our new nature will continue for eternity! The challenge we face in this life is the battle between these two natures to rule in our minds, our hearts and bodies. They are at war within us! The good news is that this struggle is temporary. Once we are free of Sin Nature, our new nature will be unhindered to do all that God desires. It is important to understand that the key to victory is God’s Spirit within us. Only by allowing His Spirit to live through us will we experience God’s Will and Power in us! Be Filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18 teaches us how to apply God’s provision to overcome sin. The word â€Å"filled† means to be filled to the full! A person â€Å"filled with the spirit â€Å"leaves no room for the Sin Nature to control his life. Command: This verb teaches that we are â€Å"filled with the Spirit† by an act of our will! God is not asking us to be filled with his Spirit if we feel like it. God is commanding us to be filled. No matter how we feel †¦ no matter what our circumstances, we can choose to be filled and allow God to rule in our lives! God’s Work: This verb also indicates that it is God who fills us. We simply make ourselves available to Him! As we yield our lives to God, His Spirit empowers us with His Desire and Ability! Present Tense: Finally, this verb commands us to continually allow God’s Holy Spirit to fill us ~ moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day. No breaks and no allowance for the Sin Nature to reign! How can we be sure God will fill us with His Holy Spirit? Because He said He would, and God does not lie! 1 John 5:14-15 1. Is it God’s will for us to be filled with His Spirit? ⠝  yes ⠝  no 2. If we ask God to fill us with His Spirit, will He hear us? ⠝  yes ⠝  no 3. If we know God will hear us, can we be sure we are filled? ⠝  yes ⠝  no Application The following steps can help us experience God’s Power continually 1. Confess ~ Not being filled to the full with God’s Spirit is sin. Confess this to God and claim His forgiveness (1 John 1:9) 2. Be Filled with the Holy Spirit ~ Ask God to fill you with His Spirit! Filling of the Holy Spirit doesn’t end our relationship with God. Rather, it only set our condition with the Lord. Each of us can posses a spiritual relationship with Christ. Jesus is very well aware of our individuality and want to give us just what we want to grow in our walk with Him. The following presents a guide that may help you find time to spend with God.

The history of South Africa Essay

The history of South Africa in the last hundred years before the coming of democracy has clearly reflected the trends of many countries throughout the world. In this essay I will use the United State of America as the chosen country because I believe that both African American people and Black South African people have suffered similar educational histories. For decades in both countries there was a desperate need and the creation of a fair and just society. In my essay I will critically analyse historiography based on research, evaluation and the application of this knowledge. I will further use my knowledge of historiography to explain the origin of South African Educational Historiography. I will also include how it has reformed our country from the past to the present days. I will further be looking at how USA has developed and changed in their educational system. In my essay I will explain how United State of America’s educational historiography has influenced South Afric a and how South Africa has also benefited from them. Lastly I will focus on why it is important as a future teacher to be educated on the history of education internationally and locally. I will also provide reasons as to how I as a future teacher can benefit from my findings. Historiography is the study of the methodology of the histories and the developments of history as a discipline. When studying historiography, you are not studying the happenings of the past directly but you are also studying the changing interpretations of those events. The subject of historiography is the history of the history of the event. I will use historiography to explain the way it has been written, the conflicting objectives pursued by those events that occurred over time, the way in which these factors shape our understanding of the actual event that was at risk. It is important for us to have to have learnt from the past in order for us to be guided because of the ethical dilemmas that we face today. The underlining sentiment of historiography is one of disbelieving. History is never truly unbiased but always presents the historians view of things. Now that we have a clear understanding of what historiography is I will now further interpret South African educational historiography. In South Africa before the white had settled, education was solely tribally based and there were no form of schools as we now know them in our present days. The children in the pre-colonial times learnt what they needed to know from their parents and their tribal leaders. Formal school education in South  Africa was gradually introduced after the whites arrived. The earlier progress that was made in the Cape where it was the British following their occupation in 1806, who got schooling underway on a meaningful basis. Education was not yet compulsory and many Dutch parents chose not to send their children to schools that we cast in the English mould and which solely taught through the medium of English. Social class divisions amongst Whites were also reinforced since secondary education unlike primary education schooling was not free. This became th e ideal of richer people. Thousands of slaves had been brought into the Cape as a source of labour. In 1833 slavery was established in an attempt to instil social discipline in the children of former slaves. The main aim was to teach basic reading, writing and arithmetic as well as obedience and the value of hard work so that such children could be drawn into society as wage labourers. The vast majority of African children received no schooling and when they did it was usually at the hands of the missionaries. They did not go further than the primary school phase. In the 1830’s groups of Dutch decided to become participants in certain quarters known as the great trek. The establishment of the provinces Orange Free State, Transvaal and Natal after the union of South Africa came into being in 1910. Once the Union of South Africa came into place, the four provincial education departments were sent to control and administer primary and secondary education. Higher education was the responsibility of the Union Department. Education expenditure strongly favoured whites with free an d compulsory schooling. Indians, Coloureds and Africans were inadequately catered for. Their schools were regarded as separate entities run by the missionaries and drawing only measly subsidies from the government. The Bantu Education Act was established in 1953. This Act was intended to make African education a central government function so that its direction and purpose could be more effectively manipulated by the apartheid politicians. The white teachers were withdrawn from African schools and were replaced by African teachers that were unqualified. The standard of education in South Africa suffered for African children. In 1975, the minister of Bantu Education declared that certain subjects in high school had to be studied in Afrikaans and others were taught in the medium of English. Africans objected to this on the grounds that they would have to learn three languages. To give to their anger towards the Bantu Education  Act, there was around 20 000 students that marched through Soweto on the 16th of June 1976. Peoples Education was adopted as a strategy by the mass based National Education Crisis Committee at two historic conferences in 1985 and 1986. The core of the policy of People Education under the specific conditions of Apartheid capitalism in the mid 1980’s, the creation of new education structures and the institution of new practices could contribute to a process of social transformation. The affairs deteriorated to a great extent and the black community was steadfast in its struggle to bring about the downfall of apartheid. Education was a strategic tool bringing about an end to apartheid. When the ANC came into power in 1994 the groundwork for the new policies in education for all the people in its nation had been laid. According to the CAPS document one of the core principles is social transformation ensuring that the educational imbalances of the past are redressed, and that equal educational opportunities are provided for all sections of the population. This new educational policy has effectively started the process of major change in this country in keeping with the principle of democracy that all people shoul d be given equal opportunities. In the United State of America, government had supported free and public education and it had thus been developed after the American Revolution. This occurred between 1750 and 1870 where parochial schools appeared as â€Å"ad hoc†. These schools were open mainly for Catholic children but also the Orthodox, Lutherans, Calvinists and Orthodox Jews. These schools focused mainly on the three R’s of reading, writing and arithmetic but also history and geography. In the 19th century American education is often referred to as the â€Å"common school period†. It went from being ultimately private to being available to the common masses. The common schools movement was not until the 1840’s did an organised system exist. This common school system was created by Henry Barnard and Horace Mann. This was focused on seeking for inner opportunities for all children and creating a common bond among increasingly diverse population. They argued that education could preserve social stability and prevent crime and poverty. Free elementary education was funded by public funds. In 1986 the Supreme Court established that there will be separate schools for black and white students. This decision deprived an African American learner of many educational benefits and it had put them at a disadvantage. They had to make  do with whatever resources that they could acquire because they were clearly under financed and parents could not afford to pay the fees. This had out them at an unfair weakness in terms of learning and education. An influential group of educators known as the committee of ten was established in 1892 recommended that children should receive 12 years of schooling that consists of 8 years of elementary education and was then a further 4 years of secondary education. As the 19th century was the progressive era, the 20th century was inclusivism and the idea of free education for all. The State had controlled free public education and it was the rule. Public schools did not force parents to use pu blic schools. Parochial schools and other private schools were viable options. The struggle for fair and equal education for the African Americans was long and hard but a lot of progress had been made through the efforts of the NAACP who pushed for fairness in the education system. In America, schools were desegregated in 1954 and even though the system still struggles to find its common ground with issues relating to fair education for African American education. The nation has come a long way since the founding of the first â€Å"coloured schoolhouse† in 1890. The USA was seen as a beacon of democracy where the constitution allowed for equal rights to all the people but yet up until 1950 education and other social aspects of life had remained to be segregated. This was a clear divide between African and White American schools. The American constitution stated that schools will be equal but separate as it was clearly evident in the South African American children received an inferior education as to the white counterparts. The scenario had duplicated itself in South Africa where the gap became bigger with each passing years. In line with the Bantu Act, there was less money given to each African learner per school. The African children received an inferior education where they were merely educated enough to take up a job in the semi-skilled and the more skilled. They could become the scientists and doctors that they wanted to become as they were not allowed to have big and beautiful dreams. They were not given any opportunities in society and especially at school. These two countries had both been influenced in terms of racial segregation where Africans were not allowed to be attending the same school as whites. They were labelled as the inferior group and were given a very poor education just enough so that they could take up their role in the labour force. As  radical changes were beginning in the USA and education had become integrated, South Africa was moving in the opposite direction. It seemed o f the day in the 1950’s was more resolute in implementing Bantu Education. It is important for me as a potential teacher to study the history of education as it will enhance my capacity to understand and appreciate the challenges in education in Post-Colonial Africa, it will also guide me to establish the linkage between the educational theory and practice in national and global systems with emphasis on Africa. It will also help to understand the importance of education in the development of society since the time immemorial. The history of education is important for the formation of identity and personality of a nation. It helps us to discover things that were unknown to us before. We as a society or nation may not know who they are and how they became today without knowing the history. There are many ways in which history can help to benefit a teachers, history shows that in the past that education was not equal for all the learners of different ethnic groups that is why the future generation needs to realise that education is seen as a privilege and not a right. Education wasn’t accessible to everyone and that is where our issues lie in today’s world. Children nowadays are just aiming to make that 30%. There is no drive or determination because they are taking their education for granted. They do not realise the struggle their grandparents and parents went through. The hardships that many people had to endure during the colonization and apartheid period, they can never begin to understand. Without education, there is no foundation for a better life. When you are learning the history of education it drives teachers to take more pride and initiative in the way that learning is incorporated in the classroom. It also brings a non-judgemental approach because as teachers they are the people their learners look up to for guidance and inspiration. That is why it is important for teachers to set a good example in the classroom judging from the experiences in the past and how unfairly some learners were treated. The history of education is a foundation for all teachers and it is in this way they can use their knowledge in order to change and make education better for our future generations. Today we are fortunate to live in a country which constitution expresses equal rights because of this principle our education system is a starting point in an equal and free education for all.  As shown to us in both American and South African history there is only one group that stands to benefit when education is segregated. In the study of the historiography of both South Africa and America, we must be able to take away and learn that segregation is both morally and ethically unacceptable in any facet of life. In South Africa today we need to learn from this. Education cannot be separated on the basis of race or social economic group. Yet in South Africa this is happening still where the rich goes to more expensive schools and the poor goes to the school where they are closest to which in most cases are the rural schools with no proper infrastructure. Schools such as, the ex model c schools are given more power and they are seen to deliver better results. While under resourced and poorer schools are still battling to collect even a percentage of school fees. Our past has left us with this legacy but we need to bridge this gap and not make it worse. Through the study of historiography it is clearly evident that our past practices in education policies has impacted on how we need to bring about important and vital changes so that education can be positively reflected of our democratic principles of free and equal education to all South African people. References 1. African Virtual University, Retrieved 20 April 2014, EDU: 110: History of Education: www.avu.org/Teacher-Education-Professional-Courses/edu-1101-history-of-education.html 2. Historiography, Retrieved April 15 2014: qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/historiography 3. Historiography, Retrieved April 15 2014, From Wikipedia-the free encyclopaedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historiography 4. The history of Education in America, Retrieved 15 April 2014: www.chesapeake.edu/Library/EDU_101/eduhist.asp&sa 5. University of Education, Faculty of Education, School of Education Studies (2012) Education and schooling in South Africa: An introduction for undergraduate students, 8-34

Motivation towards Becoming a PA Personal Statement

Motivation towards Becoming a PA - Personal Statement Example Biomedical research is an effectual medium through which I can understand not only the reason behind the health inequalities but also enhance my knowledge and intellectual experience through a knowledgeable and diverse Master of Science in Biology program. I have been interested in the biomedical field and related subjects since my undergraduate years when I used to enjoy the laboratory practical work in the microbiology, genetics and biochemistry subjects. Laboratory work inspired me more as it challenged positively to flourish as a leader in the laboratory groups and as a scientist who enjoys research and practical work. My experience in the laboratory work polished my analytical skills, critical analysis and articulating my scientific ideas in a systematic and comprehensive manner. My experience during the undergraduate years urged me to pursue my career as a Physician Assistant and the Master of Science in Biology program will support and help me to gain my goal in an efficient and proficient manner. My first encounter with the biomedical research was through the McNair Scholars Program in which I had to assist Dr. Floyd Wormley for eight continuous weeks. His research work focused on investigating a vaccine that prevents and treats a fungal pathogen called Cryptococcus neoformans. I mastered various pathological and biochemical procedures and techniques during my assistance program. I worked on the lab rats observing their lung tissue pathologies and mastered immunohistochemistry after several attempts. After several tedious efforts I was able to come up with a rewarding outcome, which I could present at the Annual McNair Scholars Seminar at the Penn State University. This experience was extremely rewarding and the different biochemical laboratory techniques aided me learning and pathological skills as well. I have also been a part of a medical Anthropology upper-level course.

Decreasing Rates of Neutropenia in the Chemotherapy Patient Research Paper - 1

Decreasing Rates of Neutropenia in the Chemotherapy Patient - Research Paper Example Cameron (2009) suggests that letting patients know the signs and symptoms of neutropenia if they are at risk from chemotherapy treatment will allow them to recognize these signs early and receive treatment. This should prevent any complications (such as infectious disease) and prevent a delay to chemotherapy. This again suggests that the outcome of education will be a reduction in neutropenia. Matias et al (2010) also suggest that the length of time before neutropenia becomes apparent can be estimated in chemotherapy patients, allowing staff to put patients at this stage of treatment on watch to help reduce complications. Taking this information into account, it was necessary to design a method for practise-based change. As the need for this change had already been found, it was only necessary to find appropriate methods of education for staff and patients alike that could help reduce the number of cases of neutropenia. It was suggested that seminars and information leaflets could be the most useful in this case, and that distribution of these to everyone involved should occur. To check the results of this program, it would be necessary to statistically compare the number of cases of neutropenia in the cancer ward before and after this education. In conclusion, there is a lot of evidence that this system could work and should undergo a trial run in one healthcare establishment. This would allow for any problems to be found before releasing the program on a national scale.

My Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

My Final Exam - Essay Example Bottom-up mode, on the other hand, rooted for rural development and distributional issues through small-scale bottom-up projects that directly engaged the urban and rural poor population in income-generating schemes. The advocated activities are envisaged to generate profit, savings, and investment at the grassroots level, thus reducing the need for income to trickle down via the market hierarchy (United Nations 2009, p.4). Bottom up initiatives highlight the participation of the local community in development initiatives and empower the communities to establish their own goals and the means of attaining those goals. One of the most significant and critical issues regarding international development is getting the right resources to places where they are needed most, and guaranteeing that the resources remain integrated in a sustainable manner. In fact, some authors assert the catastrophe of aid is the absence of accountability and meaningful investment. The authors assert that the massive monetary allocation to developing countries projects has failed to deliver the envisaged objectives, and the countries manifests shockingly minimal growth. This may flow from bureaucratic interventions by governments, foreign agencies, or multinationals, which frequently impose top-down solutions that ignore the needs and wishes of the bottom. Conversely, acknowledgement and addressing of community issues through community-developed remedies is critical to the understanding of the delicate intricacies of local issues, as well as to the success and sustainability of such projects (United Nations 2002, p.65). Capacity building can be delineated into four interventions directed at producing sustained change. These include top-down approach; bottom-up approach; partnership approach; and community organizing approach. Participatory approaches to development require redefining of the relationship between donors, development workers,

Bioinspired liquid repellent surfaces Literature review

Bioinspired liquid repellent surfaces - Literature review Example Such cases are not only seen on daily basis, like car windshields fogging, bathroom taps calcification and utensils and cooking pans non sticky properties, but also are experienced in industrial applications, infrastructures damage such as metallic machines corrosion and sewer blockage and fouling by fats (Martin et al.2003). In order for such problems to be resolved, there is need of super hydrophobic surfaces creation and it has been studied extensively for the past few decades (Martin et al.2003). For the super-hydrophobicity properties to be achieved there is need of the introduction of roughness to the surface and most of the solid –water surfaces is never oriented parallel to the substrate (Martin et al.2003). Scientists have been inspired by nature in solving sophisticated challenges in the field of biom imetics. Nature is considered to be based on designs that are effective. In this case, the application of previous resources is optimized and it is something that has been considered to inspire engineers worldwide (Bhushan etal.2006). A deeper understanding of nature could result to bio-inspired products which could save money, lives and time. There are various examples which include Shark skin inspired the boat hulls (low drag); low adhesion and super hydrophobic lotus leaf inspired the antifouling medical devices and self cleaning windows (Bhushan etal.2006). There has been resolution to several engineering challenges in nature that include antifouling and fluid drag reduction which are obstacles to several industries. Nature has a clue to these challenges and it includes the butterfly wings and rice leaves unique surfaces characteristics. These combine the lotus leaf effect as well as the shark skin effect to generate what is referred to as rice butterfly wing effect. Several fauna and flora has been majorly focused on by researchers with a lot of emphasis on the structures of the nature, surfaces as well

Analysis of a drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of a drama - Essay Example The play effectively demonstrates these conditions by providing realistic situations and scenarios to the readers. Through the play, Ibsen sheds the light on and examines the lives of the three women from different socioeconomic classes: Nora, an affluent wife of an attorney; Mrs. Linde, a middle class woman who surrenders love to acquire riches for her family; and the nanny, a struggling lower- class citizen who gives up her integrity for the sake of her children. Although Ibsen dose not clearly state these sacrifices in words, he paints vivid images of the bitterness these women endure emotionally through their actions and reactions to the things that happen around them. In the first part, we are introduced to a character named Nora, an economically advantaged housewife to an oppressive husband, Torvald Helmer. Although it may appear that Nora has all that she wants in life, she nonetheless is forced to endure a difficult and emotionally unhappy life. Trapped in a society that predetermines the men to be the dominant partner in a marriage, Nora is forced to concede to Torvald’s condescending actions and words towards her. He not only governs her personal life, he also questions her management of money and constantly finds new excuses to insult her family. Torvald screams at Nora during Act I: You are an odd little soul. Very much like your father. You†¨always find some new way of wheedling money out of me, and, as†¨soon as you have got it, it seems to melt in your hands. You†¨never know where it has gone. Still, one must take you as you†¨are. It is in the blood; for indeed it is true that you can†¨inherit these things, Nora. (Ibsen,442) Torvald’s tyrannical dictatorship over Nora in this relationship epitomizes a marriage in society during Ibsen’s time. The actually location of this relationship in the play coupled with Nora’s stubbornness and unwillingness to submit

Performance Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Performance Management - Essay Example sue that affects employee performance is the use of electronic communications especially in an era where social media has found its use in the workplaces. As such, companies us performance appraisals to evaluate their employees to reward the top performers and punish the non-performers. Therefore, the essay discusses the implications of random drug tests for current employees, establishes if it is justifiable to monitor the use of electronic communications and the importance of performance appraisals. Currently, companies are in a bid to implement policies that will allow them to random carry out drug tests on their employees. However, the random drug testing especially on the current employees is a subject to human privacy violation implying that organizations should consider the applicable regulations as well as statutes that protect the employee rights (Wall, 2011). On the other hand, random drug testing should take course under insurance and employment contract requirements to address the drug problem at the workplace. Random drug testing may be justifiable because organizations, through the executive management, have the responsibility to provide safe and healthy work environment. Employees who are on drugs may be a threat to others because they may be prone to mistakes that may result in serious injuries at the workplace. Therefore, random drug testing for the current employees is only justifiable if the employees sign the drug testing policy upon their employment to an org anization because this way, there will be a balance between privacy and safe workplace. In Canada, firing an employee can be quite a nightmare even if the employer believes that the employee is incompetent in the assigned task. The implication is that if the termination of the employee takes place in a wrong manner, the court may compel the organization to pay for damages. However, there are steps that organizations can take to reduce the chances of facing legal suit from the employee.

What the main factors of party choice were in the visegrad countries Assignment

What the main factors of party choice were in the visegrad countries - Assignment Example Voters then cast their votes not on the base of political parties but rather on the performance of their leaders that could be categorized as clientelistic and leader centered political culture compared to a majoritarian or consensus-oriented political system. It can be contrasted to Czech Republic where it manifests an extreme party-centric behavior of its voters. This can be attributed to their highly organized political parties as it manifests strongest ideological voting than the Nordic countries or the Netherlands. Unlike in Hungary where voters casts their ballots based on the performance of their leaders, Czech Republic on the other hand vote base on party ideology regardless of its leaders. This can also be partially attributed to the retention of orthodox communist party in the electoral arena making the electorate ideologically conscious. Poland on the other hand is neither of the two and this can be attributed to its highly fragmented political parties and institutional design whereby its institutions are closest to the consensus democracy type. The combination of diaspora among its political centers and consensus base political system among its political parties made it the only European country that is similar to that of the hybrid type constituted by Mexico and United States compared to Scandinavian-Israeli-Czech end-point differentiation. This results to a voting pattern that shows variance from the other countries in Visegrad such as Czech Republic and Hungary (Slovakia is not extensively covered in the study). Slovakia may not have been extensively covered in the study but its political system shares the same attribute with Poland which is also highly fragmented where its numbers are â€Å"excessive†. Thus, one can surmise that Slovakia will tend to be more consensus type in its voting pattern inferring to the factor that

How would you describe the expansion of the United States between 1783 Research Paper

How would you describe the expansion of the United States between 1783 and 1840s - Research Paper Example The expansion that took place in the period between 1783 and 1840 is the reason behind the large size of the USA and its current strong economic position. Is also led to the end of slave trade in the USA The first expansion of the USA took place in 1783 after the treaty of Paris which brought to an end the revolutionary war. England agreed to the claims of the Americans to own the southern land which included the great lakes and the Mississippi river (Rothman 57). The Americans were not successful in getting the Gulf of Mexico, and it remained under ownership of Spain. The next expansion of the United States took place in 1787 whereby the US expanded with the Northwest ordinance of 1787 (Rothman 116). This ordinance established the Northwest Territory, which covered states such as of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The expansion is renowned for having banned slavery in the north of Ohio River. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson talked terms of the purchase of the French claims on the Louisiana territory which they had previously obtained from the Spain. The negotiations were secret, and it is believed that the president purchased the territory at a price of $15million. The land purchased included the western half of the Mississippi river, and it doubled the initial size of the USA. The purchase also extended to the Gulf of Mexico, which was very productive in agriculture. Settler’s movement to the Louisiana territory raised the question of slave trade. The settlers applied for statehood after reaching a number of 60000 and in 1819, it officially became a slave state (Morgan 34). Before 1810, the country had occupied most parts of the Mississippi river but had little control over its mouth which was located in the Spanish Florida (Shelly 239). In 1810, the United States seized the western part of Florida, and it led to the outbreak of war between the Spaniards and the Americans (Smith 17). However, the Spaniards relented since

Physical Security Essay Example for Free

Physical Security Essay INTRODUCTION. Physical security starts with a rather simple basic premise; those who do not belong on your institution’s property should be excluded from your institution. This may happen in three often interrelated ways: when those who do not belong are identified, stopped and denied admission, when those who do not belong are denied admission by a physical device, such as a locked door. When those who do not belong are denied admission because they decide that your institution is too difficult to enter and thus they do note entry. This section will consider the various methods of excluding those who do not belong: access control, key control and locks, protective devices and alarms, windows and doors, fencing and gates, protective lighting, general deterrence. PHYSICAL SECURITY AND CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL Access Control Access control means that, when your facility is open, no visitor, delivery service person or unknown individual is able to enter your facility without being both observed directly or indirectly. Several techniques to accomplish that goal may include any or all of the following. Security Desk A security desk should be setup in them in lobby of each building which has an open-access or open-door policy. A sign-in and outlet supervised by an employee who validates identification prior to allowing visitors to proceed into the building, is highly advisable. Most supermarkets, five star hotels, foreign embassies, parliament buildings and major organizations have this measure in place in order to monitor the staff and clients as they come in and out to ascertain no harmful contrabands are sneaked in or pilferage of equipments and other relevant materials from the organization. When entering a building like IM where Standard Group have offices or Nation Centre where NTV is housed you have to produce your National ID, register your name, office and purpose of your visit then insured with a visitors pass in order to gain access to the premises. Monitored Entrances Ideally, an institution should have a single entrance only, monitored by staff personnel and equipped with an intercom system for communicating with anyone who comes to the door. Simply, an open door policy does not mean that every door need be left open and unlocked. You realize that hospitals, police headquarters, military barracks among others have personnel who are assigned on daily basis to check and verify individuals and motor vehicles that come in or leave the premises. Its purpose is to deter criminals and take note of every visitor for purposes of accountability when things go amiss. When entering the Times Tower where the Kenya Revenue Authority is housed, the security guards at the gate verifies visitors by their National Identity cards and or travelers passport and then a separate group of guards checks for any harmful materials by use of metal detectors. Visitors At no time should visitors be allowed to roam freely through your property unescorted or without being observed. That is especially true for individuals who expect to work on your most sensitive systems such as burglar alarms, fire alarms, communication systems or computers. Special diligence should be applied to those individuals when they visit your institution even if they are legitimate. For larger institutions, certain areas should be considered off-limits to all but authorized personnel. Allowing visitors free access to your facility does not mean that they should be allowed to go anywhere e.g. into restricted areas such as office spaces or that they should be given a sense that their actions are entirely unnoticed by the institution’s personnel. Some premises require having out of bound locations i.e. military barracks, production factories railway stations, air and seaports for purposes of security. Thus visitor should only be directed to designated zones only. Military barracks have their armories protected while airports have garages and main control rooms protected for security purposes. Employee Photo Identification Cards and Badges All employees should have and wear identification. Such badges make identification of non-employees immediate. Moreover, such cards will not only enable visitors to immediately identify those who work in an institution but will psychologically help employees understand that they are part of their agency’s security team. Photo identification should only be provided with accompanying education regarding their care, the procedure to be followed if they are lost, as well as the manner in which employees should approach unknown individuals. Creating ID badges requires thought. Cards should have clear pictures along with the employee’s name. The institution’s name should not necessarily be placed on the card. In any event, employees should be instructed that their card should be prominently worn while in the building and, for their own safety, kept from view when away from the building. In major hospitals like Nairobi hospital, Matter hospital among others every employee has a job ID which enables them access to all areas and distinguish them from patients, this reduces the chances of an admitted patient running away from the premise without paying the medical bill. Perimeter wall The perimeter wall, culverts and drainage units, lighting and other essential physical security areas. The drainage system and culverts can conceal entry and exit points for potential criminals. Culverts should be grilled to make it difficult for Criminals activities to occur. Parking lot Here the security personnel should be in a position to see how vehicles entering the premise or exiting are inspected. In some organizations parking badges are issued while in many more identification from drivers is not produced. In some organizations it is indicated cars parked at owner’s risk which injects confidence to car vandals and absorbs security responsibility. Parking should be offered to personnel with previous security background. The adjacent buildings and windows. The buildings and windows near a facility should not serve as a spring board for criminals to gain entry. The windows should be well and adequately secured to deny criminals an opportunity to access the facility under surveillance. Key Control and Locks Knowing who has which keys to which locks at all times is a vitally important issue. Failure to maintain such control may defeat the entire purpose of creating a security system. Institutions often simply assume that no one leaving their service either an employee or volunteer will subsequently break into their building or office. A sound key-control policy is essential to an effective security program. There should be a central key control location where masters are kept and access to which is strictly controlled. Registry. A central key control registry should be established for all key sand combinations. Employees and leadership should be required to sign for keys when they are received and the return of keys should be an important part of an exit process. Issuance. Supervisory approval should be required for the issuance of all keys and locks. Spare keys and locks should be kept in a centrally located cabinet, locked under the supervision of a designated employee. Master keys should be issued to a very restricted number of employees and these should be inventoried at least twice each year. Re-keying. When key control is lost, it may be worthwhile to have an institution’s locks Re-keyed or key should be surrendered incase employee is terminated or retired. Combination Locks and Codes. Where combination locks and coded locks are used, those combinations and codes should be changed at least every six months or when employees or leadership leave your premise. Combinations should also be kept under strict control of management. Computer systems and access. The computer system has become a concern in computer industry today. The security of electronic gadgets is pivotal in the growth of organizations, sabotage and shrinkage. The system should be protected from intruders or unauthorized access. The surveyor should include know who uses which computer, which services would be jeopardized by failure of a certain computer. Fires Are unpredictable hazards to organizations, homes and industries. The degree of vulnerability varies from one organization to another. The surveyor should check on the existing fire hazards, verify a match between hazards existing and fire suppression devices. Safes The area containing valuables is of paramount importance to a security survey. The protection of valuables should be consistent with security physical measures and criticality of a potential loss occurs. Safes and valuable storage areas should be fitted with adequate alarm systems. Surveillance Surveillance devices, CCTV’s and motion picture cameras are key to criminal activities detection, apprehension and deterrence. The surveyor should know their existence, location, protection and who monitors them. The security survey should capture the various departments in the organization, their operations and internal controls. Protective Lighting The value of adequate lighting as a deterrent to crime cannot be overemphasized. Adequate lighting is a cost-effective line of defense in preventing crime. Some Considerations on Lighting Lighting, both inside and outside, is most helpful and can be installed without becoming overly intrusive to neighbors. All entrances should be well lit. Fences should also be illuminated. For outside lighting, the rule of thumb is to create light equal to that of full daylight. The light should be directed downward away from the building or area to be protected and away from any security personnel you might have patrolling the facility. Where fencing is used, the lighting should be inside and above the fencing to illuminate as much of the fence as possible. Lighting should be placed to reduce contrast between shadows and illuminated areas. It should be uniform on walkways, entrances, exits, and especially in parking areas. Perimeter lights should be installed so the cones of illumination overlap, eliminating areas of total darkness if any one light malfunctions. Fixtures should be vandal-resistant. It is vital that repair of defects and replacement of worn-out bulbs be immediate. In addition, prevent trees or bushes from blocking lighting fixtures. You may wish to use timers and/or automatic photoelectric cells. Such devices provide protection against human error and ensure operation during inclement weather or when the building is unoccupied. A security professional should be contacted to help you with decisions on location and the best type of lighting for your individual institution. REFERENCE James K. Broder (200), Risk Analysis And The Security Survey 2rd Ed. Butterworth-Heinemann. USA. Lawrence J. Fennely (2003), Physical Security 3rd Edition. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Burlington, UK. Marc Weber Tobias (200), Locks Safes and Security, An International Police Reference 2nd Ed. Illinois USA.

What, How, Who and Answers to Global Warming

What, How, Who and Answers to Global Warming Global Warming Determining What, How, Who and Answers to Global Warming Global Warming is steady increase of average temperatures due to the slowly growing strengths of human made greenhouse gases. Global warming can also mean that observing the temperatures without indicating of the cause too. The most accepted reason is the burning of fossil fuels which does expel carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. â€Å"As of 2010, the concentration of carbon dioxide is about 50% higher than it was before the start of the industrial revolution in the late 1800s.† (Australian Coal Association Low Emissions Technology, 2014) The increase in temp is contributed to the CO2 absorbing radiation which is the radiation the Earth loses to space when heated by the sun. This reaction produces greenhouse gas which helps produce a blanket over the planet that retains warmth. Since the early 70’s, 91% of the radiation energy has been stored in the oceans. The oceans main role in energy absorption is also used to increase the average temperature of the Earth’s Air and Seas temperatures. Since the turn of the century our Earth’s air and sea temps have steadily increased about 1.4F with about 2/3’s of the increase happening in the last 30 years. Each of the last 3 eras has been increasingly warmer at the Earths surface then the last hundred years combined. We have been recording temperature records since the late 1800’s so this data is well documented and gives us a baseline to go from. These data collections are the result of natural changes with the Earth and human beings making Greenhouse Gases. â€Å"A panel convened by the U.S National Research Council, the nations premier science policy body, in June 2006 voiced a high level of confidence that Earth is the hottest it has been in at least 400 years, and possibly even the last 2,000 years.† (Stanford Solar Center, 2013) But since humans are still to burning fossil fuels, the Earth is steadily warming unnaturally. The Northern most part of the hemisphere has experienced the most major rise in temperature, near 2.5’ Fahrenheit. â€Å"Average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have risen at twice the global average, according to the multinational Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report compiled between 2000 and 2004.† (National Geogr aphic, 2014) We all know this CO2 release is coming from our automobiles, factories and burning coal etc. Our way of life is killing mother Earth, we continue to cut down trees pollute our oceans and for what? This paper is going to breakdown in three major sections giving my conclusions on what, how, why and fixing this Global Warming problem we as a planet face. There are many different factors which can make the warm the planet, but the major contributor is human created carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. A huge contributor to global warming is the greenhouse gases that people release into the atmosphere. Majority of the gases released include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and CFCs (chloral floral carbons). The use of natural resources has increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. â€Å"However, over the last several hundred years, humans have been artificially increasing the concentration of these gases, mainly carbon dioxide and methane in the Earths atmosphere.† (Earth Observatory, 2014) Let’s not forget about another form of global warming like deforestation. Forest grounds are moist, but without protection from tree cover they can dry out. Trees also help spread the water cycle by releasing water vapor back into the atmosphere. If we do not have trees helping with the ecosystem we will soon loose countless specie’s. Cutting down trees deprives the forest of its canopy, which helps cut down the sun’s rays during the day and retains heat at night. This displacement leads to higher temperatures ranges that can be harmful to plants and animals. Trees also play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming. Fewer forests means larger amounts of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere and increased speed and severity of global warming. Thousands of years have since past and the Earth has had a diverse temperature effect without any human influence. This temperature change has been the result of other factors such as: the tilt of the Earth and changes in the levels of gases in the atmosphere. The Earth actually wobbles throughout its solar rotation around the sun. â€Å"This wobble in the Earth’s rotation has been causing changes in the temperature of the atmosphere for many millions of years.† (A Cooler Climate (2014) The suns variations in size from the past to present has an ecosystem effect. Scientist believe we are experiencing more and more solar flares that have a negative impact on our atmosphere too. There is a theory amongst scientist that Global Warming is a â€Å"regular life cycle event but I do not believe this to be true. Even though the Earth had ice ages and warmer temps in the past. Industry throughout the world gives off CO2 and it thickens the atmosphere UV rays are not being able to reflect back into space warming the Earth. A blend of compound atmospheric and ocean sequences which are inevitably driven by changes in solar output. The Earth goes through constant climate change cycles and has done so throughout its history. The exact mechanism is not well understood but appears to be related to the sun plus solar activity. â€Å"The ocean and volcanoes are much bigger sources of CO2 and other such greenhouse gases than humans. If the CO2 count is increasing, the influence of man may be minimal.† (Bionomic Fuel, July 16, 2014) The planet is currently in a cool down cycle and will continue to be so for at least a several years because the Pacific Decadal Oscillat ion. It would only make sense that the last thirty years with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation in its warm phase caused the planet to warm. I read that people were asking questions like, who would be the most affected by this. And the answer is simple, everyone on the planet will pay a price for Global Warming. Theoretically every living breathing thing can be affected by climate change. Warmer seas means changing currents, which means distorted rainfall amounts on the continents. Plant life will move because of changing rainfall patterns. Insects, trees and animals will move to follow the vegetation and water. If global warming continues, there will be irreversible effects. Effects like erratic weather patterns, sea levels rising, dry waterless areas and ice caps melting. The US alone has millions of people living within a mile of the oceans. The majority of our major cities are located of the coasts or Great Lakes. All of these will be under water and completely useless. The world’s mountain contain some 80% of fresh water in forms of ice and snow. Global Warming would potentially melt this with devastating cons equences like massive flooding. â€Å"Urgent action is necessary to combat these effects. We cannot afford to wait as the well-being of you and your children is at stake. It is up to you to take responsibility for your actions.† (A Cooler Climate, 2014) Around the globe, people are taking responsibility and helping reduce CO2 emissions through more efficient environmentally energy resources. Unfortunately the people, who will be affected by Global Warming the most, are the poorer countries. These countries lack proper funding and education to help build finance facilities that can reduce our carbon foot print. Your citizens need to have a good understanding of what can happen when greenhouse gases are not taken seriously. Properly educating everyone will ultimately benefit the planet. How about free trade being affected? Every nation on Earth has some form of trade going on and you must take in account rising sea levels major trade ports being underwater. Who is going to rebuild all of the sea lanes, rebuild the docks? How about taking in account how are household items like food, water, TV and so on get here. Since the launch of industrialization in the modern world global trade has added to pollution of our environment. Looking at data gathered global trade contributes near as much pollution per capita calendar year as public transportation does. â€Å"Effectively combating our planetary climate crisis will require changes to the underlying manufacturing, energy, farming – and trade – systems that are now fueling carbon emissions.† (Greenpeace USA, 2014) Due to the outsourcing of companies and products nearly every household product in America travels on average over 4500 miles to reach its home, these items are transported by planes, ships or trains all of which burn massive amounts of fossil fuels. The link between Global trade and Global Warming has many ties like burning fuel which creates greenhouse gas and the amount of trade that goes on any given day is unbelievable. What can we do as regular people do to help reverse this growing problem? There are many easy steps you can do right now to cut global warming pollution. Make sustaining energy a part of your normal routine. Each time you choose a LED light sticker bulb over an traditional bulb, youll lower your energy consumption and keep nearly 600 pounds of CO2 out of the air. By purchasing brands with the energy star sticker, this indicates it uses at least 16% less energy than what the federal mandate is over a less traditional models. Lower cost, reliable cars to help reduce Global Warming gases are available now. From small cars to large trucks, there is no reason not purchase these to help take a step in the right direction fuel cell vehicles can help answer the problem for our future. Hybrids can help eliminate pollution by 1/3 or more and are currently available by every major car manufacturer in the U.S. Voluntary cutback programs have not been effective at stopping the growing of emissions. Many CEO’s of major corporations have agreed it is time for the governments to step in and create tougher, stouter laws to help combat Global Warming. Here is the and Canada public support is at it all time highest to propose and cap emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases produced from larger power plants (coal burning) and transportation fuels. We should start implementing cleaner cars and electrical generators into widespread use; this will start reducing gas contamination from vehicles and power plants immediately. By doing this we should start pushing and relying more on alternative solutions like wind, solar, geothermal and wave power. Firmer efficient obligations by appliance manufacturers for electrical appliances will help lower pollution. We need more programs or laws in place like what the Clinton administration implemented in the 90’s. Household central air units/heat pumps must reduce electrical usage by 30% for all new installs. This act will help reduce carbon release by 51 million metric tons a year. Alternative solutions for power consumption are here and we must start embracing it or Global Warming will not stop. Alternative energy defines all things that do not use or consume fossil fuels. These alternatives are found everywhere and anyone can use the majority of them plus they are eco-friendly. With very small to no pollution why not use them? South Africa is helping lead the way of solar power. They just installed the world’s largest solar farm producing some 18 gag-watts a year. South Africa, like other countries, is trying to reduce CO2 emissions as well as increase its alternative energy solutions. Wind energy is a very unlimited resource here in the Midwest. A single windmill can supply crop irrigation, pumping water and powering electric lights. Just in Indiana alone we have hundreds of windmill farms all over the state that helps reduce our grid consumption and saves on the release of fossil fuel gases released into the atmosphere. Geo thermal energy is taking off and it is accessible anywhere on Earth. Geothermal energy means energy drawn or harnessed from beneath the earth. A lot of countries try to use this energy to generate electricity for thousands of homes. Geothermal energy produces no pollution, lowers our dependence on fossil fuels. â€Å"Geothermal fields produce only about one-sixth of the carbon dioxide that a relatively clean natural-gas-fueled power plant produces.† (National Geographic 2014) There are many different ways to use alternative solutions to help reduce our dependence on greenhouse gas producing fuels. Listed above are a few but here are some more to help get you interested; Hydroelectric Energy, Biomass Energy, Ocean Energy and Hydrogen Energy. In conclusion, we the people of mother Earth must alienate ourselves from fossil fuels, if we are going to stop or reduce the effects of Global Warming. Right now we have a chance to redeem our planet but once we cross a certain line there is no going back. Let’s unite and save the planet. References Earth Observatory (2014) Global Warming: What is causing Global Warming? http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/GlobalWarming/page2.php Jonathan Strickland and Ed Grabianowski, (2014) How Global Warming Works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/global-warming.htm National Geographic (2014) Global Warming Fast Facts http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_041206_global_warming.html Ecosystems Hazards to our World (2014) Global Warming http://peer.tamu.edu/curriculum_modules/Ecosystems/hazards/global_warming.htm Stanford Solar Center (2013) Global Warming: What is it? http://solar-center.stanford.edu/sun-on-earth/glob-warm.html Random Facts (January 29, 2009) 35 Critical Facts about . . . Global Warming http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/01/29_global-warming.html References A Cooler Climate (2014) Global Warming Natural Causes http://www.acoolerclimate.com/global-warming-natural-causes/ Bionomic Fuel (July 16, 2014) Is Global Warming Fake? http://www.bionomicfuel.com/is-global-warming-fake/ GreenPeace USA (2014) Climate Change Trade Policies: We have a problem: our current trade rules are worsening climate chaos http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/Climate-ChangeTrade-Policies/ National Geographic (2014) Geothermal Energy: Tapping the Earths Heat http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/geothermal-profile/ Australian Coal Association Low Emissions Technology (2014) What is Global Warming? http://www.newgencoal.com.au/faq/68.html 1

Inventory Planning and Control

Inventory Planning and Control A Brief Overview of Inventory Planning and Control In any business, inventory is a key area of concern as inventoryis what is sold. Though, on the surface this may seem to be merely aphysical construct, inventory and inventory management principle easilyextend to service or other intangible product offerings. Perhaps the firstprinciple of inventory is that, inventory is money, or rather arepresentation of invested capital that is listed on the balance as aliability. While inventory is properly represented as a liability, a moreaccurate way to think of it is that is an asset in the waiting. Atypical retail store may have millions of dollars in inventory on the floor.If it is the right product, priced right, in the right place at the right time,it will likely sell. Though the 3-Ps just mentioned are the crux of themarketeers problem, they are also the problem of the inventory orreplenishment analyst on the store side and the problem of the manufacturingand shipping division of the supplier. Boththe vendor and the supplier seek inventory optimization, that is,managing from their perspective the same issues with which the marketeerwrestles. The daily issues of this perspective are focused on the same fourvariables with typical examples listed below: Product Is a certain SKU present in the regular modular only or checkout lane modular also? Are there multiple SKUs for a certain product (i.e., single or multi-packs)? A new SKU is being phased in to the modular set, is the are corresponding reduction in another product? Is replenishment on the old item turned off? If I have a certain product, is there a complimentary product that should also be sold, ideally with modular adjacencies? Placement Is a particular product in all stores (i.e., riding lawnmowers in NY City, snow shovels, even in January, in Mexico)? Does this product go into all stores simultaneously or should it be staged (i.e., lawn care product in southern stores first)? Are there any new stores that should be added to the shipped to list? Is a particular product a regular item or does it go on a special display/store location (i.e., holiday)? Price Are all the prices indicated on the shelf or on the product? Are the prices correct? Are prices updated annually or monthly? Is the item on deal (i.e., advertised special for which we might anticipate the standard 20% lift in velocity)? From theperspective of the vendor, a store or even a whole chain of store only has a[short-term] fixed floor area, backroom area and so many storage areas andtrucks that can be in transit to manage not simply one product at one locationbut the full range of products at all locations. This, in essence, is theproblem of inventory: managing and ideally optimizing the coming and going of allproducts at all locations. For the manufacturers, the problem is essentiallythe same, only with a different perspective: all of their products atall of the locations at which they are sold. The daily issues of this simply detail.Consider the perspectives of WalMart and 3M: one US retail operation and theone US division of one multinational manufacturer: WalMart has approximately 3,000 US stores, if there is one case of one product from 3M going to each store in the chain, this alone represents shipping 36,000 items (12 per case) just one time. Consider the number of products shipped, received and sold for all products at each store. 3M Stationary Products Division, Tape Adhesives section, has over 50 SKUs. Each peg on the display holds from 6 to 15 units of product. Each product comes in varying numbers per box, from 4 to 24, with from 1 to 6 boxes per case (the minimum order quantity). WalMart has the largest trucking fleet of any US corporation and has number distribution centers and warehouses. 3M has 1-2 factories per product and 3-4 key distribution points. Some items are warehouse items and therefore have a lead time of 3-4 days while other items have lead times of up to 21 days. The myriad issues that result from this collaborative efforts issignificantly enhanced but the good management of the inventory problem.From the number of units to build and subsequently ship (and to where) untilthe items are sold, the units exist as inventory. A Brief Discussionof EOQ and other Methods for Inventory Control To manage the issues discussed just prior is but one matter, tomanage them optimally is another and that is really the goal of anyinventory planning and control system. Realizing that any businessdecision is one in which the principle of the trade-off is employed, one canthen begin to methodically examine the variables. For example, in the simplestexample in which the costs of placing an order and the costs of carryinginventory are minimized. This optimal point is deemed the Economic OrderQuantity. While, in theory, the method works perfectly, its simplicity is alsowhat limits it in the real world in which additional variables and varyingassumptions run rampant. For example, EOQ does not, or, has trouble takinginto account the following variables/assumptions: Product cost assumptions such as fixed batch costs Product prices which may be variable and thus would change velocity and subsequent sales/demand forecasts Failure to adequately consider or cost out of stocks or backorders Failure to adequately consider lead times, special deals or seasonal items (Eason, 2003). Regardless, EOQ isthe starting place for the consideration or both additional variables as wellas the consideration of other models such as JIT, or the just-in-time methodin which the goal is -0- inventory. This is more applicable to a manufactureside though its principles do have applicability in retail. In this method,the basic assumption that has generally been borne out through research is thatinventory carrying costs are generally far higher than one might initiallythink (Schniederjans Cao, 2001). JIT is achieved by precisely the rightquantity of material/product to its destination just-in-time. Anothersomewhat similar method is ERP or enterprise resource programs. ERPleverages technology to provide firm-wide view of the materials at variousstages in the work process. This data is merged with other firm informationsuch as sales/demand forecast to create a optimized forecast for all rawmaterials, parts and finished products at any point in time. Insummary, whether using EOQ, JIT, ERP or any other combination of letters forinventory optimization, the key is to understand and purposefully manipulatethe variables of business to prioritize and manage the inherent trade-offs ofany business function. Works Consulted Bean, J. (2005), former 3M BusinessAnalyst, Interview on May 21, 2005. [Mr. Bean had significant work inmaintaining in stock levels to between 98.5-99.5% on Stationary and Tapeproducts] Eason, J. (2003, May). Setting TargetInventory Levels for New Products [Masters Degree Thesis, University ofArkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, US]. Piasecki, D. (2001, January). OptimizingEconomic Order Quantity. IIE Solutions. pp. 30-39. Schniederjans, M. Q. Cao. (2001). Analternative analysis of inventory costs of JIT and EOQ purchasing. InternationalJournal of Physical Distribution Logistics, (31), 2, pp. 190-117.

Naturalism in Miss Julie Essay -- Julie

Naturalism in Miss Julie   Ã‚  Ã‚   Writers involved in the naturalist movement believed that actors' lines should be spoken naturally, and that mechanical movements, vocal effects, and irrational gestures should be banished. A return to reality was proposed, with the old theatrical attitudes replaced with effects produced solely by the voice. There was a call to individualise characters, instead of generalising them, to produce characters whose minds and bodies would function as they would in real life. Strindberg's 'Miss Julie' has been said to be an excellent example of this movement, as it involves stress on multiple motivation of action; a departure from the stereotypical depictions of character; and random, illogical dialogue. Strindberg's naturalistic conception of theatre also extends to non-literary aspects of staging such as stage dà ©cor, lighting, and make-up.    Strindberg avoids the regularity of mechanical question and answer dialogue, instead allowing his dialogue to meander, encouraging themes to be repeated and developed over the course of the play. In the preface to the play, Strindberg explains that he has broken with tradition by avoiding "symmetrical, mathematically constructed dialogue." The sexual tension and hidden aggression in the first scene of 'Miss Julie' could be said to be an example of this, especially while the cook Christine is present with Julie and Jean to inhibit the expression of what they really mean. However, it is noticeable that Strindberg's sub-textual dialogue at the start of the play radically changes once the seduction is completed and there is no more to hide. It is then that the dialogue becomes explicit and ceases to meander. An excessively theatrical sce... ...e dialogue has entirely ceased to meander realistically, and it is hard to recognise the play itself as a cornerstone of the naturalistic movement." However, Strindberg's preface to 'Miss Julie' has been heralded as the best manifesto of naturalism written, and the techniques that he advocated such as the removal of intervals and orchestras, the use of real props, and a reduction in theatre size, have come to have strong repercussions in modern theatre.    Bibliography: Brandt, George, Modern theories of Drama: a selection of writings on drama and theatre 1850 - 1990, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998) Strindberg, August. Three Plays. England: Penguin Group Penguin Classics, 1958. Styan, J. L., Modern Drama in Theory and Practice:   Vol .2: symbolism, surrealism and the absurd. - Cambridge, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1981)   

Dulce et Decorum est, by Wilfred Owen. Essay -- English Literature

Dulce et Decorum est, by Wilfred Owen. The First World War was an event that brought to many people, pain, sorrow and bitterness. Accounts of the war shows that no other war challenged existing conventions, morals and ideals in the same way as did World War. Many people touched by the terrror of the war have written pieces of literature about the massacre that was World War 1, wishing people to understand the horror and tragedy that befell those involved. "Dulce et Decorum est", by Wilfred Owen, is one such elegy that presents to the reader a vivid, horrifying description of World War 1, aiming to illustrate that war is not romantic and heroic, but a senseless and devastating event. In this poem, techniques such as imagery, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia and contrast are used to express Owen's angry and bitter view towards what happened in the war. "Dulce et Decorum Est" uses strong images to convey Owen's feelings about the war, and to force the reader to take his view. Ghastly pictures of the war occur throughout the poem, largely in the last stanza, working together to present a vivid picture of the war. These images, utilised by Owen, show the ultimate irony and the moral of the poem, that it is not in fact a sweet fate to die for one's country even though others may think it heroic. This irony is illustrated using juxtaposition at the end of the poem. The men who enlist are "innocent", they are "children" who have learned that war is full of "high zest" and this makes them "ardent for some desperate glory". These innocent boys are willing to believe the Lie but will think differently once they experience the war first hand. Descriptive language is used throughout the poem to evoke specif... ...rd "drowning" is repeated twice to imprint on the reader's mind the effect the gas had on the soldier. The language used also helps to give a stronger impact on the reader by involving the use of one of the reader's five senses. In "Dulce et decorum est", onomatopoeia is used to enhance the effect of the poem, by involving the reader's sense of hearing. Words such as "guttering", "gargling" and "choking" are used to emphasise the horrific sounds of a man dying from gas, as the sounds of the words can be likened to what they are describing. The reader's attention does not wander throughout the poem because of Owen's consistent imagery. By the end of the poem, the reader can fully appreciate the irony between the truth of what happens in the trenches and the Lie being told at home. It is this attention to form and imagery that makes the poem effective.

Play in Childhood Essay

Play is one of the most defining features of childhood in Western society. It is something that all children have in common and what makes a child’s world different from adults. In answering the question, this essay will first examine the different opinions held by theorists as to why children play. I will then look at role play, which is one of the many types of play that children engage in. Finally I will look at children’s play as a social process using examples from other cultures and then briefly consider the reasons that children themselves believe they play. It is wrong to assume that children have always played. Historian, Aries (1962 in Book 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 2) claimed that childhood was a social construction and that the view of childhood as a separate state did not occur until around the 16th and 17th century – before this, children were economically useful and not valued for the simple joy that children can bring. This was further illustrated by Mayhew (1861 in Book 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1), who’s observations from his meeting with the watercress girl led him to state that she had been deprived of her childhood. This was largely due to the fact that the girl’s work responsibilities did not allow time for play and she had no knowledge of parks or anything associated with play. From this it could be deduced that Mayhew felt children should play. Mayhew’s example also showed that play is a social construction, as although it was clear that the ‘watercress girl’ did not play, the fact that Mayhew suggests this is abnormal may simply be constructed from his own opinions that childhood should be a time of play. One of the first attempts to explain the importance of play came from the publication of Emile by Jean Jacques Rousseau in (1762 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1). In this, Rousseau emphasized that childhood should be a time of play and children should have the freedom to do this. For Rousseau, play is consistent with a happy healthy childhood, which is often linked with the romantic discourse. This is in contrast with the Puritan discourse which believes that allowing children to play is a risk to the civilization processes, as this can only be achieved through strict discipline. It also believes parents should be responsible for channeling children’s play into creative forms of work which will help  children to learn morally and intellectually. It is obvious therefore that these theories differ in their approaches to play. For the Romantic perspective – play is a way that children can express themselves, but for the Puritan approach, play is the way throu gh which children learn. Other opinions, such as those from developmentalist’s like as Piaget (1896 – 1980 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) saw play as an opportunity where children learn, practice and consolidate new skills and furthermore play provides them with a time where failing during a task was not going to have disastrous consequences. Vygotsky’s view on the reason why children play is different (1896-1934 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) as he believed that play was a crucial part in children’s social development in that it helps them acquire skills to learn to cop-operate with others. Play is also important for children’s cognitive development as children use psychological tools during play such as language and memory. Through play children learn, explore and extend their skills, for example Vygotsky suggested that when children play ‘make-believe’, they can experiment with adult roles and ways of that otherwise wouldn’t’t be possible for them. It is obvious therefore that for Piaget and Vygotsky, the reason children play is to learn. However, psychoanalysts like Freud(1920 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) were more interested in the significance of play for their emotional development, suggesting that a child’s psyche could be revealed through their play. Freud suggested from his research that play could have a therapeutic effect as it allowed children to rid themselves of negative feelings. Freud’s views were the building block for others like his daughter Anna who set up nursery for children during the second world war and recognised that observing children’s play had potential as a method of diagnosis, as well as being of therapeutic value for children who had experienced emotional trauma in their lives. Similarly, Klein used miniature dolls as resources that children could use to enact out their inner feelings and anxieties. This shows that psychologists such as Klein and both Anna and Sigmund Freud felt that children play to deal with emotional events in their lives. There are several different types of play, but I shall concentrate on role play now and why children engage in this type of play. This has been widely researched by Mead (1934 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1),who felt pretend and make believe situations are crucial for children’s personal development. Through role play, children are able to imagine themselves in other roles which helps their developing sense of identity, and through this children develop a sense of who they are and also how others see them. This was highlighted in Activity 2 (p8 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) which contained an extract from Bascom’s (1969 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) research in Nigeria. It involved interviewing a father while his 3 children observed the process and invented a new game from these observations. The activity asked us to think about the significance of this new game. The first child sat on ‘Bascom’s’ chair holding a pen and paper; the second child sat in the ‘interpreter’s’ chair (occupied previous to this by their father) while the third child sat on the bench imitating the ‘informer’. In the example, the second child told the third child to tell the first child about Odua. The third child then replied and from this the second child ‘interpreted’ this and relayed it to the ‘anthropologist’ in a string of meaningless sounds, supposedly echoing the English language. The first child who was meant to be the anthropologist then wrote on the paper and replied in more meaningless sounds, and so the sequence was repeated. The role-play that the Yoruba children undertook involved skilful imitation to impersonate the 3 adults and their gestures, even their language and the sequence of events. A similar study occurred in the UK by Kehily et al (2002in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) whose research was carried out through extensive interviews which were audio taped with children in their school. It was found that children incorporated the tape recorder into their games and discussions often imitating the structure of the interview process, even when they weren’t being recorded. Both of these researches on role play support Meads theory (1934 in Book 3  Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) that children have the ability to observe others and then use these observations to imitate others. The reasons children do this according to Mead is that it helps them to make sense of new and unfamiliar situations. Role play is further explored in video 3 band 3 ‘pretend play’ featuring Melissa and Hadleigh aged 4, playing mummy and baby at nursery school. This example further supports Mead’s claim by showing that pretend play helps children to act out imaginary roles. Perhaps one of the most important features of play is that it is a social process. Thomas Gregor (1977in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) studied children’s games in Mehinaku, Brazil, and believed that games mirrored the structure and values of adult society. He observed a game of teneju itai (women’s sons), this involved children marrying and carving a baby from a lump of earth. The ‘mother’ then mimics cradling the baby, which later dies, and is ‘buried’ in a hole. As early childhood death is a common occurrence for this Brazilian tribe, this game prepares children for the possible death of a sibling or playmate. This game also shows it is non competitive, did not involve hierarchies and did not identify winners or losers. In contrast, in the UK, Laura and Aalliyah (Video 3 band 3) use their imaginations in their role play acting out difficult emotions such as rivalry, conflict and death. These children are in a culture where they are protected from issues such as death and pretend play may offer children a way of exploring themes and issues that are not part of their daily life. Both examples also support Freud’s theory that children use play to act worrying or troublesome situations, and that play is a way in which children can express their feelings. Play, as a social process is not always a positive experience as Mead’s theory seemed to suggest. During play children can have many decisions to make and negotiate such as who can or can’t play, meaning play can sometimes produce power relations and social hierarchies amongst children. This was shown in research by Thorne (1999 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) who’s observations found that in the games that they played, children  created gender boundaries with single sex friendships, and that children may use play to achieve a position of high status within their group. Furthermore, play helps children’s identities develop as research with boys in Western societies showed that the play which boys engaged in involved language and physicality which was often competitive, and that they engaged in this type of play in order to help them achieve their masculine identity. This was further supported by research by Epstein (1997 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) which suggested that children engage in skipping rhymes and games such as ‘kiss chase’ in the playground in order to help construct their gender identity. Finally, it was also suggested by Back (1990 in Book 3 Understanding Childhood Chapter 1) that the play that these boys engaged in was not just play for playing sake but was also a method used to test the boundaries of friendship, and to decide who was or was not included in their ‘group’. Finally, as the research so far has been from adults, it is important to consider what children’s views are on why they play. One reason why children play is that it is a time when they can withdraw from reality and create their own fantasy world. This is seen with Joshua, (VIDEO 3 BAND1) who’s favourite type of play seems to be reading. He states that he reads because through doing this he can escape into an imaginary world. He reads, believing it to be important as it broadens his imagination and aids his learning. This example also shows that as well as being a social process, play can also be solitary. This video also shows Tinco who states that he plays at the temple to find peace and freedom which he does not experience in his home village. The reason Sean seems to play is that he enjoys being in the dark tunnel with his friends playing scary, daring games. These examples show simply that children themselves play for reasons such as to learn, find enjoyment and to have peace and freedom away from adults. These examples showed that it is evident all children play but the way they play can vary depending upon culture. This was also highlighted by Opie and Opie (1969) who researched on children’s playground culture which found that  the same rhyming games had been around for a long time, they just varied from culture to culture. We have seen therefore that different approaches have contrasting reasons as to why children play, and furthermore that children have different reasons as to why they play.One type of play which children engage in is role play which has been said to play an important part in the development of children enabling them to make sense of situations and form identities. Furthermore, children play as it is a social process which allows children to act out roles in order to help them make sense of situations around them, enabling them to gain an understanding of how others see them which in turn aids their identity development. REFERENCES Book 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 2 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 1 Understanding Childhood Chapter 6 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3 Understanding Childhood, Chapter 1 U212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3 Understanding Childhood, Study Guide Audio and Visual notes, Unit 16 U212, The Open University, Milton KeynesBook 3, Understanding Childhood,; Video 3 band 1; My SpaceU212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University. Book 3, Understanding Childhood,; Video 3 band 3; Pretend PlayU212 Understanding Childhood, The Open University.