Kings Landmark I Have a Dream Speech

In 1957, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which organized civil rights activities throughout the United States. In August 1963, he led the great March on Washington, where he delivered this memorable speech in front of 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and millions more who watched on television. In the book The Dream: Martin Luther King Jr  and the Speech That Inspired a Nation (2003), Drew D. Hansen notes that the FBI responded to Kings speech with this disturbing report: We must mark him now, if we have not done so before, as the most dangerous Negro of the future in this Nation. Hansens own view of the speech is that it offered a vision of what a redeemed America might look like  and a hope that this redemption will one day come to pass. In addition to being a central text of the Civil Rights Movement, the I Have a Dream speech is a model of effective communication and a powerful example of the African-American jeremiad. (This version of the speech, transcribed from the original audio, differs in a number of ways from the now more familiar text that was distributed to journalists on Aug. 28, 1963, the date of the march.) I Have a Dream I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so weve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense, weve come to our nations capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable Rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds. But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, weve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of Gods children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negros legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, When will you be satisfied? We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negros basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating For Whites Only. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like  waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that  all  men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made  straight, and  the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. And this will be the day —  this will be the day when all of Gods children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country tis of thee,Sweet land of liberty,Of thee I sing.Land where my fathers died,Land of the Pilgrims pride,From every mountainside,Let freedom ring! And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California! But not only that. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of Gods children, black  men, and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Problems and Perspectives in Teaching English in Mixed...

PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES IN TEACHING ENGLISH IN MIXED ABILITY CLASSROOMS (M.SENTHILKUMAR,VMKV ENGINEERING COLLEGE,SALEM) All children are born with potential and we cannot be sure of the learning limits of any child (Robert Fisher, 2001:1) Presently, the English language teachers throughout the world keep on buzzing a word that their students are in mixed level. In the past teachers may well have said that the problem was just that some students were cleverer or simply ‘better’ than others in the class. But we now understand that the situation is more complex than that. Our students are indeed mixed in many ways. They are different in terms of their levels of:Attention,Interest,Motivation,Learning styles,Types of†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Are you fair and impartial? †¢ Do you encourage all the students? †¢ Are you patient? †¢ Are your instructions clear? †¢ Is your lesson well signposted? (i.e. do students know what they should be doing at any given time? Do you give time limits for activities? Has everyone noticed that you want to give some new instructions or explain something?) †¢ Are all the students comfortable? (If a student is too hot, in pain, hungry, upset, preoccupied etc they are not in the right condition to learn.) Problems in Mixed Ability Classes Effective Learning As a teacher, our aim is to reach all of our students. However, it is well known that every student has a different way of learning, and learns and progresses at different speeds. Thus, while some students may find the learning task very easy to deal with, others may find it difficult to understand. Sometimes it is observed that a student is bright in schooldays whereas he is dull in studies in the tertiary level, it happens vice-versa also.Besides, learning also depends on the learners background as they may come from different family, different environment and/or different place, different society may be an obstacle , which eventually results in ineffective learning. Moreover, although it is quite difficult for the teacher to know about each student and to follow what each one does during the lessons even in small classes, it is important forShow MoreRelatedAnecdotal Evidence On The Classroom Engagement1679 Words   |  7 PagesAnecdotal Evidence† Milman (2012) notes, the flipped or inverted classroom, used in K-12 and higher education, has been receiving attention. According to Milman (2012), advocates of the strategy make numerous benefits known, for example - increasing classroom engagement. Milman (2012) notes there are both advantages (it seems to be a good fit to teach procedural knowledge) and disadvantages (students may not watch the videos and or it may not be the best way to learn the concept). AdditionallyRead MoreHow Teachers And Students Communicate And Teaching More Effective Through My Field Work Observation Essay1595 Words   |  7 PagesAs a student for 20 years in China, I am used to the quiet classroom that almost only teachers are talking all the time. However, since I came to Canada, I never had any classroom that does not encourage students to share ideas and generate arguments. The communication in and outside class makes a great difference for my learning experience. I started to realize my value a nd build my own voices through these talking with my classmates and teachers. I believe by including effective communication inRead MoreThe Importance Of Interlanguage1468 Words   |  6 Pagesconsists of the various rules. They also see it as a result of so many varieties of processes which include the influence that is usually associated with the use of the first language which is transferred. Most of the learners see Interlanguage as a mixed landscape that is full of quick progressions. The process of learning the second word is therefore very non-linear and is fragmented (Luinge et al., 2016, p.42). Implications of Interlanguage The use of Interlanguage has had several impacts on learningRead MoreEnglish Education Reform : An Effective Solution For The Problem Of The Field Of Education898 Words   |  4 Pagesthe world of education in a totally different way. I feel like I have been on a roller-coaster that has taken me to extreme highs and lows when it comes to my emotions and perspectives on the subject of ‘English education reform.’ However, I have realized, what we have yet to discover is an effective solution for the problems and issues we have in this field. Whatever happened to valuing the student or valuing the teacher? Instead, we as a nation, have come to value the data-driven assessments fromRead MoreGrouping Literature Review3900 Words   |  16 PagesPractices in the Elementary Reading Classroom Abstract Reading instruction has a long history of being one of the most highly debated topics in education. American teachers have been criticized for not producing effective readers. Teachers recognize the need to differentiate reading instruction and provide a balanced literacy program. In an effort to meet the needs of all students, teachers use a variety of grouping methods while teaching reading. In recent history, the typeRead MoreComparing and Contrasting the Schooling System in the United Kingdom and Denmark1589 Words   |  7 PagesUnited Kingdom and Denmark. It will focus on primary education and lower secondary, focusing on the Folkeskole, aims of this, how each country goes about doing examinations and grading, the curriculum content and how each country differs and also the teaching and learning of each country. There are three different ideologies behind the education system; these include classical humanism, encyclopaedism and pragmatism. The United Kingdoms education system is based around classical humanism and promotesRead MoreAn Investigation of the Gender Gap of Boys Underachieving in Literacy6323 Words   |  26 Pagesof England. School A is a high achieving school compared to other mixed and same sex schools in the Local Area. The current Head of English (HoD) is driven, ambitious and highly motivated towards pupils’ achieving the best results possible. During the research I expect outcomes to show that there is a correlation between high achieving boys and enjoyment of reading for pleasure. I also expect to find that particular classroom strategies can effectively impact the attainment levels of boys, particularlyRead MoreImproving Academic Outcomes For Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islanders Essay1955 Words   |  8 PagesAboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This should include fostering pride in identity, making connections to community and land, and respecting language variation and culture. In doing so, teachers meet expectations for Australian professional teaching standards and the community. â€Æ' A. Inclusive practice for Indigenous students Fostering pride Teachers should foster self-worth, confidence and self-efficacy among Aboriginal students. This is important because it can help overcome intergenerationalRead MoreFactors Affecting Literature Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools in Uganda19646 Words   |  79 Pages An Assessment of the Factors Affecting the Quality of Literature in English Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools in Uganda: A case study of Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District A Research Dissertation Submitted in partial fulfilment for the Award of the Bachelors Degree in Education of Uganda Martyrs University-Nkozi July 2012 DECLARATION I, HENRY NSUBUGA, do declare that this is my original work, save for the various works I consulted, whose authors I have fullyRead MoreMulticultural Education Issues2680 Words   |  11 Pagesthat some teachers care can be considered a reason why there is such an increase of high school dropouts. There are so many teachers who often have a fear of teaching or building positive relationships with minority or under privilege students. In this American society we have witness stereotypes being used to label students in the classroom by teachers who just have some underlying issues that need to be addressed. Teachers resistance and negative attitude can affect the way students perform academically

Planning And Management Of Holiday Trip - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about thePlanning And Management Of Holiday Trip. Answer: Introduction to the Company XYZ is a Singapore based organization that provides web based solutions to its customers. The organization deals in three primary domains as Healthcare, Finance and Real-Estate. The organization comprises of an employee base of 500 employees and is in its expansion phase. It is spread over seven countries and has twelve office locations world-wide. The organization has managed to develop a good reputation in the market owing to its excellent customer service and support. Introduction to the Project A team of ten employees of XYZ organization have been rewarded with an opportunity to experience a holiday trip by the organization owing to their excellent performance and success in their respective projects. The project includes the organization and successful management of the entire trip. The project team must cover the identification of the scope in terms of the selection of destination, designing of the cost and schedule, booking formalities and likewise (Mallery, 2011). Project Scope Statement Project Objectives The primary project objective is to make sure that the entire holiday trip with the company is successfully organized and managed. The objectives are as listed below. To identify the holiday destination and book the travel tickets and hotel for every individual in the team. To organize the VISA formalities for all the interested individuals To develop a travel itinerary and distribute the same among all the travelers Project Deliverables List of the travelers that will be holidaying with the company Approved visas of all the travelers Detailed travel itinerary Confirmation of hotel bookings Return flight tickets for all the travelers (Henderson, 2004) Project Milestones Finalization of the destination 11th August 2017 Complete list of the travelers 14th August 2017 Return flight tickets 15th August 2017 Approved Visa 24th August 2017 Detailed itinerary 31st August 2017 Booking confirmation of the hotels 4th September 2017 Technical Requirements Valid passport will be necessary for all the travelers holidaying with the company Every traveler must fulfill the eligibility criteria to travel to Australia There must not be any pending responsibilities on any traveler travelling with the company There must not be a severe medical condition for any member Limits and Exclusions The company will not be responsible for the refunds if the traveler chooses to back out seven days prior to the travel dates There will no upgrades provided to the travelers in the flight or the hotels (Seethamraju, 2012) The company will not cover the expenses of shopping for the travelers. The entire holiday shall be completed in the period of ten days including the travel dates (Gulledge, 2002) Review with Customer Task Project Manager Finance Officer Travel Expert Associate 1 Associate 2 Planning of the Project R R S S Booking of the Tickets S S R S S Visa related formalities R S Itinerary of the Project R R S Hotel Bookings R S Finalization and Closure R S S R = Responsible S = Support/Assist Project Priority Matrix Project Time Project Scope/Performance Project Cost Constraint X Enhance X Accept X Project Priority Matrix Three factors viz. time, cost and scope will be of prime importance for the project on holiday trip with the company. These factors will be required to be analyzed and understand to decide the priority on all of these three project factors. Constraint The holiday trip that will be carried out by the company will include a number of bookings and other formalities such as booking of the flight tickets, hotel bookings along with the acquiring of the visa documents for all of the travelers. Also, the travelers that will be holidaying will have a number of company responsibilities. Altering of the dates may lead to delays and penalties due to the non-fulfillment of the required duties. Project time will therefore be a primary constraint that shall not be altered in any situation (Yang Tamir, 2015). Enhancement Project time and cost are the factors that will not be possible to be enhanced. Although, project scope is one of the project factors that may be enhanced in terms of the type of the hotel, places to be covered in the itinerary and so on. Project scope that may be enhanced may include travel itinerary along with the booking categories. Accepts There can be certain variations that may be accepted in terms of the cost associated with the project. The project budget will be designed in advance. There may be changes in the price of the flight tickets or tariffs that are charged for the hotels (Sunde, 2011). The project priority has been designed as per the matrix that has been illustrated above. The project factors and the priority associated with each of the factor have also been displayed in the matrix above (Mohapatra Patnaik, 2011). Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) displays the packages and sub-packages associated with the project in the form of a hierarchical diagram. In case of the project of a holiday trip with the company, a 3-level WBS has been designed. The same has been illustrated below comprising of the packages and their respective sub-packages as well. Design of project budget and schedule The project budget along with the project schedule must be designed. Project Scope finalization Project scope statement shall be designed and approved. Identification of travelers and Selection of the travel destination The candidates willing to travel with the company shall be enquired about their preferred choices and desired destination for holiday. The travel destination shall be finalized as per the choices received along with the project budget and schedule. Desired travel dates from the travelers The travel dates shall be collected from all the travelers. Confirmation of travel dates The travel dates shall be finalized as per the schedule. Gathering of demographic information The travelers shall be inquired and their respective demographic information shall be gathered. Booking of return tickets Return flight tickets for all the travelers shall be booked. Collection of passports from the travelers Passports shall be collected from all of the travelers. Collection of other required documents Documents such as identity proofs and photographs shall be gathered from the travelers. Filling of the visa application Visa application shall be filled by all the travelers. Submission of visa The visa shall be submitted for all the travelers. Collection of the approved visa Visa shall be collected and approved for the travelers. Identification of the cities to be travelled in Australia Itinerary shall be based upon the cities that must be covered in the holiday. Identification of the places to visit in every city Every city shall be mapped with the places that shall be visited. Distribution of the itinerary to travelers Itinerary shall be shared with the travelers. Acquiring of feedback from the travelers Feedback on the itinerary shall be collected. Inclusion of the changes in the itinerary Changes shall be made in the travel itinerary. Finalization of the itinerary Itinerary shall be confirmed and circulated. Check on the availability Availability check shall be performed on the hotels for each city as per the travel dates. Check on the reviews and ratings Hotel reviews and ratings shall be checked. Selection of the rooms Hotel rooms shall be selected. Payment for bookings Booking payments shall be made for confirmation of the booking. Distribution of tickets to the travelers Travelers shall be provided with the tickets along with their visas. Preparation of the closure report (Marle, 2014) Closure report of the project shall be prepared. Cost estimation Time-phased budget There are many project activities that will be carried out in the project of holiday trip with the company. A project budget is necessary for the project to make sure that the expenses associated with the project are determined in advance and are controlled at the time of project execution. The budget for this project has been designed using time phased budgeting technique. The entire project will be carried out in a period of four weeks and the project budget on the basis of these four weeks has been shown in the table below. Also, a chart displaying the budget as per the project progress has also been included. Holiday Trip with the Company Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 1.1. Planning 1.1.1. Design of project budget and schedule 250 1.1.2. Project Scope finalization 200 1.1.3 Identification of travelers and Selection of the travel destination 150 1.1.4. Desired travel dates from the travelers 50 1.2. Booking of the tickets 1.2.1. Confirmation of travel dates 50 1.2.2. Gathering of demographic information 120 1.2.3. Booking of return tickets 12000 1.3. Visa Related Formalities 1.3.1. Collection of passports from the travelers 100 1.3.2. Collection of other required documents 100 1.3.3. Filling of the visa application 2500 1.3.4. Submission of visa 1000 1.3.5. Collection of the approved visa 1000 1.4. Itinerary preparation 1.4.1. Identification of the cities to be travelled in Australia 200 1.4.2. Identification of the places to visit in every city 200 1.4.3. Distribution of the itinerary to travelers 100 1.4.4. Acquiring of feedback from the travelers 150 1.4.5. Inclusion of the changes in the itinerary 350 1.4.6. Finalization of the itinerary 100 1.5. Hotel Bookings 1.5.1. Check on the availability 250 1.5.2. Check on the reviews and ratings 250 1.5.3. Selection of the rooms 250 1.5.4. Payment for bookings 15000 1.6. Finalization and Closure 1.6.1. Distribution of tickets to the travelers 250 1.6.2. Preparation of the closure report 300 Cost per week 12820 4700 1850 15550 Cumulative cost 12820 17520 19370 34920 Conclusion Project planning and management play a very important role for every project. In the project of holiday trip with the company, planning plays a crucial role. Project scope has been identified and included in the project scope statement. The entire project will take four weeks to complete and the budget allocated for the same is SGD 35,000. Significance of the project management tools such as Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) along with project schedule and budget are necessary to understand the project details. References Gulledge, T. (2002). Business process management: public sector implications. Business Process Management Journal, 8(4), 364-376. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14637150210435017 Henderson, L. (2004). Encoding and decoding communication competencies in project management ? an exploratory study. International Journal Of Project Management, 22(6), 469-476. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0263-7863(04)00014-6 Mallery, M. (2011). Project Management Portal (PMP) from the University of Washington Information Technology Wiki - https://wiki.cac.washington.edu/display/pmportal/Project+Management+Portal. Technical Services Quarterly, 28(3), 365-367. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07317131.2011.574546 Marle, F. (2014). Assisting project risk management method selection. International Journal Of Project Organisation And Management, 6(3), 254. https://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijpom.2014.065255 Mohapatra, S., Patnaik, A. (2011). Sustainability in HRIS implementation through effective project management. International Journal Of Project Organisation And Management, 3(1), 78. https://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijpom.2011.038865 Seethamraju, R. (2012). Business process management: a missing link in business education. Business Process Management Journal, 18(3), 532-547. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14637151211232696 Sunde, L. (2011). Net-present-value cost/time tradeoff. International Journal Of Project Management, 13(1), 45-49. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0263-7863(95)95703-g Yang, Y., Tamir, G. (2015). Offshore software project management: mapping project success factors. International Journal Of Project Organisation And Management, 7(2), 111. https://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijpom.2015.069613

Mont Blanc Magazine Ad free essay sample

A rhetorical analysis of an advertisement for Mont Blanc watches in GQ magazine. The paper analyzes the Mont Blanc advertisement for its watches in GQ magazine and shows that it is quite obviously directed at young males who regularly read GQ to keep abreast of the latest fashion and lifestyle trends for men. It shows that this particular ad is designed to equally appeal to both the ethos and the pathos of the target audience but completely abstains from any kind of logos. It shows, too, that the ad is clear and consistent in presenting the product as a fashionable accessory for a certain type of personality to wear. The ad in question does make a definite appeal to the pathos of the target audience by using the beautifully shot and presented product to visually appeal to and arouse the desires and emotions of the viewer. Without meaning to belabor the point, it must be remembered that the reader of GQ magazine is specifically seeking information on the latest styles and to that extent, the right visual appeal will succeed in creating the desired imagery in the minds of the GQ readers. We will write a custom essay sample on Mont Blanc Magazine Ad or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

TABLE OF CONTENTS. Essays - Financial Ratios, Dividends,

TABLE OF CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. PROCEDURE. FINDINGS. 1.0 INVESTMENT RATIOS ? MEASURES OF EFFICIENCY. 1.1 Earnings per Share. 1.2 P/E Ratio or Price / Earnings Ratio 1.3 Dividend Yield. 1.4 Dividend Cover. 2.0 PRIMARY OPERATING RATIOS ? MEASURES OF EFFICIENCY. 2.1 Return on Capital Employed 2.2 Debtors Turnover Ratio 2.3 Creditors Turnover Ratio 2.4 Return on Shareholders' Fund 3.0 PRIMARY FINANCIAL RATIOS ? GEARING AND LIQUITY. 3.1 Gearing Ratio 3.2 Liquidity Ratio 3.2.1 Current Ratio 3.2.2 Quick or Acid Ratio 4.0 CASH FLOW CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS APPENDICES BIBLIOGRAPHY ? REFERENCES INTRODUCTION It can be suggested that accounting consists of identifying, measuring and communicating business information to facilitate judgements and decision making for the further future. This specific report is pointed at investigate National Grid Group Plc's report and accounts in order to decide whether someone should invest or not in this company. Someone, who is able to analyse this company, must have its Annual Report for at least two years, which will help the person, because it contains basic components like the Profit and Loss Account, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and the Director's Report. PROCEDURE In order to guide you to understand about this specific company, I have used the Annual Review by following some steps: 1) To summarise the size, the structure and the profit of the company I have first check the balance sheet and the profit and loss accounts. 2) I have read very carefully the chairman's statement and the director's report, which helped me to understand better things about the company. 3) I have also calculated the trends and ratios. The performance data, P&L A/C, Balance Sheet, Ratios and Trends were obtain from the following sources: - Annual Review of National Grid Group of 1997-98. - Articles from Financial Times newspaper. - Books related to the subject. FINDINGS. 1.0 INVESTMENT RATIOS ? MEASURES OF EFFICIENCY. Investment ratios are the ratios used by the investors when deciding whether a share should be bought, sold or held. 1.1 Earnings per Share. Earnings per share (EPS) indicate the amount of profit after tax, interest and preference shares earned for each ordinary share. It is also more reliable for comparing the performance of any company because it can not be affected by the policy of the directors. Profit after tax + interest EPS = No. Of Ordinary shares The earnings per share of National Grid Group, excluding the exceptional profit relating to Energis, were 19.8 pence, compared with 24.3 pence in 1996/97. This reduction resulted from lower transmission profits following the implementation of the new price control. 1.2 Price Earnings Ratio. The Price Earnings Ratio (PE ratio) is a measure of market confidence in the shares of a company. Also the PER play a significant role not only in the company itself, but on the industry in which it operates and, of course, on the level of the stock market, which tends to rise more than reported profits when the business cycle swings up and to fall more than profits in a downturn. Arithmetically, the ratio measures the number of years it would take to repay the share's current value in earnings. It can be define like this: Market price per share Price Earnings Ratio = Earnings per share At 31 March 1998, NGG's share price was 353 pence compared with 209 pence at the start of the year, an increase of 68 per cent. The shares traded during the year within the range 206 pence to 353 pence. The market capitalisation of the Company at year-end was $5.2 billion. (The National Grid Group plc Annual Review 1997-98) 1.3 Dividend Yield. Dividend Yield expenses dividends as a proportion of the market value of total shares. They are also based on gross dividends per share, that is, on the dividends actually paid plus the associated tax credit. It can be defined like this: Dividend per share Dividend Yield = x 100 Market value per share On the 25th of November 1997, NGG announced that it was taking steps to improve the financial efficiency of the Group by returning excess capital to shareholders by way of a special dividend of 44.7 pence net per ordinary share. The special dividend, which represented approximately 15 per cent of the Group's market capitalisation at the close of business on the 24th of November 1997, amounted to ?786.6 million and was paid on the 17th of February of1998. On 5th of February 1998, the shareholders approved a share consolidation to reflect this return of value. As a consequence, 1,718 billion new ordinary shares of

How to Pass the SAT Expert Prep Tips

How to Pass the SAT Expert Prep Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT is one of the most important tests you’ll take in high school. When you take a test in class, there are clear guidelines for passing and failing - wouldn’t it be nice to have the same thing for the SAT? Here, I’ll talk about exactly what it means to pass the test (spoiler: it’s different for everybody) before giving you tips and strategies fohow to pass the SAT and get the score you need. What Does It Mean to â€Å"Pass† the SAT? To answer your question right off the bat (although I hope you keep reading - there’s a lot more to learn ) is that there is no official passing (or failing) score on the SAT. On this test, there’s only a range of possible scores - what constitutes an excellent, poor, or average score will depend heavily on your frame of reference. Ultimately, the most important thing that defines a â€Å"passing† SAT score is whether it’s good enough to get you into the colleges you’re applying to. This obviously varies widely by student. The bottom line? For your SAT score to be considered â€Å"passing,† it has to be high enough to get you into the schools you like. The problem is that this score will change not only by school, but also by student - determining your passing SAT score isn’t an exact science, especially because your college applications will be considered as a whole. Other components of your apps affect admissions officers’ expectations for your SAT scores. If the rest of your applications (e.g. your extracurriculars and GPA) are very strong, your SAT may not be weighed so heavily, for example. If your score is low enough, however, your application may get tossed out even if the rest of your app is strong. For the sake of this post, then, I’m going to define a â€Å"passing† SAT score as one that won’t get your application tossed out. Ideally, however, your SAT score will be one that helps (instead of hurts) your college applications. Keep reading to learn more about how to figure out these score benchmarks for yourself. How to Set Your Own SAT Passing Score Figuring out a passing score on the SAT means researching what scores are correlated with acceptance at all the schools you’re interested in. You can’t say for sure what scores will you get you in - there’s a lot more to your application than just standardized test scores - but you can look at how other students perform and whether or not certain SAT scores tend to get students into a school. Once you have this information for schools you’re interested in, you can use it to figure out benchmark passing scores for yourself.Here’s how you do it: You’ll have to set your own unique passing and target scores for them to be useful. Make a Preliminary List of Schools This doesn’t have to be a final list of the schools you’ll definitely send applications to. Even if you have a list of 8-10 schools you’re interested in, this is a good place to start. For this exercise to be most effective, try to select mostly â€Å"target† schools - schools where you think you’d have a fairly good chance of getting in. You can include 2-3 â€Å"safety† schools and 2-3 â€Å"reach† schools as well, as long as you maintain overall balance. If you select too many safety schools and you might set a passing score that’s too low, whereas too many reach schools may lead to a score that’s discouragingly high. The first time you do this, you may not have a great idea of what schools you’d identify as reach, target, and safety. This isn’t just okay - it’s kind of the point of this exercise. You can repeat it as many times as necessary throughout the college process, fine-tuning your list of schools as you go. Look Up Each School’s SAT Info Start by Googling â€Å"PrepScholar [name of school] SAT score† - the first non-ad link that comes up should be the one you want. An example of what your search results will look like - the first link that pops up here is the right one! The page will have the average SAT score and the 25th/75th percentile scores for students accepted to that particular school. Take down these numbers for each school. A 25th percentile score means that 25% of students at the school have a score at or below that number. A 75th percentile score means that 75% of students at the school have a score at or below that number Students with 75th percentile scores or above for a particular school usually have a good shot at getting in, barring any major with other parts of their application. Students with 25th percentile scores or below usually have other strong application components (e.g. high GPA, great essays) to boost their chances. Calculate the New SAT Score Out of 1600 Before you calculate your personal passing score, you need to convert the info from these pages to the current SAT scoring system. You can do this by taking each score and multiplying by â…”. Then, round to the nearest multiple of 10. If you took down a score of 1870, for example, you’d multiply by â…” to get 1247. Round to the nearest 10 to get 1250. Set Your Benchmark â€Å"Passing† Score This step is perhaps a bit more subjective, and as such, will vary by student - of course it’s important to use your best judgment when establishing your own benchmark scores. If you want to come to a passing SAT score, you’ll want to look at a school’s 25th percentile SAT scores. This is far from a safe bet, however - your chances of getting in will heavily depend on the strength of the rest of your application if your SAT score is at or around the 25th percentile. If your GPA is lower than average for a particular school, for example, your SAT score would have to be higher in order to make up for it. Ultimately, I think that the best SAT score to aim for isn’t the â€Å"passing† score, but a score that will help you stand out as a strong applicant. The 75th percentile is a sweet spot because you’d be more competitive (in terms of SAT scores) than  ¾ of students who are accepted to the school. Side note: If your typical SAT score is higher than the 75th percentile score, you might want to consider looking at more competitive schools - you want to aim as high as you reasonably can here (more competitive schools often mean better reputations, which tend to lead to better outcomes). Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here’s how to calculate both passing and ideal SAT score benchmarks for yourself: Take the averages of the scores you collected for each school. First the average of the 25th percentile scores, then the average of the 75th percentile scores. The 25th percentile average is your â€Å"passing† goal score - the minimum you should be aiming for. The 75th percentile score is your target score - the score that has a great chance of getting you accepted to the colleges on your list. What If You’re Worried About Your Ideal Score, or Even Your Passing Score? If the scores you’ve calculated seem intimidatingly high, don’t panic just yet! There are a few important things to keep in mind. First, your target score (the 75th percentile average) is an ideal goal. It’s supposed to be higher than what you’re scoring now (or maybe even what you think you can score), so don't panic even if it's considerably more than 100 points higher than your current score. If you’re already at or above that 75th percentile mark, it's a sign that you might be selling yourself short - consider looking at more competitive schools. On the other hand, if even the 25th percentile benchmark seems too high, consider re-evaluating your list of schools. You might want to look at colleges that are slightly less competitive. How to Pass the SAT: Tips and Strategies I’m going to split this section up into two parts meant for two different types of students: low-scorers and high-scorers. Here, I’m defining score parameters by the national performance standards: high scorers are at about 1200 and above (75th percentile nationally), whereas low scorers are at about 840 and below (25th percentile nationally). If your performance is closer to the average (1000), check out both sections and follow the guidelines that you find most useful. Let's move on to everything you need to know about how to pass the SAT. Worried about where to start? The following sections will help get you started in the right direction. Guidance for Low Scorers It’s hard to know where to start with prep if your scores are relatively low - how do you know what your primary issues are if you feel like you’re having a lot of trouble with the test? The biggest issue for low scorers is often significant gaps in content knowledge, so identifying and filling these gaps is often the first step for effective SAT prep. Other mistakes may be due to: Running out of time Misunderstanding the question Running out of time Careless errors Before you can practice effectively, it’s important to analyze and understand your mistakes - that is, figuring out which of the above issues are your biggest weaknesses before taking steps to address them. You’ll have to invest some time in some serious self-analysis involving a baseline to work from. Here are best practices for getting a solid baseline score and gaining info on your weaknesses: Take a full, timed, diagnostic practice test. Take note of which questions you missed. Tally the reasons for each incorrect question: Content Gap: Did you not have the information you needed to answer correctly? Timing Issue: Would you have gotten the question correct if you hadn’t run out of time? Question Misunderstanding: Would you have gotten the question correct if the question had been more clear? Careless Error: Would you have gotten the question correct if you had spent an extra couple of seconds checking your work? If you find that content knowledge is your biggest problem, you’ll want to turn to your class notes, textbooks, and SAT prep books for review - not just SAT practice materials. We also have a bunch of SAT content guides to get you started: 5 Tips for SAT Writing and Language Ultimate SAT Math Prep Guide Step-by-step SAT Essay Guide Once you’ve conquered major content problems, you can hone in on specific content areas and work on careless errors and timing issues. You’ll find tips for addressing those problems in the next section. Guidance for High Scorers If you’re fairly happy with your score but want to bring it up to the next level, you probably have a general idea of where your major strengths and weaknesses are on the SAT. With a relatively high score, you’re probably pretty strong on content overall. High scorers usually lose points due to these three issues: Carelessness: loss of focus leading to silly mistakes. Timing Problems: you simply run out of time to give each question its due. Minor Content Gaps: small areas of knowledge that you haven’t mastered 100%. If you want to approach that ideal target score, you should attack each of these issues. I’ll address each of these problems in this section, but you may want to check out our detailed guide for high scorers for more info. Carelessness It’s pretty easy to identify a question you’ve missed due to carelessness. You get that horrible feeling when you recognize that you would have gotten the question right, if only you’d paid a tiny bit more attention. Careless mistakes often occur when students aren’t actively reading. Start focusing your attention with these tips: Double-read each question and underline important words. Take notes on passages. In the math section, mark up diagrams with important info and write out your arithmetic. Double- check your answer before marking it down. Let’s avoid silly mistakes when possible, shall we? Timing Issues Running out of time at the end of sections? First, spend less time on easy questions - just keep an eye out for those careless errors. Next, skip tough questions and come back to them later. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t guess if you’re out of time (there’s no guessing penalty, so you should definitely guess). If you’ve still got plenty of time to work through the section, though, mark the problem question and come back to it later. Filling in Content Gaps Before you can work on filling in content gaps, you have to determine where these gaps actually are. This means identifying which questions you get wrong in your practice, and more importantly, why you get them wrong. You can start this process by going over all your mistakes after each practice session. Keep a careful tally of each content area every time you identify an error (hint: most content errors happen on the math section). Once you figure out which content areas give you the most trouble, use your class notes, textbooks, or reliable SAT prep book to review this content. Come back and do more practice problems in this area until you’re confident in your understanding. Summary: How to Pass the SAT Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer when it comes to figuring out a passing score on the SAT. It’s different for each student - your idea of a passing or ideal score may even change over time as you continue to improve with dedicated SAT prep. The important thing is that you put in the research to figure out what schools you’re interested in and what you need to do to get there. The good news is that regardless of whether you’re a relatively low scorer or a relatively high scorer, there are plenty of things you can do to address your weaknesses to boost your performance. What’s Next? There are a lot of helpful materials available if you’re worried about â€Å"passing† the SAT. For an overview, read our guide with 15 tips for improving your SAT score. If you need a fun, refreshing way to study, learn about the six best SAT prep games. Maybe you’re looking for more detailed information. If that’s the case, check out our ultimate study guide for SAT prep. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Writing as a career choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Writing as a career choice - Essay Example A writer’s work environment could be an office or just home. In fact, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, BLS observes that two thirds of these professionals were self employed in 2012. To be a full-time writer, a college degree would be required. In the modern environment, proficiency in computers would be necessary not just for working, but also staying in touch with the writers’ community. Additionally, excellent writing skills would be beneficial. The outlook for writing career seems encouraging. As noted by BLS, the occupation pays a median annual wage of about $55,940 as was computed in May 2012. With a projection of 3% growth between 2012 and 2022, there would be increasing opportunities in the career. In fact, Varela observes that more companies increasingly appreciate the need for in-house content writers, hence greater prospects. However, there could also be increased competition with the world seeking for more writers due to the increased demand. Therefore, writing is a growing career. With the adoption of technology into the career, the future looks promising but also competitive at the same time. As such, equipping oneself with the requisite skills would make the resultant opportunities

Presentation diagnostic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Presentation diagnostic - Essay Example In this presentation, there was no room for the audience to have doubts regarding essentiality of the product. In terms of benefits, there existed a strategic explanation of the product’s advantages o to the purchasing managers. There was a demonstration of various benefits, which departments would accrue by taking the product as one of their lines of operation. I also demonstrated cost benefits to the managers in relation to the prices that they will charge to their respective final consumers. There was also a demonstration regarding the maintenance simplicity of the product, which will be a benefit to the firm. In practice, an organization results to adopting products that will provide maximum benefits in terms of costs. My benefits captured all the necessary cost issues that would allure purchasing managers to adopt the product. There was also efficient way of dealing with the objections of the clients in different ways with the intention of the distributing department main tain the firm’s reputation. This is via availing probable visual presentation of some of their questions and trying to offer answers though the audience had the chance to inquire for more expounding. This is especially applications of the specific product in real life situation whereby the audience intended to know. The use quotes of some of the management practitioners also provided a ground to win the attention of the purchasing managers. Additionally, efficient application of research work to challenge any objection of the audience also made a fundamental part towards my success though not much compared to what I had expected. The other way that was applicable in my presentation encompassed adopting a convincing tone with the intention of convincing the audience to accept my point of argument. 2.3 Past experience in presentation in relation to performance and communication orientation I have had the experience of presenting in one of the famous contests. This was my first experience where I presented about Beatles and rolling stones, which took a long period while trying to prepare myself appropriately. Before the real presentation, I experienced bouts of fear and nervousness due to the fact public presentation has not been my favorite until I tried it with Beatles and rolling stones. This enabled me to gain essential skills in presenting, which encompassed knowledge on how to win audience’s trust while on the stage. The real task while on stage taught me varied aspects on how to handle each presentation so that in future they will turn out to be successful. This is especially through comments, which I received in the first presentation that helped me in evaluating my weaknesses while addressing the audience. One of the evaluators who attended the presentation commented on my dressing in the earlier presentation. 2.4 Motley’s presentation strategies Motley who is communication practitioner identified some elements that might not be nece ssary when performing visual presentation. Among these factors encompassed memorization of a representation known as an inevitable aspect for any presenter in shunning common mistakes when selling his or her idea to respective audience. Motley cited the mastery of content is necessary but memorization will be like proving of facts in communication. Therefore, presentation ought to flow naturally in order to heighten

Genetically Modified Organisms, Nutritious Foods Research Paper

Genetically Modified Organisms, Nutritious Foods - Research Paper Example Polan (394) supports genetic engineering by noting that it has come up with bananas and tomatoes that produce the vaccine. He goes ahead to note that genetic engineering produces crops like New leaves that can protect themselves from pest without the need for pesticides. The two qualities floated above help protect the environment from air and water pollution which is brought about by the chemicals present in the pesticides used to get rid of pests in the farms. The chemicals find a way into the ecosystem and can bring about detrimental effects to the soil by degrading it, air by affecting respiratory tracks of humans and hydrology by entering the hydrology cycle. GMO hence help reduce the use of these harmful pesticides. Polan uses the above statement to refer to the tight competition that apples face from other sugary food in the market. He notes that ‘And in a culture of easy sweetness apples now had to compete with every other kind of sugary snack food in the supermarketâ⠂¬â„¢ (136). He even goes ahead to note that Red and Golden delicious known for their exceptional sweetness came to dominate the monoculture that the orchards had become. The above statements imply that the breeders who produce sugary apples that compete with junk food rely heavily on the two breeds of apple that is, Red and Golden Delicious. â€Å"A century ago there were several thousand different varieties of the apple in commerce.† (137). Polan says that all these have a common parentage of either of the following breeds: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Mackintosh and Cox’s Orange Pippin.

Genetic Influences on Salmonella Formation

Genetic Influences on Salmonella Formation IHF Gene Influences Salmonella Enteritidis Biofilm Formation Integration Host Factor (IHF) is important for biofilm formation by Salmonella enterica Enteritidis Bruna Leite, Catierine Hirsch Werle, Camila Pinheiro do Carmo, Diego Borin Nbrega, Guilherme Paier Milanez, Cristina E. Alvarez-Martinez, Marcelo Brocchi Abstract Salmonella enterica Enteritidis forms biofilms and survives in agricultural environments where it infects poultry and eggs. Once established, biofilms are difficult to eradicate, due to their high resistance compared to planktonic cells, causing serious problems in industry and public health. In this study, we evaluated biofilm formation in wild-type strains of S. enterica Enteritidis and in ihf mutants employing different microbiology techniques. Our data indicate that ihf mutants display impaired biofilm formation, with a reduced of matrix formation and a decrease in CFU and metabolic activity. Phenotypic analysis indicated a deficiency in curli fimbriae expression and in cellulose production and pellicle formation. These results show that IHF has a regulatory role in biofilm formation in S. enterica Enteritidis. Keywords: Biofilm, Salmonella enterica Enteritidis, Polysaccharide matrix, Curli fimbriae, Cellulose, Integration Host Factor. Introduction A biofilm is defined as a bacterial colony adherent to a solid surface, which secretes a protective exopolysaccharide matrix. Every natural wet surface is a potential substrate for microbial biofilms. These sessile multicellular microbial consortia are embedded within self-produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). In food handling facilities, biofilms can be particularly problematic The ability to form biofilms is also an important factor in the virulence of S. Enterica. S. enterica subspecies I serovar Enteritidis is a leading cause of salmonellosis worldwide, and has emerged as one of the most important foodborne pathogens for humans. It is mainly associated with consumption of contaminated meat and eggs of poultry. A number of studies have demonstrated that S. enterica is capable of forming biofilms on a wide variety of contact surfaces, and the formation of biofilms may improve the ability of these organisms to resist stresses such as desiccation, extreme temperatures, antibiotics, and antiseptics. Biofilm formation allows S. enterica to survive for long periods in a poultry farm environment and to contaminate poultry meat and eggs, which remain the leading vehicles of salmonellosis outbreaks Many factors are involved in biofilm development. Curli fimbriae and cellulose are the major components of biofilm formed by S. enterica, whereas capsular polysaccharide, other polysaccharide-rich compounds such as lipopolyssaccharide (LPS), and a large secreted protein, BapA, also contribute to biofilm formation. Several regulatory genes involved in biofilm formation have been identified The expression of curli fimbriae and cellulose can be assayed phenotypically by growing enteric bacteria on Congo red indicator plates Bacteria may live in planktonic form in liquid media or as biofilms on biotic or abiotic surfaces. They need to adjust their genetic programs in order to switch from one lifestyle to another. The production of bacterial products and behaviours associated with environmental adaptation must be tightly coordinated to optimize the energy consumption. In bacteria, gene expression regulation is exerted primarily at the level of transcription initiation using a large array of transcription factors whose concentrations and activities change depending on specific environmental or metabolic signals. Topological changes in DNA also influence promoter recognition, open complex formation, and gene expression Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) are global regulators of gene expression in bacteria. They alter the topology of DNA by bending, bridging, or wrapping it, leading to DNA transactions and multiple cellular effects that culminate in the modulation of gene expression. Integration-host factor (IHF) is a dimeric NAP that binds DNA in a sequence-specific manner and introduces curvatures of up to 180 °, which influence many aspects of bacterial physiology, including global gene expression, DNA topology, site-specific recombination, and DNA replication. In E. coli and S. enterica Typhimurium, the two IHF subunits-IHFÃŽ ± and IHFÃŽ ²-can assemble as hetero- or homo-dimers. There is also evidence indicating that the different dimeric forms of IHF regulate different but overlapping sets of genes Based on the global regulatory role of IHF, we hypothesized that this NAP can influence or directly regulate genes involved in biofilm formation in S. enterica Enteritidis. This hypothesis is supported by previous observations demonstrating that IHF activates curli production in S. enterica Typhimurium. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the role of IHF genes in the initial stages of biofilm formation in S. Enteritidis. To this end, we performed phenotypic studies using isogenic deletion mutants of individual ihf genes (ihfA or ihfB) and a double mutant strain with deletions in both IHF subunits (ihfAB double mutant). Materials and methods Bacterial strains In this study, the S. enterica Enteritidis wild-type strain PT4SEn (IOC4647) provided a by the Fundaà §Ãƒ £o Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was used. The draft genome of this strain was recently published (Milanez et al. 2016). It was found to be pathogenic in a mouse model assay (Carmo et al., unpublished results). The mutants of S. Enteritidis PT4SEn were previously constructed (Carmo et al., unpublished results) by deletion of ihf genes using the lambda Red system by transduction with P22HT phages. Mutant strains were designated as S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn ΔihfA, PT4SEn ΔihfB, and PT4SEn ΔihfAB. Bacterial growth conditions and storage Bacteria were cultivated in Luria-Bertani broth (LB) and on Luria-Bertani agar (LBA) plates prepared according to the method of Sambrook and Russell. All strains were stored at -80 °C in 30% glycerol All strains were inoculated from fresh LBA plates into 15 mL LB and grown for 18  ± 2 h at 37 °C in an orbital shaker at 140 rpm. Cells were harvested by centrifugation (for 5 min at 9,500 g and 4 °C) and resuspended in NaCl (0.9%) adjusted to 0.5 McFarland scale equivalent to 1.5 108 cells/mL prior to use in subsequent assays. Complementation of S. enterica Enteritidis ΔihfA and ΔihfB mutants Sequences corresponding to the ihfA and ihfB genes and their regulatory regions were obtained by PCR from the PT4SEn genome using the primers listed in Table 1. The DNA fragments were cloned in the pACYC184 vector (New England Biolabs, USA) between the NcoI and EcoRI restriction sites (restriction enzyme sites in the DNA fragments were introduced via the primers) and the vector was subsequently electroporated into the respective S. enterica Enteritidis mutant strains. Cloning, PCR amplification, electroporation, plasmid extraction, and agarose gel electrophoresis were performed as suggested by Sambrook and Russell (2001). After DNA purification using the Wizard ® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega Corporation, Madison, USA), Sanger sequencing was performed using 3730XL Applied Biosystems (Foster City, California, USA) by the High Performance Technologies Central Laboratory in Life Sciences (LACTAD, University of Campinas UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil). Biofilm formation on polystyrene plates Biofilms were formed in 96-well plates (Cell Culture Plate, Nest, Biotechnology Co, China) containing 200 ÃŽ ¼L of cell suspension (1 106 cells/mL) of S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn wild-type or mutant strains in LB supplemented with 0.25% of glucose. Plates were incubated at 37 °C with orbital shaking at 140 rpm for 48, 72, and 120 h. At the end of the incubation period, planktonic cells were carefully removed, and biofilms were washed twice with 200 ÃŽ ¼L of saline solution (0.9% NaCl). The crystal violet staining method was used to assess total biofilm biomass. Each well of the biofilm plates was incubated with 200 ÃŽ ¼L of methanol for 15 minutes. Subsequently, methanol was removed and 1% (v/v) crystal violet solution was added, followed by a 5-min incubation period. Wells were washed with distilled water and finally 33% (v/v) acetic acid was added. The absorbance was measured at 570 nm. The colorimetric method based on the reduction of XTT (2,3- bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-(phenylamino)carbonyl-2H tetrazolium hydroxide; Sigma-Aldrich, USA) was used to determine cell activity (XTT is converted to a coloured formazan salt in the presence of metabolic activity). To each well of the biofilm plate, 200 ÃŽ ¼L of a solution containing 200 mg/L of XTT and 20 mg/L of phenazinemethosulphate (PMS; Sigma-Aldrich, Ukraine) was added. Microtiter plates were incubated for 3 h at 37 °C in the dark. The absorbance was measured at 490 nm. To assess the number of viable cells in biofilms, 200 ÃŽ ¼L of saline solution was added to each well before removal of the biofilm by scraping. For each sample, an aliquot of 1 mL (5 wells) was sonicated (20 s with 22% of amplitude; Ultrasonic Processor, Cole-Parmer, Illinois, USA) to promote biofilm disruption. The number of colony forming units (CFU) in biofilms was determined by performing 10-fold serial dilutions in saline solution, plating on LBA plates in triplicate, and incubating for 24 h. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of biofilm cells Biofilms of S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn wild-type and mutant strains formed in 24-well plates (Well Cell Culture Cluster, Costar) were dehydrated by a 15-min immersion in increasing ethanol concentrations (70, 95, and 100% ethanol [v/v]) and placed in sealed desiccators. The samples were mounted on aluminium stubs with carbon tape, sputter-coated with gold, and analysed with a JEOL JSM-5800LV scanning microscope. All experiments were carried out in duplicate. Biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface Biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface was assessed in S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn strains by inoculation of LB cultures without NaCl, followed by incubation at 28 °C without shaking. Every day for 10 days, each isolate was visually examined for pellicle formation. Experiments were performed in triplicate. Expression of curli fimbriae Bacterial colony morphology of S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn wild-type and mutant strains was analysed on LB agar without NaCl, supplemented with Congo red (1.01340.0025, Sigma-Aldrich, Germany; 40 ÃŽ ¼g/mL) and Coomassie brilliant blue G (B0770-5G, Sigma-Aldrich, China; 20 ÃŽ ¼g/mL). Bacterial cultures were spread on agar plates and the colour and degree of colony rugosity were determined after 96 h of growth at 28 °C. Images were captured with a camera (Nikon P500) and under an HBO 100 Carl Zeiss Illuminating microscope system. Cellulose production The fluorescence exhibited by bacteria after growth of S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn wild-type and mutant strains in LB plates with Calcofluor (Fluorescent Brightener 28; F3543-1G, Sigma-Aldrich, China; 200 ÃŽ ¼g/mL) served as an indicator of cellulose production. Fluorescence was analysed visually using an UV light (366 nm) after 48 h of growth at 37 °C. Statistical analysis Data were analysed using STATA software, version 13.0 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, USA). Data from all assays were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Sidaks adjustment for multiple comparisons was performed after a significant fitting. The significance level was set at 5%. Results ihf mutants display reduced viability, biomass, and metabolic activity A decrease of about 1-2 log10 in number of viable cells was observed for the ihf mutants in comparison with the wild-type S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn strain by CFU counting (Figure 1-A). The differences observed were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for all periods of time evaluated. The introduction of the pACYC184 plasmid carrying ihfA or ihfB was generally associated with an increase in CFUs, but complementation did not completely restore the values to those obtained with the wild-type strain. No statistical differences were observed at 48 and 72 h of incubation between ΔihfAc and the wild-type strain. The same observation is valid for ΔihfB after 120 h of incubation (Figure 1-A). These results show that the restoration of ihfA or ihfB gene copies in mutant strains is generally associated with an increase in CFUs in biofilms. The total biofilm biomass, assessed by CV staining of S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn and mutant strains is presented in Figure 1-B. An increase in biomass is observed for the wild-type strain over time. However, this effect was not observed for the correspondent PT4SEn ihfAB double mutant. None of the mutants presented an increase in biofilm matrix density at 48 and 72 h of incubation (P < 0.05). The complemented PT4SEn ihfA and ihfB mutants (ihfAc and ihfBc) showed an increase in total biofilm biomass in comparison to the non-complemented mutants (Figure 1-B). All mutant strains exhibited a significant reduction in metabolic activity measured by the XTT assay for cells in biofilm (P < 0.05). In addition, the double mutant (ihfAB) showed the greatest reduction in metabolic activity at 72 and 120 h (Figure 1-C). ihf genes are essential for biofilm structure To further characterize biofilm formation and structure in strains lacking ihf genes, we performed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of cells in biofilms. As shown in Figure 2, the absence of ihfA or ihfB drastically affects biofilm formation, as null mutants of S. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn (Figure 2-D, E and F) exhibited a low amount of matrix and small number of cells compared to the wild-type (Figure 2-A). Complementation of ihf gene deletions by a wild-type copy of the corresponding gene promoted a significant restoration of biofilm formation (Figure 2-B and C). Pellicle formation at the air-liquid interface To further characterize the mutant strains with respect to their ability to form biofilms we analysed the biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface of cultures of the different strains. Cultures of the wild-type strain formed a thick and rigid pellicle after 10 days of growth (Figure 3-A). On the other hand, PT4SEn ihfA or PT4SEn ihfB mutant strains formed a less compact and fragile pellicle (not shown). Interestingly, the double mutant strain PT4SEn ihfAB did not form a visible pellicle at all at the air-liquid interface. Instead, cell deposition was observed at the bottom of the tube (Figure 3-B). Complementation with the wild-type copy of ihfA and ihfB restored the phenotype of the single mutants (PT4SEn ΔihfAc and PT4SEn ΔihfBc strains), which now formed a thick and rigid pellicle (not shown). Curli and cellulose Since curli and cellulose are important components in biofilm formation, we evaluated the role of IHF on their production. To this end, colony morphology was analysed on LBA plates supplemented with Congo red and Coomassie brilliant blue, as previously described.. enterica Enteritidis PT4SEn wild-type and PT4SEn ΔihfA and ΔihfB complemented strains exhibited a phenotype consistent with curli fimbriae and cellulose production, with red, dry, and rough (rdar) colony morphology (Figure 4-A to D). However, the PT4SEn ΔihfA, PT4SEn ΔihfB, and PT4SEn ΔihfAB mutants of S. enterica Enteritidis did not display the same colour and roughness, but instead exhibited a similar, but not identical, smooth and white (saw) morphotype, indicating a deficiency in the expression of curli fimbriae and probably also of cellulose (Figure 4-E to H). The expression of cellulose was also tested by screening the colonies for Calcofluor binding Cellulose production was observed for all strain s evaluated by this method, except for the double mutant ihfAB that was not fluorescent under an UV light source and was considered a poor producer of cellulose (Figure 5). Discussion The presence of microorganisms on food contact surfaces is one of the most common causes of food spoilage and transmission of foodborne diseases. Inadequate cleaning and disinfection of food-processing environments is the cause of major economic losses and represents a serious danger to public health. The ability of microorganisms to adhere and form biofilms makes disinfection even more difficult and challenging Infections with Salmonella enterica Enteritidis represent a major health problem and a significant burden on the food industry. About 80% of the infections are caused by biofilm formation In the matrix of a biofilm, bacteria grow on either biotic or abiotic surfaces, attaching to the surface and to each other, conferring resistance to immunity responses as well as antimicrobial agents As a consequence, antimicrobial treatments typically fail to eradicate biofilms. The need to create effective therapies to counteract biofilm infections is a pressing challenge in the food indus try The growing interest in understanding the regulatory network of gene activities during the transition from a planktonic to a sessile cellular lifestyle, prompted us to investigate the role of IHF in S. enterica Enteritidis biofilm formation. IHF has an important role in the regulation of gene expression and environment adaptability of S. Enterica Therefore, S. Enteritidis deletion mutants for ihfA, ihfB, or both genes (ihfAB) were employed in different assays to analyse biofilm formation. The logic behind this approach is based on the fact that IHF can act as a homodimer (IHFÃŽ ±ÃŽ ± or IHFÃŽ ²ÃŽ ²) or as a heterodimer (IHFÃŽ ±ÃŽ ²) The results presented here indicate an important role of this NAP in the formation of biofilms in S. enterica Enteritidis. All typical biofilm characteristics analysed in this study (CFU, biomass, and cellular metabolic activity) were significantly decreased in S. enterica Enteritidis mutant strains for ihfA, ihfB, or ihfAihfB. The biofilms formed by mutant strains exhibited a decreased matrix density compared with the wild-type strain. Therefore, these results indicate that IHF can influence the initial stage of biofilm formation by S. enterica Enteritidis, as the matrix is necessary in this phase. This is also supported by CV staining and SEM. The colony morphotypes observed in Congo red among wild-type and complemented strains exhibited the rdar morphotype, an indication of curli and cellulose production, while the mutant strains exhibited a similar but not identical saw morphotype, suggesting an altered expression of curli and probably also of cellulose. In fact, bacterial growth in calcofluor-containing medium indicated that the single ihf-mutants were able to produce cellulose, but the ihf-double mutant exhibited some deficiency in the production of this polysaccharide. Previously, Gerstel, Park, and Rà ¶mling demonstrated that the ΔihfAB double mutant of two S. enterica Typhimurium strains caused a reduction in CsgD expression and an altered rdar morphotype suggesting a role for IHF in curli expression in S. enterica Typhimurium. Curli is expressed by two divergent operons, csgBAC and csgDEFG. CsgD is a major regulator of curli expression and biofilm formation. This gene activates transcription of csgA and csgB that encodes the major (CsgA) and the minor (CsgB) curli subunits In addition, csgD also regulates cellulose production Therefore, IHF plays an important role in biofilm formation in S. enterica Typhimurium. Our results demonstrate a similar role for IHF in the biofilm formation of S. enterica Enteritidis. Despite high genetic similarity, the Enteritidis and Typhimurium serovars differ in various ecological and host-relationship parameters However, the regulation of biofilm formation by IHF in both serovars suggests that IHF plays a cen tral role in S. enterica biofilm biogenesis. However, additional studies of IHF function on biofilm biogenesis in other S. enterica serovars are needed to further clarify this question. In addition, the single ihf mutants also exhibited a phenotypic alteration in biofilm formation, indicating that both subunits are necessary for appropriate biofilm production. In our results, all the ihf mutants showed a deficiency for curli fimbriae production by phenotypic tests. To some extent, a deficiency in cellulose production was also observed, particularly in the double ihf-mutant. The complementation of the ihfA and ihfB mutants by the introduction of a pACYC184 plasmid carrying the wild-type genes reverted the deficiency in biofilm biomass, cell metabolism, and CFUs, but in the majority of the tests the values did not reach those observed for the wild-type strain. This is probably due to a dose effect of IHFÃŽ ± or IHFÃŽ ², despite the low copy number (about 15 copies per cell) of the plasmid used. In fact, the expression of ihf genes is finely regulated and depends on the growth phase The two operons bcsABZC and bcsEFG are responsible for cellulose biosynthesis in both S. enterica Enteritidis and S. enterica Typhimurium. This was demonstrated by the construction of non-polar mutants of bcsC and bcsE genes that formed a fragile pellicle at the air-liquid interface of LB medium The same authors also showed that cellulose-deficient mutants were more sensitive to chlorine treatments, indicating that the deficiency in the production of extracellular matrix can leave the cells more susceptible to the action of some chemical agents. In our study, IHF mutant strains formed a less compact pellicle in LB compared to wild-type strains. In addition, the ihf double mutant did not form an air pellicle at all, suggesting a role for IHF in the expression of cellulose. These findings corroborate a previous study in which S. enterica Typhimurium ihfAB mutants exhibited reduced bcsC transcription when evaluated by microarray analysis, but further studies are needed to better charact erize the underlying molecular mechanisms. Karaca, N Akcelik, and M Akcelik (2013) also evaluated pellicle formation at the air-liquid interface of 31 S. enterica isolates. They showed that the growth rate of isolates with a rigid pellicle was greater than that of the ones forming a fragile pellicle. Biofilm production at the air-liquid interface can facilitate and contribute to gas exchange, while enabling the acquisition of nutrients and water from the liquid phase. Biofilms at air-liquid and solid-air interfaces can cause serious problems in industrial water systems. In conclusion, our results indicate that IHF has an important regulatory role in biofilm formation of S. enterica serovar Enteritidis. Moreover, both IHF subunits appear to have a role in this process. Our data pave the way for further studies investigating the mechanisms involved in the regulation of biofilm formation by IHF. Acknowledgements This work was supported by grants from Fundaà §Ãƒ £o de Amparo à   Pesquisa do Estado de Sà £o Paulo (FAPESP 2014/13412-8) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientà ­fico e Tecnolà ³gico (CNPq), Brazil. BL, DBN, and GPM were supported by a FAPESP fellowship (FAPESP 2012/25426-8, 2012/10608-3, and 2012/05382-6, respectively). CHW and CPC were supported by fellowships from CNPq (141629/2012-6 and 140786/2012-0, respectively). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest or conflict.

David And Goliath :: essays research papers

David and Goliath The story of David and Goliath can be thought of as a timeless tale of 1) good versus evil and 2) the fact that the win does not always go to the strongest or biggest, it goes to the most determined or strong willed. David, the good spirited fighter who wanted to save the Israelites from Goliath, for example, was eager, confident, and prepared to win, as described in 1 Samuel 17:48 - "David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine". David was a hero to the Israelites because he was able to kill Goliath, who had "come up to defy Israel" (1 Samuel 17:25). Although Goliath was a large, experienced fighter with a sword, David, determined to save the Israelites from Goliath's evils. David mentions that Goliath had defied the armies of the living God, and for that he would be punished. David's strength, it seems, dwelled in "the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel" (1 Samuel 17:45). However, Goliath was dependent on the power of weapons, and was sure that a sword and spear would win the battle. It's difficult to say what this meant to the Hebrews, but I interpreted it as symbolizing that the superiority and strength of their Lord was stronger than was any weapon. I gathered this, since one of the statements mentioned in 1 Samuel was: "the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand" (17:47). Since the Lord's followers were the Israelites, the Lord savedhis people from harm through sending David to conquer Goliath. The story of David and Goliath is a tale still told in modern day. I assume it signifies the fact that the winner of a battle isn't always the strongest, the fastest, or the one with the most weapons. The winner, instead, is the one who intelligently finds a way to make use of the resources that are available to him, and use these resources (the rocks, in this particular story), to gain triumph.

Relevance of Shakespeare Macbeth Themes Essay

Taking the stage 400 years ago, when shakespeare was equipped with his magical wand and book of speels , he casted a miraculous charm upon the world leaving people everywhere spell bounded. From the wonderful pleasures of love to the dark enchanting delights of ambition, his expert flawless wizardry enabled his socerous charms to stun and stagger the world even to this day. There is virtually no one who doesn’t know this quote â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair† To know the bard, is to be a somebody. True fact. In particular there is a certain shakespeare play that strongly and rather brutally deals with those themes applicable and prevalent to today’s society. It’s a tale of loyalty, morality, guilt and conscience to lust, deception, betrayal, jealousy, ambition and greed. Add in the element of war and destiny and you’ve got Macbeth. Shakespeare has truly shaped, shifted and cultivated Macbeth to convey human emotions to his characters to the utmost extreme. He also demonstrated that its more satisfying to achieve goals than ill – gained means. Ambition and guilt, these themes are still relevant to today’s society. Eessntially the play Macbeth explores the temptation of absolute power and vaulting ambition. Iot’s relevant because Macbeth captures the many modern dilemmas and concerns today and the timeless nature of the human condition. Ambition was the driving force behind Macbeth. Normally, being ambitious is a good thing, it pushes people to not give up. Without ambition, people wouldn’t get very far, yet being overzealous with ambition also has it’s downfalls. â€Å"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent buy only vaulting ambition illustrates Macbeth’s ruthless obsession for power. There are two types of ambition Ambition Type 1 – naked and unchecked ambition – only benefiting themselves like Macbeth Ambition Type 2 – caring others above themselves like Banqou The play fiercely illustrates how being consumed by naked and unchecked ambition has its drastic consequences especially when it compromises your conscience or morality which is still applicable to today’s society. The world is full of ambition and people want to climb to the top. So being ambitious is like wielding a two-edged sword.

Boeing 700 Essays - Boeing 747, Airliners, Boeing 707, Boeing

Boeing 700 Essays - Boeing 747, Airliners, Boeing 707, Boeing Boeing 700 The Boeing 700s are very capable of handling duties in the commercial and military world. The Boeing 700s are capable of handling many tasks in the commercial and military world. With the introduction of the 707 in the late fifties to the most recent 777 in the early nineties the, 700s have dominated the commercial world for five decades. They are a line of aircraft that are capable of handling many roles from basic civilian transport to various military needs. They are the people movers of the 20th century. Each with a large carrying capacity combined with the range of a jet aircraft they have moved more people longer distances than what was once thought possible. Boeing has truly produced some of the greatest aircraft in history. The various duties that the 700s perform are quite extraordinary. It all started in the fifties. There was a growing demand for a commercial airliner that could move a greater number of people farther and faster. The age of the jet engine still had not reached to civilian transportation. There was still a fear of the jet because of lack of reliability, but with the advancement of technology the jet engine now had become more even reliable than the piston engine. The need for a jet engine powered plane was growing. Airlines still were looking for a plane that could cross the Atlantic Ocean without a refueling stop. The Lockheed Super Connies, a piston powered plane, were able to cross the Atlantic Ocean with out stopping on the eastbound leg, but they had to stop in Gander, Newfoundland to refuel on the westbound leg. The airlines desired a plane that could easily travel the Atlantic with out a stop. The piston engine just wasnt going to do it, the jet engine was the answer to the question. Boeing realized this and moved to look for a design for a j et powered plane. At first Boeing was looking to modify existing aircraft with jet engines to perform the tasks. They quickly realized that they needed a whole new aircraft. The Boeing 707 was born. The first Boeing 707 was delivered to Pan America airlines in May of 1958 (Bauer, 218). Sales started out slow in fact the 707 almost died many times in its first couple years of existence. It wasnt until Boeing modified the 707 by increasing the overall length, the wing span, and adding more powerful engines did the 707 confirm its place in as a commercial transporter. With the new modifications the 707 became a very capable aircraft, crossing the Atlantic Ocean became a routine affair. With the introduction of the 707 transatlantic travel doubled in two years (Bauer, 195). Airlines profitability soared due to the new capabilities of the 707 presented. The 707 began a new era and improved the way people are flown. The 707 being the first major jet airliner saw many applications and variations in its lifetime. There were thirteen variations of the 707, they varied in capacity, range, and speed (Wright,49). Each variation was designed to meet a specific needs of an individual airline. Some 707s could carry a larger capacity of passengers over a shorter distance, were as another variant could carry fewer passengers over a longer distance. With all of these variations the 707 left little room for the Douglas DC-8 which was once though to be a major treat to Boeing. The 707 could meet any need of an airline; this is one reason that made the 707 such a versatile aircraft and why it dominated the market. The 707 also saw plenty of action in uniform. Its most useful application came in the way of the KC-135 Stratotanker. It was modified to perform in-flight refueling task for the United States Air Force. The 707 saw a healthy lifespan as the KC-135, of the 735 units build in the early sixties 550 still remain in service today (www.Boeing.com). The 707 also had the very privileged role of presidential transport. As Air Force One it started its career in 1962 and served seven Presidents. It was only to be replace by one of its bigger brothers the Boeing 747. Another of one of its more interesting applications

Scoliosis Prevention essays

Scoliosis Prevention essays Why in the world do the people of today suffer from medical conditions that are completely preventable? Why are we not getting up and taking the time to make sure that our bodies are healthy and growing properly? It is ridiculous that society sits around and does not take care of them selves, and then wonders where all these health problems come from. Year after year schools offer to their students the wonderful opportunity of medical examinations. These physicals check for dozens of different medical conditions that could affect the student currently, or even somewhere in their future. Unfortunately, many of the students who go through these exams are obligated to do so because they are required to in order to try out for a certain sports team. Athletes should not be the only kids who get the advantage of these incredibly important exams. The reason why I stress this so much is that it is so important for young adults because of the fact that their bodies are still in a growing stage and it is crucial at this time in their lives to make sure that everything is developing properly. One medical condition that hits a great majority of our population is called scoliosis, and this condition goes unknown because of the fact that we do not have enough examinations, and therefore we cannot give students enough opportunities to have their spinal development inspected. Scoliosis is a horrible medical condition, and if we had more teens getting physical exams, this would prevent many unnecessary surgeries and pain in the future. Scoliosis is a medical term taken from a Greek word meaning curvature. This disease is known to develop in young adults between the ages of 15-18 causing the spine to curve laterally (to the side) to the left or right. (Dawson) Scoliosis is diagnosed once a persons spine has a curvature of at least 10 degrees. The progression of the curve usually starts anywhere in a persons ch...

The Cask of Amontillado Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Cask of Amontillado - Essay Example Figurative enclosure began with the reader, drawn by Montresor into his space, assuming collusion and sympathy: "You, who so well know the nature of my soul" (Poe, 1090), tells the reader "you are with me in this, you understand." Fortunato was trapped too, by his greed and vanity, and into placing himself in the trap. Montresor was also enclosed in his world of paranoia and revenge, a loner who perceived himself superior, who had no rational cause to kill. The absence of real motive here showed a mind locked into a cold, psychotic personality. He did not explain, "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne", but provided glimpses of a focused, calculated, mental derangement in "I must not only punish, but punish with impunity." (Poe, 1090). If Montresor was mad, then he was locked in that space, without human feelings, taking victim and reader with him, to the horrific reality of a living death, enclosed in the catacomb walls. These and the journey to them, represented a metaphor for the convoluted workings of a deranged mind, while focusing on themes, plot, action and resolution. Literal, real enclosed spaces become smaller and more threatening, reaching the horrific climax.

Religious freedom in prison Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Religious freedom in prison - Research Paper Example Denial of religious freedom may hinder inmates to access moral compass that may have guided them away from the criminal lifestyle. Recently, there has been applauding of some religious programming to due to increasing need for rehabilitation among inmates. Among the supporters of this religion –based programs are prison’s policy makers and prison officials. The primary purpose of this paper is to describe religious freedom in prison by keenly analyzing hindrances of freedom of religion, benefits of allowing inmates to practice religious freedom as an individual and to the society as a whole. In addition, there will be an analysis of the constitutional human rights. Initially, almost every prison in the world, inmates are subjected to discrimination to religious freedom. Policies that are implemented in jails and freedom are designed in such a way that the rights of the individual are not respected. In US, over two million Americans were denied their freedom to exercise their faith. This means that around two million individuals are denied an opportunity to change their lifestyle from a religious point of view. Some researchers argue that religious freedom in prison should not be permitted as sometimes it brings unnecessary discrimination between inmates which causes murders or unfair treatment. Correction centers comprise of prisoners of the different religion. For instance, In the US, there are various religion among inmates including; Christianity, Islamic, Judaism, among others. This means that if the religious freedom of every offender is to be respected, there should be religious structures and unions for quite a number in every prison. F ailure to honor religious freedom of inmates can cause humanitarian and other human rights organization to file up cases against any prison department that goes against human rights. On the other hand, if they are given freedom inmates tend to

Examine the treatment of children and infant mortality from victorian Essay

Examine the treatment of children and infant mortality from victorian writers with special reference to Charles Kingsleys water babies and Thomas Hardys poem To an unborn pauper child - Essay Example In fact this period is also a time when infant mortality was high and the threat of mortality facing infants was 30 times worse compared to what it is today (Garrett, 2006, p.253). Carroll captures this nature of parenting explicitly through fairy tale world known as Wonderland. In the fiction, the characters of authority are shown to be funny and rather absurd at times. The paper undertakes the treatment of children and infant mortality by Victorian authors like Charles Kingsley and Thomas Hardy. Carroll’s work is still published as a children’s classic collection and loved by young and adults alike. Lear, a rival of Carroll also published his limericks, which criticizes the social code of behavior in the Victorian society. Like Carroll, Lear also puts forth certain inevitable violent ends of the characters. The White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland keeps on reminding the reader that it will be prone to losing its head if he is late to arrive at the Duchess’. (Charney, 2005, p.284) This also reveals the inevitability of social codes and none of the writers could escape that. The Duchess symbolize a typical strict parent of the Victorian age as she tosses her baby pig up into the air and sings the following lullaby to her son, ending every line with a rough shake to the baby: â€Å"Speak roughly to your little boy, And beat him when he sneezes: He only does it to annoy, Because he knows it teases† (Carroll, n.d., p.44). This is also a parody to the p oem of Bates â€Å"Speak Gently†. The story also shows the coming of age of the child Alice, as she tends to forget her nursery poems and finds the characters conversing in a language unknown to her. This introduces her to a whole new world when she resides at the crossing stage from childhood to adolescence. Charles Kingsley’s The Water-Babies is a fairy tale, which condemns child

Reading habits Essay Example for Free

Reading habits Essay First of all I would say thank you to our Almighty God for giving me the wisdom and the knowledge in doing this project. To my very intelligent, kind, and very patient Instructor, the Area chairman of the Teacher Education Student, Dr Angelita S. Nagun for giving advices to make this successful. Of course to my supportive and loving Parents, â€Å"Mr Danilo C. Cabato Sr and Mrs Violeta M. Cabato who sacrificed and giving their efforts for me especially for financial things. And to my friends and classmates, cousins, Especially Mr Nesty Esteben, for helping me to do this project and giving me the words of wisdom and  encouragement, all of you thank you so much and God Bless.!! APPROVAL SHEET In Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, Bachelor of Elementary Education, this research proposal entitled â€Å"LEVEL OF READING HABITS OF THE TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA† has been prepared and submitted by Philip Anthony M. Cabato who hereby recommended for oral examination. Angelita S. Nagun, Ph. D. Adviser Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination Angelita S. Nagun, Ph. D. Chairman Mariluz Segui , Ph. D Ofelia Imatong, MA. ED Member Member Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of  Elementary Education. CRISTITA C. DULOS, Ph. D. Zenaida U Suyat, Ph. D. Area Chairman, College of Teacher Education Campus Executive Director LEVEL OF READING HABITS OF THE TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Francis Bacon’s off quoted observation that â€Å"reading make the man full† was made almost five Centuries ago, but still rings true today in an age of wireless communication and computer technology. Educators have expounded on the significance of reading in enhancing individual development and Cultural awareness. Whether pursued us as a pastime or as a means of furthering one’ education,  for both reading keep us aware of what is going around us. It enforces us of what took place in the past affords us glimpses of what will happen in the future. The world of one who reads in necessarily wider than that of the other who does not. It is on the forgoing premise that the literate populace, especially the youths, are argued to devote more in readings broaden their mental horizon increase their awareness of the environment, and be abreast of the chances in modern society Reading is a very important issue which is not only about enjoyment but a necessity: basic tool of education (Makotsi, 2005). The impact of reading in people lives is extraordinary widespread. A reader can learn new skills, can become a more knowledgeable person of the whole world, and he can be stimulated to both thought and emotion. One should read books and other materials to acquire knowledge. If the reading habits is not inculcated among the student community, the school of knowledge will go in vain. The hour is come for the student community to rise up and read books. So it is found necessary to study about the reading habit to the student especially to the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CAMPUS, URDANETA CITY PANGASINAN. The TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CAMPUS, URDANETA CITY PANGASINAN are now having a problem as regards to their reading habit. As the researcher observed, many of the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA, URDANETA CITY CAMPUS are reading only when they are told to do so and when examination or quizzes are coming. This study will conduct to help the students and encourage TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA, URDANETA CITY CAMPUS to determine the level of reading habits and to help them determine to themselves if they have good or poor reading habits. STATEMENTS OF THE PROBLEM. The study will seek to determine the Reading Habits of the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CAMPUS, URDANETA CITY PANGASINAN A. Y. 2014-2015 Especially, this study will sought to answer the following questions. What is the Demographic Profile of TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CAMPUS, URDANETA CITY PANGASINAN A. Y. 2014-2015. a. Age b. Sex c. Parents Educational Attainment; and d. Family Income What is the Level of Reading Habits of the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CAMPUS, URDANETA, CITY PANGASINAN as measured by the Likert Scale questionnaire when group in terms of: a. Age b. Sex c. Parents Educational Attainment; and d. Family Income What is the Level Reading Habits of the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CAMPUS, URDANETA CITY PANGASINAN as measured of by Likert Scale when group as a whole? SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study will be focusing on the Reading Habits of the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OF PSU URDANETA CAMPUS, URDANETA CITY PANGASINAN and deemed to benefit several factors. INSTRUCTORS. Teacher may be able to realize that they have the ability to motivate and encourage students to read. STUDENTS. The researcher will help the students know their level of Reading  Habits and for them to be aware to themselves if they have good and poor Reading Habits. PARENTS. Parents may be able to realize that they have a certain influence to make their children read and make it one of their Habits. RESEARCHER. The whole process of the research will serve as a training on how to become an effective and efficient teacher. SCOPE AND DELIMINATION OF THE STUDY The research study will conduct to the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS OFPSU URDANETA CAMPUS , URDANETA CITY PANGASINAN during Second Semester of A. Y. 2014-2015. DEFENITION OF KEY TERMS The following terms are defined lexically and operationally to provide a  common understanding of terms in the study. READING. In this study, it is thee cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic method. It also means the action or practice of a person who reads. HABIT. In this study, it is a tendency or disposition to act in a particular way. It also means an established custom, usually practice. READING HABITS. Reading Habits refers to the behaviour which express likeness of reading of individual types of reading and tastes of reading. (Sangkeo, 1999) In this study, it is the creation of a strong desire to read that continues throughout the student’s life. LEVEL. It is a position on a real or imaginary scale of amount, quantity, extent or quality. As used in this study, it refers to the degree or standing of the TEACHER EDUCATION STUDENTS for their reading habits. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES This chapter presents a brief discussion of relevant and selected literature and studies. This will give the researcher the needed insight and background for discussion and analysis of the finding in this study. It includes Literature and studies reviewed by the researcher which serves as guide and references for the paradigm of the study. RELATED LITERATURE Reading is important for students in general in order to cope with new knowledge in a changing world and technological age. The ability to red is the hearth of self- education and lifelong learning. Reading according to Fatimayin and Lawa(2010), connotes the ability to read well not only English Language and literature text, but also newspaper, magazines, journal, periodical, etc. Reading is a key to a wealth of experience that links people in a way unlimited by distance or time. It provides experience through which the individuals may expand his horizons, identify and develop his  interest while gaining a deeper insight of himself, his fellow human beings and the world generally. Potter (2011) opines that reading fire’s children’s imagination and encourage quick learning as well as widens, expand horizons, and help reader learn about dimes. He further argues that it encourages imagination, curiously and the ability to handle complex ideas. Reading plays a vital role in any worthwhile efforts to learn English. It is also a tool for learning other subjects and a yardstick for measuring academic progress. It is also a through reading that educational objectives can be accomplished. Above all, reading is related to other language skills. Bright and McGregor(1971:3) describe that it has the â€Å" core of the English Language Syllabus† by explaining that the language acquisition of the large extent on reading. It is a gateway to academic success, that is the reason on its importance cannot be overstated. Reading makes way for a better understanding of one’s experience and it can be exciting voyage to self-discover ( Panigrahi and Panda, 1996: Eyre, 2005). According to Deverajan and Gray, as cited in Panigrahi and Panda (1996)0, reading influences the extent and accuracy of information as well as the attitudes,  morals, belief, judgement and action of reading. According to William S. Grey, reading influences the extent and accuracy of information as well as the attitudes, moral beliefs, judgments and action of readers. Books are one of the best tools for training and upbringing. A good book always has a salutary effect on the mind of a reader. It will elevate spirit and thoughts. It will augment his store of knowledge. It is possible that the reading of book might have a deeper impact on the minds of the readers than the other sources of acquiring knowledge. Sometimes, reading brings about a revolutionary change in the outlook  of a person. Reading is the basic foundation on which academic skills of an individual are built, and that has been verified by various studies time and again. Frequent reading is related to the development of sophisticated language structures; higher levels of comprehension, improved word analysis skills, and fluency in significant amounts of voluntary reading are associated with greater interest and skill development (Irving, International Reading Association, 2000). According toChow Chou, 2000, â€Å"a moderate amount of reading will lead to substantial vocabulary gains†. Also in the subject of vocabulary, Parry (1991)  investigated how language learners acquire vocabulary. The subject in her study, whose vocabulary is limited, read very little. She concludes; â€Å"To establish a firm foundation for the vocabulary building to be done in academic courses, we should encourage our students to read as much as they can before they leave our classes† (Parry, 1991:649). RELATED STUDIES Reading habit refers to the behaviour which express the likeness of reading of individual types of reading and tastes of reading ( Sangkaeo 1999). It is a pattern withwhich an individual organizes his or her reading. Similarly, Shen(2000) identifies  reading habits, as how often, how much, and what student read. Researchers in the past decade have devoted efforts to examining learner’s reading habits( e. g. Mokhtari, and Sheorey, 1994). With their endeavours, these researchers have discovered that reading habits are associated with student’s gender, age, educational background, academic performance and professional growth. A good reading habit is necessary for a healthy intellectual growth and play’s a very crucial role in enabling a person to achieve practical efficiency. Furthermore, an individual interest are determine to a considerable extent by the amount he will  read and the intensity with which he will pursue his reading activity. By reading books, onegets confirmation or rejection of one’s own ideas, which makes one think more critically about right and wrong in a society. Reading provides people with a sense of values which enable them to gradually to develop the greatest of all virtues, that is the ability to understand rather than condemn. Books can also be very comforting, especially at times when one doubt’s one’s self and one’s belief. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Behaviourist psychology of the 1950’s influenced the Traditional Bottom-up  Approach to reading, which claimed learning was based upon â€Å"habit formation, brought about by the repeated association of a stimulus with a response† and language learning was characterized as a â€Å"response system that humans acquire through automatic conditioning processes,† where â€Å"some patterns of language are reinforced (rewarded) and others are not,† and â€Å"only those patterns reinforced by the community of language users will persist† (Omaggio 1993, 45-46). Behaviorism became the basis of the audio-lingual method, which sought to form second language â€Å"habits† through drilling, repetition, and error correction. The main method associated with the bottom-up approach to reading is known as phonics, which requires the learner to match letters with sounds in a defined sequence. According to this view, reading is a linear process by which readers decode a text word by word, linking the words into phrases and then sentences (Gray and Rogers, cited in Kucer 1987). According to Samuels and Kamil (1988: 25), the emphasis on behaviorism treated reading as a word-recognition response to the stimuli of the printed words, where â€Å"little attempt was made to explain what went on within the recesses of the mind that allowed the human to  make sense of the printed page†. In other words, textual comprehension involves adding the meanings of words to get the meanings of clauses (Anderson 1994). These lower level skills are connected to the visual stimulus, or print, and are consequently concerned with recognizing and recalling. Like the audio-lingual teaching method, phonics emphasizes on repetition and on drills using the sounds that make up words. Information is received and processed beginning with the smallest sound units, and proceeded to letter blends, words, phrases, and sentences. Thus, novice readers acquire a set of hierarchically  ordered sub-skills that sequentially build toward comprehension ability. Having mastered these skills, readers are viewed as experts who comprehend what they read. Another theory closely related to top-down processing called schema theory also had a major impact on reading instruction. It describes in detail how the background knowledge of the learner interacts with the reading task and illustrates how a student’s knowledge and previous experience with the world is crucial to deciphering a text. The ability to use this schemata, or background knowledge, plays a fundamental role in one’s trial to comprehend a text. Schema theory is based on the notion that past experiences lead to the creation of mental frameworks that help a reader make sense of new experiences. Smith (1994: 14) calls schemes the â€Å"extensive representations of more general patterns or regularities that occur in our experience†. For instance one’s generic scheme of an airplane will allow him to make sense of airplane he has not previously filed with. This means that past experiences will be related to new experiences, which may include the knowledge of â€Å"objects, situations, and events as well as knowledge of procedures for retrieving,  organizing and interpreting information† (Kucer, 1987: 31). Anderson (1994: 469) presents research showing that recall of information in a text is affected by the reader’s schemata and explains that â€Å"a reader comprehends a message when he is able to bring to mind a schema that gives account of the objects and events described in the message†. Comprehension is the process of â€Å"activating or constructing a schema that provides a coherent explanation of objects and events mentioned in a discourse† (Anderson, 1994: 473). For Anderson and Pearson (1988: 38), comprehension is the interaction between old and new information. They emphasize: â€Å"To say that one has comprehended a text is to say that she has found a mental ‘home’ for the information in the text, or else that she has modified an existing mental home in order to accommodate that new information†. Therefore, a learner’s schemata will restructure it to accommodate new information as that information is added to the system (Omaggio, 1993). According to Block (1992), there is now no more debate on â€Å"whether reading is a bottom-up, language-based process or a top-down, knowledge-based process. † It is also no more problematic to accept the influence of background knowledge on readers. Research has gone even further to define the control executed by readers on their trial to understand a text. This control is what Block has referred to as meta-cognition. In the context of reading, meta-cognition involves thinking about what one is doing while reading. Strategic readers do not only sample the text, make hypotheses, confirm or reject them, and make new hypotheses while reading. They also involve many activities along the process of reading, whose stages can be divided into three, i. e. before reading, while reading, and after reading. The activities the readers involve before reading are to identify the purpose of the  reading, identify the form or type of the text. In the second stage (while reading), they think about the general character and features of the form or type of the text— such as trying to locate a topic sentence and follow supporting details toward a conclusion, project the author’s purpose for writing the text, choose, scan, or read in detail, make continuous predictions about what will occur next based on information obtained earlier, prior knowledge, and conclusions obtained within the previous stages. Finally, in the last stage, they attempt to form a summary, conclude, or make inference of what was read. PARADIGM OF THE STUDY  This study shown in Figure 1 in the study next page shows the direction of the study. The Paradigm further shows the demographic profile of the Teacher Education Students. Such as age, sex, parents educational attainment, and family income also respondents with regards to their level of reading habits. Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study The Teacher Education Students Profile in Terms of: Age Sex Parent’s Educational Attainment Family income Level of Reading Habits of Teacher Education Students Age Sex Parent’s Educational Attainment Family Income Figure 1. A paradigm showing the demographic profile of the respondents in  terms of their age, sex, parents educational attainment and family income as well as the levels of reading habits of the respondents. Chapter III METHODOLOGY This chapter presents the research methodology. This contains the research design used, the subjects of the study, sample population, data-gathering instrument, datagathering procedures, and the statistical treatment of the data. Research Design The researcher made use of the Descriptive Survey Method. We will this method through giving our questionnaires to our respondents which are the Teacher-Education students in their most convenient time. The use of the method is to justify by the purpose of the researcher to gather information about the said topic. Respondents The respondents of the study were sixty (60) students. In every section of the Teacher-Education Department of Pangasinan State University from first year BEED and BSED to third year. A random sampling of students in every section was made. Table 1 Presents the distribution of Respondents Course/Section Number of Respondents BEED I 10 BEED II 10 BEED III 10 BSED I 10 BSED II 10 BSED III 10 Total number or Respondents 60 Ten (10) students from every section/course will be select. The chosen  respondents are cooperative and willing to answer the questionnaire. All the respondents in the study will answer the questionnaires in order to find and determine their level of reading habits. Sample Population The researchers will be using random sampling since we are only limited from first year to third year students. Random sampling is the selection of a random sample; each element of the population has an equal chance of being select. The researchers will select the students that belong to the desired course and year level. Data Gathering Instrument The main data-gathering instrument was the two (2) set of survey questionnaires. The first part is intended to gather Teacher – Education students’ background information and the next part is a five-point Likert-Scale Type questionnaire. The questionnaire consisting of items under reading habits that requires the students to rate themselves in terms of scale: 5 – I strongly disagree, 4 – I disagree, 3 – I partly agree, 2 – I agree, 1 – I strongly agree. The researchers made use of the five-point scale likert type test as the main data gathering instrument. The test is made up of 27 questions to be answered by the respondents. Each questions as well as its corresponding options will explain thoroughly. All the  options given are correct except that they differ on the degree on how the respondents answered the questions. Data Gathering Procedure The researchers will personally administer and retrieve the questionnaires to the respondents in the Teacher-Education Department. Assistance from their friends will seek in the administration and the retrieval of the questionnaires in other sections. Data from the questionnaires will be tally and tabulate for interpretation. Statistical Treatment of Data For the profile of the students of this research study, will tally and tabulate in the frequency (f) and percentage (p) table using the formula shown below. P= f/n (100%) Where, P = percentage equivalent f = frequency n = total number of respondents The mean use in describing the language acquisition will determined using the scale below: Mean Scale Rating Verbal Interpretation 4. 20 – 5. 00 Very High 3. 40 – 4. 19 High 2. 60 – 3. 39 Average 1. 80 – 2. 59 Low 1. 00 – 1. 79 Very Low To be able to answer the problem number 2, the Weighted Average Point (WAP) was employed to determine the reading habits level of the Teacher – Education students of the Pangasinan State University – Urdaneta Campus. The following formula used to compare for the Weighted Average Point (WAP). WAP = (f5x5) + (f4x4) + (f3x3) + (f2x2) + (f1x1) N Where: N = total number of respondents WAP = f5 = number of the responses who answered â€Å"I strongly disagree. † f4 = number of the response who answered â€Å"I disagree. † f3 = number of the response who answered â€Å"I partly agree. † f2 = number of the response who answered â€Å"I agree. † f1 = number of the response who answered â€Å"I strongly agree. † Pangasinan State University Urdaneta Campus Urdaneta City, Pangasinan March, 2014 Dear fellow Education Student in Pangasinan State University, May I request you to kindly fill up the attached questionnaire in connection  with my special problem entitled Level of Reading Habits of the Teacher-Education Students of Pangasinan State University year 2014-2015. This will fulfil the requirements for the completion of our subject Introduction to Research. Thank you very much for your kind and cooperation. Very sincerely yours, Philip Anthony M. Cabato BEED II Direction: Please supply the needed information by filling up the given blanks or checking your answer to the questions asked. Name: Sex: Age: Birthday: Course/Section: _____________________ Parents: Father: Mother: 1. Educational Attainment: a. Father: Elementary Secondary. Vocational College b. Mother: Elementary Secondary Vocational College 2. Occupation: a. Father: Manual Vocational Technical Professional *manual *vocational *technical *professional Laundering Dressmaker/ Tailor Technician Lawyer -Teacher Carpenter Beautician/ Barber Mechanic Doctor -Employee Baker Driver Electrician Nurse Housekeep Midwife Mason Dentist Janitor Engineer Farming Architect Labourer a. Mother: Manual Vocational Technical Professional *manual *vocational *technical *professional Laundering Dressmaker/ Tailor Technician Lawyer -Teacher. Carpenter Beautician/ Barber Mechanic Doctor -Employee Baker Driver Electrician Nurse Housekeep Midwife Mason Dentist Janitor Engineer Farming Architect Labourer 3. Family Income: a. Father: _____ Low (P7, 000 below) _____ Average (P8, 000-P10, 000) _____ High (P11, 000 above) b. Mother: _____ Low (P7,000 below) _____ Average (P8,000-P10,000) _____ High (P11,000 above) Self- Assessment Questionnaire for Reading Habits Directions: For each of the following statements, put a check mark on the appropriate column that corresponds to your answer. SCALE RATING 1 I strongly agree 2 I agree. 3 I partly agree 4 I disagree 5 I strongly disagree Statements 1 2 3 4 5 1. When I read books, I feel happy. 2. When I have to read something, I feel anxious. 3. Reading books helps a person learn a language. 4. I read only when I need to find some information. 5. I would rather see a play in a theatre than read the play in a book. 6. I enjoy reading things on the Internet. 7. I enjoyed reading at school. 8. I didn’t enjoy reading at school. 9. I have many books at home. 10. I don’t have much free time for reading. 11. Reading teaches me a lot about life and about people. 12. I get bored in my free time if I don’t have a book to read. 13. I learn more from TV than from reading books. 14. If you want to be well- educated, you must read books. 15. Reading books teaches you things that help you make decisions. 16. I would rather spend money on books than on clothes. 17. I read books only when my teacher tells me I should. 18. I think reading books will be helpful for me in my life. 19. I don’t think reading books will be helpful for me in my life. 20. When I don’t understand something I am reading, it makes me feel less confident about myself. 21. I want to be like my friends, and they don’t read. (If your friends like reading,   don’t answer this question. ) 22. I had a teacher or teachers who enjoyed reading and made me feel I would like to read. 23. My parents encourage/have always encouraged me to read. 24. I think books are too expensive for me to buy. 25. I have a quiet place where I can read undisturbed. 26. At University, I had a quiet place where I could read and study undisturbed. 27. I don’t think books will be important fifty years from now. Bibliography (http://balaibahasa. upi. edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/01_Noorizah-R eading_habit-edited. pdf ) (http://www. buzzle. com/articles/importance-of-reading. html).