The Breadwinner Chapter 1

The Breadwinner: A STUDY GUIDE How to use the study guide: †¢Read the questions for each chapter BEFORE you read the novel. †¢Look for the answers as you read making sure to highlight the passages in the novel that assist you in answering the study guide questions. †¢Highlight in your text any quotations noted in the study guide. †¢Respond to the study guide questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES. You should write at least two-three thoughtful sentences for each question. Characters: -Parvane (11 years old, 6th grade) -Nooria (older sister) -Maryam (5 years – younger sister) -Mother -Father -Ali (2years – younger brother) Vocabulary Chapter 1 vocabulary Chador = a large piece of dark-colored cloth, typically worn by Muslim women, wrapped around the head and upper body to leave only the face exposed. Sentence: These women have to wear a chador. –Marveled = a wonderful or astonishing person or thing: the marvels of technology | Charlie, you're a marvel ! Sentence: That child is really marveled. -Labyrinth = Anatomy a complex structure in the inner ear that contains the organs of hearing and balance. It consists of bony cavities (the bony labyrinth) filled with fluid and lined with sensitive membranes (the membranous labyrinth). Sentence: Going through a labyrinth is very hard and onfusing. -Relented = abandon or mitigate a harsh intention or cruel treatment: she was going to refuse his request, but relented. (Esp. of bad weather) become less severe or intense: by evening the rain Sentence: Your parents relented you when you were very young. -Forbade = refuse to allow (something): environmental laws forbid alteration of the coast. See note at prohibit order (someone) not to do something: I was forbidden from leaving Russia | [trans. ] my doctor has forbidden me to eat sugar. Sentence: She forbade you to wear that. -Decreed = an official order issued by a legal authority.Sentence: Mr. President issued a decreed that we are not to de al with any of those matters. -Scampered = (esp. of a small animal or child) run with quick light steps, esp. through fear or excitement Sentence: She scampered along the road. -Burqa = a long, loose garment covering the whole body, worn in public by many Muslim women. Sentence: The Taliban requests all women wearing a burqa. How has Parvanas life changed since the Taliban took control? She lost everything. First when the bombing began she couldn’t go to school anymore because all females were required to stay inside their house.At first she actually liked it but then when she realized the consequences she started understanding. As the war continued more bombs came and one hit their home. It was a nice house with many rooms and her father had a good job and with that nice income. But this first bomb destroyed everything they had to move and but the worst her father lost his legs. As they kept moving their housing began to shrink every time they had a smaller house until now t hey only have 1 room in a half destroyed apartment. This doesn’t give anyone of her family any privacy so they have a tuff time with that.Also her father now since he can read and write works on the marked and reads letters for money. Also they sell their family belongings. Parvana actually gets a chance to go outside because she has to help her dad walk since he also sold his fake legs. When the Taliban see her, her father always finds a good excuse so nothing really happens. CHAPTER ONE (p. 7-18) 1. Why does Parvana have to hide her face and voice when she goes to the marketplace with her father? What will happen if she doesn’t? The Taliban who at that stage rule the country don’t allow any female to be outside their house except if they wear a burqa and have a male guardian.They are only allowed to show their hair and face to close relatives. Parvana can only come outside on the marked because her father needs help to walk and since he doesn’t has any other child strong enough it as to be Parvana. She can show her face because she is still a child and no women. She is not supposed to talk because she isn’t supposed to be out of the house so she should act as if she wasn’t there. Mostly the Taliban are fine with it that Parvana helps her father and there is no other option. But if a older women would do the same and not be totally covered she would be punished badly. . How old is Parvana? How is age significant for a girl living in a society governed by the Taliban? Parvana is 11. This is important because it shows she is still a child. The Talban aren’t as strict about the rules with being covered up and staying inside with a child. Also her father can have much better excuses for her than for his wife or older daughter. 3. How does Parvana initially feel about not being able to go to school? What does Nooria understand about this situation that Parvana does not? At first Parvana didn’t get the whole s ituation so she actually enjoyed it.At that point Nooria actually did get the situation and hated Parvana for being so stupid. She knew the Taliban wouldn’t let them go to school for a very long time and they would probably not e educated. As Parvana began to understand the whole situation she started feeling like Nooria did. 4. How does Parvana’s father currently make a living for the family? Why has he chosen this as his occupation? He reads and writes letters for people. Almost no one went to college and many couldn’t even read. He actually could and also in many different languages. He also sold the family belongings on the marked for some extra money.Actually this family is lucky for having someone with such rare talent so people don’t really have a choice except for paying her father to read their letters to them. 5. Describe the living conditions Parvana and her family currently exist in. Compare them to the family’s previous living situatio n. Their house is very small and food is rare. They have to go get the water from outside their house. Also almost all of their belongings are sold. It is a one-room apartment in a half bombed down house. There is no privacy for any of them. Also it gets even worse since only two of them can go outside.It is usually for the rest just cleaning. Before they had good income and a huge house. All of them were able to go outside and have fun. They had flowing water and much food. 6. What is the Taliban? Describe the restrictions they place on the people of Kabul. The Taliban are a group of religious extremists. They ruled Afghanistan from Kabul. From their law no women could go outside except with their husband or their permission. Also they started war so bombs destroyed much. A grown up women had to cover her whole body in public and could only show her body to close relatives. CHAPTER TWO (p. 19-33) 1.Explain the mixed emotions Parvana feels about carrying water for her family. She kn ows that she is the only one who can do the job but also sometimes she is so tired that Parvana would give a lot for not doing it. Adding to that she is really angry about it that her sister always comments what she does. Usually only her anger and responsibility for her family give her the power to finish the task. 2. Explain who Hossain is. Got killed. 3. â€Å"’How can we be brave? ’ Nooria asked. ‘We can’t even go outside. ’ ‘There are many types of battles,’ Father said quietly. ’† (29) Explain what Father means in the above quotes.How does he want his daughters to be brave? A battle doesn’t have to be with weapons. The thing that hurts most aren’t physical pains its metal one. Fighting with words or just surviving under such Bad live circumstances is being brave. Also to fight the temptation to just go outside and probably gets killed through that is a huge battle. 4. â€Å"As the soldiers pried her lo ose, she heard her father say, ‘Take care of the others, my Malali. ’ Then he was gone. † (31) Who is Malali? Why does Parvana’s father call her that and ask her to care for the others? Malali is a brave girl from a story.The Afghans were about to lose a big battle but then she came and led the army to win. It always was Parvanas favorite story and her father knew she would do everything to be like Malali so she would take care of the family. She would try being as strong and brave as the girl in the story her father knew. 5. â€Å"Father’s books! †¦Some were English books about history and literature. They were kept hidden because the Taliban burned books they didn’t like. † (32) What does this quote explain about the Taliban and the difficult position Parvana’s father would have been in once they took power in Afghanistan?The Taliban only respected their own couture and with that also their language. If someone was educate d somewhere else they said their mind was twisted and they now are bad people. The English books were evidence that her father was educated in England and the Taliban wouldn’t like that at all. Also after Parvanas father was taken away these books were basically the only things that remained them of him. 6. Why do you believe the Taliban took Parvana’s father away? They think his mind was twisted through the education in a different country. They though he is someone bad. Also their religion was if they kill someone bad they would be good.Another thing is they say if someone goes away to be educated he is saying his home country is bad. CHAPTER THREE (p. 34-43) 1. List the ways the Taliban restricts the movement, dress and behavior of women and girls as noted in the novel thus far. Women have to wear burqas when they go outside and they have to have a male guardian or permission from their husband. As child the rules weren’t so strict for Parvana and since she i s the only option the Taliban allowed it. If women showed any part of their body in public she would be punished. Only close relatives were allowed to see her. Can’t go to work, school.Can’t make eye contact with man. No public transportation. 2. Why was the act of Parvana and her mother traveling to the prison to find Father such a difficult one? Because women on their own can’t ride the bus. Also due the long Burqa Parvanas mother had to wear they couldn’t walk fast. The way to the prison was long and the roads destroyed. Had photographs but they were illegal? 3. How do Parvana and her mother attempt to get her father out of prison and what is the result? They were keeping telling the guards that he didn’t do anything and they should let him go free. Also that they want him back.But then they got beaten up. 4. â€Å"Helping Mother down the broken stairs was a little like helping Father, as the billowing burqa made it hard for her to see where sh e was going. † (39) What does this passage imply about the impact of a burqa on the movement and daily activity of a woman? Why would the Taliban desire such an impact? It shows that through the dress code of the Taliban women weren’t able to really walk also the bombing destroyed many roads and buildings which made it even harder. CHAPTER FOUR (p. 44-53) 1. â€Å"’If we had left Afghanistan when we had the chance, I could be doing my work! ’ ‘We are Afghans.This is our home. If all the educated people leave, who will rebuild the country? ’† (45) Parvana says this is an argument her parents frequently have. Explain her mother’s side of the argument and her father’s side of the argument. Why is their’s such a difficult position to be in? Her mother said they had a chance to leave the country but they didn’t. Since both mother and father in Parvanas Family are educated they are part of the higher standard group of people. Her fathers argument is that Afghanistan will need smart people to rebuild the country after the Taliban were gone. Mother wants to do their job.If there are no other educated people who wants to kick out the taliban 2. Why is Parvana the only member of the family who can go out and purchase food while her father is in prison? Her sister is to old to just safely go outside without a man and Ali is too young. But she is still a girl so she can go outside and buy food. 3. â€Å"Now I’ve got her, Parvana thought. I can make her as miserable as she makes me. But she was surprised to find that this thought gave her no pleasure. Maybe she was too tired and too hungry. Instead of turning her back, she took the money from her sister’s hand (53).This quotation points to the ongoing conflict between the sisters. Explain why Parvana initially thinks she will be able to make Nooria miserable. Because if Parvana would not go, and get the food, her sister would certainl y have to, and without her father being there she was scared. Discuss why you believe that thought does not give Parvana any pleasure. Because Nooria always was mean to Parvana and Parvana had never had a real chance to give that back. CHAPTER FIVE (p. 54-62) 7. Parvana begins to change once her father has been put in prison. Characterize the change that begins to occur in Parvana.What does she do that shows this change and explain why she is changing. She actually was responsible enough to go on the marked and get the food also she got water for her family. She could have tortured Nooria but she didn’t instead she just did her work. 8. Who is Mrs. Weera and why is her visit to Parvana’s family so important? She worked with Parvanas mother together and needs a piece of writing. She is one of the old friends of the family and now she builds them up again. Gym teacher Parvanas Teacher. CHAPTER SIX (p. 63-73) 1. â€Å"They were going to turn her into a boy† (63).Ex plain the plan Mrs. Weera and the family come up with. Why must Parvana make the final decision if the plan was to work. They wanted to turn her into a boy so she could earn money and go on the marked freely. To cut her hair of and make her look like a boy isn’t to hard and the rest could also force her to do it but the acting on the marked and the talking was her job and if she doesn’t want to do it there would be no way to force her. 2. When Parvana goes out in the street dressed as a boy she feels different. Explain the difference in her feelings and why this is so.She feels free and another thing as a girl she always tried to hide now if she just acts normal she has the best Hiding ever its just another boy running around the streets. 3. The important characters in The Breadwinner are†¦(list five and a brief description of each) a. Parvana – very strong heart, doesn,t like older sister b. Parvana as boy = does everything to help family actually works to gether with her sister c. Nooria = grumpy but takes responsibility for family d. Mother = after father was taken away depressions e. Father = always believed in Parvana CHAPTER SEVEN (p. 74-82) 1.Parvana reads a letter for a Talib. What is surprising about his reaction to the letter? Why? Before she thought Taliban weren’t human they had no feelings and were cold blooded. But then she realized that they actually are human and only do what they belief in and that some are forced to do so. CHAPTER EIGHT (p. 83-94) 1. Why does Mrs. Weera move in with Parvana and her family? She and Parvanas Mother want to make their own magazine and also she wants to bring the family back on track. 2. What excellent idea does Parvana have regarding her freedom as a boy and how she can help her mother and sister?Why might Nooria object to the idea? She as male guardian could take them outside and there would be no risk. Taking them out after a year and a half of a small closed room improves their mood by a lot. 3. What does Parvana discover about the blacked-out window? Make a prediction about what might happen later in the novel in relation to the window. There is a woman who lets stuff come to her to tell some kind of message. Maybe at the end she will help them or she will betray them. CHAPTER NINE (p. 95-103) 1. Describe the conditions of Shauzia’s life (family, work, home).Why might it be helpful to Parvana to know about the difficulties of another girl her age? She has even les money and their living conditions are really bad. 2. In this chapter, plans for the magazine and a school for girls begin to develop. What are the plans and why are such conversations so important for Parvana, Mother, Mrs. Weera and Nooria? This would give girls a chance to actually learn again and do something different from just staying at home. Also it is finally something to do for Nooria and her Mother. The magazine lets other people around the world know whats going on in Afghanist an.CHAPTER TEN (p. 104-113) 1. What do the girls decide to do to make more money? Why do you think Parvana has trouble morally with the idea of this money-making scheme? They decided to dig up bones on a grave yard and sell them to the â€Å"bone Bocker†. Higher money income. Because she asks her self the question if their families would be mad and if the dead person themselves would. 2. When Parvana has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the day, she is very scared. Explain why. What would you have done in her place? She is firstly scared that someone finds out she is no boy and also because of landmines.She heard many stories about them and that she could blow up any second. I wouldn’t go dig up bones in the first place. CHAPTER ELEVEN (p. 114-122) 1. Why does Parvana cry when she returns from the graveyard? Is she being immature? She cries because all these pictures of skulls on a grave stone and bones come back into her mind. No she isn’t because it is h ard enough even being able to ruin other peoples graves. 2. Why does Parvana want to continue digging up bones? Because she makes more money that way, so she and her friend have some left over’s for their money making idea. . What gift drops on Parvana’s head in this chapter? It was a red wooden bead. 4. Why does Parvana feel that arguing with Nooria just doesn’t make sense any more? Because they all have to help each other and stick together to get through this hard situation, and also because she thinks she or Nooria have changed. 5. Parvana can’t stand to eat her nan at lunch and gives it to a beggar instead. What does this action reveal about Parvana? What does she recognize about food in their society? It shows that digging up the bones actually effects her and makes her feel bad.Also that there isn’t much food in society. 6. The girls decide to go sell their goods at a soccer match. When they get to the stadium, they see something very differ ent from a soccer match going on. What do they witness? That the Taliban cut of hands of thief. As a brutal way of punishment. CHAPTER TWELVE (p. 123-134) 1. Mother’s reaction to the events at the soccer stadium is â€Å"What century are we living in? † (123). What does she mean when she says this? She means that no one profits from this and that almost no one likes or is even ok with the situation.She means that many years ago this was done and she feels like they life in a society of that time. 2. â€Å"No one said anything to Parvana when the bread ran out, but she got up and went to work that day anyway. Some things just had to be done† (124). What does this passage reveal about Parvana, especially in comparison to her behavior at the beginning of the novel? She changed a lot she now is very responsible and knows what she has to do she won’t even complain about it anymore, because it feels just right. 3. Shauzia tells Parvana she has a plan to leave.P arvana wonders how she can leave her family. What do both girls struggle with at the prospect of fleeing Afghanistan? Why does Shauzia feel like a bad person? That they have to leave their family behind also they have to decide fast because their body is changing and the can’t keep up the cover. Also her family will not survive if she leaves since she is their breadwinner. 4. Parvana’s sense of what is â€Å"normal† has changed. Explain this change. She starts to stick with the situation and also to accept it at the beginning she wasn’t open to any changes and still thought about the past.Because her life of sitting at the marked and trying to be invisible and then pretending to be a boy and taking over the family responsibilities. 5. Explain how Nooria and Mrs. Weera starting the school for girls is a form of resistance against the Taliban. They only have very few girls and sometimes she goes to the students sometimes the students come. They wanted to gi ve the girls education which the Taliban stoped. CHAPTER THIRTEEN (p. 135-143) 1. Why does Nooria decide to marry a man she hardly knows? What will the benefits of the union be? She can finally start her own life and she thinks she chance educated there.She thinks that the Taliban have less power there. 2. Parvana refuses to go to Mazar for the wedding yet she sulks when her mother decides not to take Parvana with her. Explain why Parvana might feel such mixed emotions. Because its her sisters wedding and the whole family should be there also the trip is dangerous. She wants to stay for her friend and also in case her father comes back. She has to work for the money. 3. As Nooria leaves, Parvana teases her. A change in their relationship is evident. Explain how things used to be and how they are now as the two sisters anticipate being separated.Why do you believe this change has come about? At the beginning Parvana and Nooria hated each other and every kind of teasing started a figh t. Now since the situation got so bad they started working together and actually acting like sisters. CHAPTER FOURTEEN (p. 144-154) 1. What kind and courageous act does Parvana carry out in this chapter? She brings a home she doesn’t even know. This was risky because this women didn’t wear a burqa and not even a chador. She would be in much trouble if the Taliban found them. 2. Describe what the Kabul of the past was like.In the past Kabul was the hotspot of Asia. There used to be lights through the whole night and the nightlive was amazing. 3. Why does Parvana think of herself as â€Å"Malali leading the troops through enemy territory? † (148). Because she helps that women and this task was very risky. Also because she was pretending to be a boy even though she is a girl. 4. What terrible news does Parvana receive once Homa has rested, eaten and is able to speak? Why would she not have heard about this before? That the Taliban took over Mazar and killed many pe ople, since her family was there she thinks they are dead.She didn’t hear of that before because there are no news through telivision or radio. 5. How does Parvana respond to this news? Why do you think she deals with the situation this way? First she does the same thing as her mother but then she gets back up and continues fighting. All this for the case if her father comes back. CHAPTER FIFTEEN (p. 155-166) 1. Parvana begins to feel better in this chapter. What is the source of her new sense of purpose and hope? Her father has come home so she actually has a thing to fight for. She hoped since her father came back the rest of the faily may also come home. . Shauzia wants desperately to leave Afghanistan. What is Parvana’s reaction to this desire? What is Mrs. Weera’s response to Parvana’s request that Shauzia go with her to Pakistan? Parvana wants to help her friend but Miss Weera doesn’t want to take her to Pakistan because she thinks its not ri ght. 3. Why does Parvana plant flowers in the spot where she usually sells in the marketplace? As a gift to the women behind the dark window, and as a goodbye. To show the window women she isn’t coming back. 4. The flowers draw the attention of many people. What might the flowers be a symbol of in the novel?Because it is something butifull and a sign of peace. Which both is really rare in this situation. Because they believed the flower isn’t going to grow and Parvana is foolish to even try. 5. The future is uncertain for Shauzia and Parvana but the make a plan to see each other in twenty years. What is the plan and what does Parvana wonder about as she departs from Kabul? They plan is that they meet each other on the first day of spring on the top of the ifel tower in Paris. Parvana wonders about what her country is going to be like in that time and if both of them survive the time.

Communication Methods Essay

Drugs are constantly under scrutiny from various organizations. The removal of medication is costly in product and reputation. However, it is important that withdrawal of a drug, which may affect the safety of patient’s withdrawal from the market, is imperative. Usually this prompts unexpected adverse effects that were not detected during clinical trials and apparent from surveillance of the data from the patient community. The scenario outlined involves the removal of medication from the shelves of hospitals, drugstores, and individuals home. It is imperative that communication reaches the masses in a concise and timely manner. The different types of communication are verbal, non-verbal, written and visual. Verbal communication simply involves face-to-face communication with another or group of people or communication over the telephone. For verbal communication, success requires the sender and receiver obtain what is required to make communication effective. When communicating verbally tone, dialect, and language are important factors (Cheesboro, O’Connor, Rios, 2010). Non-Verbal communication involves communicating without words. Non-Verbal communication ultimately ties in with verbal communication, without even speaking your body language, eye contact, posture, and facial expressions are all communicating. Cultures also exist with non-verbal communication. Cultural difference exist in the way people greet each other, what gestures mean, how far or how close to stand when interacting with someone and so forth (Cheesboro, O’Connor, & Rios 2010). Written communication involves writing letters and emails. Written communication skills are just as important as verbal communication skills. Last, there is visual communication and the portrayal is through some form of visual aid such as; signs, drawings, power points, graphs and many others. When using visual communication verbal and written communication may be involved (Chessbor , O’Connor, & Rios, 2010). Communication has advantages and disadvantages and traditional communication is still the number one form of communication to use if clarity is a primary factor. Traditional communication usually includes face to face or over the phone. When communicating face to face you always receives the opportunity to interact in a back and forth discussion. The use of non -verbal’s, facials and gestures maybe an advantage to some and a disadvantage to others. Disadvantages of traditional communication can be that conflict can be more intense and difficult to diffuse. Electronic communication is more prevalent but it still has its pros and cons. Many companies depend on electronic communication because information delivery occurs within different locations. There are also people that travel on their job and have no choice but to communicate through electronics. Not only is electronic communication fast and convenient it is the source of communication which allows for the responses and flexibility in replying. Despite the many advantages of electronic technology in the workplace, there are potential disadvantages including, the possibility of decreases patient safety, and breach of confidentiality (Broussard 2013). Many caregivers or physicians have mobile devices usually supplied by their organization. The concern with phones at one’s use at all time is the employee focus on sending a text or responding to an email versus delivery the appropriate care to the patient. Confidentiality concerns can come about form a simple phone conversation where names may not be spoken, but enough patient history and information is more than enough details. There is also the use of language. Being precise and complete is necessary when sending any form of electronic message (Cheesboro, O’Connor, & Rios, 2010). Remembering basic grammar and formatting can go completely wrong. A professional email can become very unprofessional fast especially if the sender fails to review it prior to pressing send. With this concern comes the major issue of decrease in patient safety, possible violation of the HIPPA, patient safety, and breach of confidentiality.. Social media plays a major part in daily life for most people. Many advantages and disadvantages come along with using social media especially in a health care setting. First, the use of social media depends on the organization. Not every health organization is equipped or in need of the use of social media. However, when an organization does choose to use social media advantages can be the use of improved communication. Employees and others can discuss post and view new ideas and plans for the company (Society for Human Resources, 2012). There is an opportunity to gain more clients and reach a wider range of people especially if the organization is worldwide. Marketing opportunities are everywhere on social networks. Disadvantages can be employees misusing the social network. Potentially results in negative comments from employees  about the company or potential legal consequences if employees use these sites to view objectionable, illicit or offensive material (Society for Human Resources 2012). Technology is not perfect and is still prone to malfunctions. There is also the possibility of virus’ or hackers to come about when organizations are using social media. When a health organization uses social media it is important to have basic rules and regulation set in place to help ensure efficiency versus misuse. In the health care world, patient confidentiality is a primary concern. HIPPA is what help to protect patient’s personal medical information. Electronic and social media communication use in health care communication enforces patient security and adherence to Joint Commission guidelines and rules. Maintaining confidentiality, however, is becoming more difficult. It was easy to ensure the protection of individual privacy when files are in paper folders. It was not a perfect method, but it worked because information is powerful and it must be available for all to review. Information systems and other technology now allow instant retrieval of medical information, along with widening access for a greater number of people (McCall, 2000). The use of electronic and social media communication will ultimately affect HIPPA, because these forms of technology evolve in the health care world the HIPPA law must also transform and change continuously protect patients (McCall, 2000). The HIPPA law is in place to protect patients and although communicating through social media or any other form of electronics. The use of these forms of communication does put the exposure of private information risks. However, it is important for every health care organization to have their own set of rules and regulations to help prevent exposures. Each entity engaged in electronic transmission of health information must assess potential risks and vulnerabilities to the individual electronic health data. Organizations must develop, implement, maintain, and document appropriate security measures based on the risk assessment (Peterson 2001). In conclusion, health care and communication go hand in hand. Traditional communication is still at the forefront in health care when it comes to efficient communication. Electronic communication is very convenient and necessary when it comes to many different job types. Lastly, social media helps to market and bring in new ideas to the health care field. Overall, Traditional, Electronic, and social media will  continue to play a part in health care communication. As health care evolves communication, as well privacy and security methods must evolve as well. References Broussard, B. S., & Broussard, A. B. (2013). Using Electronic Communication Safely in Health Care Settings. Nursing For Women’s Health, 17(1), 59-62. doi:10.1111/1751-486X.12007. Retrieved from http://www.EBSCOhost.com Cheesboro, O’Connor, Rios. (2010) Communicating in the workplace. New York, New York: Pearson Education. McCall, M. (2000). HIPPA regulations:Challenges for perspective leaders. Surgical Services Management, 6(10), 18. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/237194292?accountid=458 Petersen, C. (2001). How private is private? HIPPA. SSM, 7(6), 49. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/237195101?accountid=458 Society For Human Resources, 2012. Social Media:What are the advantages and disadvantages of social networking sites? What should we include in a policy? Retrieved from http://www.societforhumanresources.org

An Influenza test

An Influenza test RESULTS: An Influenza test is ordered when a provider suspects the patient has Influenza or if someone else in the family/household has been diagnosed with Influenza or is suspected of having it (Feemster, 2016, pg. 504). If the test result is negative, it would still be sent to the lab for PCR confirmation (Blosser, 2016, pg. 507). The Rapid Influenza test requires a respiratory sample collected on a swab from the nasopharynx or a nasal aspirate (McMullen et al., 2016). HPI The patient presented with a cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea with an onset of 3 days. The physical exam findings of Influenza may include cough, nasal congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, macular or maculopapular rash, or fever (Feemster, 2016, pg. 504). COMPONENTS OF THE RAPID FLU TEST The test detects viral nucleoprotein antigens in respiratory specimens, giving a qualitative result within 15 minutes (McMullen et al., 2016). One downfall of the rapid influenza antigen test is that it has a high number of false-negative results (Cunha Connolly, 2014). Another issue is the sensitivity to detect Influenza A and B; sensitivity for B is lower than A (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).Also, when Influenza activity is low, false positive results can happen as well (McMullen et al., 2016).These tests usually identify as low as 5% and as high as 50% of influenza cases (McMullen et al., 2016). According to the CDC, if an individual is suspected of having Influenza, even if you tested negative, you should not withdraw treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). If an individual tests negative, a viral culture PCR may be sent to confirm. These tests can detect either only Influenza A viruses, or both A B, and either distinguish or not disti nguish between the two (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). There are no rapid influenza diagnostic tests that determine any information about influenza A virus subtypes (Cuhna Connolly, 2014). ABNORMALS IDENTIFIED Rapid Flu positive Influenza B positive and Influenza A negative INTERPRETATION The positive lab result test confirms that the patient has a diagnosis of Influenza B and not Influenza A. A positive result means that the test detected the influenza viral antigen, but it does not mean the person has the Influenza virus or they are contagious (Cuhna Connelly, 2014). A negative result means that the test did not detect any influenza viral antigen (Cuhna Connelly, 2014). Positive results are typically higher when Influenza activity is high and lower when Influenza activity is low (McMullen et al., 2016). You are more likely to have a true positive result if the individual it was collected on had an onset within 4 days (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). PREVENTION/TREATMENT Influenza is highly contagious; it is easily spread through contact. Hand hygiene is key to prevent spreading. Prevention includes receiving the Influenza vaccination annually for 6 months of age and older (Kelly Sandora, 2016, pg 319). It is important children receive the vaccine as soon as it is available before the yearly influenza season starts; they are a major vector for influenza transmission because they tend to contract the virus far more than adults (Blosser, 2016, pg. 490). When a positive result is confirmed, the recommendation/interventions for these positive results include medication treatment and supportive care. Medication treatment may include antiviral treatment, such as neuraminidase inhibitors; they can help shorten the time period and reduce the symptoms (Feemster, 2016, pg. 505). The reason why you would use antiviral medications over antibiotics are because antibiotics are not effective against viral infections like Influenza; antibiotics are generally prescr ibed for bacterial infections. Neuraminidase inhibitors are the recommended antiviral medication for treatment and chemoprophylaxis for Influenza A and Influenza B (Feemster, 2016, pg. 505). However, the effect on antivirals change yearly depending on the virus and strains for the winter season (Blosser, 2016, pg. 508). Medications that are approved for treatment are Tamiflu (Oseltamivir), Relenza (Zanamivir), and Rapivab (Peramivir). Amantadine and Rimantadine are only recommended for influenza A and not Influenza B treatment because it is not effective on Influenza B (Blosser, 2016, pg. 508). The dosages of these medications are determined by the age and weight of the patient. When a patient is diagnosed with Influenza, it is important to provide supportive measures as well. These may include keeping the child well hydrated with plenty of fluids, bed rest, antipyretics for a fever, or decongestants if they are congested (Blosser, 2016, pg. 508). Using a humidifier in the room that the child sleeps in is beneficial as well. Parents should be educated on what signs or symptoms to contact the office or seek further medical attention, such as difficulty breathing, dehydration, or muscle weakness.

Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teaching - Essay Example t is, therefore, the responsibility of the educators to ensure that they structure their pedagogical methods in such a manner that is interesting and appealing to the learners. It would be more beneficial if the learning process is learner centered. This method would allow for an all inclusive classroom where all the learners’ exceptions are met. The teaching and learning process is an intricate one that places almost all the responsibilities on the teachers. Being in front of the classroom, the educators must be keen to select the best teaching methodologies appropriate for the learners’ abilities. It is obvious that an interesting teacher has massive impacts on the learners as compared to one who relies on the lecture method to impart knowledge (Malik, 2011). The theories of learning, particularly the constructivism theory have been of great benefit in the teaching and learning process. It is evident that researchers in the field of education have been on the move to devise theoretical approaches that would be useful in the classroom setting. This leads to an interpretation of the fact that various theories have indeed found their way to the practical aspect of education. Learners have been incorporated in the classroom setting through engagement in the learning process as well as responding to the concepts being taught (Hubber & Tytler, 2004). It is important that educators change the notion of the insustainability of the theories of learning by virtue of provision of limited evidence. Though they do not reject the theory, it would be imperative that they apply the concepts of these theories in learning due to the relevance of the same. It is clear that the implications of these theories are not evident in the learning environment. Research conducted by educational analysts indicates that though a lot of educators do not accord much relevance on the theories by the analysts in the educational field, their works are still relevant in the learning

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Summary - Assignment Example However, while doing this, controversies and tradeoffs have been the order of the day. Zoos have also had to deal with issues of conservation of endangered species, and determining which species are endangered. The issue of elephants in captivity has been raising standoffs between animal welfare advocates and zoos (Cohn 714). On one hand, animal rights advocated feel that zoos have inadequate space to house a sufficient number of elephants comfortably. On the other hand, zoos feel that they are constantly improving and expanding. Zoos further argue that they prefer to house elephants because those elephants living in the wild are exposed to human conflicts, poaching, habitat loss, drought, and disease, a scenario that is not experienced if the elephants are housed in zoos. Animal welfare advocates are known to claim that keeping elephants in zoos has been causing baby elephants to be separated from their mothers, and those that have lived together for many years being split as they are sent to different zoos (Cohn 715). Birdwhistell used a film showing elephants being visited by families at zoos to demonstrate that physical gestures are cultural specific and not universal. According to Birdwhistell, the elephants held in zoos are like captives (Rothfels 480). They are usually irrelevant to the people who come to visit and view them at the zoos. He does not understand why people choose to interact with extraordinary animals such as elephants in small confined spaces such as zoos instead of visiting them in their natural habitats. He describes these interactions as limiting and pointless (Rothfels 481). Zoos are not a reflection of the world as it because they simply provide a fascinating paradigm of how people view the world. The animals in zoos are not as they are in real life because they are simply a creation of how we, or the designers of zoos, want them to be. Captive breeding has been under scrutiny because many critics have been

Harlem Renaissance Poets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Harlem Renaissance Poets - Essay Example It was not just any literary event but it brought up a great change in African-American culture. This movement was marked by various African-American writers, artists, and poets who produced some of the most extraordinary art work for black American artistic world. Most of the famous artists of Harlem Renaissance were affected by the double consciousness they faced after migration and this double consciousness is very much evident in their poetry. This article will discuss two of the most cherished poets of Harlem Renaissance and their contributions. Countee Cullen: Countee Cullen was one of the most famous poets in Harlem Renaissance and he is often remembered for his great contribution in African-American poetry. â€Å"Incident† is one of the most cherished poems from Harlem Renaissance. Countee Cullen tried to express his views regarding the social status and condition of African-Americans in his poems. According to English (1999), Incident is one of his most cherished creations which explain the experience of the poet while his stay in Baltimore and Cullen expressed distress of his experience in very simple manner. Langston Hughes: Langston Hughes is among the central figures of the Harlem Renaissance and this poem is the proof of his great wisdom and quality to ink his feelings. Langston Hughes was often known as a poet who loved to display the folk traditions of African-Americans. He was successful in expressing the feelings of his people and gave it a perfect literary form with his poetic skills. Unlike Cullen who ignored the African folks and their culture in his creations, Hughes left a huge impression of his love for African folks in his poems. Incident by Countee Cullen: In the initial lines of the poem, the child is happy with a joy in his eyes and his heart ready to learn the new experiences of life. But the child was called a â€Å"Nigger† by a white boy of his same age as in the

Demographic Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Demographic Assignment - Essay Example Other than all formal meetings, I like to wear T-shirts and loose pants to give the impression of carelessness. Having tight budgets, I tend to travel by bus and train rather than airline. Part II. Select and watch 2 hours of television (does not have to be continuous), including the commercials. Based on what you’ve seen, provide a viewer profile for each show and discuss your findings. During the two hours, multiple programs are shown on Television. They include reality shows, news programs, commercials and entertainment shows. The audience of every type of program is different. Businessmen are mostly interested in current affairs; house wives are interested in commercials, while people of all age and profession are attracted by entertainment shows. It is because, it provides them an opportunity to change their mood and relax from the busy hectic daily routine. News headlines are attractive to all, while the detail is often skipped. Understanding of demographics will help firms to better design their products and marketing activities to fit customer preferences. They will design commercials to attract the specific target group and schedule their commercials keeping in view their

Management Accounting- A case study in balanced scorecard Essay

Management Accounting- A case study in balanced scorecard - Essay Example The balanced scorecard revolves around this strategy. In relation to growing the revenues, the shift of emphasis on traditional ticketing distribution will enable the company to cut on various items on its administrative overhead. This entails a shift in market strategy, mainly by re-positioning the Yunnan Lucky Air brand to becoming an on-line travel leader through its e-commerce business model. These changes are reflected on the perceptions as objectives about the brand and the website on the customers perspective, and would later transform into expectations of customers. In order to meet these expectations, various internal processes in line with the adoption of the e-commerce business model in terms of sales and distribution should be addressed. Lastly, learning and growth objectives are related to the changes in the companys HR policies because of the new organisational structure. Fulfiling these objectives tell about how the strategies will be carried out as soon as changes are enacted. The balanced scorecard has been widely accepted by the business community since its introduction by Norton and Kaplan in 1992 (Kaplan & Norton 1993). This paper aims to explore the benefits as well as the limitations of the framework in order to recommend the adoption of it to the business practices of the Chinese airline company, Yunnan Lucky Air. One major benefit of the balanced scorecard is that the framework provides a multidimensional assessment of the issues in line with a companys vision and strategy using the four perspectives (Dror 2008). In the case of Yunnan Lucky Air, for instance, setting an expansion strategy can be off-the-target if the objectives in line with the strategy are not coordinated by these four objectives. If the company chooses to expand with only regard to the customers and not its shareholders, an expansion strategy of continuing the low-cost positioning

Chemistry of preservative used in food industry Assignment

Chemistry of preservative used in food industry - Assignment Example The natural type occurs with its individual natural neutralizers different from the one prepared in laboratories. The natural form does not have preservative action since it have no toxicity. Sodium benzoate produced in chemical laboratories is cheap and toxic which kills living organisms (McKinney 358). Also benzoic acid is an element additive used in food industries, its low cost, ease of absorption in products, lack of color and low rate of toxic form made benzoic acid to be become one of the widely used preservatives word wide. It occurs in pure form as colorless; it’s soluble to a limited extent in water (Taormina 114). In conclusion, chemical preservatives are widely used to put off or slow down both chemical and organic corrosion of food for future use. Chemical deterioration includes oxidation and food browning, while organic corrosion involves dilapidation of food by

Tourism strategy for Glasgow Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tourism strategy for Glasgow - Assignment Example The research paper â€Å"title† highlights tourism strategy for Glasgow that is guided by its vision statement, which states that their shared ambition for metropolitan Glasgow is of sustained and sustainable growth in the tourism industry as a contribution to the wealth and well-being of all. In addition, the vision for Glasgow 2016 action plan is of leading destination in key markets offering a unique, dynamic, and authentic experience through the quality of place, product, and service differentiated through the strength of the brand, Glasgow: Scotland with style. Glasgow 2016 action plan takes advantage of the city’s growth, favorable national policy environment, and higher level of ambitions and desire for Glasgow’s future prosperity and well-being. This clearly indicates that the strategy for Glasgow tourism is closely linked to the national and city policy document. The Glasgow outcomes and to ensure it meets its 2016 vision, there are certain elements that highlighted in its vision that shows its intention of ensuring economic growth of Scotland. Due to this, the tourism sector takes a major role in protecting the environment and working closely with communities for mutual benefits (Tribe 2010 p. 5). For successful strategic planning, there are several key elements of corporate strategy, which if well implemented, leads to success. These elements include; i. Strategic analysis ii. Strategic purpose iii. Strategic choice iv. Strategic implementation Strategic purpose for tourism Glasgow is defined in its mission which states what the organization aims to achieve in the specified period. In the case of Scotland tourism 2016 action plan, the mission is that by 2016, tourism is seen as the major contributor to economic growth of Scotland. in this regard, the key contributor to Scotland tourism include Glasgow leading attractions, Tourism retail and leisure group, Greater Glasgow hotels association, Glasgow restaurateurs association, Scotland tourism and ministry of tourism. Strategic analysis incorporates consideration of influences upon Scotland tourism in terms of operating environment and resources available in order to attain its objectives by 2016. Strategic analysis is concerned in dealing with major strengths and weaknesses within internal resources and threats and opportunities posed by external environment in which the organization operates (Tribe 2010 p.10). In this sense, Scotland tourism identifies some threats in its external environment. These threats include; i. The use of IT by customers ii. The impact of travel on climate change iii. Competitive natur e of tourism destination iv. Increase in fuel prices The major strength include i. Brand name ii. culture iii. partnership and joint working iv. international gateway v. city centre retail offer vi. architecture vii. conference facilities and viii. access to highlands Major opportunities for Scotland tourism include; i. Continued brand development ii. Increase in short break travel iii. , New hotel development iv. Experiential services v. Collaboration with Edinburgh and other, surrounding destinations vi. Developing service excellence vii. Attracting large scale events viii. Innovative new products and packaging ix. Waterfront regeneration x. Differentiation through unique selling points xi. Employment-rich sector xii. Green issues Major weakness includes; i. Signage ii. gaps in transport infrastructure iii. packaging of experience iv. cleanliness v. Image of sector for employment Strategic choice is more concerned with selection strategy, evaluation of available options and genera tion of strategic options. The strategic option favored by Scotland tourism 2016 action plan has moved from mass tourism where they initially concentrated on price to major emphasis on quality or differentiated tourism where consumer or visitor and host experience is emphasized. The Glasgow: Scotland with style

A View From The Bridge Essay Example for Free

A View From The Bridge Essay Beatrice said, Whatever happened, we all done it in one of the final scenes in Arthur Millers play A View From The Bridge. I disagree with the above quotation, in my opinion, only three characters are to blame. Those being Eddie, Catherine and Rodolfo. Many factors became culpable for Eddies downfall in the concluding scene, such as his obsession with Catherine, Catherines flirtatious behaviour, the arrival of Rodolfo and so forth. Yet, many of these factors evolve around the character of Eddie. Therefore, if I had to point a finger of blame at one character alone, it would be Eddie. In the beginning of the play, our initial response to Eddie is that he dominates the household. He provides a father figure for Catherine, as he doesnt want her to expose herself to the attention of other men in their community. Eddie shows a lot of interest in Catherine and her appearance, he informed her of how she was walkin wavy and that her skirt was too short. The way Eddie made his opinion known and how his obsession affected his lifestyle, is obviously going to have a negative effect on him for the rest of his life. Catherines effect on Eddie soon jeopardised Eddies relationship with his wife, Beatrice. Eddie tried to please Catherine, whilst he became quickly resentful when talking to his wife. We can tell immediately of how this situation cannot stay this way, some event will have to occur for Eddie to make up his mind about who and what he wants. When the submarines, Marco and Rodolfo are introduced, Eddies jealous streak and competitiveness both become evident and culpable for the hostile welcome he greeted the cousins with. Rodolfo made an immediate impact on Catherine, who showed a lot of interest in the illegal immigrant. Catherines interest in Rodolfo and Rodolfos feelings for her infuriate Eddie. Eddie seems jealous and unwanted to a certain extent. Eddies blunt attitude towards Rodolfo spells trouble, as we can tell at some point this will come to a head. For example, Rodolfo begins to sing, much to the pleasure of Catherine and Beatrice, but Eddie interrupts this and tells Rodolfo to, wait a minute. This seems as if Eddie doesnt like Rodolfo entertaining, especially singing this song that could well have been aimed at Catherine.

Sleep and behavior Essay Example for Free

Sleep and behavior Essay Less than what others actually presume to be true, sleep is an essential factor of human development especially concerning young-adults. It is important that people begin to recognize this particular fact if they are to assist themselves in developing to becoming well developed in terms of physical and emotional stability, especially during the years of adolescence. This and the other issues concerned with insufficiency of sleep among adolescents shall be discussed within the paper that follows. INSUFFICIENT SLEEP AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE BEHAVIOR AND LEARNING PROCEDURES OF ADOLESCENTS Introduction Sleeping is a highly important part of any individual’s development. It could be obviously observed that those who are having lesser hours spent in sleeping usually have a hard time adjusting to the different challenges that they are supposed to face in their daily activities. This is especially true with those who are involved within the developing years towards adulthood (Punjabi 2004). Most likely, the years that include the adolescent development is within the bracket of those who actually need ample sleep in order to develop properly in terms of behavior, personality as well as with the physical development of the said individuals. It has been noted though that through numerous studies, it has been found out that adolescents are usually having a hard time taking close attention to the way that they sleep (Carskadon Et al 1998). Aside from the fact that they are undergoing numerous physical changes and hormonal adjustments, their want of doing many things actually brings them to the dilemma of having problems with sleeping. Statement of the Problem This is the reason why in this particular paper, the problem of adolescent individuals facing the issues on sleep differences shall be discussed in such a way that the focus of the informations presented would be on the major effects of the said issue upon the physical and behavioral development of the adolescent individuals (Thomas 2004). To be able to outline the said discussion, the following questions shall be carried into consideration: (a) Since adolescents are known to be facing the problems of hormonal changes, how do their bodies react to the said adjustments and how do the changes affect their sleeping patter? (b) It could not be denied that sleeping is a vital part for the human body’s continuous development. If this is the issue, how then could the adolescents face their problems with regards sleeping? Literature Review Sleeping is an essential aspect of growth. For the young ones who are expected to have ample time to regenerate their body systems, it is important that they are getting enough sleep that is supposed to get them going in the morning. Not being able to gain ample sleep may cause different aspects of changes among the said young individuals. According to Wolfson and Carskadon (1998), numerous areas of human development are affected by the human’s sleep pattern. Most likely, this particularly involves both the physical and emotional stability of the individual. Concerning this, the study of the said authors outline the different issues that are related with the issue and the ways by which it could be solved through psychological and activity-based adjustments on the part of the adolescents themselves. Constant consideration of sleep’s importance on the development of one in terms of physical and emotional stability shall help the adolescents realize their need of becoming constantly able to gain the sleep that they are particularly supposed to have (Mukhametova et al). It is undeniable that the major concern in this matter is the way by which the youngsters are able to use the time that they have at the most productive process that could help them grow towards maturity in a better way. The youthful years of a person are his investments towards a better future that is supposed to help him out in becoming a better individual not only for himself but also for the people living around him. In context, as the study itself portrays, the importance of sleep in such a large scope of involvement may not be seen as easy as it is supposed to be by observers. However, if the behavioral developments of the ones who have been gaining ample hours of sleep while they were still at their adolescent years would be observed, the experiences of the said individuals could attest to the fact that they have been well benefited by their discipline in following a considerably reasonable pattern of sleeping. (Walker 2006) Findings According to the studies conducted in an aim of identifying the different effects of the differential sleep pattern of adolescents, there is a special link that makes it easier for the readers to understand the issue being presented within this research as well as with the others that have already been completed. The undeniable fact that links the different researches together is that it is quite noticeable that adolescent individuals are usually having a hard time getting their sleep compare to that of the school-age young ones. Most likely, it has been found out that the different pressures that the said individuals are supposed to face in their own fields of interest [especially including school pressures] they are already having lesser chances of sleeping. This fact includes the idea that the said age actually requires one to spend longer times in recreation than that of the fact that they are interested in being able to rest themselves. (Hobson 1977). This is the reason why most of the adolescent aged individuals experience the shifting hours of their sleep whereas they are usually awake in the evening and are more pushed to sleep in the earlier hours of the morning. At some point, although the body of the individual already insists that sleep be applied for rest, the mind of the individuals chooses not to just because it ought to do something more than just sleeping. Because of the wanting of becoming able to do more, adolescents find it hard to view the importance of sleeping as it is. Discussions As a result of the findings, it has been found out that major adjustments in the behavioral and physical progress of he adolescents could be noted as the years pass. At some point, the changes may not be as obvious as immediately as expected. However, as the behavior of the individuals is to be observed, it could be noted that the changes are massive and thus need serious consideration (Hobson 1977). One of the most significant change is that of obvious depression and massive mood changes within the hours of daily activities of the said adolescents. This particular change occurrence actually makes it harder for the individuals to adjust immediately. However, the changes are usually dependent on the discipline of the individuals themselves. Without the consideration that the individuals put on the importance of sleep in their lives, it is undeniable that the major effects of this problem could not be solved unless discipline is applied well. (Wlaker 2006) Aside from the major mood changes, the study also presents that the academic performance of the young learners is harshly affected. This is mainly because of the fact that the development of the mind depends on one’s sleep patterns. Once the sleep pattern is given a lesser attention, the capability of the mind to perform well becomes strongly destructed. Hence, as a result, poor grades and lesser ability to perform well in their future jobs become one of the most annoying expectations as the problem continuous to persist among young learners at present. (Walker 2006) Conclusion As repeatedly mentioned in this research, sleep is an undeniable part of human development. Most of the time however, it is one factor that most people least care about. Because of the fact that some [especially the adolescent individuals] see it as a mere loosing of time, they are less able to enjoy the fact that they are able to regain their strength and their thinking ability through attaining ample time for sleeping and resting. However hard it may seem to get some sleep for young learners today because of the busy lifestyle that they are particularly accustomed with, it is always essential to take notice of the importance of sleep as a major factor of human growth and development. As noted earlier, failure to gain the ample hours of sleep may result to dreadful situations for the adolescent individual. It is not only the behavior of the individual that is being jeopardized by the said lack of discipline in attaining the sleep necessary for resting one’s body and mind, the capabilities and the skills of the person are also being directly affected as well. Hence, taking the necessary actions needed to fix the said issue should be well considered. Scheduling the activities as well as arranging the activities for the day should be well recognized as an essential factor of human discipline. Moreover, applying the said suggestions would not only solve the issues brought about by lack of sleep, it would also regulate the capabilities of the individual to perform well in his own appointed tasks. References: Walker, Matthew P. (2006), Sleep to Remember, American Scientist 94 (4): pp. 326-333. Van Dongen HP, Maislin G, Mullington JM, Dinges DF. The cumulative cost of additional wakefulness: dose-response effects on neurobehavioral functions and sleep physiology from chronic sleep restriction and total sleep deprivation. Sleep. 2003 Mar 15;26(2):117–26. Hobson, J. A. , McCarley, R. (1977). The brain as a dream state generator: An activation-synthesis hypothesis of the dream process. American Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 1335–1348. Mukhametova LM; Supina AY, Polyakovaa IG (1977-10-14). Interhemispheric asymmetry of the electroencephalographic sleep patterns in dolphins. Brain Research 134 (3): pp. 581–584. Gilmartin G, Thomas R (Nov 2004). Mechanisms of arousal from sleep and their consequences. . Curr Opin Pulm Med 10 (6): 468-74. PMID 15510052. Gottlieb D, Punjabi N, Newman A, Resnick H, Redline S, Baldwin C, Nieto F (Apr 25 2005). Association of sleep time with diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance. . Arch Intern Med 165 (8): 863-7. PMID 15851636. Wolfson Carskadon. (August 1998). Sleep Schedules and Daytime Functioning in Adolescents. Child Development Volume 69 Number 4.

Black History Project Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr Cultural Studies Essay

Black History Project Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr Cultural Studies Essay On April 16, 1947, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. was born in Harlem to Cora Lillian and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr. Who knew that he would grow up to be one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the NBA. He is more recognized by his changed name, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar was raised in Manhattan and did not live a wealthy life. His mother, Cora Lillian, worked as a department store price checker and the father, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr., was a transit police officer and a jazz musician. He weighed at 12 pounds and 10 ounces at birth and was twenty-two and a half inches long. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) His grandfather was of Trinidad descent and was 68 tall and his father was 62 tall. Even his mother, who was of Cherokee descent, was 511 tall. His parents raised him to be Catholic (however he later converted to Islam) and he was enrolled in St. Judes Elementary in Washington Heights. He was one of the only two African Americans in the grade school. Abdul-Jabbar was then transferred to Holy Providence Boarding School in Cornell Heights, Pennsylvania in the fourth grade. The student population in the school numbered only 40 male students, all of whom were African American. Abdul-Jabbar was a hardworking child and an honor student, which made him seem unlikeable by other students. He hardly fit with the crowd in school so his parents brought him back to New York City when he completed the fourth grade. (http://sports.jrank.org/pages/23/Abdul-Jabbar-Kareem-Childhood-Big-Man.html) Abdul-Jabbar considers many people to be his heroes and inspired him to pull through whenever he went through tough times. When he was a boy, he and his mother used to listen to baseball on the radio. His favorite team was the Brooklyn Dodgers and his favorite player was Jackie Robinson who ended almost sixty years of segregation in sports. Abdul-Jabbar admires his courage, grace, and patience the most because it inspired him to utilize those qualities not only in daily life, but as well as when he entered the realm of professional sports. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/giantspages/favspages/heroespages/02bjrobinson) Other heroes that have helped Abdul-Jabbar through his times of hardships include Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/giantspages/favspages/kajheroes) Abdul-Jabbar got hooked on to basketball at a very early age. In Manhattan, Abdul-Jabbar spent his time with his friends playing basketball at a local playground called the Battlegrounds at Amsterdam. At Holy Providence, he also spent time during recess periods playing peach-basket basketball. He improved greatly playing on the courts of Philadelphia and when he finished the eighth grade he was well-respected in the sport. His frame, at the time, of 6-feet-8-inches provided a great advantage towards other players he faced. He was able to go to Power Memorial High School by scholarship in 1962, where he played for the varsity team for four years. Abdul-Jabbar led the varsity team with the influence of Coach Jack Donahue to a 78-1 record and two national championships. He made the all-city team for each of his four years of high school, and there he set a New York City record for the most points scored by a high school player, as well as the most rebounds. (http://sports.jrank.org/page s/23/Abdul-Jabbar-Kareem-Childhood-Big-Man.html) Also with a scholarship of his choice, Abdul-Jabbar played for the UCLA Bruins from 1966 to 1969 under Coach John Wooden. Abdul-Jabbar led the Bruins to a three-year record of an outstanding 88 wins and only two losses. He acquired many accolades in his college career which made him very noticeable and recognizable to other players and teams. He was awarded Player of the Year twice for 1967 and 1969, three-time First Team All-American, played on three NCAA Basketball champion teams, honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament three times, and became the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year which was renamed as the Oscar Robertson Trophy. Abdul-Jabbar became the only player to win the Helms Foundation Player of the Year. The most well-known college game of Abdul-Jabbar was on January 20, 1968 when he and the UCLA Bruins competed against the Houston Cougars in the first-ever nationally televised regular season college basketball game. At the Houston Astrodom e, over 50,000 fans witnessed the event live as Houston managed to defeat UCLA as a final score of 71-69. Abdul-Jabbar suffered a scratch on his left cornea during the game which definitely contributed to the lack of an adequate performance from the player. From then on, he wore his signature goggles for protection for his eye was still not 100% healed. Abdul-Jabbar then was drafted in the 1969 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks where he began his path to superstardom in the field of professional basketball. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) The multimedia file portrays the final seconds of the 1974 NBA Finals. Two blockbuster teams, the Celtics and the Bucks, went head-to-head in an epic contest. The video shows the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar performing his signature skyhook shot over Henry Finkel to give the Milwaukee Bucks a 102-101 win in a double overtime. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd-iBiz49h8) The skyhook shot was what Abdul-Jabbar was known for because it was very difficult to block. This was because the shot put his 72 frame between the basket and the ball. Only a few players even accomplished in blocking the skyhook shot. This win over the Celtics would send the series into a seventh game. A similar shot was used in the 1987 NBA Championship by Magic Johnson. Johnson referred it as the baby hook in reference to his good friend and teammate. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_shot) A greater advantage for Abdul-Jabbar was the fact that he can do the skyhook with either hand. This made him even more diffi cult to defend. According to Abdul-Jabbar, the skyhook shot was the only shot I could use that didnt get smashed back in my face. (Kareem 112) Abdul-Jabbars professional career began when he was picked by the Milwaukee Bucks as a coin-toss over the Phoenix Suns. His place in the team enabled the 69-70 Bucks to achieve second place in the NBAs Eastern Division. He was ranked second in the league of scoring and third in the league of rebounding; for that, he received the award of NBA Rookie of the Year. In 70-71, Milwaukee then went on to record the second-best record with 66 wins. During his career in the Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar was awarded three NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, two scoring titles, and the NBA Championship. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks for a total of six seasons. In 1975, Abdul-Jabbar was drafted by the Lakers and he then began to actually step up his game even further by training harder and doing everything he can to improve his weaknesses. To develop a greater flexibility, Abdul-Jabbar began yoga in 1976 and was also known for physical fitness regimen. Throughout his entire career, Abdul-Jabbar acquired numerous accolades including a total of 38, 387 points, 17, 440 rebounds, and 3, 189 blocks. He has awarded six NBA Championships, six NBA MVPs, nineteen NBA All-Stars, two NBA Finals MVPs, ten All-NBA First Team Selections, five All-NBA Second Team Selections, five NBA All-Defensive First Teams Selections, six NBA All-Defensive Second Team Selection, 1970 NBA Rookie of the Year, 1970 NBA All-Rookie Team, participation in the NBAs 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, three NCAA Mens Basketball Championships, three NCAA Basketball Tournament MOPs, Naismith College Player of the Year, and a two-time USBWA College Player of the Year. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) His total stats add up to the following: games 1560, games started 625, minutes played 57446, field goals 15837, field goal attempts 28307, field goal percentage .559, three-point field goals 1, three-point field goal attempts 18, three-point field goal percentage .056, free throws 6712, free throw attempts 6712, free throw percentage .721, offensive rebounds 2975, defensive rebounds 9394, total rebounds 17440, assists 5660, steals 1160, blocks 3189, turnovers 2527, personal fouls 4657, and points 38387. (http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/abdulka01.html) Abdul-Jabbars NBA career lasted twenty long years, from 1969 to 1989. His talent was quickly recognized by his outstanding performance in college when he played for the UCLA Bruins. Abdul-Jabbar was a large star with many loyal fans. Many Abdul-Jabbar fans wore his signature goggles when attending the games to show their support for the player. Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement on June 28, 1989, and during his final season, every team in the NBA gave him gifts including a yacht with the words Captain Skyhook on it. Abdul-Jabbar has served as an assistant coach for the LA Lakers since 2005. He is also interested in acting because of his fame through basketball. He made several television and film appearances including the sitcoms Full House, Everybody Loves Raymond, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar) Abdul-Jabbar is a large advocate and supporter of helping the Muslim youth. He understands how many young Muslims face numerous acts of discrimination and negative stereotyping because of their religion. He advises them to simply explain how the religion of Islam has affected their lives positively. He relates the situation of the Muslims to the experience he went through as an African-American in the United States. Abdul-Jabbar explains that fanatics have taken over the stage and made Islam seem to be fanatic, when really it is the complete opposite since Muslims benefit every day from the morals and ethics the religion teaches. He says that the youth must be motivated and must not give in to the demeaning and demoralizing acts others do to discriminate Muslims. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?p=1156#more-1156) The primary type of charities Abdul-Jabbar supports are the ones that mainly promote cancer and leukemia. This is the case because Abdul-Jabbar himself is diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?page_id=74) He discovered his condition when he suddenly began to feel odd sensations such as hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis. When he took an exam at the UCLA Medical Center, the doctor informed Abdul-Jabbar that his white blood cell count was excessive and the doctor diagnosed him with leukemia. However, the disease is not too serious for it can be treated and he can live a full, productive life. According to Abdul-Jabbars doctor, the disease tends to initially diagnose people in their mid-to-late 60s and typically affects males more than females. (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/11/10/abdul-jabbar-leukemia.ap/index.html) Abdul-Jabbar is the head of the Skyhook Foundation as well. The organization empowers childrens lives by not only motivating and inspiring them in sports but as well as in the importance of education. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?page_id=1187) Abdul-Jabbar has been described to have a very shy and introverted personality. He always wore very formal attire when attending any event or occasion such as a suit or a tuxedo. Abdul-Jabbar explains that he is always uncomfortable when speaking to reporters and describes them as scurrying around like cockroaches after crumbs. At games, he has been described as an arrogant player; however, his performance at games certainly backs up his arrogance. (http://sports.jrank.org/pages/24/Abdul-Jabbar-Kareem-Spiritual-Journeys.html) In his private life, he has been described as a person with little words; however he is a very hardworking individual. Abdul-Jabbar married Habiba Abdul-Jabbar, but divorced in 1978. He had two daughters named Habiba and Sultana and one son named Kareem Jr. with her. Kareem Jr. also hopes to follow his fathers footsteps to professional basketball. He has two sons, Amir and Adam, with another woman named Cheryl Pistono. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul- Jabbar) Abdul-Jabbar considers fellow basketball player Magic Johnson as one of his closest friends. Johnson respects Abdul-Jabbar so much that he performed the sky hook shot as the final shot instantly before the buzzer to win the 1987 NBA Finals as a form of gratitude towards his great friend. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_shot) Abdul-Jabbar considers Coach Donahue for the Power Memorial High School and Coach Wooden for the UCLA Bruins to be his biggest motivations. The two coaches are the ones who really pushed Abdul-Jabbar to the limit for him to achieve and reach the success he dreamt of. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul-Jabbar) Abdul-Jabbar said that his entire life turned for the better when he converted to Islam. The religion has taught him how having good intentions for things can bring good things to life. He is a rather honest, truthful, and quiet individual. (http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?p=1120#more-1120) Abdul-Jabbar is not very involved in the field of politics; however, he is a very strong supporter for helping the Muslim youth against discrimination. He has been known to only speak English because his parents were occupied with their profession. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_Abdul-Jabbar) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is considered a very good role model because he had a poor life. His perseverance and determination brought him to where he is today. His path to a successful career in the NBA can be an inspiration for many. This proves that nobody is crazy if they simply want to dream big. Pictorial http://iggyvibal.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/kareem_abdul_jabbar_skyhook.jpg Abdul-Jabbar Going For His Signature Sky Hook Shot (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://iggyvibal.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/kareem_abdul_jabbar_skyhook.jpgimgrefurl=http://iggyvibal.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/jabbar-has-rare-form-of-leukemia/usg=__y-8q8ZOQfx6QwCuSV_EvdRxMSLA=h=517w=414sz=53hl=enstart=1tbnid=FYBmKMiJF1OtcM:tbnh=131tbnw=105prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkareem%2Babdul%2Bjabbar%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den) http://www.b-sidenation.com/images/bsidepics1/kareem%20abdul-jabbar1.jpg Abdul-Jabbar Setting Up To Shoot (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.b-sidenation.com/images/bsidepics1/kareem%2520abdul-jabbar1.jpgimgrefurl=http://www.b-sidenation.com/gpage5.htmlusg=__uG1p7g3eWDGTIVcR_JGacc01MCQ=h=421w=319sz=77hl=enstart=11tbnid=Csr1xJcsgXPoUM:tbnh=125tbnw=95prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkareem%2Babdul%2Bjabbar%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den) File:Kareem Abdul Jabbar crop.jpg Abdul-Jabbar in the White House (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kareem_Abdul_Jabbar_crop.jpg) File:Kareem1vl1.jpg Abdul-Jabbar at a Book Signing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kareem1vl1.jpg) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shoots a sky hook over Xavier McDaniel.JPG Abdul-Jabbar Shoots a Sky Hook over Xavier McDaniel (http://lakers.topbuzz.com/gallery/v/kareem-abdul-jabbar/Kareem+Abdul-Jabbar+shoots+a+sky+hook+over+Xavier+McDaniel.JPG.html)

Analyzing the Performance of Benedon Limited Company Essay -- Benedon

Analyzing the Performance of Benedon Limited Company I am writing a report to analyse the performance of Benedon Limited Company and to compare with the industry as a whole. The report analyses company and industry performance over the three years up to at end of 20X3. â€Å"It enables us to discover favourable or unfavourable trends that are developing gradually over time, as well as pointing up any numbers that have changed sharply in the space of time of just one year.† (Sytsma, S.) This report reviews the findings of the major changes and the awareness of weak performances. However, there are five principal types of ratios which are profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, activity ratios, solvency ratios and investment ratios. Under profitability, competitive pressure has risen in 20X3 compared to 20X1 and 20X2 as a result of Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) fell in year 20X3 from 19% to 14.7%, however, the ROCE in the year 20X3 is better than year 20X1 which had 13.2%. Gross margin (GM) could not be increased and falls substantially throughout the years as percentage of sales from 43.8% to 36.6% even though distribution and administration expenses have lowered every year. Therefore, it could not reflect the operating margin (OM) which has decreased in year 20X3. The average operating margin figures of Industrial Average (IA) and in year 20X2 were 16.0% but there is only 13% in year 20X3. In addition, ROCE in year 20X3 is much lower than the Industri...

Improving Cyberspace :: essays research papers fc

Improving Cyberspace Thesis: Though governments cannot physically regulate the Internet, cyberspace needs regulations to prevent illegal activity, the destruction of morals, and child access to pornography. I. Introduction. II. Illegal activity online costs America millions and hurts our economy. A. It is impossible for our government to physically regulate cyberspace. 1. One government cannot regulate the Internet by itself. 2. The basic design of the Internet prohibits censorship. B. It is possible for America to censor the Internet. 1. All sites in America receive their address from the government. 2. The government could destroy the address for inappropriate material. 3. Existing federal laws regulate BBS's from inappropriate material. III. Censoring the Internet would establish moral standards. A. Pornography online is more harsh than any other media. 1. The material out there is highly perverse and sickening. 2. Some is not only illegal, but focuses on children. B. Many industries face problems from illegal activity online. 1. Floods of copyrighted material are illegally published online. 2. Innocent fans face problems for being good fans. IV. Online pornography is easily and illegally accessible to minors. A. In Michigan, anyone can access anything in cyberspace for free. 1. Mich-Net offers most of Michigan access with a local call. 2. The new Communications Decency Act could terminate Mich-net. B. BBS's offer callers access to adult material illegally. 1. Most BBS operators don't require proof of age. 2. Calls to BBS's are undetectable to a child's parents. V. Conclusion. "People don't inadvertently tune into alt.sex.pedophile while driving to a Sunday picnic with Aunt Gwendolyn" (Huber). For some reason, many people believe this philosophy and therefore think the Internet and other online areas should not be subject to censorship. The truth is, however, that computerized networks like the Internet are in desperate need of regulations. People can say, do, or create anything they wish, and as America has proved in the past, this type of situation just doesn't work. Though governments cannot physically regulate the Internet, cyberspace needs regulations to prevent illegal activity, the destruction of morals, and child access to pornography. First, censoring the online community would ease the tension on the computer software industry. Since the creation of the first computer networks, people have been exchanging data back and forth, but eventually people stopped transferring text, and started sending binaries, otherwise known as computer programs. Users like the idea; why would someone buy two software packages when they could buy one and trade for a copy of another with a friend? This philosophy has cost the computer industry millions, and companies like Microsoft have simply given up. Laws exist against exchanging computer software; violators face up to a $200,000 fine and/or five years imprisonment, but these laws are simply unenforced. Most businesses are violators as well.

The Definition of Independence :: Definition Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some people say that the definition of independence is a complex word and idea to try to define. In al truth independence is a perplexing word to try to define. This is because everybody has their own speculations of what independence is. Very infrequently are their two people that have the same perception of what the definition of independence is. What I perceive the definition of independence is the absolute freedom to do what you want, and to not be held back by any rules or laws of government or man, but by the rules and laws of nature and your own self concise. My view of independence may greatly differ form your beliefs on the definition but in this paper I will try to show exactly what my perspective on the definition of independence is by my experiences, my beliefs, my thoughts, and research on the subject at hand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my beliefs independence can not be the definition of what your government says is independent. For if you go by what the government says is independent than why not go by Chinas definition of independence, or by the communists party’s definition of independence. If you go by any governments definition of independence than you are not truly going to be independent. For each governments definition of independence you are not truly independent. In my belief to be truly independent you must be able to do what you want when you want and have nobody to say that you cant do that. If the government is telling you that you can do this and not do that then how can you have independence. The only true way to have independence is to make decisions based on you and not based on what society thinks. How can a person be truly independent if they have to do what other people think is the right thing to do? The answer to that question is that they can not be independent for independence is the ability to do what you want even if it is not what society thinks that it is not the right thing to do. These beliefs is one of my building blocks for my definition of independence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my experience I have only had the feeling of true independence once or twice in my life. I felt this felling when I am by myself and nothing is around you but woods, waterfalls or complete silence.

Alternative fuel technologies

Oil and petroleum products have been mainstay of world’s economic and technological advancement since past 150 years. The mechanism driving the entire transportation system from automobiles, airplanes, railways, ships to space rockets is based on utilization of energy of petroleum oil. Petroleum products are also extensively used in a number of infrastructure industries that form the core of industrial processes and basis of existence of modern world. However, the petroleum resources of world are very limited and they cannot endlessly meet human demands.Various estimates have put the total extractable oil stock to exist for another 50-75 years if world continues to consume them at present rate. After that the cost of extraction of remaining petroleum products would become much more than the benefits obtained them and world would require new resources of energy to exist. These concerns have already spawned intense research in alternative technologies to meet the future energy n eeds in the face of an impending petroleum crisis.The shortage of oil would be more manifest in coming times as oil demands are growing world wide, especially in China and India with rapidly expanding economy, transportation system and consequently requirement of petroleum oil. Even at present consumption rate there are grave uncertainties on the secure prospects of future supplies within next 50 years time frame, and the rising consumption rates threatens to bring the approaching crisis nearer.United States is thus faced with a great responsibility to secure its future interests without sacrificing its present requirements and needs. This issue forms the topic of the next section. Alternative fuel technologies Past decade has seen great thrust on technological researches in alternative fuels. Various new techniques and models have already been introduced in the market to test their viability and capacity to successfully replace petroleum as chief source of energy.Most of these inno vations are specifically aimed at transportation sector owing to its liability as chief consumer of petroleum oil and as principle cause of soaring oil imports. Due to distinct requirements of different sectors in transportation, the technologies vary. Passenger vehicles, public transport vehicles and freight transportation carry specific needs that are difficult to be met by a single alternative fuel technology (Deutch J, Schlesinger J. R, Victor D. G. 2006).Some of the major and most popular of these technologies, where majority of research and development has taken place, are (Aldrich, 1996) 1. Hybrid Vehicle: As the name suggests, hybrid vehicles combine dual technologies for their operation. Technically they are hybrid electric vehicle with an electric motor that drives the vehicle (Hoogma, Kemp, Schot and Truffer, 2002, 41 ). 2. Bio-diesels: Bio-diesel: Bio-diesel, as the term suggests, is a type of renewable fuel obtained by agricultural products and used as fuel in heavy-dut y vehicles.The major sources currently under research for bio-diesel are soybean, rapeseed, corn, cottonseed, peanut, sunflower, and canola (Aldrich, 1996, 85). 3. Ethanol: Ethanol has emerged as a successful alternative to fossil fuels in Brazil where more than 4 million vehicles on ethanol based fuel and it is finding increasing application in the world as well 4. Hydrogen: : There are great interests in using hydrogen as fuel in transport industry due to the great flexibility of options and performance it offers.Hydrogen can either be used as fuel in place of gasoline in internal combustion engine or it can be used as energy carrier in fuel cells, the latter being the major research area in automobile sector (Aldrich, 1996, 87). Solar energy: : Solar power has turned as a dependable source of energy in areas other than transport. All the initial costs are high in maintaining a solar energy power plant, its been shown that with increasingly sophisticated technology and wider appli cation the cost of installation as well as generation of electricity can get comparable to normal power plants. Mass Transport SystemApart from introducing alternative fuel and technologies to replace and minimize fossil fuel consumption, another area where fuel consumption can be easily reduced is creating a more robust and functional public transport and mass transit system. It is cost effective and time consuming to redesign the existing public transport system, especially in major cities, to cut down fuel consumption by reducing number of vehicles on the road. Socio-cultural impact When fossil fuels were discovered around 150 years back, the existing technologies of steam engines were unable to utilize them.However, soon completely new technologies were developed in the face of these new energy sources and they were used to capitalize on the energy content and efficiency of fossil fuels. Soon petroleum fuels revolutionized the way the world moved and worked. The past 100 years o f consumption has comprehensively depleted non-renewable petroleum deposits and estimates give another 50 more years before the remaining available sources would get almost exhausted. This fact is indeed a cause of concern, but only if viewed from existing technological frame.Declining petroleum resources offer the signal that its time to make transition towards different energy sources. Countries that would fail to read this signal or close their eyes to it are certainly heading for a major crisis. But fortunately the world has the capacity to read these signals and develop reliable intermediate technologies and systems such as hybrid electric vehicle, ethanol and public transit systems that would considerably reduce fossil fuel consumption without adding to infrastructure cost thereby extending the life period of petroleum reservoirs.Meanwhile research can take place on new age technologies such as fuel cell and solar photovoltaic cells to complete replace fossil fuels as a source of energy. It is possible that if government and industry institute providential policy measures, there would be a host of alternative technologies in transportation sector by the time petroleum oil would get exhausted. _ Reference Bob Aldrich.. ABCs of AFVs: a guide to alternative fuel vehicles.California Energy Commission, Sacramento-CA. April 1996. 1st Feb 2007 http://www. p2pays. org/ref/26/25156. pdf Hoogma Recmo, Rene Kemp, John Schot, Bernhard Truffer. Experimenting for Sustainable Transport: The Approach of Strategic Niche Management. : Spon Press: New York: 2002. 3 Deutch J, Schlesinger J. R, Victor D. G. 2006. Consequence of U. S Oil Dependency: Report of an Independent Task Force. 30th Jan. 2007 http://www. cfr. org/content/publications/attachments/EnergyTFR. pdf Alternative fuel technologies Since its discovery 150 years ago, petroleum oil has become lifeline of the world, the functional equivalent of blood in the human body. The mechanism driving the entire transportation system from automobiles, airplanes, railways, ships to space rockets is based on utilization of energy of petroleum oil. Petroleum products are also extensively used in a number of infrastructure industries that form the core of industrial processes and basis of existence of modern world. However, the petroleum resources of world are very limited and they cannot endlessly meet human demands.Various estimates have put the total extractable oil stock to exist for another 50-75 years if world continues to consume them at present rate. After that the cost of extraction of remaining petroleum products would become much more than the benefits obtained them and world would require new resources of energy to exist. These concerns have already spawned intense research in alternative technologies to meet the fut ure energy needs in the face of an impending petroleum crisis. United States of America is world’s leading consumer of petroleum products accounting for approximately 25 % of total consumption of petroleum oil world over.In 2003, world’s consumption of petroleum oil stood at around 80 million barrels per day, out of which US’s share was close to 20 million barrel (Hirsch, Bezdek, Wending, 2005). To meet these huge petroleum demands US depends crucially on oil imports that is well above 50 % today and continuing to rise upward. This overwhelming dependence on imported oil poses various strategic and security challenges for US interests in the long run. The sharp oil price increases of 1973 and 1979-81 serve as testimony to the dangers of import dependence.Further as the oil sources would continue to deplete, the prices of oil would steadily and inexorably rise until the level when world is faced with an acute fuel crisis. Based on these observations it’s v ital that U. S explores alternative technologies and fuels to sustain its development and growth structure. Need of alternative fuels The continuous rise in U. S oil consumption has forced it to rely increasingly on imported oil to meet its expanding requirements. As of today with its 20 million barrel per day consumption U.S is the largest consumer and importer of oil, surpassing the combined consumption of Japan, Germany, China, Russia and South Korea (Reardon, 2004).. The share of oil in total energy produced in USA is just 17. 2 percent while in consumption it rises to 40 percent that explains the need for huge oil import. Imports constitute 11 million barrels per day that is more than the aggregate oil import of Japan, Germany, and South Korea (Reardon, 2004). The bulk of the oil consumption takes place in the transportation sector, which accounts for the 69 percent of the total oil consumption in US (Basic Petroleum Statistics, 2007).Consumption stands highest for motor gasoli ne. Average daily consumption of motor gasoline in U. S, according to Petroleum data (EIA, 2005) is 8933 thousand barrels per day. Distillate fuel oil is the second most consumed petroleum product with daily consumption at 2817 thousand barrels. These figures give a realistic view of inevitable oil import dependency U. S for present and future if it carries on the present rate of consumption. Indeed the chances to curb the massive oil imports are slim considering the fleet of 210 millions vehicle that depend solely upon motor gasoline for their functioning (Hirsch R.L, Bezdek R, Wending R, February 2005, 4). As on 1st January 2006, the total proven oil reserves with U. S was just 21. 6 billion barrels, which implies that in future U. S would be forced to rely almost completely on oil imports for its entire transportation requirements. As the closer sources shall run dry, U. S’ dependency would shift to further sources from where oil must be transported over vulnerable supply lines, leading to rise in global oil price. The greater risk is certainly compromising with U. S national interests.The oil supply lines would always be at risk against subversive elements requiring another set of huge investment in ensuring safe transportation of oil to U. S onshore facilities. It will also place U. S interests in the hands of oil cartels such as OPEC that may freely manipulate oil supplies according to their own interests. Part II: Alternative fuel technologies The impending oil crisis has finally stirred policy makers in US. A number of approaches are suggested that include a. imposing taxes on oil consumption b. using tradable gasoline permits and c. exploration of new sources of oil ( Deutch J, Schlesinger J.R, Victor D. G. 2006 ). However, the pressing need of situation demands measures that would sustain the present structure while safeguarding the future against depleting sources and rising petroleum prices. As the world’s oil reserves are finite, eve n measures such stagnating oil consumption and using oil more efficiently are just helpful in delaying the inevitable without offering any permanent solution to the issue. Oil reserves are going down steadily and within a couple of decades prices will soar up inexorably disrupting the economy, industry and society in turn.The only practical solution to this problem is technological innovations in energy field that can reduce dependence on petroleum oil by providing alternative and sustainable sources of energy. It shall serve two immensely useful purposes that are a. minimizing U. S dependence on foreign oil and b. preventing the environment from damages associated with use of petroleum oils and products. The certainty of oil exhaustion has inspired efforts from both government and corporate sector to research and develop the new fuel technologies as a providential measure for survival, growth and progress in forthcoming days of oil crisis.Past decade has seen great thrust on techno logical researches in alternative fuels. Various new techniques and models have already been introduced in the market to test their viability and capacity to successfully replace petroleum as chief source of energy. Most of these innovations are specifically aimed at transportation sector owing to its liability as chief consumer of petroleum oil and as principle cause of soaring oil imports. Due to distinct requirements of different sectors in transportation, the technologies vary Alternative fuel technologies Since its discovery 150 years ago, petroleum oil has become lifeline of the world. The entire structure of the modern mechanized world, consisting from transportation system, automobiles, airplanes, railways, ships to space rockets today operates primarily on the energy derived from the fossil fuels/petroleum oils. Apart from being mainstay of the transportation sector, petroleum products have also found wide application in a large range of core infrastructure industries that are essential for survival of industrial processes and basis of existence of modern world.This dependence on exclusive use of petroleum resources of world has become cause of serious concern among policy planners. Petroleum resources are very limited and they have cannot be continuously exploited to meet human demand. According to varoius studies and estimates, the total oil stock of world t is expected to last for another 50-75 years if world continues to consume them at present rate. After that the cost of ext raction of remaining petroleum products would rise greatly. It would become so costly that benefits obtained from oil would be lower than expenditure incurred on them.Thus world may need another resources of energy to exist. These fears and concerns have already generated intense research in alternative technologies to meet the future energy needs in the face of an overhanging petroleum crisis. The large part of the oil consumption takes place in the transportation sector, which accounts for the 69 percent of the total oil consumption in the US alone (Basic Petroleum Statistics, 2007). Overall there are five major sectors accounting for petroleum oil consumption. These sectors, along with their consumption share in year 2005 are (Petroleum-EIA, 2006)1. Domestic/Household: Consumption in 2005 was 869 thousand barrels of petroleum per day 2. Commercial: 386 thousand barrels of petroleum per day 3. Industrial: 5061 thousand barrels of petroleum per day 4. Electric Power production: 545 thousand barrels of petroleum per day 5. Transportation: 13, 825 thousand barrels of petroleum per day. The consumption pattern in the transportation sector shows that consumption is highest for motor gasoline. Average daily consumption of motor gasoline in U. S, according to Petroleum data (EIA, 2005) is 8933 thousand barrels per day.Distillate fuel oil is the second most consumed petroleum product with daily consumption at 2817 thousand barrels. These figures show that U. S would be dependent on oil imports for present and future if it carries on the present rate of consumption. U. S has a fleet of 210 millions vehicle that depend entirely upon motor gasoline for their functioning that makes it very difficult to reduce oil consumption. (Hirsch R. L, Bezdek R, Wending R, February 2005, 4). As on 1st January 2006, the total proven oil reserves with U. S was just 21. 6 billion barrels, which means that in future U.S would be forced to rely almost completely on oil imports for its en tire transportation requirements. As the closer sources shall run dry, U. S’ would be dependent on distant sources from where oil must be transported. The supply lines may become vulnerable to leakage and terrorist attacks and it would lead to rise in global oil price. The greater risk is certainly compromising with U. S national interests. The oil supply lines would always be at risk against subversive elements requiring another set of huge investment in ensuring safe transportation of oil to U. S onshore facilities.It will also place U. S interests in the hands of oil cartels such as OPEC that may freely manipulate oil supplies according to their own interests. The shortage of oil would increase greatly in coming times as oil demands are growing worldwide. Meanwhile China and India are also expanding their economy, transportation system and hence they would need more oil in future. Even at present rate there are serious doubts on the secure prospects of future supplies with in next 50 years time frame, and the rising consumption rates threatens to bring the approaching crisis nearer.United States has thus a great responsibility to secure its future interests without sacrificing its present requirements and needs. This issue forms the topic of the next section. Alternative fuel technologies The forthcoming oil crisis has finally moved policy makers in US. A number of approaches are suggested that include a. imposing taxes on oil consumption b. using tradable gasoline permits and c. exploration of new sources of oil ( Deutch J, Schlesinger J. R, Victor D. G. 2006 ).However, the urgent need of situation demands methods that would sustain the present structure while safeguarding the future against depleting sources and rising petroleum prices. As the world’s oil reserves are limited, even measures such stagnating oil consumption and using oil more efficiently are just helpful in delaying the inevitable without offering any permanent solution to the issue. Oil reserves are going down steadily and within a couple of decades prices will soar up inexorably disrupting the economy, industry and society in turn.The only practical solution to this problem is technological innovations in energy field that can reduce dependence on petroleum oil by providing alternative and sustainable sources of energy. It shall serve two immensely useful purposes that are a. minimizing U. S dependence on foreign oil and b. preventing the environment from damages associated with use of petroleum oils and products. The certainty of oil exhaustion has inspired efforts from both government and corporate sector to research and develop the new fuel technologies as a providential measure for survival, growth and progress in forthcoming days of oil crisis.Past decade has seen great move on technological researches in alternative fuels. Various new techniques and models have already been introduced in the market to test their viability and capacity to successfu lly replace petroleum as chief source of energy. Most of these innovations are specifically aimed at transportation sector because it is the chief consumer of petroleum oil and as principle cause of increasing oil imports. Due to distinct requirements of different sectors in transportation, there are various technologies.Passenger vehicles, public transport vehicles and freight transportation carry specific needs that are difficult to be met by a single alternative fuel technology. Some of the major and most popular of these technologies, where majority of research and development has taken place, are (Aldrich, 1996) 1. Hybrid Vehicle 2. Bio-diesels 3. Ethanol 4. Hydrogen and 6. Solar energy Following section discusses the technology used in each of these new vehicle-systems and their benefits over conventional gasoline based internal combustion engine.Hybrid Vehicles: As the name suggests, hybrid vehicles combine dual technologies for their operation. Technically they are hybrid el ectric vehicle with an electric motor that drives the vehicle (Hoogma, Kemp, Schot and Truffer, 2002, 41 ). In the case of a typical electric vehicle, hydrogen fuel cell or chemical batteries such as advanced sealed lead battery, nickel cadmium and lithium ion are used for auxiliary power (Aldrich, 1996). However in the hybrid electric vehicles, the electric drive technology is combined with a gasoline-based power generator for running the electric motor and charging the batteries.Hybrid vehicles are either full hybrid or mid hybrid. A full hybrid vehicle can move forward from standstill purely on electric power while a mid hybrid requires gasoline power for initial movement, although both technologies concentrate on maximum utilization of electric motor power while reducing the use of gasoline as far as possible (Hybrid Terms, 2007). The electric motor and internal combustion engine (ICE) are connected either in parallel or in series in a hybrid vehicle.In parallel hybrid cars, pow er to engine is supplied by both the electric motor and internal combustion engine while in the series hybrid car the gasoline engine powers the electric motor and batteries to generate electricity, without directly providing power for the vehicle (Hybrid Electric Vehicles, 2007). There is another category of hybrid vehicles, called as ‘plug-in hybrid’ that can operate as a full electric vehicle. They require some additional batteries and use electricity net to charge the batteries thereby minimizing gasoline use to its lowest possible levels (Hybrid Terms, 2007).All hybrid electric vehicle use computer that constantly monitors speed, power required and charge conditions of batteries (Hybrid Electric Vehicles, 2007). Hybrid vehicles offer numerous benefits over the conventional gasoline based ICE, some of which are (Hybrid Electric Vehicles, 2007; Sanna, 2007, 12; Aldrich, 1996, 88 ) 1. Hybrid vehicles are extremely fuel efficient, with most of the driving thrust coming from electric power. 2. Unlike electric cars, they offer unlimited range of traveling and transportation 3.Hybrid technology is combination of the proven technology of ICE with electric motors, thus giving it reliability in the market. 4. Hybrid technology can be used in various sectors of transportation, from personal vehicles to heavy duty vehicles. In fact, both the major US car manufacturers, GM and Ford have come out with a range of hybrid vehicles, that are successful in market. 5. Plug in -Hybrid technology is even more fuel conserving and environmentally benign, cutting down CO2 emission by more than 30 % while using minimum possible use of gasoline.Hybrid vehicles offer the most reliable alternate technology which US can capitalize upon without risking any major upheaval in its current fuel-technology structure. These vehicles promise to drastically reduce fuel oil consumption, reducing the needs of oil imports, meanwhile purchasing time for completely oil free technology. Bio-diesel: Bio-diesel, as the term suggests, is a type of renewable fuel obtained by agricultural products and used as fuel in heavy-duty vehicles. The major sources currently under research for bio-diesel are soybean, rapeseed, corn, cottonseed, peanut, sunflower, and canola (Aldrich, 1996, 85).The process of making bio-diesel involves use of an alcohol such as methanol which is treated with oil of selected agricultural produce to form glycerin followed by separation of fatty esters, recycling of excess alcohol and purification of esters to produce a fuel that bears remarkable closeness to diesel, however with higher octane number (Aldrich, 1996, 85). Currently bio-diesel is used when blended with petroleum diesel, especially in European markets, with commendable results. Bio-diesel offers a host of benefits over conventional petroleum diesel, some of which are (Faupel and Kurki, 2002, 1).1. Reduction in vehicle emission leading to environment safe emission standards 2. As bio-di esel is an excellent lubricant it helps to prolong engine life 3. As the fuel is non-toxic and easily biodegradable it presents high safety standards in storage and transportation. 4. It will give boost to agricultural productions 5. It poses significantly lower health risks than petroleum diesel, successfully meeting health requirement standards established by Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990. 6.The technology of bio-diesel doesn’t require any major altercation in present engine technology and infrastructure models, making it a popular choice in alternative fuel category. 7. The fact that bio-diesel can be completely synthesized domestically gives US a great opportunity to curtail its dependence on fossil fuel, curb imports, optimize its economy and make a transition towards a secure and sustainable future. Bio-diesel has gained wide acceptance as a viable alternative for fossil-diesel and it is increasingly used in mass transit system, freight transportation and heavy duty v ehiclesEthanol: Ethanol as a very long history as an alternative fuel, and it was tried in even 1880 as a fuel option for Ford cars (Aldrich, 1996, 51). Ethanol is derived from agricultural produces by process of fermentation and distillation to form a high-octane liquid fuel. Normally ethanol is not used alone as a fuel, instead it is blended with gasoline in ratio of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline to form a fuel E-85, which is approved as an alternative fuel in US (Ethanol, 2007). The vehicles run on this fuel are called as flexi fuel vehicles.Ethanol has emerged as a successful alternative to fossil fuels in Brazil where more than 4 million vehicles on ethanol based fuel and it is finding increasing application in US as well. The benefits of using ethanol are multifold and they include (Ethanol, 2007) 1. Ease in use: Although E85 engine is somewhat different than ICE, it is possible to alter the existing ICE to accommodate E85 as the fuel 2. Reduced petroleum consumpt ion: Increased use of E85 promises considerable reduction in use of fossil oil. 3.Renewable and sustainable fuel: E-85 is organically synthesized. It is renewable as ethanol can be made from waste bio products, optimizing the energy sector. 4. Environment compatibility: Vehicles using E-85 produce around 50 percent less smog in emission 5. Flexible fuel options: Vehicles using E-85 as fuel can also operate on gasoline, which is useful in case of non availability of E-85 Hydrogen: There are great interests in using hydrogen as fuel in transport industry due to the great flexibility of options and performance it offers.Hydrogen can either be used as fuel in place of gasoline in internal combustion engine or it can be used as energy carrier in fuel cells, the latter being the major research area in automobile sector (Aldrich, 1996, 87). Generally, hydrogen is obtained by decomposing hydrocarbon fuels, electrolysis of water and photolysis. It is stored directly in form of gas, liquid or as chemically with metal hydrides (Hydrogen Economy, 2002, 2). Due to its low energy volume, direct use of hydrogen as a fuel would require considerably large volumes to fuel the vehicle.On the other hand, hydrogen is extremely efficient in fuel cells. In a fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce electricity, Use of hydrogen offers following advantages (Hydrogen Economy, 2002; Aldrich, 1996,87) 1. It is the most abundant element in universe and hence practically inexhaustible as a source of energy. 2. When burned it produces water vapour as only by product. 3. Hydrogen can be used a fuel directly in ICE, requiring no modification in engine design. 4.Hydrogen fuel cells involve no pollution, and provide higher efficiency of the order of 45 percent in combustion. 5. In case of any accidents, hydrogen powered vehicle are likely to cause less damage due to light chemical nature of hydrogen. Solar Power: Use of solar power as energy in transportation sector has been subject of intense technological research. While the solar energy has found wide application as domestic energy supply, there are difficulties in their application in transport sector.Photovoltaic cells, that absorb sunrays to provide electricity, are inefficient under the current technology strains and unable to generate even a fraction of required power to drive a normal passenger vehicle. However, solar power has turned as a dependable source of energy in areas other than transport. All the initial costs are high in maintaining a solar energy power plant, its been shown that with increasingly sophisticated technology and wider application the cost of installation as well as generation of electricity can get comparable to normal power plants (Borowitz, 1999,112).Conclusion When fossil fuels were discovered around 150 years back, the existing technologies of steam engines were unable to utilize them. However, soon completely new technologies were developed as new energy sources were discov ered. They started to use the energy content and efficiency of fossil fuels. Soon petroleum fuels revolutionized the way the world moved and worked. The past 100 years of consumption has comprehensively depleted non-renewable petroleum deposits and estimates give another 50 more years before the remaining available sources would get almost exhausted.US has the capacity to read these signals and develop reliable intermediate technologies and systems such as hybrid electric vehicle, ethanol and public transit systems that would considerably reduce fossil fuel consumption without adding to infrastructure cost thereby extending the life period of petroleum reservoirs. Meanwhile research is continuing on new age technologies such as fuel cell and solar photovoltaic cells to complete replace fossil fuels as a source of energy.It is possible that if government and industry institute providential policy measures, there would be a host of alternative technologies in transportation sector by the time petroleum oil would get exhausted. Economic advantage of using alternative fuels Alternative fuel technologies carry great economic benefit for US. Presently USA is heavily dependent on imported petroleum fuel that accounts for massive expenditure in the federal budget. Increased use of alternative fuel technology would reduce this dependency, saving billions of dollars annually.Further, the domestic production, processing and maintenance of alternative fuel resources and vehicles would create more number of jobs, thus strengthening the economic conditions. 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