Are Black Afro Caribbean boys underachieving within the Education Dissertation

Are Black Afro Caribbean boys underachieving within the Education system that are born in the UK - Dissertation Example Out of all the communities, debate about children of Caribbean heritage has been most controversial. There is no denial of the fact that Caribbean children are under achieving in UK. In 2004, according to National Statistics, the lowest levels of GCSE attainment were among black Caribbean pupils, particularly boys. Only 27% of black Caribbean boys and 44% of black Caribbean girls were said to have achieved five or more A*-C grade GCSEs. (BBC News 2009). The statistical release issued by Department for Children, Schools and Families at National statistics UK has reported that in 2008/9 44.3 percent of Black African pupils achieved a good level of development. This is 7.3 percentage points below the national average; this difference in achievement shows a reduction from 2008 when it was 10.7 percentage points. In 2009 27.3 percent of Black African pupils were classified as being in the lowest achieving 20 percent of pupils, this is a reduction from 2007 when 30.2 percent of Black Afric an pupils were classified as being in this group. 43.0 percent of Black Caribbean pupils achieved a good level of development. This is 8.6 percentage points below the national average; this difference in achievement has reduced from 2008 when it was 9.4 percentage points. ... It became evident that children were treated with discrimination, being called dull, slow learners, UN responsive, troublesome, dull, low achievers, backwards and UN intelligent. Observing all this, black parents moved to draw public attention and demanded government to take concrete actions. Since 1960 government took many actions and policy initiatives however to this day, concerns remain in air about educational performance of these children and their treatment. The low achievement of Caribbean children is in great contrast to high achievements by children of other minority ethnic groups in UK. There are many theories available to explain this problem. These theories include low IQ, genetics, poor self esteem, racism against society and schools, race politics in UK, poor quality of schools and poor home environments of children. It is an important observation that educationalists and government view this problem with different perspectives. This paper is an endeavour to understand why black British children of African Caribbean origin achieve less in academics and are subject of increased expulsion from schools. In the UK, in the 1960s and ‘70s, Black children were routinely labelled â€Å"educationally sub-normal† (ESN) and confined to ESN schools, also known as sin-bins. The parents often did not challenge the verdict of the teachers and the schools, but just accepted the situation. One reason for underachievement of students has been indifference of parents towards the situation. Educationalist Dr Tony Sewell from UK has researched and stated as late as September 2010 that institutional racism in education has no part to play in the educational failure of African

Albert Camus The Stranger Essay Example for Free

Albert Camus The Stranger Essay Color and weather as elements used to explore thought and emotion in Albert Camus The Stranger Literary techniques have long been an effective tool that authors use in order to convey deeper meaning within their text, particularly for novels that have a seemingly simple purpose. The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward is a perfect example of this, on the surface it is about a murder committed by a heartless man, beneath it traces the development of this man, his thoughts, his principles and finally the acceptance of his fate. Color and weather are two elements that Camus uses in order to develop this deeper meaning, and to explore his protagonists thoughts and emotions. This technique explores the wider concept of existentialism as well, essentially classifying The Stranger as an existentialist novel. Color and weather are used in conjunction at times, but when employed separately; their influence materializes in different ways within the novel. Weather as used by Camus directly influences the actions of his protagonist Meursault. The most prominent instance would be when he commits the murder of the Arab, because of the intense heat. This is evident in the line The Sea carried up a thick, fiery breath. It seemed to me as if the sky split open from one end to the other to rain down fire. My whole being tensed and I squeezed my hand around the revolver.1 Here, the sun and the heat are used to create vivid imagery that characterizes the weather as a force by itself, an irrefutable force that has control over Meursault, something that dictates his physical actions at times. Meursault feels the physical attributes of the world around him in a much greater capacity than others, which is an indication of his existentialist nature. The physical world is all that matters to him, nothing beyond it. The sun is used as a recurring symbol to trace the progression of Meursaults character through the novel. His attitude towards it, they way he views the effect of the sun on himself is an indicator of his transgression as he is convicted and then as he develops his realization of the world, and accepts his fate. In the first part of the novel, the sun seems to cause him solely discomfort, he feels suffocated and weary under the constant battering of its repressive force. This is indicated when Meursault says, on the day of his mothers funeral But today, with the sun bearing down, making the whole landscape shimmer with heat, it was inhuman and oppressive.2 The death of his mother did not cause him grief, but the force of the sun did. Here, he is entirely focused on the physical aspects of his being; he does not function on a level deeper than that. However, this is contrasted to his view towards the end of the novel, when he says .all night long, waited patiently for the first light to show on the pane of sky.3 He values the earth and what it has to give, in the view of his approaching death he looks to the sun as a symbol of hope. Thus what the sun represents to Meursault has changed, once it symbolized aggression and violence, now it indicates hope, and acceptance in his life. While weather was used to influence Meursaults actions, color is employed by Camus to reflect Meursaults thought process and his emotions. Meursault observes color intently as he is completely immersed in the physical world in the first part of the novel. Red features prominently as an indicator of violence, death and aggression. At his mothers funeral, Meursault describes his mothers burial as the blood red earth spilling over Mamans casket, the white flesh of the roots mixed with it4 The red earth reflects the death of his mother, the white represents the empty feeling he associates with it. The line could be seen as an allusion to his ambivalent feelings towards his mothers death, guilt at not being able to conform to societys expectations, represented by red, and awareness that his mothers death has not caused him to feel anything; therefore he is empty, represented by white. Yellow and green appear occasionally in the course of the novel as well, to reflect certain aspects of Meursaults thinking, and emotions. After an enjoyable dinner at Celestes, Meursault says The sky was green; I felt good.5 Green here represents contentment, and a certain tranquil calm that enables him to live in the moment, with his simple concerns and thoughts. Yellow is used when he describes his dead mother and the mirror on his wall. Thus, it represents dilapidation and aging, something that does not appeal to Meursault. Blue and black are significant colours as when they are contrasted with each other, they represent Meursaults struggle between an obligation to conform to society, and a desire to be freed from all responsibility. It can be inferred from the line I felt a little lost between the blue and white of the sky and the monotony of the colors around me the sticky black of the tar, the dull black of all the clothes, and the shiny black of the hearse6 that his ambivalence troubles him. Black as a symbol of mourning represents what Meursault should be feeling, despair and loneliness, while blue and white represent his desire to be liberated, to live in the world without having to feel guilty for his lack of feeling at his mothers death. Meursaults keen observation of color and the fact that the weather affects him in profound ways all allude to something deeper. There is a perceptible change in Camus writing style when he describes nature, and when he describes emotion or a social situation. The sentences flow freely when he writes of nature, describing the sun or the weather or the lap of water against his skin. This is starkly different from the language used to depict social situations, or emotion. The sentences are short and clipped, suggesting Meursaults unease with conforming to society and its regulations. His connection with nature hints at his existentialist tendencies revealed later on in the novel, as he finds pleasure in the physical world; instances such as good weather please him. The usage of these elements as literary techniques in the novel contributes to a deeper understanding of the nature of existentialism itself. Existentialism is a predominant theme in The Stranger, one that Camus has chosen to explore in a compelling way. His focus on the physical, weather and color are both aspects of the world that are visible on the surface. They symbolize the very essence of existentialism, a focus on the absolute, what is tangible and present rather than something unidentifiable and abstract. Existentialists focus on concrete human existence, Camus has alluded to this by employing weather and color as techniques in the novel to illustrate his protagonists thoughts. The development of these symbols, the Sun in particular and what it means to Meursault is indicative of Camus own thoughts towards existentialism. His character Meursault is resolved of his struggle in the end; he reaches a stage where he accepts his impending death. By doing this, Camus encourages the reader to persevere in spite of absurdity. He cites it as an obstacle to overcome rather than a reason for ending ones life, which is the common outcome of an existentialists thinking. Thus, Albert Camus makes use of color and weather to convey certain deeper connotations of the novel, as well as to indicate his protagonists existentialist tendencies, and his own thoughts on this philosophy. He uses symbols, vivid imagery and contrast to highlight the conflict within Meursault, which is an important facet of the novel. His symbolic presentation of the sun traces Meursaults character development, from a man removed from most of the world, to a man who accepts his fate and truly appreciates the world around him. These are the elements that contribute to the depth of a novel, give it many layers that provoke thought within the reader. Bibliography Camus, Albert (1942) The Stranger, Alfred. A. Knopf, Inc (1998) 1 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 59 2 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 15 3 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 113 4 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 18 5 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page26 6 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 17

Technology and Strategy :: essays research papers

Technology Widgets.com will implement a standard IT infrastructure to support individual office locations in New Jersey, California, Texas and Colorado, and new US-based locations we plan to open up over the next 3-5 years such as Massachusetts, New York, Virgina/DC . This IT infrastructure includes both our computing and communications systems. We will look to contract with a single vendor source for each system component where possible that can support all our offices on a nationwide basis. We will also continue to use the web as our network backbone in lieu of other private network protocols, i.e T1. In some cases we will build our own intellectual property to support the IT infrastructure where we believe this creates a competitive differentiator and asset for Widgets.com. An example here is our Oracle database and CRM/PRM applications. Our IT infrastructure objectives are to increase our company asset base, operating efficiency and reduce overall operating costs. The system components and the vendors providing these components must be financially secure, provide reliable 24x7 support and be accessible from any location within the US. The system components of our IT infrastructure are described below. Hardware Platform Standards Vendor Status Category Mobile Desktops Dell Computer Green Productivity Tools Lan ? Yellow Collaboration Tools Printers/Scanners/Copiers HP Green Productivity Tools UPS Backup ? Yellow Productivity Tools Office Phone sets ? Yellow Collaboration/Sales and Marketing Tools Storage Devices ? Yellow Productivity Tools Wirelss PDAs ? Yellow Collaboration/Sales and Marketing Tools Sofware Plaform Standards Vendor Status Category Operating Enviroment Windows 2000/NT/Java/HTML Green Portal Intranets Green Collaboration Tools Word/Spreadsheet/Presentation Microsoft Office Green Productivity Tools Email/Calendar Microsoft Outlook Green Collaboration Tools Accounting NetLedger/Quicken Yellow Adminstration Tools Expense Management NetLedger Expense Yellow Adminstration Tools Project/Deliverable Management ? Red Collaboration Tools Content Manager ? Red Collaborations Tools Business Process Manager (Practice Mgt.) ? Red Collaboration Tools CRM - Client DB Oracle/Cambridge Red Sales and Marketing Tools PRM - Consultant DB Oracle/Cambridge Red Sales and Marketing Tools HRM - Employee/Payroll DB Adminstaff Yellow Adminstration Tools Green Service Providers Vendor(s) Status Category Local Phone Service ?

Overweight Children Essay

Being overweight is one of the major health problems among the youth of today. In the United States, the number of children becoming overweight is steadily increasing as they allot more time watching TV, playing video games, and surfing or chatting on the Internet (Nemours Foundation, n.d.). According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, from the latter half of 1970s to 2004, the pervasiveness of excessive weight among children 2 to 5 years of age rose to 13.9 percent from 5 percent.   Among children 6 to 11 years of age, it escalated to 18.8 percent from 6.5 percent, while it increased to 17.4 percent from 5 percent among those who are 12 to 19 years of age (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]), 2008). Thus, certain efforts were made by health and education experts to help parents encourage their children to engage in sports, exercise, and eat a healthy, balanced meal. After all, prevention is better than cure. If not taken care of, the excessive weight can make children vulnerable to certain diseases like high blood, diabetes, and other health illnesses (CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007). Many experts suggest that one of the ways to help these children to lose weight without sacrificing the food that they want to eat is to encourage them to engage in sports and other group activities (Weintraub et al., 2008; Nemours, n.d.; Boyse, 2007). By engaging in physical activities, it will not only help the individual shed body fat, it would also promote self-esteem (Weintraub et al., 2008). Definition, Detection and Causes of Overweight   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being overweight is a result of imbalance between the food intake and the activities needed to spend the energies taken (Daniels, 1997). It is characterized by an exceptionally large volume of body fat with respect to lean body mass (Stopka, 2005). To know if an individual is obese or overweight, his or her body mass index or BMI is computed (Stopka, 2005; Daniels, 1997). This method considers the proportionality of the individual’s weight to his or her height child (Stopka, 2005; Daniels, 1997). The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) states that individuals with BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered as â€Å"overweight,† while those with a BMI of 30 and above is considered as â€Å"obese† (Stopka, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A number of studies have discovered that that breastfeeding is associated with overweight children (Hediger, et al., 2001). Once a mother fails to nurture her child with the practice of breastfeeding, chances are that the child will become overweight in the future. Breastfeeding helps to lower the risk of obesity during the stage of childhood and adolescence (Hediger, et al., 2001). Most cases of overweight among children occur during the adolescence stage when the transition from child to adult happens (Hediger, et al., 2001). The food intake is later on built up as fats if not properly burned out of the body (Hediger, et al., 2001).   Fat distribution is also changed during this stage which also incorporates hormonal influences. The condition also varies according to gender. According to Heidger and his associates (2001), girls are more likely to be overweight than boys.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most individuals on the adolescence stage are busy with their studies and participate in activities that will help them be informed and entertained. Many of them play video games and watch television after school as their own way of overcoming stress and pressures from school. While in the midst of these activities, they also munch junk food and drink sodas. As there are high amounts of calories in unhealthy food and drinks, they make children overweight (Collins, 2007). The incessant rise of fast food chains, consumption of calorie-dense foods and taking too much soft drink bring out more energy intake (Collins, 2007). However, this would not be a problem if the child regularly exercises and participates in activities. Lack of necessary exercise and physical activities also causes children to be overweight. When children eat more calories, they also need to burn more calories (Collins, 2007). Eating food that is detrimental to one’s health without enough physical activities to burn it will guarantee a child to be overweight (Collins, 2007). This is also said to be an environmental cause of obesity due to the technological means of entertainment available for children today. Collins (2007) calls this phenomenon as modern obesity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another cause of being overweight is the genetic roots of the child. The genes of the parents are inherited by children upon birth. Babies who are born to mothers who are overweight are more likely to gain more weight and are less active in actions (Collins, 2007). The metabolism of a child is also inherited from his or her parents. Thus, an obese parent whose metabolism is slow would have children with slow metabolism as well (Collins, 2007). The family eating habits also play a great influence as to why a child becomes overweight. Preparing and laying too much food on the table causes a child to eat more. Shopping and buying unhealthy foods and calorie-rich items will also cause the weight of children to increase (Collins, 2007). Effects of Obesity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Risks are always present once a child is overweight. Chances are that the child will accumulate certain diseases most of which are related to too much calorie, cholesterol and sugar intake. Bone problems are also expected for overweight and obese individuals. The social development of a child is also affected because of being overweight. The overweight children may find it difficult to breathe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obese children are often inactive and lazy to do physical activities. This causes their hearts to weaken. With their relatively weak heart, it will pump harder than the normal sized individual. This condition is commonly known as cardiovascular abnormalities (Daniels, et al., 1997). Another cardiovascular abnormality that occurs in overweight or obese individuals is the escalation of blood pressure. When a child is obese, the blood pressure is more likely to increase. These cardiovascular abnormalities usually lead to a disease known as left ventricular hypertrophy which is a prevailing condition among obese and overweight children (Daniels, et al., 1997). This disease is characterized by an â€Å"increased left ventricular mass,† along with â€Å"lean body mass, fat mass and abnormalities in the systolic blood pressure† which predicts the accumulation of diseases such as â€Å"coronary heart disease, stroke and sudden death† (p. 804). Hypertension is also common for children with too much weight (Daniels, et al., 1997; Nemours Foundation, n.d.; CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The disease Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is also common among overweight children with a BMI of >30 kg/m2, which, according to adult standard, is counted as â€Å"obese.† According to the National Cholesterol Education Program, acquiring this disease also makes them vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases such as a coronary artery disease (Daniels, et al., 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being overweight also causes a child to mature early. In general, an overweight child’s body develops faster than those who have normal body sizes. Overweight female children also reach the pubertal stage earlier. This may be due to the fact that most overweight female children do not have strenuous activity that can help them lessen their weights. Since most foods taken by obese children are rich in oils and other fatty acids, they are also prone of having pimples, acnes and skin problems (Nemours Foundation, n.d.; CDC, 2008; Boyse, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychological and social problems are also present when a child is overweight. One of the most common issues on this is depression. When a child grows bigger than his or her peers, he or she is more likely to be humiliated and teased in school for having a different body shape. This is a delicate issue which the child may find hard to overcome. It also results in the child’s low self esteem and negative self image (Strauss & Pollack, 2003; Nemours Foundation, n.d.). The normal interaction towards other children is also limited because of this. More often than not, overweight children have fewer friends and their social life is limited to those who accept them as they are. Obese children are more likely to stay at home rather than go out and play with other people. They are isolated which makes them feel depressed, lonely, and stressed out. Teasing overweight children is also said to be associated with increased suicidal tendencies out of frustration and depression. Their condition causes them so many complications physically, emotionally and developmentally (Strauss & Pollack, 2003; Nemours Foundation, n.d.). Prevention of Obesity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is better to prevent being overweight rather than regret it once a child becomes obese. This is not easy to do but it needs to begin as early as childhood days. This should be considered especially for those who are born to overweight parents. Behavior is also one good way of handling childhood obesity. Diminishing unhealthy eating habits and getting right exercise result in a healthier body and lifestyle. In addition, reducing stagnant physical activities like watching television and video games will also lower the chances of being overweight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Limiting the intake of calories will also stop one from being overweight. Instead of drinking sodas and other carbonated drinks, a child may switch to drinking fresh fruit juices. Fresh juices are healthier instead of artificially made juices. Drinking the recommended number of glasses of water a day (8 to10 glasses) will also help in replenishing lost water in the body and digesting food easily, and therefore, prevent all those fatty food and huge amount of calories from getting stuck in the body. The children should also be advised to avoid eating meals in fast food restaurants, where the meals served contain preservatives and too much food extenders that have more calories (Matheson et. al., 2004). Parents should also encourage their child to eat home cooked meals and convince him or her that these meals are more delicious than those that can be bought outside. (Matheson et. al., 2004). This will also guarantee parents that the food eaten by their child is clean and well-prepared. The parents should also stop preparing large servings for their child, as this entices a child to eat more and makes him or her always expect the same size of serving every meal time (Matheson et. al., 2004). They should also limit the inactivity of children by giving them scheduled time for television and playing computer games (Matheson et. al., 2004). It will also help if a child is encouraged not to eat and watch at the same time. Too much focus on the television program makes a child unaware to the amount of food already consumed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For difficult cases like gene-related obesity, it is important to counter this by doing physical activities. Regular exercise helps to achieve good digestion and good metabolism. Physical activities such as â€Å"biking, walking, and swimming† can also be done with the whole family. These activities also help brings the heart in good condition. Playing ball games also prevents being overweight and helps children become more sociable towards their peers (Campbell et al., 2001). Basketball and soccer are some examples of sports which can help overweight children lose and maintain their weight. At the same time, by engaging in these kinds of group activities, they will enjoy themselves with their peers (Campbell et al., 2001). Indoor physically activities like dancing will also help children lose weight (Campbell et al., 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a recent six-month experiment conducted by Weintraub (2008) and her colleagues among fourth and fifth graders, they divided the 21 participants into two groups. The first group received a health education program after school, while the other was subjected to a soccer program. Midway through the study until the end, a significant decline in BMI was found among participants in the soccer group as compared to those who were in the health education group. In three months, there was also a considerable increase in the everyday average and strenuous physical activities among children in the soccer group. The authors concluded that making overweight and obese children participate in an â€Å"after-school soccer program† is a practical, agreeable, and effective method to control the weight of these children. Excessive weight increases the likelihood of children to acquire fatal diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Being overweight also negatively affects their self-esteem and self-image, leaving them depressed as a result. Encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and do physical activities such as family and school sports can aid overweight children in losing and maintaining a standard weight. This is a great opportunity not only for the children but for the whole family to stay fit and active. References: Boyse, K. (2007, February). Obesity and overweight. University of Michigan Health System. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/obesity.htm Campbell K, Waters E, O’Meara S, & Summerbell C. (2001). Interventions for preventing obesity in childhood: a systematic review. Obesity Review, 2, 149–157. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2008, March 4). Overweight and obesity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved April 15, 2008 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/ Collins, Anne (2007). Causes of obesity. Anne Collins. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.annecollins.com/obesity/causes-of-obesity.htm Daniels S.R., Khoury P.R., & Morrison J.A. (1997, June). The utility of body mass index as a measure of body fatness in children and adolescents: differences by race and gender. Pediatrics, 99 (6), 804–807. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from Pediatrics Database. Matheson D.M., Killen J.D., Wang Y., Varady A, & Robinson T.N. (2004). Children’s food   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   consumption during television viewing. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79 (6), 1088–1094. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from the AJCN Database. Nemours Foundation (n.d.). Overweight and obesity. KidsHealth. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html Hediger M.L., Overpeck M.D., Kuczmarski R.J., & Ruan W.J. (2001). Association between infant breastfeeding and overweight in young children. The Journal of American Medical Association, 285 (19), 2453–2460. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from JAMA Database. Stopka, C. B. (2005) Chapter 18: Students with temporary disabilities and other special conditions. In J. Winnick (Ed.),   Instructors Manual, Adapted Physical Education and Sport, 4th Edition (pp. 323-340). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Strauss R.S. & Pollack H.A. (2003). Social marginalization of overweight children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 157, 746–752. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from Archpredriatics Database. Weintraub, D.L., Tirumalai, E.C., Haydel, F., Fujimoto, M., Fulton, J.E., & Robinson, T.S. (2008). Team sports for overweight children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 162 (3), 232-237. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from Archpredriatics Database.

Poetic Language Essay

There is no denying that when an author writes a text there is more meaning in it than just the obvious plot, authors constantly litter their texts with themes, double entendre, metaphor etc. all of which can be easily missed by the reader. If one reader was to miss many of these techniques but another was to pickup on most, then surely the latter would have understood the work better, and in the way it was intended, and therefore their interpretation is the more valid of the two. However we could argue that the text was written badly, because certain readers cannot understand it in the way it was intended. All this is just a small part of one of the biggest debates in modern literature and criticism, and that is whether or not it is necessary to know the history and context behind a book to fully understand it. It used to be that a critic would say that the best way to understand a work is to understand each individual author, and the circumstances behind their text, today however the general feeling is that it is best not to cloud the readers judgement with all the facts behind a text. Critics would today say that the best way to read a text is to ignore everything that goes with it and just concentrate on what you, the reader, picks up from it. The reason this debate is so important in relation to this essay is that the amount of information the reader is given about a text will always affect, not only their understanding of it, but also the way in which they understand it. That is to say that if a reader is given a lot of information about a text then it is bound to make them except the book in the way it was intended. If they had not been given that information then it is very likely that they would have interpreted it in a way that was closer and more personal to them (‘interpretation is a function of identity†¦all of us as we read, use literary work to symbolise and finally to replicate ourselves’ – Norman Holland, Introduction to Literature 13). In this example which of the two interpretations is more creditable, should the perfect text be written in such a way as to eliminate any interpretations other than what was intended by the author; or should it be written in a way that leaves the meaning open to debate and therefore have an infinite number of interpretations? Either way once a text has been shown to the public then the author has no control of what the reader will make of it, or how it is interpreted, and so it is left to the reader to make their own judgements and except it in the way that they want to. So is their interpretation incorrect? Obviously there is no way to prove the answer to this question but in this essay I intend to discuss both sides to the argument and draw up a conclusion as to what I think the answer is. The most obvious place to start would be by looking at other people’s interpretations of texts, and some of those interpretations are in films. I realise that film is never the best example to use when discussing literature because the plot and script are very rarely the same as the original. However, in the case of Shakespeare, this is not always true because the text is so well written and so powerful that it would be wrong and completely missing the point of making the film if you were to change it. Also the interpretations in films are usually much more diverse and varied which makes it a good example to look at because if you can find an interpretation which has been recommended to students as one not to use, as valid (‘†¦most candidates appeared to know Macbeth well. Some, however, were handicapped by having seen a film version†¦candidates should remember that it is Shakespeare’s text which is being examined.’ – Holderness, Interpreting Shakespeare 113); then that goes a long way to show that any interpretation is indeed a valid one. In the conclusion of a book called Interpreting Shakespeare on Screen the author sums up how Shakespeare is generally interpreted by the directors: ‘I have considered the ways in which films of Shakespeare’s plays, like literary criticism, produce different views on issues such as violence (by, to a greater extent, pretending it is absent from Shakespeare’s plays); gender (film changes gender roles, producing different Ophilias and Gertrudes†¦); sexuality†¦; race†¦; and finally, nationalism†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Cartmell, Interpreting Shakespeare 109) Cartmell shows us here how every different director has interpreted parts of the same play differently. She makes it clear that she does not agree with everything they have done, however she does recognise them as valid interpretations and has devoted a lot of time and effort to studying these films and producing a book which shows us the different interpretations and techniques used in filming Shakespeare’s plays. I have to agree with Cartmell on the point that to try and say that there is no violence in Shakespeare is ridiculous, all you have to do is look at Macbeth or Hamlet to see that that is wrong. These directors who have chosen to ignore this violence must have interpreted it in a different way, perhaps they saw the violence as justified and so chose to ignore it for that reason. Whatever the reason, is this interpretation as valid as Cartmell’s and mine? I would like to say that it is not but I cannot rule it out without having the other side of the argument put to me, and once an argument has been put forward surely that gives their view some sort of validity. If you have two people who have interpreted a section of prose differently and they can both argue their theory well then who is to say that they are not both valid. On the other hand if you again have two people with different views about a book’s meaning but this time one of them manages to persuade the other that they are wrong and so changes his mind, then would this not mean that the person with the better and stronger argument is the only one with the valid interpretation? After all the dictionary definition of valid is ‘soundly reasoned or having legal force’ and so if someone has an opinion about a text and stands by it but cannot argue the point surely this makes their opinion an invalid one. In An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory reader-response criticism is summed up in three different ways. Firstly it is said that each individual, when reading, will always respond in a personal way. They will take what is written and match it to the situation they are in or have been in, and so can relate to the text better by doing this. This theory would explain why different people come up with different interpretations, it also suggests that each of those interpretations are valid because if you are relating a text to your personal experiences then it has to be a genuine response. Like every theory though there is always another side to the argument and this is where Stanley Fish’s idea that each reader belongs to a ‘community of readers’ comes in. There is still the idea that the reader relates to the text with their personal experience, and I do not think that many people would dispute that idea, but what Fish says is that the personal side to it is much more generalised. It is more to do with your background and your education, someone from England would interpret a book differently than someone from Africa because their backgrounds are completely different. The third explanation that is given is Wolfgang Iser’s view, which is the one I relate to the most. His theory is that the reader’s imagination is what produces the interpretation. If there is a point in the text which is not fully explained then we, the reader, are left to work it out for ourselves, for example in King Lear when Cordillia tells her father that she loves him ‘according’ to her ‘bond’, the reader is left wondering why she did that and not just make something up to rival her sisters’ answers; was it because she is stubborn or perhaps for moral reasons? The answer that the reader comes up with is their imagination filling in the gap. As Iser said the reader ‘is drawn into the events and made to supply what is meant from what is not said’ (Iser 1995, 24). This is particularly relevant when it comes to explaining interpretation because it is ‘what is not said’ in a text that gets the reader thinking, if a detail is mentioned but not explained then it is left to the reader to make up their own conclusions. Northrop Frye shares the same opinion as Iser, he wrote that reading is ‘like a picnic to which the author brings the words and the reader the meaning’ (Frye, http://www.clas.ufi.edu). Interpretation is a huge part of literature, it is involved in any type of reading that we do and it is completely up to the reader to how that literature is receive. The author, or his input anyway, dies as soon as they let the public see their text which leaves the reader on their own to read between the lines and come up with whatever they like. Having said this it leaves us thinking that if the author leaves the interpretation up to the reader then how can that interpretation be wrong, every author excepts the fact that their book will be taken in a way that wasn’t intended and they will not try to change that because it is all part of literary criticism. An author wouldn’t ever say that someone’s opinion was invalid because valid does not mean it is what was intended it only means that it is justified. One of Iser’s main points whenever he is talking of interpretation is that ‘Every interpretation transposes something into a different register that is not part of the subject matter to be interpreted. Therefore each interpretation is an act of translation, in the course of which something is shifted into what it is not.’ (Iser, http://sun3.lib.uci.edu). What he means is that interpretation might as well mean the same as translation when talking about literature; because the author is not sitting next to the reader and explaining what was actually meant the reader has to do the working out for themselves, which means that they may translate what is written in front of them into ‘what it is not’. The reader is reading things in the text which were not put there deliberately, they are reading not what is said but what has not been said so a large group of people who all read the same text have no chance of all reading the same thing because everybody wi ll have filled in the gaps slightly differently. ‘If the poem has a voice, it is articulated before, and one rearticulates it, reads it with one’s own voice, one has a reading which cannot properly be univocal.’ (John Lye, http://www.brocku.ca/english). This is much the same point as Frye was making with his example of a picnic; the author only produces the words and then it is the reader’s job to find meaning to these words. That almost makes it sound as if the reader has the greater task out of the two and it maybe that they do if once they have read a work and come up with their interpretation (or translation) they are then told that it is not a valid reading of that text. I have said that this topic of interpretation is one of the largest in modern literature and it is very closely linked with an equally large topic, deconstruction. The obvious source to turn to on this is The Critic as Host. In Lye’s commentary of this essay he makes a very good summary of what Miller had written: ‘Deconstruction, Miller seems to be concluding, opens us to the power and the complexities of language, thought, tradition, influence, meaning, to the ambiguities and paradoxes which really constitute what we once mistook for a unified field theory of human knowledge, by providing a form, a way of proceeding, which acknowledges the deep mysteries of meaning and which allows us to free ourselves from the tyrannies of univocal reading.’ (Lye, http://www.brocku.ca/english). There are two parts to this quote that I want to briefly discuss. Firstly, the fact that deconstruction ‘opens us to the power’ of language, thought and meaning. This cannot be said better in any other way, this is exactly what deconstruction does and it is this that leads the readers on to making their own interpretations of a text. Deconstruction makes us, the reader, think and analyse what has been written and from that draw up our conclusion of what was actually meant. The second part I wanted to look at is the fact that deconstruction allows us ‘to free ourselves from the tyrannies of univocal reading.’ Is ‘univocal reading’ actually a tyranny? Miller and Lye obviously think so, and I would agree, if literature was as straight cut as being able to read a book and draw up exactly the same interpretation ass everyone else there would be no need or point to study it. So how does deconstruction free us from this tyranny? The answer is because it forces the reader to think for themselves, to interpret a text in the way they want it interpreted instead of how the author, or even a teacher tells them to interpret it. Deconstruction forces the reader to be open minded about a text; to try and read something almost original into it. Again this all leads to a different interpretation to what others have read. However, the question of whether thinking for oneself, and the new ideas and interpretations that brings is valid or not is still present. When I picked this question I always thought that the only possible answer was that every interpretation is a valid one, that is the opinion that most people hold. However, after exploring the topic I have found a few doubts. Although they come to expect it, is it really fair to take an authors text that they have probably been working on for a matter of years and completely change the meaning of it? Surely what they write is personal to them, not necessarily as an experience they have had but more that they have devoted so much time to their work to a standard that they see as perfection. They then introduce it to the public and a critic misinterprets it and gives it a bad review because they did not like their own translation of what was written. These doubts I have are not strong enough to change my mind, but they are there and should not be ignored. In closing I do believe that everybody is entitled to their own opinion, and literary criticism is exactly that, opinions. There is no way to write a text and ensure that every reader interprets it in the way it was intended. Authors are very interested to learn about different interpretations of their works and I think that it is this acceptance and acknowledgement from them that not proves but should persuade people that any interpretation of any work is a valid one. I will finish with a quote from an interpretation of Miller’s The Critic as Host that sums up what I believe to be the answer to whether all interpretations are valid or not: ‘The root of idea is the word for image. To imagine is to image. All figures are not what they figure. Univocality is impossible. Everything always means something else.'(Lye,http://www.brocku.ca/english).

What I Walked Away With From Economics †Essay

What I Walked Away With From Economics – Essay Free Online Research Papers What I Walked Away With From Economics Essay I have learned so much in Economics that it’s hard to write only two pages. I have decided to write about the top 10 things I have learned about this semester and probably taken for granted. I used to think that economics was about the cracks in between the lines, now I think of it as resourceful understanding. Starting with number 10 and working my way to number 1: 10.) The ten principles of economics. I learned about these things that I have always taken for granted. In ever thought about tradeoffs and the cost of something is what you give up to get it. I always just thought that was the way certain things work. I knew nothing about the invisible hand and how it helped out people like you and me everyday. I also never realized how much the government has to do with the economics of the United States. 9.) The circular flow diagram. I can’t help but look at this diagram and think about it and how it works just like a heart does. I see this diagram as using services such as labor, land, and capital as inputs and producing outputs such as a product for consumers. It’s almost exactly how a human heart works. Unoxygenated blood comes from the body and meets at the heart once entered through the heart it comes out oxygenated kind of like a finished product. 8.) Positive and Normative statements. Positive statements describe how the world is and Normative describe how the world should be. I think normatively. I always feel that the world should be like something in a book and not like it is. I think it’s good to not only think normatively but also to think Positively. You need to be able to see alls sides of a problem before you can solve it. You need both views to see the world clearly, not only the way it is but how it should be to make it better. 7.) Opportunity cost. What you give up to obtain something. Everything you do everyday is an opportunity cost. It makes you really think about if what you are doing in your life is really worth it. Making every minute count is what I take out of it. 6.) Trade. Trade cannot only help you but others as well. Whoever has absolute advantage has better productivity and comparative advantage has the best opportunity cost. Trade can make everyone else’s life easier. 5.) Normal and Inferior Goods. Normal goods are those, which an increase in income leads to an increase in demand. Inferior goods are those, which an increase income leads to a decrease in demand. I looked at this like if I got a better job I would never eat at white castle again, I would eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise. 4.) Surplus and Shortage. When your supply is too much you have a surplus, which does not really help you. When you do not have enough you have a shortage. When you have just the right amount you have an equilibrium quantity. 3.) Elasticity. When you have an inelastic demand for something you are willing to pay whatever for it. When you have an elastic demand for something the price is a little more reasonable. 2.) Tax. The government wants its so-called fair share of money too. If a demand is more inelastic the burden of taxation will be put on the consumer. If the tax is more elastic the producer and the consumer will share the tax. 1.) Supply and Demand. Everything listed above has to do with supply and demand. Supply is what a producer has to offer a buyer, that buyer will decide whether or not he has a demand for it. The law of supply and demand states that the claim that the price of any good adjusts to bring the supply and demand for that good into balance. Research Papers on What I Walked Away With From Economics - EssayDefinition of Export QuotasBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaTwilight of the UAWNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceCapital Punishment

Legalization of Marijuana misc essays

Legalization of Marijuana misc essays As I take back a step and look at all the wrong that encompasses our world, the one thing that sticks out to me the most is the problems that we have with drugs. Drugs flow through our country like water does in a river and they dont seem to cease. One of the most highly abused drugs, marijuana, has become the foremost stimulant leading to harder and deadlier drugs. What makes this case even worse is the fact that people have formed groups with the sole purpose of legalizing this drug. With all the things people waste their time on, I believe this one tops them all. I am clearly against the legalization of all drugs because as research has shown, marijuana effects the human body in only negative ways. To begin, marijuana has been proven to burn the chemicals in the brain which relate to thinking habits and patterns, self esteem, and relationship traits. John Weber, author of High Times magazine that promotes marijuana, says that even though marijuana can be used to make manufactured materials and to help slow the spreading of the aids virus, the drug still has the ability to negatively alter the way the brain functions. This alone should keep people away from using this drug. In the same magazine, statistics show that there is a 60% decline in grades at the high school and college level. Marijuana also effects the body as well as the mind. The preferred saying is that smoking one joint is equivalent to smoking one whole pack of cigarettes at a time. The smoke intake from a joint will normally cause the lungs of a human to become so overwhelmed that one might not be able to breath properly causing a great deal of coughing. Also, the chemicals in the drug cause the body to slow in the growing process, not allowing for a fully developed person neither physically or mentally. What I believe the drug does best is attract users to other drugs. It is proven that ...

Lucas Carlson Think bigger for your books Reedsy

Lucas Carlson Think bigger for your books Reedsy â€Å"Think Bigger For Your Books†: An Interview with Lucas Carlson As you know, we are big believers in authors looking outside the publishing world for marketing inspiration, and what better world than the startup one to find â€Å"growth-hacking† ideas? After interviewing startup mentor and venture capitalist Sean Wise last week on what he and Brad Feld are doing to promote their new book, we thought we would sit down and chat with an actual startup founder and author. So today, we’re interviewing Lucas Carlson, hybrid author of Finding Success In Failure, the Ruby Cookbook and Programming for PaaS. Also CIO of CenturyLinkLabs and founder and CEO of AppFog.We discuss how non-fiction books can bring the author much more through their unexpected upsides than through the sales themselves. We also touch on Facebook, Twitter, Google ads and how to calculate your ROI (Return On Investment) for those. As usual, the lovers of the written word will find a transcript of the key takeaways just below! The value of your book goes beyond its salesâ€Å"One of the things that I didn’t realize about writing non-fiction is how you can take advantage of the books themselves in ways that you never expected. I’ve published three books so far, two traditionally and one was indie published, and the main thing that I got out of each one of them - even if they sold pretty well - wasn’t the book sales, but it was the optional things that happened outside of the book sales themselves.For example, after being a programmer for a long time I became an entrepreneur, and I started a company to help other programmers get their software on the cloud a lot easier. One of the things I didn’t expect when writing my programming book a few years before that, was how much the reputation that writing a book gives you helps you when you’re trying to raise $10 million from venture capitalists.Also, my second book, Programming for PaaS, didn’t sell as well as my firs t one. However, it’s brought me speaking opportunities that have much more return in terms of absolute dollar figures than the book sales ever had.So as an indie author, what really means the most to me is just getting my words in front of as many people as possible. Not necessarily in order to monetize the book itself, but because I have personally experienced multiple times in my life how much the optionality - the unexpected upside - can change your life. You can’t plan for these things: I didn’t know I was going to start a company when I wrote my first book. But you can cultivate this upside optionality by making sure your book gets in front of as many people as possible.†Indie authors have more flexibility and a bigger financial cushion to acquire readersâ€Å"The onus is on you whether you are traditionally published or indie published. The difference, though, is that if you’re self-published, you are getting 8 times more money every time you sell a book. So you are much more incentivized and, more importantly, it gives you much more flexibility.You are the decision-maker behind your marketing choices, which means you don’t have to ask anyone for permission if you want to run a giveaway or promotion. Moreover, indie publishing gives you more of a cushion to do certain things. When your margins are 70% of sales instead of 10%-15% of 70%, you can actually afford yourself to go and try doing Twitter ads, Facebook ads, Google ads. The cost per click (CPC) can usually be between $0.15 and $1, and if you’re selling a book for $4 and getting 70% of that, you can definitely afford to give away a third or a fourth of your revenue on the sale in order to attract a new reader.That’s not possible if you’re traditionally published: you don’t have enough of a cushion, so you depend on the publisher to do a lot of the advertising for you; but they’re not going to, because they don’t thi nk that way.†How to use social ads to target the right set of ‘customers’â€Å"Before Facebook and Twitter, when you had only Google, people were searching for search terms but you didn’t know what kind of person was searching.If you haven’t tried advertising with Twitter and Facebook, I highly suggest you give it a try. My book is Finding Success in Failure and it’s directed at people who want to start, or have started businesses, so I try to get into the mind of those people: usually, they like to watch Shark Tank. It doesn’t matter if you’re on Twitter or Facebook, you can actually target the people who watch Shark Tank via those social networks.You can be very, very specific about the kinds of people you’re after, to make sure you target an audience that is already predisposed to your books and products. This works better, of course, for non-fiction than fiction, and I’m actually finishing my first novel, so Ià ¢â‚¬â„¢m not going to do Facebook ads and Twitter ads for my novel, because to me it doesn’t make sense. I might play with it, just to see, targeting Dan Brown readers for example, but I don’t think it’s going to work.Amazon themselves have an advertising program where you can pay for your book to show up on other books’ pages. All of these are things that are much easier for me to play with as an indie author because of the cushions I mentioned.†Think bigger: include upside optionalities in your ROI calculationsâ€Å"It’s important to understand how you want to measure your return. If you measure it just in book sales, if you’re lucky you might just break even†¦ But if you think about the bigger picture, every reader you acquire is a potential reader of your future books. So the question becomes: what is the lifetime cost and the lifetime revenue of that reader? This is a very â€Å"startupy† way of thinking about recurri ng revenue software businesses, but it can totally be applied to an author who publishes regularly. You can almost think of it as a subscription model for your true fans.Even bigger than that, if you think that you can get speaking opportunities or further your career - if you can monetize your book in ways completely outside your readership itself - then the â€Å"Return† part of your â€Å"Return On Investment† (ROI) gets much bigger, thus giving you a bigger cushion to play around with marketing strategies.You’re not necessarily advertising to sell your book, you might be advertising to raise awareness around yourself and your brand across the world, to attract new opportunities.If you have that faith, then you do everything possible to spread the word about your book.†Capture the readers you get to turn them into lifetime customersâ€Å"Find people who have built fantastic platforms, who have captured their audiences and successfully turned a reader ship into an actively engaged audience, and read their work. If you need a starting point, read Secrets of the Millionaire Mind  and see what he does and how he does it. Ramit Sethi is another: take a look at his work, start reading it and see what it does to you.Study other people’s platforms and see not only what has worked, but what resonates with you. A lot of the time some things are not going to work for every author. Not everyone wants to do a podcast or prepare online courses.†Follow Lucas and Reedsy on Twitter: @cardmagic  and  @ReedsyHQWhat do you think about Lucas’ mindset for non-fiction books? Is it to risky to invest in the books, or to heavily discount them, in the hope they will bring more than sales? Have you tried social ads (Facebook, Twitter)? Leave us your thoughts, or any question for Lucas, in the comments below!

Interview with a Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Interview with a Manager - Essay Example The operating expenses have been increasing at a rapid rate; the profitability margins have been reducing; the competition is intensifying; labour costs are rising and lastly demand is reducing; thereby making the overall situation extremely difficult for the business houses (Polese and Stren, 2000). Despite that the market still offers growth opportunities for the companies who are actively involved in the development of strategies that are flexible and has the ability to get adapted with the changing business environment. However, it has been also observed that the challenges that are being faced by the organizations are not always caused due to external turbulences but often the internal factors also become responsible for the complicated situation (Hall and Vredenburg, 2004). This study aims to uncover the different issues being faced by a company as a result of the turbulence in its internal and external business environment. Once the issues are identified the study will scrutin ize and screen the most vital issue faced by the company. The study will then try to identify the major issue being faced by the company and will try to identify the most feasible solution. ... The company chosen for this assignment is Vodafone UK and the manager chosen is Kevin Smith. Hence, before getting further deep into the study, a brief overview of the company as well as brief background information of the chosen manager is presented in the subsequent sections. Overview of the Company Vodafone Group plc also known as Vodafone is a UK based multinational company involved in the business of providing telecommunication services. The company was incorporated in the year 1991 in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom. However, the company shifted its headquarters to London, United Kingdom. The predecessor of Vodafone was Racal Telecom from 1983 to 1991. In terms of the total revenue generated as well as the total number of subscribers, the company is considered as the world’s second largest telecommunication company just behind China Mobile. The company has presence in almost 30 countries of the world and operates in 40 countries with the help of partners. Currently th e company is headed by Gerard Kleisterlee (Chairman) and Vittorio Colao (CEO). It employs around 87,000 people across the globe and also provides income opportunities to numerous people who are the business associates of the company. Some of the products of the company include mobile telephony, fixed line, digital television and internet services. As of 2012, the net revenue of the company was ?46.417 billion and had an operating income of ?11.187 billion. The profit for the same financial year was ?6.957 billion. This figure clearly reflects the strong financial situation of the company (Agar, 2013). Although, the company has a strong position in the market, it still has to deal with several issues and these issues emerged from both internal and external environment of the

Make a study guide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Make a study guide - Essay Example Both have one thing in common –they are haunted by memories. The author has justified the stands of both the characters in story. His story clearly states that a person doesn’t turn evil on his own choice but he is forced to become so. At the same time, he also reveals the fact that circumstances can make a good human being do things which are not justified. As Antonio himself says â€Å"with a gun anyone could be a killer.Guns were very democratic instruments. They did not discriminate. With guns the weak became strong, the frightened brave. Anyone who held one became invincible.†(Tobar, pg. 269) Antonio used to live in Guatemala along with his family when one day his wife and infant son were killed by the leader of the death squad, Guillermo Longoria (the tattooed soldier). Antonio immigrates to L.A in the hope to lead a better life but to this despair he finds only poverty and homelessness in such a big city. During the 1980’s, the immigrants believed t hat L.A was a place where one could live safely with his family and be financially well off but the reality was entirely different. Antonio is treated as an illegal immigrant and there is no room of sympathy for him.

Post traumatic architecture Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Post traumatic architecture - Dissertation Example The end of the whole process is going to be quite tempting to discover if the purpose of healing was achieved or not. Main dissertation body National September 11 Memorial & Museum A World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition was setup in order to welcome designs on how the World Trade Center site could be reconstructed as a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. This competition was won by Michael Arad, an Israeli-American architect of Handel Architects. His design was called â€Å"Reflecting Absence† and its main feature included a reflecting pool and a tree-filled plaza which was blended into the city’s landscape (Meehan, 2011). With the collaboration of other architects, including landscape architects, the design was perfected. Families of the victims were also consulted in relation to the placement of the names of about 3000 victims killed that day (Dunlap, 2011). Landscape architects also helped to tweak the design especially in term s of the forest of trees which would surround the reflecting pools. Ten years following the disaster, on September 11, 2011, a dedication ceremony was held at the memorial and following the ceremony, the plaza was opened to the public. The design included two pools with manmade waterfalls cascading over the sides; the pools were placed at the sites where the Twin Towers used to stand. Each pool measures about an acre. Both pools were meant to symbolize the loss of life and the emptiness caused by the terrorist attacks on September 11. The sound of the water falls were also meant to reduce the sound of the city, creating a place which was to be a source of comfort and sanctuary to the visitors. Close to 400 sweet gum and swamp white oak trees took up the other 6 acres left of the memorial plaza. This further gave the area a sense of isolation from the city bustle. The names of the victims were then written into 76 bronze plates and attached to the walls at the edges of the pools (Bla is, 2011). The names included the victims of the September 11 attacks from the Twin Towers, as well as the victims from Arlington Virginia, and those from Pennsylvania. The names of the rescuers were also included in the bronze plates along with the six victims from the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The arrangement of the names was also very much important to the design as the groupings and adjacencies were based on family relations as well as company or organization affiliations. In effect, the names of families were set alongside each other; the names of first responders were grouped alongside the names of their units; and the names of co-workers were also written alongside each other. The design for the memorial site also included a Survivor Tree. The tree is a callery pear tree which was previously recovered from the rubbles of ground zero World Trade Center site in October of 2001 while retrieval workers were trying to look for survivors. The tree was about 8 feet t all and severely burned, but it had one living branch (Sudol, 2011). It was a tree which has long been at the site for decades before the attack, planted originally in the 1970s. It was later cared for by Arthur Ross from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The tree was not expected to

Summary of an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Summary of an article - Essay Example This transfer mechanism is important to the researchers due to the fact that understanding transfer will help to answer several pertinent questions. The first of these relate to whether violent video games have the implied drawback of encouraging violence. Similarly, by studying transference models, the researcher can determine if flight simulation helps develop cockpit skills in pilots. In essence, the level of transference of specific skill sets that are supposedly â€Å"taught† in various video games will be helpful understanding the net positive or net negative relationships that may or may not exist. The analysis found, not surprisingly, that the same concepts of collaboration, interaction, tactile learning, exploratory interest, and individuality as they relate to the game playing experience. Whereas many individuals are prone to view the video game as a total escape mechanism, the researchers were able to convincingly prove that it is and has been used as a means to foster intra human communication via linked players or via those that interact with the process while in the room yet not playing the game themselves. Furthermore, the level of bonding and exploration that occurred while the researchers were conducting their study helped them to make a direct link between the children that were involved in the process and the traditional understanding of the word â€Å"play†. Likewise, there was not the clear break between in game and in world realities as the researchers at first expected; rather, both realities incorporated unique elements of one another to create a combined effect that could neither be turned on or turned off once the game was complete. As one might expect, the levels of meaning and interaction levels of transference that exist are therefore dependent upon the individual

NURSING DIAGNOSIS OF EMPHYSEMA, OSTEOPOROSIS AND HYPETENSION Essay

NURSING DIAGNOSIS OF EMPHYSEMA, OSTEOPOROSIS AND HYPETENSION - Essay Example Emphysema happens mostly in patients with reduced alpha 1- anti-trypsin (A1AT) levels. Alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency (A1AD) destroys alveolar tissues. Smoking reduces A1AT to greater extend and cause emphysema People at this stage of life are recovering from middle adulthood and experience Despair versus Integrity. The basic strength at this age is wisdom. Those who lived up to their dreams in life usually enjoy good memories and this is what is identified as integrity. Having failed to achieve better life and bearing in mind the situation of the patient's aliments, the patient is not able to find her true self to develop her personal ego as expected of her age. She may not develop wisdom This is evidenced by the patient's ailments which appear like co morbidity of several disease conditions or a cascade of ailments. she had suffered osteoporosis for 8 years, emphysema for 12 years, hyperlipidemia for 5 years and hypertension for 15 years keeping pain diary to assist in identification of irritating and ease factors on pain, assisted the patient in selecting best management strategy and acknowledge and recognize patients past experience (Green 2007) Aggrenox one (200mg) tablet twice a day, Coreg 3.125 mg per oral administration twice a day and Cozaar 50mg per oral administration everyday to reduce high blood pressure. ... Treatment Open (bronchial ventilation) by suction or giving medication that reduce secretions, acid base management techniques and use of medication. keeping pain diary to assist in identification of irritating and ease factors on pain, assisted the patient in selecting best management strategy and acknowledge and recognize patients past experience (Green 2007) Medication Aggrenox one (200mg) tablet twice a day, Coreg 3.125 mg per oral administration twice a day and Cozaar 50mg per oral administration everyday to reduce high blood pressure. Administer Acetaminophen 650mg six hours interval to relive mild pain and reduce fever. Ipratropium Bromide two puffs twice a day to reduce allergic reactions and secretions as well as for brocho-dilatation Diet 3. The patient to be put on a steady diet with more calcium and vitamin D and also carry out exercises to strengthen the back. Referred the patient to osteoporosis support. Pr Assessment Functional Health Patterns Nursing Diagnosis 1 The patient has intermittent sleep patterns only able to tolerate with HOB up in high fowler position. The patient has suffered osteoporosis for the past 8 years, multiple admission for pneumonia. Osteoporosis causes a lot of skeleton-muscular pain because the bones gradually weaken and any slight strain on the body structure is very painful(Green 2007) The functional health patterns are identified as; 1. Sleep-Rest Patterns 2. Sensory Perception Patterns Psychological Nursing diagnosis the patient experienced stress and anxiety Physiological Nursing Diagnosis The patient experienced disturbed sleeping patterns and Ineffective airway clearance In relation to being

Summary of an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Summary of an article - Essay Example This transfer mechanism is important to the researchers due to the fact that understanding transfer will help to answer several pertinent questions. The first of these relate to whether violent video games have the implied drawback of encouraging violence. Similarly, by studying transference models, the researcher can determine if flight simulation helps develop cockpit skills in pilots. In essence, the level of transference of specific skill sets that are supposedly â€Å"taught† in various video games will be helpful understanding the net positive or net negative relationships that may or may not exist. The analysis found, not surprisingly, that the same concepts of collaboration, interaction, tactile learning, exploratory interest, and individuality as they relate to the game playing experience. Whereas many individuals are prone to view the video game as a total escape mechanism, the researchers were able to convincingly prove that it is and has been used as a means to foster intra human communication via linked players or via those that interact with the process while in the room yet not playing the game themselves. Furthermore, the level of bonding and exploration that occurred while the researchers were conducting their study helped them to make a direct link between the children that were involved in the process and the traditional understanding of the word â€Å"play†. Likewise, there was not the clear break between in game and in world realities as the researchers at first expected; rather, both realities incorporated unique elements of one another to create a combined effect that could neither be turned on or turned off once the game was complete. As one might expect, the levels of meaning and interaction levels of transference that exist are therefore dependent upon the individual

CIS206 U3 Discussion Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CIS206 U3 Discussion - Coursework Example Windows is made up of FAT and NTFS filesystems whereas Linux has a variety of files systems most that you can boot from the network. Its not easy to run out of memory in Linux because it has swap partition that is different from the partition containing data. The latter is not the case in Windows (Carpenter, 2012). In addition, Linux filesystems have a lot of recovery tools as compared to windows. There are many file systems in Linux including xfs, ext3, ext4, ext2, and jfs. These filesystems have different advantages and disadvantages thus the preference of one over the other. XFS has its data layout the same way it is in ext2, ext3, and ext4. However, it has a journal and consequently increments btree management of meta-data. The latter case leads to poor performance especially when in managing meta-data in files and directories. A positive outcome is read enactment. XFS also has an excellent performance when handling read and write at the same time. It is one of the filesystems that has been tested and fine-tuned over a long period. Further, it has incredible features that include xfs_fsr a defragmenter that is very simple to use (Hudson & Hudson, 2006). However, it is only possible to increase the size of the XFS but its not feasible to reduce that size. Thus as a precaution it is advisable to start with a smaller size. Ext4 evolves from ext3. It has the advantage of writing in a journal before updating the file system. It has made it good in recovering from crashes. It also adds wonderful management to adjacent data in files. Its performance in reading is good. Since it is very recent, a lot of tests are still underway. An administrator imposes a disk quota system on a Linux server so as to distribute the disk space among the users or groups according to their usage needs. It is also important in determining the number of directories and files that the

In the Dream of the Man that was Dreaming, the Dreamt Man Woke Essay Example for Free

In the Dream of the Man that was Dreaming, the Dreamt Man Woke Essay By traditional definition, perception is anything that can be known through the five senses. However, this quote adds another dimension to the idea about perception. It implies that perception is not dictated by the five senses, but by the brain. If a man perceives something, he has either seen it, heard it, felt it, smelt it, tasted it, or any combination of those. A man knows that a car has crashed because he saw the collision and heard the loud noise. He knows that he likes steak through enjoying its pleasant smell and satisfying taste. In addition, he knows that fire is hot because the nervous system allows him to feel its warmth. However, one usually forgets that it is impossible to use these senses without the brain, which controls each of these perceptions. The quote serves as a supporting reminder of this idea. Arguably, the dreaming man is able to perceive a dreamt man waking up. Yet, he does not necessarily see the man with his own eyes, because his eyelids are shut. He does not hear the dreamt man with his ears; he does not feel the man with his hands, and he certainly doesnt taste or smell the man. So how is he able to perceive him? He is able to perceive him because his brain still functions, creating the image of the dreamt man waking. Now, the reason why the brain creates the image of the dreamt man is for another paper, about dream interpreting. The quote simply implies that we perceive only what our brain wants us to, and that our brain may even make us perceive what is not reality. It may be possible that we do not always know what is reality even if it is right in front of us. For example, today might feel like a cold day, yet it is still about 50-60 degrees F. However, in the winter months of January and February, a 60 degree day may not feel so cold. In fact, it would even feel warm compared to the usual freezing temperature. This is because the brain interprets what messages are sent through the nervous system, and it tells the body to feel warm because it is used to a colder temperature. Recently, due to the sniper shootings, Americas Most Wanted conducted a study which proved that the brain can affect what a witness may have seen with his or her own eyes. This is a major cause of the inconsistent eyewitness accounts of the shootings. These are just a few examples that prove that perception is under the complete control of the brain. Perception is much more than what the body is able to sense; it is how the brain interprets the information it receives through those senses. Even while the body is in slumber, the brain continues to interpret and create perceptions. Does the brain have a mind of its own?

Unequal distribution of resources in society

Unequal distribution of resources in society The following discussion will concentrate on social inequalities in health which have lead to the unequal distribution of resources in the society. Health inequalities refers to the differences in the prevalence of incidence of health outcomes between population groups and range by socio-economic groups and geographical area (Graham 2000). Gender which has socially constructed roles of female and male identity, can therefore compound health inequalities which generate the underlying socio-economic inequalities thereby affecting some social groups badly. Research on gender inequalities have developed but the rapid social change in the lives of men and women and an increased questioning of an oversimplified established wisdom about gender and health makes a critical retrospective timely development in social theory which raise new questions about gender inequalities (Fried, 2007). Gender inequalities in society lead to inequalities in health. Most societies give greater status and power to men and this has adverse impact on the health of women. Domestic abuse occurs mostly against women. Thus, womens health is profoundly affected by the ways they are treated and the status they are given in society (NHS Lothian, 2004). Distinct roles and behaviours of men and women in a given culture are dictated by their culture, gender, norms and values which gives rise to gender differences. Gender differences and gender inequalities can therefore give rise to inequalities between men and women in health status and the access to health care (World Health Organization, 2009). Apart from the internalized ideologies of gender that are acquired, all societies are structured around hierarchical systems whereby sex together with age form the vital organizing features. Gender differences in access to and control over key material and social resources result not only in inequalities of health and wellbeing, but also inequalities in power, knowledge, making independent decisions relating to sexual and reproductive decisions and to act on them in health seeking behaviour (Oakley, 1998). So, if biological predispositions form one basis for inequalities in reproductive health and cultural difference (Graham, 2000), then the distribution of resources within the household, family and community forms an additional layer of differences reflecting inequalities of gender. According to Walby (1997), gender norms and values and the resulting behaviours are affecting health in a negative way. Gender can be one of the major obstacles standing between men and women and the achievement of well-being. Women have lower incomes and make seventy-five percent of single pensioner households and are likely to bear inequality in health related to poverty (Scottish Executive, 2003).Walby (2000) writes that the actions of the European Union are limited by its primary concern with standard employment whereas women are often employed in non-standard forms such as part-time and temporary employment and thus many women do not benefit from its regulations. She went on to explain the extent to which the family form involves women as housewives or workers. This is therefore more complex than the use of gender norms because the different types not only by different types of values but also by the form of the welfare state. Gender as well as socio-economic position mediates exposure to material, psychosocial and behavioral risks (Annandale and Hunt 2000: 1996) Men have traditionally been exposed to the industrial injuries associated with skilled manual work yet women experience the disadvantages of contributing to affective disorder, poor home environment with heavy childcare responsibilities as well as low levels of social support since most women if they are employed, they are on low pay. Women bear extensive caring and nurturing responsibilities and a higher prevalence of poverty. According to Wobbe (2003) stress of making ends meet impacts the health of women leading to mental health illnesses. He explains that enforced childbearing, overwork and poorer access to food compared to men meant that womens life expectance in society was affected more than mens. According to Graham (2000) ,only females are exposed to problems relating to menstruation, pregnancy, abortion, miscarriage, childbirth and lactation. It is only women who experience breast or cervical cancer or pelvic inflammatory disease. (Lorber ,2000) says only men are at risk of prostate cancer, impotence or problems related to vacectomies. But, both sexes can experience infertility. Girls and women are at risk of more varied and serious sexual reproductive health problems than boys and men (Connell 2002). Gender based inequalities in health cut across and interact with class inequalities (Scott 1988)Thus, health problems such as iron deficiency, anaemia which is common among women, among the poor and in rural areas can result in highly class-specific patterns of reproductive morbidity and mortality among women. However males do have an excess mortality persisting through to later life. They are at risk of dying in childhood and adulthood from diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. Townsend and Davidson (1982:48) writes: The gap in life expectancy between men and women is the most distinctive feature of human health in the advanced society. The death of men in different social classes is in most cases double that of women leading to the cumulative health inequalities between the sexes. Gender and class therefore exert highly significant but different influences on the quality and duration of life in modern society. Connell (1987, 1995, 2002) analyses gender and health and writes t hat men was often reactive to feminism. Men was socialized into the sex-role system in ways which even though they were oppressive to women, they developed men in distorted ways as emotionally repressed and power oriented thus put men at greater risk of early death through suicide and heart disease. Feminist ideologies expressed through by rights and health oriented womens organizations aim at promoting the sexual and reproductive health services and restrictions on contraception methods that are thought to violate religious norms. Inequalities in access result from the denial of family planning services to the unmarried especially in the African culture and from requirements that married women must obtain their husbands consent among other restrictions. Annandale and Hunt (2000) say It is hard to argue that male-female mortality difference are statistical artifact. They suggest that female excess morbidity is socially constructed. Intense social pressure to conform to accepted ideals of masculinity therefore leads men to deny illness out of fear that it displays weakness and are less prepared to report symptoms or use health services compared to women. Health care professionals are faced with challenging social attitude to prevent and manage risk factors to ensure they do not lead to chronic health problems later in life. So professionals have a role in the prevention of abuse by taking challenging actions and condone violence and abusive behaviour that reinforce the gender stereotypes and underpin domestic abuse in women. Women need to be provided with appropriate response which is part of the high quality care that should be delivered. Professionals should feel confident, have access to training, support and adequate information to enable them to support women experiencing domestic abuse. (NHS Lothian, 2000) Professionals should be aware and able to recognize signs of potential abuse in women. They should respond to women in a supportive way and listen to them. The World Health Organisation (2000) say the goals of Gender and Womens Health Department are to increase health professionals awareness of the role of gender and inequali ty in perpetuating abuse, disease and death with the view to eliminate gender as a barrier to good health. The Department of Health (2000) aims to develop an approach to take into account performance management between health authorities about key health issues so as to make targets based on gender specific principles. Females and males think and act differently as a consequences of their socialization and of the gendered society (Walby 2004). The challenge still stands that healthy communities which recognize inequalities should be built and achieved by understanding social issues, changing they way things are done and accepting that the needs of people must be at the heart of everything a professional does. Working with individuals is vital on the part of health professionals and it is their duty to make service users welcome and comfortable especially the one-to-one support which should be client centred. Since women experience child birth, it is the health professionals duty to held the pregnant woman focusing on her individual needs and interest making her understand more about her health care and be able to make decisions about childbirth and caring for her baby. Women often approach health care professionals for help because they need up-to date advice on breastfeeding, solid foods, because the decisions made at the start of a babys life require sensitivity and understanding, thus mothers need reassurance and hence the need for health professionals to work with individuals. Even those women who might have suffered domestic abuse, it is essential to work closely with them individually reflecting on what happened and how best they can be assisted. When working with men as individuals , it should not only allow themselves to talk more openly about their problems, but helps the health professional to find out more about mens psychological ill health. Since most of them will be clinically depressed and the sense of isolation will be profound as they will not be talking to anyone about their concerns or feelings. Thus, health care should be accessible, approachable and achievable for everyone (Department of Health 2000). Working with group as stated by Drummomd (2000), it is essential to work with and understand the views of men and women of the local community for health promotions. The professionals should think laterally and work in small companies where men are under pressure. Services according to Drummond should be in youth centres, unemployment centres and many small groups in the community. The development of local strategic partnership offers opportunities or health authorities and local authority to discuss health issues. To build healthy communities, professionals need to work with local men and women by bringing them into partnership within the locality in which services are placed, working within a context of dialogue that leads to action. Young men are an especially different group to reach because they are not interested in the long-term results of an unhealthy lifestyle but can be persuaded to consider the immediate impact of current ill-health hence the need to change the way health is marketed. (Deville-Almond 2008) it is vital to work with peer support groups such as the prostate cancer a charity which offers men the opportunity to talk to other men to reduce embarrassment when discussing symptom thereby promoting autonomy. Townsend and Davidson(1988) states Inequalities exist also in the utilization of health services, particularly and most worryingly of the preventive services. According to the Health Promotion, women access health services more regularly and it is much easier for health professionals to consult women. Robinson, a community learning consultant explains that if health professionals are to work with men, they must go where they are thereby being flexible I delivering services. She further says that if one is a female professional she should not hesitate to go and work in a working mens club and talk about health issues as this would improve the younger mens health. The Department of Health (2000) argues that services should be sensitive to mens concerns and attitudes. The Health Department Agency (2001) says there should be more mens health clinics, telephone and online services should be developed since most men prefer the anonymity of such services. Opening hours should take into acco unt the commitment of people who work full-time. The role of occupational health services should be strengthened. Mens health needs should be taken into account by the local authority community thus providing the opportunity to take an over acting view of inequalities of all kinds. This essay has shown that women and men share many similar health challenges and the differences are such that the health women deserve particular attention. Even though women live longer men because of biological and behavioural advantages, their longer lives might not be healthy lives because of the biological and social processes they go through which carry health crisis and therefore require health care. Gender inequalities in health are therefore socially governed and thus actionable. Even in health, biology is not destiny, Sex and society, nature and nurture, chromosomes and environments interact to determine who is well or ill, who is treated or not, who is exposed or vulnerable to ill-health and whose health needs are acknowledged or dismissed (Equal Opportunities Commission 2002).

Solomon vs. Socrates :: essays research papers

Solomon vs. Socrates: what they thought wisdom was, where it came from, and how it was taught. Solomon and Socrates are thought of as the wisest men in history. Solomon was a man of God who wrote Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Songs of Songs in the Bible. The great philosopher, Socrates, lived in the Classical Age of Greece. Their styles of teaching and perspectives on wisdom were very different, but they did have their similarities. While Solomon and Socrates had the same perspective on what wisdom was, they had contrasting understandings on where it came from. Solomon’s definition of wisdom was the knowledge of making wise choices. Proverbs 1:2-3 says, Wisdom is instruction in wise dealings with others. Wisdom is instruction in righteousness, knowing the difference between good and evil. Wisdom is instruction in justice, knowing how to do what is right. It is the simple learning shrewdness so that they are not taken advantage of. It is the young learning knowledge and prudence. For both the young and the old it is an increase in skill, understanding and knowledge. In Proverbs, he was trying to show his readers how to make wise choices. All of what Solomon wrote came straight from God, and he believed that the only way that anyone could get wisdom was if they got it from God. 1 Kings 3: 5-13 says, In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou has  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  t kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

Discuss the Aphorism “Small Firm Growth Being the Only Measure of an Entrepreneur’s Success”.

INTRODUCTION Business growth is a good goal for most firms in general and is given great weight by the society. This could be seen with the list conjured up by the media, such as ‘Forbes Fast-Growing Companies’ and ‘Inc Fastest Growing Companies’ lists (Hupato 2011). The reason small firm growth has been prioritised by policy makers and the society is mainly due to its contribution to the economy (Bridge, O’Neill & Martin 2009). Small firm and entrepreneurship have so often been linked together, and it has become common to acknowledge that all small firms are established by entrepreneurs.Hence, the terms such as growth, success and performance are often linked in the research of entrepreneurial success (Reijonen & Komppula 2007). However, if entrepreneurship is defined as creation of new economic activity, the aspect of firm growth is already defined the moment the entrepreneur introduced new products or services (Davidsson, Achtenhagen & Naldi 2010). In other words, growth is not an aspect of entrepreneurship if growth is measured solely on volume expansion of existing products or through acquisitions of existing business.Schumpeter has also mentioned that one can be entrepreneurial without being self-employed and vice versa (Utsch, Rauch, Rothfufs & Frese 1999). Entrepreneurship remains an enigma till date and the assumption that all small firms are creations of an entrepreneur is arguable. Davidsson, Achtenhagen & Naldi (2010) has described, even a superficial reading on the complexity of small firm growth literature could easily leave the reader confused. Thus, the aphorism of small firm growth being the only measure of an entrepreneur’s success should be looked upon from different perspectives.The dimensions of small firm growth and also the perspectives of entrepreneurial success will be analysed to see the degree of its correlation and to judge how true the mentioned aphorism is. What is small firm growth? Generall y, growth of a business occurs in phases in a small business life cycle. A business venture would normally encounter three-stage development process, namely the ‘seed’ stage, the ‘start-up’ stage and the ‘expansion’ stage (Mukherjee 1992).The ‘seed’ stage brings a well-conceived idea into existence, while the ‘start-up’ stage included employment and accumulating business capital, and the ‘expansion’ stage involves manufacturing or service capacity increment (Mukherjee 1992). On the other hand, Bridge, O’Neill & Martin (2009) has suggested five stages of small firm growth, namely ‘existence’, ‘survival’, ‘success’, ‘take-off’ and ‘maturity’. Helms & Renfrow (1994) has supported the concept of the five stages of various developmental growth stages when they conducted a research in United States.Bridge, O’Neill & Martin (2009) defi ned the five stages as the following: the ‘existence’ stage is similar to the ‘seed’ stage explained previously, while the ‘survival’ stage involves customer familiarisation with the firm’s product or service. The ‘success’ stage is when there are options for further growth, thus the ‘take-off’ stage where the owner opted to grow the business larger. The business will reach the ‘maturity’ stage when it displays the characteristics of a large company.However, the mentioned researchers have concluded that it is difficult to clearly define the business development stages clearly during throughout the business cycle (Bridge, O’Neill & Martin 2009). Despite the challenging task to categorise growth, researchers would still generally use the small business growth as indicator of success since it is common parlance to suggest that success requires growth, to stand still is to die (Geneste & Weber 20 11). There are enormous literatures on theories of growth and are most commonly associated with generation of jobs.In the early years, entrepreneurship has been the main focus due to its significant employment opportunities that was created. This reason remained strong today thus gaining the attention from policy-makers in each country. In fact, the number of employees a firm has become an important factor for classifying a small firm (Helms & Renfrow 1994). Research shows that young high-growth firms (also commonly known as ‘gazelles’) generate a large share of all new net jobs (Roper 2012).Robbins, Pantuosco, Parker & Fuller (2000) has also confirmed in their research that a state with large quantity of small business has lower rates of unemployment compared to other states that has little quantity of small businesses. The reason employment rates are valuable in measuring growth is because each firm will grow until they reach the optimal size that corresponds to minim um average cost (Hart 2000). Thus, each firm will continue to employ during its growth stage until it reaches the efficient scale or natural decay.However, other research has proved that it is difficult to measure small firm performance by employee growth. This is due to moderating variables such as outsourcing activities, productivity changes and replacement of employees with capital investments (Fitzsimmons, Steffens & Douglas 2005). When business grow in this the rapid changing modem world, many production and service functions has been contracted out (Bridge, O’Neill & Martin 2009). In other words, a business can grow without having any increase in employment rate.Several academicians argued that sales precede other yardsticks for business growth, as pointed out that it is the increase in sales that necessitates the increase in the number of employees hired (Davidsson, Achtenhagen & Naldi 2010). Sales revenue performance is used as small firm’s growth because it mi rrors the consumer’s demand for the product or services provided by the firm (Fitzsimmons, Steffens & Douglas 2005). In this world of constant returns, the consumer’s demand for the product or services determines the limit on the firm’s growth.Sales figures easily reflect both short-term and long-term changes in the firm, hence measuring the growth and performance. However, there are two reasons that deviate sales as business growth yardstick. Firstly, the typical downward sloping demand curve is not applicable in practice. Just as a habitual entrepreneur starts more than one business, a firm can also have product differentiation (Hart 2000). Hence, it is difficult to determine the demand and cost curves in imperfect competition market condition.Secondly, sales are not an accountable measure during first few stages of the business cycle. During the seed and the start-up stage, employment and assets may grow more extensively before any significant sale has been d one (Fitzsimmons, Steffens & Douglas 2005). In this context, assets are in the form tangible ‘fixed’ assets and intangible assets such as of entrepreneur’s knowledge asset, the reputation of the firm (Bridge, O’Neill & Martin 2009) and quantity of registered patents. Hence, business growth could not be measured by sales alone.Looking from another dimension, a firm’s profitability could be suggested as an important measure of growth for the simple reason that a firm is unable to sustain without profits. The difference between maximised sales and maximised profit is that the marginal revenue is zero when sales are maximised but the marginal revenue is positive when profits are maximised (Hart 2000). A firm’s growth on profitability can be considered in term of the net profit margins, return on assets (Fitzsimmons, Steffens & Douglas 2005) or return on equity (Durguner & Katchova 2009).High profit margins, return on assets and return on equity p rovide more confidence for shareholders and potential investors to invest in the firm, enhancing business growth. However, growth rates are highly volatile over duration of time and research has shown that there is no evidence of a relationship between growth and profitability (Fitzsimmons, Steffens & Douglas 2005). In accordance, many articles have reached a conclusion that financial measures alone are not sufficient as business growth and performance measure for small firms (Reijonen & Komppula 2007).This is due to the fact that, just as entrepreneurship, small business sector is hardly homogeneous, and not all of these businesses are operating in the same direction. Some research has even shown that not all small firms are even capable or willing to grow (Papadanki & Chami 2002). What is entrepreneurial success? The capability and willingness to grow of small firms are directly influenced by the business owners’ intention to grow and their self-perception of success.In oth er words, the growth of small business is not a self-evident phenomenon, but it is actually driven by the business owner’s motivations and intentions (Morrison, Breen & Ali 2003). Most business decisions are made by owners, and their own personal judgement will impact on the business growth orientation (Geneste & Weber 2011). Consequently, it can be considered that the role of the entrepreneur should be emphasized as the dominant factor of growth (Reijonen & Komppula 2007). An entrepreneur’s motivation for business growth has to be complemented by his or her willingness to grow and assume risks.The risks involved are such as willingness to delegate control functions to others and the uncertainty to produce more output. The researchers found that due to the risks, small business owners are reluctant to grow and perceives profit-maximisation as only one of the motives for business growth (Papadanki & Chami 2002). This argument draws down to the psychological theories of motivation. The McClelland’s theory of needs defined ‘need for achievement’ as â€Å"the drive to excel, to achieve in relation to a set of standards, and to strive to succeed† (Robbins, Judge, Millet & Boyle 2011).Hence, characteristics of the business owners are linked to the business growth aspirations. In other words, each entrepreneur has their own perception of success depending on their own standard for ‘need for achievement’. To understand the business growth aspirations deeper, the owner’s clusters of traits and behaviours which affect the way they engage in their business activities are examined. The characteristic of the firm owner can be divided into three broad categories, namely ‘life-style’, ‘comfort-zone’ and ‘growth’ (Bridge, O’Neill & Martin 2009).The ‘life-style’ owners are defined to be those who establish the business to provide them a level of income and ha ve no intention for business growth. Geneste & Weber (2011) has identified owners that are not keen to expand their business due to deliberate ‘life-style’ choice, such as the small business atmosphere that engenders comradeship and job satisfaction. The ‘comfort-zone’ owners establish the business and focus on the benefits it can provide for the comfort he or she wants in life and the business growth will be stagnant once the desired comfort level has been achieved.The ‘growth’ owners are the almost ideal business person who maximises the earning potential and continue to grow the business further for the future. Clearly again, the intrinsic motivation of the owner should be examined further in order to understand what entrepreneurial success is. There are many studies that have been conducted to explore an entrepreneur’s intrinsic motivation for his or her business. One piece of research conducted was to compare the start-up motivation s and growth intentions between African-Americans (titled as ‘black’ by the researchers) and Americans (titled as ‘white’ by the researchers).Edelmen, Brush, Manolova & Greene (2010) has conducted a research to investigate new venture among black and white nascent entrepreneurs. In their research, they have discovered three important findings related to business growth. Firstly, nascent entrepreneurs do not associate business establishment outcomes with business growth intention. Secondly, entrepreneurs are motivated to start ventures to fulfil a need for self-realisation. Lastly, it is found that whites are more strongly motivated by the desire for financial success while blacks had higher levels of personal self-confidence.Hypothetically, the findings of this research suggested that blacks inherited the ‘life-style’ motivations while the whites are ‘comfort-zone’ motivated. This research has proved that expected financial outcome s are not as important as noneconomic concern in determining the entrepreneur’s attitude towards growth. The entrepreneurial success is not related to the growth of the firm but for intrinsic satisfaction instead; hence small firm growth should not be the only measure for the entrepreneur’s success.In another piece of research, (Utsch, Rauch, Rothfufs & Frese 1999) has investigated the rapid emergence of entrepreneurs and small firms in East Germany. During the research, the role of personality traits has been clarified and the researchers found an encouraging convergence result in two areas, namely the need for achievement and need for autonomy. In other words, entrepreneurs with high need for autonomy will be more motivated to begin small-scale business ventures and will develop the business further only if they have high need for achievement as well.In parallel to that, Lee & Tai (2010) has conducted a research to investigate the motivators and success of small busi ness in Kazakhstan. Empirical evidence has suggested the entrepreneurs are motivated to achieve financial independence and also to obtain social recognition. This is due to the fact that entrepreneurial endeavours are considered as honourable and also an upgrade on social-status activities. This theory is shows that entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan are more aligned towards the ‘comfort-zone’ characteristics.The mentioned researchers have also concluded that the success of some small firm growth is contributed by the creativity and commitment of all the entrepreneurs. From these two pieces of research, it is further confirmed that entrepreneurs have their own perceptions of success but each individual has different intrinsic motivation to achieve his or her goal, albeit from different geographic locations. Another aspect to consider on perception of entrepreneurial success should be the gender of the owner. Research shows that there are differences across entrepreneur’ s gender on perceptions of success.Male and females entrepreneurs differ in the way they measure their extrinsic and intrinsic dimensions. Previous study has verified that male entrepreneurs tend to emphasize on quantitative measures and economic values while female entrepreneurs emphasize on qualitative measures and social values (Justo, Cruz, de Castro & Coduras 2006). Hypothetically, male entrepreneurs describe success in term of achieving goals while female entrepreneurs define success in terms of doing something fulfilling. The research has also iscovered that the motivation for business success is moderated by the parental status of the entrepreneur. Female entrepreneurs are more motivated venturing into self-employment if they have dependent children under their care and perceived success when they are able to fulfil the need of independence. This hypothesis has been confirmed by Ahmad (2011) when he conducted a research on female entrepreneurs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this piece of research, female entrepreneurship has proved to be influenced by the female entrepreneur wanting to spend more quality family time.For these female entrepreneurs, the perception of success was when the desire for autonomy, independence, self-fulfilment and wealth has been achieved. In short, the gender status of the entrepreneur significantly impact on the perceptions of entrepreneurial success where female entrepreneurs depict more on social values as success. Conclusion In conclusion, the dimensions of small firm growth and the perspectives of entrepreneurial success have been discussed to judge how true the aphorism of entrepreneurial success can only be judged by small firm growth.The different stages of business cycle have been identified and the growth of the business occurs in almost all the phases in the five stages of small firm growth in their own way. Growth is included in many aspects, such as growth of the idea, or the growing numbers of customers, or gene rating more returns from the business. Generally, the measurement of growth is mainly based on quantitative values such as employment rate, business sales and profitability among other yardsticks. However, research shows that small firm growth could not be measured on financial and economical terms only.The rate of employment becomes insignificant as the business can grow without hiring any new employees, while sales do not account for the first couple stages of the business cycle and there might be owners who deviate from the main product or service line. Research has also shown that there are no relationship between profitability and growth. Therefore, the entrepreneur’s perception of success should be moderated to measure small firm success. Three types of small firm owner’s characteristics has been identified, namely the ‘life-style’, ‘comfort-zone’ and ‘growth’.From the few pieces of research that has been examined, most of t he entrepreneurs are found to be ‘life-style’ and ‘comfort-zone’ and rarely the ideal ‘growth’ motivated characteristics. The gender of the entrepreneur will also affect the measuring manner of small firm growth success. Each attribute shows the willingness and capability of each owner to further grow their business. Hence, the entrepreneur’s intrinsic motivation plays a vital role in judging and predicting the small firm success.In this context, the intrinsic motivations are such as the need for achievement, autonomy and self-realisation are more important than business growth intentions. 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