The Best Architecture Schools Americas Top Picks

Choosing an architecture school is like choosing a car: you either know exactly what interests you, or youre overwhelmed with choices. Both choices also should get you to the job you want. The decision is up to you, but certain schools consistently rank on the top-10 lists of best architecture schools. What are the top architecture schools in the United States? Which architecture program is the most respected? Which is the most innovative? Which schools have specialties, like landscape architecture or ecological architecture? What about interior design? Finding the best architecture school that will help you achieve your goals takes some consideration; you must do your homework to have the best experience. One consideration is how a program measures up compared with other schools. Every year, a number of research firms conduct extensive surveys and rank university architecture and design programs. It turns out that some of the same schools keep appearing on these lists year after year. Thats a good sign, meaning that their programs are stable and solid, with unwavering quality. Here is a discussion of what the best can offer. Americas Best Architecture and Design Schools Before you choose a visual arts career, consider the real-world aspects. All careers in the arts involve business and marketing, and most fields of study have specialties; everyones goal is to get a job. Architecture is a collaborative discipline, which means that what is called the built environment is created from the talents of many. At the center of all professional architecture study is the studio experience—an intense and collaborative practicum that makes obvious why becoming an architect cannot be a totally online learning experience. Fortunately, the best architecture and design schools in the U.S. are located from coast to coast and are a mix of private and public. Private schools are generally more expensive but have other advantages, including an endowment for scholarships. Public schools are a bargain, especially if you establish residency and qualify for the in-state tuition rate. The location of a school often informs the experience offered to the student. New York City schools such as Pratt Institute, Parsons New School, and Cooper Union have access to a variety of local talent as faculty, such as the Pulitzer Prize–winning architecture critic Paul Goldberger, as well as alumni who keep their bases in the city. For example, Annabelle Selldorf went to Pratt, and Elizabeth Diller attended Cooper Union. Certain schools have a rich and historically diverse backyard of local architecture and building techniques; think of adobe-related earth designs and processes in the American West. Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, offers insight on how communities can rebuild after devastating hurricanes. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pennsylvania claims to utilize the context of our dynamic, post-industrial city of Pittsburgh as a laboratory for inquiry and action. School size is also a consideration. Larger schools may offer more, although smaller schools may rotate their required courses over a number of years. Architecture is an inclusive discipline, so think about other courses offered by the university that support the school of architecture. What made architect Peter Eisenman successful is that he studied and made formal use of concepts from other fields, including linguistics, philosophy and mathematics, in his architectural designs. Although large universities that offer majors in many disciplines are not for everyone, they do offer a flexible variety of opportunities to meld the engineering with the art of architectural design. Specialties Do you want a professional or nonprofessional degree, a graduate or undergraduate degree, or a professional certificate in a field of study? Look for specialty programs and ongoing research that might interest you. Consider fields such as urban design, historic preservation, building sciences, or acoustic design.  Neri Oxman, associate professor of media arts and sciences, does astounding research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in a field she calls material ecology. Seek out  Middle Eastern architecture and culture, one of the Centers of Special Interest at the University of Oklahoma. Explore architectural engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder or the National Wind Institute at Texas Tech in Lubbock. The Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, calls itself the worlds leading center for lighting research and education, but at Parsons in New York City, you dont even need to study architecture for a degree in lighting design, but you can if you want to. Look for guidance on landscape architecture programs from the professional organization American Society of Landscape Architects; turn to the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) for better understanding the lighting design field; check out the Council for Interior Design Accreditation to explore that field. If youre unsure, attend an institution like the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to explore many different fields. Surround Yourself With Greatness Great institutes attract greatness. Architects Peter Eisenman and Robert A.M. Stern were both associated with Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut,  as students, Eisenman attended Cornell, and Stern studied at Columbia and Yale.  Frank Gehry went to the University of Southern California (USC) and Harvard University and has taught there as well as at Columbia and Yale. Japanese Pritzker Laureate Shigeru Ban studied at SCI-Arc with Frank Gehry and Thom Mayne before moving on to Cooper Union. Friedrich St. Florian, designer of the high-profile WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., spent decades teaching at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence. You may see Pritzker Laureate Thom Mayne or author  Witold Rybczynski walk the halls of the University of Pennsylvania School of Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, perhaps researching the archive collections of architects Anne Griswold Tyng, Louis I. Kahn, Robert Venturi, and Denise Scott Brown. Architects Toyo Ito, Jeanne Gang, and Greg Lynn have held positions as Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Pritzker Laureates Rem Koolhaas and Rafael Moneo also have taught at Harvard. Remember, too, that Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer both fled Nazi Germany to be taken in by Harvard Graduate School of Design, influencing the likes of students like I.M. Pei and Philip Johnson. The top schools attract top talent not only in teaching but also in the best students from around the world. You may be collaborating on a project with a future Pritzker Laureate or assisting a published scholar on getting the next Pulitzer Prize. Summary: The Best Architecture Schools in the U.S. Top 10 Private Schools Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Los Angeles, CAUniversity of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CARice University,  Houston, TX  Washington University, St. Louis, MOSyracuse University, Syracuse, NYCornell University, Ithaca, NYColumbia University, New York CityYale University, New Haven, CTHarvard University, Cambridge, MAMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA Top 10 Public Schools University of California–Berkeley, Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) are rocks of the California State University systemUniversity of Texas, Austin, TXIowa State University, Ames, IAUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MISchool of Architecture and Interior Design, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OHVirginia Tech, Blacksburg, VAUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VAAuburn University, Auburn, ALGeorgia Tech School of Architecture, Atlanta, GA Sources Tenure Track Faculty, Carnegie Mellon University, https://soa.cmu.edu/tenure-track-faculty/ [accessed March 13, 2018]Peter Eisenman is the First Gwathmey Professor, Yale News, https://news.yale.edu/2010/01/15/peter-eisenman-first-gwathmey-professor [accessed March 13, 2018]About LRC, http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/aboutUs/index.asp [accessed March 13, 2018]

Van Gogh And Warhol Post Impressionism And Pop Art

Paola Chacon Emil Bakalli HUA 101 December 9, 2014 Final Van Gogh and Andy Warhol Post-Impressionism and Pop Art There have been different art forms that have come and go over the course of time. Hence I will discuss, two significant movements like Post-impressionism and Pop art. Two important artists from these movements are, Vincent Van Gogh and Andy Warhol. There are many differences and very few similarities between these two movements and artists, although more differences. Van Gogh is one of the most captivating artists of post-impressionism. . Throughout his career Van Gogh has painted many works. One of those magnificent paintings is â€Å"Starry Night† by Vincent Van Gogh. In the other hand we will discuss one of the popular paintings â€Å" Gold Marilyn† by Andy Warhol. Warhol is also the most famous of the Pop Artists and played a major role in making the art movement popular. Post-impressionism and Pop Art resulted as an artistic reaction on both sides. Post-Impressionism groups diverse pictorial tendencies that arose in France surroundings to 1880-1905 like reaction to the impressionism. In the other hand pop art was an artistic reaction to abstract expressionism. It can seem surprising the fact that in so short space of time, as soon as a quarter of century, so many evolutions and involutions in the land of art have taken place, mainly considering that until second half of century XIX, the great periods (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque...) they included hundredsShow MoreRelatedThe Journey Of Postmodern Art1631 Words   |  7 PagesThe Journey to Postmodern Art The field of visual art is extremely broad, therefore art historians have been attempting to categorize it based on style, time of creation, and subject matter for centuries. Much like any other sociological aspect of life, the culture and time period in which it was made has a great impact on the artist which directly influences their art. Though art is and always has been a way for someone to express themselves, limitations from certain parties took some of that experienceRead MoreArt History Study Guide3003 Words   |  13 PagesDavid, Gerard –Flaying of the Corrupt Judge Sisammes * Memling, Hans –St. Ursula Reliquary * Sluter, Claus –Well of Moses * van Eyck, Jan –Ghent Altarpiece; Giovanni Arnolfini and his Bride (aka Arnolfini Wedding); Man in a Red Turban (self-portrait) * van der Goes, Hugo –Portinari Altarpiece * van der Weyden, Rogier –Deposition; Last Judgment Altarpiece; Portrait of a Lady * Germany * Schongauer, Martin –Temptation of St. Anthony

Political Culture Free Essays

â€Å"Drawing examples from any one Caribbean territory and using public opinion data from sources , to what extent is political culture less dependent on local culture as a result of recent technological developments. † Political culture is the particular set of orientations, beliefs, customs, and preconceptions which are shared by members of the society, which give meaning to their political process, and which provide the underlying assumptions that govern their political behaviour and public policies (Lawrence 6). On the other hand we have local culture, which Karen Lawrence describes as the history, family, politics, landscape, art, music and values and people melded into a sense of place that feels vibrant and cohesive and firmly rooted. We will write a custom essay sample on Political Culture or any similar topic only for you Order Now Local culture is where and how one is connected to life and each other; it is the collective memory of a community. What is technology might one ask? Technology is the use of tools or instruments for any human activity. These human activities can be production, storage, exchange, transportation or even consumption. It is the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life society and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial engineering,  applied  science,  and  pure science. Politics is an area which manifests may aspects of our culture and in these modern times, political culture in the Caribbean territory of Jamaica has become dependent on recent technological developments. Globalization is a process of interactions and integration among people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, as well as human physical well-being in societies around the world. Due to globalization, money, goods and manufacturing have become more mobile than they once were, and as a result corporations and businesses are allowed to finance, invest and move wherever they choose, they have a wider access to other countries across the world. There is a shift in the balance of power between international businesses and governments. National governments are less able to control the activities of mobile businesses than in the past, while corporations and financial institutions are in a better position to dictate to national governments. They do this by, purchasing the currencies of states whose policies they approve and abandoning, or threatening to abandon the rest. In 2003, Jamaica’s debt stood at $4. 4billion owing to the IMF, the debt required that 52 cents of every dollar earned goes for interest payments. By this time Jamaica had already paid back 17 times the amount of money originally borrowed. Farming and industry have been in crisis. There was a very high unemployment rate and there has been migration from the rural areas to Kingston, people in search of jobs and opportunities. There was an increase in crime and drug trade, which in turn have led to frequent police killings. Political violence and rioting has been seen in recent years. Responsible in part for this unrest and turmoil is globalization, ensnaring the country in enormous debt arranged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and other international lending agencies at high interest rates. â€Å"The structural adjustments that were imposed by the IMF had cause for an increase in interest rates to industry and farmers, so that they could no longer compete with the flood of subsidized or â€Å"dumped† foreign imports. These policies have driven down wages and forced the government to cut back funding for education, healthcare, and agricultural programs which benefit the poor (Harper 2003). † Again due to globalization there was civil unrest and mayhem in Jamaica. In 2009 there was an extradition request from the USA for Christopher â€Å"Dudus† Coke, a drug kingpin who enjoyed demigod status in the west Kingston stronghold of Tivoli Gardens. The United States wanted him for drug trafficking and gun trade. The then ruling party, the Jamaica Labour Party did not want to give up Mr. Coke, as he had close ties with the party. This included a construction company called Incomparable Enterprises, where Dudus was a partner, was awarded three government contracts by the JLP valued at $US 400 thousand, also a contract worth US $150,000 to transport materials to Riverton City landfill. Also the JLP was also responsible for campaigning and establishment of the â€Å"garrison† known as Tivoli. The USA said that they would cut all ties with Jamaica if Mr. Coke was not extradited. Jamaica depended on the US for money and imported products. Jamaica could not afford to lose America’s support, as so in turn, Dudus was extradited. This is a clear example of the influence of globalization. According to Alec Ross, one of the creators of technology policy for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, â€Å"We are well beyond being able to consider social media a fad. If you are not open to social media spaces then you are not attuned to the dynamics on the street and you sacrifice both understanding and power. The emergence of Social Media has caused for the political culture in Jamaica to be less dependent on local culture, due to this recent technological advancement. In 2007 statistics showed that 539. 543 per 1,000 people  in Jamaica used the internet, in 2005 3,042,000 people in Jamaica were telephone subscribers. Also in 2007 there were 2,700,000 mobile phone subscribers and 444. 079 per 1,000 people in Jamaica who had radios. In 2002, 70. 04% of households in Jamaica had televisions. These numbers are rising every year, with social media becoming more popular as the years go by. In Jamaica there are 7 local television channels; the two main local channels being CVM and TVJ (Gordon 89). These channels no longer focus on what is going on locally in the country or show many locally produced shows. The time slots for these stations are filled with American based television shows, cartoon and movies. The local news also doesn’t focus on what is happening in the country each day, but only gives us a brief overview and then skips to â€Å"international news† updating the public on what is happening in places such as USA, Canada, Asia and South America just to name a few. It is speculated that in Jamaica, the people know more about what is going on in America than they do about what is happening in their â€Å"own backyard. † In Jamaica during election time, the political parties use the media as a way to voice their opinions of the other parties and also articles and pictures are published in order to persuade voters to vote for a particular party or to persuade the public to vote in general. The media also helps with political socialization, this is the process by which people form their ideas about   politics and acquire political values, the two main political arties in Jamaica being the Jamaica Labour Party and the People’s National Party. Social media currently plays a huge part in the political culture of Jamaica. Jamaica tries to emulate the political culture of the United States of America that is using social media forums which include facebook and twitter as a way to promote political parties instead of sticking the usual me ans of newspapers and new channels. As technology develops, politics has to develop along with it. An example of this is seen by the creation of a facebook page called â€Å"Young Jamaica† which is an affiliate of the Jamaica Labour Party. The purpose of the page is to inform Jamaica’s youth about the JLP and to promote this party over the PNP. It encourages young Jamaicans to get enumerated and it also highlights the failures of the PNP and its members. Another example of social media forum is the seen by the creation of a facebook page called â€Å"Blame Bruce† which is an affiliate of the People’s National Party blaming past Prime Minister Bruce Golding for problems in Jamaica. There was also a â€Å"hashtag† on twitter called â€Å"Blame Bruce†. The Jamaican political culture is less dependent on the local culture. The most recent instance of the local culture being brought into politics was due to the Jamaica 50th celebration on August 6th 2012, Jamaica was an independent nation for 50 years. Due to technological developments, the political culture of Jamaica is less dependent on local culture. Globalization and Social media have had a huge effect on the political culture, as these seem to have more of an influence than the local culture. How to cite Political Culture, Essay examples

Improve Experience Of Average Consumer â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Improve Experience Of Average Consumer? Answer: Introduction Tata Motors has created a distinct name for itself in the arena of automotive manufacturing. It produces a vast range of products that includes that of cars, trucks, sports cars and vans. It is one of the top four vehicle brands that produces compact middle size cars. Tata motors manufactured Zest Sedan and it was initially launched in Nepal (Tata.com, 2017). It is highly popular among the urban population on account of the driving pleasure that it provides and top-grade performance. The sampling approach is effective that will throw light on the needs of the present age consumer and the new features that can be integrated into the current model will help to capture a large portion of market and make it an enviable product among a vast range of population. Target Market Alternative The interior of the car has been designed in such a manner that it will bear a stylish look. It has a distinct modern look that make it a hugely sought after product by the young urban population of the present times. They can use the car while going to the office or for short trips. Its sophisticated look draws the attention of a large number of young population who prefer this model as compared to other cars in the market. The design of the car exudes a classy feel and evokes a sense of agility. Its unique elements like sedan profile, wide front and sporty look caters it to the demands of the 21st century youth (Dawar and Arora 2016). After thorough testing and research, it has come out with the new refined revotron engine and has collaborated with pioneers like Bosch and Honeywell It has been built on the new design of Confident Dynamism (Jahanshani et al. 2014). The new product has been built after interaction with consultancies who have earned a name for itself in the internatio nal domain. It has a low friction crankcase that would minimize NVH. It has a high tech throttle experience that would minimize the discomfort caused by jerks and sudden jolts when one is traversing along a rough path. One will also get the opportunity to change between different modes of gear like Sport, City and Eco. (Nepal and Seshadrinathan 2014). It has undergone design optimization with the help of engine consultant AVL, Austria that has given rise to a silent engine that will satisfy the needs of the aged people who want comfort and relaxation while sitting in the car. It is now driven by wire experience that provides a pleasant experience and allows one to relax even while being on a bumpy road. Its electronic control unit enables it to have precise control. Its Quadrajet Diesel engine along with F-Tronic technology provides a gear shifting experience that is worthy of attention. With its new features it has drawn the attention of the elderly people whose comfort is their priority. Global Positioning Satellite System will be able to specify the exact location and give valuable directions at every level so that one can find way (Lim et al. 2015). It will thus help in guiding one to the nearby gas station or to any ATM. It will thus be of immense help for the girls who would feel safe while going out alone as they would be able to track their location very conveniently. Alternative Population Research Model Research population refers to a collection of individuals that is held as the primary focus related to the scientific enquiry. It helps in assessing the needs of the population and on the basis of the survey conducted a product is launched in the market that will be in line with the needs of the hour. The population was divided on the basis of gender- that of the male and the female population (Emmel 2013). It provided a generalized view and did not take into account the specific requirements in relation to different genders. An alternative way was devised on account of the previous over-defining the population that made it too small. A market that has been defined narrowly will fail to include the needs and aspirations of a vast gamut of population. It made the results biased hence an alternative method was devised. The segregation would be made on the basis of their age and not something general. A generalized point of view will overlook the individual differences and provide an outcome that will not cover the unique requirements of the population (Endsley 2016). A population parameter that was more sensible and take into account the physiology and life circumstances of the person should be framed. If a person was in the stage of retirement, then his specific age should be considered. A more operational definition will help in carrying out the research in an ideal manner and will take into account individual requirements. If a person is physically handicapped then he will need more space so that he can accommodate himself comfortably. Accordingly, the size of the car should be increased. Alternative way of Defining Sampling frame A sampling frame provides a source with the help of which a sample is made. It may include under its scope individuals or institution. A proper market research procedure should be implemented and analytics community can be of great help in preparing a sampling frame. Respondents volunteering their own participation in study was held to be the sampling frame. Such a survey method would be biased and would not cover all the aspects. Unrepresentative sampling can result in execution flaw. A pre survey can be carried out that will enable in building co-operation and communication. A post survey follow up will also reveal the loopholes and will help in determining whether a second survey was necessary(Levy and Lemeshow 2013). The foreign elements present in the frame were done away with since they are not a part of the population that is being studied. People who have moved away were not considered while devising the sampling frame as this will give rise to faulty outcome (Takeyasu 2013). Research done from inadequate population framing also provides erroneous outcomes which does not bear any fruitful results. Duplications should be removed from the sampling frame because they give rise to typographic errors. Units should be given different name to prevent any further confusion. When the smaller frames are merged then probability of unit selection can no longer be known (Palinkas et al.2015). Unit should not be selected more than a single time otherwise the accuracy of the result would be lost. A frame should be evaluated at the very outset because bad frame will adversely affect the estimates that will be produced at the conclusion. Sampling Approach for Zest Sedan A systematic statistical method was employed that made it possible to deduce the least number of samples that will be required in order to train the classifier. The classifier should have statistical stability in order to gauge a good classification accuracy. A statistical feature that is descriptive can be employed and contributing features can be selected by making use of C4.5 tree algorithm (Patel 2015). Hydraulic brake is crucial to automobile engineering and monitoring such a condition is of primary importance. It is central to safety of the passengers. Nowadays vibration based learning approach of machine is important for the monitoring in relation to hydraulic brake system (Pholdee, Bureerat and Y?ld?z 2017). The sampling should take into consideration this relevant aspect before reaching a solution. The sampling done should be based on sex and the marital status and the kind of family should also be considered while carrying out the sampling. Those who are in the government service and those who are in the private sectors should be sampled differently otherwise it will give rise to faulty results (Robinson 2014). The income of the respondents should also be considered. Questionnaire method should be implemented before finalizing the questionnaire, marketing experts as well as auto sector experts can be consulted in order to ascertain whether the procedures have been devised along the right lines (SHAH 2017). There should be a gap or time interval between the day when advice is imparted to the residents regarding the survey and when the questionnaires are distributed as this would enable the client to understand everything before giving their opinion (Stephany 2013). Conclusions: It can hence be concluded that the new zest sedan by Tata Motors serves the needs of all kind of population. Its unique elements like sedan profile, wide front and sporty look caters it to the demands of the 21st century youth. Its refined revotron engine enables the users to have a great experience on the road. Quadrajet Diesel engine along with F-Tronic technology provides a gear shifting experience that is of great convenience for the aged people (Sekar, Gowri and Ramya 2014). The physiology and life circumstances of the person should be considered while building the sampling frame. Operational definition will help in implementing effective research procedure. A post survey follow up will highlight the drawbacks of the research method. The foreign elements present in the frame should be eliminated as the results would otherwise be faulty. A statistical feature that is descriptive can be used successfully and new features can be devised on the lines of C4.5 tree algorithm (Schillin g and Neubauer 2017). References: Dawar, D. and Arora, S., 2016. Event Study on Stock Prices of Tata Motors-A Study on Launch of Zest.Wealth: International Journal of Money, Banking Finance,5(1). Emmel, N., 2013.Sampling and choosing cases in qualitative research: A realist approach. Sage. Endsley, M.R., 2016.Designing for situation awareness: An approach to user-centered design. CRC press. Jahanshani, A.A., Hajizadeh, G.M.A., Mirdhamadi, S.A., Nawaser, K. and Khaksar, S.M.S., 2014. Study the effects of customer service and product quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Levy, P.S. and Lemeshow, S., 2013.Sampling of populations: methods and applications. John Wiley Sons. Lim, D.J., Jahromi, S.R., Anderson, T.R. and Tudorie, A.A., 2015. Comparing technological advancement of hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) in different market segments.Technological Forecasting and Social Change,97, pp.140-153. Nepal, B. and Seshadrinathan, K.A., 2014, January. AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO OPTIMIZE DESIGN, MARKETING, AND MANUFACTURING OBJECTIVES DURING PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. InProceedings of the International Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management.(p. 1). American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM). Palinkas, L.A., Horwitz, S.M., Green, C.A., Wisdom, J.P., Duan, N. and Hoagwood, K., 2015. Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research.Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research,42(5), pp.533-544. Patel, K.J., 2015. A study of economic value added based performance measurement of selected automobile companies in India. Pholdee, N., Bureerat, S. and Y?ld?z, A.R., 2017. Hybrid real-code population-based incremental learning and differential evolution for many-objective optimisation of an automotive floor-frame.International Journal of Vehicle Design,73(1-3), pp.20-53. Robinson, O.C., 2014. Sampling in interview-based qualitative research: A theoretical and practical guide.Qualitative Research in Psychology,11(1), pp.25-41. Schilling, E.G. and Neubauer, D.V., 2017.Acceptance sampling in quality control. CRC Press. Sekar, M., Gowri, M.M. and Ramya, M.G., 2014. A Study on Capital Structure and Leverage of Tata Motors Limited: Its Role and Future Prospects.Procedia Economics and Finance,11, pp.445-458. SHAH, M.P., 2017, January. A STUDY ON CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT BRAND POSITIONING STRATEGIES IN INDIAN AUTOMOBILE SECTOR. InAcademic International Conference on Multidisciplinary Studies and Education(p. 42). Stephany, K., 2013.Each Day Is a New Creation: Guidelines on Living a Life of Purpose. Balboa Press. Takeyasu, K., 2013. Consumers Activities for Brand Selection?Questionnaire Investigation to Automobile Purchasing Case.Journal of Computations Modelling,3(2), pp.151-182. Tata.com (2017).Tata Motors unveils the all-new Zest and Bolt via @tatacompanies. [online] tata.com.

World Hunger Poverty Essay Example

World Hunger Poverty Essay World Hunger and Poverty Sara White I. Introduction: Statement of the issue to be discussed. World hunger and poverty concerns certainly are no new issues in our society. We often hear about people’s desire to solve world hunger, or to be able to feed the world and help alleviate the suffering associated with it. There are many organizations that collect money to help feed children and their families in poor, undeveloped countries. We are subjected to commercials on television that show us children all over the world that are suffering from hunger. We see their pain and our emotions take over; we then want to help feed the world by sending our monthly donation. How much more do we really think about the issue of world hunger after the commercial goes off? The United States is such a developed and plentiful nation, that it is so hard for me to imagine why are there so many hungry people still in the world today. There are many reasons we can think of why world hunger may exist, but poverty is the number one cause of hunger. Poor people cannot afford to buy food so they are the ones that suffer from hunger that leads to deficiencies, diseases, and death. People are not hungry because the population is growing so fast that food is becoming scarce, but simply because they cannot afford it. Food may be scarce, but it is international trade, economic policies and the control of land that have lead to immense poverty and hunger and therefore less access to food, not the growth in population leading to a lack of food. We will write a custom essay sample on World Hunger Poverty specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on World Hunger Poverty specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on World Hunger Poverty specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The majority of the world’s people and nations are in a state of poverty. Over 9 million people worldwide each year die from hunger and malnutrition. Over 5 million of those are children. So why are there so many people in poverty and starving today and what can be done to help overcome the situation? II. Description of more than one side of the issue supported by relevant and multiple sources of information. Poverty and hunger are a concern to many people in the United States and in other countries. It is hard to understand why there is still so much poverty and hunger in the world today with so many organizations trying to help fight it. I have defined some of the reasons why poverty and hunger still exist in our society today. In our society, food is seen as a commodity. Farmers are just like anyone else in business, they need to make a living, so they sell their product for money. Their crop is their livelihood so they cannot be expected to give it away. To the farmers growing the product, food is a commodity; they expect payment for the food they grow. We would not expect Old Navy to manufacture clothes, Reebok to manufacture sneakers, or Dell to provide computers for those people that do not earn enough money to pay for these items. (Shah, Anup, Causes of hunger). The issue of land rights and ownership is another reason that could contribute to poverty for non-land owners or ones that may be dictated to by the government exactly what they can plant on their land. The ones that own the land get to control what is grown on it and can get their share of the production through rent or crop. This can be extremely devastating to the farmer because it can keep him in poverty even though he is doing the work to grow the crop. This is especially a problem in third world countries because they are used to supply wealthier countries with cheap agricultural products. The wealthier countries are therefore controlling the fate of poverty in these other countries. If the workers in the less developed countries are not paid fairly they will continue in poverty. The wealthy are the ones with the power. Some wealthier countries have purchased land in poorer countries to grow produce but it is not to offer assistance for the poor but to retain their own food security. The wealthy are also the greedy ones. (Shah, Anup, Solving world hunger). The diversion of land that is used to grow non-productive crops is believed to be a contributor to poverty because this land could be used to grow more crops to help feed hungry people. Instead much land is used to grow non-productive crops such as cotton, sisal, flowers, tea, tobacco, sugar cane, and cocoa. These items can be profitable for farmers but take away from the food production. Also much farmland is used to grow grain to feed livestock. In a wealthy country, as the United States, beef is a big market, so half the water and half of the grain grown is used to feed the livestock. The grain would be much more beneficial for feeding humans and help to solve hunger, but wealthy people prefer meat and will continue to buy it as long as they can afford to. (Shah, Anup, Solving world hunger). The growing of crops for biofuels is often blamed for a food shortage that is also linked to the hunger problem. Even though using biofuels is a way to help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in our environment they may be harmful to our food and water supplies. Growing biofuels requires a lot of land and water. We already have a shortage of food and water so by diverting land use and our water supply to grow biofuels it is believed that this will lead to biofuels being the largest competitor of food causing an increase in global food prices. (France- Presse, Agence). The United States offers assistance to many countries in need of food through the design of four different programs. These programs offer assistance through donations and have certain guidelines that the recipient countries must adhere to including not being involved in any kind of civil or international conflict, have positive plans for freedom, political and civil rights, and objectives for sustainability. Food aid shows a good gesture in caring and helping the poor and hungry but food aid, when not for emergency relief, can actually be very destructive on the economy of the recipient nation and contribute to more hunger and poverty because they become dependent on it. USDA). Global change is still another reason blamed for lack of food. The frequent climate changes we have been experiencing and the expected effects from climate change in the future can have a large impact on crops. Scientists have predicted that due to global warming in our environment there will likely be more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, leading to an increase in pollution that can make our soil and water harmful. This wi ll lead to the impact it will have on crops and on animals that in turn have an impact on the food source for humans. With the climate change can bring more droughts, hurricanes, tornados, and other odd weather scenarios that can cause an in increase in hunger and poverty due to a poor crop yield. (U. S. Global Change Research Information Office). Some people believe that by increasing the food production through growing genetically modified foods that it is possible to produce enough food to feed the world. It is believed that by increasing the amount of crops grown on existing farmland it will help the farmers grow better crops and increase their income at the same time. This is believed to help feed the world and bring poor farmers out of poverty. (Balkin, Karen, pgs 189-194). These genetically modified crops are engineered in a laboratory to create rapidly growing plants that are drought resistant, produce their own pesticides, and can be produced to contain adequate nutrients needed for a healthy diet. This sounds like a great solution, however this process can be very lengthy and costly to start and the effects that these genetically grown plants will have on humans is unknown at this time. (Whitman, Deborah, B. ). III. Clear, concise statements of your position of the issue. I believe poverty mainly comes from poverty; the poor stay poor. The poor have no money to buy food and usually little or no resources in order to grow their own food so hunger is also caused by poverty. There are many other things that may contribute to the hunger and poverty situation, but when you start at the bottom it is hard for your situation to change without something drastic happening to help pull you above the poverty line. I believe that families try to pay first for their home, or place of shelter, and their utilities and use the remainder of their money, if there is any, to buy food. They buy the cheapest foods possible and usually do not get the correct nutrients they need in order to stay healthy. I believe that there must be a worldwide acceptance and implementation of food as a basic human right. It is my Christian belief that it is my responsibility to help others in need. People that have plenty and more than plenty should feel the need to share with others. I cannot imagine my children being hungry and no one helping me to get them food. I do believe that food aid is only a temporary solution though. I believe that education is definitely the answer to solving poverty and world hunger, especially, for third world countries, and in any place in the United States that does not have adequate food to feed their communities. I strongly believe the way to educate these people in poverty is through mission work. It is the best alternative rather than trying to get the government to give aid for supplies. The U. S. has given much food aid to other countries, but those countries need education on how to grow their own food so they can continue to eat. Many of those countries will need wells dug for them and someone to teach them farming techniques. These poverty-stricken countries will continue in poverty if they are not given the adequate supplies and skills needed in order to produce the food themselves. Tackling hunger by providing charitable food aid and increasing food production are just not the answers for solving either of these issues. Many people buy the cheapest foods possible in order to feed their families. This often results in foods that do not provide the nutrients and vitamins needed in order to keep them healthy. So, I believe we should also be conscious of the health care costs that arise due to malnutrition. In the United States this alone can raise health care costs tremendously. In many third world countries, health care is a luxury that would probably not even be available to the poor. If they cannot afford to buy food, they certainly could not afford health care. IV. Discussion of your position supported by relevant and multiple sources of information. Poverty is when someone lacks adequate income and lacks the resources and means of feeding their families and providing them with the basic human needs. Poverty can be contributed to by many different means but poverty is the number one reason of hunger. People simply cannot afford to purchase food and do not have the means to grow their own food. (World Hunger Education Services). Poverty is the ruin of the poor. (Life Application Study Bible, Proverbs 10:15) Being of Christian faith, I believe that the Bible is the word from God and that we should obey it. There are many passages in the Bible that give us guidance about helping those in hunger and poverty. In 2 Corinthians verse 9 and Proverbs 22:9, God talks about being a cheerful giver and by giving to the poor it is taking care of his people and the giver will be blessed for his generosity and compassion for the distribution of food and other resources. In Proverbs 31:9, he tells us to speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. In Psalms 37:25, he tells us yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. Psalms 26, They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. In Ezekiel 18:17, he talks about what a righteous man does, gives his food to the hungry and provides clothes for the naked. In Acts 9:26, it tells about Dorcas and how she made an enormous impact on her community by always doing good and helping the poor. We as Christians should obey Gods word and help those in hunger and poverty. Our help really can make a difference to these people. (Life Application Study Bible) Even in our Government, we have people that have shown faith by wanting to create programs for those in hunger and poverty based on Gods word. Former Senator of North Carolina, John Edwards, and current Senator of Kansas, Sam Brownback, both have shown a strong sense of compassion for the poverty-stricken. They both have made it known that by their faith they feel that Americans should focus on helping the poverty issue in desperate regions of the world. They have both sponsored programs that give second chances including educating people to help them rise above poverty. Edwards knew that Americans could unite in times of desperation when they showed compassion for the gulf coast community after being hit by Hurricane Katrina. His vision was to eliminate poverty within thirty years, but it could cost billions to do it. He stated, How we respond to the fact that millions among us live in poverty says everything about the character of America. Brownback is a strong supporter of a faith based program on rebuilding the culture and the family and believes in finding solutions for poverty for the dignity of the people. When we have people in our government that are believers in faith, I think it will help our country to help others. When we stop helping others and let them suffer from hunger and poverty, I believe it will be the demise of our wonderful country. (Roush, Margaret, pages 19-22). We know that our government offers many programs that help feed the hungry and try to administer solutions for poverty and hunger, but in many countries Americans are limited to what they can do to help. That is when missionaries can step in and offer solutions to the poor and hungry. Missionaries are able to teach people how to become more in dependent, teach farming techniques, and how to use the resources that are available to them. Missionaries can change the lives of people in poor third world countries by teaching them about God and this can change their outlook and attitudes and then help them gain a way out of poverty. When they are able to grow their own food, they will feel less dependent on other countries. (Anderson, Kerby). The effects of poverty and hunger on the health of people can be devastating. Malnutrition can lead to an increase in infections and common illnesses. It can also lead to high mortality rates in infants and impediments in development for children that lead to problems beyond food and income. The condition can affect generations of people in these communities. That is why it is so important to help get them educated about ways to become independent and not rely on other people to feed them. Once they are able to grow food to feed their families and make adequate income to live they can become a sustainable community. (Kates, Robert, W. ). V. Questions that have arisen as you researched the issues and information you need to understand this issue better. As I was researching hunger and poverty I came across a few topics that I had not thought of before. A global food crisis? It is quite unbelievable, yet scary, to think that we could actually ever experience a global food crisis, especially in the United States. I had believed that the food and hunger situation would get better with time, not worse. Since I have been researching I have discovered predictions on a food crisis in the near future, and which may have already begun. (The American Dream). I also discovered that scientific evidence shows that we need to commit more to sustainable farming methods, called agroecology. We need to support local farmers. I was beginning to believe that genetically modified foods were the best method of producing better food more quickly. (US Working Group on the Food Crisis). I also discovered that it is bad enough the amount of food that is wasted, but also what the environmental impacts are from food waste that can lead to harmful effects on the soil. Spoiled foods can create, methane, one of the most harmful greenhouse gases, that contributes to climate change. Food waste can also lead to an increase in our landfills, and an increase in trash delivery trucks that uses more gas and causes more pollution in our environments. Wasted food also means wasted water, chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides that was used to grow that product. I never imagined the impacts that wasted food had on our environment. We should definitely clean our plates! (CBC News). VI. Concise summary statement restating the issue, your position, and the essential evidence that supports your position. I believe there is hunger and poverty all around us. I believe that many people are truly concerned about people that are hungry and do contribute to different organizations to offer help, but I think very few really take the time to consider solutions to actually solving the problems. We do need and can appreciate the food aid that is offered to people in poverty but we can see that it is not the answer to solving the problem; it is only a temporary fix. We must work together to provide the people in need our support in educating them in sustainable farming methods so they may become independent in supporting their families with food and adequate incomes in order to live a healthy sustainable life. The more people we educate on sustainable farming methods, the more food there will be on our planet. I believe Christians should pray about the situation and do as much mission work as possible to help others in need. We should show compassion for those that are hungry and not able to purchase food for their families. I believe we should think more about the food we waste and the things we purchase, such as cigarettes, that are made from crops grown on land that could be used to grow food. We need to pull together so that we can try to prevent an unwanted food crisis in our environment. VII. Literature cited. 2011 World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics. World Hunger Education Services. 4 Nov. 2011. . Anderson, Kerby. World Hunger. Leadership University. 29 Oct. 2011. . Balkin, Karen. Poverty Opposing Viewpoints. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Can Sustainable Agriculture Feed the World?. US Working Group on the Food Crisis. 3 Nov. 2011. . Food Aid. United States Department of Agriculture. 26 Oct. 2011. 10 Nov. 2011. . Food Crisis 2011? 14 Disturbing Facts That Make You Wonder If The Coming Global Food Shortage Has Already Begun. The American Dream. 28 Oct. 2011. Food waste has environmental impact: scientists. CBC News. 25 Nov. 2009. 3 Nov. 2011. . France-Presse, Agence. Water for biofuels or food?. COSMOS Magazine. 17 Aug. 2007. 3 Nov. 2011. . Hunger Information. Freedom from Hunger. 2000. 29 Oct. 2011. . Kates, Robert W. CONSEQUENCES. U. S. Global Change Research Information Office. 1996. 25 Oct. 2011. . Life Application Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale Publishers, Inc. , 1991. Roush, Margaret. The Reference Shelf U. S. National Debate Topic 2009-2010 Social Services for the Poor. New York, NY: H. W. Wilson Company, 2009. Shah, Anup. Causes of Hunger are related to Poverty. Global Issues. 3 Oct. 2010. 20 Oct. 2011. . Shah, Anup. Solving World Hunger Means Solving World Poverty. Global Issues. 24 Oct. 2010. 20 Oct. 2011. . Whitman, Deborah B. Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful?. ProQuest. Apr. 2000. 3 Nov. 2011. .

Cuba, Battleground of Opposing Views essays

Cuba, Battleground of Opposing Views essays The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was one of the turning points of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. At that time the two superpowers came closest to war than they had ever been, most likely with nuclear weapons. The actual crisis started when on October 14th 1962, a U-2 airplane brought back pictures of medium-range missile bases that were under construction around San Cristobal, on the west of the island. What followed was a face-off between the leaders of the two superpowers, U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Kennedy reacted to the missile threat by imposing a naval blockade on Cub, preventing further missile deployment. The American blockade came into place on the morning of October 24th. With several Soviet ships approaching the blockade, there was great fear that if a ship did not halt, the U.S. battleships would have to be forced to fire and by doing this unleashing a nuclear war. Luckily the ships did stop or turn around. Matters got hectic once more when on October 27th an American U-2 was shot down by a SAM missile over Cuba and its pilot killed. Another American reconnaissance plane was hit by Cuban anti-aircraft guns, but it managed to fly home. If this plane had been shot down as well, the U.S. would probably have retaliated. But in the end neither leader wanted to engage in a nuclear war and a treaty was negotiated. This treaty stated that the Soviets would withdraw their missiles from Cuba if the Americans pledged not to invade Cuba. Part of the deal was also the removal of Soviet bombers from Cuba and the removal of the Jupiters from Turkey although not within any public deal. A potentially disastrous conflict was averted. In this paper I will try to explain what caused the Cuban Missile Crisis and why it was prevented. To do this I need to look at both Kennedys and Khrushchevs foreign policies. The task in our block book is entitled ...

Cats Cradle Reflection

Society makes something up and pretends it’s something it’s not. For instance, religion says it has all the answer, but when it is examined closer, nothing is really there. † Throughout Vonnegut’s book â€Å"Cat’s Cradle,† Jonah exposes many examples of why he does not believe in Christianity or any other religion besides the one religion he established, Bokononism. I personally see where Jonah is coming from, the fact that there are statements in the old testament that we do not follow even though they may be stated more that once. Although, there are a couple of things that I agree on with Jonah and Bokononism; I concur with Liana Price’s Essay on â€Å"Understanding Religion Through Cat’s Cradle. † As stated in Cat’s Cradle earlier in the book; the old testament states expectations for Christians that are not even being considered and people are living around these â€Å"rules. † Vonnegut himself is a Humanist; he is not sure of God’s existence but values life above all else. Even though he does state in his latest novel Timequake that people need religion as something to turn on for comfort and support. I agree on this statement, I believe that humans need someone to think about, talk to, and to unconsciously ask favors too. Atheists are people who do not believe in the existence of any divine beings. Even though this is supposed to be their actual belief they still swear to God. Which to me personally sounds like they need someone to blame for. There are many reasons why people don’t â€Å"believe† in any divine beings but unconsciously they somehow do. Newt’s father and brother serve as an example in this novel of the scientific views of religion. Which is surprising being that technically Newt’s father did invent the atomic bomb that killed thousands of people and he is referred as â€Å" so innocent he was practically a Jesus. † How in the world is a man who killed thousands referred to as Jesus when in reality Jesus was killed to save thousands? This is oxymoronic; which is one of the reasons on why I disagree with Cat’s Cradle. Julian who calls himself a Bokononist because he agrees that all religions are lies which is what Bokononism is. He fits as a Bokononist because he recognizes that the need for religion is necessary to make someone feel better whether it is scientific, truthful or not. Ice Nine is a method of being able to freeze all bodies of water which are oceans , lakes, rivers, etc. Ice Nine was invented by Felix Hoenikker and his invention also has effect on humans. As soon as it touches human skin or has contact with the inside of the body all blood turns into ice and the person dies instantaneously. Bokonon gets trapped by the people of San Lorenzo and they tell him what God has done and ask what they should do. Bokonon wanting the easy way out, tells the people that God was surely trying to kill them. Bokonon wanted to give them a simple way out so he told them to touch the Ice Nine and their blood froze and they instantaneously died. Although, Bokonon being a genius himself did not take his own advice, because he knew it was worthless. Overall, Vonnegut is a great writer and can express himself in a very unique way that I admire. Although I do disagree with his book Cat’s Cradle. Bokononism is the religion of the belief that all religions are based on lies and people don’t need God. The people of San Lorenzo were targeted to become Bokononists and practice Bokonon’s beliefs. They ended up losing their lives because they believed that God was trying to kill them. I agree with most of the reflection of Liana Price about Bokononism.

Symbolism or Theme of the Story of Peter Pan Research Paper

Symbolism or Theme of the Story of Peter Pan - Research Paper Example The essay hereby aims to discuss the various symbolisms used in the story: ranging from the shadow, the manifestation of illusion, the kiss, acorn, crocodile, ticking clock and childhood. There are diverse forms of symbolism in the story. There is initially the shadow – the cause of Peter Pan’s sadness in trying to catch it and to have it reunited to himself. The shadow has been known to symbolize mystery and it cannot be seen without a form of illumination. It could also be interpreted as an alter ego: something integral to oneself that could exemplify characteristics and traits that parallel exactly one’s identity; but when viewed more closely, from an illumined wall or blank space, it could reflect an exact opposite of oneself. For Peter Pan, the shadow could symbolize escaping from fantasy into reality: from a magical world at Neverland, to the real world where children grow old. As such, Peter Pan’s sadness of losing it and trying to catch it manifest s his desire to remain eternally young and to live forever in a land of adventure and magic. By Wendy’s being able to catch it and tie it to Peter Pan by sewing the shadow to him, Wendy established a strong bond of attachment which assisted in regaining Peter Pan’s embodiment of freedom, youth, vitality, and carefreeness. Another symbolism was Peter Pan’s indication that he should not be touched. It indicates that Peter Pan was elusive and seems like just an illusion to many. As emphasized by Bjornsdottir, â€Å"not being able to touch him is a confirmation that he is an idea or concept and does not really exist† (12). This symbolism was also stressed in the message that indicates adults could not see him, as cited: â€Å"In his author’s comments he writes: â€Å"You can’t see Peter if you are old. They think he is a draught at the corner† (5.2 151). The comment refers to the people in the street who are too old to see Peter as he ho vers above it at Wendy’s window† (Bjornsdottir 14). The symbol of illusion persisted throughout the story as indicative of Peter Pan’s supposed magical persona which the author could have intended to remain the ultimate mystery in the main character’s identity: fleeting, elusive, dreamlike. Furthermore, there is symbolism in the kiss that was supposedly given to Wendy. According to Linwood, â€Å"the kiss represents not only Wendy's affection for Peter and her maturity beyond his, but also her compassion towards Peter in his moment of weakness. In exchange, Peter gives her an acorn† (par. 4). The acorn again is another symbol for strength and a token of appreciation for Wendy’s assisting him in catching his shadow. As a result, it was instrumental in saving Wendy’s life when it was disclosed that â€Å"the acorn on the chain around her neck, stops the arrow which Tootles fired at her on Tinkerbell’s command† (Linwood par. 5). Through the kiss which symbolized their affection for each other, it was revealed in further stories about Wendy when she eventually became old that despite aging, she could still apparently see him as he tries to visit Wendy’s grandchildren. In another scene, there is also symbolism in the crocodile that apparently ate Hook’s arm when Peter Pan supposedly cut it off in one of their previous encounters. The crocodile symbolizes death. It was reported to be following Hook ever since his arm was eaten by this

Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Teenagers Research Paper

Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Teenagers - Research Paper Example Some researchers have maintained that in the society, the percentage of cutters and percentage of individuals with eating disorders are similar. Compared with non-mutilators, self-mutilating teenagers were significantly more likely to have an eating disorder, and about 61% of the self-injurers may report current or past eating disorders. In a study of 2525 Australian teenagers Patton et al. (1997) found psychiatric comorbidity to be the clearest factor associated with extreme dieting with 62% of extreme dieters reporting high levels of both anxiety and depression. With the literature demonstrating evident relationships between these three disorders, namely, cutting behaviour, eating disorders, and alcohol and drug abuse, it appears these are comorbid conditions which originate early on life. If the parameters of these conditions and their interrelationships can be elucidated through the literature, this would enhance knowledge about these conditions. This enhanced knowledge can be then used in the school programmes directed to the teenagers, where the counsellors and teachers can make use of this information through specially designed training programmes for support in dealing with these issues in their students. Aim The aim of the study is to explore the comorbidity of three classes of self-harm within teenagers: cutting behavior, eating disorders, and alcohol and/or drug abuse. As a result of the study, develop a training program for school counselors and teachers to utilize for support in dealing with these issues. Objectives Identify the relationship between cutting behaviour, eating disorders and alcohol/drug abuse. Increase awareness and understanding between the relationship between cutting behaviour, eating disorders and alcohol/drug abuse. Develop an innovative training program with the aim of improving client outcomes. Evaluate the effectiveness of school counselors as a method of support to those who self harm and have eating disorders. Review of Literature Strategy Methodology is important to fill in the intellectual vacuum that may be associated with a research question, and therefore, there is a need to pinpoint the context of a research within the existing knowledge base. Since there is a considerable body of existing literature depicting the studies in several areas of science and practice, while performing a literature review, it is pertinent and important to perform the review in a systematic

How health care has changed Essay Example for Free

How health care has changed Essay With about 10 years of experience, as a secretary, in healthcare industry, I’ve noticed a multitude of changes within the medical field. On many levels, the medical system has changed, from paper charts to computerized patient files, the way prescriptions are handled and distributed, to file and/or medical documentation; even the paging method has found its place in a new technical era. Email, and employee intranet, has made communication between employers and employees, department to department, even employee to employee much easier and effective. The only thing that hasn’t made too much of a noticeable change is the employee time clock, and even that has managed to find itself an upgrade. Nonetheless, a host of inevitable changes, given the social status of technology, and the best service available by healthcare standards and expectations, it’s easy to see where the future of healthcare and technology lie. Given the past 10 years, technology has gained its own credit in the advancement of the medical industry. Robots have become the gateway to a better healthcare. I feel that within the next 10 years, we’ll begin to see a great deal of technical influence. In a field, where there are already advancements in technology, and its uses, it is fair to say that we could gradually become an almost ‘hands free’ industry. Medical advancements, in general, seem to have been primarily in the use of technology, and/or going green. Therefore the next 10 years, may still prove to be a breeze for the development of a relationship between medicine and technology. Even from my position, the change has been constant and obvious. Having been a secretary, since high school, I am currently in pursuit of my associates in medical administrations. My contribution to the industry has always come through my capabilities with a computer, and over the phone. Staying technically savvy, certainly is carrying its perks in weight with me. Within my experience, the secretary is the ‘go to’ person to get something to work proper y, or for better understanding of a technical meltdown, and if not the person to fix it, certainly the person to find the one who can. From nurses, doctors, patients, and parents, the secretary is the most knowledgeable resource, with a friendly face. As secretaries, we practically hold the key within the medical field. Always there to offer a helping hand, we operate behind the scene in some cases, having my own experience of pulling off many last minutes miracles. In medical terms, we’re essentially the central nervous systems of any and many departments operations. Though, now, being on my path to higher learning, in addition to, my contributions are becoming much greater, and giving my future the fuel to go much further. Like many jobs, the growth of change is inevitable, so to make sure this change is effective; insuring that employees are kept up to date with the latest in changes, adjustments, and updates is key. Having worked within the healthcare industry, I’m aware of the time and efforts invested into insuring that their employees are knowledgeable and capable of managing through company changes. I’ve had the opportunity to take a course or two, in order to insure I’m working at my fullest potent; cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses, to employee safety/self defense classes, system program changes, and new program usage. With my efforts, and the aid of my employers, my skills will remain polished and productive. Putting forth my best efforts and keeping the thirst for being successful in all my endeavors, along with the assistance provided through my employer; I will always be able and capable to perform all duties expected of me. With the growth of the medical industry, its employees have to be resourceful and reliable. Furthermore, within this growth, my perceptions haven’t changed, more they’ve evolved. The time within my courses have given me the opportunity to research and better understand the work and efforts that go into running a successful medical establishment. Watching the change over the past decade, leaves me no choice, and certainly gives me the advantage at being a highly adaptable candidate within my position. Growing with the industry, as a secretary I’ve learned so much, and watched a lot change for the better. In turn, my perceptions remain optimistic about the direction myself and healthcare or headed in. In a nutshell, any perception of an ever changing industry is certain to change. In any case, healthcare is changing for the better and the sake of providing the best, quickest, most effective ways to treatment and cure. In a sense, this change is creating a glimpse in the future of healthcare along with its and human longevity. With the healthcare industry taking on the demands of a modern day society, technology has a great deal to do with its future. Technology is set to play such a huge role in the development of healthcare. With the demands on the healthcare industry to offer the most effective methods of diagnosis, and treatments, along with healing time, the approach to technical advances are highly beneficial. Androids that perform, and aid in performing surgeries, the development in medical equipment and their advances/upgrades, the renewal of how patient charts are stored are all evolving, along with many more aspects of the medical industry. Leaving such a wide variety of development in just about every department, looking into the next 10 years of medicine vs. technology, the combinations are endless and sure to be exceptional. Though, with any development and need for change, there’s a cost to be paid. Given the state of a slowly stabilizing economy, the future of all the developments depends on the availability of funds, and people in need of care. Though, very beneficial, the cost of accurate medical attention can come at a higher cost, and at a time when finances are scarious and rising, some are unable to afford the best in healthcare. With the benefits of insurance, there is still only so much that can be covered.

Female Body Image and the Mass Media :: Womens Body Image

Perhaps no time in history have body image standards had such an enormous impact on society. With today’s mass media people can be subjected to thousands of images and messages daily, portraying the â€Å"ideal† body image. The people most often portrayed and effected by these messages are young women. Females can feel constant pressure to live up to these ideals which are most often unattainable. This pressure can cause detrimental physical and mental states. To fully understand this problem we must first ask ourselves, â€Å"Why?† Why has the female body been pushed to the forefront of society and media? It is undeniable that it is merely a marketing ploy. The beauty sector is a multibillion dollar a year industry. Companies such as Revlon, Cover Girl, Maybelline, L’Oreal insist that girls must look a certain way if they want to be anything. These corporations are only concerned with the bottom line. They take no responsibility for the negative image that they portray, in fact, that is what they thrive on. The worse self-image a woman has, the more beauty products she will buy to try and â€Å"improve† her looks. And there is no better way to make her think she is ugly than to subject her to thousands of unrealistic, airbrushed pictures of models to compare herself to. This way of thinking is further drilled into the female mind through women’s magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue and so on. Never do you find an article entitled â€Å"Big is Beautiful†. More often you will find â€Å"How to lose 20 lb.. so your man will love you!† sprawled across the cover of the latest issue. Occasionally magazines will run a heart touching article about an ex-models fight with bulimia. They will often forget to mention, however, that the same model was portrayed as the pinnacle of health and beauty on the cover of last years April issue. The beauty industry and magazines are not the sole cause of the problem though, there is plenty of blame to go around. And so we look to Hollywood. The cardinal rule in movies and television: sex sells. When you tune into to watch Friends on Thursday night you will not see one leading lady (or any ladies for that matter) with a waist over size six. The only â€Å"imperfect† characters in the show are the â€Å"fat ugly guy and fat ugly lady† who live across the street and are the objects of constant ridicule.

Masters of public health revised

For more than twenty years, I have worked as a dental surgeon in the Armed Forces of Pakistan.   I have spent a great part of my professional life as a dental practitioner in some of the most challenging circumstances while working with extremely basic facilities at a community level.   I have also served a diversified group of people regardless of their socio-economic status.   Since HIV and hepatitis are highly communicable diseases that can be acquired through dental treatment and related procedures, I have created public awareness about its prevention through information dissemination by means of conducting lectures, video films and posters. I have also provided information about the dental health status of the population and the inequities in health program.   In addition, I have shared my knowledge about the determinants of health and illness, strategies for health promotion, injury prevention, health protection and the factors that influence the delivery and use of health services.   I was also tasked to carry out a regular annual oral dental inspection at various community levels.   I assessed all the information that was gathered and prepared budgets, reports and recommendations for policy and program development.   These efforts led to the development of a school dental program in Pakistan. I completed my dental studies in the prestigious, de’Montmorency College of Dentistry in Pakistan.   This is a high profiled and oldest dental college in my country.   My interest in the field of public health stems from the dental services that I have done for over two decades while serving the Armed Forces of Pakistan.   This job allowed me to focus on the treatment of dental ailments as well as on the prevention of dental diseases, related infectious and communicable diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. The growing demand of my family did not enable me to perform tours of duty out side of my home city, Karachi.   Hence, I decided to take an early retirement from the Armed Forces of Pakistan.   Then, I worked in various medical centers and provided dental services to the Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation (P.T.C.L.) employees and their dependents.     P.T.C.L. at that time was a state run Telecommunication company employing over 60,000 employees.   Recently I also did volunteer work as a trainor for the Kitchner  and Waterloo Sexual Assault Support Center. Pursuing a Masters degree in Public Health is in line with my long term career goal of  moving towards a managerial and  strategic role in health care provision.   I believe  that with the knowledge and exposure that I will learn in the University of Waterloo will enhance my skills as a dental surgeon and will provide me with a better grasp on the issues related to public health and disease prevention for a larger population. Now that I have migrated in Canada, I would like to be an effective public health professional and achieve the health goals set forth by the Canadian health services.   I also intend to conduct a study that will lead to the improvement of health and development of the population-based prevention programs. After successfully raising two intelligent and gifted children who are independently pursuing their college education and being a dedicated mother and a daughter and a happily married spouse for twenty years, I am now more focused and prepared to pursue a life long dream of earning a Masters degree in Public Health from a prestigious university. I believe in the saying of C. Everett Koop that â€Å"health care matters to all of us some of the time, public health matters to all of us all of the time†.   With my passion, dedication and drive in achieving my goals, I will be able to complete my graduate program in the University of Waterloo and contribute to the disease control and prevention program of my community.   

Optimizing Pilot Planning and Training for Continental Airlines

Optimizing Pilot Planning and Training for Continental Airlines Summary Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline based on passenger volume in United States. It provides over 1,100 daily flight services to five continents. Effective manpower planning is a key component for the success of Continental Airlines. It is essential for Airline Company to adjust its need for pilots constantly in different position in response to new market opportunities, changing passenger demand, acquisition and retirement of aircraft and training resources and evolving economic conditions.Therefore, the company collected information from several separate database systems and built the training plans by using spreadsheet. However, this development method was time consuming and complicated and the database used was not capable for training plan as it was used for more 10 years. In order for solving the complicated, large-scale pilot planning and training program and increasing the competitive advanta ge in air transportation market, Continental Airlines replaced the old database system and spreadsheets by the Crew Resource-Solver integrated decision-support system.It includes four main modules to handle staffing, vacation, planning and training. The staff-administration module and vacation-administration module maintain crew records including all current and past assignments, absences and training while the planning-optimization module and training optimization module provides information of pilot-planning and training functions (Yu, Pachon, Thengvall, Chandler and Wilson 2004). Generally, Continental Airlines uses system bid award to determine the needs of staff changing to different positions and handle the pilots’ requests to change positions.It mainly uses seniority-based rules for decision making. In an average system bid award, 15 to 20 percent of the airline’s pilots receive new positions. As long with system bid award, the Crew Resource-Solver system can bu ild the training program that establishes the timing of training, advancements, releases, and new pilot hires. The Crew Resource-Solver system includes two phase to solve the pilot training problem. The pilot-transitioning phase determines the timing of pilot transitions by using limited information about training capacities to restrict the number of pilots assigned to training.The training-class-scheduling phase produces the detailed training schedule taking as input the solution from the pilot transitioning phase. As a result, the training program contains a set of detailed training schedules including all training events for each student and each training resource. The training program must satisfy all the constraints set by Continental Airlines such as pilots training will not be assigned during their vacations and other scheduled absences. Planners are able to use system to customize the training plans by changing the objectives and options (Verbeek 1991).Analysis The main obje ctives of the Crew Resource-Solver system are: 1. The improvement of the efficiency of the training programs 2. The forecast of future airline pilots’ needs 3. The maximization of the cost savings There are a number of advantages in using the Crew-Resource Solver system. First, the system improves the airline’s processes by enhancing information sharing within the organization and by simplifying system maintenance. Second, the system enhances data integrity by eliminating duplicate data storage and automating processes.Third, the system saves time compared to the old manual approach as it can produce a complete, optimized training plan that includes both the pilot transitions and the training class schedules within an hour (Yu et al 2004). Moreover, the system increases the flexibility of the training program as it is able to customize by adjusting objectives and setting options. The Crew-Resource Solver system provides an optimal set of components that can satisfy all training program requirements. However, there are several limitations to the Crew-Resource Solver system.First, the training program constraint is based on the traditional training plan which highlights the inherent weakness of any optimization model as it relies upon sound data for accurate outputs (Sarker 2008, p. 5). Second, the potential sources of savings vary depending on different system bids. It is the fact that a bid will have no cost components associated with those activities when it is no required on new hires and pilot releases. Third, even using the system, there is a trade-off between block-hour shortages and other costs on the training plans.Therefore, when block-hour shortages cost increases, the training cost will decrease, vice versa. It is unable to decrease both block-hour shortages cost and training costs together. Finally, the final decision of the training program is not automated and requires management to select the best option for each training program. R esult The Crew Resource-Solver system is an important investment of Continental Airlines to upgrade the management of manpower-planning needs by resource optimization and operation and financial performance improvement.Based on the evidence given in the article, the Crew-Resource Solver integrated decision-support system is a successful program for Continental Airlines to achieve its above objectives. First, there are three ways for the cost savings. Training classes’ schedules become more efficiently and the number of pilots sending to training decrease. Second, there is reduction in pay-protection costs as promoting pilots in new positions in seniority order.Third, it reduces payroll costs because the system can provide the optimized training plans which can use exiting pilots more efficiently and reduce the chances to hire new pilots. In fact, many recommendations derived from the Crew Resource-Solver integrated decision-support system have already been applied and have he lped Continental Airlines to save approximately $10 million each year. Second, the integrated system have focused process improvement and improved data integrity, and it is easier to maintain than the numerous legacy systems and spreadsheet application it replaced (Yu et al 2004).References Sarker, R & Newton, C 2008, Optimization Modelling: A Practical Approach, CRC Press, Florida. Verbeek, P. (1991) Decision support systems – An Application in strategic manpower planning of airline pilots. Eur. J. Oper. Res. (55)3, 368-381 Yu, G. , Pachon, J. , Thengvall, B. , Chandler, D. & Wilson, A. (2004) Optimizing Pilot Planning and Training for Continental Airlines. Interfaces, Vol. 34, No. 4, July-August, p. 253-264

Caribian Crisis Essays - CubaUnited States Relations, Fidel Castro

Caribian Crisis Essays - CubaUnited States Relations, Fidel Castro Caribian Crisis Outline A. Introduction 1. Topic 2. Topic question - Give evidence - Give examples of other ideas 3. Thesis B. Batista/Castro Government 1. Before Castros reign - conservative at first - turned communist 2. USSR stayed ally with Castro C. U-2 Spy Plane Incident 1. Francis Gary Powers - USAs excuse - 1958 incident 2. Note to the US government - air space violation - Cuba 90 miles off the cost of Florida 3. Rejection of open skies proposal - Eisenhower left for the summit conference - no more U2 flights over the USSR 4. Powers tried and convicted of espionage by the supreme court of the USSR - Castro seized all American-owned properties - oil refineries - sugar mills - electric utilities - USA very angry D. Summary of The Inspector General's Survey of The Cuban Operation 1. Freedom of Information Act to the National Security Archives -group that publishes declassified government documents -the porpoise of document 2. A Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime - Cuban exile organization - propaganda offense - clandestine intelligence - paramilitary force E. The CIA's Plan of Invasion 1. The bay of Pigs - Cuban exile organization - propaganda offense - clandestine intelligence - paramilitary force 2. Budget approved - Political action - propaganda - paramilitary - intelligence collection F. What Went Wrong In The Bay of Pigs Invasion 1. The actual Plan 2. The Inspector Generals conclusions - The Central Intelligence Agency - failures with the project and agency G. What Actually Happened In The Bay of Pigs Invasion H. Conclusion The invasion at the Bay of Pigs has raised many questions and many interesting things have come out of it. What people want to know is, why it happened, or what caused it, but the most important question that is not commonly asked is what was the main affect of the invasion? Some say that the affects are not many. People believed for a while that there was no way that the united states could suffer from the invasion on Cuba, they were wrong. The main affect was that Cuban leaders feared another direct US invasion, and so they allowed the USSR to place nuclear missiles in Cuba, aimed at the United States, this is called the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union offered military aid to Cuba, and Cuba agreed to let the Soviet Union send missiles and materials to build launch sites. In October 1962, the United States learned that Cuba had nuclear missiles in place that could be launched toward American cities. President John F. Kennedy ordered a naval blockade to halt the further shipment of arms. He demanded that the Soviet Union remove all missiles from the island and dismantle the remaining missile bases. For several days, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. Finally, the Soviet Union removed the weapons under protest from Castro. The Soviet action came after Kennedy privately agreed not to invade Cuba. Kennedy also agreed to remove U.S. nuclear missiles from Turkey, which the Soviets considered to be a threat. All because of the invasion on Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. Fulgencio Batista y Zaldvar became the dictator of Cuba in 1952. The United States had been kind to Batista. Shortly after, Fidel Castro, became the leader of an underground antigovernment group. After leading several failed uprisings, and being arrested for leading those revolts, Castro finally lead a successful rebellion against Batista. In 1959, Castro became the Premier. At first, Castro was very conservative, but after he realized how much power he had gained, he started abusing it, being very hostile to both the Cuban people, and the United States. The United States, who had been very good to Cuba, but the U.S. started to get angry when, in 1960, Castro seized American oil refineries, sugar mills, and electric utilities. In the early 60s, he also started to welcome communism and formed close ties with the USSR. In 1959, when Castro became premier, the Central Intelligence Agency, (CIA) started planning an invasion near Guantnamo Bay, a US naval base in Cuba, in the Bay of Pigs, in southern Cuba. The CIA set up a small sub-organization with the sole purpose of planning the invasion. Despite the propaganda, intelligence planning, counter intelligence planning, and paramilitary planning, the mission still failed. In February 1962, the Inspector General wrote a document called The Inspector General's Survey of the Cuban Operation. This was deemed top secret until 1997. Inside it tells many reasons for the failure. Why didn't the CIA think of these problems ahead of time? Before Castro's reign over Cuba, a man named Fulgencio Batista y Zaldvar was the Premier from 1952 to

Clinical Trials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Clinical Trials - Essay Example Schedule 1 (Regulation 2[1]) Part 1 of the Regulations specifies the application and interpretation of the conditions and principles of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and also refers to the Declaration of Helsinki adopted by the World Medical Association (WMA) in June 1964. Part 2 of this schedule in the Regulation states the principles and conditions that apply to all clinical trials and that are based on the principles of ICH GCP, whilst Part 5 specifies the conditions and principles which apply in relation to an incapacitated adult (Statutory Instrument 2004). "A process by which a subject voluntarily confirms his or her willingness to participate in a particular trial, after having been informed of all aspects of the trial that are relevant to the subject's decision to participate. Informed consent is documented by means of a written, signed, and dated informed consent form." As the patients will be unconscious in this trial they will be considered to be physically incapacitated adults under the governing Regulations, and therefore unable to give informed consent. First of all informed consent in this group of subjects can only be considered if the subjects are able to benefit from research that can improve their condition.

Beverly Daniel Tatums Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in Essay

Beverly Daniel Tatums Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria - Essay Example The paper under consideration presents the analysis of Beverly Daniel Tatum’s â€Å"Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria†. The core of the paper is to determine the nature of racism and show Tatum’s main point view on racial segregation and African-American isolation. Through the article, she attempts to highlight how racism has developed in the African American population through constant analysis and comparison to other ethnic groups and why this phenomenon occurs. The rhetorical strategies used are not expressed effectively, as the majority of the assessments of modern black racism are speculatory and often based on personal judgment without adequate justification for opinion. Introduction Beverly Daniel Tatum’s â€Å"Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria† is an exploration of racism as it pertains to black youths and the role of racism as compared to the White dominant social norm. Tatum attempts to illustrate the phenomenon of why racially-similar groups, especially African Americans, tend to remain segregated in same-race groups without inter-mingling in the social environment. Through the article, she attempts to highlight how racism has developed in the African American population through constant analysis and comparison to other ethnic groups and why this phenomenon occurs. ... Tatum believes that her definition of racism is â€Å"a system involving cultural messages and institutional policies and practices as well as the beliefs and actions of individuals’’ (Tatum, 7). Here, Tatum attempts to create an appeal to pathos by further highlighting her own credibility related to her own sociology knowledge, but it too is ineffective since the author does not explore the issue further using concrete information from reputable sociological or political science data sources. The author is, instead, creating a sense of bias in the process, somewhat over-analyzing the actual realities of lifestyle with each ethnic group. Rather, Tatum manages, it seems, to simply assume certain sociological characteristics about White groups or African-American groups and therefore does not manage to instill a sense of integrity or knowledge-based authority when making her argument about the phenomenon of group-oriented ethnic segregation and prejudice. Tatum’s ethos arguments, in an attempt to appeal to the readers’ emotions, also does not do a significant job of instilling sympathy for the plight of African-Americans in today’s society. Tatum suggests that this segregation occurring is a product of White privilege and therefore receive preferential treatment in all elements of society. A reputable educator from the Philadelphia school district believes this also, offering that this is a hypocritical form of reasoning (Paslay, 3). Tatum’s attempt to instill compassion and condolence for the state of African-American isolation from the rest of society simply does not achieve its intended ethos results as it, again, illustrates that

CV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

CV - Essay Example I now know that architecture is what I was born to do, and I will pursue this goal wherever it takes me. My educational achievements, along with extracurricular activities, prove that I am a committed and hard-working person in all aspects of my life. I had the privilege of studying at Kingston University in London due to the generosity of the Saudi Arabian government, which gave me a full scholarship. During my training experiences, I was able to get along with my co-workers and learn how to fit into a team. The specific activities that I had the opportunity to perform include model making and sketching. When I received training at Retaj Consulting & Engineering last summer, I interned in the architectural department. Please refer to my resume for more information and do not hesitate to contact me if there is anything that you would like to discuss with me. Thank you for taking the time to consider my application and I look forward to hearing your response

Students’ fitness and their academic achievement Essay Example for Free

Students’ fitness and their academic achievement Essay Running Head: Discussion Investigations into the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness have produced mixed results. Weber (1983) correlated fitness, using the Iowa Physical Proficiency Profile (including sit-ups, pull-ups, running), to entrance exam scores and grade point averages for 246 male college students. Fitness level had a significant positive relationship with grade point average (r = . 41), but did not relate to performance scores on entrance exams. Hart and Shay (1994) examined mathematics and verbal SAT scores and the Physical Fitness Index in 60 college women. When the relationships between verbal scores and mathematics scores and fitness index were examined, the r values were . 068 and . 146, respectively, although neither was significant at the . 05 level. A battery of fitness tests (e. g. , flexed arm hang, curl-ups, and step test) were administered to 827 female freshmen and subjects were placed in one of three categories of fitness: high, fair or poor (Arnett, 1988). Arnett (1988) found significant differences in grade point average between the groups, with participants with higher fitness levels having higher GPAs. Using various academic measures and fitness measures on school-aged children, studies have also resulted in inconsistent findings. Clarke and Jarman (1991), examining 217 boys (aged 9, 12 and 15), found that there was a consistent, and for some fitness measures, a significant tendency for the students in the high fitness group to have higher means on both standard achievement tests and grade point average. Current studies have used standardized achievement and fitness tests as measures. A study involving 1,767 students in second, fourth and sixth grades examined the relationship between performance on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Test for Reading, Mathematics and Career Education and performance on a variety of physical fitness tests from the Minnesota Performance Test, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) Health Related Physical Fitness Tests, and the Texas Physical Fitness-Motor Ability Test (Harris Jones, 1982). For the boys and girls, multiple regression analysis demonstrated a low, but significant, relationship between reading and mathematics ability and the combination of eight motor performance measures examined, five of which were fitness measures. Winn (1993) studied 302 fourth and fifth grade children and examined the relationship between scores on the California Test of Basic Skills (reading, mathematics) and performance on the AAHPERD Presidents Challenge. Using national norms, total fitness and total academic achievement scores were determined. The overall correlation between the total scores was . 213. When each test item was correlated with scores in each of reading, mathematics and language, the correlations ranged from . 043 to . 462, although none of the correlations were significant at the . 05 level. An examination of 7,961 youngsters from 7 to 15 years of age in Australia was conducted by Dwyer, Sallis, Blizzard, Lazarus and Dean (2001). School ratings of scholastic ability were compared with performance on a variety of fitness measures including sit-ups, push-ups, and a 1.6 kilometer run. Across the age groups, there were significant, but weak, correlations (ranging from. 1 to . 27) between fitness (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular force and power) and academic performance. Most recently, the California Department of Education (2002; 2005) reported the results of two studies that examined the relationship between scores on achievement tests and the Fitnessgram. In the first study, performance on the Stanford Achievement Tests and scores on the Fitnessgram for 884,715 students in grades 5, 7, and 9 were investigated. A composite score, ranging from zero to six, was created for physical fitness, in which a student obtained one point for each of the six test items for which the student was determined to be in the healthy zone. In each of the three grades, higher levels of fitness were related to higher academic achievement. The relationship was stronger for math achievement and fitness, especially at higher fitness levels. This study has yet to be published. As a result, no statistical measures are available. Nevertheless, the results were cited by professional sources, such as the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (no date) and the PE Central web site (no date) as evidence that there is a direct relationship between physical fitness levels and academic achievement. In the latter study (California Department of Education, 2005), performance on the California Standards Tests and the Fitnessgram for 1,036,386 students in grades 5, 7 and 9 were compared. Again in this study, students were awarded a composite score, representing the number of fitness test battery items in which they were in the healthy zone. Results were similar to the 2002 study, with higher fitness scores associated with higher scores in English-language arts and mathematics (p . 05). In this study (California Department of Education, 2005), however, only means were reported; thus, no standard deviations were given for the groups compared, nor were effect size measures made to quantify the practical significance of the differences observed between groups. Conclusion In summary, research examining the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness has produced mixed results. Of these, one study has been published only as a press release in which no statistical analysis was reported and a second study had incomplete statistical information to effectively interpret the results (California Department of Education, 2002; 2005). In the remaining investigations the interpretation of the results focused on whether a statistically significant finding was observed. A number of statistical researchers, however, have emphasized that the correct interpretation of research results requires that not only the statistical significance of the data be considered, but also the practical significance of the findings (Sterne Smith, 2001; Thomas, Salazar Landers, 1991; Vincent, 1999). This is particularly important in studies such as the present one, and the ones discussed above, which typically involve very large sample sizes of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of subjects. Due to the effect of sample size on the calculation of statistical significance, with large sample sizes it is possible to calculate statistical significance on a result that has no practical significance (Vincent, 1999). As evidenced by the history of investigations, the importance of understanding the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance in children and youth is relevant, and increased by recent evidence from studies conducted on animals and elderly humans that increased physical activity results in improved cognitive function (Colcombe et al., 2004; 2004; Rhodes et al. , 2003). References Almond, L. , McGeorge, S. (1998). Physical activity and academic performance. British Journal of Physical Education, 29(2), 8-12. Arnett, C. (1988). Interrelationships between selected physical variables and academic achievement of college women. Research Quarterly, 39, 227-230. Clarke, H. , Jarman, B. O. (1991). Scholastic achievement of boys 9, 12, and 15 years of age as related to various strength and growth measures. Research Quarterly, 32, 155-162. Colcombe, S. J. , Kramer, A. F. , Erickson, K. I. , Scalf, P., McAuley, E. , Cohen, N. J. , et al. (2004). Cardiovascular fitness, cortical plasticity, and aging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 101, 3316-3321 Creswell, J. W. (2002). Educational research. Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, N J: Merrill Prentice Hall Dustman, R. E. , Emmerson, R. , Shearer, D. (1994). Physical activity, age and cognitive function. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2, 143-181. Dwyer, T. , Sallis, J. F. , Blizzard, L. , Lazarus, R. , Dean, K. (2001). Relation of academic performance to physical activity and fitness in children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 13,225-237. Fraenkel, J. R. , Wallen, N. E. (2003). How to design and evaluate research in education (5th ed. ). Boston: McGraw Hill. Harris, D. I. , Jones, M. A. (1982). Reading, math and motor performance. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 53(9), 21-22. Hart, M. E. , Shay, C. T. (1994). Relationship between physical fitness and academic success. Research Quarterly, 35, 443-445 Hopkins, W. G. (2001). New view of statistics: Effect magnitudes. Retrieved July 10, 2004 McAuley, E. , Kramer, A. F. , Colcombe, S. J. (2004). Cardiovascular fitness and neurocognitive function in older adults: A brief review. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 18, 214-220 National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2002). 2001 Shape of the nation report. Reston, VA: Author. Nutrition and physical activity. Overweight and obesity.. Retrieved July 15, 2004 Ogden, C. L. , Flegal, K. M. , Carroll, M. D. , Johnson, C. L. (2002). Prevalence and trends in overweight among U. S. children and adolescents, 1999-2000. Journal of the American Medical Association, 288, 17281732. Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. (1992). Normative data from the 1985 school population fitness survey for use with the presidents challenge youth physical fitness program. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office. Plato, The republic,Book III, 412A-B. Translated by Conford, 1945, pp. 101-102 Rhodes, J. S. , van Praag, H. , Jeffrey, S. , Girard, I. , Mitchell, G. S. , Garland, T. Jr. , et al. (2003). Exercise increases hippocampal neurogenesis to high levels but does not improve spatial learning in mice bred for increased voluntary wheel running. Behavioral Neuroscience, 117, 10061016. Sterne, J. A. C. , Smith, G. D. (2001). Sifting the evidence whats wrong with significance tests? British Medical Journal, 322, 226-231. Symons, C. W. , Cinelli, B. , James, T. C. , Groff, P. (1997). Bridging student health risks and academic achievement through comprehensive school health programs. Journal of School Health, 76, 220-227. Thomas, J. R. , Salazar, W. , Landers, D. M. (1991). What is missing in p is less than .05? Effect size. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 62(3), 344-348. Vannier, M. , Poindexter, H. B. (1964). Physical activities for college women. Philadephia: W. B. Saunders. Vincent, W. J. (1999). Statistics in kinesiology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Weber, J. R. (1983). Relationship of physical fitness to success in college and to . rsonality. Research Quarterly, 24, 471-474. Winn, K. L. (1993). A study of the relationship between physical fitness levels and the academic achievement of fourth and fifth grade students. Unpublished masters thesis, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA.