Violence by Gilligan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence by Gilligan - Essay Example Violence by Gilligan How do we react to violence or a violent individual or group physically hurting us or other members of our society? Dr. James Gilligan, author of ‘Violence: Our Deadly Epidemic and Its Causes’, using his experience of over 35 years in dealing with prisons and the criminals of violent crimes, explains how instrumental our perceptions and reactions to violence are in eliminating it. The concept of a harmoniously balanced society with ‘no violence’ is a resultant of mutual care and support between the members of that society (Duen Hsi Yen). This emanates from respect for each other, the absence of which internally hollows the structure of a society even though it may be apparently working harmoniously. The effects of this hollowing can be witnessed in the increasing violent crime rates, even in countries with efficient crime control agencies like the FBI and Department of Justice in the U.S. This implies a critical analysis of the different theories of Violence. The earliest theory by the founder of the field of Psychoanalysis, Freud himself, declares that violence is but a natural impulse in all human beings. But the first hand experience of Dr Gilligan with violent criminals reveals the opposite. Violence is caused rather than natural, and society may very well be one of its major causes. In his description of the different perceptions of violence and their affects, Gillian identifies three categories of reaction towards violence; pathos, moral plays and understanding violence as tragedy.

Self Determination of Indigenous Australians Essay Example for Free

Self Determination of Indigenous Australians Essay â€Å"Self determination is a principle of International Law and it must be the basis of social and political organisation† (Mazel, 2009, 150). This is an important principle in the acknowledging of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples rights. Self determination allows Indigenous peoples to independently determine their political status and gives them the freedom to economically, socially and culturally develop as according to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Maguire, 2009, 2). Acknowledging this fundamental right is essential for Indigenous Australians to be able to preserve their culture, dignity and independence. Therefore, political, social, cultural and economical independence and freedom need to be granted to the Indigenous peoples. Arguably, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was politically a step forward for Indigenous self determination and autonomy. ATSIC was established in 1990 and allowed Indigenous Australians, via a number of councils, to effectively govern themselves. This gave them the opportunity to take care of their own land, education, economic development, laws and justice and a number of other issues. â€Å"Aboriginals must be recognised for what they are, a peoples in their own right with their own culture, history and values† (Djerrkura and Herron, 1999). Since ATSIC was abolished, the Indigenous peoples have even less political representation and their infrastructure has worsened. To maintain the traditions and culture of the Indigenous Australians, they need to be able to have the strong connection to the land that is such an integral part of who they are as a people. The Aboriginal Land Rights legislation is a positive step forwards in this way. Also, socially there needs to be more recognition in the white Australian community of the damage that was done in past generations and there needs to be more respect for the lands original owners. As more responsibility is taken for the wrongs against the Indigenous population, and more actions are taken such as providing mental health services to help deal with this, there will be less social stigma attached to the Indigenous population. The Australian Government implementing the Northern Territory Intervention was a direct violation of the Racial Discrimination Act and it â€Å"impairs self-determination of Aboriginal communities, their ability to make certain choices about how their communities are run† (Anyana, 2010). This blatant form of institutionalised racism is demoralising and takes the Indigenous Peoples dignity from them, lowering their self-esteem and essentially making the causes of excessive drinking worse. Also, government funding is not going far enough in terms of infrastructure or providing support. Without basic needs being met such as garbage collection or emergency plumbing, the risk of disease is much higher. Most importantly, I believe that there needs to be some constitutional changes so that rights cant be revoked so easily. Also, Indigenous history, culture and customs need to be assimilated into into all compulsory education from as early as possible so that the younger generation can co-exist more harmoniously. Another very important thing for white Australians need to do is stop trying to force westernisation onto the Indigenous people and let them be autonomous. Self determination is necessary for Indigenous cultures so that a cultural majority doesnt take over and force the old culture into extinction. Increased political independence and representation is an important step towards this, as well as encouraging their spirituality and better social integration of the diverse cultures. It is important that the Australian government gives back the Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory the right to manage their own finances and also to economically support these remote communities infrastructural development. This principle of international law is a foundation for organisation both politically and socially because handing over the responsibility is not only a show of respect but allows Indigenous Australians to take pride in who they are. REFERENCE LIST Mazel, O 2009, The Evolution Of Rights: Indigenous Peoples And International Law, Australian Indigenous Law Review; Volume 13, Issue 1. Maguire, A 2009, The Right of self determination to the Indigenous peoples of Australia, National Human Rights Consultation. Djerrkura, G and Herron, J 1999, Regional Autonomy for Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Communities; Discussion Paper. Anyana, M. 2010, The West Australian; NT Intervention violates human rights: UN.

Project Coast: South Africa’s Top Secret Chemical and Biological Weapon

To protect the safety of the country and people of South Africa, those who hold authority or control in the decision making process sometimes are faced with making tough decisions. When it comes to South Africa, President P. W. Botha decided that to best protect the welfare of the citizens, a defensive measure must be established that was secure and efficient. The idea of such measures brought on an evolution of a secret chemical and biological weapons program which became known as Project Coast. The personnel that knew of its existence hid the program from the world and used various measures to ensure that this program remained their little secret. However, no secret lays dormant forever. The idea of S. Africa partaking in such measures shined a distasteful light on a country that was already divided and fighting amongst each itself. Project Coast was against all the morals of what the United Nations had established and stood for peace and working together unified. The S. Af rican government knew this; the pride and protection of their well-being outweighed what was right. South Africa’s choice to begin a Chemical and Biological Weapons Program (CBW) was unsound but this was not the first time the country experimented with such lethal weapons. History reveals that during World War II, South Africa participated in the manufacturing of mustard gas when the Smuts government assisted Great Britain (Gould & Folb, 2002). There were two manufacturing plants that produced the gas, but by 1945 production ended and the plants were closed. When these plants were closed the idea of research still lingered on the minds of those who held office. Some years later, in 1960, a company called Mechem was founded and headed by Dr. J. P. ... ...asson. Project Coast is a reason why there are so many sanctions on chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. The intention to study and research may be good, but the idea of it getting in the wrong hands can be detrimental. Reference Bale, J. Monterey Institue of International Studies, (2006). South Africa’s Project Coast: â€Å"Death Squad’s,† Covert State-Sponsored poisonings, and the Dangers of CBW Proliferation (10.1080/1741916060623434). Retrieved from Taylor & Francis Group, LLC website: http://www.miis.edu/media/view/18941/orgianal/balecoastarticle.pdf Buger, M., & Gould, C. (2002). Secrets and Lies: Wouter Basson and South Africa’s Chemical and Biological Warfare Programme. Zebra Press. Folb, P., & Gould, C. (2002). Project Coast: Apartheid’s Chemical and Biological Warfare Programme. United Nations Publication. Retrieved from www.unog.ch/bwc

Highschool Dropouts

Vanessa Siegning Professor Dutterer EGL 1010 March 19, 2013 High School Dropouts Going to school has always been seen as one of the most important occupations in our life. All categories of ages can go to school; kids, young people and even adults. School is defined as a place where people get an education. By going to school, people can acquire knowledge and skill that are not only important for the society but also for them. However, getting out of the educative system has become a big phenonem nowadays. It mostly affects students from high school. They usually get out of school without earning at least a High School Diploma.Isn’t too early for those young students to drop out of school? The answer is that sometimes, they have problems that make them get out of school. While dropping out of high school is due to problems such as the financial situation, the family circumstance faced by students, and their difficulty to get adapted to the school system, it also produces effec ts such as the limited access to jobs, the exposition to juvenile delinquency and the lack of education. The major cause that motivates students to get out of high school is the financial situation of their parents.Not all students come from a rich family. Because of a lack of money, some parents cannot afford their children’s need such as school supplies, transportation or nutrition. Regularly, they just have a low rate job or maybe they are on the status of unemployment. It becomes impossible to take care of their family and even themselves. Poverty is a better word to describe their financial situation. It’s automatically clear that a student who lives in such conditions will drop out of school and will try to find a job in order to get some money.Additionally, some students from high school have a lot of difficulties to get adapted to the school system. To provide a better education, schools are always established on a strict system that imposes students to follow some rules in order to get satisfactory results. For example, the school system requires students to be present every day of class and on time, to do their homework and to study or to make research. However, some students find that difficult and unattractive. They do not feel motivated or interested for school. As a result, they fail in class.As long as they get bad grades in class, they always keep in mind that they are wasting their time by going to school. Therefore, the only possibility available for them now is to drop out of school. Another point that causes young students to get out of school is their family circumstance. The majority of high school students are adolescents. We all know that adolescents are sensible, so they are most of the time affected by their family condition. In a family where parents are always fighting or arguing, it gets obvious that students won’t concentrate in their education.Generally, parents who are in trouble in their couple cannot focus anymore on their children’s education. This could lead students to fail in class, and then drop out of school. The same thing applies on a family where parents are separated or divorced. It cannot be easy for single parents to take care of their children; furthermore, to pay attention to their school work. This means children are neglected as well as their education. It‘s certain that when students get out of high school, they have significant causes, but this situation of course generate many effects.First of all, non-graduated high school students have limited access to jobs opportunities. Even when they get one, it’s a low pay job. Knowledge, skill and ability are the first qualities that attract all employers. To stabilize or to develop their society, employers need help from qualified people. The better way to get knowledge is to go to school. The more someone goes to school, the more he earns knowledge. Secondly, when adolescents drop out of high school, t hey are likely exposed to juvenile delinquency. They don’t go to school anymore, so they have enough free time.Habitually, they have nothing to do, and they spend their time by staying in the street with friends. During this period, they might get involved into bad things such as crime, violence and vandalism. Actually, they become a danger for the society. Some of them run away from their family and turn to become homeless. Finally, students who drop out of high school are not educated enough. When people stop going to school early, they don’t have a possibility to be educated enough. They don’t behave correctly and they are not instructed.They cannot debate correctly like people who go to school. Sometimes, those people cannot even speak and write well. For example, it’s impossible for an illiterate person to give some pertinent ideas on a subject concerning the development of a country. They don’t have an ability to think enough. In conclusion, high school dropouts are due to many causes such as the financial situation, the family circumstance and the difficulty of students to get adapted to the school system; however, that situation produces long term effects.While some students stop going to school because of a lack of money and because of their family condition, some of them are just lazy. They don’t want to provide any efforts. As consequences, they have a limited access to jobs, they are exposed to the juvenile delinquency and they are not educated enough. To avoid students of dropping out of school, the government can help parents by providing school supplies to their children.

Prevalence of smoking and drinking Essay

Adolescence, from Latin word adolescere which means â€Å"to grow up† is a transitional stage of physical and psychological human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood. It is most closely associated with teenage years. Adolescence is further divided into three more stages, the early (12-14 years old), middle (15-17 years old) and late adolescence (18-20/21 years old). In each stage of human development, there are physical, emotional and physiological changes that happen. This is based from the concept that humans have developmental tasks that should be accomplish per stage. In the adolescence stage, adolescents are in critical stage because teenagers are exposed to a larger environment (Macmillan Dictionary for Students, 1981). Background of the study Nowadays, teenagers that are exposed to different environment are now engaged to smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages for some reasons. The strong association between binge drinking and smoking among adolescents may be attributable, in part, to the fact that both adolescent alcohol use and tobacco use share a number of sociocultural risk factors. Researchers have found that these factors—including family and peer influences, demographics, advertising, economics, and alcohol and tobacco availability—are associated with adolescents’ initial and continued tobacco and alcohol use (Bobo, J. and Corinne Husten, 2000). According to the U. S. Surgeon General Report (1994), approximately 80% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Every day, nearly 3,000 young people under the age of 18 become regular smokers and an estimated 2. 1 million people began smoking on a daily basis in 1997. More than half of these new daily smokers were younger than age 18. This translates to more than 3,000 new youth smokers per day. The rate of youth initiation of daily smoking increased somewhat from 55. 5 to 74. 9 per 1,000 potential new users between 1991 and 1996, but remained level in 1997 (the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse). It is said that young people who come from a lowincome family and have fewer than two adults living in their household are especially at risk for becoming smokers and those with poorer grades and lower self-images are most likely to begin. using tobacco. Over the past decade, there has been virtually no decline in smoking rates among all teens. Among black adolescents, however, the prevalence of smoking has declined dramatically. Most young people who smoke are addicted to nicotine and were reported that they want to quit but are unable to do so (Statistics on Teens, 1994). In 2002, Komro and Toomey said that alcohol use by underage drinkers is a persistent public health problem in the United States, and alcohol is the most commonly used drug among adolescents. Accordingly, numerous approaches have been developed and studied that aim to prevent underage drinking. Alcohol use initiation rates for children rise quickly from age 10 up to about age 13, when they reach more than 50 percent. Subsequently, initiation rates begin to slow again (Kosterman, R. et al. , 2000). Moreover, alcohol is the most commonly used drug among adolescents. According to Epstein, J. et al. , alcohol use continues to be an important public health problem. Recent national survey data indicate that 41% of current 8th graders, 62% of 10th graders, 73% of 12th graders and 85% of college students have used alcohol. Even more troubling is that 11% of 8th graders, 22% of 10th graders, 25% of 12th graders and 40% of college students reported heavy episodic drinking. Domingo and Marquez found large gender differences in the risk-taking behaviors among Filipino adolescents and youths. Men are much more likely than women to drink, smoke, and use drugs. The large gender difference in risk-taking behavior among adolescents and youths is rather common in Asian countries but not in the U. S. In our case, The Philippines has no national law regulating smoking and sale of tobacco products. There is no minimum age requirement for the purchase of cigarettes and no law regulating the advertising and promotion of cigarettes. There is no law that requires the printing of warning labels on cigarette packages. Instead, the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) is supposed to protect and promote the â€Å"balanced and integrated growth† of the tobacco industry. Despite the results of a survey which say that 72 per cent of the polled adult population was supportive of having a legislation banning smoking advertisements. There are more restrictions on drinking than smoking especially of the minors. Those who are less than 18 years old are 2|Page prohibited from purchasing or drinking alcoholic drinks. However, the enforcement of this regulation is weak (Choe, M. and Corazon Raymundo, 2001). Objectives This study aimed to determine the prevalence of smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages among senior high school students specifically: 1. to compare the prevalence of smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages between senior students of public and private high school; 2. to contrast the occurrence of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages among senior high school males and females; 3. to identify and rank the reasons why senior high school students smoke and drink alcoholic beverages; 4. to determine the awareness status of senior high school students in terms of the effects of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages on their physiological health; and 5.to identify the effect of smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages on the socialization of senior high school students. Review of Related Literature There are different factors affecting different behaviors of adolescents. One social theory studied by Travis Hirschi (1969) is a more general explanation of deviance than deterrence theory, but which is, in turn, primarily restricted to informal social control which comes from individuals being bonded to groups and institutions. 1236 grade 9-13 students from 62 randomly selected classrooms in 3 Canadian schools in the Borough of East York, 1 of Metropolitan Toronto’s 6 municipalities, were surveyed in December 1994 about their alcohol drinking beliefs and behaviors, and related lifestyle behaviors. Findings are based upon the analysis of data from 628 boys and 608 girls, of whom 799 were born in Canada. 24% of the students reported never having tasted alcohol, 22% had tasted alcohol but were not current drinkers, 39% were current moderate drinkers, 11% drank at 3|Page least 5 drinks per occasion at least once per month, and 5% did not answer. The most often stated reasons for not drinking were family upbringing and they believed adverse effects of alcohol consumption upon health, while the most often stated reasons for drinking were because it is an enjoyable experience and to get into a party mood. Respondents’ drinking patterns were significantly related to gender, ethnicity, grade, and the reported drinking habits of parents and friends. Older male adolescents who describe themselves as Canadian are more likely to drink heavily than are students who are younger or female, or self-identify as Asian or European. Current heavy drinkers are at greater risk than other students of engaging in other high-risk behaviors such as drinking and driving, riding with an intoxicated automobile driver, and smoking every day (Feldman et al. , 1999). In one of the surveys in US, half of respondents knew of a place near their school where kids could go to drink and get high during the school day, according to the yearly back-to-school survey, which polled 1,003 12-to-17-years old. And more than one-third said that students had ample opportunity during the school day to drug, drink and smoke without getting caught. Drug use in both public and private schools is on the rise, with 54 percent of private high school students reporting that drugs are available in their schools versus 24 percent in 2002 and 61 percent of students at public schools saying their schools are â€Å"drug infected,† compared with 46 percent in 2002. The researchers looked closely at the role of social media in teen substance use and found 75 percent of surveyed 12 to 17-year-olds said seeing pictures of teens partying with alcohol or marijuana on social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace encourages them to party similarly (Gardner, 2012). Forty-five percent of teens – almost 11 million – said they have seen such pictures online and 47 percent of those teens said that it seems like pictured teens are having a good time. Teens who have seen these pictures were found to be four times more likely to have used marijuana, more than three times likelier to have used alcohol, and almost three times more likely to have used tobacco (CBSnews, 2012). 4|Page In the awareness of teenagers on the health risks of smoking and drinking, it was found in one of the studies that teenagers think that smoking is more dangerous than smoking. Teen smoking has declined in all three grades included in the study—grades 8, 10, and 12. Still, almost 19 percent of 12th graders reported current (past-month) cigarette use. This decline shows that more teens realize the harm smoking does to your body and are making the decision not to start. Also, teens’ attitudes about smoking have changed. They increasingly prefer to date nonsmokers and believe smoking to be a dirty habit. Likewise, among nearly all grades, trends over the past 5 years showed significant decreases in alcohol use, including first-time use, occasional use, daily use, and binge drinking. As with smoking, this decline may be the result of more teens understanding the risk of drinking alcohol and disapproving of this behavior (The Sara Bellum Blog, 2012). How teenagers feel about themselves plays a significant role in whether they choose to drink or use other drugs, according to a new report released today by SADD and Liberty Mutual Group. The Teens Today 2003 study also reveals that a teen’s â€Å"Sense of Self,† can influence sexual behavior, reaction to peer pressure, and, importantly, be affected by a teen’s relationships with parents (Henderson and Greenberg, 2004). Research has shown that the media over estimates smoking rates and often associates smoking with favorable attributes or situations. Given that the media plays a large role in influencing youth culture, portrayal of smoking in the media is of concern. In order to explore young people’s perceptions of smoking imagery in the media, 16 focus groups were conducted with 117 school students. Participants were asked to rate smoking images selected from audiovisual and print media, and to discuss their perceptions of these images. The results showed that young people perceived smoking in these media selections to be normal and acceptable. They identified with the stress relieving and social aspects of smoking, despite being well aware of the harmful health effects. Its acceptability as part of a ‘cool’ image was also noted. Positive images of smoking in the media have the potential to down play the serious health consequences of smoking by portraying it in a way that young people interpret as a 5|Page normal part of everyday life. They may also encourage a more neutral or tolerant attitude towards smoking among young people and therefore act to counteract other health promotion efforts to reduce teenage smoking (Watson et al., 2003). 6|Page METHODOLOGY The Participants In the study of determining the prevalence of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages among senior students from private and public high schools, a total of forty senior high school students, twenty students comprising of ten male and ten female students from public high school and twenty students comprising of ten male and ten female students from private high school were randomly asked to answer the questionnaires provided by the group. The public school was a public national high school located in Los Banos, Laguna. On the other hand, the private school is a registered private non-sectarian high school in Los Banos, Laguna as well. The respondents have a mean age of 16 years old, ranging from 15-18, having a mode of 16. Measures The most commonly used and most frequently self devised measuring instrument, the questionnaire was used simply to obtain information directly from subject as to make a standardized list of factual information or elicited application that was generalized to a larger population. A one-shot survey questionnaire was used as the research instrument in the study of determining the prevalence of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages among senior students from private and public high schools. It is a usual study design where a single group of individuals is selected for observation over a single, limited time period, usually because they have experienced some factor taken as important in shaping some outcome (Kelly, 2012). And according to Jupp (2012), it is akin to one-off crosssectional design. As shown in Appendix A, a letter to the respondent identifying our topic and informing our objectives were told. Moreover, see Appendix B for the complete copy of the questionnaire used in the study. 7|Page The questionnaire was divided into three parts: Personal information, Physiological status and Lifestyle, and Social Aspect. The Personal information section was used for determining the age, sex, type of school, religion, and parents’ civil status. While in the physiological status and lifestyle section, this would tell us how often the students from private and public schools smoke and drink alcoholic beverages. Also, to find out if the students were aware of the effects that these specific vices can contribute to their health condition. Lastly, the way of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages of the students in terms of having a companion or not while smoking and/or drinking and the perceptions of parents and themselves were determined in the Social Aspect section. The Setting The researchers had entrusted the set of questionnaires to one of the respondents from public and one from private high schools. They were the ones who distributed the set questionnaires to their fellow senior high school classmates. The respondents were a given a whole day time to answer the survey questionnaire. The two entrusted students collected all the completely answered survey questionnaires at the end of the day. Data Analysis In the process of obtaining, the questionnaires were made, distributed and collected again. For a more simple analysis of the data collated, tallying was made in a tabulated manner. The data obtained were computed to get the percentage by dividing the number of score with the sum total of scores and then multiplying it by 100% using the formula: P = f / N x 100% Where: P – Percentage N – Total number of respondents F – Frequency 8|Page And lastly, for an easier glance to the data collected, it will have a graphical presentation in a form of bar graph, pie chart and other usual graphical ways to present the data. In order to identify the reasons why they smoke and what they think their parents perceive them a list of possible choices were mentioned in the questionnaire. These reasons were ranked 1 to 3 by the respondents who are smoking and/or drinking alcoholic beverages. In order to evaluate the rankings, an improvised rubric is formulated. Every number (rank) has an equivalent vote just to differentiate and identify the leading reasons. Rank 1 – 3 points Rank 2 – 2 points Rank 3 – 1 point The highest vote will be assigned as the top reason while the others will be ranked according to the accumulated votes. The tabulated rank can be found on the results and discussion. Other data, including the occurrence, prevalence, frequency, reasons, and perceptions of male and female senior students smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages among private and public high schools were tabulated and graphed in order to see the comparison. While in determining the awareness of the students if smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages had an effect on their health condition, and if they were able to gain friends were in a form of poll. 9|Page RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The prevalence of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages among senior students of public and private high school were determined and observed. As seen in Table 1, the total number of students smoking is 3, with 2 females and 1 male in public school. While 4 students, with 3 males and 1 female in private school. Among the 40 students, 7 of them were smoking. Table 1. Number of male and female students smoking in private and public high schools Public Private Subtotal Male 1 3 4 Female 2 1 3 3 4 7 TOTAL As seen in Table 2, the total number of students drinking alcoholic beverages in public school is 6, with 4 males and 2 females. While there are 9 students drinking alcoholic beverages in private school. Among the 40 students, 15 of them were drinking alcoholic beverages. Table 2. Number of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools Public Private Subtotal Male 4 6 10 Female 2 3. 5 6 9 15 TOTAL 10 | P a g e The occurrence of male and female students smoking in public and private high school students is shown in Fig. 1. It was observed that there’s a higher number of smoking students in male category in private school. While, there is a higher number of smoking students in female category in public school. Moreover, students from private schools are more exposed to smoking. This might be because of the accessibility and affordability. Most private school students are in middle to high class statuses. Smoking 3. 5 3 2. 5 2 Male 1. 5 Female 1 0. 5. 0 Private Public Fig. 1. Occurrence of male and female students smoking in private and public high schools Conversely, The occurrence of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in public and private high school students are shown in Fig. 2.. It was observed that there’s a higher number of students drinking alcoholic beverages in male category in private school. While, there is a higher number of students drinking alcoholic beverages in male category in public school. Moreover, students from private schools are more exposed to drinking alcoholic beverages. This might be because of the accessibility and affordability. Most private school students are in middle to high class statuses. 11 | P a g e Drinking 7 6 5 4 Male 3 Female 2 1 0 Private Public Fig. 2. Occurrence of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools Table 3. Frequency of male and female students smoking in private and public high schools Daily 1-2 times a week 3-5 times a week Occasionally Public Male | Female | | 2 1 Male || | Female | Subtotal 0 0 Private Subtotal 0 3 1 0 TOTAL 0 5 2 0 12 | P a g e 0%. Smoking 0% 29% Daily 1-2x a week 3-5x a week Occasionally 71% Fig. 3. Frequency of male and female students smoking in private and public high schools Table 4. Frequency of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools Daily 1-2 times a week 3-5 times a week Occasionally Public Male ||| Female | | 4 1 1 Male |||| | | Female | | | Subtotal 0 | Private Subtotal 0 5 2 2 TOTAL 0 9 3 3 13 | P a g e Figure 4. Frequency of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools 0% Drinking 20%. Daily 1-2x a week 3-5x a week 20% 60% Occasionally Students involved in smoking in private and public high schools had their own reasons why they did the vice. As seen in Table 5, the most voted reason in public high school was to experiment, and the least was because they imitated it from their parents. On the other hand, the most voted reason in private high school was to experiment also and the least was because of losing weight and media influence. 14 | P a g e Table 5. Rank of reasons of male and female students smoking in private and public high schools. Smoking Public Private Rank Votes Reason Rank Votes 6 0 Imitated from parents 2 6 2 5 Peer pressure 3 4 3 3 Media influence (advertisements) 5 0 5 1 Fashionable 4 3 5 1 Form of rebellion 4 3 4 2 Wanting to lose weight 5 0 1 6 To experiment 1 8 18 24 Table 6. Combined ranking of reasons of male and female students smoking in private and public high schools Smoking Rank Reason Votes 1 To experiment 14 2 Peer pressure 9 3 Imitated from parents 6 4 Fashionable 4 4 Form of rebellion 4 5 Media influence (advertisements) 3 6 Wanting to lose weight 2 42. 15 | P a g e Reasons for smoking 7% To experiment 5% 33% 10% Peer Pressure Imitated from parents Fashionable 10% Form of rebellion Media influence 14% 21% Figure 5. Combined ranking of reasons of male and female students smoking in private and public high schools Students involved in drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools had their own reasons why they did the vice. As seen in Table 7, the most voted reason in public high school was to have good time with friends, and the least was because of boredom and form of rebellion. On the other hand, the most voted reason in private high school was to have good time with friends also and the least was because of boredom and form of rebellion also. 16 | P a g e Table 7. Rank of reasons of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools Drinking Alcoholic beverages Public Rank Vote Private Reason Rank Vote 1 13 To have good time with friends 1 17 3 5 To experiment, to see what it’s like 2 10 5 2 To feel good, get high 4 7 4 4 Because it tastes good 6 4 2 9 To relax or relieve tension 3 9 7 0 Boredom. 7 0 5 2 To get away from my problems 5 6 7 0 Form of rebellion 7 0 7 0 Influenced by alcoholic parents 8 0 6 1 To get to sleep 7 1 7 0 To fit with a group I like 8 0 7 0 Anger or frustration 8 0 36 54 17 | P a g e Table 8. Combined ranking of reasons of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools Drinking Rank Reason Votes 1 To have good time with friends 30 2 To relax or relieve tension 18 3 To experiment, to see what it’s like 15 4 To feel good, get high 9 5 Because it tastes good 8 5 To get away from my problems. 8 6 To get to sleep 2 7 Boredom 0 7 Form of rebellion 0 7 Influenced by alcoholic parents 0 7 To fit with a group I like 0 7 Anger or frustration 0 90 18 | P a g e Reasons for drinking alcoholic beverages 2% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% To have good time with friends To relax or relieve tension 9% To experiment, to see what it’s like 9% 33% To feel good, get high Because it tastes good To get away from my problems 10% To get to sleep Boredom Form of rebellion 17% Influenced by alcoholic parents 20% To fit with a group I like Anger or frustration Fig. 6. Combined ranking of reasons of male and female students drinking alcoholic beverages in private and public high schools High school students are indeed part of the society. However, that does not mean that all of them are aware on certain issues present in the status quo today. Figure7 shows us that in terms of awareness of male and female students in the effects of smoking to the health condition, 95% said that they are aware, and 5% said they are not aware. This just means that even though majority knows that this can affect health condition, there are still young students who are blindly exposed to this habit. Aware Not Aware 95% 5% Fig. 7. Awareness status of male and female students in the effects of smoking to the health condition 19 | P a g e Figure 8 shows us that in terms of awareness of male and female students in the effects of drinking alcoholic beverages to the health condition, 100% said that they are aware. Students were able to identify the negative effects of drinking to health condition. 100% Aware Not Aware Fig. 8. Awareness status of male and female students in the effects of drinking alcoholic beverages to the health condition. While it is important to know the reason why some adolescents smoke and/or drink alcoholic beverages, and after knowing if they were aware that these things affect their health conditions. We also have to look at the perceptions of people around them, and also what they think of themselves. In contrast to awareness of the respondents in the negative effects of smoking and drinking on health condition is their way of performing these vices, either alone, with friends, or both. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 shows the way of drinking and smoking of public and private high school students respectively. It is observed that 53% or the majority of the students engage in drinking with friends, and 80% of them smoke either alone or with friends. This shows the social aspect of the students with their same age group in doing the said activities. 20 | P a g e Do you drink by yourself or with your friends? 0% Alone 47% With friends 53% Both Fig. 9. Way of drinking alcoholic beverages of male and female students among public and private high schools Do you smoke by yourself or with your friends? 0% 20% Alone With friends Both 80% Fig. 10. Way of smoking of male and female students among public and private high schools. 21 | P a g e Table 9. Perception of smokers and/or drinker of people on them Parents Cool || Friends Self 2 ||| 3 |||| 4 0 || 2 | 1 |||||-|||| 9 |||||-||| 8 |||||-| 6 |||| 4 || 2 |||| 4 Addict Good Bad As seen in Fig. 11, the majority of the students answered COOL as what they think their parents thought of them. The least vote was they thought that their parents think their children were bad. This means that even if they’re doing those kinds of vices, their parents still accept them. What your parents think of you? 9% 10% Cool Addict Good 23% 58% Bad Fig. 11. Perception of the respondents on what their parents think of them as they smoke and drink alcoholic beverages 22 | P a g e On the other hand, the Fig. 12 shows the perception of the respondents on what their friends think of them in engagement of the said vices. 54% think that their friends consider their activity in a good way because it helps them gain friends, to be able to interact, and to socialize well with other people. It is observed that what they think their friends perceive also had the same result as to how they comprehend themselves when they smoke or drink. What your friends think of you? 13% 20% Cool Addict 13% Good Bad 54% Fig. 12. Perception of the respondents on what their friends think of them as they smoke and drink alcoholic beverages It is also important that students can assess themselves even if they are doing some vices. As seen in Figure 13, majority of them still thought that they are good. However, 6% of the students thought they are addicts. Conversely, there is a consensus that 27% thought that they are cool and bad. 23 | P a g e How do you perceive youself? Cool 27% 27% Addict Good 6% Bad 40% Fig. 13. Perception of the respondents on what they perceive on themselves as they smoke and drink alcoholic beverages Perceptions are indeed important. But, it is still significant when it comes to application or reality. Are these students still gain friends after all their vices? In a poll seen in Fig. 14, 9 out of 15 said that they gained friends, and 6 out of 15 said that they did not gain friends. Meaning, there people who discriminate or dislike the vices. Or even if it’s okay for them, it is not proper to be exposed earlier. Did you gain friends? Yes No 60%. 40% 9 out of 15 6 out of 15 Fig. 14. A poll showing the effect of drinking and/or smoking on their socialization Seemingly, many committed smokers and/or drinkers showed that they gained friends after having learning how to smoke and/or drink. However, there are still some who don’t. 24 | P a g e LIMITATION AND SIGNIFICANCE Limitation There are certain problems that were encountered in the study. One of which is that the idea that honesty in answering these questionnaires have suffered. The respondents may or may not answer these questionnaires in full honesty. From here, we may have little discrepancies or percentage errors. Significance The significance of this study is for the teenagers to be aware in terms of the effects of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages on their physiological health. This study can also help the parents of those teenagers to understand more the point of view of teenagers who are engaged to these activities. They can know the cause why teenagers are into smoking and drinking alcoholic beverage. 25 | P a g e SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS. Summary and Conclusion The study was able to conduct the research on the prevalence of smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages among senior students of public and private high school. 18% of the students in both public and private schools are engaged in smoking; however, there are students in private schools who smoke more than students in public schools. It is concluded that the social status of the students is a common factor since private school students have more access to cigarettes and could afford it than those in public schools. It is also determined that the male students in private schools and the female students in public schools are more prone to the said vice and their main reasons were: (1) to experiment; (2) peer pressure; and (3) imitated from their parents. With regards to their way of smoking, the students’ general frequency is 1-2 times a week, and they usually smoke either alone or with peers. Most likely they tend to smoke with their peers because it is their way of socialization. The students also perceive that they are also likely to gain friends when they smoke. It is concluded that the perception of the students to what their parent think of them is â€Å"in-the-trend† when they are engaged in smoking. The majority thinks that their parents consider them as â€Å"cool† or â€Å"sophisticated†. Aside from that, the respondents think that their friends refer to smoking in a good way, causing them to also perceive the same judgment. To summarize the above statements, it is evident that the students in their adolescent stage have more desire to please their peers rather than their parents because they want to have a sense of belonging and they want to socialize more with people of the same age group. Peers are the most important relationship in the teenage years. They engage in different kinds of activities, and one of those are vices. In this stage, the curiosity level of the person is prominent because he/she is able to perceive different kinds of activities from various types of people. Parents are also a factor because they are the ones who nourish their child’s well-being. What they do causes 26 | P a g e various impacts on the child, causing him/her to either imitate it or not. The social status of the students also has an effect on their engagement in vices; it depends on how well they can afford it and on what terms they could get access. On the other hand, not every student in both public and private high schools is aware that smoking can affect their health condition. 5% of the students are still blindly exposed to the effects of smoking; therefore, it is recommended that both kinds of schools should also give the students more knowledge and expose them.

Distance Learning Creative Writing Courses You Must Try

Distance Learning Creative Writing Courses You Must Try Distance Learning: Creative Writing Courses You Must Try Distance learning creative writing courses are a study option where all communication with tutors is held remotely via email, Skype and other electronic means. It is not an innovation anymore; many universities offer distance learning programs. Therefore, you can get high quality education regardless of your location. They are designed for students who have to combine studies with work, family, and for people with special needs, and basically follow the same structure as the in-class ones. The best courses in creative writing will teach you how to apply your knowledge to practice. We found some distance education programs for you, where you can develop and practice your writing skills. Some of them are more expensive than others, but all of them are worth checking out. University of Cambridge offers different courses in creative writing, for example, an introduction to writing bibliographies and other types of non-fiction. On a more creative side, there is an introductory course to short story writing. It is a practical course, which also gives you an overview of the genre itself, as well as important information about sub-genres. You will learn the art of writing through practical exercises. Creative Writing Summer Program  is another course from the Cambridge University. It is more suitable for creative writers who want to develop their existing skills. The program covers different genres of writing, such as poetry, fiction and non-fiction. The great thing about this course is that your tutors are already established writers. You will also learn how to critically assess your own work, writing of other students and tutors. The Oxford University Department for Continuing Education offers a course for beginners Getting Started in Creative Writing. If you love reading and the idea of writing your own fiction, this course will help you put your wishes into practice. You will get into writing stage-by-stage, learn different types of creative and critical methods. The course will help you build your confidence and gain practical experience in using key features (e.g., dialogue, point of view). As part of the course, you will also engage in discussions of other students work via a forum. You can get an MA in Creative Writing at Teesside University. Its a 2 year part-time program, that focuses on practical skills and techniques, as well as the understanding of your own work. You will get an opportunity to experiment and develop your interest, whether its prose, poetry or even screen writing. And last, but certainly not least, if you are completely new to writing, we recommend a program from Exeter University The Craft of Creative Writing. You will explore different forms of creative writing, like poetry, short story, novel writing, writing for performance and travel writing. This one will also help you learn how to apply different techniques, edit your writing, develop analytical reading habits and give constructive feedback. This course is also the cheapest one on the list. If writing is your goal in life, dont just dive into it head first. Take some time to learn the basics.

Special Stains Laboratory Report The WritePass Journal

Special Stains Laboratory Report Introduction Special Stains Laboratory Report IntroductionMethodMasson’s TrichromeCongo RedDiscussionReferencesRelated Introduction Staining is a technique that is used to diagnose or study the morphology of abnormal cells such as cancerous cells by highlighting the structural components of a tissue (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). Staining provides a contrast between different structures in a tissue specimen and allows its examination under a light microscope (Cook, 2006). Haematoxylin and eosin (HE) is a routine stain that is used to microscopically diagnose a vast majority of specimens in which the haematoxylin stains the nuclei, whereas the eosin is used to stain cytoplasm and other extracellular materials (Bancroft and Cook, 1995). According to Slauson and Cooper (2002) special stains are histochemical stains that react with known substances in the tissue. Mohan (2005) explains that special stains are required in various circumstances, where the pathologist needs to demonstrate certain constituent of the cells or the tissue to confirm the diagnosis by etiologic, histogenic and pathogenic components. This techniq ue is called special because they are not a routine stain that is performed on a tissue specimen, instead they are used in addition to HE stained sections (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). Special stains can identify the presence and abundance of any specific class of molecules in a tissue specimen for example periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction is used to identify carbohydrate substances such as glycogen (Slauson and Cooper, 2002). Other examples include Toluidine blue stain which is used to stain mast cell granules, Perl’s stain demonstrates iron in haemochromatosis, Ziehl-Neelsen stains mycobacteria and Giemsa staining is used to identify Helicobacter Pylori and Giardia organisms (Slauson and Cooper, 2002 and Bass et al., 2005) Masson’s trichrome (MT) and Congo red are the two main special staining methods used in pathology laboratories. Connective tissues consist of cells such as collagen fibres, elastic fibres, and glycosaminoglycans that are scattered within an extracellular matrix (Starr et al., 2011). These cells are distinguished by using a combination of dyes to stain different structures in various different colours (Starr et al., 2011). Masson’s trichrome is used to express collagen in tissues and involves staining with three different sized dyes to stain three diverse tissue densities (Cook, 2006). MT staining produces three distinct colours as the name suggests; nuclei and other basophilic structures are stained black with iron hematoxylin; collagen is stained green or blue depending on aniline light green or aniline blue; and cytoplasm, muscle, erythrocytes and keratin are stained bright red with Biebrich scarlet stain (Young et al., 2006). Since erythrocytes are the densest as the y are packed with haemoglobin, and less porous tissues they are stained with the smallest dye molecule, the intermediate cytoplasm and muscles cells are stained by the intermediate sized dye and the collagen is stained with the biggest dye (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). However, it has also been suggested that the acid dye which is the Biebrich Scarlet, first stains the tissue as it binds to its acidophilic elements (Carson, 2001). Subsequently, the tissue is treated with phosphomolybdic/phosphotungstic acids so that the less permeable components retain the red colour, whereas it is diffused out of the collagen fibers causing it to bind with the aniline blue or aniline light green (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). Young et al., (2006) describes that in addition to the use MT stain in assessing the degree of fibrosis, it is also used to evaluate portal tract structures such as the bile ducts, arteries and veins in inflamed liver According to Romhanyi (1971) (cited in Bely, 2006) Congo red is a special stain that is highly specific and a sensitive method for early diagnosis and recognition of amyloidosis.   Cook (2006) states that Congo red is used as the preferred method to identify amyloids in most laboratories on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue of patients with amyloidosis. Kiernan (2007) describes that amyloid is an intercellular material that varies in its composition and is deposited in tissues such as heart, muscle, kidneys, spleen, liver and brain, deposits differ in their composition. Rubin and Strayer (2008) explains that Congo red stain has a linear shaped molecule which helps it to bind to the ÃŽ ² pleated sheet structure of the amyloid through non-polar hydrogen bonds, giving it a red colour. Sen and Basdemir (2003) states that Congo red fluorescence (CRF) is another method that examines the amyloid deposits stained with Congo red under polarized light which shows a red-green birefring ence and according to Rocken and Eriksson (2009) this is the gold standard for diagnosing amyloid. During this experiment special stain techniques were used to analyse specific tissue elements Aims To identify fibroids in uterine tissue section using Masson’s trichrome stain To identify amyloid in spleen tissue section using Congo red stain To discuss advantages of special stains To use special stains to identify important diagnostic features of the tissue To understand the mechanism used by special stains Method Masson’s Trichrome The formalin fixed and paraffin-embedded uterine tissue section was deparaffinized and rehydrated through 100% alcohol, 95% alcohol, and 70% alcohol.   The section was washed in distilled water and then stained in Weigert’s iron hemotoxylin working solution for 10 minutes. It was then rinsed in running warm tap water for 10 minutes and then washed in distilled water. The next step was to stain the uterine tissue section in Biebrich scarlet-acid fuchsin solution for 15 minutes, and then it was washed using distilled water. It was then differentiated in phosphomolybdic – phosphotungstic solution for 15 minutes or until collagen was not red. The tissue section was then transferred directly (without rinsing) to aniline blue solution and stained for 5-10 minutes. Afterwards the tissue section was rinsed briefly in distilled water and differentiated in 1% acetic acid solution for 1 minute. It was then washed in distilled water and dehydrated very quickly through 95% ethyl a lcohol, absolute ethyl alcohol (to wipe off Biebrich scarlet-acid fuschin staining) and then cleared in xylene. The section was then mounted with resinous mounting medium. Finally the slide was examined under the light microscope. Congo Red The spleen tissue section was deparaffinized and hydrated to distilled water. The section was then stained in Congo red working solution for 10 minutes and rinsed in distilled water. It was then quickly differentiated (5-10 dips) in alkaline alcohol solution and rinsed in tap water. The section was then counterstained in Gill’s haematoxylin for 10 seconds and rinsed in tap water for 2 minutes. Following that, the section was dipped in ammonia water (made by adding a few drops of ammonium hydroxide to tap water and mixing it well) for 30 seconds or until the sections had turned blue. It was then rinsed in tap water for another 5 minutes and dehydrated through 95% alcohol, and 100% alcohol. The section was cleared in xylene and mounted with mounting medium. The slide was then examined under a light microscope. Fig 1: Normal uterine tissue stained with Masson’s trichrome viewed under 10 x 10 microscopic magnification Fig 2: Fibroid uterine tissue stained with Masson’s trichrome viewed under 10 x 10 microscopic magnification The microscopic slide (Fig. 1) shows a normal uterus tissue that was stained with Masson’s trichrome, which showed the nuclei stained black, smooth muscle stained red and the collagen fibres stained blue.   Figure 2 shows a uterus tissue specimen stained with Masson’s trichrome that revealed excessive amount of collagen stained in blue, smooth muscle stained red and nuclei stained black.    Fig 3: Spleen tissue stained with Congo red showing amyloid deposits under 1010 microscopic magnification Fig. 4 Spleen tissue stained with Congo red adapted from Stevens and Lowe, (2000) Discussion Norwitz and Schorge   (2006) states that fibroids also referred to as Leiomyomata, are benign tumours of the myometirum of the uterus   that is mainly composed of smooth muscle and extracellular fibrous material such as the collagen, Fibroids do not   invade surrounding tissues or organs and they can occur in different locations within the uterus (Lark, 1996). The symptoms include heavy periods, frequent urination, constipation, bloating and backache (Tulandi, 2003) Masson’s trichrome was used to stain the uterus tissue (Fig. 1) which showed the collagen stained in blue, smooth muscle and erythrocytes stained red and the nuclei appeared black. MT stain revealed that the normal uterus tissue (Fig. 1) had a small amount of collagen present whereas the other uterus tissue (Fig. 2) showed an elevated amount of collagen stained in blue which suggested fibrosis. MT is an advantageous technique in medicine as it allows comparing the degree of fibrosis before and after the treatment biopsies to show if the treatment has been effective and successful. It is a routine stain for kidney and liver biopsies and this can be used on paraffin fixed sections as well as on frozen sections. Kambic et al., (1986) describes that there are different types of collagen and their organization is better shown using Sirius red with polarized light. Sirius red is a hydrophilic dye, in which type I collagen appears orange or red whereas type III collagen appears green (Kumar, 2005). Congo red was used to stain a spleen tissue section where figure 3 showed amyloid deposits in pink and nuclei in blue. Fig. 4 revealed a high amount of amyloid deposits in pink which suggested amyloidosis that is the disorder caused by abnormal deposition of intracellular or extracellular insoluble amyloid which changes the normal tissue function (Stevens and Lowe, 2000). Special stains is an important tool for pathologists   as it allows to the microscopically view and identify cells, tissues and microorganisms, providing an alternative to immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and various other diagnostic techniques. References Bancroft, J. D. Gamble, M.   (2008).   ‘Theory and practice of histological techniques’.   [Online].   (6th ed).   Philadelphia, PA : Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.   Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Dhn2KispfdQCprintsec=frontcoverdq=Theory+and+practice+of+histological+techniqueshl=enei=ifGETZKEPcWwhAfSvPW_BAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepageqf=false.   [Accessed 7th March 2011]. Bancroft. J. D. Cook, H. C.   (1995).   ‘Manual of histological techniques and their diagnostic application’.   Edinburgh [u.a.] : Churchill Livingstone. Bass, P., Burroughs, S. Way, C.   (2005).   ‘Systematic pathology : a clinically-orientated core text with self assessment’.   Edinburgh : Elsevier Churchill Livingstone. Bely, M. (2006). Histochemical differential diagnosis and polarization optical analysis of amyloid and amyloidosis TheScientificWorldJournal. 6, p.154-168. Carson, F. L.   (2001).   ‘Histotechnology : a self-instructional text’.   (2nd ed).   Chicago : ASCP Press. Cook, D. J.   (2006).   ‘Cellular pathology : introduction to techniques and applications’.   (2nd ed).   Bloxham: Scion Publishing Limited. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1440-1827.2003.01513.x/abstract Kiernan, J. A.   (2007).   ‘Histological and histochemical methods’.   (4th ed).   Cold Spring Harbor (N.Y.) : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Mohan, H.   (2005).   ‘Essential pathology for dental students’.   [online]. (3rd ed).   New Delhi : Jaypee Brothers.   Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HmkTtLyxXF8Cprintsec=frontcoverdq=essential+pathology+for+dental+studentshl=enei=xRCCTaiHMs24hAezp6G8BAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=bookthumbnailresnum=1ved=0CDAQ6wEwAA#v=onepageqf=false. [Accessed: 11th March 2011]. Odze, R. D. Goldblum, J. R.   (2009).   ‘Surgical pathology of the GI tract, liver, biliary tract and pancreas’.   [Online].   (2nd ed).   Philadelphia, PA : Saunders/Elsevier.   Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8ITX093f1j0Cpg=PA1143dq=Masson%27s+trichrome+staining+in+liverhl=enei=OB2GTYuVLYuqhAfJ_6m8BAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=book-thumbnailresnum=2ved=0CDgQ6wEwAQ#v=onepageq=Masson%27s%20trichrome%20staining%20in%20liverf=false.   [Assessed 16th March 2011] Rocken, C. Eriksson, M. (2009). Amyloid and amyloidoses Der Pathologe. 30, (3), p.182-192. Rubin, R. Strayer, D. S.   (2008).   ‘Rubin’s Pathology : clinicopathologic foundations of medicine’.   [Online].   (5th ed).   Philadelphia [u.a.] : Lippincott Williams Wilkins.   Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kD9VZ267wDECpg=PA990dq=mechanism+of+congo+red+stainhl=enei=ADGFTcSQDZGJhQf-n5iuBAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=book-thumbnailresnum=4ved=0CEUQ6wEwAw#v=onepageq=mechanism%20of%20congo%20red%20stainf=false.   [Assessed 7th March 2011]. Sen, S. Basdemir, G. (2003). Diagnosis of renal amyloidosis using Congo red fluorescence Pathology international. 53, (8), p.534-538. Slauson, D. O.   Cooper, B. J.   (2002).   ‘Mechanisms of disease : a textbook of comparative general pathology’.   [Online].   (3rd ed).   St. Louis, MO. [u.a.] : Mosby.   Available from : http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vRhtM0UMUh4Cpg=PA5dq=special+stainshl=enei=-vSETaMeqJKEB83RwccEsa=Xoi=book_resultct=book-thumbnailresnum=1ved=0CCoQ6wEwADgK#v=onepageq=special%20stainsf=false.   [Accessed 4th March 2011]. Young B., Lowe, J. S, Stevens, A. Heath, J. W. (2006).   ‘Wheater’s functional histology : a text and colour atlas’.   (5th ed).   Edinburgh : Churchill Livingstone Tulandi, T.   (2003).   ‘Uterine fibroids : embolization and other treatments’.   [Online].   Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.   Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fZ8eha5yIfcCprintsec=frontcoverdq=fibroidshl=enei=oyOGTfnfMJGGhQeY_92_BAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=book-thumbnailresnum=7ved=0CGAQ6wEwBg#v=onepageqf=false.   [Assessed 15th March 2011]. Stevens, A. Lowe, J.   (2000).   ‘Pathology’.   (2nd ed).   Edinburgh [u. a.] : Mosby Starr, C., Evers, C. A. Starr, L.   (2011).   ‘Biology : concept and applications’.   [Online].   (8th ed).   United States : Cengage Learning.   Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_16xbB2Py_UCpg=PA454dq=connective+tissuehl=enei=zYeITdaEAsywhAf61cm6Dgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=book-thumbnailresnum=10ved=0CFYQ6wEwCTgK#v=onepageq=connective%20tissuef=false.   [Assessed 8th March 2011]. Lark, S. M.   (1996).   ‘Natural treatment of fibroid tumors and endometriosis : effective natural solutions for relieving the heavy bleeding, cramps and infertility that accompany these common female problems’.   New Canaan, Conn : Keats Pub. Norwitz, E. R. Schorge, J. O.   (2006).   ‘Obstetrics and Gynaecology at a glance’.   (2nd ed).   Malden, Massachusetts : Blackwell. Kumar, R. K. (2005). Morphological methods for assessment of fibrosis Methods in Molecular Medicine. 117, p.179-188. Kambic, H. E., Kantrowitz, A. Sung, P.   (1986).   ‘Vacular graft update : safety and performance, a symposium’. [Online].   Philadelphia, PA : ASTM.   Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=NU0cVwIPk_oCpg=PA162dq=limitations+of+collagen+stainhl=enei=AEKLTcmzMsmYhQe1hJHEDgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=10ved=0CFsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepageqf=false.   [Assessed 20th March 2011].

Converting Text to Numbers Using VBA in Excel

Converting Text to Numbers Using VBA in Excel Question: How do I convert cells filled with character numbers to numeric values so I can use the values in Excel math formulas. I recently had to add a column of numbers in Excel that were copied and pasted from a table in a web page. Because the numbers are represented by text in the web page (that is, the number 10 is actually Hex 3130), a Sum function for the column simply results in a zero value. You can find a lot of web pages (including Microsoft pages) that simply give you advice that doesnt work. For example, this page ... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291047 ... gives you seven methods. The only one that actually works is to retype the value manually. (Gee, thanks, Microsoft. I never would have thought of that.) The most common solution I found on other pages is to Copy the cells and then use Paste Special to paste the Value. That doesnt work either. (Tested on Excel 2003 and Excel 2007.) The Microsoft page provides a VBA Macro to do the job (Method 6): Sub Enter_Values()   Ã‚  Ã‚  For Each xCell In Selection   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  xCell.Value xCell.Value   Ã‚  Ã‚  Next xCell End Sub It doesnt work either, but all you have to do is make one change and it does work: For Each xCell In Selection   Ã‚  Ã‚  xCell.Value CDec(xCell.Value) Next xCell Its not rocket science. I cant understand why so many pages have it wrong.

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Assigment 2 - Assignment Example Most of the information on the internet was in the form of advertisement luring people to some clinic or mother-baby care program. She wanted to join one but she did not have the money for that. Her primary source of information was the doctor she was visiting, magazines and the internet. She said that the first time she realized that she might be pregnant was when she felt like throwing up. She ignored it first thinking that pregnancy does not effect that early but the nausea was frequent. She went to the doctor to confirm it. After a few days she also had morning sickness and experienced wild mood swings. The weight gain followed soon. She was not bothered by it much she was expecting such symptoms. On the contrary she was relieved that there was no psychosis or any serious allergies. She also faced the opposite of departing from her relationship with her spouse; her husband turned out to be very caring. They had a few arguments every now and then but that was part of their normal life. They had arguments before the pregnancy so the new ones did not make any difference. They decided to get the baby delivered at the nearest hospital. The couple even agreed to get an appointment from the doctor that was taking care of the mother during pregnancy. Overall, the reality was much easier than the shocking expectations that the media usually portrays. She did talk about the pain during child birth (at the hospital, a normal delivery case) but she soon forgot about it when she rocked her first baby to sleep for the first time. The second mother vividly remembered what she was told about pregnancy. Most of the information came from friends and her mother. Her own mother was helping her all the way as she knew what to exactly expect. She was told that there can be complications but she needs to take care of herself. Her mom was strict about her diet and told her that if she eats right she will give birth to a healthy baby. She

Generation Like Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Generation Like - Essay Example One of these methods is clearly turning dedicated fans into designated but minor marketing agents (PBS 2014). Generation Like is an interesting means of investigating a world of social media endorsements like tweets and Facebook likes and the way they slowly turn into currency for social media interactions. In the process, such endorsements create a new breed of advisers that unapologetically seeks to form a risk-free public view. The fact that modern youths have developed a strong relationship with technology is not new. This relationship ostensibly has fewer roles with computers when it comes to privacy. In Generation Like, Douglas Rushkoff resumes his decade-old view of the human-relationship with technology to come up with new intriguing facts (PBS 2014). For instance, the celebrity craze in social media amongst youths and methods used by promoters to crunch information in an effort to convert enthusiastic adolescents and young grownups into brand disciplines are evident. Rushkoff says, â€Å"You are what you like,† which sums up the abundant quantitate of data present in social media today. The readiness of adolescents to endorse something popular box office hits like â€Å"The Hunger Games† expresses their intense desires to encounter the film in any form. This way, it becomes simpler for such Hollywood firms to trace and take advantage of each move. I agree with Rushkoff that internet personalities can produce the same viral impact as socialites. Internet personalities achieve this impact by using their fan bases for interrelated purposes. This way, the act of popularization turns into a marketable outcome on its own. Actors use the same reasoning and Generation Like does not fully tackle this point despite its impact and relevance in social media (PBS 2014). For instance, Ian Somerhalder from the Television series Vampire Diaries meets with a consultant in the documentary. In the process, Somerhalder is blown away at how the number of followers on his

The Brain and Consciousness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Brain and Consciousness - Essay Example Many of the experiments discussed on class regarding blind-sight, and the responsiveness of the body to stimuli which affect the body through a visual blind spot could well be explained by the autonomic functions of the brain stem. (Corey, et al. 1995) This portion of the brain is responsible for many autonomic function of the body, such as respiration, heart beating, etc. Advanced training, what is often referred to as subconscious responses to external stimuli, could well be the part of neural learning which happens in the brain stem. The received stimulus does not have to transmit as far as the brain cerebral hemisphere for the body to 'know' how to respond. Thus, learned behaviors become more of a subconscious, autonomic function because of brain stem responses. The visual cortex composes approximately 1/3 of the brain surface area, and if primarily responsible for receiving and processing visual input. The visual cortex is highly pattern recognitive, therefore it processed patterns in order to break down the input signals and make connections for the mind to understand. Visual understanding is an important part of thought and understanding. The proof of which is the importance and presence of dreams. Regardless of the dream theory one ascribes to, each theorist and their theories lead in the same direction.

Industry and Market Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industry and Market Analysis - Essay Example (Bieber, Meurer, Surmann & Rassek, 2013) A telephone interview with the General Manager of The Surrey Hotel, a luxurious Manhattan hotel on the Upper East Side, Mr. Shan Kanagasingham, revealed that the hospitality industry is one that has great business opportunity in terms of profit margins. According to him, a lot of investors are fighting to have a ‘piece of the cake’ of the hospitality industry. He says that the pool of consumer demand is bigger now for the hospitality industry than it was a while back. People are more willing to spend money on leisure and entertainment. Business people are also opting for comfortable, luxurious and a first class experience regardless of the amount of money they spend, â€Å"value for money† is what they call it. Mr. Shan says that they can get an average of 500 guests in a day whether it is for boarding purposes, visiting the fitness centre or just having a meal in the restaurants or a business meeting in the conference rooms. He however states that the hospitalit y industry is a very cost conscious business. The most successful hotels are a joint venture from various investors who pull resources together in order to create the best hospitality experience for its consumers. One needs resources such as buildings or premises, a pool and qualified human capital that will facilitate the running of the hotel among other things. According to an interview carried out with the General Manager of New Intercontinental Dallas Mr. Scott Blakeslee, the likely revenue could average to $120.5 billion for the whole industry in the year 2012. The America Hotel and Lodging association has recorded an increase in revenue in the hospitality industry over the years. According to Mr. Blakeslee, there has been an increase in occupancy in the industry and thus makes the industry more profitable than other years. Room occupancy in most cases, is what determines the profit margins. However, he was quick to note that this

Film review the film is My Antonia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film review the film is My Antonia - Essay Example Set in the late nineteenth century Nebraska, the story revolves around the travails of orphan Jimmy Burden, who moves into his grandparents’ (played by Jason Robards and Eva Marie Saint) farm that is located nearby Black Hawk, Nebraska. Young Jimmy is immediately drawn to 15-year neighbor Antonia Shimerda (played by Elina Lowensohn) and they become close friends. Conflict arises when Antonia’s father wants Jimmy to teach her English, whereas Jimmy’s grandfather is concerned about his grandson’s own education. But soon the Shimerda family meets a tragedy and contact with the Burdens is severed as the latter move into town. As the ageing grandparents pool their resources into making their grandson a graduate, Antonia renews her contact with Jimmy as she also now lives in town. The subsequent narrative is about the evolution and endurance of their friendship, which lasts for many years, even as Jimmy takes further strides in his academic and professional life . The relationship between Jimmy and Antonia has a romantic basis to it, but neither of them expresses it in overt ways. The intrusion of the beautiful Lena also disrupts the harmony of their relationship. As Jimmy takes greater interest in Lena, he drifts further apart from Antonia. This element of the relationship adds suspense and intrigue to the narrative and keeps audience interest alive throughout. The adaptation to film comes off well, although some of the smaller characters in the novel do not find space in the shorter film format. Yet, the essence of the novel is fully captured through the strong impression that the character of Antonia makes on the audience. Even as the film moves toward the final denouement, the benevolence and kindness of Antonia lingers on the mind of the discerning viewer, standing as a testament to the film’s overall success. For example, even as she realizes that Jimmy is lost to her, Antonia does not cry foul and neglect her duties toward her family. She carries on bravely and reconstructs her life in a manner fitting the circumstances. When Jimmy eventually meets Antonia toward the end of the film, he finds her living a happy married with children. The film ends upon this note of implicit regard and goodwill for each other. As for the performance given by lead actors, excepting for Elina Lowensohn's stand-out central performance, none of the other actors evince much energy, especially Neil Patrick Harris in the lead role. Even accommodating for the fact that Jimmy Burden is a reserved character in the film, he nowhere nearly capture the emotional turmoil that Cather portrayed so eloquently. One of the larger themes covered by the movie is the disparate treatment meted out to immigrant communities. This is most evident in the ordeals of the Shimerda family in assimilating with the local community in Black Hawk, Nebraska. Willa Cather was a writer of great cultural and social sensitivity. And the film My Antonio successf ully captures the thrust and emphasis of her presentation of American social problems. For example, reviewer Tom Wiener correctly notes in his review article that â€Å"The strongest portrayal in the film is the plight of European immigrants and in particular the young women. As Antonia plaintively says, "Girls like me don't get chances," and although she almost blows what she thinks is her best shot, she does land on her feet--no thanks to the self-absorbed Jimmy. A longer film might

Industry and Market Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industry and Market Analysis - Essay Example (Bieber, Meurer, Surmann & Rassek, 2013) A telephone interview with the General Manager of The Surrey Hotel, a luxurious Manhattan hotel on the Upper East Side, Mr. Shan Kanagasingham, revealed that the hospitality industry is one that has great business opportunity in terms of profit margins. According to him, a lot of investors are fighting to have a ‘piece of the cake’ of the hospitality industry. He says that the pool of consumer demand is bigger now for the hospitality industry than it was a while back. People are more willing to spend money on leisure and entertainment. Business people are also opting for comfortable, luxurious and a first class experience regardless of the amount of money they spend, â€Å"value for money† is what they call it. Mr. Shan says that they can get an average of 500 guests in a day whether it is for boarding purposes, visiting the fitness centre or just having a meal in the restaurants or a business meeting in the conference rooms. He however states that the hospitalit y industry is a very cost conscious business. The most successful hotels are a joint venture from various investors who pull resources together in order to create the best hospitality experience for its consumers. One needs resources such as buildings or premises, a pool and qualified human capital that will facilitate the running of the hotel among other things. According to an interview carried out with the General Manager of New Intercontinental Dallas Mr. Scott Blakeslee, the likely revenue could average to $120.5 billion for the whole industry in the year 2012. The America Hotel and Lodging association has recorded an increase in revenue in the hospitality industry over the years. According to Mr. Blakeslee, there has been an increase in occupancy in the industry and thus makes the industry more profitable than other years. Room occupancy in most cases, is what determines the profit margins. However, he was quick to note that this

Big issue magazine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Big issue magazine - Essay Example The organization behind the â€Å"big issue† magazine is divided into two parts, where there is the part that produces and sells the magazine to the street vendor network. The other part is a nonprofit foundation that helps the street vendors regains control of their lives (Oxfam, 2004). The magazines have transformed lives of many vendors who are in a position to feed and support their families. However, the sales of the magazines have subsided currently, due to the recession, which has affected advertising and general sales. Prior to recession, national and international donor funding are drying up. This paper will outline a brand-audit that should be performed to improve the image of the magazine and improve sales. How to upgrade the image and improve sales of the â€Å"big issue† magazine Image impacts a lot in a business especially when it comes to selling printed articles. This is the case because the appearance of a magazine determines its ability to attract cust omers in a distance. The â€Å"big issue† magazine falls in this category because image rebranding is needed to improve its old common appearance to a more appealing appearance (Rowell, 2012). The marketing managers should critically look into the image issue of the magazine as well as its contents. The new look of the magazine’s cover should be redesigned attractively is that it can stand out and â€Å"beat† the rest of the magazines. The customers should be able to notice and pick up the magazine instantly rather than flick through other magazines in search of the most interesting magazines. More so, the content in the magazine should be able to be captivating enough to keep the customers coming for more copies every day. In order to achieve this, the marketing team should consider on reflecting a shift to deeper and more political content because politics because politics has interesting contents that everyone yearn to know about. Hence, with these two achiev ements of rebranding the cover and contents of the magazines, customer’s will be change their usual perception towards the magazine by being attracted to it which eventually leads to more sales (Rowell, 2012). Customer service is a crucial aspect in any business and the big issue magazine should consider it in order to improve customer’s perception and increase sales. The vendors of the â€Å"big issue† magazine are homeless people and this has lead to situations where passersby insult and under grade them simply because of their status (Oxfam, 2004). The management of the â€Å"big issue† magazine should take another step of collaborating with numerous colleges within the city in order to offer these vendors with basic customer care skills. This will help them learn people body language and the telltale signs of aggression so as to help in confronting and solving possible disputes before they happen. The vendors will also learn how to be friendly and app roachable which in turn engages customers in conversation. This effort will improve vendor’s ability to attract customers and increase sales of the â€Å"big issue† magazine. Advertising is the basic boost of sales of any business because it reminds customers of their favorite product as well as informs them if there are any changes that their favorite product has undergone. In our case, the â€Å"big issue† advertisement could fall in the two categories of informing customers of the current

Forecasting Presidential Election Essay Example for Free

Forecasting Presidential Election Essay The economy of the United States is believed to be experiencing a â€Å"recession†, creating a global effect on the economies of other nations. The Democratic Party of the United States has several essential arguments when dealing with the national economy. For instance, Democrats largely believe in the principle of graduated tax incomes which focus on the belief that those who have higher earnings should pay more taxes and, conversely, the poor people should pay less tax. Barak Obama has stronger chances of winning the 2008 Presidential Elections over Hillary Clinton when taking the matter of national economy as the central basis. Clinton’s strong urge for a ‘universal healthcare’ will not take her any further in the presidential elections for several reasons. On the basis of the national economy, Clinton cannot expect every single American to avail themselves of healthcare, especially among the poor population. Although Clinton may strongly support affordable universal healthcare, it is by far an idealistic goal precisely because sustained payments for a healthcare provider is still beyond the reach of the pockets of many Americans. Moreover, the establishment of a universal healthcare system for Americans cannot be managed single-handedly by an already-busy government. That is the part where private companies offering healthcare services enter the subject. Unfortunately, Fran Baum suggests that â€Å"the privatization of health services† has effectively â€Å"reduced access to healthcare for poorer people† inasmuch as it has also â€Å"reduced the likelihood of universal health services that offer equitable access to health services† . The fact that the resources of America are limited and that these resources should be properly allocated means that a large chunk of the national budget spent on a universal healthcare alone would create an economic imbalance, an event which is not within the top priorities of democrats. Obama’s plan with regard to the national economy, on the other hand, zeroes in giving tax reliefs to the middle class Americans. Obama’s plans to give tax reliefs of approximately $1,000 for middle class Americans is based on the observation that wages have remained significantly stagnant while the steady rises in the prices of commodities have eaten a large part of the budget of Americans. By trimming the taxes of middle class Americans which comprise the larger fraction of the nation, Obama expects that middle class will be given more purchasing power which in turn will translate to a revitalized economy. Although â€Å"the U. S. federal tax system is in reality a hybrid of an income and consumption tax, with some elements that do not fit naturally into either system† , Obama’s proposal makes it clear that every working family will be awarded tax reliefs whether or not they consume or spend too much, or they have a higher income in contrast to families of similar financial status. The fact that the U. S. federal tax system is a hybrid system suggests that a tax cut on healthcare may not easily meet its goals. To surpass the challenge of determining which part of healthcare—the ‘income’ part of the ‘consumption’ part—is to be deducted with tax is to surmount a hefty task. An analysis of the status of the national economy of America and its peripheries is just one approach in determining or predicting the outcome of the impending presidential elections. Apparently, technology also shares an equally important role in this national event, among others. Exit and public polls Frederic Solop maintains that the internet â€Å"has recently become an important part of the democratic process† . The fact that America is one of the top countries in the world which has the most number of people who are connected to the internet makes the country more susceptible to the changes in the online industry. The online industry has also been equally strong in influencing the media, and as we know if it, the broadcasting media has its own role in forecasting the presidential elections. Exit polls are being used by several media networks such as CNN and Fox New Network as basis for their elections forecast. Since these television networks have a broad range of reach, it is not a farfetched idea that the observations derived by these networks from the exit polls contribute to the ways in which the voters are able to decide on their presidential candidate. Exit polls are essentially public polls and this fact essentially gives the impression that the behavior of public opinion based on these exit polls is as close to the results of the presidential race as it can get. Of course, there are a number of exceptional cases such as the margin of error, usually at about 4 percent plus or minus, which can overturn the forecasted results assuming the difference in the rankings of the candidates are close to 2 to 4 percent. Add up to the forecasting use of exit polls the role of the media in actually transmitting these polls across the nation. The Fox News Network previously included in its broadcast of the polling results in the different parts of America prior to â€Å"Super Tuesday† a partition of the various factors that led to the polling results. For instance, the analysis on the exit polls released by Fox News included a subdivision of the voting preferences which the network later used to arrive at certain observations such as how blacks voted in favor of either Clinton or Obama, or as to how women preferred Clinton over Obama and vice versa. Fox News also had forecasts on the presidential elections based on public opinion which includes but is not limited to: the effects of Bill Clinton’s attitude towards the media in relation to Hillary’s performance in the election race, how the public views the gender and racial issues being infused into the elections, and the perception of the public concerning the personal attacks of the Clinton and Obama camps to one another. All of these things and a lot more have effects on the voting preference of the public. Public opinions by any media network transmitted via the internet or through live broadcast are just some of the ways in forecasting the presidential elections. Bellwether states Bellwether states have become the center of attention of political analysts who cast their forecasts on the presidential elections. Although the states of Missouri, Nevada, Tennessee, Ohio and Delaware have produces different outcomes in the national elections, these states have merely missed quite a few instances of these electoral outcomes. It is for this reason that the belief in these Bellwether States as probable indicators of the next American President have remained since the early twentieth century. With regard to the Clinton-Obama presidential campaign, it can be said that these Bellwether States pose a certain bearing on the outcome of the elections. If either one of the two democratic candidates are able to win in these states, it can be considered that they may have already won the presidential elections. Yet this may simply be not the case, as the certainties of the current presidential race are yet to be seen. If one is to delimit the considerations for presidency in terms of these states, then it can also be argued that the democratic winner in these Bellwether States has a higher chance of succeeding in the elections. However, the performance of Obama and Clinton in the various polls and the widely divided expert opinion on their presidential campaigns draws more and more uncertainties. If indeed the larger streams of factors are to be considered, the Bellwether States have very minimal bearing on the outcome of the presidential elections. In fact, these states have a disparity in terms of the outcome of the national elections. While Obama and Clinton won two of these five states each, with the remaining to be decided sometime this February, it appears that there are further uncertainties that remain to be resolved in the coming days. Expert opinion In terms of expert opinion, it would be no surprise to have a division among these opinions because it is quite difficult to share personal views even when based on facts without having an inclination to infuse certain ideologies which border on the side of either Obama or Clinton. Expert’s opinions nevertheless do hold certain grounds, and the weight of their merit resides more or less on the experiences and background of the ‘expert’. Political experts who both argue against and argue with the democrats, and with or against either Obama or Clinton, have credibility in their insights largely because of what they have contributed to American politics, especially in forecasting the presidential elections. As for the Obama-Clinton presidential campaigns, these experts are equally divided as well.The only similarity that one may see among them is their fervent desire to draw their forecasts on the elections. Bibliography Baum, Fran. Primary Healthcare: Can the Dream Be Revived? Development in Practice 13, no. 5 (2003): 517. Gordon, Roger, Laura Kalambokidis, Jeffrey Rohaly, and Joel Slemrod. Toward a Consumption Tax, and Beyond. The American Economic Review 94, no. 2 (2004): 161. Solop, Frederic I. Digital Democracy Comes of Age: Internet Voting and the 2000 Arizona Democratic Primary Election. Political Science and Politics 34, no. 2 (2001): 289.

The Self Reflective Essay English Language Essay

The Self Reflective Essay English Language Essay Writing of an essay starts with a pre-writing process whereby the writer identifies appropriate invention strategies for his/her essay. This requires evaluation of invention techniques in order to use the ones that convey the objective of the essay to targeted audience. A good essay should have good flow of ideas that are well coordinated to keep the audience reading. It is important to peer review and critique an essay from a different writer as this enables one to critique his/her first draft of essay and make necessary corrections during essay revision. This self reflective essay addresses challenges faced while writing an essay and reflectively proposes solutions to such challenges. Self Reflective Essay In writing my essay, the pre- writing strategies that I used were brainstorming, cubing and classical invention. Brainstorming enabled me to break up a block in my thinking and come up with the right ideas concerning essay topic. I started by writing down every association regarding the subject in order to gain focus by subordinating the list of what I wrote into parts that would form the essay. This led me to cubing technique, which helped me to organize my thoughts and gain perspective that would most likely yield right ideas concerning essay topic. In my application for cubing technique, I attempted to describe, compare, associate, analyze and argue for and against the essay topic. I combined cubing technique with classical invention technique to ensure that I give detailed descriptions in my essay definitions, comparisons, relationships, circumstances and testimonies. Combining these three strategies for my prewriting effectively ensured that the essay addressed all relevant area s of essay topic because what was not clear using brainstorming strategy was addressed by cubing and classical invention techniques, which have provisions for more detailed information. I realized that applying different pre-writing techniques is the key to good essay because one technique provides for what is missing in the other one. For example, using brainstorming technique alone gave me many ideas on the subject, which I organized using Cubin and classical invention techniques. These techniques proved effective and I would consider using them for my next essay. My purpose for writing this essay was to prove to the audience that time has come for educators to change from traditional classroom teaching and learning approaches to disruptive innovative teaching strategies outside classroom that are more exciting to learners and teachers. My audience for the essay was learners and educators. I wanted the audience to know that students who travel to different parts of the world develop better social skills, are less rigid. They are more accommodative, have better problem solving skills and end up being better decision makers than the ones who do not. I wanted the audience to understand that learning should not be confined within classrooms but it should be innovative enough to build learners reasoning, social and cognitive skills. I wanted to completely capture the attention of the audience and get them into thinking about international travel learning and international conferences as disruptive innovative multicultural learning techniques that w ould equip learners with firsthand experience on different cultures. I wanted to move the audience into thinking of their next international travel learning destination by the time they are through with reading the essay. In previewing my peerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s essay, I looked for main ideas conveyed in the essay, clarity of the ideas and how the ideas have been expressed and coordinated to flow and capture the attention of the targeted audience. I also looked at how convincing and practical my peerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ideas were to the targeted audience. I learned that essays that are not well organized lack flow of information being conveyed and discourage the audience from reading further. I discovered the great need to organize an essay and bring out flow of ideas right from introduction to conclusion in order to establish a direct connection between the essay and the audience. This captures interest of the audience and motivates them to keep reading. I therefore felt that I should apply the same technique as applied in my peer reviewed article and improve on my articleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s clarity of ideas. In revising my essay, I started by revisiting my objective for writing the article in order to get a clear picture of the message that I wanted to convey to my audience. I then started reading my article as I critiqued it with an aim of establishing areas of improvement. I realized that my ideas needed to flow smoothly from one idea to another. The main revision involved linking up ideas to make my essay flow and keep the audienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s interest captured throughout their reading. I revised the essay to ensure that it meets its objectives in conveying required message to audience and to establish a strong connection between my targeted audience and ideas being conveyed as this would make the audience to think along my school of thought. The revised draft was far much better than the original draft, with an excellent flow of ideas. I learned that revising an essay is important because it eliminates grammatical errors and brings out coordinated flow of ideas that keep the a udience motivated to continue reading. The strongest aspect of my essay was the clear convincing ideas that supported my essay objective and kept the audience motivated to read. Furthermore, there was an excellent flow of ideas in my essay that were well coordinated to make the audience evaluate themselves in my school of thought as conveyed by the essay. The weakest aspect of my essay was getting ideas to flow as most of my ideas were initially mixed up. However, this was addressed through revision of the essay. The writing challenges that I frequently ran into while writing this essay was getting the right words to explain ideas and capture the attention of audience. To address this challenge, I wrote one sentence at a time and read it to see if it clearly conveys required message before going to the next sentence. This was however time consuming although it gave my essay the right words and coordination to capture the attention of audience. For the next assignment I prefer to start by reviewing a peer article before I embark on mine as critiquing the peer article will make me write a better essay.