Reading Friday With Morrie, A Very Interesting Book

Reading Tuesday with Morrie is a very interesting book. Reading the book has shown me some lessons that can help with the path I have chosen to take when it comes to my life. In this journal I would be talking about the things that stood out to me and what is important to me. These things are family, acceptance, love, emotions, and forgiveness. Family has played a huge role in my life. My great grandmother raised me and she always told me not matter me and my family may go through it is important that we stick together. Family means everything to me, and I could not imagine not having their support, especially when it comes to making decisions in my life that they may not agree with.There is a part in the book that really stood out to me â€Å" If you do not have the support and love and caring you get from family, you do not have much at all† (91). Reading these words has put into perspective of what my great grandmother meant when she said that our family must stick together no matter what. At times I have felt as though I need to separate myself from my family because of all the negative things that had been going on in my life, not realizing that what I needed at the time was that family support, to help me get through what I was going through. Because I had been to jail and was unable to retain employment, I struggled with being accepted from peers. I always thought that the people I was around judged me because I had made a mistake that landed me in jail.

Effects of Social Darwinism Essay - 2918 Words

Introduction The Effects of Social Darwinism on the social trends of the 19th century. â€Å"As a world view, Darwinism cannot of course be refuted, since Faith is, always has been, and always will be, stronger than facts. â€Å" - Francis P. Yockey Social Darwinism is a theory that competition among all individuals, groups, nations or ideas drives social evolution in human societies. The term draws upon Charles Darwins theory of natural selection, where competition between individual organisms drives biological evolutionary change through the survival of the fittest. The term was popularized in 1944 by the American historian Richard Hofstadter, and has generally been used by critics rather than advocates of what the term is supposed to†¦show more content†¦The first advocate of the social Darwinism theory had a major impact on the American society as a whole, starting from economic bases, to the big business minds of the time. In the United States, Spencer gained considerable support among intellectuals and some businessmen, including steel manufacturer Andrew Carnegie, who served as Spencer’s host during his visit to the United States in 1883. The most prominent American social Darwinist of the 1880s was Wil liam Graham Sumner, who on several occasions told audiences that there was no alternative to the â€Å"survival of the fittest† theory. Critics of social Darwinism seized on these comments to argue that Sumner advocated a â€Å"dog-eat-dog† philosophy of human behavior that justified oppressive social policies. Some later historians have argued that Sumner’s critics took his statements out of context and misrepresented his views. This picture depicts the idea behind social Darwinism. IT is a powerful society in which keeps the wealthy, and powerful and kicks out the minority, poor folks who are no longer able to survive in such a materialistic world. Chapter 2: Major Social Trends of the 19th Century There were many aspects of the American life during the 19th century that have changed significantly from the times beforehand. Whether it be from economic policies, religious ideals, or political platforms, there were so many changes being made,Show MoreRelatedSocial Darwinism And Its Effect On Society1069 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"survive,† are called Social Darwinists. Social Darwinism is a competition between groups in society, usually resulting in the most fit, or most capable, coming out on top. Social Darwinists argue that the strong’s power and wealth should increase, whereas the weak’s should decrease. There are different views as to who these weak and strong groups are, but all Social Darwinists agree that the strong should be rewarded and the weak punished. The concept of Social Darwinism is based off of CharlesRead MoreSocial Darwinism And Its Effects On Society1256 Words   |  6 Pagesearly t wentieth century, the work force was extremely dangerous and resulted in many physically disabled people. These people were fired from their job, because they could not physical do their job anymore. â€Å"In the 19th century, supporters of social Darwinism opposed state aid to the poor and otherwise handicapped. They reasoned that the preservation of the â€Å"unfit† would impede the process of natural selection and tamper the selection of the â€Å"best† or â€Å"fittest† elements necessary for progeny† (MunyiRead MoreNatural Selection Means The Animals Who Have Weaker Genetic1608 Words   |  7 Pagescentury. Social Darwinism was created for the purpose to make changes in the world. In the late 19th century, Social Darwinism influenced the society and created immense impacts among the government and the public. Social Darwinism began in late 19th century until the end of World War II. The basic concepts of this theory is the same as Darwin’s Natural selection; losers die and winners remain. This leads to the idea of inequality and racial issues among different ethnics to lower social class workersRead MoreSurvival of the Fittest1409 Words   |  6 Pagesknown as Darwinism, was theorized by scientist Charles Darwin to explain the evolution of animal species. In the late 1800s, however, the idea of Social Darwinism emerged and applied the same concepts of Darwinism but on humans not animals. As defined by the dictionary, Social Darwinism is a belief, popular in the late Victorian era throughout the world, which states that the strongest or toughest should survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die (â€Å"Social† 1)Read MoreEssay on Social Darwinism1197 Words   |  5 Pagesradical and interesting to the scientific world but its effect s reach far beyond this small institution of intellectuals. People applied Darwinism and its belief in survival of the fittest to all areas of life. They used it as a â€Å"natural law† which supported their actions and beliefs. Advocates manipulated the scientific doctrine to fulfill their personal needs and to justify religious beliefs, capitalism, and military conquests.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Darwinism greatly impacted the scientific world purely throughRead MoreSocial Darwinism And Its Impact On Society897 Words   |  4 Pages Social Darwinism was a concept that was an accepted theory in the nineteenth-century. It originated from Charles Darwin, which stated ‘ survival of the fittest’, meaning the poor and weak were going to die and that the rich and powerful received more power and growth. However, even though Charles came up with the ‘idea’ of Social Darwinism, he had other social Darwinists who actually grasped the entire concept of Darwinism and applied it to Social Sciences. Social Darwinists like Herbert SpencerRead MoreRace, Ethnicity, Art and Film Essay826 Words   |  4 PagesThis paper tries to analyze race relations, ethnicity and how art and film relates to these social issues in their cultural context. Art and film have played vital roles in advocating for a society free of ethnicity and racism. Using vivid descriptions and evidence of both text and a movie this paper seeks to relate accordingly the concerned issues and factors affecting these social vices. It will demonstrate race and ethnic tendencies in diverse cultural contexts. As a demographic phenomenonRead More Socialism More Beneficial than Social Darwinism Essay699 Words   |  3 Pages The ideas of Social Darwinism and Socialism were first theorized by those in the age of industrialization, when the gap between the social classes was continuing to grow. Social Darwinism is a philosophy that was taken off of the theory of Darwinism in two aspects that were applied to society. One, survival of the fittest. Those who succeeded in life were the ones who were â€Å"fit†, in addition, those who failed were left to be weeded out, Secondly, the idea of natural selection as applied toRead MoreSocial Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Darwinism is an ideology of society that seeks to apply biological concepts of the laws of evolution by natural selection of evolutionary theory to sociology and politics, often with the assumption that conflict between groups in society leads to social progress as superior groups outcompete inferior ones. How we got to the point of coining the modern term of â€Å"Social Darwinism† we would have to turn to the famous man himself, Charles Darwin. At first glance, Charles Darwin seems an unlikelyRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Darwinism1345 Words   |  6 Pagessociety good. I ask myself, should Mr. Herbert Spencer, Minister Graham Sumner, and Andrew Carnegie come back to life, what will be their response? The aforementioned are the considered the fathers of Social Darwinism. In this essay I will discuss and evaluate the theory of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism, a theory that supposed that humans are subject to Darwin’s law of evolution just like all other species and therefore when it comes to the society the most socially capable or fit group out on top

Personal, leadership and management coaching and consulting free essay sample

The purpose of workplace coaching is to help improve performance and effectiveness that will in turn help increase job satisfaction. The ICF (International Coach Federation) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.I define the purpose of coaching as empowering an individual to be the best that they can be. Coaching gives an individual motivation and purpose. It can identify individual needs and also build confidence. I believe that if you invest time with people, they will buy into what the vision and purpose are. The individual will in time improve their performance, feel more motivated, feel a sense of value and increased job satisfaction. Also from a customer experience point of view, if the individual or the team are more motivated and passionate about what they do, this comes across to the customer, meaning that a better level of service is given. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal, leadership and management coaching and consulting or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Coaching also has a huge benefit for the company as productivity will improve as a result of the individual being more proactive. If you also have individuals that are happy and satisfied, they are less likely to leave the company.In my role, I conduct regular one to ones with my staff and as part of my development, I asked my line manager to observe a one to one. My line manager had commented that I did too much of the talking and set the actions for the staff rather than them. I took this feedback on board and asked her to observe again. I have now started to use word patterns such as â€Å"Tell me how your week as gone† and â€Å"What actions will you set for next week?† Whilst it’s working progress, I have noticed a change in the individual and actually owning their action that they have agreed and with myself, I now tend to listen more.The key features of workplace coaching are that it motivates the individual which in turn then has benefits for the coach. If you have an individual that takes their own responsibility for their own performance and that they’re working towards the common purpose, there is less involvement with the individual and no difficult conversations with the individual are needed. Also by coaching, the individual starts to become more creative and they will look for solutions rather than the coach. Also, individuals that set their own actions or goals are more likely to achieve them. They have taken accountability for their own actions and have been empowered to.

Play overviews Essay Example For Students

Play overviews Essay Actor: Gavin KaneCharacter: EddiePlay: Fool for Love by Sam ShepardSuper Objective:Eddie wants May to understand just how much hes gone through to come and seeher. He wants her realize his love for her even though he has done somethings that wouldcause her to doubt him. Eddie needs to be with May, she is a security for him and nomatter what he will keep coming back to her. Scene Objective:In this scene, Eddie is trying to get May to go with him to Wyoming. He wantsher to realize how good they are for each other and how much he needs her. He is doingthis by, basically sweet talking her, for example he says, I missed you more than anythingI ever missed in my whole life. The main problem with Eddies plea is that he has had anaffair with another woman. Actor: Sarah OrsonCharacter: MayPlay: Fool for Love by Sam ShepardSuper Objective:May is the type of character who tries to stand up for what she believes in when infact you know she is truly torn. May is lonely, but does not want to settle for Eddiesexcuses. She promises herself she wont go back to him no matter what. When in the endEddie leaves and walks out on her. Scene Objective:In this scene, May wants Eddie to realize that she is not falling for his lame excusesanymore and she will not go away with him to Wyoming. No matter what Eddie says ordoes May will not let him get to her, she stands firm backing her answer of no. Line-by-Line actions:Eddie:pleadingMay:justificationEpreciseMrebuttalEexactMattitudeEsincereMgetting pulled in to Eddies statementEexplainsMinterestedEsaid with a sense of insecurityMinquisitiveEflattersMconcernEfeebleMrejectsEstallsMreprimandsEminimizesMhumorEpreciseMfuriousEputs up his guardMstands strongEauthoritativeMindependentEinformativeMshe thinks he is ridiculousEshows his need for herMfeels she must explain herselfEsurpriseMfeels he thinks she cant handle a jobEretreatsMexplanationEputs her downMgives upCategory: English

A Brief History of Prosthetics

A Brief History of Prosthetics The history of prosthetics and amputation surgery begins at the very dawning of human medicine. In the three great western civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome, the first true rehabilitation aids recognized as prostheses were made. Early use of prosthetics goes back to at least the fifth Egyptian Dynasty that reigned between 2750 to 2625 B.C. The oldest known splint was unearthed by archaeologists from that period. But the earliest known written reference to an artificial limb was made around 500 B.C. During the time, Herodotus wrote of a prisoner who escaped from his chains by cutting off his foot, which he later replaced with a wooden substitute. An artificial limb dating from 300 B.C., was a copper and wood leg that was unearthed at Capri, Italy in 1858. In 1529, French surgeon  Ambroise Pare  (1510-1590) introduced amputation as a lifesaving measure in medicine. Soon after, Pare started developing prosthetic limbs in a scientific manner. And in 1863, Dubois L Parmelee of New York City made a significant improvement to the attachment of artificial limbs by fastening a body socket to the limb with atmospheric pressure. While he was not the first person to do so, he was the first to make it practical enough to be used in medical practices. In 1898, a doctor named Vanghetti came up with an artificial limb that could move through muscle contraction. It wasn’t until the middle of the 20th century that major advancements were made in the attachment of lower limbs. In 1945, the National Academy of Sciences established the Artificial Limb Program as a way to improve the quality of life of World War II veterans who suffered the lost of limbs in combat. A year later, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley developed a suction sock for the above-knee prosthesis. Fast forward to 1975 and  the year an inventor named Ysidro M. Martinez took things a major step further by creating a below-the-knee prosthesis that avoided some of the problems associated with conventional artificial limbs. Instead of replicating the natural limb with articulated joints in the ankle or foot which tended to lead to poor gait, Martinez, an amputee himself, took a theoretical approach in his design. His prosthesis relies on a high center of mass and is light in weight to facilitate acceleration and deceleration and reduce friction. The foot is also considerably shorter to control acceleration forces, further reducing the friction and pressure. New advances to keep an eye involve the growing use of 3-D printing, which has allowed for the fast, precise manufacturing of artificial limbs that traditionally have been custom-built by hand. The U.S. government’s National Institutes of Health has recently established the 3D Print Exchange program as a way to provide researchers and students with the necessary modeling and software tools to fabricate prosthetics using 3D printing machines.   But beyond prosthetic limbs, here’s another fun fact: Pare could also have laid claim to be the father of facial prosthetics, making artificial eyes from enameled gold, silver, porcelain and glass. Thats your fun fact of the day

Sweden Politics

Sweden Politics The first words of Sweden's constitution, the Grundleg, state that all public power in Sweden comes from its people. This is very obviously saying that Sweden is a democratic nation. This democracy is based on parliamentarism, meaning that confidence and support from the parliament, the Riksdag, are required for making all major decisions. If the cabinet (sometimes called simply the Government) does not receive support from a majority in the Riksdag then it may be forced to resign before its term has expired. This parliamentary system has been unicameral since 1970 and contains 349 members. These members are elected every four years. These three details (Grundleg, Riksdag, and the democratic system) are the basis of Sweden's political system. Nearly all of its politics can be traced back to these basic principles.The Grundleg is split into four different laws. They are called the Instrument of Government (Regeringsformen), the Act of Succession (Successionsordningen), the Freedom of the Press Act (Tryckfrihetsforordningen), and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (Yttrandefrihetsgrundlagen).A commemorative coin of the 150th anniversary of t...These laws serve as a basis for how Sweden is ruled. They also serve to protect the citizens' freedoms and rights and were revised from their original rendition in 1975 in order to keep up with changed issues.The Instrument of Government contains much valuable information. As I have stated it starts with the statement, "All public power in Sweden proceeds from the people." Another statement in the Instrument of Government is, "The king or queen who occupies the throne of Sweden in accordance with the Act of Succession shall be the head of state." This tells us that Sweden is still technically a monarchy and the king is the Kreifels 2 head of state but he no longer holds any authority in the governing of the state. His task...

Liberty and democracy in Marx and Kant. What is the contemporary Essay - 1

Liberty and democracy in Marx and Kant. What is the contemporary relavance of their ideas - Essay Example nduct as purposeful and lasting rather than unintended and short-term, bringing to history, in Hegel’s personal design, â€Å"the belief and conviction that the realm of the will is not at the mercy of contingency† (Michaelis 1999, 537). The grand design of principle of history for Marx and Kant is of more direct importance. It becomes, undeniably, a requirement of action, devoid of which the concern in the future, so significant to their interpretation of modernity, cannot be persistent. Their works on the philosophy of liberty and democracy, occasioned by the disturbance of revolutionary anticipations, stand witness to an open effort either to control the experience of discontentment or to disallow it completely in the purposes of preserving the future configuration of modernity and the militant devotions that go behind (ibid). Writing in the repercussions of the French Revolution, when the processes of philosophy of history were merely starting to overpower political theory, scholars have charted their own distinctive path between the linear certainties of Kant’s insight of development and the dialectical certainties that Marx borrowed from Hegel. Marx and Kant respond to the catastrophic course of revolution through establishing the political as a dimension in which the species in its entirety trundles in the footsteps of the gods even as people endure the destiny of simple mortals (Fine 2001). Indeed, the more powerful the state, and hence the more political a nation is, the less probable it is predisposed to view in the state itself, that is in the contemporary structure of society whose dynamic, self-aware, and official articulation is the state, for the origin of social immoralities, and hence appreciate their common nature. Political intellect is political merely because it deliberates within the restrictions of politics. The sharper and more active it is the less competent it is of understanding social immoralities (Tate 2004). Therefore, it is

Medecine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Medecine - Essay Example Every disease has a cause, although the causes of some remain to be discovered. Every disease also displays a cycle of onset, or beginning, course, or time span of affliction, and end, when it disappears or it partially disables or kills its victim. An epidemic disease is one that strikes much person in a community. When it strikes the same region year after year it is an endemic disease. An acute disease has a quick onset and runs a short course, an acute heart attack, for example, often hits without warning and can be quickly fatal. A chronic disease has a slow onset and runs a sometimes years-long course. The gradual onset and long course of rheumatic fever makes it a chronic ailment. Moderate exercise is necessary to health, but athletes who do vigorous exercises have not been noted for longevity. Fresh air is stimulating, but, where actual breathing is concerned, it's no better than the air in most rooms. General quality of air affected by pollution is indeed a concern. A balanced diet containing correct amounts of the basic food substances is essential, but there is no evidence that when or at what intervals one eats makes the slightest differences -unless one is a sufferer of stomach ulcer, in which case the interval between meals should be narrowed down. The concept of having meals at fixed intervals is nothing but a social convention and in a modern life obviously a matter of convenience. Sleep, too, is a necessity. But different people require vastly different amounts of sleep. In a number of studies of men and women who lived to a ripe old age it was found that the commonality they had was balanced diet of healthy food, contented minds, their interest in something which gave them a focus in life and partly their heredity. Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well- being and not merely the absence of diseases or infirmity. The main rules of health are- (a) Do not abuse your body -i.e., exercise, it, feed it sensibly and in moderation and don't poison it with cigarette smoke (your's or anyone else's), with alcohol or with other drugs (b) Think positively about health-make it a purpose for living (c) Turn your thoughts away from those bodily functions (digestion, circulation, breathing and so on), which can look after themselves. Introspection leads to hypochondriasis, and Social Medicine Medicine has come a long way from the time when disease was considered as punishment from the gods to a time where the society is looked on as the patient (society being responsible for them). Its treatment requires lot of tenderness and care. The field of medicine became more and more truly scientific, and the 20th century saw the-most rapid advances ever known, marked by the discovery of germs by Pasteur, of antiseptics by Lister, of vaccination by Jenner and anaesthetics by well sand Scot Simpson, the use of the microscope by Vuirchoe (German) brought great advance in the understanding of diseases and Ehrlich (German) conceived the brilliant idea of 'magic bullet' -drugs aimed at the real cause of the disease which would attack the germs at the root of the disease without hurting the patient. Edwin Chadwick, one of the greatest names, revolutionised the social control concept by so dealing with the causes of disease (like proving safe drinking water, controlling pests, lice, files , mosquito, etc.) that they were prevented form arising at all. A population riddled with

Assessment of an enterprise-level business system Essay

Assessment of an enterprise-level business system - Essay Example At the end this write up would set forth the criteria for establishing the acceptability or otherwise of the business process mapping tools and suggest any improved tools. In fact all this considerations can be answered in the concept of business process reengineering. It was in the early 1990s that many US corporations, and subsequently companies all over the world, began to adopt the concept of business process reengineering (BPR) to obtain long lost competitiveness that they had lost during the previous decade. The primary feature of BPR is the sole focus on business processes, rather than functional organizational structures. Davenport (1993) defines a (business) process as "a structured, measured set of activities designed to produce a specific output for a particular customer or market. It implies a strong emphasis on how work is done within an organization, in contrast to a product focus's emphasis on what. A process is thus a specific ordering of work activities across time and space, with a beginning and an end, and clearly defined inputs and outputs: a structure for action. ... Taking a process approach implies adopting the customer's point of view. Processes are the structure by which an organization does what is necessary to produce value for its customers." 1 Hammer & Champy's (1993) definition can be considered as a subset of Davenport's. They define a process as "a collection of activities that takes one or more kinds of input and creates an output that is of value to the customer." Whereas Johansson et. al. (1993) defines a process as, "a set of linked activities that take an input and transform it to create an output. Ideally, the transformation that occurs in the process should add value to the input and create an output that is more useful and effective to the recipient either upstream or downstream." This definitions lead us to chief feature of a business process viz. Definability, Order, Customer, Value adding, Embeddedness and Cross functionality. In order to gain an understanding of the various processes involved in the organization which completes its business system information pertaining to above features of the business processes needs to be collected. There can be essentially two approaches to collection of such data-one , the primary data collection and, two, the secondary data collection. With in these approaches primary data could be collected through face to face interviews with key personnel responsible for such processes and a broader based questionnaire approach can be used for the operative employees. Secondary data sources can be rich and can range from industry publications to in-house examination of manuals, sales and marketing registers, financial accounts, accounting vouchers to Board minutes to minutes of the various committees of the Board and other executive committees. 2 The process of business process mapping can follow two approaches. Davenport and Short (1990) have identified two basic methods for process identification, which they termed "targeted" and "comprehensive" methods. Targeted methods take their starting point in the identification of a relatively small number of processes being critical to the business, which are

Change during the introduction of new system to control attendance

Change during the introduction of new system to control attendance The control of staff attendance has been a problem for Co-operative Food, a UK retail organisation, and it has been looking to improve its systems to monitor attendance of its employees. Co-operative Food wants to bring effectiveness in their work, e.g. through procedures and systems, for actively delivering their services to the consumers. That is why it is ensuring that they are efficient enough to do that. In order to pursue this, Co-operative emphasises on time management of its staff by bringing in a new system for the control of staff attendance. In the UK retail sector, Co-operative is one of the pioneers to introduce such a new generation system for control of staff attendance as compared to other big supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons. More specifically, Co-operative has introduced a biometric system which became operative in 2010, and requiring Co-operative staff to touch their finger at identification points to get verified. The new attendance recording system is a technological change to monitor employees attendance, when they start and finish their shift, by giving their finger print. If an employee leaves the premises of the company he signs out and then sign in again when he returns to the premises. This system has benefited the company to control its wastage of time and labour cost. Originally, an older system was being operated at Co-operative Food till two years ago by signing manually the attendance register. This register was usually placed near the managers office and the employees had to sign in and out before and at the end of their shift. This system was seen as a failure as employees gave little importance to this system. For example, they got paid even if they missed to sign in by requesting the manager at the next day that they forgot to sign in. This manual system was replaced in 2008 by a swipe card system to monitor staff attendance, which also had some drawbacks. In the swipe card system someone else, other than the employee, could also swipe it for him/her, without the knowledge of the supervisor. This is an important issue because such a change affects employees to a great extent if it is not planned and implemented properly. For example, due to the frustration employees could abuse the system by taking long tea or lunch breaks. Or they might waste companys time to do unnecessary activities e.g. they could go up in the canteen and sit there hiding without the knowledge of the managers or supervisors. Or if they havent accepted the change their way of work could be slackened, which will affect the performance of the organisation. It will be studied in the dissertation how this change has affected employees attitude towards their organisation. The research will look into employees perceptions of this change. Do they feel a sense of distrust from the organisation being monitored in a way that they have to give the finger prints to get recognized by the system or are they happier than before due to this innovation? 1.2 Research aim This study will focus on the effectiveness of change management practices and procedures in the organisation and will find out how these have helped in smooth implementation of this system. This research will help to understand how new staff management system was implemented in the Co-operative organisation, and if any issues like dissatisfaction or behavioural problems among employees have occurred and how these issues were dealt with. 1.3 Objectives 1: To find out at what extent has Co-operative achieved the objectives planned with the introduction of a biometric staff attendance system. 2: To analyse what issues evolved among employees. 3: To study the effectiveness of the implemented change. 1.4 Research Questions What are the issues that a new staff attendance system brings in the organisation? How can change management procedures deal with those issues? To what extent has Co-operative achieved the objectives planned with the introduction of a biometric staff attendance Chapter 2. Literature Review This chapter will review literature about change management procedures and implementation issues. 2.1 New technology and the related issues There is a major issue of human resistance attached to the introduction of new system. Gregson(1994, p. 23) gives an example of the introduction of new technologies and the human resource issues related to the implementation process. He depicts that when automatic teller machines (ATM) were launched in banks, it gave huge benefits to customers but at the same time the bank employees were discouraged by this new technology and its usage by the staff posed a threat to their job by this new technology. 2.2 Resistance to Change Skarlicki (1999, p. 36) has defined resistance to change as, employee behaviour that seeks to challenge, disrupt, or invert prevailing assumptions, discourses, and power relations. Deloitte and Touche has carried out a study of 400 companies about the resistance to change which is cited by Prochaska (2001). They found out that resistance to change causes the change process to fail or not completing. Hauschildt (1999) carried out a study of 151 companies in Germany which concludes that the resistance or opposition to innovation in these companies benefitted the organisations. This benefit includes the criticism of the new system by pointing out the defects of the system which is a way forward for organisations to improve it. Employees by pointing out defects in the new system get more involved in the organisations. Proctor and Doukakis (2002, p. 268) point out that resistance to a change could be because employees fear the new change will put their job safety at risk, or they fear of unknown, or it might be the lack of information and knowledge about the advantages attached to this change. Another example of innovation in organisations and its effects is the Bemmels and Reshef study in 1991 which is cited by Zwick (2002). Bemels and Reshef studied 206 Canadian companies which introduced innovation over a specific period, and found out that the employees generally accepted and supported the innovations, but it was resisted from personnel just because of the presence of Union and the technological advancement clauses in the employees contract. Another main concern of employees regarding innovations in organisation is that it could lead to the reduction in staff. Effective innovations could cut down the staff in the organisations. 2.3 Biometric System A biometric system is an automatic system which requires the physical characteristics of a user to recognise him/her. These physical characteristics could be finger prints, hand prints, facial expressions or iris pattern of eyes. According to Braghin (1998), the biometric system performs authentication process in two different stages. 1: Enrolling stage In this stage a specific biometrics characteristics is given to the system data base which could be located centrally or distributed. The scanning of the biometrics is performed, and then the system creates a digital representation called template, which is then recorded into the data base. This process is performed only once. 2: Identification stage In this stage the system scans the biometric characteristics and then creates an optimized digital representation, which it then matches to the template to identify the person. Biometric system is a new technology which also brings issues that are linked to this system. Braghin (1998) depicts that a biometric system is not good at handling problems. If someones template is stolen, the system cant provide any help for that. These are the characteristics of a person which is not easy to get back if lost and biometric system is not helpful in order to deal with the problem. It is not like a password which you can change. So it means if you lose it, you lose it forever. Advantages of biometrics OGorman (2003, p. 2037) highlights the advantage of the biometric as, the details are hard to get stolen of a user using the system as compared to other authentication system, like ATM. The token system which stores the identity of a user should also be a used by a user as a second option to make it more secure against stealing and thefts of the details. 2.4 Change Management Kotter and Schlesinger (2008, p. 4) have explained how to diagnose resistance (2008, p. 4) caused by the change. They point out that every change brings some human resistance to the change process. In order to deal with the resistance it is important to find out about the causes of potential resistance. By analysing the situation managers can come across the factors of resistance when the change is being introduced. 1: Parochial self interest People can be resistant to change because they feel less concerned about the organisation and see their interests coming first before the interest of the organisation. 2: Misunderstanding and lack of trust Misunderstanding can develop among employees if they dont understand the implications of the change. Or if they perceive it wrongly. It is essential for change to be effective that all employees understand the change process and its implications, and for managers or change agents to interact with employees to clear potential misunderstandings. 3: Different assessment Employees could assess the change differently than the change agent or managers due to lack of information. Because both the employees and the change agent think that the information that they have is right and they assume about each other of having the same information. So it is very important that both the change agent and employees have up to date information because otherwise this could lead to resistance. 4: Low Tolerance Sometimes it is very hard for people to give up their old habits or working style which they are used to. For example, if the implemented change requires some new skill and behaviours and employees are not catching up with those behaviours or skills it would be problematic. 5: Old beliefs People are reluctant to change because they dont want to be disturbed in their daily routine. For example an employee working 9 am to 5 pm shift, who is required to change shift from 3 pm to 11 pm two days a week will be resisting because it will disturb his/her daily routine. Kotter and Schlesinger (2008, p. 6) have suggested several ways of how to deal with resistance when it emerges as a reaction to change. 1: Communication Communicating about the desired change could really be helpful as it will make employees to embrace the change. Communication both with individuals and to a group is very essential as employees want to know about activities in the organisation. If the employees are put in dark about their organisation they feel a sense of ignorance. All sources like audio or video can be used to communicate. 2: Support Organisations can offer training about new skills or support to the employees where the managers find the employees are struggling to overcome resistance. This training can be in the organisation or out of the organisation as well. 3: Involvement Employees involvement in designing and implementation of the change process is another way to stop resisting powers being emerged. Involvement of employees will make employees feel that they are a value to the organisation. 4: Negotiation Negotiation is a way to offer benefits to resistors to accept the change. Its a process of luring the employees who are resisting. For example negotiations could involve dealing with unions as offering them pay rise in the lieu of acceptance of change. Negotiations are an expensive way of dealing with resistance as the change initiator has to give something to resistors for the acceptance of the change. The disadvantage of the negotiations is that people who take part in the negotiation process could use it as blackmailing. 5: Manipulation or Co-optation This process is also called Co-optation, when employees who are potential resistors are given an attractive role of their choice to involve them in the change process. This is not considered as participation of employees because the employee who is co-opted, his/her advice doesnt mean much to the change initiators. 6: Coercion Here the employees dont have many choices as if they dont accept the change they are threatened or warned of taking disciplinary action against them or being fired or by stopping their promotion. In this way they would worry about their job security and would show the acceptance of the new changed system. Caluwe and Vermaak (1994, p. 49) explain that the change process is a step by step process of learning. It cant be enforced on someone as it takes time and learning cant be enforced. According to Bovey and Hede (2001) change in an organisation is often implemented in a way that the whole process of planning and implementation takes all the time and the human factor who will be dealing with this change after implementation is ignored. They argued that the consideration of a new system and its rationalization for the company gets importance leaving behind the people who will be affected by this new system. Aladwani (2001, p. 268) gives a comparison of marketing and implementing an information system based change. He holds the view that both marketing and implementing change in the organization are change processes and reflect the exchange process between two parties. Therefore, as the marketing policies and procedures are developed and communicated, organizations should communicate with their employees for the required results and to overcome the resistance to change. In marketing these communications are between seller and buyer, while in an organisation it should be between employer (the person who is brining the change) and the employees who are getting affected by this change. The above literature has discussed about introduction of staff attendance measurement in organisations and related issues, biometric system and related human-resource issues, and finally change management. Kotters(1996)Change management model Create sense of urgency Create a guiding coalition Develop a vision and strategy Communicate the vision for change Empower broad-based action Generate short-term wins Consolidate gains and produce change Anchor new approaches Source: Kotter 1996 Kotters model (1996) is the 8 phase change management model which deals with the change through a systematic way. It takes the top down approach from creating a sense of urgency to anchoring change in the culture. It produces good results by dealing with the resistance issues caused by the change. Kotters model deals with the resistance in the best way for smooth implementation of change. Although this model has met with a lot of criticism as in its step 5 encourages risk taking and not traditional ideas and activities, and change in the structure of organization but Kotter explains that it is the essential part of the organizational change. As he explains that the structure which undermines the change vision by becoming a hurdle needs to be rid off. Kotters model is focused on communicating the vision to employees and provides good guidance. I like to use Kotters model for my research because it is a systematic method, a top down approach and is more effective than other models. It deals with the issues of resistance properly. Chapter 3. Conceptual Framework The literature review in Chapter 2 is a critical activity resulting in a conceptual framework. This research will use the change model of Kotter (1996) as a conceptual model. It is assumed that the eight phases proposed by Kotter are a useful model to compare the change at the case company. The following table shows in an exemplary way how the phases of change at the Co-Operative can be mapped on Kotters eight phases. Phases of Change at the Co-Operative 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. Create sense of urgency 2. Create a guiding coalition 3. Develop a vision and strategy 4. Communicate the vision for change 5. Empower broad-based action 6. Generate short-term wins 7. Consolidate gains and produce change 8. Anchor new approaches Table 1: Mapping Change at the Co-Operative on Kotters Leadership Steps Source: Kotter 1996 Each of the eight phases has its own dynamics and challenges. For example, in the first phase, organisations need to look at the competitive market, trends are traditions which need to be updated, profit margins to start the change process, if enough urgency is not established there is a risk of process to fail. The 2nd phase is appointing a team to carry out the change process together energetically. Then comes the 3rd phase which is about the development of proper vision and strategy to implement the change. It is about, where would the change lead to and how. The 4th phase is about communication of the vision to all employees by interaction. The 5th phase is to remove barriers which are obstructing the process of change. The 6th phase is about bringing more improvement in the performance, and rewarding the employees who maintain the required standards. The 7th phase is about producing more change by promoting the employees or hiring new one to carry out the change process with more determination and persistence and the final one is about to make the change permanently stick to the organisation. These phases will be tested to analyse the change process which Co-operative food has carried out by comparing the eight phases of Kotters model. Kotter (2007, p, 99). All the phases of the model from establishing a sense of urgency, Kotter 2007, p,97) to anchoring change in the culture (2007, p,103) will be compared to find out, have they been taken into the account for successful change at the case study company. Chapter 4. Research Design A deductive case study approach will be applied for this research. This case study is deductive because it uses existing concepts in the field of change management and theory about resistance caused by the introduction of new staff attendance control system. Furthermore a qualitative case study will help to attain insights and detailed viewpoints of the employees and managers. Yin (2003) suggests using a case study approach when How and why questions are being addressed and it tells about what could be extracted from a single situation. According to Bryman (2001) case study approach is used for in depth findings and to associate it with the theory. A case study approach is suitable for the interpretation of this subject because it will investigate the change management processes in the organisation by the help of existing theory of Kotters model in the case study organisation. Qualitative approach I intend to use a deductive qualitative approach for this case study. Bryman (2001) highlights the characteristics of the qualitative approach as dealing with issues by exploring them, e.g. through counter questions to understand the phenomenon. Kaplan and Maxwell (1994) give a briefing of qualitative approach that it is the study of a particular situation by exploring peoples attitude in which they react by means of interviewing, observing or documenting rather than by a data of numbers. As this research is about the perception of employees about this change, the philosophy that will be used in this research will be constructivist. This philosophy has been selected because I intend to test the Kotters model of change management in Co-operative case study. Chapter 5. Methodology For this research, the following case study organisation was chosen: the Hackney Branch, London, of the Co-Operative Food unit of Co-operative Group Limited, Manchester/UK. Furthermore employees and managers are accessible for interviews that are essential for accomplishment of the study. Data will be collected with the help of semi structured interviews by mono method. Semi structured interviews are flexible in approach, and are good in finding the insights of peoples. An understanding will be developed in the perspective of employees natural settings, about perceiving change in the organization by employees, their behaviour towards this change, and their thinking about change management practices in the organisation to minimize the effect of this change. I have talked already with the local branch managers, and they have told about their interest to take part in this research. An official letter will be written to the case company when the research starts, e.g. in September 2010. The interviews will be conducted after the work is assigned or the proposal for the research is accepted in the Hackney branch of Co-operative food. Interviews will be conducted by asking all type of questions like open question, Probing or specific questions, closed questions to cover all the aspects of the aim and objectives of the research. Employees will be asked about their point of view about change, their participation, experience and effects of the change on them. Moreover a comparison to Kotters change model will be developed by looking into eight phases of the model. Pattern matching technique will be used to analyse the data. Because I am using Kotters conceptual framework for this research, I will test the adequacy of the Kotters framework to reveal the findings. Pattern matching is the method which involves two variations, depending on the dependent and independent variables. In the first variation we relate the proposition from the relative literature to the results of data collection and analysis. If it matches to the predictions then we confirm the theory. At this moment the researcher has no pre defined variables, but when the work is assigned. If one or more outcomes that have not been predicted by the explanation, there is a need to seek an alternative one. (Yin, 2003) In the second variation the variables are independent of each other. Here we put forward a number of alternative explanations to explain the pattern of outcomes that we expect to find. When the predicted explanation matches with the pattern of outcomes it provides evidence that it is indeed an explanation of the findings. The method will be chosen when the work is assigned after the acceptance of proposal. 5.1 Limitations This research will set its limits by contacting Co-operative Food employees in the case study organisation, Co-operative Food which is a supermarket or a retail industry in the Hackney branch London. The employees contacted will belong to the Co-operative. Therefore the findings of this research can not be generalised outside the case study organisation. 5.2 Ethics The ethical issues involved in this research could be the fear of employees about their names being used in this research. If the employees dont understand the purpose and aim of the research, it is also an ethical issue. Employees could also have discomfort or stress in answering the questions. Employees will be provided the information about the purpose of this research, and its aims, and the issue of anonymity that that their names will be kept anonymous if they wish. The data collected will be used by the consent of the employees. I will inform the employees by speaking to them about their right to withdraw from the interviews and also about withdrawing their permission to use this data before I finish the interview. The collected data will be analysed by the researcher and the dissertation will be submitted by honest means. 5.3 Resources The resources that will be used to conduct semi structured interviews are audio and video equipment. Before conducting the interviews I will get the consent of employees. Should there be any rejections about being recorded, then I will make notes of the interviews. 5.4 Transcription I will document the interviews in text processing files with interview numbers, like 01ME, and 02FE, and so on, where 01 represents 1st interview and M is for male, F is for female and E is for employee. RQ1, and RQ2 will be used for myself representing the first and second of the researchers questions and MEA1 or FEA 2 would be used for male employee answer 1 and female employee answer 2 respectively. 6 Appendix 6.1 Time Table Gantt chart for a research project Activity September October November December January week number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Review Literature Meeting with supervisor Read Methodology Literature Data Collection Analysing data Enter data in computer Update literature reading Complete the remaining part Submit to supervisor Revise the work Holidays Print, bind Submit

history of lacrosse Essay -- essays research papers fc

Lacrosse is the oldest team sport in North America, having been played by Native American tribes long before any European had even set foot on the continent. A century after European missionaries discovered the game played by Native Americans, they began to play it themselves, starting in the 18th century. From there, it evolved and grew in popularity from a very savage game that resembled war, into what it is today, a recreational sport played widely in America and other countries. As U.S. Lacrosse literature aptly puts it "Lacrosse is a game born of the North American Indian, christened by the French, adopted and raised by the Canadians, and later dominated by the Americans.† When the first people of America started playing lacrosse centuries ago, the game served many purposes. It was played to amuse the Creator, to train young men for war, and to settle disputes between tribes (Source B). The game was played by tribes in all parts of the United States and Canada; it was played by the Mexican Kickapoo in Texas, the Seminole in Florida, the Bungi in Manitoba, the Cherokee in Tennessee, and the Passamaquoddy in Maine (Source B). The game was called Baggattaway, meaning they bump hips by the Algonquin tribe, and Tewaarathon, meaning little brother of war, by the Iroquois tribe (Source B). In the earliest times of American Indian lacrosse, the game had few rules, if any. Lacrosse games would last for days, stopping at sunset and continuing the next day at sunrise. The fi...

Steven Spielberg

I’m Steven Spielberg and I was born in Cincinnati on December 18, 1947, but I was mainly raised in New Jersey and Arizona. When I was 12 years old I used my dads 8mm camcorder and made a movie. I continued to make films with the camcorder for five more years until I went on a trip to Universal Studios. I was 17 years old and I broke away from the main tourist group to see the sound stages. I bumped into the head of Universal’s editorial department, Chuck Silvers. We talked for about an hour and he wanted to see some of my 8mm films. When I showed them to him he said they were good but he could only wish me luck. So the next day I put on a suit and borrowed my fathers suitcase and walked in the front gate of Universal Studio’s like I did it every day. One reason I got away with this is because the guard thought I was the owners son. I bought some plastic name tags at a camera store and I found an empty office. Then I put my name in the building directory. Everyday that summer I hung out with directors, writers, and editors. After talking to all of these movie makers I found out that nobody really liked my movies. The next fall I asked some of the executives at Universal how I can get my films noticed. They said I hould put my films on 16 or 35mm film. So I did. I made a 20 minute movie about a boy and a girl hitch-hiking from the dessert to the Pacific. The day after it was shown at Universal, Sidney Sheinberg, the head of Universal’s T. V. production department, gave me a seven year contract to work on T. V. series. The first few years of the contract were fun, but after a while I didn’t want to direct T. V. shows. In 1971 I got a chance to make my first real movie. It was Called Duel and it was about a salesman who was harassed by a truck driver. Even though the movie didn’t make much money and wasn’t popular, it was my first ovie and I had a lot of fun. During the next 10 years I directed 4 of the top 10 movies ever made, including Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E. T. which is number one. E. T. – The Extra Terrestrial made $720 million dollars worldwide in the theaters and over a billion dollars total with video sales. Some other movies I directed were, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Jurassic Park, Always, and The Sugarland Express. Even though my most famous movies I made I directed, I also produced quite a few movies, including Poltergeist, Gremlins 1 and 2, all 3 Back to the Futures, and The Goonies. After my success at the movie theaters, I wanted to do a program on television. I chose Amazing Stories which allowed me to put my childhood stories on T. V. The show didn’t get very good reviews and people didn’t watch it. So the series was canceled after 24 episodes, 20 short from what was planned. I’ve been very successful in my career. The films I’ve made in the past have been entertaining to both children and adults. I now plan to start making more adult films. I hope to continue to amuse and entertain my audiences for many years to come.

Human Tragedy and Cruelty

Human Tragedy and Cruelty Human history is full of various dark spots. Contemporary people often contemplate events which took place years ago. These people often argue that all those horrors could never have happened if people had been wiser. However, these very ‘thinkers’ do not understand that their ‘right paths’ are far from being realistic. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Human Tragedy and Cruelty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Of course, there are many who understand that what is done cannot be undone, and what has been done could not have been done in any other way. Many understand that history cannot be ‘judged’ as there can be no right and wrong. Primo Levi (2000) stresses that there is no line between the good and the bad, and there are no two camps. Hannah Arendt (2000) and Primo Levi (2000) provide bright examples which confirm that such viewpoints are right. Arendt (2000) reveals the sto ry of a man who made a lot of controversial deeds in his life. However, it is possible to note that the author presents the story in a one-sided manner. Eichmann is depicted as a silly man who was in position which let him send thousands of people to death. Sometimes the author does reveal positive aspects of Eichmann’s character and deeds. For instance, it is stated that he did a lot to help Jews leave the Nazi country when it was possible. However, the general tone of the writing is judgemental. Clearly, the author does not believe the man was forced to act in the way he did. Nonetheless, no one can judge a person if he/she was not there, in that person’s shoes. Levi (2000) provides other insights in a similar discussion. The author notes that even such negative figure as Chaim Rumkowski was not to be judged. Levi states that the man did a lot of horrible things, but he also did some good things. More importantly, Levi claims that it is unclear what contemporary â⠂¬Å"judges† would do should they be put in the same position. The author stresses that people who were in concentration camps (both inmates and guards) were gradually losing their best qualities. It is important to note that Levi’s position should be exploited when analysing historical events. It is crucial to take into account all details. It is essential to avoid any judgment. Clearly, Arendt’s method is wrongful as it can lead to mere distortion of facts. Notably, this judgemental method has been often used throughout people’s history. Ironically, the Nazis made use of it as well. This one-sided presentation of facts becomes a part of ideology and propaganda. People have witnessed what propaganda can do as such leaders as Hitler and Stalin exploited these means extensively. Of course, people have no right to make the same mistake and focus on one side of the matter.Advertising Looking for report on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Besides, it is necessary to remember that even the â€Å"judges† cannot be sure they would not have done the same if they had found themselves in similar conditions. Obviously, Eichmann did not wake up one morning to accept the fact he was to send thousands of people to die. He was rather a victim of circumstances. To sum up, people should learn their lesson while analysing the darkest events in the history of humanity. It is important to take into account all possible details and listen to all parties involved. The truth can be quite unpleasant, but people still should know the truth about themselves to try to avoid conditions which make people do horrible and inhumane things. Reference List Arendt, H. (2000). The portable Hannah Arendt. P. Baehr (Ed.). New York, NY: Penguin Books. Levi, P. (2000). The gray zone. In O. Bartov (Ed.), The holocaust: Origins, implementation, aftermath (pp. 251-273). New York, NY: Rou tledge.

8 Steps to Landing a Job By Graduation

8 Steps to Landing a Job By Graduation Graduation can be terrifying, especially if you haven’t yet set up a job. But there are a few sure fire things that you can absolutely do to set yourself up to be employed right out of college. Follow these steps and you’ll set yourself up very well. 1. Network, Network, NetworkYou know it’s all about who you know. And the more people you know the better. If you haven’t built your massive web of connections yet, don’t panic. It’s never too late to start. Start shaking hands, dusting off your LinkedIn page, tweeting, joining professional organizations, getting mentored. Play the student card while you have it. Hit up your alumni database and milk your college career department for everything you can. Then just water your contacts and watch them grow!2. Hone Your Soft SkillsYour resume may be maxed out to the gills with valuable skills and experiences, but there are a few things you can’t necessarily acquire in the same fashion. People s kills, emotional intelligence, self-awareness†¦. these are things you can dig deep to work on gradually, but will serve you immensely in the end.3. Focus on Your PassionHiring managers can tell if you’re not really all that keen to work at a certain company. The best way to project the kind of positive attitude you need is to make sure you’re focusing on interviewing for the jobs that make you most excited. This will also help you make sure you’re well prepared for every interview. Remember: interviewers will be reviewing your application and every inch of your online presence they can find. You should expect to do the same. Do your homework, get the job.4. Hone Your Hard SkillsNo matter how well you’ve prepared for your first job market during your college years, there will be some holes in your resume that you wish you could fill to land your top jobs. Take a course, or a series of webinars, and start developing those skills you’ll need to g et where you most want to be.5. Sell YourselfYou’re not merchandise, but as far as landing a job goes, you sort of are. Embrace the shameless self-promotion now. It’s a lesson you have to learn early in your career if you want to have one. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to snuff, build yourself a web site, and take your resume and business cards with you- everywhere. Push your comfort zone and build yourself a reputation that will get you hired.6. DiversifyDon’t put all your eggs in one basket. Spread your net a little wider. Seek out a wide variety of experiences and opportunities to learn. See what you like while you have time to make a go at anything.7. Be EntrepreneurialMaybe you don’t have to be the goody-goody with five internships under your belt. You could be the college kid that started her own business and so wowed the interviewer that you got the job over the candidates who looked better on paper. Show that you’re gutsy and a self -starter and that can go a very long way.8. Sharpen Your Job SearchLearn the tricks of job searching early. Figure out what kind of company you want to work for, do your research, get your foot in the door. Seek out people who have worked there for intel, or mentorship. And keep an eye out for the really cool opportunities.

Legal Brief Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Legal Brief - Assignment Example In addition, Sullivan accused four black ministers named in the advertisement of erroneously accusing the police actions on protesters in Alabama. The New York Times said the suit was a way of intimidating new publishing houses, and a way of averting them from exposing unlawful actions of workers in relation to the segregation. Sullivan won the case in the trial court. The famous case of New York Times vs. Sullivan was a cry of the black people about the segregation and liberty of speech. The laws state that ‘A municipal official litigating for libel must attest that the statement in question was made with actual malevolence, rather than ordinary sense of malicious intent’ (Justia.com). Assuming that Sullivan was acting on behalf of the Alabama state and the police department of Alabama, the key issue here is, ‘Does the suing of a newspaper and black ministers who are attempting to end segregation qualify for defamation suit? Additionally, a key issue here is, ‘What constitutes actual malice, and what are the standards of speech freedom or defamation? The court ruled in favor of the New York Times as the Alabama court laws were found to be deficient. This is because there was failure to provide confines to speech defamation and freedom (Justia.com). The United States Supreme Court states clearly that the facts provided by Alabama court, even if presented under the preserve of verbal communication, were still inefficient constitutionally in the case of Sullivan (Packard, 241). The law states’ proof of actual malice was necessary in order for compensation to be honored (Justia.com). There were no dissidents as all the judges were for the ruling in favor of New York Times. The consequences of the United States verdict in favor of New York Times led to new organizations writing and reporting freely about civil rights violations, and the

Saponification of Triglycerides Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Saponification of Triglycerides - Lab Report Example In this process the triglyceride is reacted with a strong base such as sodium or potassium hydroxide to produce glycerol and fatty acid salts (Whitten et al., 2007). The saponification of glyceryl tristearate is illustrated in Figure 1. The commonest soaps are the fatty-acid salts of sodium and potassium. Hard soaps are sodium salts while soft soaps are potassium salts. The fatty-acid salts of ammonium are also sometimes used for cleansing. Only a few other soaps are of practical importance, for example lead soaps which are used in medicinal plasters, zinc soaps which are used in ointments, and aluminum soaps which are used in waterproofing. Very few of the salts of fatty acids have the properties of common soap. Most of them are but slightly soluble in water, and therefore do not yield suds and have little or no detergent (i.e., cleansing) action. All are nevertheless termed soaps by chemists (Lewkowitsch, 1904). The saponification number (S) is the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to convert one gram of the fat completely into glycerine and potassium soap. It gives information concerning the character of the fatty acids of the fat and in particular concerning the solubility of their soaps in water. Table 1 lists the saponification number of the common fats and oils. Table 1 shows that butter ranks with palm kernel oil and coconut oil as having a very high saponification number. ... Mutton tallow 192 - 195.5 Menhaden oil 190.6 Peanut oil (arachis) 190 - 196 Corn oil 188 - 193 Horse oil 195 - 197 Olive oil 185 - 196 Beef tallow 193.2 - 200 Soy bean oil 193 Palm oil 196 - 205 Cacao butter 193.55 Butter 220 - 233 Linseed oil 192 - 195 Palm kernel oil 242 - 250 Cottonseed oil 193 - 195 Coconut oil 246 - 260 Lard 195.4 (Lewkowitsch, 1904: 400) Table 1 shows that butter ranks with palm kernel oil and coconut oil as having a very high saponification number. This is due to the fact that its triglycerides contain appreciable quantities of fatty acids (myristic acid and small quantities of lauric acid) which when they form soap combine with relatively more sodium or potassium than the more common acids of fats. These acids occur in undecomposed butter in chemical combination as triglycerides. Their sodium or potassium soaps are quite soluble in water. The high saponification number of coconut oil and palm kernel oil is due to the large proportion of fatty acids (lauric acid and myristic acid) that they contain. In this laboratory exercise, saponification as the hydrolysis in basic solution of fats and oils to produce glycerol and salts of fatty acids, and determination of saponification number of sample fat and oil were evaluated. II. Method Triglyceride (2 g) was accurately weighed and was placed in a dry round bottom flask. The prepared ethanolic potassium hydroxide solution (50 cm3) was added to the flask using a pipette. Few anti bumping granules were added to the stirring solution. After setting up the reflux condenser, the solution was boiled for at least 30 minutes. A blank experiment with identical volume as the sample solution was also carried out. After refluxing, the solution was allowed to cool. After cooling, a few drops of

Due process judicial review regulatory process administrative hearing Essay

Due process judicial review regulatory process administrative hearing - Essay Example Due process affirms that the state must respect every person’s rights as stated in the Bill of Rights. In the USA constitution, this clause is found in the Fifth and the Fourteenth Amendments. It summarizes and refers to the course of justice to a person who seeks it. The Fifth Amendment clearly states that ‘no person shall be deprived of their life, liberty or property without the process of rule of law’. This amendment means that every person has the right to enjoy the three mentioned rights and should not be deprived without an evidenced explanation as to why it has to be so. The Fifteenth Amendment, Section one states that ‘No state shall deprive a person of life, liberty or property without due process of law’ (Amar 1193). The due process clause was coined from clause 39 from Magna Carter of England. It is a guarantee to fair treatment of people in the states and clearly reflects the course of justice administration. It does this in different way s, examples being through the substantive due process (which mainly focuses on civil and criminal laws), procedural due process, clear non-vague laws and Incorporation into the Bill of Rights The process is best reflected in civic and criminal laws which provide rights of a person that are to be observed. They include the right to an unbiased hearing, right to legal representation, freedom from being locked up in mental institutions without evidenced and compulsory need, importance and essence of tribunals presenting evidence, right to a notice among others. The case of Vitek Joseph Jones is a good indicator. He was arrested and charged with robbery in 1980 and imprisoned for a number of years (Amar 1193). When it was suggested that he be transferred to a mental institution, his lawyers objected to this. They said that the convict has a right to grieve, and should not be isolated to an asylum. The mandatory psychiatric treatment and the stigma would have been too much. There was no substantive evidence that he needed to be in a mental institution, and the due process provided for this. Administrative due process is where a person who has been accused is summoned by an administrative body or an agency. They are told what they are accused of and times a sentence passed. At other times, it may proceed to end in the judicial due process. The difference between an administrative due process and judicial due process is that in administrative, there are no rights to a notice, or to hearing. Cross examining is not a must or as intense an in the judicial process. There is no particular form of procedure to be followed in an administrative due process as opposed to judicial due process. The technicality in judicial due process is not there in administrative due process (Hartigan 7). Judicial Review Judicial Review was first introduced through the case of Marbury V. Madison. He, among eighty two others was appointed as judges during the last day of President Jon Adams as president. The midnight appointment did not auger well with the incoming president, Thomas Jefferson. As a result, the president told his state affairs secretary not to give Marbury his papers confirming the appointment, which led to Marbury going to court. He challenged the judges to let him know if the incoming president had a right to deny him his appointment, which was form the previous regime (Lorch, 109). The court ruled that his approach of submitting his claim was unconstitutional, and this marked the beginning of

Should Gay Marriages Be Legalized Essay Example for Free

Should Gay Marriages Be Legalized Essay With the world going through a state of change, the society across all countries have begun to change their mindset. We have witnessed the different kinds of changes through new inventions and ideologies; some for the better and others for the worse. Today, gay marriage also known as a union of the same biological sex, is one of the most controversial ideas presented. In this essay, the topic about legalizing gay marriages will be discussed such as how gay marriages are a negative repercussion to the society by defining ‘marriage’ in the eyes of the law and addressing concerns about the legalization of gay marriage. There will also be an argument of why gay marriages should be legalized by redefining marriage from an unbiased point of view and providing supporting evidences that gay marriage is of no difference from same-sex marriage. First of all, what is marriage? The law has defined marriage as the formal union of a man and a woman by which they become husband and wife. Many believe that legalizing gay marriage would weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage. According to the U. S.  Census Bureau, the divorce rate of first marriage is around 50 percent; second marriages are at 60 to 67 percent and third marriages are at 73 to 74 percent. (Gini, 2012) With divorce rates higher than they have ever been, critics argue that allowing homosexuals to marry would only contribute to an ever-crumbling institution. Thus, it is believed that legalizing gay marriage would increase the number of joke or non-serious marriages. Secondly, it is believed that legalizing gay marriage would affect every nations future as it leads to a lower birth rates and psychology disorders. The traditional family which consists of a man, a woman, and a child has always been the building block of every society. By legalizing gay marriage, research has shown that same-sex marriage would eliminate the incentive for procreation that is implicit in defining marriage as a male-female union as there is definite evidence of at least a correlation between same-sex marriage and low birth and fertility rates, both in the U. S. and abroad. (Sprigg, n. d. Apart from that, it is believed that gay marriage would also result in more children being raised in same-sex households which are not an optimum environment because both a Mother and a Father are essential figures for any child’s upbringing. Studies have shown that girls who are raised apart from their fathers are reportedly at higher risk for early sexual activity and teenage pregnancy. † (Ellis, 2003) â€Å"Children without a mother are deprived of the emotional security and unique advice that mothers provide. (Stacey Bublarz, 2001) If children were exposed to an alternative lifestyle since birth, they are more likely to experiment and date people of the same gender. This could be a vicious cycle of the human beings that our world will not be able to afford. Thirdly, there is an infringement of gay rights on religious liberty since homosexuality is considered sinful by most religions. According to a statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope John Paul II, marriage was established by the Creator with its own nature, essential properties and purpose. No ideology can erase from the human spirit the certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman. (Ratzinger, 2003) This has proven that legalizing gay marriage would be incompatible with the beliefs and traditions of many religions. Thus, by demanding the majority of the religious population to accept a relationship which is against their religion, it is not only deemed as offensive but also, morally and ethically corrupted. With all the cons mentioned above, I am sure one would be swayed to oppose to the idea of legalization of gay marriage. Having that said, I believe gay marriage can also be perceived from a different light such that one would think twice before opposing and even learn to accept the legalization of gay marriage. First of all, I would like to re-define marriage from an unbiased point of view: Marriage is a celebration of the unconditional, life-long commitment between two individuals. For better or for worse, they are always ready to share all of life, to love, to cherish and engage in the fullest of communication, the deepest of understanding, and the strongest of personal loyalty and trust. Since marriage only involves two individuals who are deeply in love, should it matter that the couple is of the same sex? Should it matter that the couple does not fit into what the society used to be? Should it matter since this form of marriage isnt hurting the society or anyone at all? If the answers to my questions have been a consistent no, then why should we stop the legalization of gay marriage? Since young, most people have been taught to cherish freedom, encourage differences and never discriminate against other races, then why cant we stop discriminating homosexuals too and accept them for whom they are by legalizing gay marriage? People have to understand that homosexuals are humans too and we are all given the same equal rights. As Hilary Clinton have stated, gays and lesbians are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones and they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship — that includes marriage. (Clinton, 2013) No doubt that it is difficult for discriminations to be omitted in any society in the world but no government should be the one discriminating. As such, by legalizing gay marriage, it will be killing two birds with one stone since it allows both the government to set a good role model for its people and also, the homosexuals to have their very own freedom to love and to make their own decisions. Secondly, marriage does not only revolve around pro-creation. If marriage is only about reproduction, does it mean that infertile couples would not be allowed to marry too? Since the ability or desire to create offspring has never been a criterion for marriage, why should we allow pro-creation to obstruct the love of two individuals? George Washington, often referred to as the Father of Our Country, did not have children with his wife Martha Custis, and neither did four other married US presidents. (Talbot, 2010) Since marriages between a man and a woman do not necessarily end in offspring due to physical problems or personal choice, we should not hold on to the concept of procreation as essential to the marriage bond. Hence, pro-creation should never be a reason why we should not legalize gay marriage. Additionally, gay marriage will make it easier for people to adopt children. However, people worries over issues such as confusion amongst children about gender roles and expectations of society which would consequently lead to psychological disorders and increase in social problems if gay marriage had been legalized. They are worried about how schools are going to teach their children the difference between â€Å"same-sex marriage and opposite-sex marriage. In my opinion, there is no difference and instead, children should always be taught how to embrace all kinds of love since love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, as preached in the bible. Studies have also found that children of gay fathers were as well-adjusted as those adopted by heterosexual parents, (Gatrell Bos, 2010) and children of lesbian mothers were rated higher than children of heterosexual parents in social and academic competence and had fewer social problems. (Farr et al. , 2010) This has shown that, on the contrary, gay marriage would provide an environment that is just as good or even more conducive for children. As such, this unduly worries of legalization of gay marriage are truly redundant. Lastly, despite the fact that gay marriage is considered sinful by most religions, there has been an increase of religious organizations voicing their support for marriage equality. Parrella (2004a) mentioned Marriage offers us the ideal human setting for us to surrender our own self-importance and discover, through intimacy with another, the real heart and center of the universe in God—whether one uses the word God or not. This unconditional giving of ones self is at the core of a sacramental marriage in the Catholic tradition. . This has shown that it stays true even if a person is a homosexual as this sacramental understanding of marriage can also be applied to two individuals of the same gender. Moreover, a gay or lesbian orientation is not up to ones choice or decision but it is simply the way an individual is. Since all that matters to God is what is in the hearts and souls that God has given to us and that we seek to give to one another (Parrella, 2004b), it is only fair for us to give homosexuals their freedom to express themselves by legalizing gay marriages. In conclusion, although the legalization of gay marriages will lead to negative impacts on the society, it does not justify denying a person his equal rights just based on his/her sexual orientation. Moreover, recent statistics have shown that support for the legalization of gay marriages has risen dramatically in the past decade as younger generation with more accepting views are replacing older generation in the population. This can be seen by using data from 98 national surveys conducted between 2004 and 2011, â€Å"75% of the growth has come from people changing their minds. † (Lewis Hatalsky, 2013). Ultimately, marriage is the celebration of lifelong commitment between two individuals, regardless of gender. Hence, gay marriages should be legalized.

Beowulf Prepares for Battle Once Again :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf Prepares for Battle Once Again The section in which Beowulf gets ready for another monster begins with Hrothgar informing him of Aeschere's death. The murder has been committed by Grendel's mother who comes to avenge her son's death. This is the proper thing for her to do in this society. Revenge was of great importance in Pagan society. It was the norm to avenge a murder, especially if no wergild was paid. Hrothgar offers Beowulf additional wealth if he can find and kill the female monster. This arrangement Hrothgar makes with Beowulf, for a second time, is referred to as comitatus. Beowulf tells Hrothgar not to worry, that Aeschere's killer will be found. He reminds Hrothgar that time must not be wasted on sorrow when revenge must be taken immediately. He promises Hrothgar that the woman will "not be lost." Beowulf will seek her out at the bottom of the lake, where her home is located, and kill her. This promise that Beowulf makes is called a boast. Hrothgar thanks God that Beowulf has said this because his frie nd's murder must be avenged and the murderer stopped before she kills again. Hrothgar and his thanes gather and go with Beowulf to search for the woman's home. They know it is in a pool not far from the hall. By following the monster's tracks through a narrow, difficult path, they soon find the lake. The Danes are then horrified to see Aeschere's head on the "sea-cliff" above the water. Through all this action, the horn that continually plays the war song is mentioned. The pool is described as hot and bloody in the passage. This may be a reference to the Christian element of hell. The lake may allude to hell, not only because of the bloody appearance of the water, but also because of the grotesque serpents swimming in it. Serpents have been associated with evil in Christianity. In the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, Eve was tempted by an evil serpent. The snakes in the lake are probably there to enhance the atmosphere of evil in the region. A third reason why the home of the monsters may be likened to hell has to do with who Grendel is. Hell, in Christianity, is a place where people who have sinned must go to suffer. Grendel is a descendant of Cain, who committed fratricide, (killing of one's own brother or a brother-slayer), probably the most horrible act one could be guilty of, especially in this warrior society.

Inflation in the UK Economy Essay -- Economics Money England Essays

Inflation in the UK Economy Before starting to explain inflation it is necessary first to define it. Inflation can be described as a positive rate of growth in the general price level of goods and services. It is measured as a percentage increase over time in a price index such as the GDP deflator or the Retail Price Index. The RPI is a basket of over six hundred different goods and services, weighted according to the percentage of how much household income they take up. There are two measurements of this: the headline rate (includes all the items in the basket) and the underlying rate (RPIX) which excludes mortgage interest payments. It is the RPIX which is used more often in this country, as a feature of the UK when compared to the rest of Europe is a very high proportion of owner/occupier homeowners. This means that many people have mortgages, and as such, changes in interest rates (to control inflation) can artificially raise the headline rate. Causes of Inflation There are two main causes of inflation, 1) Demand Pull Inflation This is where the total demand for goods and services in the economy exceeds the total supply. This happens after excessive growth in aggregate demand, and creates an inflationary gap. Excess demand in the economy drives up prices, and high prices mean that Suppliers want to produce more units of their product in order to make more money. To supply more, they must increase their production capacity, and the easiest way to do this in the short run is to increase the amount of labour they employ. This means that they are paying more wages, so people will have more disposable income, and hence there is more demand in the economy. Demand pull inflation is often monetary in origin: when the money supply grows faster than the ability of the economy to supply goods and services. This concept is explained by the Quantity Theory of Money. The quantity theory of money holds that changes in the general level of prices are directly proportional to changes in the quantity of money. It is obvious though, that merely an increase in the supply would have no effect on prices. The increase must be spent in order for this to happen. This is where velocity of circulation (V) becomes important. If the total amount of all transactions is T, and the total amount of money is... ...sion (ie unemployment) are lagged ? they do not respond until after the damage has been done, and so, in the example of the Lawson Boom, because consumer demand did not respond swiftly to interest rate increases, rates were put up too much, which stifled growth instead of merely slowing it. Some people are now suggesting that the cycle of boom and bust has ended with the advent of e-commerce, as more and more firms employ increasingly fewer people, and are far more responsive to changes in demand. There is some empirical evidence to suggest this as inflation seems to have been fairly constant for the last few years (see appendix 2). However, whether this is due to e-commerce, the Bank of England having semi-autonomous control over interest rates, or some other factor, has yet to be seen. Bibliography Introductory Economics - GF Stanlake Chapter 11 Principles of Economics ? Lipsey and Chrystal Chapters 26- 32 Macroeconomics ? Greenaway and Shaw www.tutor2u.net ? inflation, income and unemployment statistics www.answersleuth.com/numbers/1970.shmtl ? chronology of oil prices www.thebankofengland.co.uk -The Bank of England ? interest rate statistics

I Admire

I admire a lot of people but the person I admire the most is my mother . She is the most important person in my life. There is no reason for me to live without her by my side. My mom is a veterinary doctor. She loved to help other because she says it was her dream when she was a child. She works hard every day and she likes to learn something new every day. She leads a wonderful family life; she is always cheerful and. She has been married for 3 years. I admire her because she is very intelligent, ambitious and she has many goals in her life.She takes care of us because she loves us. She is also a wonderful mother, very patient, sensitive and warm-hearted. She knows answers to every question, even those she’s very silly. Mom is so patient and sensible, even when she helps others to solve their problems. She is great fun to be with because she has a great sense of humor. My mother has many talents. She is a great runner, a good singer. Generally, Mum is a warm and friendly pers on. She is very patient and careful with everything that she does.She never lets social life get in the way of our relationship. She says that family is the most important things    in her life. She is very important to me, because she teaches me to be a better person every day. She is a good example to me and I love her for many more reasons. I admire my mom so much and I love her. She can always advise me. She wants the best things for our family . I want to be like her when I grow up and even if we were a thousand miles away our hearts will always be together and forever.

The Chemistry of Changing the Color of Egg Yolk

The Chemistry of Changing the Color of Egg Yolk Chickens and other poultry naturally produce eggs with pale yellow to orange yolks, largely depending on their diet. You can change the color of an egg yolk by changing what the chicken eats or by injecting a fat-soluble dye into an egg yolk. Egg Color and Nutrition Eggshell and yolk color are unrelated to the nutritional content or flavor of an egg. The shell color naturally ranges from white to brown depending on the breed of chicken. Yolk color depends on the diet fed to the hens. The shell thickness, cooking quality, and value of an egg is not affected by its color.​ Can I Dye Egg Yolks? The short answer is yes, you can dye them. However, because egg yolks contain lipids, you need to use a fat-soluble dye. Ordinary food colors can be used to change egg white color, but wont spread throughout an egg yolk. You can find oil-based food dyes at Amazon and at cooking stores. Simply inject the dye into the yolk and allow time for the color to permeate the yolk. Changing Yolk Color at the Source If you raise chickens, you can change the color of the yolks of the eggs they produce by controlling their diet. Specifically, you control the carotenoids  or xanthophylls they eat. Carotenoids are pigment molecules found in plants, responsible for the orange of carrots, red of beets, yellow of marigolds, purple of cabbages,  etc. Certain commercial pigments are available as supplements added to feed to influence egg yolk colors, such as  BASFs   Lucantin(R) red and Lucantin(R) yellow. Natural foods also affect yolk color. Yellow, orange, red, and possibly purple may be obtained, but for blue and green you likely have to resort to synthetic dyes. Yolk Color Ingredient nearly colorless white cornmeal pale yolks wheat, barley medium yellow yolks yellow cornmeal, alfalfa meal deep yellow yolks marigold petals, kale, greens orange to red yolks carrots, tomatoes, red peppers Foods That Naturally Influence Egg Yolk Color    Hard Boiled Green Egg Yolks You can get grayish green egg yolks by hard boiling eggs. The discoloration results from a harmless chemical reaction in which hydrogen sulfide produced by sulfur and hydrogen in the egg whites reacts with iron in the yolks. Few people consider this an attractive food color, so you may wish to prevent this reaction by immediately chilling eggs with cold water after hard boiling them.

Question Set on Oceans and Freshwater Ecosystems Essays

Question Set on Oceans and Freshwater Ecosystems Essays Question Set on Oceans and Freshwater Ecosystems Essay Question Set on Oceans and Freshwater Ecosystems Essay Compare and contrast the main types of freshwater ecosystems. Name and describe the major zones of a typical pond or lake. All freshwater systems are relatively pure and have few dissolved salts. Types of freshwater systems include surface water, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, and groundwater. All of the systems are located on and in different parts of the earth. They are all in the 3% of freshwater systems on earth. The zones of a lake are the littoral zone, the liniment zone, the profoundly zone, and the benthic zone. 2. Describe three benefits and three costs of damming rivers. What particular environmental, health, and social concerns has Chinas Three Gorges Dam and its reservoir raised? Benefits include preventing floods, providing drinking water, and facilitating irrigation. Costs of dams include expenses, slowing of river flows, and erosion of tidal marshes. Many people were displaced from their homes, tidal marshes eroded, and many pollutants were trapped in the reservoir. 3. Why do the Colorado, ROI Grandee, Nile, and Yellow Rivers now slow to a trickle or run dry before reaching their deltas? It is result of our diversions and our consumption. We are withdrawing surface water at an unsustainable rate. 4. Name three major types of water pollutants, and provide an example of each. List three properties of water that scientists use to determine water quality. Nutrient pollution is from fertilizers, farms, sewage, lawns. There are pathogen and waterborne diseases (bacteria pollution). There is also thermal pollution. Three indicators are biological indicators, chemical indicators, and physical indicators. 5. What are some anthropogenic sources of groundwater pollution? Some sources of illusion are pesticides, nitrates, and pathogens like Escherichia coli 6. Describe how drinking water is treated. Our water is chemically treated, filtered, and disinfected. 7. How does a septic system work? Underground septic tanks separate solids and oils from waste water. Water drains into a drain field where microbes decompose the pollutant. Solid waste is periodically pumped out and landfill. 8. Describe and explain the major steps in the process of wastewater treatment. How can artificial wetlands aid such treatment? Screens and the grit tank. The primary clarifier. Aeration basin. Secondary clarifier. Filtering and disinfection. Microbes decompose the remaining pollutants in artificial wetlands. 9. Seeking Solutions p. 429-430 Answer three out of six questions. Write the numbers of the questions you are answering. #l : We can lessen agricultural demand for water by reducing the amount of crops we grow annually. We can reduce household consumption by turning off faucets, taking shorter showers, and flush toilets once after using it. We can reduce industrial uses of water by not buying bottled water. #2: Desalination will remove the salt from seawater or water Of original quality. Two methods include distilling (evaporates and condenses ocean water) and reverse osmosis (forces water through membranes to filter out salts. Because the land is arid so there isnt much water available. #5 1 would apply water restriction like the ones we had during the NC drought. People will not be able to water lawns and wash cars. I would promote household water conservation. I would try to do both because if we lower how much we use but we acquire more supply then we will have water when we really need it. Chapter 16 1. What proportion of Earths surface do oceans cover? What is the average salinity of ocean water? How are density, salinity and temperature related in each layer of ocean water? 75% of the earth is covered in ocean water. Ocean water is 96. 5% water and ions of dissolved salts. As you go deeper the salinity gets higher and the temperature declines. 2. What is causing ocean acidification? What consequences do scientists expect ocean acidification to bring about? The ocean is absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The ocean surface water may soon become saturated with as much CO as it can hold. Once it reaches the limit the climate will accelerate. . Where in the oceans are productive areas of biological activity likely to be found? The photonic zone is where nearly all of the oceans primary productivity takes place. 4. Why are coral reefs biologically valuable? How are they being degraded by human impact? What is causing the disappearance of mangrove forests and salt marshes? Coral reefs are treasure troves of biodiversity. They provide a complex physical structure in shallow marathoners waters. They have undergone coral bleaching, a process that occurs when contextually die or eave the coral, depriving it of nutrition. Nutrient pollution is also a problem. It causes algal growth throughout the reef. Mangrove forests are developed for residential, commercial, and recreational uses. Shrimp farming is a large cause of the disappearance Of mangrove forests. 5. What is meant by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Discuss three ways in which people are fighting pollution in the oceans and on our coasts. Circulating currents bring and trap plastic trash to areas specifically in the northern pacific gyred from California to Hawaii to Japan. It is the size of Texas.