Economic comment Essay Example for Free

Economic comment Essay Interest rates are proportionate to credit quality and it shows the ability of the investor to pay at any given circumstance. World economic conditions vary by geography and country and the nature of inflation and deflation influences interest rates. Interest rate is also determined by the government through its enactment of public policy called interest rate subsidy (Montalbano, 6). Interest rate term structures evidences how they are determined by future expectations of the value money. However in the absences of the aforementioned determinants, interest rates are determined by the supply and demand for funds. 2. Interest is the premium paid for use of borrowed money. The interest for loans is usually fixed for a certain number of years after which if there is delay in payment the interest rate adjusts upwardly each year. The value of dollar can increase or decrease depending on the supply and demand imbalance. However, lending of money is associated with risks as the lender can not be certain whether or not the borrower will pay the money back. In order for the lender to reduce the risks, it is important to secure the loan with a physical property such as real estate. Additionally, examining of one’s ability to pay back the money by use of credit score range can help reduce the risks of lending. 3. Interest rates are also determined by the supply and the demands for funds. This shows that at whatever rate of borrowing, the borrower believes he/she has borrowed at the lowest rate and he/she can even provide higher interest rates on the same funds (Montalbano, 12). On the other hand, the lender believes the funds cannot be lent at a higher rate and there is certainty to receive interest and return of principal. Works Cited Montalbano, J. How are interest rates determined? 201. Viewed August 14 2010 from http://www. ehow. com/how-does_4880725_how-interest-rates-determined. html

Geography of the Hoh Rainforest

Geography of the Hoh Rainforest Brian Moody The Hoh Rainforest The Hoh Rainforest is located on the Olympic Peninsula in Northwestern Washington state, USA (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014). It lies on the west side of Olympic National Park, surrounded by the Olympic National Forest (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014). The absolute location is between 47-48 degrees North latitude and 123-124.5 degrees West longitude (Broker, 1994). Temperatures within the Hoh Rainforest range from the 20s (Fahrenheit) up to 80 Fahrenheit (USDA, 2014). The temperature ranges fluctuate by season with nighttime winter temperatures reaching the coldest point into the 20s. Winter daytime temperatures hover in the 40s (USDA, 2014). Spring temperatures range from 35-60 Fahrenheit (USDA, 2014). Summer temperatures range from the low 50s at night to daytime temperatures range between 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA, 2014). Fall temperatures can fluctuate between 35-65 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA, 2014). As the name suggests, the Hoh Rainforest experiences an extensive amount of precipitation. The precipitation can take the form of rain or snow, with the latter typically occurring significantly only at higher elevations (Marietta College, 2014). The Hoh Rainforest experiences 140-170 inches (12-14 feet) of annual precipitation (National Park Service, 2014). Temperature and precipitation in the Hoh Rainforest are influenced primarily by mountains and the Pacific Ocean (National Park Service, 2011). While not a part of the Olympic National Park, home of the Hoh Rainforest the Cascade Mountains play a major role in temperature regulation within the park (National Park Service, 2011). The Cascade Mountains protect the Hoh Rainforest from masses of cold air brought down by polar jet streams from Canada (National Park Service, 2011). As a result, most of the polar air stays east of the Cascades, resulting in warmer temperatures within the Hoh Rainforest (National Park Service, 2011). The Pacific Ocean is simply the largest temperature moderator of the Hoh Rainforest (National Park Service, 2011). The Pacific Ocean also plays a critical role in precipitation levels experienced in the region as maritime polar air masses are pushed inland by westerly wind patterns (Christopherson, 2010). The Olympic Mountains are another major influence over temperature and precipitation levels in the Hoh Rainforest. The mountain range causes orographic lifting to occur (National Park Service, 2011). As air is pushed inland from the ocean, air pressure decreases, pushing it upward as it approaches the mountains (Christopherson, 2010). Simultaneously, the air increases in elevation and gets colder (Christopherson, 2010). Precipitation then occurs when the atmosphere reaches 100% relative humidity as a result of moisture entering it from the ocean (Christopherson, 2010). Most of this precipitation is experienced on the windward side of the Olympic Mountains (National Park Service, 2011). The Hoh Rainforest has not experienced any extreme weather events, with the exception of flooding which will be addressed in an upcoming section of this paper. It is worth noting, that while the Pacific coast of Washington is susceptible to tsunamis, the Hoh Rainforest is situated far enough inland to be protected from such an extreme weather event. The Hoh Rainforest is classified as a marine west coast climate type (Christopherson, 2010). It is therefore characterized by few temperature extremes and plenty of precipitation in all month of the year (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014). The Hoh Rainforest is made up geologically of sedimentary and extrusive igneous rock (Christopherson, 2010). Sedimentary rocks are formed from the processes of weathering, transportation, and deposition (Christopherson, 2010). Within the Hoh Rainforest, the sedimentary rock make up consists of shale and limestone (Broker, 1994). The outward igneous rock composition is a result of lava seamounts (Broker, 1994). The major tectonic activity experienced in the Hoh Rainforest was plate tectonic activity (Broker, 1994). The land altering processes of faulting and glaciations are responsible for the formation of the peaks and valleys of the Hoh Rainforest (Broker, 1994). Additionally, the creation of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound are results of glacial advances and retreats (Broker, 1994). The topography and prominent features of the Hoh Rainforest and surrounding area consists of valleys, lakes, and mountains. There are 5 major valleys in the Olympic Peninsula region: Soleduck Valley, Bogachiel River Valley, Hoh River Valley, Queets River Valley, and Quinault River Valley (Broker, 1994). There are also 5 lowland lakes made by glacial activity: Lake Ozette, Lake Crescent, Lake Cushman, Lake Wynoochee, and Lake Quinault (Broker, 1994). The Olympic Mountain Range provides a mountainous terrain associated with the surrounding area (Broker, 1994). The major structural controls of the Hoh Rainforest are the mountains within and surrounding the area, primarily the Olympic Mountain Rang. The structural formation of the mountains helps develop a radial drainage pattern (Christopherson, 2010). This pattern occurs when streams flow off a central peak or dome (Christopherson, 2010). As streams within the area flow down the Olympic Mountains, they drain into the Hoh River. The peak discharge ever estimated for the Hoh River is 60,000cfs occurring on October 17, 2003 (US Department of the Interior, 2004). The mean daily flow of the Hoh River is 2,524cfs (US Department of the Interior, 2004). The Hoh rainforest is subjected to flooding by the incumbent Hoh River (NIFC, 2007). While flooding occurred only 1-2 times per decade prior to 1970, the recurrence has elevated to 3 times per year (US Department of the Interior, 2004). The increase in flooding has been blamed primarily on human influence through the introduction of rip rap for bank stabilization; the rip rap while stabilizing the bank also speeds river flow creating higher discharge rates and flood conditions downstream (NIFC, 2007). Other factors contributing to increased flood recurrence include changes in weather patterns and deforestation (US Department of the Interior, 2004). The increase in deforestation for road construction and timber harvesting has not only created impervious surfaces that speed stormwater flow into the Hoh River, but has also decreased canopy cover which helps slow the speed of precipitation reducing the amount of runoff reaching the river system (US Department of the Interior, 2004). The Hoh Rainforest is belongs to the temperate rainforest biome (Marietta College, 2014). The vegetation characteristics of the ecosystem are evergreen and deciduous trees on windward slopes and redwoods (Marietta College, 2014). Indicator plant species of the temperate Hoh Rainforest are mature strands of conifers, including: Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Mountain Hemlock, Western Hemlock, Sitka Spruce, and Lodgepole Pine (Marietta College, 2014). The dominant deciduous tree species is the Big-leaf Maple, while mosses, lichens and epiphytes are also hey indicator species of the biome (Marietta College, 2014). The indicator animal species of the temperate Hoh Rainforest include slugs, birds such as the Clark’s Nutcracker and Blue Grouse, and Roosevelt Elk (Marietta College, 2014). The ecosystem of the Hoh Rainforest is characterized primarily by rain or precipitation and moderate temperatures (National Park Service, 2014). Other key characteristics include: large old trees, dead wood, epiphytes, nurse logs, and Roosevelt Elk (National Park Service, 2014). The temperate rainforest is the fourth most productive ecosystem type; it has a net primary production rate of 600-2500g/sm/yr (Christopherson, 2010). The ecosystem provides an abundance of ecosystem services. The trees of the rainforest filter air by capturing carbon dioxide and other pollutants (National Park Service, 2014). Additionally, the trees help manage stormwater by capturing and slowing precipitation in the canopy and water absorption and filtration by plant roots (National Park Service, 2014). The Hoh Rainforest provides much to animals and humans in the way of habitat and recreation (National Park Service, 2014). There are four distinct habitats in the Olympic National Park and Forest (Broker, 1994). First, there are the marine and estuarine coastal areas (Broker, 1994). Second is the temperate rainforest (Broker, 1994). The third habitat is the alpine meadows and unvegetated glacial peaks (Broker, 1994). Finally, the national park and forest contains the rain shadow forest and field habitat (Broker, 1994). The dominate plant communities within the Hoh Rainforest are large old coniferous trees, including Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Mountain Hemlock, Western Hemlock, Sitka Spruce, and Lodgepole Pine (Broker, 1994). Dominant deciduous trees of the Hoh Rainforest include Big-leaf Maple, Vine Maple, Red Alder, and Black Cottonwood (Broker, 1994). Ferns, mosses, and lichens are also dominant plant types within the ecosystem (Broker, 1994). The dominant animal species within the Hoh Rainforest are fish, such as trout, amphibians, and primary consumers, such as Roosevelt Elk and Black-tailed Deer (Broker, 1994). The Hoh Rainforest follows a food chain and web similar to that of all temperate rainforest. The food chain and web progress beginning with producers like grasses and blackberries (Christopherson, 2010). The primary consumers such as deer and elk consume the producers (Christopherson, 2010). Secondary consumers, such as black bears, tick, or insects then feed off or on the primary consumers (Christopherson, 2010). Meanwhile, tertiary consumers like birds feed on the secondary consumers (Christopherson, 2010). Decomposers, such as soil bacteria and fungi feed on each of the previously mentioned members of the food chain and web, as they breakdown the plant animal remains (Christopherson, 2010). The producers are then fed by the decomposers, starting the chain and web over again (Christopherson, 2010). The Spotted Owl is an example of an animal occupying a niche within the Hoh Rainforest (Broker, 1994). To thrive, the Spotted Owl has very specific habitat requirements consisting of. â€Å"dense, mature strands of trees and a minimum of 3000 acres of contiguous forested land with mature, multi-layered, multi-aged canopy, large snags, deformed branches for perches, and internal defects for nest cavities,† (Broker, 1994). The Hoh Rainforest therefore is the ideal place for this animal population to exist. Many symbiotic relationships exist within the Hoh Rainforest. Such relationships are often illustrated by fungi and plant species. An example occurring in the Hoh Rainforest are the fungi, Conk’s and Turkey Tails feeding off organic matter on trees (Broker, 1994). The Human-Land relationship within the Hoh Rainforest can be both positive and negative. Recreational activities like camping, hiking, birding, and fishing are all examples of the positive relationship between humans and the rainforest (National Park Service, 2014). Conversely, clear-cutting and logging illustrate the negative relationship between man and the Hoh Rainforest (National Park Service, 2014). Such actions are responsible for landslides, the choking of rivers and streams with sediment caused by downed logs, and diminished wildlife habitats (National Park Service, 2014). The ecosystem of the Hoh Rainforest is of stable, high quality. The area is home to many endangered species, such as Spotted Owls, Marbled Mureletts, fishers, salmon, and Bull Trout (Olympic Coast Alliance, 2005). Each of these species depend on the highest quality forest conditions and their presence reflects the stability and quality of the Hoh Rainforest (Olympic Coast Alliance, 2005). The major threat to the Hoh Rainforest ecosystem and the species within is logging (Olympic Coast Alliance, 2005). Many conservation strategies have been implemented in an effort to control logging in the rainforest. The most successful strategy has been to include the Hoh Rainforest in the Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest, Olympic Experimental Forest, and Quinault Indian Reservation (Olympic Coast Alliance, 2005). Inclusion in these larger systems provides rigid and strict regulation over logging within the Hoh Rainforest. References: Broker, Stephen P. (1994). Climate and Ecology. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. Retrieved from http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1994/5/94.05.04.x.html. Christopherson (2010), Elemental Geosystems, 7th Ed. Marietta College, Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences. (2014). Biomes of the World. Retrieved from http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/temprain.htm. Marine West Coast Climate.(2014). InEncyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved fromhttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/365348/marine-west-coast-climate. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NIFC). (2007). Hoh River Flooding: Needs of Fish and People Must be Balanced. Retrieved from http://nwifc.org/2007/12/hoh-river-flooding-needs-of-fish-and-people-must-be-balanced/. National Park Service. (2014). Olympic National Park Washington. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-the-hoh.htm. National Park Service. (2011). Olympic National Park: Weather and Climate Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/upload/weather.pdf. Olympic Coast Alliance (2005). Olympic Coast Rainforest. Retrieved from http://www.olympiccoast.org/rainforest.html. Olympic National Park.(2014). InEncyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/428124/Olympic-National-Park United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. (2014). Olympic National Forest. Retrieved from http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/olympic/about-forest/?cid=fsbdev3_049559. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Technical Service Center (2004). Geomorphic Assessment of Hoh River in Washington State. Retrieved from http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sma/cma/pdf/Hoh_CMZ.pdf. Radical Botany (2014). Restoring the Connection Between Native Plants and Humans. Retrieved from radicalbotany.com/category/fungi-and-mushrooms/.

Universal Human Rights and Cultural Differences

Universal Human Rights and Cultural Differences Since the end of the Second World War, an increasing number of human rights instruments have been adopted, by the United Nations. These instruments have set forth common standards of human rights, and members’ states of the U.N. are called upon to respect in order to ensure better protection of human rights everywhere. But opposite to this trend, there has been a sort of resistance in many parts of the world, where human rights norms are seen as western matter. During the Cool War period, countries of the Soviet block used to consider them as linked to ‘capitalist bourgeoisie’ while young independent nations of the South saw the focus on human rights as a threat to their newly acquired sovereignty. Both sides claimed their right to difference. This raises the issue whether human rights standards should be considered differently because of cultural or differences among peoples. To put it another way, â€Å"are human rights of universal viability and applicability or are they better understood and evaluated within specific social and cultural contexts? What level of social accountability can be accommodated within the emerging global human rights regime to accord it cultural legitimacy within various societies?†1 Voices from the West have pointed out that differences among people did not permit them to meet the Western standards of human rights. It is believed that some cultures are more likely to commit human rights abuses, and for a series of reasons, there are people elsewhere to cover them or to keep silent because of their interest, thus ‘excusing the inexcusable’ which they claim being ‘part of their culture’. The aim of this paper is to sound the long debate on the relationship between universal standards human rights and cultural differences. Firstly, it recalls the foundation on which is grounded the concept of human rights, namely the human dignity, irrespective of culture, race, religion or gender. Secondly, it analyses major arguments put forward by cultural relativists, highlighting their danger, that is, the risk of having double standards of human rights. Finally, in concluding remarks, the paper considers the actual trend of recognizing human rights norms and condemning their abuses (such as female circumcision or sharia), even where people justify them by cultural specificity. I. The universal concept of human rights and the recognition of human dignity The concept of human is grounded on the idea that Man has rights simply because he is human. The universal worth and dignity of human being is founded in the writing of philosophers such as John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. For the former, â€Å"human beings are by nature free, equal and independent†2, and the protection of that freedom and equality should be the end of the political society. Rousseau also insists on the freedom of the human being and writes that Man should never surrender his freedom: â€Å"A man who renounces to his freedom renounces at his quality as human being†. After bloody revolutions, there were attempts to introduce these concepts in states constitution in England, in France, and in the United States of America. But the first recognition of the need to secure rights for human being was stated in the Charter of the United Nations, following the atrocities of the Second World War. In its Preamble, it is said that one of the purpose of the U.N . is the achievement â€Å"international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion†. The Universal Declaration on Human Rights is the first instrument on human rights in its preamble presented itself as â€Å"a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations†. It went further by stating: â€Å"Recognition of the human dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world†. Subsequent instruments such as the Covenant on Civil and political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights contained what is usually called ‘core rights’ meaning â€Å"that are indispensable for an existence in human dignity and therefore need absol ute protection†. Among those core rights are the right to life, the prohibition of torture, slavery, arbitrary arrest, discrimination or genocide. No derogation from such rights is permitted, even in time of war. The philosophical foundations of the concept of human rights are to be found in the Western Europe. As Robertson and Merrils write, â€Å"it is clear that the mainstream has its origin in the liberal democratic tradition of Western Europe, a tradition which is itself the product of the Greek philosophy, Roman law, the Judeo-Christian tradition, the humanism of the Reformation and the Age of reason†. It means that the Western World translated into international law its philosophical, moral, cultural and religious value. Questions arise therefore as to their universality that is whether it is possible to take into account the differences while focusing on the common standards of human rights. On the other hand, if cultural differences cannot be denied, it is to establish whether differences can be an excuse to human rights abuses. Who will decide the nature and the level of change to meet universal standards of human rights and how avoid to be labelled /or accused of cultural he gemony? For the relativists, moral and cultural values differ from one culture to another. According to Parekh, â€Å"Different societies throw up different systems of moral beliefs depending on such things as their history, traditions, geographical circumstances, and views of the world. We have no means of judging them for there are no objective and universal criteria available for the purpose, and even if there were, we would be too deeply conditioned by our own society to discover them†. Cultural differences may have an influence on the human rights issues where national competence, the sovereignty of the state or the quest of self-determination are opposed to the idea of universal human rights standards. The 1993 Vienna Conference was an example of arena where, universal principle of human rights clashed with relativistic assumptions. At the eve of that important even, African and Asian groups of nations mate to draw their views they intended to put forward at the conference. In the Tunis Declaration, which reflected both their convictions and their expectations, the African group nations gave a different sound. While admitting that the universality of human rights, they declared that â€Å" no ready-made model can be prescribed at the universal level since the historical and cultural realities of each nation and the traditions, standards and values of each people cannot be disregarded†. They also highlighted the â€Å"principle of the indivisibility of huma n rights†: â€Å" Civil and political rights cannot be dissociated from economic, social and cultural rights. None of these rights takes precedence over the others†. Finally, the Tunis Declaration insisted on the link between human rights and economic development: â€Å"Political freedom when not accompanied by respect for economic, social and cultural rights is precarious. The right to development is inalienable. Human rights, development and international peace are interdependent (†¦) Africa, which has chosen the path of democracy, economic reform and the promotion of human rights, in an unfavourable international economic environment, and which finds itself particularly exposed to internal tensions deriving from the failure to meet the basic needs of populations and from the rise of extremism, will nevertheless remain committed to its choices and its responsibilities, and calls upon the international community to do likewise, in particular through an intensific ation of international solidarity, an adequate increase in development assistance and an appropriate settlement of the debt problem†. In the Bangkok Declaration, Asian group of nations opposed what they saw as Western imperialism and urged the international community to take into account their cultural difference as regard to human rights. While agreeing like Africans that human rights are universal in nature, they insisted that those rights â€Å"must be considered in the context of a dynamic and evolving process of international norm-setting, bearing in mind the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds†. Furthermore, they added, â€Å"the promotion of human rights should be encouraged by cooperation and consensus, and not through confrontation and the imposition of incompatible values†. Finally, criticising â€Å"the use of human rights as conditionality for extending development assistance and as an instrument of political pressure†, the Bangkok Declaration stressed â€Å" the need to avoid the application of double sta ndards in the implementation of human rights and its politicisation†. Indonesian Foreign Minister stated later in Vienna: â€Å"While human rights are universal in character, it is now generally acknowledged that their expression and implementation in the national context should remain the competence and responsibility of each government. This means that the complex variety of problems of different economic social and cultural realities and the unique value systems prevailing in each country should be taken into consideration†12. One may draw the conclusion that for Southern countries, priority has to be given to the satisfaction of basic needs for food, shelter, clothes before other rights such as freedom of expression and fair elections. One may even go so far to consider Western concepts of human rights as luxury for poor countries, because â€Å"cultural

I Hate Narrative Essays -- Personal Narrative Essay Example

I stared at the blinking cursor, unbelieving at what I had just done. I was indeed done; done with a paper I agonized over for 6 hours. The paper was due in a scant 4 hours and I had all week to do it. The radio had stopped working because my brother got on the Internet and thus cut off my connection. That was the least of my problems working on this paper. I got it done, though. My life changed with one trip of a teacher to the chalkboard and one phrase, narrative essay. God, I hate narrative essays. My day was going well. I devoured a big breakfast, my brother, for once, got out of the shower quick, and no major assignment was pending. Life was very, very good. Then life began to fall into oblivion. I saw on the board in the front of Mrs. Smith's room the journal entry for the day. It was about what would I write about in a narrative essay. Hope faded away. Somewhere on the planet a nuclear bomb went. An earthquake struck in some unknown place on the Earth. A volcano erupted on Jupiter's moon Io and killed a bunch of Ionians. Somebody's red rose just wilted and the petals fell onto the ground. The end of the world was indeed upon us. My jaw dropped and warning bells went off in my head. I went completely and utterly blank. I tried as hard as I could to write my journal. Channel One came on and talked about a nuclear bomb going off in India that caused an earthquake that somehow caused a volcano to erupt on Io (that killed a bunch of aliens). My jaw dropped once again. It was now the floor. As I was finishing my journal, Mrs. Smith went to the front of the room and talked about, du du du, narrative papers. She gave us a cold, white study guide that gave me no hope for survival. She then gave us another evil sheet of pap... ... am to get a halfway decent grade. So, I started it up and felt confident that I was going to get it done. God, I hate narrative essays. You have to write about your own personal experiences and expect to get a three-page paper out of it. I have no events in my life that would fit a three-page paper. The events in my life are either to foggy in my mind, are too insignificant in my mind to fit a three-page paper, or are too big and broad to be able to fit in an essay and would need a 500-page book to explain. I do far better at other kinds of essays than narratives, such as the persuasive paper. I look forward to those kinds of essays more than I look forward at all to doing any more narrative essays. In, the mean time, however, I am going to try to get James to get off the Internet. Maybe then I may have a better narrative topic. I hate narrative essays anyway.

The Alamo :: American History

A well made movie about the Alamo is well overdue. In the past there have been many movies that have tried to recreate the events of those unforgettable thirteen days. However, they have all ceased to hit the nail on the head. I have lived in San Antonio my whole life and it wasn’t until recently that I have come to a better understanding of the story that is the Alamo. There are many things to consider when making a movie about the Alamo. Issues concerning racism, authenticity, and historical facts are very important and should not be overlooked. The filmmakers should research the subject to an exhausted State. The movie should contain nothing but factual information and steer clear of simply pleasing the box office. They should instead show viewers what really happened, the truth from both sides. The filmmakers must examine the facts as historians. They must not accept anything at its face value, nothing can be left out or added. As historians they must take no side and show no bias. Historical evidence such as newspapers, paintings, oral account, letters, journals, and legal documents concerning Texas, Mexico, and the Alamo will prove to be priceless. In such material lies the true story of the Alamo. I am a firm believer in the fact that the best stories are true stories, and the only way to make a great movie about the Alamo is to tell the true story. When referring to the Alamo three names come to mind: Bowie, Travis, and Crockett. These men played a very influential role in the battle of the Alamo. Along with these men are some unsung heroes. The characters themselves are more important than the actors that are cast to play the roles. When drafting the characters there is much to consider. First, you must consider the type of man that would pick up all of his belongings and move west. Someone sure of the fact that they could survive on their own. Someone with very individual and traditional views. These men were frontiersmen. They didn’t like government and wanted to be left to themselves. The fact that many of the men at the Alamo were criminals is important. What is more important is the fact that these men, no matter what the circumstances, were willing to die for what they believed in. Another important factor in making a movie about the Alamo is the task of The Alamo :: American History A well made movie about the Alamo is well overdue. In the past there have been many movies that have tried to recreate the events of those unforgettable thirteen days. However, they have all ceased to hit the nail on the head. I have lived in San Antonio my whole life and it wasn’t until recently that I have come to a better understanding of the story that is the Alamo. There are many things to consider when making a movie about the Alamo. Issues concerning racism, authenticity, and historical facts are very important and should not be overlooked. The filmmakers should research the subject to an exhausted State. The movie should contain nothing but factual information and steer clear of simply pleasing the box office. They should instead show viewers what really happened, the truth from both sides. The filmmakers must examine the facts as historians. They must not accept anything at its face value, nothing can be left out or added. As historians they must take no side and show no bias. Historical evidence such as newspapers, paintings, oral account, letters, journals, and legal documents concerning Texas, Mexico, and the Alamo will prove to be priceless. In such material lies the true story of the Alamo. I am a firm believer in the fact that the best stories are true stories, and the only way to make a great movie about the Alamo is to tell the true story. When referring to the Alamo three names come to mind: Bowie, Travis, and Crockett. These men played a very influential role in the battle of the Alamo. Along with these men are some unsung heroes. The characters themselves are more important than the actors that are cast to play the roles. When drafting the characters there is much to consider. First, you must consider the type of man that would pick up all of his belongings and move west. Someone sure of the fact that they could survive on their own. Someone with very individual and traditional views. These men were frontiersmen. They didn’t like government and wanted to be left to themselves. The fact that many of the men at the Alamo were criminals is important. What is more important is the fact that these men, no matter what the circumstances, were willing to die for what they believed in. Another important factor in making a movie about the Alamo is the task of

Seven Major Changes in the Workplace

Running head: SEVEN MAJOR CHANGES IN THE WORKPLACE Seven Major Changes in the Workplace Seven Major Changes in the Workplace With the ever-growing population and technological changes many employers are going to have to adapt. Robert Barner highlights seven major changes that will affect the places where we work, both for the employer and employee (Kreitner, 2004, p. 76). The seven major changes are (1) The virtual organization (2) The just-in-time workforce (3) The ascendancy of knowledge workers (4) Computerized coaching and electronic monitoring (5) The growth of worker diversity (6) The aging workforce and (7) The birth of the dynamic workforce (Kreitner, p. 76). I will discuss how these seven changes major changes will affect the managers at my company, Blake Inc. The Virtual Organization We are living in a time where technology is in the forefront. Things are constantly changing and companies must be able to keep up with it. Right now in my company my managers are scrambling to keep up with the constantly changing technological world. Managers are now being set up with access to their computers from home. So if they are unable to come in to work or need to leave early they can still communicate with us. They can do everything from home that they can do at the office. They are also working on a plan, in case of an emergency or the office building is no longer usable that we can set up shop somewhere else within 48 hours. My manager is also setting up a web site that will be accessible by all employees to get update information concerning the company, such as business decisions, software help and 24 hour technical support. The Just-In-Time Workforce At Blake we are aligned with Temp Agencies that are able to supply us with workers at a moments notice. My managers know that must be able to meet high demands. They also set up incentives for employees wishing to put in extra work. They understand that is better to have people who know the business to do the work rather than a temp who really has no interest or knowledge in the company. The Ascendancy of Knowledge Workers Now more than ever it is important that companies hire very knowledgeable people. My managers are now trying to hire more people with a technical or analytical background to help with reports and other information needed by employees. Employees must know what they want and what they need so that they can effectively communicate this to the technical staff. Also, the managers at Blake must be able to step up and jump in when needed. This means they must know their job and all aspects of the company. The managers must know the responsibilities of each of their employees and make sure that their employees are knowledgeable as well. We have recently been asked to create a manual entailing our job responsibilities so that if something happens someone else will have knowledge of what we do. Computerized Coaching and Electronic Monitoring Being an internet-based company all employees has access to a wealth of information through the intranet. From the intranet you can look up other employees, find customer information such as contracts and orders placed, to information on employee benefits. At Blake employees just found out that their internet access was truly being monitored. Upon finding this out Managers took away internet access from all employees in which it is not a job necessity. This did not go well with employees as they felt as though their privacy was being invaded. As a supervisor I had to make sure that my employees had access to the websites they needed but nothing more. Employees feel that they are not trusted and treated like babies. Managers at Blake must be careful not to alienate employees in order to try and gain more efficiency. The Growth of Worker Diversity Blake employs a very diversified group of people. In fact some employees can barely speak English well. At times it gets kind of hard to understand them. My Managers must work hard not to alienate any one group of people. Every employee must be given the same chance to excel. They also must be proactive in learning about each group’s backgrounds and or culture as to not offend anyone. Managers at Blake are becoming more understanding o different beliefs and cultures and do not punish people for partaking (taking a day off) in these beliefs. The Aging Workforce Managers at Blake encourage continuing education. In fact anyone who wishes to go to school can do so for free, it is mentioned on our website how they will provide up to $50,000 for each employee towards their education. Education is encouraged whether you are young or old. Managers really respect the older employees because the hold so much knowledge and experience, so they must be careful not to quickly replace them with a younger face. It is important to have a good mix, as not all young college grads are a good fit as not all older people are. The Birth of the Dynamic Workforce Blake managers must work to be more encouraging. They will have to be able to motivate employees and encourage cross training. Employees must be able to help out in other departments when needed. Slow times in one department may mean a chaotic time in another. Being able to meet the demands in the high productivity department and use workers from the slow department can decrease cost. Managers must be able to think ahead in order to keep up with competition and stay ahead of the game. Blake is a pretty good company to work for but has been behind the times for a while. My managers are proactively trying to keep up with industry standards. This has caused a lot of revamping and the recruiting of more knowledgeable employees. Blake Managers understand that if they want to stay in business they must come to terms with the changes in the 21st century. Reference Kreitner, R. (2004). Management (9th ed. ). Boston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Standardized Testing in Schools

Standardized tests are administered in all schools across the U. S. in lieu of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. According to these laws, schools have to administer standardize tests to qualify for various types of licensing and grants. For instance, a certain percentage of the students in public schools must pass the standardized tests to be allowed federal support and funding for that particular school. If the results of the standardized tests are not at par, the school does not get funding. At the same time, many students have to take high-stakes standardized tests to get into various colleges/universities of their choice. If the students do not do well on such tests, they are denied admissions. The thing to note about these standardized tests is that they are not reliable and they contain various biases in them. Many people have criticized how such tests do not contain relevant information that can be found in the course syllabus and they test students on impractical levels. Others believe that standardized tests provide results based on very few parameters that do not reflect the students’ real intelligence. Looking at the various researches and opinions of critics, we find that standardized testing is not an effective measure of gauging students’ intelligence, and they should not be used in schools. For example, one of the biggest reasons standardized testing is not effective is because of the subjectivity that can be found in such tests. For instance, Williams (2005) speaks of how many of the standardized tests are gauged by computers. These computers look at the essays input and they provide the results after running certain algorithms that measure certain aspects of the essay, such as structure. Williams (2005) presents a very interesting fact of how some of his colleagues and even he himself used an online website to generate essays about a subject and fed that into the testing machine. The essay that was generated was completely gibberish but was constructed properly according to the rules of grammar. For instance, the essay was supposed to be about standardized testing, but it speaks of how governmental officials and monarchs use the system. The testing machine, however, said that the essay was very well written. This is because the essay followed rules of grammar impeccably, even though it did not make any sense. This shows how standardized testing can be extremely ineffective, as they are mostly being gauged by computers that assess their structure and not their contents. Another problem with standardized tests is that they do not take into account the syllabus that students learn all year round in their classroom curriculum (Rosengarten, 2002). This means that it makes what children are being taught in classrooms as being useless. Children are taught a different syllabus in class, and they are expected to prepare for a test that tests them on other criteria. This causes two problems: one, that the children are being given two different types of education, and two, teachers are not sure what to teach their children. They must teach the children the regular coursework, however, they also must make sure that the children pass the standardized test so that they can receive the federal funding and grant, as per the No Child Left Behind Act. Many people have criticized this act. According to his act, each school must administer standardized tests to its students so that all schools can be gauged on a similar platform (United States Department of Education, 2001). If the students attain a certain level of score on these tests, the public schools are given the federal funding and grant; however, if the school fails, the grants are withdrawn (Diorio, 2008). This is why most of the schools pressure their teachers to prepare the students in such a way so that they ace the standardized tests (Smyth, 2008). This can be problematic. Another problem with standardized testing is that when teachers prepare the students for the standardized tests, they neglect and ignore the subjects that the students will not be tested on. For example, most of the standardized tests focus on mathematics and English skills more. This is why to help students pass the standardized tests, teachers’ pay more attention to these subjects and other subjects, such as science, humanities, history, and art are ignored. Children are getting a skewed education that is tailored to fulfill the federal mandate. Moreover, as noted earlier, most of the standardized tests test students on knowledge that is not part of their syllabus. This results in teachers preparing the students to take the test and do well at it, instead of providing a homogenized form of education that benefits students across all the different subjects. This also means that students can effectively remain lazy and not study all year round and only prepare themselves to take the standardized tests at the end of year to pass their grades. This is also not good, as the students are not being given the proper way of being educated, which should be consistent all year round and not focused on passing one test at the end of the year. Furthermore, standardized tests are also not effective because they contain various biases (Se Queda, 2011). This is because the standardized tests are designed to be administered to a large population that has to take the same test. All the students are required to answer the test in the same manner. This can be problematic, as the U. S. has a very diverse student population from various social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds (Scholmerich et al, 2008). Placing them all on the same level and playing field is giving advantage to some of the students while making it more difficult for others. For instance, children from different parts of the country would have different sets of skills. For example, a child raised in a big city, such as New York City, would have completely different mindset and set of skills than a child who was raised in a small town, such as Fort Pierce, Florida. This has to do with cultural dynamics and the way that children are taught, treated, and raised in different surroundings. Each of these children would respond in different ways to various educational questions because of their differences in the way that they were raised. Standardized tests do not account for such differences, as the same test is administered in the same manner for all students. At the same time, children with disabilities, e. g. blind children, are also mandated to take standardized test under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In such cases, the questions are read out aloud to the children and they have to speak out their answers (National Council on Disability, 2008). However, the No Child Left Behind Act ignores the blind children and gives them a null score Mefford, 2009) since they cannot read, which means that the standardized tests are skewed and biased. Additionally, many critics have voiced their concerns over how standardized tests should not be allowed because they are unfair. Such critics talk about how the questions â€Å"require a set of knowledge and skills more likely to be possessed by children from a privileged background. The discriminatory effect is particularly pronounced with norm-referenced te sts, where the imperative to spread out the scores often produces questions that tap knowledge gained outside of school† (Kohn, 2000). At the same time, since the standardized tests contain various patterns that students can be taught, various parents can help their children get the proper preparation so that they can pass these tests. This means that the rich and better off people tend to have the ability to provide their children with private tuitions, helping them prepare specifically for the standardized tests so that they can do well. This is another bias that can be seen in the standardized tests, as those who are able to afford to get specific education and preparation for the standardized tests are able to get better scores. This goes against the true reasons for the standardized tests, which is to gauge the students equally across the same platform. Clearly, the rich have an advantage, as they can afford to be specifically prepared for the test, giving them better scores not because they are more intelligent but because they could pay enough money to tailor their preparation exactly for the test. Another reason standardized tests are ineffective is because they tend to measure superficial thinking rather than the deep thinking of the students. Many scholars have indicated the difference between active thinking and superficial thinking, in that active thinking occurs when students ask many questions about their course, coming up with questions themselves and then linking their current coursework with what they have learned in the past. Superficial thinking occurs when students tend to copy down the answers, do a large amount of guesswork and do not ponder on the more difficult aspects of the curriculum. Research has shown that students who get higher scores on their standardized tests are usually those that indulge more in superficial thinking rather than active thinking. Even though some of the students who indulged in active thinking were also able to get high scores, the correlation between superficial thinking and high scores on standardized test is a positive one. This is another reason standardized tests can be seen as being ineffective, as they tend to measure the wrong kind of things; instead of measuring the students who do active thinking, they favor superficial thinking, which is not good. Thus, we find that standardized tests are ineffective for many reasons. Standardized tests test students on a set of knowledge and skills that they are not usually taught in their coursework. This is why many of the teachers tend to teach students how to pass standardized tests instead of teaching them the proper syllabus. To do this, the teachers have to cut down on other subjects, such as art, and sometimes even take the recess time from the children’s daily timetable. Students can also suffer because many subjects that are not paid attention to help children in building their moral and social learning. At the same time, standardized tests tend to be biased against certain portions of the society, as some students are able to do well on them because of their social backgrounds. Children belonging to rich parents also benefit, as they are able to afford tuition and materials that have been designed to prepare them specifically to get good scores on standardized tests. Finally, it has been found that standardized tests measure superficial thinking more than active thinking. All of these reasons depict why standardized testing is wrong and that it should be replaced with other forms of testing that are more homogenized and work to test the students across relevant parameters.ReferencesDiorio, G. L. (2008). â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001†. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://ehis.ebscohost.com Henry, P. (2007). â€Å"The Case Against Standardized Testing.† Minnesota English Journal. 39-71. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www.mcte.org/journal/mej07/3Henry.pdf Kearns, L. (2011). High stakes Standardized Testing and Marginalized Youth: an Examination of the Effects of on those who Fail. Canadian Journal of Education, 34(2). Kohn, A. (2000, September 27). â€Å"Standardized Testing and Its Victims.† Education Week. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/edweek/staiv.htm Mefford, D. (2009, October 01). â€Å"Why Was No Child Left Behind a Failure?† EduBook. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www.edubook.com/why-was-no-child-left-behind-a-failure/15467/ National Council on Disability. (2008). â€Å"The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,† Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from http://www.ncd.gov Rosengarten, D. (2002). â€Å"Standing up to standardized tests.† Dollars and Sense, 232: 6 Scholmerich, A., Leyendeker, B., & Citlak, B., Ulrike,C., Jakel,J., (2008). Assessment of Migrant and Minority Children. Journal of Psychology, 216 Se Queda, m. (2011, February). Biases in Standardized testing. Persephone Magazine retrieved October 26.2012 Smyth, T. S. (2008, January/February). Who is No Child Left Behind leaving behind? Clearing House, 81, (3). United States Department of Education. (2001). â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 for Elementary and Secondary Education,† Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html Williams, B. (2005). â€Å"Standardized students: The problems with writing for tests instead of people.† Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 49, (2): 155.