Air Force Space Surveillance System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Air Force Space Surveillance System - Essay Example Practical, technical, and policy aspects of the Air Force Space Surveillance System Practically, the air force system for surveillance is used for the purpose of tracking objects with precise accuracy in the entire existing satellite catalogue. It is applicable also in the US military for the purpose of tracking both medium and large sized objects that exists in the orbit. It is capable of tracking approximately 23,000 manmade equipments and objects rotating in the orbit taken by Earth itself. This material information is used by the US military for the sole purpose of SSA operations and work. These operations include the detection of potential and dangerous manmade and natural threats to its orbiting satellites (Chaplian, 2010). Additionally, practically it is used for the detection of the close approaching objects that could result into devastating and unfortunate collisions. Technically, the air force system for surveillance has three distinctive transmitters located at differenti ated places in the United States of America. The differentiated technical locations are Lake Kickapoo, Jordan Lake, and Gila River. These places have been selected since they are strategically vital and workable with the surveillance system operative mechanisms. The one that is located at Lake Kickapoo is believed to be the most powerful and essential continuous wave station globally. It works and operates with a radiated power of about 768Â  kWv on a scope of 216.97927 MHz (Angelo, 2009). The other two locations have their own distinctive technical qualities as well. These qualities are the same. They both share the commonality of having the originality in design by possessing the antennas twice the current length. This is important as it allows the two transmitters to have greater and stronger radiated power. Apart from the transmitters, there exits receiving stations. Policy aspects of the AFSSS The policy aspects of the air force system for surveillance are numerous. The fast p olicy in regard to the air force system for surveillance was operated under a maintenance and operations contract. This ensured that the daily running and operations of the air force system for surveillance was under a contractual accord under the Five Rivers Service. The Five Rivers Service is based in Colorado. The other policy that revolved around the air force system for surveillance is that it had differentiated aspects that related to its running. This included policies regarding its contract modification aimed at managing, operating, and logistically supporting the total nine surveillance field stations. This was done for the fiscal year of 2012. It enabled the air force system of surveillance to continue to operate. Tool for decision-making The air force system for surveillance works by under a given contractor who mans it providing all the required labor support and personnel to maintain and operate all the seven AFSSS filed stations. The contractor works on checking the pe rformance of the seven field stations since the air force system for surveillance has been identifies as a crucial and vital defense system. The entire system works by being manned 24/7 on a 7-days-a –week basis annually at the respective transmitter sites. The tool is used for decision making since it monitors the threats that exist to space and earth satellites. This means that in any case when there is a threat of collision or damage probability on lone of these satellites; decisions have to be made on whether the threat should be terminated

Law of Succession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Law of Succession - Essay Example There are also those who assert that the children of an estate owner or a holder of property are deemed ‘inferior’ under the British law as compared to the children, aptly given definite rights on inheritance, in other economically advanced countries around Europe. Thus, there seems to be a prevailing concept that the existing statute is unsuccessful in protecting the interests of children of the deceased testator as the law fails to adequately bestow the aforesaid children sufficient protection under the current statute (Thomas 2006). However, in order for us to prove or disprove this contention, it is imperative that the statute itself be evaluated and current and previous cases, which invoke the particular law, be appropriately examined. First, the claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 is a supplication of an individual to become a beneficiary or a greater beneficiary of the deceased estate holder as he failed to include the claimant in his will or his intestacy rules (Borkowski 2002). The claim under the 1975 Act can also be invoked if a petitioner believes that he should be bestowed greater benefit than is afforded for under the will. The chance of the claimant to contest what the will stipulates is one interesting innovation in the British law of inheritance. The Act provides that a child of the deceased or anybody ‘considered’ as a child of the family can petition for a claim. Moreover, the statute does not restrict its coverage only on the children of the deceased (Cretney 1997). The law grants a wide scope, which includes surviving spouses, ‘other applicants’, and mistresses of the deceased. The court then must consider ‘reasonable financial provision’ for the claimant depending on the applicant’s status. If the applicant is the spouse of the deceased, the court will determine financial provisions

Trans Atlantic Slave Trade History History Essay

Trans Atlantic Slave Trade History History Essay The Royal African Company of London was initiated by King Charles II in his ambition to expand the slave trade of England. King Charles II and the duke of York invested their own funds into the company to establish it. Initially it was known as the Company of Royal Adventurers Trading to Africa company and was only involved in gold trading and was created by the Stuart family and London merchants once the former retook the English throne in the English Restoration of 1660.The company was granted a monopoly over the English slave trade by a charter issued in 1660 and was given the mandate to capture any English rival ship transporting slaves. The company later collapsed since it could not meet the due huge demands of slaves in England among other issues (Miers 45). England first got involved in slave trade in the 16th century; a move pioneered by John Hawkins an English man whose business was to deport Africans from the west coast of Africa to the West Indies (Walter 72). At first, trading directly with other European countries was common in Virginia, but the Navigation Act of 1660 brought such relations to an end and only English-owned ships could enter colonial ports. It was at this time that the Royal African Company was formed to supply Virginia planters with labor since England had realized there was a lot of wealth in the trade. The Royal African Company traded mainly for gold and slaves and the majority of whom were sent to English colonies in the Americas. Its headquarters was Cape Coast Castle, modern-day Ghana; it also maintained many forts and factories in other locations such as Sierra Leone, the Slave Coast, the River Gambia, and additional areas on the Gold Coast Weeden 63). The Royal African Company lost its monopoly in 1698, although it continued to engage in the slave trade until 1731. It was replaced by the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa in 1752. In the 1680s it was transporting about 5,000 slaves per year. Many were branded with the letters DY, after its chief, the Duke of York, who succeeded his brother on the throne in 1685, becoming James II (Blackburn 212). Other slaves were branded with the companys initials, RAC, on their chests and its profits made a major contribution to the increase in the financial power of those who controlled London The British greatly benefited from this lucrative enterprise and approximately 1.5 million ,people were enslaved by the them, London was the biggest trading centre because of its transport links provided by river Thames and the London docks (Alpers, Campbell Salman 256). Britain as a country enormously benefited from the trade since slaves were exchanged for cutlery and, military supplies, which they would then exchange in West Indies to get raw materials for their industries and the products sold at huge profits. According to Bryan (106), There can be little doubt that such a system of trade substantially boosted the development of Britains commerce and manufacturing. However, there were different lines of slave trade such as the Pacific and the Atlantic; England was mostly involved in the Atlantic slave trade. The slave trade was also known as the Trans-Atlantic slave trade; it was the biggest and it mainly dealt with Africans. It lasted from the 16th century to the 19th when slave trade was abolished (Carlos 330). The trade involved many countries like the Portuguese, Brazilians, the British, the French, the Spanish, the Dutch, and the North Americans. The slaves were mostly from west and central Africa who were captured during trade at the coast while others were kidnapped from their homes or raided at their homes. They were sold to North and South American merchants to work in their sugar, coffee, cocoa, cotton, and rice plantations while others worked in the gold mines and silver mines (Drescher 77). Curlin (169) notes that more than 12 million Africans were enslaved under this trade which is referred to as maafa by Africans (literally meant great disaster), and the trade involved four continents, four centuries and millions of people. The first documented arrival of Africans to Virginia the first place where slaves were deported was in 1619, when a Dutch trading vessel docked in Hampton. There were 20 Africans who were traded to the English as much-needed workers to cultivate tobacco, the new cash crop of Virginia (Engerman 79). The institution of slavery slowly crept into Virginia legislation and by 1660 it was fully established in Virginia, since tobacco was extremely labor-intensive, and more and more workers were needed and also the sale of Africans to Virginia planters promised to be a profitable endeavor which really flourished (Brown 51). Nevertheless, Kwaku (4) states that slavery can be traced back to Africa itself, where Africans practiced slavery and was a part of their traditions. Africans sold slaves to Arabs before the arrival of the European who took the trade to a higher level. The Atlantic trade happened in two systems: the first and the second Atlantic systems. The first system involved sale of slaves to South America colonies of the Portuguese and the Spanish empires. It only accounted for a small percentage of the Atlantic trade about 3%. Later, Portugal was attacked by the Dutch and the British therefore weakening the trade (Martin 98). The second system involved enslavement of Africans to work in the Caribbean colonies of Brazil and North America. The slave trade was triangular; the starting point was Europe goods were transported from Europe to Africa they were given to African leaders, kings and merchants in exchange of slaves, this goods included guns, medicine, ammunition and other factory manufactu red goods. The slaves were then transported to America through the Atlantic and the final part was returning of goods from America to Europe for manufacturing these goods were sugar, tobacco ,coffee, rum and moll assess. However Brazil the main importer of slaves then manufactured the goods in South America and traded directly with the Africans (Maugham 56). The trade was encouraged by many reasons but shortage of labor was the main one. This was due to discovery of the new world hence there was a lot of cheap land available and the owners definitely wanted workers because the amount of labor was too much as they practiced intensive planting, harvesting and processing (Eltis 98). The trade also developed because of the willingness of Africans to sell fellow Africans for goods from Europe. Those convicted also for wrong doing in Africa were sold to slavery as punishment since there were no prisons. Inikori (45) argues that warfare in Africa was also a major contributor of the slave trade, there were many wars taking place at that time, for example the Congo civil war Oyo and Asante empires crisis. Patterson (10) and Clarke (75) note that although Africans practiced slavery themselves, it was very different from that of the new world. Whereas in Africa slaves children were not enslaved, in America they were enslaved at birth. In Africa they were treated well and in some communities they were considered as adopted and had the permission to marry, in contrary to America where they were not allowed to marry, they were ruthlessly bitten and even branded to show ownership although they were not used for sacrifices like it happened in Africa. Countries involved actively or passively in the trade were: Senegal Denanke Kingdom, Kingdom of Fouta, Jolof Empire, and Kingdom of Khasso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone Ghana, Asante Confederacy and Mankessim of Nigeria, Benin Kingdom of Dahomey, and the Republic of Congo (Cheeves 102). About 1.2 2.4 million Africans died during the middle passage and others died soon after their arrival. The number of people who died during the capture and kidnapping of the Africans is countless but it remained higher than those actually enslaved. Most of the slaves sold were prisoners from African conflicts which the European fueled to their advantage, this trade led to the led to the destruction of individuals and cultures (Cooper, Holt Scott 120; David 84). The second part of the slave trade triangle was the most important is known as the middle passage of African people from Africa to the new world (Reynold 85). Ships departed to Africa with merchandise to trade in Africa for slaves, business took place at the coast since the Europeans feared to get into the interior because of tropical diseases. Voyages were organized by companies or groups of merchants and not individuals because they considered it as a major investment opportunity. Millions of Africans were imprisoned, enslaved, and removed from their communities, 15% of those captured died at sea during transportation that is about 2 million, and those that died as a result of slavery in America were more than 4 million African deaths (Roberts 92; Robin Law, British Academy, Royal African Company 106). In the eighteenth century about 6 million slaves were enslaved and Britain accounted for 2.5millon of them being the largest importer then. The duration of the transatlantic voyage varied depending on the weather many took six months; although as centuries went by the more the importers took less time because they were getting experienced and a voyage would even take six weeks (Williams 56; Cateau Harrington 96). Slave ships usually would have several hundreds of slaves and about thirty crew members. Men were chained together in pairs right leg to the next mans left leg in order to save space, while women and children had some little space to themselves. The slaves in transit were fed once a day on beans, corn, yams, rice or palm oil. Some slave holders would let their captives move around the ship daytime but most did not, they tied them throughout the grueling journey (Willis Miers 480). Disease and starvation were the main causes of death and amoebic dysentery and scurvy caused the majority of deaths. There were also disease out breaks like, smallpox, syphilis, measles, and other diseases spread rapidly in the in the squeezed compartments. The longer the voyage took the more slaves would die due to the harsh conditions, the quality and freshness of food disappeared every passing day. Another cause of death was depression because of the loss because of the loss of freedom, family, security , and their own humanity (Zuberi 156; Fage 198). Some slaves would take courage and resist their oppressors most of them refused to eat and this would make them sick and eventually die and hence a loss to the holder. Others would commit suicide by throwing themselves overboard, as well as a variety of many other opportunistic means. Over the centuries very many Africans committed suicide, which they preferred since they believe they would meet with their families in the afterlife. A former slave was quoted saying When we found ourselves at last taken away, death was more preferable than life, and a plan was concerted amongst us, which we might burn and blow up the ship, and to perish all together in the flames (Indrani 321). Both suicide and self-starving were prevented as much as possible by slaver holders hence they were even torture so that they would feed but some still managed to starve themselves. It was not just the slaves who suffered, the sailors themselves experienced terrible conditions and often were employed only throu gh coercion. Sailors knew and hated the slave trade, so at port towns, recruiters and tavern owners would get sailors drunk, and then offer to relieve their debt if they signed contracts with slave ships. If they did not, they would be imprisoned, sailors in prison had a hard time getting jobs outside of the slave ship industry, since most other maritime industries would not hire jail-birds, so they were forced to go to the slave ships anyway (Hogg 73; Michlethwait Wooldridge 32). This kind of treatment made many Africans depressed and left them in a severe psychological shock. This was compounded by a common fear among the Africans that they had been taken by the Europeans to be eaten, to be made into oil or gunpowder, or that their blood was to be used to dye the red flags of Spanish ships while it was their skills as agricultural laborers and their adaptability to tropical climates that were sorely needed in the agricultural economy of the European colonies. Once the slaves arrived in America or other destinations they were taken to the plantations by their specific owners while others would be sold, as property, even worse there were advertisements for slaves on sale. It was not only merchants and ship captains who were involved in this trade, but also artisans and businesspeople were involved. These included blacksmiths, bakers, goldsmiths, hatters, shoemakers, tailors and tobacconists. Doctors, judges, and midwives were also among the slave sellers. Even governors owned slaves as demonstrated by an advertisement listing a Mulatto Boy for sale from the estate of a deceased governor Collins 25). In Britain, the first private slave trader was, John Hawkins, who began the trade in 1562, he left England with 100 men and 3 ships, his first point was Sierra Leone where he captured 300 slaves and sold them in Hispaniola, on his return his ship was full of goods like such as hides, ginger and sugar the queen gained interest in him and the two became business partners, the royal family slowly got into the slave trade and on the third voyage Hawkins took along Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh who also developed to be great slave traders. The Duke of York also through the queen joined the trade and he used to get his initials, DY, branded onto the left buttock or breast of each of the 3000 slaves who were his and he sold them to the Caribbeans. Business was booming and in the 17th and18th century slaves population in the British Caribbean was approximately 428,000 out of a population of 500,000 (Kitson 87). Due to the growth of slave trade, the royal family decided to create a company that would control slave trade and completely abolish the private slave traders; for this reason the Royal African Company was established. The Company transported an average of 5000 slaves per year, between 1680 and1686, and received annual grants from parliament of about  £90,000. King Charles II was a major a shareholder, and hence maintained the Royal family involvement in slavery. The Royal African Company had agents in Virginia to whom slaves were delivered, they were given a seven-percent commission on sales, some of the major players in trade were John Page, Colonel Nathaniel Bacon and William Sherwood were all prominent Virginians who served as factors, agents or representatives for the Company (Miers Klein 102; Spooner 87). Private traders were not pleased with this and pardoned the court to be allowed to continue with the trade of human cattle, however in 1698 parliament approved private traders to participate in the slave trade as long as they paid a 10% duty on English goods exported to Africa. Business went bad for the company, since private traders overtook it. Many factors led to the fall of the company some of them were: the Company was not achieving a profit and had to borrow money to pay dividends, the planters were always complaining that the company was not able to supply enough slaves and the demand was overwhelming, hence they argued that the monopoly be abolished so that more slaves could be imported. Eventually, the Company, which was always heavily patronized by the Stuart monarchs, fell out of favor when James II was deposed and William and Mary came to the throne this led to the abolishment of the company because it was no longer valid. The company though continued slave trade at small scale levels until 1731; it abandoned the trade and started trafficking of ivory and gold dust. Charles Hayes (1678-1760), mathematician and chronologist was sub-governor of Royal African Company till 1752 when it was dissolved. Its successor was the African Company of Merchants (Solow Engerman 214). Liverpools Bristol and London benefited greatly from this trade, it was booming and in the 17th century Liverpools first slave ship transported 220 slaves to Barbados and sold them for  £4,239, this was less than  £20 per slave. In addition, Liverpool had 8 major slave traders who together could transport 25,820 that worked out around 50-550 per ship. However, England signed the Treaty of Utrecht with Spain in 1733, which granted England monopoly of the Spanish slave trade for 30 years as England promised at least 144,000 slaves at the rate of 4,800 slaves per year. In 1772 Lord Mansfield came to proclaim it illegal to remove any person forcibly from England, though this did not make any big change because many of the major politicians were deeply involved with slavery. For example, Richard Pennant who was Liverpools Member of Parliament from 1777 to 1790, owned 8,000 acres of sugar plantations and over 600 slaves in Jamaica. Similarly, three out of 41 councilors in Liverpool wer e slave ship owners or major investors in the slave trade and during the years of 1787 and 1807, all 20 mayors who held office in Liverpool financed or owned slave ships. The slave trade was abolished in 1808 over 100 years after the British Empire became involved in slave trading, the Trans-Atlantic slave trade was abolished within the Empire and also in the United States. However it was not until 1827 that Britain declared the slave trade illegal, and in 1833 slavery was abolished throughout Europe, the Emancipation Act went through British parliament. It still took another 11 years until 1838 before slavery was fully abolished within the British Empire. The new system however gave some  £20,000, to the planters as compensation although nothing was awarded to any former slaves. The system even made things worse for the former slaves due to the high taxes on smallholdings, high rates for licenses on small traders and contracts to shackle the laborers to the large plantations; hence they were forced to continue working in arduous conditions on the plantations. In 1844 there was labor shortage and this led to the introduction of indentured labor from another of Britains colonies, India. The Indian laborers made conditions worse for former slaves as they undermined any attempts to get better working and living conditions through strikes. By 1917, 145,000 Indians had been transported to Trinidad and 238,000 to Guyana. Jamaica was also affected with around 39,000 immigrants. The only island not affected was Barbados. It evident that the slave trade led to the growth of the populations of Europe and America while those of Africa remained stagnant. Revenues from slavery were used to build Europe and Americas economies and especially the industrial revolution was funded by the profits from agricultural activities which were done by the slaves. Scholars have argued that Britains industrial development is owed to slavery and that Britain thrives on slavery wealth. Some also have claimed that by the time it was completely abolished its importance was long gone and its abolishment was an advantage for Britain, some though think differently and argue that slavery was useful to the end. In 1787, the first anti slavery movement was formed The Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. The first countries to petition against slavery were Cuba and Jamaica, United States followed suit and later on Britain, Portugal and in some other parts of Europe. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) was the leading movement in Britain that called for abolition of slavery, the movement was joined by many and began to protest against the trade, but they were opposed by the owners of the colonial holdings. Denmark was the first country to ban slave trade through a parliamentary legislation in 1792, which took effect in 1803. In 1807, Britain banned the trade but not slavery itself, although the slave trade had become illegal, slavery remained a reality in British colonies. Wilberforce himself was convinced that the institution of slavery should be entirely abolished, but he also knew there was little political will to do so by the politicians. The Emancipation Bill was taken to parliament, it was supposed to officially abolish slave trade in Britain if passed, and it gathered support and received its final commons reading on 26 July 1833. Slavery was to be abolished planters would be well compensated; slaves on plantations were required to remain for a further six years. Those who petitioned for abolition argued that slavery made Africans to go into constant wars so that they could capture prisoners who would be sold as slaves to meet the ever growing demand for slaves. People avoided details of the middle passage issue because it would have caused great animosity and only talked about the massive deaths it caused and hence the need to an end of slavery. They also argued that despite the conditions at sea the whole ordeal of slave trade was grueling and had to stop immediately. The trade also led to the birth of the black social identifies and European superiority, which led to the slow development of the African race. They however agreed that the trade was important for the stability of the economy which was obviously not important than human rights. The debate over slavery went on for decades before abolition was finalized. Davies (86) observes that The Royal Navy, which then controlled the worlds seas, moved to stop other nations from filling Britains place in the slave trade and declared that slaving was equal to piracy and was punishable by death. They forced other nations to quit the trade to so as to protect their economy and also make their colonies uncompetitive. Other European countries were left with no option but to stop and when that happened the British navy took its supremacy to the west coast so as to secure the sea and they were stationed there for the next 50 years. Action was taken for African leaders who refused to stop slave trade activities. Antislavery treaties were signed all over Africa by 50 leaders (Boddy-Evans 10; Carlos Kruse 291). In conclusion Englands involvement in the slave trade as viewed from the National Gallery in London, slave trade was a respected occupation then and many of the London merchants who were taking almost 3/4 of the sugar imported from the West Indies lived in South London in Blackheath. It can be said Europe and America are built on funds made through the sale of Africans ancestors because they labored and toiled on the plantations to many of the banks in this countries today and so are the their families. Slavery is not over but entrenched at the heart of Londons wealth. In 1998, UNESCO designated August 23 as International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. Since that occurrence, a number of events surrounding the recognition of the effect of slavery on both the enslaved and enslavers have come to pass. At the World Conference against Racism, South Africa, African nations demanded a clear apology for slavery from the former slave-trading countries. Some nati ons were willing to do so but some refused such as the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United States. The countries feared that they would be asked to pay compensation. Apologies on behalf of African nations, for their role in trading their countrymen into slavery, also remain an open. On November 27, 2006, British Prime Minister Tony Blair made a partial apology for Britains role in the African slavery trade. However, African rights activists denounced it as empty rhetoric and it did not address the issue like it should. The apology was just mere talk and they say he should have not even said it. On August 24, 2007, Ken Livingstone (then Mayor of London) apologized publicly for Londons role in the slave trade. You can look across there to see the institutions that still have the benefit of the wealth they created from slavery, he said pointing towards the financial district, before breaking down in tears. He said it was still haunted by the memories of sla very. Jesse Jackson praised Mayor Livingstone, and added that reparations should be made. On January 30, 2006, Jacques Chirac (the then French President) said that 10 May would henceforth be a national day of remembrance for the victims of slavery in France, and when marking the day in 2001 when France passed a law recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity. On July 30, 2008, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution apologizing for American slavery and subsequent discriminatory laws. The language included a reference to the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and segregation (Howard 21).

Daisy in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald Essay -- Great Gatsby Fitzgera

Daisy in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the character of Daisy Buchanan undergoes many noticeable changes. Daisy is a symbol of wealth and of promises broken. She is a character we grow to feel sorry for but probably should not. Born Daisy Fay in Louisville, Kentucky, Daisy was always the princess in the tower, the golden girl that every man dreamed of possessing. ?She dressed in white, and had a little white roadster, and all the day long the telephone rang in her house and excited young officers from Camp Taylor demanded the privilege of monopolizing her that night,? (79). Daisy is beautiful, rich, and appears very innocent as a young woman, although it is later suggested that she was quite promiscuous. While she was the object of every man?s desire, Daisy was madly in love with Jay Gatsby. Daisy tried to escape to New York to see Gatsby off to war but was prevented by her parents because Jay did not meet their standards. They disapproved of him because he did not have as much money or come from a family in the same social class as their own. Though Daisy wrote letters to Gatsby and promised to remain faithful she married Tom Buchanan from Chicago the very next year. Tom was incredibly wealthy and ?the day before the wedding he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars,? (80). Daisy seemed to be madly in love with her new husband and looked to be very happy. Daisy has been married to Tom for quite a considerable amount of time and they have already had a daughter by the time Daisy?s cousin, Nick, reappears in Daisy?s life. Mrs. Buchanan is extremely friendly with her cousin and always seems glad to see h... ...nted everyone to feel sorry for Daisy. However, one finds it hard to feel sorry for someone as well off as herself. She is a symbol of money and the corruption it brings. One must be careful not to identify Daisy with the green light at the end of her dock. The green light is the promise, the dream. Daisy herself is much less than that. Even Gatsby must realize that having Daisy in the flesh is much, much less than what he imagined it would be when he fell in love with the idea of her. While Daisy Buchanan undergoes numerous changes throughout the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, she remains a symbol of wealth, broken promises, and dreams corrupted. While one finds it easy to feel sorry for her, she is in no means the victim of the novel. Work Cited F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992

In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio Essay

Philippe Bourgois book In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio was published in 1995, and discussed his experiences of authors living in El Barrio (East Harlem). In 1985 the writer moved to this district of New York City with the purpose of studying the impact of imposed racial segregation and economic marginalization on the inner city Puerto Rican population (intro pg. 1). An interesting new insight into the street culture found in New York was captured in this book. The amount of poverty in this portion of our country is much higher than that in most other areas. Bourgois presents the theory â€Å"culture of poverty† which seems to argues that poor people share deviant cultural characteristics. The poor have lifestyles that differ from the rest of society and that these characteristics perpetuate their life of poverty. The poor are qualitatively different in values and these cultural differences explain continued poverty. He argues that this neighborhood, which is well known for high rates of violence, does not have widespread violence occurring amongst all of its members. The higher crime rate, argues Bourgois, occurs for the most part within the factions of the underground economy, and social relationships. With an unbiased sight the author looks at the underground economy, from baby sitting, off-track betting, to drug dealing, as these were the means which most of the families living in El Barrio were able to survive. This book is generally a synopsis of the events that occurred during Bourgois stay in El Barrio. The original purpose of the book was to write a first-hand account of racial prejudice and ethnic segregation in the heart of one of the worlds largest cities. Bourgois was swept into the area drug economy because of the abundance of information from the dealers and their families who all lived within the immediate area. Most of the accounts given in the book come from a single crack house near Bourgois tenement. The group of crack dealers filtered through Bourgois presents a compelling argument that reform within the economy needs to take place in order to reduce the amount of violence within the inner-cities of the United States. Bourgois states that there is a strong feeling of community among the people living in El Barrio. The racial and ethnic prejudice of the El Barrio outsiders has lead the residents of the city to isolate themselves from the rest of the American society. The isolation and aversion of these people by the rest of the world has lead them to the situation when their daily struggles for subsistence and dignity at the poverty line, (intro pg. 2) became not successful any longer. The drug dealing has swallowed all of the attempts of these people to find a decent place in the society, and selling crack became the only way for inhabitants of El Barrio to at least survive. At some point of time the author tries to find the answer to the question of why did all that happen. He asks, in studying the street culture, how does growing up in an environment like that affect one in their ability to function productively in mainstream society? Bourgois goes back and looks at the history of Puerto Ricans, from Puerto Rico to New York City, all through the history of these people on American continent, and puts into perspective, how that helps shape their culture in El Barrio. Bourgois conducts his research for this book by putting himself in direct daily contact with the subjects of this book. Through participant observation, he was able to delve deep into the personal lives of the crack dealers, addicts, and people effected by the epidemic. He also attended holidays and family function in order to get a more humanistic and holistic view of this society. The answers found by the author were shocking but not surprising. The social perception and culture that defines Puerto Ricans is the exact thing that inhibits them from success (ch. pg. 142), and just returns them to street in search of other means to make a living. Family seemed to be majorly effected by this outbreak. By destroying the so-called mother-nuture instinct, and by disabling their children during their tenderest ages, vulnerable mothers escape the long-term agony of having to watch their children grow up healthy, energetic adolescents, only to become victims and protagonists of violence and substance abuse. (ch. 7 pg. 285) Many examples of this were portrayed through Candy’s life with her son Junior. He was the first boy Bourgois watched graduate into crack dealer status. Due to the outbreak, jobs were also effected. The only jobs that provided enough money for the Harlemites to survive on, without having to engage in some other illegal activity, are high risk construction jobs, which were ran by racist mafia backed unions (ch. 4 pg. 162), or entry level jobs in the F. I. R. E. (finance, insurance, or real estate) sector (ch. 4 pg. 142), where the impoverished Puerto Ricans did not have enough cultural capital or the proper ethnic background to survive in the positions being offered. When ever they did get a job in one of these areas things wouldnt go very well. For example, in the construction jobs, they would either be cheated out of wages and overtime (ch. 4 pg. 165), or when they got a job in the F. I. R. E. sector, they would have to put aside their values and norms and go against everything they were taught through their culture. The racial attitudes of civilized people did not allow the Puerto Ricans (who often outsmarted whites, and performed better at the jobs) to succeed in their career development. Puerto Ricans would oftentimes have to be subordinate to women barking orders at them, and they would have to deal with ethnic stereotypes. Anytime they came into contact with mainstream society it would be a demeaning, humiliating, and negative experience. Thus, these types of experiences would future alienate them from mainstream society and drive them into the underground economy of crack, the only place where they can go to make money, and regain a certain sense of dignity and respect. To survive financially outside of mainstream society, one must manipulate all of ones available resources to make a livable income. So, in the underground economy this can mean anything, from taking advantage of the welfare office, to selling drugs, or robbing people, all of which were employed by most of the subjects in this book. Although the world of the underground economy is very chaotic, it all seems to revolve around one thing – crack. The Puerto Ricans suffered lees from crack physiologically than socially. This nationality usually served as barrier between the drug sellers and police when resolving criminal issues. The outcome of this situation was definitely unfavorable to general Puerto Ricans. On one side they did not belong to the criminal part of El Barrio (with its multi million dollar turnovers), and on the other side the rest of the New York City perceived them very negatively. The poverty of culture seemed to be connected with the idea that the people lived through the hard times with drugs primarily. Though Philippe Bourgois book is not about the problems of racism and ethnic discrimination, but about the underground economy of El Barrio with its effect on life of the rural inhabitants of East Harlem, the underlying foundation for the development of this type of economy was the social prejudice about Puerto Ricans and their abilities to function in the modern civilized society of whites.

Utah Symphony and Utah Opera: a Merger Proposal

Utah Symphony and Utah Opera: A Merger Proposal The Utah Symphony (USO) and the Utah Opera (UOC) Merger was a union that was brought forth by the leadership committee at the USO in Salt Lake City. The proposal was an opportunity to strengthen a struggling symphony with a financially sound opera company. Although mergers between opera and symphony companies in the United States had been successfully in the past, the merging of a two major companies had yet to materialize (Delong & Ager, 2005, p. 2). William Bailey, Chairman of the Board for the Utah Opera Company had motivation to move forward with the merger.Successfully combining the two companies the size of Utah’s Opera and Symphony Orchestra would be a first in the nation, and set precedence for others to follow. If the merger were successful, the proposed name of the new organization would be the Utah Symphony & Opera (USUO), and with its potential draw, it had the power to elevate the Opera to the national stage making i t a tier-one organization, affiliating it with other such powerhouses to the likes of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In comparison to other major operas, its viability to increase the current combined annual endowment 10 fold was a likely probability.The merger did not come without opposition. Carolyn Abravenal, widow to the longstanding maestro and music director to the USO publicly denounced the new company. Scott Parker, Chairman to the Utah Symphony is best suited to discuss the merger with Mrs. Abravenal to gain her support so that the symphony could achieve the true potential her husband had envisioned. Her husband had given 32 years of his life to the USO building it from a part-time ensemble to a world-class symphony (Delong & Ager, 2005, p. 4). Mrs.Abravenal’s main concern was that the symphony would take a back seat to the opera, conversely, it would lead in name with the new company, the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera. Parker might consider sharing with Mrs. Abravenal t hat the merger was actually his idea and that Anne Ewers was also his choice to take the company into the future. Through Ewers’ leadership, musicians could add variety to their repertoire, giving them access to a broader spectrum of performances. Performing with the Opera would allow for additional productions each year creating rotations for instrumentalists wanting to crossover and perform in oth genres. Combining the two styles could create a pop style opera that could potentially reach the younger demographic, once again increasing revenue. Although Ewers’ experience was primarily in opera, it is her positional power and knack for building fiscally sound companies that made her the easy choice to lead both companies. While the symphony struggled at fundraising, Ewers’ UOC annual budget grew 3X from her predecessor, mainly due to her corporate sponsorships that reached beyond the state of Utah (Delong & Ager, 2005, p. 3).One of Ewers’ first challenges was to get Keith Lockhart, Music Director for the USO onboard with her plan on how to merge the two entities. Lockhart’s concern was the proposed organizational chart that showed him reporting directly to Ewers rather than the Chairman as he had with the USO (Delong & Ager, 2005, p. 14). Ewers personal strengths allowed her to share her vision with Lockhart, however she was dependant on Lockhart’s leadership among the orchestra to help facilitate a smoother transition. The success of the USUO moving forward could only happen with the collaboration of the musicians.It was they who held strength in numbers, and without them the entire merger could collapse. If Lockhart failed to follow along with the proposed plan, Ewers faced an even greater obstacle, dissention amongst the majority of the company. Lockhart expressed concern that had the orchestra not believed in his leadership; they had the ability to render him ineffective as a conductor (Delong & Ager, 2005, p. 9). This exposed a window of opportunity for Ewers to sidestep Lockhart should she feel his efforts were counterproductive.Ewer could meet with the musicians without the presence of Lockhart and share with them that the symphony would not be taking a backseat to the opera, and it was the symphony they depended on for performances due to their year round schedule. The new direction could potentially allow for expansion of the symphony if they were to become the sole orchestra for the opera. This could allow for either growth in headcount, or increased pay from the additional productions. If they were successful in becoming a Group I orchestra, this would give them national exposure and perhaps advancement onto grander stages.This approach for power and affiliation might be the key to motivate. The final obstacle Ewers faced was overcoming the concerns of the opera trustees, full-time staff, along with the artists. What Ewers had in her favor was that the each entity in its own was net po sitive in their income statements for 2000-2001, and both were forecasting the same in 2001-2002 (Delong & Ager, 2005, p. 15). The symphony was operating without a CEO, which made it easy for the opera leadership to take step in and take charge.This would ensure a seat at the helm, and someone that could operate with the opera’s interest in mind. With the positional strengths of Ewer, she could exercise her marketing strategies for the symphony and tap her existing base to increase their annual contributions. If Ewers was successful in pulling all the departments together to support the merger, she will have demonstrated her strengths to overcome obstacles no other symphony and opera had been able to do in the history of our country. It was an opportunity to create precedence and pioneer a process for others to follow.Ewers would eventually complete this venture and lead the USUO for the next five years until her departure to the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts where she be came the President and CEO of Kimmel Center, Inc (Kimmel Center, Inc. 2010). References Delong, T. J & Ager, D. L (2005, August 8). Utah Symphony and Utah Opera: A Merger Proposal. Harvard Business Journal, 9-404-116, 1-16. Kreitner, R. & Kinicki, A. (2010). Organizational Behavior, 9th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education Kimmel Center, Inc. (2010). Anne Ewers. Retrieved from http://www. kimmelcenter. org/about/anne. php

37 Top Scholarships for High School Sophomores and Freshmen

37 Top Scholarships for High School Sophomores and Freshmen SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It's never too early to start saving up money for your college education. Even if you are only in your first or second year of high school, there are plenty of opportunities to start bringing in money that will pay for your tuition, books, fees, and living expenses a couple of years down the line. You might be surprised to learn that there are actuallyhundreds of scholarships available to underclassmen.If you're just starting your hunt, use this list of the 37 best scholarships for high school freshmen and sophomores to get started. This list includes a variety of scholarshipsforfreshmen and sophomores. I've broken them down into the following categories: Essay Scholarships Special Interest Scholarships Creative Scholarships Hobby- and Activity-Based Scholarships Location-based Scholarships Easy Scholarships These scholarships arenot limited to one college or university,so students who win these awards will be able to use them for a variety of schools. How to Use This List of Scholarships for Sophomores and Freshmen Before we go over the scholarships you can apply for, let's quickly review the best ways you can use this list of scholarships for sophomores and freshmen. Rule 1: Play to Your Strengths Start out by looking at the different categories below. Are you creative? Then consider applyingto some of the scholarships that require artwork or a movie for their applications. If you're a strong writer, on the other hand, consider applying to scholarships that require essays. Rule 2: Apply to Many Scholarships The beauty of starting your scholarship hunt early is that you have a lot oftime! So use it wisely to apply to as many scholarships as possible. We recommend applying to anywhere between five and 30 scholarships.Most scholarships on this list and beyond are competitive, meaning many students will be applying for them. You'll increase your chances of winning money if you don't put all of your eggs in one basket! Rule 3: Pay Attention to Details Make sure you read all the rules carefully before you apply for a scholarship, and be certain that your essays and other application materials address what is being asked. It's a waste of time to apply to scholarships if you're going to end up disqualified simply because you failed to follow the instructions. Similarly, make sure tostay on top of important deadlines. You don't want to miss out on a great scholarship because you accidentally missed adue date! Rule 4: Do Your Own Research Keep in mind that this list is just a starting point. There are many more scholarships available to younger students, and there very well might be some that are more suited to your talents and interests. Don't be afraid to dosome Google searches to see whether there are any scholarships out there that correspond to one of your unique traits. Remember, the more obscure a scholarship is,the better your chance of winning it will be! Essay Scholarships To start, let's take a look at scholarships that require students to write and submit essays as part of their applications. Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum Student Essay Contest The Oklahoma City National Museum hosts an essay contest for students in grades 5-12. Topics revolve around ideas related to the Oklahoma bombings in 1995. Students ingrades 9 and 10 can submit 500-word essays. Prizes: 1st place: $200 2nd place: $150 3rd place: $100 Ayn Rand Essay Contest High school freshmen and sophomores can write an essay on one of several topics related to the bookAnthem by Ayn Rand. The deadline to apply is April 25, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $2,000 (one winner) 2nd place: $250 (three winners) 3rd place: $100 (five winners) Finalists: $25 (50 winners) NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Essay Contest To enter this contest, high school students must write a 1,000-word essay answering the question, "What does the second amendment meant to you?" The deadline is December 31, 2018. Prizes: 1st place: $1,000 2nd place: $600 3rd place: $200 4th place: $100 Fleet Reserve Association Essay Contest Students in grades 7-12 can enter this essay contest by submitting an essay of no more than 350 words on "What Freedom of Speech Means to Me."The deadline is December 1, 2018. Prizes: Grand national prize: $5,000 1stplace: $2,500 2ndplace: $1,500 3rdplace: $1,000 Unigo $10K Scholarship Students 13 or older can apply for a chance to win one grand prize of $10,000. Your application must include a 250-word response to the prompt: "Imagine a historical figure is brought back to life. Who is it? What's their favorite mobile app?"The deadline is December 31, 2018. Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship High school studentscan submit a 250-word essay on a topic of their choice for the chance to be entered into a competition to win a $1,000 prize. There are two contests per year. The fall contest deadline is December 31, 2018, and the spring contest deadline is July31, 2019. Young Patriots Essay Contest All US high school students can apply to win. They must submit an essay of no more than 1,500 words on a topic related to current events and/or public policy. Prizes: 1stplace: $5,000 2ndplace: $2,500 3rdplace: $1,500 Profile in Courage Essay Contest Students in grades 9-12 can submit a 700- to 1,000-word essay about "an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born." Essays must have at least five sources.The deadline for this year's contest is January 18, 2019. Prizes: 1stplace: $10,000 2ndplace: $3,000 Finalists: $1,000 (five winners) Semifinalists: $100 (eight winners) We the Students Essay Contest US students enrolled in grades 8-12 can apply to this scholarship to win one of 15awards ranging from $500 to $5,000.You must complete the online application and submit an essay of no more than 800 words on the topic cited on the website. The deadline is February 14, 2019. Prizes: 1stplace: $5,000 Runners-up: $1,250 (six winners) Honorable Mention: $500 (eight winners) Optimist International Essay Contest US students under the age of 19 can submit an essay on the topic "When All the World’s Problems are Solved, is Optimism Still Necessary?" Club winners advance to the District contest to compete for a $2,500 scholarship. The deadline for submission is February 28, 2019. Visionary Scholarship Program Any currently enrolled US high school student can apply to receive a prize from $1,000 to $5,000. Applicants must submit a completed application, a copy of their most recent (unofficial) high school transcript, and a 500-word essay on "Why College is Important to Me." The deadline for this year's contest is May 1, 2019. Special Interest Scholarships These next scholarships require a special action on the part of the applicant, from volunteering to playing an online game. Humanity Rising Service Challenge High school students who volunteer for a non-profit that meets Humanity Rising’s criteria may apply for this scholarship by sharing their service story. You must make an account in order to access the scholarship details and apply for the challenge.Awards range from $500 to more than $2,000, and all deadlines are rolling. HR Block Budget Challenge US students in grades 9-12can apply to win one of 10 $20,000 scholarships. Students must play an online game that simulates adult life in terms of financial literacy. While students can't register themselves, teachers may register classes as well as individual students. Creative Scholarships Are you the creative type? This next set of scholarships for freshmen and sophomores is all about artistic ability and creativity. For these contests, you'll need to submit a piece of art, whether that's a story, painting, video, photograph, etc. Create Real Impact Contest Any student between the ages of 14 and 22 can submit either a piece of writing (100-600 words), a video, a work of art,or a piece of music they've composed on the topic of how to address reckless driving. Voting on entries begins October 2, 2018. Prizes: Grand prize: $1,500 (four winners, one per category) Top Schools prize: $1,000 (three winners) Top Online Vote Getter prize: $500 (four winners, one per category) Spanish Category Award: $1,500 (one winner) Sports Team Award: $1,500 (one winner) TeenDrive365 Video Challenge All US high school students at least 13 years of age canenter this contest by creating a unique 30- to 60-second video that highlights safer teen driving. The video must end withthe TeenDrive365 Video Challenge Call to Action slide, which you can download from the TeenDrive365 website. The submission deadline is in February 2019. Prizes: 1stplace: $15,000 2ndplace: $10,000 3rdplace: $7,500 People's Choice: $5,000 4th-10th place: $2,500 Regional prizes: $1,000 (four winners) Doodle 4 Google Students from kindergarten to 12thgrade can apply for this scholarship. Applicants must submit a Google Doodle related to this year's theme. All submissions are divided and judged by age group. The deadline is in March 2019. Prizes: National Winner: $30,000 (plus a $50,000 technology award for the winner's school) National Finalists: $5,000 (four winners, one per age group) Scholastic Art Writing Award Students ingrades 7-12with a keen interest in writing or art may apply to win a Best-in-Grade Award. Students in 12th grade only can also apply to win a Portfolio Award. Deadlines vary by region. Prizes: Portfolio Award–Gold Medal: $10,000 (16 winners) Portfolio Award–Silver Medal: $1,000 (30 winners) Best-in-Grade Award: $500 (24 winners, four per grade level) AutoPetsâ„ ¢ Out-of-the-Box Thinking Scholarship All current high school students can apply for this scholarship. Applications must include a 400-word essay about an innovative pet product idea. The deadline is in July 2019. Prizes: Grand prize: $1,250 First runner-up: $500 Second runner-up: $250 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest US students who are at least 14 years old may applyfor this scholarship of $10,000. You must design a greeting card using a photo, piece of artwork, or computer graphic for the front image. Submissionsmust be submitted as JPEGs (.jpg). The deadline is March 1, 2019. Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest US high school students interested in art can apply to win one of eight national awards. Applicants must submit an original piece of art with a patriotic theme.The first-place winner receives $15,000 and a plaque as well as airfare to and two nights' lodging at the VFW Auxiliary National Convention. The winner's art will also be featured on the cover of the VFW Auxiliary magazine and the Auxiliary website. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $15,000 2nd place: $7,500 3rd place: $3,500 4th place: $1,500 5th-8th place: $500 Hobby- and Activity-Based Scholarships If you've got a long-term hobby or activity you like to do, these next scholarships are right up your alley. WIA Student Pilot Scholarship Any high school student who is an active member of Women in Aviation International (WAI) may apply for this $3,000 scholarship. You must submit a completed WAI form, two recommendation letters, a 500-word essay, a resume, copies of all aviation licenses and medical records, and the last three pages of your pilot logbook, if applicable. The deadline for submission is November 12, 2018. Marine Band Concerto Competition for High School Musicians US high school students who play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument canapply for this scholarshipby submitting a completed application form, a recommendation letter, and an audio recording of their performing a piece of music chosen from a list of works. All submissions are due by November 15, 2018. Prizes: 1st place: $2,500 Runner-up: $500 SBO Magazine Music Student Scholarship Students ingrades 4-12can apply for this essay contest to winone of 10 $1,000 prizes.Essays must be250 words or less and answer the contest's theme: "What role has your music program played in bringing you closer to your school mates, friends and the community at large?" The deadline is December 31, 2018. Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship US high school students can apply to this for a chance to win a $1,000 prize. Applications must be submitted along with a 140-character message that completesthe following statement: "Instead of spending time with technology, I'd rather ... " The top 10 applicants will be contacted and invited to write a 500- to 1,000-word essay on technology addiction. The winner will be selected from this 10. Applications for this year's contest are due January 30, 2019. Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award Any full-time student aged 8-18 can apply to win one of 20 $10,000 scholarships. Applicantsmust show outstanding classical music achievement and demonstrate financial need. You must submit at least two audio samples of your music along with tax forms, transcripts, and other supporting documents. There are three application cycles each year, and this year's deadlines are October 1, 2018; January 7, 2019; and March 4, 2019. Davidson Fellows Award US students aged 18 or younger who have completed a "significant piece of work" in one of the categories listed here can apply to win a large scholarship. The deadline is February 13, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $50,000 2nd place: $25,000 3rd place: $10,000 BMI Student Composer Awards Program Both US and international students (in the Western Hemisphere) younger than 28 can apply to win a scholarshipof up to $5,000. Each applicant must submit an audio recording of an original music composition along with legible manuscripts. Eagle Scout of the Year Award US students aged 15 or older who are active members of a Boy Scout Troop, Varsity Scout Team, or Venturing Crew can be nominated to win a $10,000 scholarship. Applicants must be active in their religious institutions and have received the corresponding Boy Scout religious emblemand Eagle Scout Award; they must have also shown practical citizenship in their churches, schools, Scouting groups, and communities. Nomination and application forms must be received by the applicant's corresponding department (state) headquarters by March 1, 2019. Prizes: 1st place: $10,000 Runners-up: $2,500 (three winners) National High School Oratorical Contest US high school students under the age of 20 can apply to receive a maximum scholarshipof $18,000. Students must first compete in their local oratorical contests and deliver a prepared speech on a particular topic. Winners will then advance to the national competition. Prizes: 1st place: $18,000 2nd place: $16,000 3rd place: $14,000 State winners who participate in the national contest's first round will receive $1,500, and those who advance past the first round will receive an additional $1,500. Location-Based Scholarships Some scholarships are only for students who live in particular areas. Check out the following list of scholarships to see whether there are any contests in your region. Meriwest Annual High School Essay Competition Applicantsmust beingrades 9-12, havea GPA of at least 2.0,and live in one of these California counties: Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, orSan Francisco. Students who live in Arizona'sPima County are also eligible. If you live outside these counties, you can still enter the contest if you're a member of the Meriwest Credit Union. The scholarship competition awards 12 prizes annually, or three per grade level. The deadline to apply is in January 2019. Prizes: 10th grade 1st place: $300 2nd place: $250 3rd place: $150 9th grade 1st place: $250 2nd place: $150 3rd place: $100 Take Stock in Children Scholarship Any students in grades 6-9 who attend a public school in Hillsborough County, Florida, have a 2.5 GPA or higher, and qualify for free or reduced lunches may apply. The application period will open in November 2018. Diverse Minds Writing Challenge Applicants must be US students in grades 9-12and attend a school in the metro area of New York City (all five boroughs); Washington, DC; Atlantic City, New Jersey; or the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware and Maryland).To enter, applicantsmust create a children’s book that addresses themes of tolerance and diversity, and promotes a greater understanding of different cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs. The bookcan be either fiction or non-fiction and should target children between kindergarten and 5thgrade.It must also include full-color illustrations. The deadline varies by region. Prizes: Grand prize: $5,000 (one winner per contest city/region) Oklahoma's Promise - Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program Oklahoma students currently enrolled in grades 8-10 and whose families make $55,000 or less annually can apply for thechance to receive full tuition for an Oklahoma public two-year college or four-year university, or partial tuition for an accredited Oklahoma private college. The application must include the first two pages of the applicant's most recent federal tax return. The deadline to apply is July 1, 2019. Easy Scholarships This final section of scholarships for sophomores and freshmen includes those that are extremely easy to apply for- all you have to do is register for a website or submit an online application and you're good to go! $2,000 "No Essay" College Scholarship Any student can apply by simply registering on the website. Awinner is chosen each month to receive $2,000. The deadline to apply is the last day of each month. $1,000 Cappex Easy College Money Scholarship Any high school student who registers and completesa profile at Cappex.com willbe entered into a monthly drawingto receive $1,000. The deadline to apply is the end of each month. Top Ten List Scholarship Any US student 13 or older can apply for thechance to win a $1,500 scholarship. Applicants must respond to the following statementin no more than 250 words: "Create a Top Ten List of the top ten reasons you should get this scholarship."The deadline is December 31, 2018. Wells Fargo CollegeSTEPS Program Sweepstakes Students aged 14 or older canapply for this scholarship by simply registering for the CollegeSTEPS program. Awards are $5,000 each. What's Next? Too old for these scholarships?Check out these scholarships that you can apply to in your senior year of high school! Need more money than what these scholarships offer?Then check out our list of amazing full-ride scholarships and 80+ colleges that offer full-ride scholarships. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Illocutionary Acts in Speech-Act Theory

Illocutionary Acts in Speech-Act Theory In speech-act theory, the term illocutionary act refers to the use of a sentence  to express an attitude with a certain function or force, called an  illocutionary force, which differs from locutionary acts in that they carry a certain urgency and appeal to the meaning and direction of the speaker.   Although illocutionary acts are commonly made explicit by the use of performative verbs  like promise or request, they can often be vague as in someone saying Ill be there, wherein the audience cannot ascertain whether the speaker has made a promise or not. In addition, as Daniel R. Boisvert observes in Expressivism, Nondeclarative, and Success-Conditional Semantics that we can use sentences to warn, congratulate, complain, predict, command, apologize, inquire, explain, describe, request, bet, marry, and adjourn, to list just a few specific kinds of illocutionary act. The terms  illocutionary act  and  illocutionary force  were introduced by British linguistic philosopher John  Austin in 1962s How to Do Things With Words, and for some scholars, the term illocutionary act  is virtually synonymous with speech act. Locutionary, Illocutionary, and Perlocutionary Acts Acts of speech can be broken down into three categories: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts. In each of these, too, the acts can either be direct or indirect, which quantify how effective they are at conveying the speakers message to its intended audience. According to Susana Nuccetelli and Gary Seays Philosophy of Language: The Central Topics, locutionary acts are the mere act of producing some linguistic sounds or marks with a certain meaning and reference, but these are the least effective means of describing the acts, merely an umbrella term for the other two which can occur simultaneously. Speech acts can therefore further be broken down into illocutionary and perlocutionary wherein the illocutionary act carries a directive for the audience, such as promising, ordering, apologizing and thanking. Perlocutionary acts, on the other hand, bring about consequences to the audiences such as saying I will not be your friend. In this instance, the impending loss of friendship is an illocutionary act while the effect of frightening the friend into compliance is a perlocutionary act. Relationship Between Speaker and Listener Because perlocutionary and illocutionary acts depend on the audiences reaction to a given speech, the relationship between speaker and listener is important to understand in the context of such acts of speech. Etsuko Oishi wrote in Apologies, that the importance of the speakers intention in performing an illocutionary act is unquestionable, but, in communication, the utterance becomes an illocutionary act only when the hearer takes the utterance as such. By this, Oishi means that although the speakers act may always be an illocutionary one, the listener can choose to not interpret that way, therefore redefining the cognitive configuration of their shared outer world. Given this observation, the old adage know your audience becomes especially relevant in understanding discourse theory, and indeed in composing a good speech or speaking well in general. In order for the illocutionary act to be effective, the speaker must use language which his or her audience will understand as intended.

Giant Pacific Octopus Facts

Giant Pacific Octopus Facts The giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini), also known as the North Pacific giant octopus, is the largest and longest-lived octopus in the world. As its common name suggests, this large cephalopod lives along coastlines of the North Pacific Ocean. Fast Facts: Giant Pacific Octopus Scientific Name: Enteroctopus dofleiniOther Name: North Pacific giant octopusDistinguishing Features: Reddish-brown octopus with large head, mantle, and eight arms, usually identified by its large sizeAverage Size: 15 kg (33 lb) with arm span of 4.3 m (14 ft)Diet: CarnivorousAverage Lifespan: 3 to 5 yearsHabitat: Coastal North PacificConservation Status: Not evaluatedKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: MolluscaClass: CephalopodaOrder: OctopodaFamily: EnteroctopodidaeFun Fact: Despite its large size, it can escape any container with an opening large enough for its beak. Description Like other octopuses, the giant Pacific octopus exhibits bilateral symmetry and has a bulbous head, eight sucker-covered arms, and a mantle. Its beak and radula are at the center of the mantle. This octopus is generally reddish-brown, but special pigment cells in its skin change texture and color to camouflage the animal against rocks, plants, and coral. Like other octopuses, the giant Pacific octopus has blue, copper-rich blood that helps it obtain oxygen in cold water. The giant Pacific octopus is a master of disguise. Can you see it against the coral?. Andrey Nekrasov / Getty Images For an adult-age giant Pacific octopus, the average weight is 15 kg (33 lb) and the average arm span is 4.3 m (14 ft). Guinness World Records lists the largest specimen as weighing 136 kg (300 lb) with an arm span of 9.8 m (32 ft). Despite its large size, the octopus can compress its body to fit through any opening larger than its beak. The octopus is the most intelligent invertebrate. They have been known to play with toys, interact with a handler, open jars, use tools, and solve puzzles. In captivity, they can distinguish between and recognize different keepers. Distribution The giant Pacific octopus lives in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Russia, Japan, Korea, British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. It prefers cool, oxygenated water, adjusting its depth from the surface down to 2000 m (6600 ft) as required. E. dolphleini distribution. Kat OBrien Diet Octopuses are carnivorous predators that usually hunt at night. The giant Pacific octopus appears to feed on any animal within its size range, including fish, crabs, clams, small sharks, other octopuses, and even seabirds. The octopus grabs and restrains prey using its tentacles and suckers, then bites it and tears away flesh with its tough beak. Predators Adult and juvenile giant Pacific octopuses are preyed upon by sea otters, harbor seals, sharks, and sperm whales. The eggs and paralarvae support zooplankton filter feeders, such as baleen whales, some species of sharks, and many species of fish. The giant Pacific octopus is an important protein source for human consumption. It is also used as bait for Pacific halibut and other fish species. About 3.3 million tons of giant octopus are fished annually. Reproduction The giant Pacific octopus is the longest-lived octopus species, usually living 3 to 5 years in the wild. During this time, it leads a solitary existence, breeding only one time. During mating, the male octopus inserts a specialized arm called a hectocotylus into the females mantle, depositing a spermatophore. The female can store the spermatophore for several months before fertilization. After mating, the males physical condition deteriorates. He stops eating and spends more time in open water. Males typically die of being preyed upon, rather than starving to death. Giant Pacific octopus with her eggs. FriedC After mating, the female stops hunting. She lays between 120,000 and 400,000 eggs. She attaches the eggs to a hard surface, blows fresh water over them, cleans them, and chases away predators. Depending on water temperature, the eggs hatch in about six months. Females die soon after the eggs hatch. Each hatchling is about the size of a grain of rice, but grows at the rate of about 0.9% per day. Although many eggs are laid and hatch, most hatchlings are eaten before they reach adulthood. Conservation Status The giant Pacific octopus has not been evaluated for the IUCN Red List, nor is it protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. This is because its too hard to find and track the animals to assess its numbers. While not endangered, the species is likely threatened by pollution and climate change. Usually, the octopus flees warm water and dead zones in favor of cooler, oxygenated water, but some populations may be trapped between low-oxygen zones. Yet, the species can adapt to live in deep water, so it may be possible for the giant Pacific octopus to find a new habitat. Sources Cosgrove, James (2009). Super Suckers, The Giant Pacific octopus. BC: Harbour Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55017-466-3.Mather, J.A.; Kuba, M.J. (2013). The cephalopod specialties: complex nervous system, learning and cognition. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 91 (6): 431–449. doi:10.1139/cjz-2013-0009

LOVE (14% Discount) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LOVE (14% Discount) - Essay Example Effect of a microorganism or virulence of a bacterium may be caused by an organism being physically present in the host where it releases toxins to the host directly or its preformed toxins get into another organism’s body system through various routes such ingestion, skin etc. The virulence of microorganisms varies across genus as well as species. In this paper, I am going to describe two bacteria, explain their ecological niche, and finally compare them. After a thorough evaluation of bacteria I have rested on Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. The reason for selecting the two organisms is that they share a common feature of exhibiting a rectangular shape but their behaviors are totally different. Their similarities and differences are expounded below. Lactobacillus bulgaricus’ is a non pathogenic organism. It occurs in its natural environment and its ecological niche is where there is its requirements for growth are provided especially in dairy products that contain lactose. It is chemoorganotrophic meaning that it must obtain energy and carbon from organic compounds. It is a rod shaped and the rods join end to end to form a filamentous structure that are extensively long. This bacterium is a gram positive facultative anaerobe. Based on this fact, Lactobacillus bulgaricus can be homofermenative or heterofermentative. When it comes to motion, the bacterium is non motile because it does not possess locomotion. When conditions become unfavorable this particular bacterium does not form a spore. According to Guchte (2006) its size based on its shape ranges between 0.5-0.8 x 2.0-9.0mm. For this bacterium to grow it requires a medium whose pH ranges between 4.6 -5.4 (Guchte, 2006). The fact that it can only hydrolyse lactose sugar makes it quite important to food industry because of its by-products. When

Why Do Wars Happen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why Do Wars Happen - Essay Example Adopting the framework of Henry Nau, the basic insights offered to understand why wars and peace can happen are the realist, liberalist, and identity perspectives (Humphreys, 180). The class lectures of our course heavily used the book of Henry Nau and, thus, this discussion heavily used the lecture materials. The realist perspective holds that states must protect themselves and that the best protection will be found wherein states balance each other, meaning that no state is in a position to bully the other states because all states have the capability to subvert a bully either alone or with allies (Lecture 3, Slide 2). However, holding the other states in check so that no one would be in a position to bully or conquer another, require that states must arm themselves (Lecture 3, Slide 3). In addition, states will be unable to tap allies if they themselves are not armed (Lecture 3, Slide 3). For realists, transitional peace is possible if countries disarm. Yet, if a country disarms a nd others do not, the country that disarmed will not be in a position to defend herself. The country will be vulnerable to attacks and will be vulnerable to being conquered by the country that did not disarm. If on the other hand, all countries arm themselves to the teeth, a situation is created wherein a war scenario or an armed standoff can emerge (Lecture 3, Slide 6). This means there is a potential for war with an armed standoff (Lecture 3, Slide 6). There is a dilemma: if a country does not arm, she risks being bullied or conquered. If a country arms, she will risk a war or an armed standoff (Lecture 3, Slide 6). For a realist, countries will usually consider subjugation unacceptable. On the other hand, a country can consider peace to be too fragile and vulnerable to become a situation in which one country could re-arm to conquer the other. Thus, for realists, the â€Å"realistic† or appropriate situation to target is a situation of stand-off or parity of power (Lecture 3, Slide 6). On the same dilemma and situation confronted by realists, liberalists or liberalism holds that peace remains possible if institutions are created to make negotiations work better (Lecture 4, Slide 2). Liberalism argues that peace can be enforced if countries or states unite to punish states that fail to disarm (Lecture 4, Slide 2). Liberalists hold that another route towards peace is available if states who are disarming implement the disarmament by stages wherein participants to the disarmament observe each other (Lecture 4, Slide 3). Each country can implement the disarmament proportionate to the goodwill or initiative of each other (Lecture 4, Slide 3). A country can also reduce her arms in a manner calculated to inspire reciprocation from other countries to reduce their arms. In doing so, all countries in a disarmament program can reduce arms until the disarmament becomes full and complete (Lecture 4, Slide 4). A country can initiate goodwill reducing arms in the ex pectation that other countries will reciprocate the goodwill by implementing a proportionate disarmament. In the liberalist perspective or liberalism, institutions play an important role in the disarmament process because they can serve as third parties that can help countries involved in the disarmament (Lecture 4, Slide 4). The forerunner of the United Nations, for example, the League of Nations provided a mechanism whereby countries involved in international disputes are able to submit their dispute to the league for arbitration (Lecture 4, Slide 4). If the league finds or has come to believe or has deemed that a country is guilty of aggression, the league can enforce peace by imposing economic blockade or sanctions against the assumed aggressor (Lecture 4, Slide

Detecting Circulating Tumor Cells using Flow Cytometry Essay

Detecting Circulating Tumor Cells using Flow Cytometry - Essay Example The research field was on Flow Cytometry. It aimed to  establish  a reliable method for counting Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) using flow Cytometry. Flow Cytometry is a  method  of enumerating and examining minute particles suspended in a  fluid  when passed through an electronic detector. The system has a disposable chip. This chip checks for cross contamination  collect  analyzed sample and to freely measurement. CTC is  salient  biomarkers for so many cancers. There are many systems for enumeration based on either EpCAM/CD326 which  express  tumor cell before microscope or  RT-PCR. Protocols for this system can be applied onto other systems. Cultured cancer cells spiked into normal blood got enriched with  MACR  EpCAM  microbeads then  labeled  with APC instead of intracellular staining of cytokeratins.  EpCAM  allows enumeration of  intact  CTC, cellular integrity  maintenance  and concomitant  performance. Combination of  fineà ‚  tuned CTC and cytometric multicolor resulted into linear relationship between input and output  cell  count from zero to hundred of cells. Anti CD45  mAb  was used  to  give  satisfactory  signal/ noise ratio by  gate  exclusion of white blood cells  signal. There is little  influence  on lungs cancer cell PC-9 viability. CTC is of greater importance because it provides stratification of Anti-tumor treatment and furthering characterization. Several researchers have shown that circulating Tumor cells (CTC) in peripheral blood are significant prognostic marker for cancer (1-5). Presence of circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood of patients  has been involved  in the Tumor  development  and metastasis  advancement. Response of  therapy  and evaluation of  disease  get  predicted  by change in circulating tumor cells. Several methods  have been used  in the  CTC-enrichment  and  discovery, but the  standard  metho d is the FDA-approved cell search system (Veridex) (Takao, M., Takeda, K., 2011). This employs a 7.5ml of blood and involves epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAM  /CD360) (8)-conjugated  immuno-magnetic  enrichment preceded by cell imaging  process  using  positive  immuno-staining  of  cytokenins. Later negative immunostaining of leucocyte common antigen (CD45) and DNA staining with  DAPI. The overall advantage of this method is the  rapid  read out of routine measurements.  This is due to the fact that  sizeable  information gets included  in the  data  and its capability of multicolor analysis.  This  method  also offers  precise  detection limit of  pure  cells of approximately (10^-5). Related research Benjamin and Steven conducted research on flow Cytometry. They inferred that there has been progress in  immuno-magnetic  and  flow  cytometry. Benjamin and Steven concluded that  flow  cytometry and immunomagneti c can detect and characterize circulating tumor cells. They  infer  that flow cytometry has demonstrated prognostic  importance  in prostate and breast cancer. In Benjamin’s and Steven article about â€Å" circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer †¦Ã¢â‚¬  there are reviews regarding the  historical  and  development  information about  identification  and enumeration of circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer. The presence of circulating tumor cells in patients having metastatic carcinomas get  linked  with poor survival predictions (Tych,  Frederik,  Sjoerd,  Joost, Jan  &Leon, 2011). According to their article based on research, image cytometer,  cell  tracks got  developed  to  advance  the enumeration of rare circulating tumor cells. Cell search  system  got used to  enumerate  circulating tumor cells in seven point five milliliters (7.5 Ml) of  bold  of nine healthy controls and sixty eight patients. The results  were obtained  from cell search  system  were analyzed again using image cytometer. Then automated categorization of events  was executed  by random forest  process  using

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 32

Response - Essay Example instead, took advantage of it to create perspective and to intensify and stress the dramatic subjects, which is the artistry of science fiction in the author’s opinion. I agree with the author’s claim that we are currently living in a world where there is a blur between the past, present, and future. But such reality is still hidden to many of us. As stated by the author â€Å"†¦these shows were important to a degree and achieved cult status but it never encapsulated reality or capture a single theme or idea that made a show prestigious to a wider audience† (Gasoline Sky para 2). The author is clearly criticizing viewers for taking for granted the larger themes of science fiction shows like BSG. In general, the article is enlightening, interesting, and informative. It also offers a somewhat objective analysis of the political (e.g. terrorism) and religious (e.g. polytheism vs. monotheism) aspects in the thematic agenda of the

Procedures for the Release of Electronic Health Information Assignment - 1

Procedures for the Release of Electronic Health Information - Assignment Example Moreover, the burden of maintaining confidentiality lies with health care providers and staff that may have access to the medical record. The patient relies on the understanding of these laws well by the heath providers. The implementation of these laws without patients’ right violation is the main aim of the release of electronic health records. U.S. Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") was enacted by the US to help in the governance of the release of health records. It is important to note that although HIPAA Privacy Regulations may impose additional requirements on Maryland disclosure law, they do not replace Maryland state law unless the patient is provided less protection under the state law. Electronic health information is a digitized version of a patient’s record book; it contains a patient’s medical history, treatment plans, immunization dates, medications, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results. It also allows access to evidence-based tools that providers can use to make decisions about a patient’s care. It also eases the service providers’ workflow since the whole system is automated. The EHR allows the sharing of information between several health care organizations in case of referrals. Such information could be very vital to a patient therefore the issuance of such information should be done carefully under regulations. It’s only fair the patient’s privacy rights be observed. This therefore has led to the need for a procedure in the release of medical records. Medical records are expected to be confidential, up to date and very accurate. These records are owned by the health care provider and are kept with the aim of benefiting the patient. Therefore, the service provider is tasked to guard this information against any illegal adjustments, loss, tamper, or unauthorized persons use. The

Sensory Perceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Sensory Perceptions - Essay Example Senses play an intricate role in an individual’s thinking. It is, therefore, vital to understand some of the weaknesses they exhibit, and how these weaknesses affect an individual’s thinking. The need to process sensory information is crucial in the growth and development of individuals (Marie, 2010). This paper will examine why individuals need not entirely believe in the accuracy of sensory information, and how this might affect the decisions they make daily. There are reasons why sensory information cannot be relied on entirely by individuals. How people interpret sensory information, is dependent on their judgement. People often choose to look at things in their surrounding objectively, even though, they try not to believe they do this. These psychological biases and cognitive factors make everybody choose what to believe. What one might perceive in one way, another may choose to look at it differently (Barth & Giampieri-Deutsch, 2012). This creates a rift in the perception by individuals about their present situations. Another reason why it is hard to place trust in sensory information provided by the senses includes past experiences. How people interpret the immediate situation may be based on past experiences that led one not to trust their instincts (Barth & Giampieri-Deutsch, 2012). This affects the decisions they might make regarding the given situation. Moreover, the environmental effects affect the interpretation of data. Communication, for example, may be distorted before reaching the intended party. This may be because of noise. These environmental factors affect our perceptions, hence; would not be right to believe entirely in sensory information (Barth & Giampieri-Deutsch, 2012). Repeatability is one factor that may contribute to an individual’s accuracy of sensory data. Senses being exposed to certain conditions on a regular basis may offer an individual accuracy during the interpretation of

Procedures for the Release of Electronic Health Information Assignment - 1

Procedures for the Release of Electronic Health Information - Assignment Example Moreover, the burden of maintaining confidentiality lies with health care providers and staff that may have access to the medical record. The patient relies on the understanding of these laws well by the heath providers. The implementation of these laws without patients’ right violation is the main aim of the release of electronic health records. U.S. Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") was enacted by the US to help in the governance of the release of health records. It is important to note that although HIPAA Privacy Regulations may impose additional requirements on Maryland disclosure law, they do not replace Maryland state law unless the patient is provided less protection under the state law. Electronic health information is a digitized version of a patient’s record book; it contains a patient’s medical history, treatment plans, immunization dates, medications, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results. It also allows access to evidence-based tools that providers can use to make decisions about a patient’s care. It also eases the service providers’ workflow since the whole system is automated. The EHR allows the sharing of information between several health care organizations in case of referrals. Such information could be very vital to a patient therefore the issuance of such information should be done carefully under regulations. It’s only fair the patient’s privacy rights be observed. This therefore has led to the need for a procedure in the release of medical records. Medical records are expected to be confidential, up to date and very accurate. These records are owned by the health care provider and are kept with the aim of benefiting the patient. Therefore, the service provider is tasked to guard this information against any illegal adjustments, loss, tamper, or unauthorized persons use. The

Masculinity and Its Link in the Importance Essay Example for Free

Masculinity and Its Link in the Importance Essay Victorian ideas of masculinity. The concept of Victorian masculinity is a diverse one since it was influenced by numerous aspects and factors such as domesticity, economy, gender roles, imperialism, manners, religion and much more. Some of these aspects seem to be quite naturally related to one another, while others seem none-relational. For the males, this included a vast amount of pride in their work, protectiveness over their wives, and an aptitude for good social behaviour. The Victorians saw manliness as good, a form of control over maleness, which was brutish. Christianity contributed much to the Victorian concept of masculinity. The real Victorian man was to be spiritual and a faithful believer. The husband and father was considered to be the head of the household, but his duty was to rule. Victorian men were not only competing for respect within their own sex, but they needed to impress the women too. If they were not married, it depicted that they were not fully masculine because they did not have a family to support. Supporting a family was a sign of true success within the male sex. In the text so far Oscar Wilde shows Earnest/Jacks eagerness as a sign he could trying to assert his masculinity because that is what Victorian society is so judgemental. Prescribing the notion that women were born to dream of marriage, Cecily and Gwendolyn, from The Importance of Being Earnest, are caught up in the fantasies of the perfect marriage to the perfect earnest husband. Cecily and Gwendolyn are fixated on the name Earnest, almost as if it were an obsession; it is the ideal name for their future husbands. They are determined not to marry a man unless he is called Earnest because they believe a man with this name will automatically live up to the name’s expectations of being serious, honourable, and moral. In Wilde’s play, he comically satirizes the name â€Å"Earnest,† through the portrayal of two deceitful men whom the women fantasize as being ideal men worthy of marriage â€Å"My ideal has always been to love some one of the name of Earnest ’ These two men claim to live up to the Victorian ideals, but then live another life outside of the community to escape the society’s pressures. Henceforth, in the play, the men fall under the pressure of women and Victorian ideals rather than staying true to their identity and personalities. Even when Jack tries to admit his real name, Gwendolyn becomes lost in her ideals of a fantasized husband named Earnest and discourages Jack from confessing his real name. She uses the knowledge that she has learned from the Victorian society to judge whether someone by the name of â€Å"John† or â€Å"Jack† would be a suitable husband for her, and in doing so, she manipulates Jack into hiding his identity out of fear of losing Gwendolyn. He believes the only way Gwendolyn will accept him is to say his name is Earnest.

Personal Illness Narratives: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Personal Illness Narratives: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Introduction This essay employs excerpts from the narrative of a 38 year old woman named Francesca, a lady who has been given a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to illustrate key concepts form the sociological, and psychological literature. This approach will illustrate the writers ability to critically appraise the literature, its relevance to the narrative in question, and using narrative, places these concepts within a real life clinical situation. This in turn provides insight into the value of narrative as a methodological approach in the 21st Century and how it intertwines with the rich tapestry of sociological theories and concepts that are available to the researcher studying the current sociological evidence base. For the purpose of this assignment, peer reviewed articles and textbooks were searched within the past 10 years. The work introduces RA as a clinical entity (pivotal to understanding the comments of Francesca) and goes on to outline the use of narrative, particularly its utility in the study of chronic disease. The essay then goes on to cover some key important issues, namely: The biomedical versus the sociological approach of illness management The Study of Personal Illness Narratives Sociological perspectives on depression Chronic Illness and Disability Social construction of medical knowledge and the Politics of Disability Labelling Stigma. For each of the above, concepts are presented and mapped against selected statements from the narrative of Francesca (written in italics for clarity). These statements illustrate real world data gleaned from Francesca; valuable comments that are grounded in the experiences of a person living with a chronic disease. The work also contains an appendix comprising a reflective postscript which outlines the way that the work evolved from earliest outline, to the finished product. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects not only the synovial joints but multiple body systems (Goodacre 2008). The exact cause of RA remains unknown; it is a disease that affects more women than men, often of a young or middle age demographic unlike osteoarthritis which affects predominately older people. RA follows a somewhat unpredictable course of exacerbations and remissions. RA carries huge psychological problems in view of its unknown aetiology, uncertain prognosis, and loss of function. Additional symptoms include early morning stiffness, pain, limitation of activities of daily living, and socio- economic problems inasmuch as it may have a severe impact upon a persons ability to work and function in society (Kojima et al 2009). The discussion now begins with a section on models of illness. Biomedical and biopsychosocial models of disease The biomedical model of health takes the reductionist view that people are biological entities (Lewis 2009 p745). In the clinical management of RA there is some merit in this biomedical approach, for example the monitoring of inflammatory mediators in the blood as a marker of disease activity or responses to drug intervention is well established in the literature (Lee Kim 2009). This biomedical approach is reinforced by the GP comments from the narrative, i.e. That there was no cure and that the tablets were the key to preserving normal function. This approach may contribute to Francescas frustration, as it ignores the wider psychological and sociological ramifications of living with a chronic debilitating disease such as RA. It is unclear form the narrative whether the GP tempered his comments by adding that there are means by which the signs and symptoms of RA can be successfully managed. Critical appraisal of the literature reveals that biopsychosocial models advocate a more holistic view of illness, for example according to Smith (2002) the biopsychosocial model seeks to address not only the client and his or her illness but also their capacity to deal with being ill. The value of adopting the narrative approach as part of the biomedical model is effectively illustrated at the point where Francesca states I just burst into tears At the perceived effect that this illness will have upon her loss of function in the future. So whereas the biomedical model will operationalise function using objective outcome measures, here the use of narrative permits a biopsychosocial approach that provides rich client centred data on how it feels to be diagnosed with chronic and currently incurable disease. This in turn can help to inform our understanding of Rheumatoid arthritis as a disease thereby influencing the social construction of medical knowledge by giving voice to service users (Balen et al 2009). The Study of Personal Illness Narratives. Illness narratives concern a persons views and beliefs about their illnesses and the effect on their lives (HydÃÆ'Â ©n 2007). There is increasing acceptance and recognition of the valuable role that such grounded narratives play in understanding the journeys that people with chronic diseases such as RA have to embark upon if they are to manage their illness on a day to day basis. For example Haidet et al (2006) found in a narrative study of people with diabetes that people narrated four illness-management strategies whose story elements were in dynamic interplay, each with unique variations for each individual revealing a level of complexity that had not been previously described. As a method, narrative provides rich data (Furman Cavers 2005; Poindexter 2002) and in this case gives a voice to Francesca that would otherwise remain unheard (Grills 1998).Much can be gleaned from studying Francescas narrative, for example Francesca begins to paint a picture of her hopes and fears upon being given a diagnosis of RA combined with an insight into her past and thoughts about the future. Francescas narrative provides us valuable insight into her views of the self- a key component of narrative (Voilmer 2005), her relationships to others, and how these relationships have changed or may change in the future. In her narrative Francesca gives us some insight into the pain of living with rheumatoid arthritis, in her comments we can detect also a stark dichotomy in that she notes how healthy she had been in the past then uses the term Excruciating to describe her current pain, thus Francescas narrative hints at the loss of self in that she will no longer be a dancer or even a valid spouse as exemplified by the narrative quote. I wont be the woman he fell in love with Here she literally describes herself as becoming another person. Here Francesca is able to provide the reader or researcher with valuable information on the loss of the self, which resonates with other narrative research (Roe Davidson 2005; Doba et al 2007). Francesca goes further and also hints at the change in her illness self concept (ISC) that is to say the extent to which a person is defined or consumed by their disease or disability (Morea et al 2008). Francesca also hints at the concept of disease as a biographical disruption, described by Bury, this is said to occur when a persons planned future cannot unfold as planned. (Bury 1982); will he even want to marry me? Im too young to have this. What makes Francescas narrative particularly interesting is the fact that she is a twin; this may emphasise any change in self since she has in essence an unchanging control (her twin sibling) to against which to compare herself as her disease, her self identity (and possibly disability) progresses. The next section outlines sociological perspectives on depression. Sociological perspectives on depression. Francescas depression is likely to be multifactorial; for example there is evidence that the disease RA itself causes depression (Kojima et al 2009) as will living with pain. From a sociological perspective Francescas strained personal relationships may contribute to depression, for example her fear of being rejected as a potential spouse (Waite Gallagher 2001), see below. will he even want to marry me? This feeds in to the earlier section on biomedical versus biopsychosocial models of health and illness and the different paradigms or world views in which they are situated. A biomedical explanation of depression is likely to focus on the biochemical aspects of the person whilst a more sociological approach would acknowledge the impact of socio economics, personal relationships and so on (Covic et al 2003). Caution is needed however here since the short excerpt of narrative that we have provides no direct evidence that Francesca is in fact depressed, indeed a review of the literature suggests that there is a tendency to over diagnose depression (Parker 2007). Chronic Illness and Disability. A chronic incurable disease such as RA would require Francesca to make significant adjustments to her life over time. The sociological literature now provides increasingly refined conceptualisations of these adjustments, acknowledging that the experience of chronic disease necessitates adaptations in multiple domains of the persons life. This adjustment is often referred to as a trajectory (Stanton et al. 2007). This concept, introduced by the sociologist Strauss in an attempt to capture experiences and behaviours occurring in response to chronic illness (Strauss Corbin 1998), goes beyond depicting the physiologic unfolding of disease and encompasses the total organisation of work done over the course of the illness (Strauss et al 1984). Francescas narrative hints at this changing trajectory tracing the commencement of her life changes to a time six months ago when she was much more active and defined herself as a dancer. Furthermore Francesca looks to her future and wonders about h er ability to fulfil the stereotype of a perfect spouse. It is important to engage with how Francesca and her fiancÃÆ'Â © will make sense of the illness. The term illness cognition has been defined as a patients own implicit common sense beliefs about their illness (Leventhal and Nerernz 1985, p. 517). When people experience symptoms, they embark upon a cognitive search which enables them to interpret and make sense of the symptoms they are experiencing. Typically a critical review of the literature distils out into five categories: Identity, including the description of symptoms experienced and their meaning (e.g. pain, fatigue).In the narrative Francesca describes her pain as Excruciating for example. Belief about causes (e.g. accident, genetics or stress). People like to have a label for their symptoms for legitimisation although, once given, people are likely to interpret diverse symptoms as evidence of the label. Francesca has problems with causality and is likely to do so for the foreseeable future since there is no established medical cause for RA. Timeline (beliefs about duration and time for recovery), namely is it acute or chronic? These beliefs will be re-evaluated as time progresses. Consequences (e.g. loss of lifestyle, goals in life). These representations may only develop into more realistic beliefs over time. Francesca uses the narrative to discuss the change in her life from active dancer to unappealing spouse within the space of six months. Beliefs about controllability. (Furnham, 1989; Landrine and Klonoff 1992, 1994) These categories are pivotal to understanding how people make sense of, and decisions about managing a changeable chronic disease such as RA. Evidence of Francesca attempting to make sense of her symptoms by embarking upon a cognitive search may be seen in the example below: I couldnt understand it Im the healthiest person I know. Ive never had problems with my health never had a day off sick in my life. I never go to the doctor, no matter what, Ive always been fit as a flea. From the narrative provided we also have limited information concerning Francescas partners views, for example (although not from Dave himself) Dave wore me down, telling me Ive got to see a doctor This may be interpreted in various ways, not least that Dave was keen for Francesca to obtain a diagnosis and thereby a label to legitimise the illness, whether such labelling is disabling or enabling is not fully resolved in literature (Huibers Wessley 2006). Francescas comment does however open up the interesting issue of how partners cope with chronic disease, in RA in particular there is evidence that a strong marital relationship correlates with the couples psychological adjustment to the illness (Mann Zautra 1990). These authors go on to claim that in RA, partners are most affected by their perceived vulnerability to disease and coping ability, whereas the wives who have RA were more affected by pain itself and how they will cope with the effects of the disease- reflected in Francescas comments below; I started having excruciating pains in my feet when I woke in the morning To further corroborate the findings of Manne Zautra (1990) concerning male worries about coping at a more abstract level see the example below: Dave has been great but he has his own worries hes just been laid off from his job and hes worrying about paying for the wedding Mann Dieppe (2006) have also more recently acknowledged coping differences between males and females in RA, (n = eight women with RA ages 31-60 years and their partners, and 4 men with RA ages 43-75 years) although methodologically their sampling may be flawed in that those couples currently experiencing severe martial problems are unlikely to submit to the type of phenomenological interviews that they undertook. The social construction of medical knowledge and politics of disability It is not possible in an essay of this length to provide a full account of the politics of disability, primarily since the topic is multi-factorial, fluid and indeed is covered to an extent in the other sub sections of this work, furthermore we have insufficient data from the narrative to comment in depth. Kitchen and Wilton (2003) comment that our views of disability as a medical entity viewed in paternalistic terms have changed in favour or equality and empowerment. However Francesca can expect to experience a host of politically related issues, for example social exclusion and poverty (Foley Chowdhury 2007). Francesca has already stated in her narrative; Ive got to work- we need the money. In terms of medicines social construction, as far back as 1982, Wright Treacher (1982) claimed that medical knowledge inevitably contains a social component incorporating moral values and prejudices, and that diagnosis ascribes a certain meaning. We still see this thirty years later where the GP abruptly (allegedly) advocates of drugs to preserve normal function. This reinforces the paternalistic medical approach. RA in its early stages does not present with any obvious physical deformity and affects the young demographic, it is conceivable that she may experience disbelief from her peers; this may in turn make her life difficult in an era of financial unease, Government budgetary cuts and political uncertainty. Labelling. Labelling theory (social reaction theory) has its roots in the work of sociologist Howard Becker (Becker 1997). It centres on peoples tendency to negatively label those who are different from ourselves. As a person with chronic arthritis Francesca will not be immune to this labelling, for example being labelled as disabled or arthritic are all real possibilities. Arthritis organisations and acts such as the Disability Discrimination Act ( DDA) are at great pains to encourage activity and maintenance of full function and contribution to society, however all this may be negated by her GPs comments that there is; no cure and I had to take tablets everyday to be able to function normally. Labels can however be positive, Francesca describing herself as glamorous for example on two occasions in the narrative, and her previous label of salsa dance teacher is something that defines her in a positive way. Yes, Im a salsa dance teacher Stigma Stigma has recently been defined by Scambler (2009) as a social process, experienced or anticipated by exclusion, rejection, blame or devaluation that results from experience, perception or reasonable anticipation of an adverse social judgement about a person or group(p441) Francesca may feel stigmatised by all of the factors previously discussed, attitude of her GP, loss of self, worry about the future, inability to act out the role of spouse. Factors such as depression, the lack of a cause for her RA and her inability to teach salsa dancing may amplify her feelings of being stigmatised, it is also important form the wider perspective to acknowledge that stigma may affect Francescas partner. Struening et al (2001) for example reported that 43-92% of caregivers (to people with mental health problems) reported feeling stigmatised, again this suggests that living with this disease does not only affect Francesca but also her partner. Conclusion This essay has employed extracts from the narrative of a 38 year old lady with Rheumatoid arthritis, to illustrate some key sociological concepts. The essay has provided a valuable opportunity to map some key concepts from the literature onto a narrative excerpt. Whilst the essay has not been able to enter the field in great depth; It is a testament to the thick description provided by patient narratives that such a wealth of information can be generated form a relatively short piece of description. References Balen,R., Rhodes, C., Ward,L., (2009) The Power of Stories: Using Narrative for Interdisciplinary Learning in Health and Social CareSocial Work Education: The International Journal, pp1470-1227. Becker, H., (1997) Outsiders. New York, NY. Free Press. Covic, T., Adamson,B., Spencer,D., Howe,G., (2003) A biopsychosocial model of pain and depression in rheumatoid arthritis: a 12-month longitudinal study Rheumatology, Vol 42 1287-1294. 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Appendix Reflective postscript This is written in the first person since it is a reflective piece of writing This was a challenging yet fascinating project to complete. I was unsure how to approach the topic and how much weight to attach to the various theories available and the comments of Francesca , once it became clear that I was actually trying to explain what was going on with Francesca by using academic theory to illustrate her comments the task became rather enjoyable. Tight word count restrictions as always meant that I had to do some brutal editing, but the positive side to this is that it makes one more selective in ones writing. For example my earliest version was heavy on sociological theory and light on mapping this theory to the comments of Francesca, whereas the final version makes more explicit links between what Francesca says and the theory behind why she says it. The fact that I had some real comments to sink my academic teeth into made the process of literature searching interesting and relevant since I was able to think about Francescas comments and her personal situation for each search that I undertook. The areas that gave me most difficulty were the political aspects of disability since they seemed so wide ranging and actually intertwined with everything that I was writing about. All in all I have learned a great deal about the usefulness of narrative form this project.