EIA Assessment for Loch Urr Wind Farm

EIA Assessment for Loch Urr Wind Farm Carbon Emissions by the Loch Urr Wind Farm Wind farms are located on the peat lands that usually accommodate huge stocks of improperly protected carbon (Energy sources 2012).Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on EIA Assessment for Loch Urr Wind Farm specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The project, therefore, poses a great threat in the increase of the overall carbon losses. The soil in the Loch Urr has surface organic horizon which is greater than 50 cm in depth (Werner 2010, p. 201). Hence, the project is set to impact carbon emissions to the environment. The carbon is subjected to loss when constructing wind farm, where carbon is lost from the excavated peat (Shogren 2013, p 214). Carbon is also lost from the project area due to drainage (Built Environment-Scottish Government 2012). Some of the constructions that lead to carbon emissions include track preparation, construction of the turbine foundations, and transport ation of the materials to the project area. The legislation and policy covers for carbon emissions In Scotland, there are several policies that have been formulated to govern all projects causing the emission of carbon into the environment. Some of the governing bodies involved in the implementation of the policies include the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), The National Planning Framework (NPF), and the local policy. NPF is a national policy providing the principal planning approach for Scotland. The regulations set by the national government to control the development of projects in Scotland have been outlined in it (Great 2012).Advertising Looking for coursework on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The stipulated laws dictate that require that all the applications of the planning permission must be formulated in consensus with the development arrangement where the exceptions are indicated and directed otherwise (Great 2012). The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is a vital organ that determines and ascertains whether the project developers have accurately outlined the regulations of the carbon losses and savings to reduce the overall emissions. This policy necessitating the involvement of SEPA is fundamental in ensuring that the project developers do not pollute the environment since they follow procedures directed towards sustainable development (Energy Sources-Scotland n.d.). The final policy is the European EIA legislation which participates in covering this parameter. The project developers must adhere to the directives set in the various articles within the European EIA legislation (Montini and Bogdanović 2011). The primary need of this legislation is to protect the environment in accordance to the article five that advocates against release of pollutant gases to the environment (Proposal for a Directive-European Commission- Europa 2012). Discussion and examples of the baseline data Even though global warming emissions are not always associated to the functioning of the wind turbines in the farms, there are some cases where these releases arise from different stages in the development of their life cycle (Environmental impacts of wind power n.d.). Some of the activities that lead to emission of carbon by the wind farm in Loch Urr include materials production, on-site construction, transportation of materials, projects that involve operations and maintenance, dismantling, and decommissioning (Koeller, Koeppel and Peters 2006, p. 21).Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on EIA Assessment for Loch Urr Wind Farm specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The available data on the level of carbon emissions from the wind farms shows that the power results to insignificant emissions of carbon (Shogren 2013, p. 214). However, arguments have been raised that carbon dioxide takes 72 % of the effects on global warming. A comprehensive cross-examination of the carbon emitted by the wind farm indicates that there is a high percentage of carbon emitted from its activities (Bryce 2011, p. 148). In this regard, the life cycle of carbon emissions in relation to the on-shore wind generation have been estimated at 10 kg per 1 MWh of the electricity generated (Shogren 2013, p. 214). This implies that generating electrical energy to serve cities lead to heavy carbon emissions. However, it is anticipated that prior to following the regulations on gas emissions, the releases will reduce by 42% by the year 2020. Apparently, the investigation of the gas emissions, there remains a gap due to lack of adequate investigation on the release of the non-greenhouse gases during the production process (Lyster 2006). Few developers tend to give estimates of the other percentile gases that the project will emit into the atmosphere. It has been reported that there are many incidences whe re the construction of the wind farm contributes to the loss of carbon compared to its saving (Bryce 2011, p. 148). This does not imply that there is no savings made on the carbon from the wind farms (Shogren 2013, p. 214). The calculation of the carbon emissions that can be attributed to the drainage of peat is obtained from the discharge happening when soil is left in its natural state which is retrieved from the emissions arising from the removal (Transport Scotland n.d.).Advertising Looking for coursework on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is assumed that the total percent of carbon lost when decommissioning the farms is a hundred percent (Energy sources 2010). It is, therefore, advisable for the project developers of the wind farm to follow the strategies that will emit least carbon to the environment strictly. Discussion on the type of prediction methods that could be used for the parameter Prediction would involve the techniques that have been used to forecast the future impacts of the project. There are two types of the prediction methods that can be employed to estimate emissions. These are the extrapolation method and the scenario method. In the scenario design, the process is a situation based planning process used to order someone’s perception concerning the substitute future environments where the present decisions may play out (Richard 2011, p. 89). The extrapolative methods draw trends on the past and the present data (Morgan 2001, p. 89). In this process, there are comparisons made concerning the situations as well as the study of direct impacts on several related projects (Richard 2011, p. 89). Using this method may also necessitate primary surveys in order to get information. The technique will involve visiting Loch Urr area to examine the soil condition and then make comparisons with the other related projects situated under similar soil conditions. The other important method that can be used is the normative methods. This works by assessing the project’s environmental context and its potential to achieve the desired outcomes (Richard 2011). In Loch Urr, the desired direct impact of the carbon emission is the change in Europe climate. Discussion on the possible mitigation measures for the significant impacts on carbon emissions There are numbers of significant impacts caused by the emission of carbon in Loch Urr. The significant impacts are loss of carbon from the soil and increase in the level of the greenhouse gasses leading to global warming (Dinan 2008, p. 24) . The mitigation measures that can be undertaken to minimize these impacts are as follows: Carbon emitted as a result of transportation- This scan is reduced by the use of the transportation means that may not make many trips to the construction sites (Energy Sources-Scotland n.d.). The mitigation measure will involve the use of bigger carriers that will travel to the construction site a few times compared to the small carriers. During the construction, the constructors should put mechanisms that curb the emission of the carbon into the environment such as burning of the construction materials (Good practice during wind farm construction, 2010). Loss of carbon due to drainage- The project developers should put in place the reinforcement measures such as the stabilization of the hillside through insertion of the elements for the reinforcement in the ground, and the mechanical treatment (Energy Sources-Scotland n.d.). Decrease in the level of carbon in the soil- This can be prevented by the construction of the â€Å"floating track†. Floating tracks will ensure that the supporting subsoil and the vegetation in the area remain intact. This measurement may result in the production of less amount of carbon into the environment as compared to when the land was excavated during the construction of roads (Energy Sources-Scotland n.d.). Operational maintenance should also be conducted in the wind farm. The maintenance should be done with care to ensure that little or no carbon is emitted into the air (Energy Sources-Scotland n.d.). Waste management should also be checked to prevent the emission of carbon through unintended ways. Agencies Involvement The agencies involved include the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Directorate for the Built Environment, and Transport Scotland. The SEPA will be involved in the scoping stage. This agency is bound to provide important information on the proposed scheme (Energy Sources-Scotland n.d.). The directorat e of the built environment will also be involved since they are mandated to formulate, implement, and monitor legislation and policies concerning any construction. This agency will be involved before the construction of the floating track. They will provide important information on the guidelines of how to construct the floating tracks and the rules governing their construction (Transport Scotland n.d.). This bureau is also concerned with the examination of the development plans in Scotland implying that their involvement throughout the project implementation would be of high impact into the success of the project (Transport Scotland n.d.). Lastly, the Transport Scotland would be involved through consultation during the construction phase. The agencies would provide very important information based on the impacts of the turbines’ constructions and some of the possible mitigation measures that would be built up by the developers to curb any negative impact of the project (Tran sport Scotland n.d.). Use of EIS by competent authorities The EIS would be presented to the Scottish ministers to help them in determining whether the project is practical or not. They will use this EIS to countercheck the developers’ statements based on the expected emissions and savings. After the ministers have considered the merits and the demerits of this project, they will be in a position to say whether the project developers should continue with the project or stop its implementation. The provided impacts on the carbon emissions will guide the Scottish ministers to evaluate whether the developers have set all the mitigation measures to curb the problems that would arise from the impacts. Otherwise, the government would not be in a position to give any directions concerning the state of the project. Therefore, the concerned authorities should comprehensively examine the EIS. References Bryce, R 2011, Power Hungry the Myths of Green Energy and the Real Fuels of the Futu re. New York, Public Affairs. Built Environment-Scottish Government n.d., viewed on scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment. Dinan, T 2008, Policy options for reducing COâ‚‚ emissions, Washington DC, Congressional Budget Office. Energy Sources-Scotland n.d., viewed on scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Energy-sources/19185/17852-1/CSavings. Environmental Impacts of Wind Power n.d., viewed on ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power.html. Good practice during wind farm construction, 2010, viewed on snh.org.uk/pdfs/strategy/. Great, B 2012, National planning policy framework 2012: report from the London, TSO, viewed on https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6000/2115548.pdf. Koeller, J, Koeppel, J Peters, W 2006, Offshore wind energy research on environmental impacts, New York, Springer. Lyster, R 2006, Energy law and the environment, Cambridge, Cambridge Univ. Press. Montini, M, Bogdanović, S 2011, Environmental Security in South-Eastern Europe: International Agreements and their Implementation, Dordrecht, Springer. Morgan, R 2001, Environmental impact assessment: a methodological perspective, Kluwer Acad. Publishers, Dordrecht. Proposal for a Directive-European Commission- Europa 2012, viewed on http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eia/pdf/COM-2012-628.pdf. Shogren, J 2013, Encyclopedia of energy, natural resource, and environmental economics, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam. Transport Scotland n.d., viewed on transportscotland.gov.uk/. Werner, L 2010, Soil Carbon Dynamics, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Essay Sample on HR Technique during Periods of Change and Uncertainty

Essay Sample on HR Technique during Periods of Change and Uncertainty It is widely believed that one can fool anybody for all time, one can fool everybody for a short time but it is impossible to fool everybody for all time. This is the focal point of the above statement. I believe that an organization is a long termed project and not just a sort termed profit making scam. To attain success in the long term and attain success an organization must look into issues that would help the organization in the long term. One such issue is to maintain sustainability over a long period of time and to attain sustainability the most important variable related to an organization is Trust with a capital T. It is this trust that helps an organization to be fruitful and develop. By using the word trust it is not meant to be applicable to any specific firm or individual. It is not only applicable towards clients and suppliers but it is relevant to everybody associated with the company or organization. This principle could be formulated into a HR technique that would yield surplus in the long run. Trust is not just about the stake holders of the company but more so it is applicable towards its employees too. There is no meaning of showing a bright future where there is none; rather it would be far more positive attitude to reveal everything that is true about the organization. It is not only a moral approach but a trust building operation that would prove to be helpful in future and a HR manager would never let go a chance to win the faith of a worker. (Mukherjee, 28) Revealing the open truth about the company is the most effective way of taking an employee into complete confidence. If you need a custom essay, research paper, thesis, term paper, dissertation on Management, Business or other discipline feel free to contact our professional custom writing service.

Poet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poet - Essay Example Having no experience at all on wars or anything related to fighting, the hobbit was hesitant at first but he eventually agreed to join the wizard’s team on an adventure of his life. Nevertheless, he was always perceived by Thorin as a liability and a burden to them because they have to protect him from being harmed- a condition that adds to the leader’s responsibilities. Therefore, the hobbit thought of going back home. However, after some emotional reactions and thoughts of leaving the team, the hobbit’s abilities were then put to test when unexpectedly, the members of the group faced danger in the hands of the goblins. Nonetheless, before he was finally accepted as a hero, the hobbit had to go through some dangers by himself, coming face to face with Golum, a deceiving carnivore corrupted by a magical golden ring. Eventually, he escapes his enemy and rejoins the group who also managed to escape the goblins with the help of Gandalf. However, that was not the end of their dilemma because shortly right after, they again faced the orcs. In his anger, Thorin attacked their leader but was badly hurt and became unconscious. It was then that the hobbit courageously faced the orc. With the help of birds, the team were rescued and brought to a safe place. From there they continued their journey to the Lonely Mountain to destroy the dragon and the story continues until the kingdom is reclaimed (Tolkien). The narration may be a fantasy story nevertheless it portrays facts about life which are observed even in modern times. The Hobbit tells similar themes expressed by Robert Zimmerman, popularly known as Bob Dylan, a singer-songwriter, musician, artist and writer who wrote the poem entitled Desolation Row. The poem is an enjambment, having lines of varying lengths continuing over a line break (poetryarchive.org), which presents ancient and modern worldviews on politics, leadership, virtues and even negative characteristics such as envy, greed and lust . In The Hobbit, it is narrated that Lonely Mountain was once a powerful and successful kingdom, respected and admired for its vast wealth (Tolkien). However, because of the old king’s love for gemstone’s the gem that soon brought disaster to the kingdom was discovered. During the attack of the great dragon on the dwarves’ kingdom, the elves who were once their allies did not even give a helping hand. Therefore, a gap was built between the two kingdoms. Similarly, Desolation Row discusses such theme of racism, hatred, vengeance and injustices. The first part of the poem speaks about the lynching in 1920 when three African-American circus workers were accused of raping a white girl although they were never found guilty (Tuffley). The act is said to have been performed because the accused were Blacks. Their side of the story was never heard. In the same manner, Thorin perceived the elves as his enemies simply because he saw them turn their backs when the great dra gon attacked their kingdom. After the good relationships the two kingdoms shared, there has been a separation between the dwarves and the elves, at least in Thorin’s mind. Nevertheless, as the wise wizard said, the elves must have reasons for their actions which Thorin must also consider and understand (Tolkien). Other themes such as greed- a characteristic that led to the old king’s destruction and the corruption of Gollum, is also discussed in the poem through the lines

Helping the Elderly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Helping the Elderly - Essay Example Going by this theory, elders are in the stage of self actualization and in this stage, they are not attracted by desires etc. All they need is peace and they will be in a position where they know about themselves clearly. At this stage most of the needs are fulfilled. Relating the theory with the case clearly shows one of the major needs of elders - health. Most of the elders are in need of drugs and medicines to relieve them from their diseases. So medicine also becomes the basic need for elders. Most of the drug/medicine businesses are targeted at this basic need of elders. The elders are in a stage of dependency due to their physical and mental weakness. In this case, both the government and Insurance companies must come to the aid of elders as the elders depend directly on medicine for their survival. The role of Doctors, Health care Industry (Drugs), Insurance Companies and Government have a direct impact on the life of elders. These key persons must change their attitude and mindset from looking at elders as a revenue source and start helping them in their own ways. It's no secret that average costs of prescription drugs have raised dramatically in the past decade. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, average retail prices for brand name drugs in the United States more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, from $27 in 1990 to $65 in 2000. The obvious question is: Why? One of the major reasons is the advertising cost spent by health care companies. The amount of money that has been spent promoting drugs since the new FDA regulations went into effect is staggering. In 1996, the drug industry spent $791 million on mass media advertising. Four years later, that number more than tripled to $2.5 billion. ... I approached the case study considering the important people in the case. i.e. Doctors Health care Industry (Drugs) Insurance Companies Government Elders The role of Doctors, Health care Industry (Drugs), Insurance Companies and Government have a direct impact on the life of elders. These key persons must change their attitude and mindset from looking at elders as a revenue source and start helping them in their own ways. The decisions to be taken by doctors are to charge less to elders. The decisions to be taken by health care industry personnel are to provide drugs at a cheap cost to elders. The decisions to be taken by Insurance companies are to charge low premium from elders and compensate them quickly on their medical expenses. The decisions to be taken by Government are to provide tax cut and provisions on high priced medicines to elders. If possible, the Government must distribute them free of cost to elders. Why are prescription drug prices so high The drug prices are tremendously huge. It's no secret that average costs of prescription drugs have raised dramatically in the past decade. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, average retail prices for brand name drugs in the United States more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, from $27 in 1990 to $65 in 2000. The obvious question is: Why One of the major reasons is the advertising cost spent by health care companies. The amount of money that has been spent promoting drugs since the new FDA regulations went into effect is staggering. In 1996, the drug industry spent $791 million on mass media advertising. Four years later, that number more than tripled to $2.5 billion. All told, the U.S. drug industry spent $15.7 billion

Addiction Studies Final Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Addiction Studies Final Study Guide Essay 1. List and describe five (5) of the eleven (11) relapse warnings signs that were discuss in class. 1. Change in Attitude may occur and the recovering person may stop attending meetings or have lack of participation at their meetings. They may engage in addictive thinking (stinkin thinking). 2. Elevated Stress may happen if little things begin to build up over time, especially if they are not handles with healthy coping skills or are all together overlooked or ignored. This can also happen when a recovering person choose to over react to life changes. 3. Reactivation of Denial happens when stressors begin to take root ad get to the recovering person back into feeding their old ways of thinking. They could begin to think they need their substance(s)every once in a while or tell themselves they CANT stay sober all the time, or even lie to themselves and let themselves think a little won’t hurt, or one time wont make a difference etc. (feed into denials). See more: Social process essay 4. Recurrence post-acute withdrawal symptoms might begin to surface again and a recovering person may experiences sleeplessness, increased anxiety, and even memory loss. Depression usually can continue long after abstaining from drugs/alcohol. 5. Behavior Changes such as slight changes in the routine or altering the already established method that had previously been working without real reason for making such changes. 6. Social breakdown is when the recovering person may start to feel uncomfortable around others. They may see or call their sponsor less to prevent anyone from noticing these changes. They may avoid family or friends who may try to intervene or just feel like the are unable to relate to people the same not that they have experienced so much. They may have fears of letting others in or telling too much and this can cause somewhat of social isolation with gives more opportunity for the recovering person to lie to themselves. 7. Loss of Structure is once the recovering person completely abandons the daily routine that they had developed during their early sobriety as ways to keep themselves sober and on the right track. This could also happen is some major event such as losing a job or having to move or loss of an apartment or current living situation. 8. Loss of Judgment is seen when the recovering person has trouble making decisions and has a difficult time managing feelings and emotions. 9. Loss of Control is when the individual makes irrational decisions choices an is unable to interrupt or alter the choices they are making. They may start to cut off people who were once positive persons or would be able to offer help and may think he/she can return to social drinking or minimal rug use recreationally. 10. Loss of Options is seen once the recovering person begins to limit their available options and stops attending meetings with counselor and support system. Addicted person may have feelings of loneliness, frustration, resentment and anger. 11. Relapse is when the individual actually attempts reusing/substituting use. The addict may think this is controlled social or short term alcohol/drug use but ultimately is still a relapse in recovery. Disappointment at the results follows almost immediately and the individual experiences shame and guilt and may even use these feelings as an excuse or reason to continue using if they do not seek out help. 2. Identify six (6) client engagement/counseling techniques discussed in class and discuss how they could potentially increase the client counselor relationship. 1. Establishing the relationship may be one of the initial barriers you may have to overcome. This can be done by having authentic conversations or using a sense of humor to help the client relax. Listening is the counselor’s main focus and primary role though. Listening to a client may be something they are not always use to. Many people probably tell them what they should be doing or how they are doing things wrong; but they might not often get the opportunity to think for themselves. When it is not the drug/alcohol controlling them, it is often others around them. Use the opportunity to ask your client what they think of things and asking them what they want or what is their perspective. Taking the time to invest in your client by considering their response gives them time to discover for themselves what are issues they may have or want to work on. Be careful to remember it is about them, not you. Once the client sees they can trust you they will begin to open up and this p otentially is the very beginning or real change and becoming accountable for their own story (if you listen without being judgmental). 2. Empowerment is felt by the client if the counselor helps find was or the client to take power over their own actions. Helping the client see they are not being forced to do anything, and they can ultimately decide what they want to do creates a feeling of being in control. Sometimes a client may be court ordered and if they dont want to talk and dont make them, let them sit there and they may begin to have a conversation out of bored. Letting them know they get to decide to do whatever it is that they want to and they can make the most out of it if you want to. One the client begins to see they are responsible for their own outcomes they become more accountable and more involved in their own recovery. The harder they work for it, the more motivated they will be to keep up with all their hard work because they earned it and it wasnt given to them. 3. Helping the client discover their vulnerabilities (times they may feel most weak such as when they are hungry, angry, lonely, tired etc) and triggers allows the client to identity a time they may need to have a support plan for. One a problem area is discover the client can begin to make a plan as to what they can do to over time these times which will help them get better results. Each occasion they are prepared for will help them be more successful at overcoming and thus building up their own belief in themselves. 4. Helping the client gain positive support is curial for recovery. Just by investing time in your own client you become a part of this support system. Also helping them find other groups that appeal to them (not every meeting is right for everyone and being understanding when they have negative feed about one group, being sure not to punish their feelings but to encourage searching for another group etc) may give them the added support they need in between sessions and may also help with finding new friends who have similar goals at achieving sobriety is great reinforcement. 5.Helping the client establish goals for themselves help gives short term objectives to not only keep them working the program (even when theyre not in the meeting or in sessions) but keeps their brain focusing on treatment. Helping and encouraging the client to make realistic and achievable goals that they are likely to be successful with is helpful in feeling empowered and builds self-esteem and self-worth along with adds to feelings that sobriety is possible (if you take one step at a time, one day at a time etc). 6. Assisting the client in further development with life skills such as stress or anger management help gives the client alternatives and healthier coping skills. Giving the client the ability to make good decisions by advancing their knowledge and education often increases the likeliness they will make positive decisions. This often acts as a coaching mechanism and teaches the client there are other options and reinforces they have choices are responsible for their actions. 3. Discuss the advantages of the group modality of treatment? The advantages of group treatment is they often instill hope by hearing other success stories or even hearing others having similar struggles and knowing that they are not alone is helpful. They help individuals accept themselves for who they are or what life they have and give strength to one another in a group effort. The shared experiences add effectiveness and make the struggles seem more normal or manageable as you see everyone work on similar goals. The group meetings usually offer education and support and because there is no hierarchy or leader and they are self-governing; there are roles of group responsibility. Every person then becomes equally important and serves a purpose. Because most groups are free they are available to anyone and because they are offered just about everyone (including online) they are accessible to everyone regardless of income or having insurance or a vehicle. The group setting promises anonymity which opens the doors to being more honest without fear of reprimand or condemnation. This can help reduce level of shame in knowing there are others who have mad the same mistakes and are working toward resolving them and still have hope. 4. When is individual counseling a preferred modality of treatment? Individual counseling is available and is recommended as another element of therapy and recovery for each individual, but is not necessary or required in order to recover. Individual counseling is often a preferred modality of treatment for those whose demographic (are minorities: teens, women, bi, lesbian, gay, transsexual communities, particular religious groups/extremes etc) can have a profound impact upon the patient’s ability to confront underlying problems (social acceptance, past physical/emotion/sexual abuse, traumatic experiences etc) and establish a solid foundation for recovery. At times courts also offer individual counseling in order to determine if there are underlying issues (such as mental health/ developmental disabilities). Clinicians who work with specialty programs should have training in the issues pertaining specifically to that population and should be trained in different specialty programs that will have sensitivity to those issues that the majority and average clinicians may not have. 5. List five (5) mental health disorders that are commonly associated with addictive disorders? The most common mental health disorders that are commonly associated with addictive disorders are antisocial personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenic disorder, and bulimia. 1.Anxiety Disorders (ADHD, generalize anxiety)2.Psychotic Disorders (schizophrenia)3.Mood Disorders (bipolar and major depression)4.Personality Disorders (borderline and antisocial) 6. Give five (5) reasons that persons with mental illnesses might stop taking their medications. There are many reasons why someone might stop taking their prescribed medication, but especially those with mental illnesses seem to struggle with regular medication maintenance for reasons such as simply forgetting to take their medications, the cost of their medications (especially if they have no health insurance or are in poverty), they may even have he distorted perception and the belief that they are cured or may simply miss the positive symptoms (such as the manic phases of bipolar) or sadly, may have gotten misguided advise from others in recovery that medication is not needed. 7. What are the family rules, identified by Claudia Black, that have been associated with families that have been impacted by addiction and the purpose they serve? Dont talk, dont trust, dont feel, are common rules for children in families with addicts. These rules are often not written or verbalized (unspoken), but work almost like understood laws known by the family of those suffering from addiction. They know better than to talk about someone illness in their family, including talking to others within the family about the family problems. Silence is learned as demonstrated by these who serve role models in the family and the children learn to minimize, discount, rationalize, and pretend things are different than how they really are and often dont learn how to express themselves. The reasons behind learning these unspoken rules serves as a way to hide shame, embarrassment, protection from being blamed for something they didnt do, and almost serves as a way of loyalty to the family unit. These children often experience many disappointments that results in learning not to count on others or believe promises made anyone. Children are not given a way to express the feelings the stem from this environment and ultimately learn its better not to have feelings to talk about. Sadly, this is often a cycle and often times, these children, end up the addicts of the next generation. 8. List and describe the family roles that have been associated with addiction and other high stress family dynamics. Addiction is a disease the effects the entire family, not just the addict themselves. Often times, those within the family take on certain roles if struggling with dysfunction or addiction; some of those role are: The â€Å"star†-who is the addict themselves and is often controlling the entire family, the enabler-who is often the spouse of the addicted person and act dependently with them, the hero-often times is the oldest or older child who tries to help the family by being perfect and over achieves to make up for the lack of others, the scapegoat-often acts as a person to blame for the problems in the family and may often cause trouble to draw attention away the bigger issues of the family, the forgotten child-often is the younger child who doesn’t get the attention that they need because of the bigger issues taking priority, and the clown can be any person in the family who tries to make light within the stressful times as a way for everyone to cope. 9. Discuss why Harm Reduction as a concept that is somewhat controversial in the treatment /recovery profession. Harm reduction is the concept of no longer attempting to help the individual abstain from chemicals (after years or multiple failed intervention/recovery programs based on the assumption that it is possible to change behaviors over time) but immediately help reduce consequences of their continued substance abuse (until, hopefully, the individual accepts abstinence as a goal) meanwhile reducing the damage being done by their continued use of chemicals. Examples of such models are nicotine replacement therapy, needle exchange programs, and methadone maintenance programs. These programs are considered providing replacements chemicals in a controlled manner so that the individual is less likely to share or reuse dirty needles or engage in criminal behaviors and activities in order to obtain the substances to abuse which ultimately is thought to help reduced the spread of infectious diseases as well as reduce some cost to Medicare/Medicaid and other insurance premiums of users who destroy their health as well as abuse ER/hospitals as a way to get prescription etc. Harm reduction does have some obvious advantages, but likewise also had the potential to be an enabling way for users to continue use. Many 12 step programs teach about the important of consequences serving as motivation for change and believe harm reduction serves as a way to prolong the user’s efforts to get the help they need. Others argue that this serves the community more so than the addict, while helping the addict continue to kill/hurt themselves for the benefit of the community by hoping to decrease (unpreventable/uncontrollable) criminal behaviors. It is argued that addicts will still continue to use dirty needles, get additional drugs, and also participate still in illegal activity and that harm reduction just adds to the addiction.

A Not So-Perfect Pancake Essay -- Personal Narrative Family Essays

Not So-Perfect Pancake The form of the pancake my mother made for me every morning was always unpredictable. Sometimes, they would come out perfectly, smooth and round with sprinkles of love blended in. Other times, they would be mushy, uneven shapes that seemed to pile onto the plate. It was just like life, sometimes things would go as planned without any wrinkles, smooth, and other times I would need a steamy iron to get rid of the bunching wrinkles. Overall though, the pancakes symbolized my mother's loyalty to me and served as a bonding tool. Waking up at 6:00 was never something I enjoyed. In fact, it was more of a wrestling match between my alarm clock and me. Staggering out of bed, I would somehow manage to drag myself into the shower and progress to drying my hair and finding clothes, on a good day they would even match. Then, I would routinely plop down onto the red and white-checkered cushion that covered my favorite stool, and eat the breakfast my mother made for me. It was always the same, a single chocolate chip pancake with whip cream on top. Why I chose a chocolate chip pancake and not something else like poached eggs with biscuits, I'm not sure. Perhaps it was because I loved how the chocolate chips would melt into the rest of the pancake adding a semi sweet taste to a normally bland breakfast, or it could be blamed on my pickiness as an eater. Once I found something I liked, I rarely strayed from it. More practically though, it was because my mother could prepare the batter the night before making it quicker and easier to cook in the morning. During the times I was on schedule, a rarity for me in the morning, I would slowly savor each bite and talk to my half asleep mother about little things: the fight... ...help of my family and the return of my sister it was able to transform into a perfect delectable and delicious pancake. And why did my mother wake up to make me one every morning? I heard her talking on the phone to my brother. Living in Alaska, there is a five-hour time change, and he called one morning expecting to leave a message on the answering machine. Instead he got my mothers dreary voice. I could assume what he was saying on the other line, "Mom, why are you up so early?" She replied with "making Helena breakfast". He obviously questioned the importance of that because the next words out of her mouth were "if I have to sacrifice an hour and a half of sleep to make sure she eats and starts the day off right then I will". It had been five years since I overcame my eating disorder and still my mother proved to me that she never breaks her promises.

Impact Of Insomnia On Daytime Ability To Function Essay

Insomnia pertains to a symptom that is characterized by the difficulty in falling asleep. In other cases, insomnia is also involved in not being able to sleep for the required number of hours each night. It is thus pertinent to describe insomnia as a symptom associated with poor quality or insufficiency of sleep. Several factors may trigger the symptom of insomnia in an individual, hence this condition can be considered as situational, wherein a certain incident may result in an individual’s inability to sleep. Insomnia may also be described based on its occurrence in an individual, thus resulting in intermittent or persistent forms (Davidson 109). Insomnia generally occurs with another medical condition, such as a psychiatric disease or drug abuse. The importance of treatment regimens for insomnia has been the focus of biomedical research as it has long been established that insomnia does not resolve through time. More importantly, it has been reported that insomnia can significantly affect the quality of life of an individual. In addition, insomnia can result in the further progression of a psychiatric disorder, thus putting a patient at greater risk for mental health deterioration (Davidson 112). It has also been observed that the occurrence of insomnia is positively correlated to the frequency of consultations with a physician, as additional medical disorders are caused by this sleeping symptom. Impact of insomnia on sleep As insomnia is a symptom that affects sleep, it is important to determine the causative factors that result in such condition. The most common factors that influence the occurrence of insomnia include stressful incidents in the life of an individual. Death of a loved one, as well as conflict with another individual, often results in insomnia (Davidson 110). Illness and problems with work or study can also result in a difficulty in sleeping. Environmental factors may also result in insomnia, such as that of residing in a location where there is constant noise from traffic or construction. Social conditions may also influence the occurrence of insomnia, such as that of caring for a newborn baby right after childbirth. However, it should be understood that the sleeping patterns of pregnant women after generally disturbed and thus may even be more severe after childbirth. It has been suggested that post-partum insomnia may be possibly due to the mother’s instinct of providing constant care for her child, in terms of feeding and cleaning the baby. Other social factors that result in insomnia include having an adolescent child who spends evenings outside the home and the parents worriedly stay awake until their child comes home (Davidson 110). Age has also been reported to influence the occurrence on insomnia. It has been observed that insomnia is a common symptom that afflicts women who have reached the transition stage into menopause, as this phase of their life causes much distress to them. Caring for a sick elderly individual also results in insomnia, as the caretaker vigilantly checks on an older individual throughout the night. This condition tends to be more difficult when the elderly person is also suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, which is generally characterized by straying to other places even in the late hours of the night. The caretaker thus tends to keep watch over the actions of the elderly person in order to keep him from harm. Impact of insomnia of waking functioning Circadian rhythm pertains to the cyclic patterns that an individual undertakes based on a synchronizing stimulus. Most living species synchronize their activities based on the most ominous factor, which is the light emanating from the sun. In the case of human beings, sunlight determines whether it is time to awaken or to sleep. The presence of light also influences the majority of the physiologic activities of the human body, including the time of the meals in an entire day. The circadian clock of every individual is thus set according to the standard day, wherein sunlight in present for approximately 12 hours and absence for another 12 hours. Within the evening, the human body is programmed to rest and this is mainly through sleep. The occurrence of insomnia can affect an individual’s circadian rhythm as the length or the quality of sleep is affected. An individual with insomnia may be awake at least half of the night and thus find poor coordination in his motor and mental skills during the day. Individuals who work on a shift basis are often affected by insomnia as they are generally assigned to different hours every few months (Shechter 15). Healthcare personnel, such as nurses and technologists, are usually assigned to work on the night shift for 3 months and thus their circadian rhythm is misaligned during this period. Once they return to their daytime shift, they find difficulty in falling asleep as their bodies have already adjusted to a modified circadian rhythm (Shechter 14). The same conditions also occur in other jobs that are associated with changes in shift duties, including those in the police departments and other 24-hour surveillance jobs. The perturbation in the circadian rhythm and its association to the onset of insomnia often results in the deterioration of the quality of work of an individual or a poor performance in school. In addition, an individual with insomnia usually shows poor cognitive capacity, as well as a decrease in the productivity at work. These individuals often lack the capacity to focus on their activities, resulting in accidents (Shechter 15). It is a common occurrence that drivers get into accidents due to the lack of sleep and thus their motor skills and reflex actions are not that reactive during the day. Polysomnographic features of insomnia Polysomnographic studies have shown that an individual with insomnia is generally characterized to have a short latency period during their sleep (Shechter 14). In addition, the sleep efficiency of these individuals is significantly low, resulting in the frequent and easy awakening by even simple stimuli in their immediate environment. The rapid eye movement (REM) and sigma sleep stages of individuals with insomnia are largely influenced by the circadian rhythms that are been set by their bodies and thus any change in the sleeping quality and habits may affect these sleep stages. Any disturbance in these sleep stages may result in the lack of or difficulty in sleeping. Polysomnographic investigations have also shown that the core body temperature in influenced by an individual’s circadian rhythm. Sleep is thus normally observed in the evening, when the core body temperature is significantly lower than what is usually observed during the day. Any shift in the circadian rhythm of an individual may thus result in an unexpected core body temperature, resulting in an individual’s difficulty in falling asleep. This core body temperature should be achieved approximately six hours before going to sleep, in order for an individual to achieve the normal 8 hours of sleep. For an individual who attends to a night-shift job, the usual length of sleep varies from 4 to 7 hours, which is a prime feature of insomnia. Behavior and/or therapeutic recommendations for insomnia It is possible to adapt behavioral conditioning strategies for insomnia. Individuals suffering from insomnia often spend hours or several evenings in bed but are fully awake the entire time. Their insomnia thus further worsens as their brain is conditioned to consider the bed and the bedroom as sites where one stays awake and any attempt to further induce sleep may be futile. It is thus suggested that when one feels sleepy, regardless of the time of day, one should then attempt to go to his bed in order to teach his brain that the bed is a place to sleep. It is also not helpful for an individual with insomnia to find a substitute place to sleep, such as the couch, as this will condition his mind that the couch is his sleeping niche and eventually, going back to the bedroom can even be harder to achieve. There are specific drug formulations that may also aid an individual suffering from insomnia. One of the most common medications is benzodiazepine, which binds to the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors of the brain, which is responsible to the excitation of neural cells (Davidson 111). This binding thus results in the inhibition of the neural functions of the individual, resulting in a sleepy mode. One negative effect of benzodiazepine is that the normal stages of sleep are affected and thus may trigger unnecessary changes in the duration of each stage and possibly dependence on the drug. It is also possible that this drug may induce hypnotic effects on an individual. Non-benzodiazepine formulations are also available for the treatment of insomnia. Melatonin is another therapeutic regimen that may be administered to an individual with insomnia (Davidson 112). There is currently great debate with regards to the effectiveness of this drug, as it has mostly been applied to individuals suffering from jet lag-induced insomnia and thus this drug may not be effective for other insomnias that are caused by other factors. Antidepressants and antihistamines can also be administered to insomnia patients to alleviate their difficulty in falling asleep. Herbal concoctions have also been reported to facilitate sleep. A few of the most used herb are chamomile, kava kava and lavender, which can be supplied in tea formats. Personal reflections Insomnia is generally regarded as a simple condition that is often misunderstood and mistreated. It is important that insomnia be addressed as soon as possible because this condition often affects several systems of the human body and may thus result in the decrease in the immune capacity of an individual. Insomnia can also affect the quality of work or study of an individual and thus this negative effect should be addressed at the earliest possible time. Social interactions can also be affected by insomnia, as these individuals are often irritable and sensitive. Several accidents have also been caused by the lack of sleep and it is possible that an individual may hurt himself while working and even hurt other people, especially when they are using a motor vehicle when they suddenly lose attention or fall asleep. It is thus imperative that individuals with insomnia be educated on what to do to take control of their condition and possibly go back to their normal circadian patterns.

Mental Workload Assessment

We all feel stressed out and strained when we have work to do. Not only that, we experience situations like this even if we are just studying. More often, we feel pressured just by thinking the amount of exams to be prepared for, or for that next project that is necessary for a good promotion in the company. Mental workload is the right term for the stress and strain we experience, especially with regards to studying and working.   The Hanover College defines mental workload as â€Å"the feeling of mental effort or the level of use of the human operators limited resources† (n.d.).   In short, mental workload is a demand placed upon humans (Xiaoli, n.d.). When there is too much mental workload, it might lead to errors. Preventing this makes mental workload important to be understood. However, due to the many factors that must be considered in discussing mental workload, defining it becomes difficult. Mental workload is important in driving and aviation and design. In fact, most of the studies conducted about mental workload were about driving and aviation and task demands. This is perhaps due to the fact that a driver is required to do not just one but many tasks. Moreover, even though a driver is experienced, accidents still occur. De Waard (1996) conducted a study on mental workload among drivers. He said that driving a car looks like a pretty simple task for everyone. Driving schools provide comprehensive lessons and manuals on how to drive safely. But no matter how good a driver can be, accidents cannot be avoided. Moreover, these accidents are attributed to human failure. Human failure is still increased due to several factors. First is the increasing number of vehicles on the road. There is a demand on the human information processing system, and also increase in the likelihood of vehicles colliding. Second, people drive well into old age. However, older people tend to suffer from problems in terms of divided attention performance. It all started with the car radio, and then car phones and other technological devices. The driver must divide his attention to all these systems besides controlling the vehicle. Lastly, those drivers in a diminished state may endanger him. Most of the time, drivers set out at night for the longer journeys to avoid traffic. Driving at night can cause him sleepiness and fatigue. Aside from this, the driver can also be intoxicated (de Waard, 1996). Xiaoli (n.d.) presented the factors which affect driver workload, including the following: fatigue, monotony, sedative drugs and alcohol. Environmental factors also affect drivers, such as traffic demands, automation and road environment demands. There are different techniques in assessing mental workload, including the following: performance measures, physiological measures, and subjective task measures (or self-report measures) (Luximon & Goonetilleke, 2001). Primary and secondary task measures comprise the performance, or system output measures. An overview of each assessment technique will be discussed in the context of traffic research (driving or aviation). Performance Measures In Xiaoli’s (n.d.) slide presentation, he said that the measures usually belonging to this category are speed of performance, number of errors made and reaction time measures. Outside the laboratory, these become task-specific. De Waard (1996) said that most of primary-task measures include speed or accuracy measures. Aside from this, De Waard (1996) explained that primary-task performance establishes the efficiency of man-machine interaction. Not just the primary-task performance but also other workload measures must work together so that valid conclusions can be drawn about man-machine interaction. There are several approaches in the measurement of performance measures. First is the analytical approach (Meshkati, Hancock, Rahimi and Dawes, 1995). According to Welford (1978, cited in Meshkati, Hancock, Rahimi and Dawes, 1995), the analytical approach considers the detail at the actual performance of the task that will be assessed. Not only the overall achievement is examined but also the manner in which it is achieved. Another assessment technique is the synthetic methods. These start with a task analysis of the system. Task analytic procedures are then used to identify the specific performance demands placed on the operator. The third approach is the multiple measurement of primary task performance. This approach is very useful when individual measures of primary task performance do not show enough sensitivity to operator workload. On the other hand, Xiaoli (n.d.) indicated that secondary-task performance are about factors such as time estimation or time-interval production and memory-search tasks. The assumption associated with secondary task measure says that an upper limit exists on the ability of a human operator to gather and process information (Meshkati, Hancock, Rahimi & Dawes, 1995). The way to measure secondary-task performance is through another task included to the primary one. De Waard (1996) mentioned about the multiple-resource theory. The theory says that â€Å"the largest sensitivity in secondary-task measures can be achieved if the overlap in resources is high† (De Waard, 1996). According to Hancock, Vercruyssen and Rodenburg (1992), a person must have the ability to synchronize their actions with the dynamics of differing environmental demands so that he can survive and prosper in uncertain conditions. This means that the person must have some degree of autonomy with respect to space and time. However, secondary-task measures have disadvantages to consider. According to De Waard (1996), time sharing is not very efficient if the same resources are utilized. Moreover, additional instrumentation is required in secondary-task measures. Not only that, but there is lack of operator acceptance. There are also possible compromises to system safety. Subjective Task Measures There is much talk about the self-report measures, which is also called subjective measures. In fact, for De Waard (1996), self-report measures are advantageous because they can better show the real meaning of mental workload. These measures’ subjectivity is what makes self-report measures strong. Muckler and Seven (1992, as cited in De Waard, 1996) explained that self-report measures are strong because the awareness of the operator about the increasing effort used must give subjective measures an important role to play. Moreover, performance and effort are incorporated in self-report measures. Additionally, individual differences, operator state and attitude are also considered. Xiaoli (n.d.) said that the primary advantages of subjective task measures are high face validity, ease of application and low costs. However, there are also limitations in these measures. First is that there might be confusion of mental and physical load in rating. There might also be an exhibition of the operator’s inability to differentiate between external demands and actual effort or workload experienced. Second, limitations can be seen in the operator’s ability to introspect and rate expenditure correctly. Hancock, Brill, Mouloua and Gilson (2002) added that another disadvantage of self-report measures is that they cannot be used for online workload assessment. Physiological Measures According to De Waard (1996), physiological measures showed sensitivity to global arousal or activation level and in some stages in information processing. One advantage of this is that physiological responses do not need an obvious response by the operator. Additionally, most cognitive tasks do not need overt behavior. Moreover, some of the measures can be collected continuously. Kramer (1991, cited in De Waard, 1996) showed some of the disadvantages of these measures. First is that there must be specialized equipment and technical expertise to be able to utilize these measures. Second is the presence of signal-to-noise ratios. Kramer furthered that in operator-system performance, the operator’s physiology is not directly involved, unlike in primary-task performance. Other physiological measures involved in driving are pupil diameter, endogenous eye blinks, blood pressure, respiration, electrodermal activity, hormone levels, event related potentials, and electromyogram. De Waard (1996) furthered that not all measures are sensitive to workload when it comes to performance. There are instances when dissociation between these measures of different categories was reported. He said that dissociation occurs between measures when they do not correspond to changes in the workload, or if there is an increase in one measure and a decrease in another. Performance is thus affected by the amount of resources invested and the demands on working memory. Hancock, Brill, Mouloua and Gilson (2002) said that although physiological measures present global assessments of workload, they do little to balance the demands of tasks on sensory systems. In addition, physiological measures provide little or no information about what sensory systems are most taxed. To measure mental workload, two groups must be considered (Gopher & Donchin, 1986, cited in De Waard, 1996). Self-report measures, physiological measures and performance measures are included in the first group. This group supposes that it is probable to achieve a global measure of mental workload. The second group includes secondary-task measures and some of the physiological measures. This group is concerned about those diagnostic procedures and has something to do with the theories of multiple resources. References De Waard, Dick. (1996). The measurement of drivers’ mental workload. The Netherlands: The Traffic Research Center VSC. Hancock, P.A., Brill, J.C., Mouloua, M., & Gilson, R.D. (2002). M-SWAP: On-line workload assessment in aviation. Paper presented at the 12th International Symposium on Aviation Psychology. Dayton, OH. Hancock, P.A., Vercruyssen, M., & Rodenburg, G.J. (1992). The effect of gender and time-of-day on time perception and mental workload. Current Psychology: Research and Review,. 11, 203-225. Hanover College. (n.d.). Mental Workload. Retrieved October 27, 2007 from http://psych.hanover.edu/classes/hfnotes3/tsld022.html Luximon, A. & Goonetilleke, R. (2001). Simplified subjective workload assessment technique. Ergonometrics, 44, 229-243. Meshkati, N., Hancock, P.A., Rahimi, M., & Dawes, S.M. (1995). Techniques of mental workload assessment. In J. Wilson and E.N. Corlett, (Eds.). Evaluation of human work: A practical ergonomics methodology. (Second Edition), London: Taylor and Francis. Xiaoli, Yi. (n.d.). Measurements of mental workload. [Slide presentation]. Available on http://www.slideshare.net/ESS/measurement-of-mental-workload/            

My Dissertation

My Dissertation My Dissertation My Dissertation I do not remember myself being as happy as I was yesterday, when I finally received my diploma. My dissertation dealt with automobile pollution. I have always been interested in ecology. The city where I live is badly polluted, and it gets worse year after year. The reason is that there are two plants and some coal mines here, and, of course, the cars are uncountable! I have always been concerned about the ecological situation in my town, as it hurts to see how my beloved city is slowly approaching an ecological disaster. So when I was assigned to write a dissertation, I was happy that I could choose the topic myself. In my dissertation I tried to find how the city population can help reduce the automobile pollution. I addressed the staff, and I was happy to find a supervisor who agreed to help me. My Dissertation Troubles The troubles started when I passed over to collecting evidence for my dissertation. Unfortunately, I could not find the necessary amount of s ources. The information I found was out of date, and it was not enough. When I went to the university library the result was the same, they brought me some journals that were almost useless. My supervisor told me that he could only guide me and give me an advice when needed, but I should collect the evidence myself. So I was stuck with my dissertation, I could not continue work because I just did not have information to analyze. I felt that I was just losing time, I was depressed and frustrated and felt that my diploma was in danger. My Dissertation Writing Service Luckily, my friend told me about this dissertation writing service. I was really happy to know that a competent writer would help me, it was like a sunrise deep in hell! The writers of this service have access to thousands online sources, and it appeared not difficult to find just what I needed. So after my dissertation was carefully written and checked, I submitted it. My dissertation was a big success! In Case You H ave A Problem Now I am happy to have my diploma. I am so grateful to my friend who advised me to address this service! I heard about services like this before but I was not sure if they could be trusted. But I had to take chances, and I was right! Now I know that in case I have any problems with my written tasks again I will know who to address.

World War Is Mitteleuropa

World War I's Mitteleuropa German for ‘Middle Europe’, there are a wide range of interpretations for Mitteleuropa, but chief among them was the German plan for an empire in central and eastern Europe that would have been created had Germany won the First World War. War Aims In September 1914, a few months after the start of World War I, German Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg created the ‘September Programme’ which, along with other documents, set out a grandiose plan for post-war Europe. It would be enacted if Germany was totally successful in the war, and at that point nothing was certain. A system called ‘Mitteleuropa’ would be created, an economic and customs union of central European lands that would be led by Germany (and to a lesser extent Austria-Hungary). As well as these two, Mitteleuropa would include German domination of Luxembourg, Belgium and their Channel Ports, the Baltic and Poland from Russia, and possibly France. There would be a sister body, Mittelafrika, in Africa, leading to German hegemony of both continents. That these war aims had to be invented after the war started is often used as a stick with which to beat the German command: they are chiefly blamed for starting the war and didn’t even know what t hey wanted beyond having threats from Russia and France removed. It’s unclear exactly how far the German people supported this dream, or how seriously it was taken. Indeed, the plan itself was allowed to fade as it became obvious the war would last a long time and may not be won by Germany at all. A variation emerged in 1915 when the Central Powers defeated Serbia and Germany proposed a Central European Federation be created, led by Germany, this time recognizing the needs of the war by placing all military forces under German command. Austria-Hungary was still strong enough to object and the plan again faded. Greed or Matching Others? Why did Germany aim for a Mitteleuropa? To Germany’s west were Britain and France, a pair of countries with a vast global empire. To the east was Russia, which had a land empire stretching to the Pacific. Germany was a new nation  and had missed out as the rest of Europe had carved the world up between them. But Germany was an ambitious nation  and wanted an empire too. When they looked around them, they had the hugely powerful France directly west, but between Germany and Russia were eastern European states that could form an empire. English language literature racistly considered a European conquest as worse than their own global conquests, and painted Mitteleuropa as significantly worse. Germany had mobilized millions of people and suffered millions of casualties; they tried to come up with war aims to match.In the end, we don’t know how far Mitteleuropa would have been created. It was dreamt up in a moment of chaos and action, but perhaps the Treaty of Brest-Lit ovsk with Russia in March 1918 is a clue, as this transferred a vast area of Eastern Europe to German control. It was their failure in the west that caused this infant empire to be erased.

The Competitiveness of the US Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Competitiveness of the US Economy - Essay Example For the past 15 years, the nation has maintained its position as the most competitive economy in the world amidst the challenges in the rapidly evolving global environment. During 2007, the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook together with the World Economic Forum cited that US is "arguably the country with the most productive and innovative potential in the world" (Reuters 2007). Amidst this regard for US competitiveness, this paper argues that the economy should watch out and safeguard this status in the face of recession it is undergoing. A country's competitiveness is indicated not just by economic strength but through the creation of a market environment which promotes healthy and unbiased competition among industry players. In order to be competitive, leaders should pursue policies which treat players equally. In an extreme case, competitiveness is indicated by a market where there is no government intervention (McConnell & Brue 2002). However, in the world today this system is not feasible and thus, competition is promoted through little or balanced intervention from the state. This paper believes that US economy is by far the most competitive economy in world noting the government's quest in promoting efficiency and fair play.

Stem Cell Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stem Cell Research - Assignment Example The fact that stem cells are undifferentiated makes it easy to program them into any cell of the body or protein. This creates hope for the people with terminal and previously incurable diseases for example diabetes. Stem cells are pluripotent cells, which are not specialized. In embryos, the stem cells differentiate into the different organs of the body. In adults, stem cells are important in the repair mechanism, which replaces the damaged cells of the various organs and tissues of the body (National Institutes of Health, 2009). Stem cells divide continuously as long as a person is alive. The number of stem cells decreases with age. In this case, embryos have many stem cells, children lower stem cells but higher than the number in adults. Reduction in number of stem cells with progression in age is due to the specialization of the cells by forming tissues and organs. It is no wonder research focuses more on the embryonic stem cells. They are easy to obtain and easy to work with as many researchers confirm. The controversy of obtaining stem cells from embryos made scientists to focus on obtaining these important cells from the Umbilical cord with the authorization of parents to the child born ( Bethesda, 2013). . Stem cells have two unique properties. One, they are not differentiated and can renew themselves even after a long period of inactivity. Second, stem cells can form any protein or organs of the body when induced under specific conditions (National Institutes of Health, 2009). Scientific research implies that different organs of the body develop at varying conditions. It is also possible to induce to perform certain functions of the body organs. Stem cells are readily available in embryos especially in the 5th to 8th day after fertilization of the ova and subsequent formation of the zygote (Cox, 2012). In adults however, stem cells are restricted to the bone marrow and certain