Theory of Cognitive Development and Children - 1854 Words

Discuss the concept of ‘constructivism’ (from Piaget’s theory of cognitive development). Use a mix of theory and research to back up your ideas about whether or not the child constructs his/her own development. The understanding of how children comprehend the world around them has been a highly researched part of cognitive development in Psychology. Jean Piaget was one of the first researchers to develop a theory suggesting that children understand the world around them by actively seeking information from their environment, and continuously expanding their knowledge by organizing, adapting and assimilating this information Berlin, (1992). Piaget’s theory known as constructivism theory, has undergone a high level of scrutiny, centring†¦show more content†¦The failure to reach the correct location Piaget explains as egocentrism clamming that at this stage children fail to see the situation in a different point of view thinking that because the object was placed in the first location that that object would permanently be there, Piaget, J. amp; Inhelder, B. (1969). Testing Piaget’s A-not-B theory Kaufman and Needham (1999) tested 40 six and a half month infants. Using h abituation technique they concluded that infants looked longer when the objects were moved. Contrary to Piaget’s findings, they suggested that infant special orientation development happens at much earlier age, arguing that Piaget underestimated infant ability. The second and third stage Piaget proposed are the preoperational and concrete stage at this stage children understand object permanence (that objects continue to exist even though they cannot see them) , spatial layouts and also the use of language for problem solving starts during the preoperational stage through constructing existing information and eventually expanding this information. However until the age of seven children still see the world from their egocentric view (i.e. refusing to see the world from a different point of view). At the concrete stage children are able to solve visual problems such as lining in order dolls from the tallest to the shortest, however they are not able to solve mentalShow MoreRelatedTheory of Cognitive Development and Children1466 Words   |  6 PagesPiaget s Theory of Cognitive Development Jean Piaget was born on August9, 1896, in the French speaking part of Switzerland. At an early age he developed an interest in biology, and by the time he had graduated from high school he had already published a number of papers. After marrying in 1923, he had three children, whom he studied from infancy. Piaget is best known for organizing cognitive development into a series of stages- the levels of development corresponding too infancy, childhoodRead MoreTheories on Human Learning and Cognitive Development in Young Children755 Words   |  4 PagesLearning is the keystone to American society. It has brought society trough times of economic darkness, religious revival and social instability. Learning has always been debated in the context of when does the learning start in human development, Is learning the result of nature taking its course as was argued by rationalist like Plato and Rene Descartes. According to (BeeBoyd, 2007) Rationalist view point on education is entrenched in the idea that ( â€Å"knowledge is inborn†). On the other end ofRead MoreChildren s Appearance Rigidity And Cognitive Theories Of Gender Development1110 Words   |  5 PagesElizabeth Meyer PSYC 232 05 A. May Ling Halim and Diane N. Ruble, 2013, Pink Frilly Dresses and the Avoidance of all things ‘girly’: Children’s Appearance Rigidity and Cognitive Theories of Gender Development, Developmental Psychology Vol 50 (4) pp.1091-1101 B. I chose this article because I found it to be a subject I could relate to. Growing up with a sister a younger than me, and a brother a year younger than her I distinctly remember all of us going through stages of being extremely picky aboutRead MoreJean Piaget And Vygotsky s Theory On Children s Cognitive Development1507 Words   |  7 Pageshave shared their knowledge on children’s cognitive development. Both psychologists had their own vision of what stimulates and helps a child grow. Jean Piaget s theory was shaped through the thinking and understanding of how knowledge is built through a series of four stages; preoperational, sensorimotor, formal operational and concrete operational. He believed that the development was with the child themselves. On the contrary, Lev Vygotsky s theory is shaped through adult social interactionsRead MorePiaget s Stage Theory Account For Children s Cognitive Development1759 Words   |  8 Pageswell does Piaget’s stage theory acc ount for children’s cognitive development? Intro Piaget believed there were four stages in a child’s cognitive development and sub stages within these stages. These stages have been the object of debate since Piaget introduced them and are still continuously debated. All of the stages are very concrete and large scale. They don’t account for children at a particular age who are behind or ahead. Piaget underestimated the capability of children to do particular thingsRead MoreCompare and contrast Piaget‚Äà ´s and Vygotsky‚Äà ´s theories of cognitive development in children1274 Words   |  6 PagesVygotsky’s theories of cognitive development in children. This essay will compare Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories of cognitive development in children. Also, show the differences between the two psychologist’s theories. Thus, by showing their similarities like in language and adaptation theories. Further, differences like Piaget’s theory on cognitive developmental stages and the schemas which are build to learn or accommodate new words or things. Vygostky’s theory differs to Piaget’s theory by hisRead MoreHow Does Piaget s Stage Theory Account For Children s Cognitive Development?1576 Words   |  7 PagesHow does Piaget’s stage theory account for children’s cognitive development? Jean Piaget (1896-1980) had a stage theory about cognitive development and how it works with children. There are 4 stages to this theory; sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. Piaget emphasised that they occur in this order. (Smith, Cowie, Blades, 2015, p. 446). He considered the fact that the way child’s mind develops, intellectually, is a continuous process of Assimilation and AccommodationRead MoreVygotsky s Theory And Development Of Higher Mental Functions898 Words   |  4 PagesIn Vygotsky’s theory, children have two basic kinds of functions or mental processes that Vygotsky entitled lower mental functions, and higher mental functions. Lower mental functions are defined as their natural way of learning or innate ways that one would respond to their environment. Higher mental functions are defined as a more complex way of thinking or processing. In Vygotsky’s view, the potential for acquiring lower mental functions is b iologically built in, but society and culture are criticalRead MorePiaget vs. Vygotsky1120 Words   |  5 PagesThe theory of cognitive development is defined as the development of the ability to think and reason. There are many theorists who have studied cognitive theories and the most famous is Jean Piaget. Cognitive development covers the physical and emotional stages of a child. The basic premise for cognitive development is to show the different stages of the development of a child so you can understand where the child might be in their development. Understanding cognitive development will betterRead MoreSocio Cultural Theory And Piaget s Cognitive Development Theory1493 Words   |  6 PagesThe two theorists that I have chosen to compare are Vygotsky for his work on the socio-cultural theory and Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory. The socio-cultural theory focuses on how norms, culture, beliefs and values are passed onto the next generation in a society (Berk, 2007). Piaget was the first psychologist to study cognitive development and described his work as genetic epistemology. He was concerned with how essential concepts such as the idea of time, numbers, justice etc. arose (Siegler

Health And Fitness Case Study - Business Strategy

Question: Make a report on the industries - health and fitness industry and make a executive summary and clear and concise target market, segments and positioning. Make comments on both Micro and Macro environmental forces affecting the company. Answer: Introduction: Marketing of the companies are considered to be the most important aspect to intrigue the presence and development within the selected market and consumer segments (Armstrong et al., 2012). The present aspect within the health and fitness consideration is to be applied and considered within the different organizations, which are present in the same sector. There can be probable aspects and observations to the changing consumer needs and those are to be considered with the perfect attention towards the specific needs and requirements. The health and fitness companies need to develop the understanding and attainment to the consumers with the perfect business presentation and business capitalization. In this report, the company, which is considered, is Fitness First, which is the largest privately owned fitness, and health club and these are also analyzed with the different marketing and business frameworks for developing the knowledge and understanding about the business strategy (Teec e, 2010). The marketing aspects and environmental aspects are considered and developed within the present report and the effect on consumer perception and consumer behaviour is addressed within the company. Fitness First UK Information: The company Fitness First is owned by Oaktree Capital management and is considered as the largest privately owned health and fitness club chain in the world. The company was established in 1993 and at present, the chain is consisting with almost 550 clubs worldwide and consisting with 1 million members in more than 15 countries. Within the UK itself only, there are almost 100 clubs of Fitness First clubs consisting with approximately 250000 members. The company has also acquired Living Well Lady clubs owned by the Hilton group of companies in Australia (Fitnessfirst.co.uk, 2015). The company has also acquired the Healthland chain consisting of almost eleven clubs and thus the company has spread its presence in all over the world. The company has specific target segments and consumers in different countries with different business propositions and there were different marketing and promotional activities integrated within the business scenario and business attention within the health and business segments. STP strategy: The business strategy of the company is consisted with different attributes like segmentation, targeting and positioning strategy and those are also integrated with in the business approaches (Armstrong et al., 2012). The STP strategy of the Fitness First is discussed here also for attaining the perfect opportunity and development criteria with the prospective criteria and attention. Segmentation strategy: The segmentation is an important aspect of the marketing and business prospect and those are to be adjusted and justified within the selected consumer segments for developing the correct attention to the market. The company Fitness First has segmented the market with different demographics and psychographic variables and those are also based on the geographic location integration with the proper attainment and development of the strategy (Kapferer, 2012). The company has segmented the consumers based on their earning or income segment, their demographics like age and other variables are selected. Then there are psychographic attentions towards the health and conscious details, which are also segmented within the consumers. The professional and non-professional both types of the consumers are to be adjusted and dedicated within the segmented market. Targeting strategy: The people who are targeted within that mass market are specially clarified within the income range and age with their psychological attention towards the health and fitness. In todays world, there are different consumers like the middle-aged women homemakers or the professional people who are more considerate about their health and fitness. The socio-economic class of people AB and C1 are more attainted by the fitness and health perspectives and they are the most targeted customers by the company. The consumers would be more attentive towards the fitness clubs at their leisure time and they are also considering for better lifestyle and better opportunities. The company Fitness First has rightfully targeted the people with specific need and requirements and the people who are able to join the Fitness First clubs with sufficient amount of earnings. Positioning strategy: The Fitness First has tried to position itself as the premium fitness club and thus it has tried to establish itself as more convincing business entity with perfect attention towards the business and marketing opportunities. The company has been integrated with the specified commercial buildings or high-end places with the perfect attention towards the specific consumers (Buhler and Nufer, 2012). There are different office workers and professional people been targeted by this strategy and also the company has tried to open its clubs in the high society ends where the blue collar people can join the fitness clubs. The company has tried to be evaluated with the specific services and products integrated within the positioning system and that can be critically analyzed with the dimensional mapping with the competitors. The dimensional mapping can give a more clear idea about the companys positioning. Macro and Micro environmental factors: Micro and macro environmental factors are to be developed and framed for understanding the business details and those are to be critically linked and analyzed within the specific variables, which are to be considered and accepted. Macro factors: The macro or environmental factors are external factors, which are to be discussed and developed with separate understanding and framework details within the companys future prospects and attributes. The company has to understand those factors and then critically incorporated those within the specified factors like political, economic, cultural, technology etc (Armstrong et al., 2012). Political and legal: The political and legal framework in any country is to be properly applied to the business and clubs policies as the Fitness First is oriented to the peoples health and fitness attributes, the clubs are to be bound by the local and regional laws and governing policies (Hui, 2011). In that respect, there should be policies and legislations abide by for opening and intriguing new clubs and new branches to be opened in various sectors. Economic: The economic activities are to be also properly integrated within the business conditions and business orientation as the economic opportunities within a country will be more developed and attained within the perfect economic activity within the selected country or global influences. The Fitness First clubs are presumed and positioned as the premium clubs and thus they are opened in the selected regions where the people have the purchasing power for the products and services offered by the club. Socio-cultural: The socio cultural aspects are also the most important options to be included within the society and those are to be highlighted and developed within the personal and professional details of the social class of people. As told before, the socio economic class of AB and C1 are the most likely customers for the Fitness First. The changing social and cultural aspects are favourable to the Fitness First as the people are perpetual towards the health and fitness attributes in the changing society. In UK itself, due to high obesity and higher health attenuation rate, the health and fitness objectives are to be attained and perceived more by the consumers. Technological: Technology plays a significant role in the business attention of the Fitness First as there are different instruments and products, which are to be adjourned and integrated within the services offered by the Fitness First. The clubs are to be associated with the latest and most improved technical instruments to deliver the people with appropriate services and offerings (Hui, 2011). In other way, technological advancements like digital and social media involvement or the MIS integration is also required within the club for presenting and developing the more sustainable and profitable business context. Environmental: Lastly, the environmental aspects of the company are to be justified and developed within the specialised affects and advancements within the system. The company Fitness First has the opportunity and intention for integrating the environmental consideration for the clubs and those are to be developed within the business context of the clubs (Liu and Nie, 2011). The products, operational and services are to be adopted within the environmental adaptation, which are to be properly integrated within the environmental standards and collaboration. Micro factors: Then her are micro factors which are more integrated with the internal factors for attaining the perception and business details for the company. There were separate offerings and policies for each variable and those are like the internal operations, stakeholder, employees etc (Teece, 2010). Consumers: Consumers are the most important micro factors as the consumer depicts the services and the products, which are to be offered. The Fitness First is a service company and thus the fitness and health services are to be provided according to the consumers. The marketing and advertisements should be likewise which are to be adopted and developed within the specific consumer needs to attract more consumers. Employees: Employees are the face of the organization and they are to be trained and perceived as the most important internal factors for the companies. The Fitness First is the fitness club and the services are provided by the employees only who are to be adjusted with the companys vision and mission (Dunn et al., 2012). With more sustainable and perceived services, the company can retain and maintain their consumers and for that the employees are to be trained and introduced with the business and service quality within the company Fitness First. Suppliers: Suppliers are the people who provide the raw materials to the companies and in this case, the instrumentation companies or the other service companies which might integrate within the services of Fitness First. They are to be properly associated with the dedicated services to reach the required quality and business association. Stakeholders: Stakeholders are the people who are directly influenced by the operations of the company. They can be the consumers, the shareholders the employees or the society as a whole. The operations and business context should be beneficial to the companies and those are to be adjusted and developed with the perfect attention for attaining the profitable and sustainable business proposition (Dunn et al., 2012). Media: Media or promotional aspects are also important for a service company like Fitness First and those are required to be more attained with the positive aspects of the company. The negative media attention can decrease the reliability and opportunity of the company and those are to be sustained and perfectly matched with the business operations of the Fitness First (Yi, 2011). Consumer perception and behaviour about Fitness First: Consumer perception and behaviour is to be properly adjusted and compiled within the companys future attainment and services as the consumers perception and development is to be adjusted with perfect collaboration with the business objectives (Surujlal and Dhurup, 2012). If there is, any Gap between those two then he companies might lose the consumers and the business. Consumer perception: The company Fitness First has tried to establish themselves with the effective marketing and positioning concepts and there are several expansion and market development strategies been covered and developed within the present business context. In this respect, the company Fitness First has the opportunity and consideration to develop the consumer perception with the offerings and services from the company. The company has initiated with the rebranding strategies with rebranding opportunities with the perfect consideration and development of the business processes (Perreault, 2011). There is logo and brand statement rebuilt and those are to be presented within the consumer market with more emphasis on future prospects. The Fitness First has not tried t o be premium by integrating swimming pool or other extra assets but it has tried to provide the best instruments and services to the people with sufficient help and consideration. The company has tried to consider the specialised offeri ngs by the services towards the consumer with the proper establishment of management and services with the help of trainers and employees (Grant, 2010). The company has tried to reposition itself with premium fitness service provider and the company Fitness First has also tried to establish the correct business segmentation within the mass market for attaining the proper consumers. Consumer behaviour: Then there is consumer behaviour to be attained within the business proposition and those are to be properly induced with the customer perception and brand image of the company. The consumers who are more selective to the health and fitness attributes are entertained and comprised of the separate entity (Wenjuan, 2012). The consumers and the market segments are to be properly constituted with the sufficient information and offerings and thus the rebranding and marketing campaigns are essential for the company. The company has tried to introduce the fitness and health option as a lifestyle factor to the consumers and thus they have tried to give the better look and feel for the brands. Marketing Mix strategy: The marketing mix strategy is comprised of different marketing variables like product, price, promotion, place, process, people and physical evidence (Armstrong et al., 2012). These aspects are to be properly advised and developed within the business segment and those are to be properly executed within the marketing objectives. There are different products and services which are offered by the company Fitness First. Product: The most intrigued product of the company is the service towards the consumers and those are related to the health and fitness activities within the consumers. There are fitness clubs been introduced and those are the main products of the company (Chen et al., 2010). Apart from that, yoga and lifestyle classes are integrated within the products also. Price: The company has tried to reach the people by considerable pricing but also had tried to maintain the service quality and quantity with the higher pricing solution. The pricing strategies are to be varied with the different aspects of companys objectives (Thompson, 2014). Place: The place is the physical place where the product or service is to be considered. In this aspect, the Fitness First has tried to open the clubs in the professional and high end regions where the selected target groups can easily reach. Also the company is present in more than 15 countries and thus there is sufficient presence of the Fitness First in different aspects. Promotion: The promotion is a bigger attribute and Fitness First has accumulated with different promotional activities within the companys services. The company has tried to integrate with the social and digital media for consideration of the digital aspects and those are intrigued within the promotions (Buhler and Nufer, 2012). The Fitness First also have rebranding strategy and thus the logo, design and the objectives are changed and those are incorporated within the promotions. The company is also a partner to the Olympic and other big events which gave them the promotional sustainability. Process: The process consists of different ways and frameworks to consider with the service offered by the Fitness First. The processes are considered to the making awareness to the consumers to providing them with good services as per the requirement in health and fitness. People: The people are the employees and the trainers who are considered with the services to be approved and delivered within the Fitness First (Wenjuan, 2012). The people are to be knowledgeable and experienced enough to understand the different objectives and then to consider the proper services for the consumers. Physical evidence: Physical evidence is mainly the attribute of the services and the products which are targeted and delivered to the consumers with the proper attention to the various fitness and health concerns. The types and features of the instrumented are to be executed and maintained properly for the physical evidences integrated. Recommendations: The company Fitness First has been present in the fitness and sport market and the company has been trying to integrate and implement the lifestyle segment within the proper products and services developed. In this aspect, the company has also acquired and attained with other fitness clubs. The company has tried to emphasize on the tangible and intangible assets and there are scope to introduce more customized services to the consumers. The company is especially considering the high end consumers and the clubs are opened at the particular regions with the segmented consumers present (Thompson, 2014). There can be scope for expansion also if the company is more intrigued with the mass market and can be diversified with the fitness and health attributes to the mass market consumers. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the above discussed report that the company Fitness First has been present in the fitness and lifestyle segment market and it has been properly analysed with the business proposition and objectives (Murata, 2011). The company Fitness First has been thoroughly intrigued within the fitness classes and clubs and those are oriented towards the segmented market. As per the present business scenario, the market objectives and market orientation are also reconsidered and the company Fitness First has obtained the changed branding and marketing policies (Thompson, 2014). Thus there are proper objectives and business orientations to be framed based on the different theoretical framework and those are responsible for making the Fitness First as the most successful health club. References: Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M., Brennan, R.(2012) Marketing : An Introduction. Pearson Prentice-Hall, London, London Buhler, A., Nufer, G. (2012). Relationship marketing in sports. Routledge. Chen, H. D., Chao, F. X., Chen, H. J., Pan, L., Li, D. M. (2010). A Study on the Managing Strategy on Large Commercial Fit Clubs in China [J]. Journal of Beijing Sport University, 10, 009. Dunn, A. L., Buller, D. B., Dearing, J. W., Cutter, G., Guerra, M., Wilcox, S., Bettinghaus, E. P. (2012). Adopting an evidence-based lifestyle physical activity program: dissemination study design and methods. Translational behavioral medicine, 2(2), 199-208. Fitnessfirst.co.uk, (2015). Company background. [online] Available at: https://www.fitnessfirst.co.uk/about-us/ [Accessed 12 Jan. 2015]. Grant, R. M. (2010). Contemporary strategy analysis and cases: text and cases. John Wiley Sons. Hui, W. A. N. G. (2011). An analysis of the profit patterns of our country fitness clubs [J]. Liaoning Sport Science and Technology, 1, 006. Kapferer, J. N. (2012). The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan Page Publishers. Liu, G. F., Nie, L. (2011). Research on the Influence of Brand Image on Customer Loyalty in Fitness Club. Journal of Beijing Sport University, 10, 007. Murata, H. (2011). The Business of Aging: Ten Successful Strategies for a Diverse Market. In The Silver Market Phenomenon (pp. 279-294). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Perreault, W. D., Cannon, J. P., McCarthy, E. J. (2011). Basic marketing: A marketing strategy planning approach. McGraw-Hill Irwin. Surujlal, J., Dhurup, M. (2012). Establishing and maintaining customer relationships in commercial health and fitness centers in South Africa. International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance, 3(1), 14-18. Teece, D. J. (2010). Business models, business strategy and innovation. Long range planning, 43(2), 172-194. Thompson, W. R. (2014). Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2015: whats driving the market. ACSM's Health Fitness Journal, 18(6), 8-17. Wenjuan, L. R. N. (2012). On the Study of Information Demand of Consumers in Fitness ClubPerspective from Purchase Experience and Product Knowledge [J]. Journal of Capital Normal University (Natural Science Edition), 1,016. XU, J., WANG, Z. R. (2010). Study on America Sports Fitness Service Industry Development and the Enlightenments [J]. Journal of Nanjing Institute of Physical Education (Social Science), 5, 023. Yi, D. U. (2011). Our Country's Sports Fitness Clubs Business Ideas Based on 4C Marketing Theory [J]. Journal of Hebei Institute of Physical Education, 5, 007.

Kennedy And Lincoln Assassinations Essays - , Term Papers

Kennedy And Lincoln Assassinations Adolf Hitler, the Nazi dictator of Germany during World War II, once said, "The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it." Although this may sound ludicrous, we can see many example of this in the world's history. One example would have to be the John Fitzgerald Kennedy's assassination. For over thirty years the people of the United States were led to believe that a single gunman shot and killed Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. Maybe they were wrong. According to the old facts regarding the case of the JFK assassination, a single gunman killed Kennedy. On November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. CST (Central Standard Time), Kennedy was riding in an open limousine through Dallas, Texas. At this time, Kennedy was shot in the head and neck by a sniper. He was then taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Later, police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, at a nearby theater. By the next morning, Oswald was booked for the murder of President John F. Kennedy. Two days later, Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner killed Oswald while he was being moved from the city to the county jail. At a glance, the above story sounds as if this should be an open-and-shut case. After all, according to the facts above, Oswald must have killed Kennedy. However, you must take a closer look at this case. Many people who witnessed the murder of John F. Kennedy dispute the facts above, saying that they heard shots from places besides the book depository and other things that may contradict what is stated above. One of these witnesses, Abraham Zapruder, captured the entire assassination on his Bell and Howell eight-millimeter movie camera. This movie, cleverly called the Zapruder Film, is the single best piece of visual evidence in this case. In order to clearly understand the Zapruder Film, it is necessary to break it down into frames. The particular Bell and Howell movie camera that Zapruder was using ran at eighteen and three-hundredths (18.3) frames per second. When using this frame system, you must remember that all shots were actually fired several frames before the number that is assigned to them. For example, the fatal heard wound, called Z313, was probably fired at Z310, since it took 2-3 frames at 18.3 frames per second for the bullet to reach the victim. Also, you must remember that sound travels at about one thousand-one hundred (1,100) feet per second, or a little over half as fast as the Mannlicher Carcano's bullets. When keeping this in mind, it is expected that witnesses heard the shot at some point after the bullet passed. The following shows a break down of the frames of the Zapruder film: - The Presidential limousine first comes into view at frame 133 (the starting point of this timeline.) - The first shot at (or just before) Z187 would have passed through both Governor Connally and the President. - The second shot, which passed above the limousine at Z284, missed the President and hit the curb near witness James Tague. This caused his minor wound. - At Z313, the fatal shot occurs, which blew out major portions of the Presidents brain and skull. - A fourth shot occurred at Z323 (slightly 1/2 second after the fatal wound at Z313). Due to the proximity of this report to the one at Z313, as well as it's more distant origin, most witnesses were unable to hear this shot. Thus, the above is when the bullets hit either Kennedy or Connally, or passed through the frames of the Zapruder film (in the case of the second shot). Of the one-hundred seventy-eight (178) witnesses at Dealey Plaza, one-hundred thirty-two (132) said that they heard exactly three shots. If Oswald was a single gunman, it would have taken him at least 2.3 seconds to reload his Mannlicher Carcano rifle. However, the general consensus of the witnesses is that they heard a single shot, followed by silence, with the second and third shots bunched together. For example, Lee Bowers, one of the witnesses, testified, "I heard three shots, one, then a slight pause, then two very close together." Also, Warren W. Taylor, a Secret Service agent, said, "As a matter of course, I opened the door and prepared to get out of the car. In the instant that my left foot touched the ground, I heard two more bangs and realized that they must be gun shots." Lastly, when Miss

Plastic Bags - Good or Evil free essay sample

You should be disgusted by your actions, by what you’re throwing, by what you’re using. Plastic bags are the reason why New Zealand will soon not be referred to as the clean, green and environmentally friendly country. Do you know how many plastic bags you consumed after 3 trips to the supermarket? I’ll tell you†¦On average you collect 60 bags. May I ask you, what are you going to do with all these bags? You’re probably thinking†¦ I’m just using plastic bags what’s the big deal, what’s the problem. Today I’ll educate you on why not to use plastic bags, why marine life is in danger and what you can do to help the environment. Firstly, what is the problem in using plastic bags? Plastic bags are made from petroleum, which is a non-renewable resource. This makes every plastic bag you throw away, a WASTE. We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Bags Good or Evil? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The plastic bags aren’t the only thing you’re wasting, you’re wasting the resources it is made from. Can’t plastic bags be burned down? They can be burned down, emitting lots of toxic gases in the atmosphere leading to air pollution. Therefore burning plastic bags isn’t safe. Plastic bags are photodegradable. What is photodegradable? When something is photodegrading it means it is being broken down into smaller pieces with the help of sunlight. This process can take 500 years for only 1 plastic bag to be broken down. Did you know New Zealanders use around three million plastic bags a day and this leads to 1 billion bags each year! Hence I strongly suggest plastic bags aren’t the most environmentally friendly way of carrying objects. In other words plastic bags should be banned in New Zealand. Secondly, Marine life suffers because of what you do! You litter, waste and don’t take responsibility of your actions. When the process of photodegrading takes place the plastic is broken down. Subsequently the small pieces now pollute the soil, lakes and rivers. Marine life gets poisoned because they choke on the little bits of plastic as they are very gullible. They mistake the plastic as food and sprint to eat it that causes deaths. When a plastic bag is littered it ends up in water, when this happens marine life gets caught in the bag and ends up in suffocation and DEATH ! Now do you think the use of plastic bags should be banned? Thirdly, what can you do to help the environment and marine life? Whenever you go anywhere for shopping always carry eco-friendly bags. When you go to the supermarket and an employee asks you, â€Å"Hello sir, good morning madam, would you like me to put your shopping in plastic bags? † what can you say†¦. NO THANKS, we’ve got eco-friendly bags! The next thing that you can do is try not to break the handles of your previous plastic bags, instead use the same plastic bags over and over again. Lastly, whenever you throw away a plastic bag think of the marine life that die because of your actions, think about the environment that gets polluted because of your ignorance on the use of plastics. Don’t forget to use eco-friendly bags wherever you go and say NO to plastic bags. I hope I have convinced you in thinking the way I think in taking care about the environment and marine life. I hope you agree that we should ban the use of plastic bags in New Zealand!

An Introduction to Anasazi Puebloan Societies

An Introduction to Anasazi Puebloan Societies Anasazi is the archaeological term used to describe prehistoric Puebloan peoples of the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. This term was used to distinguish their culture from other Southwestern groups like the Mogollon and Hohokam. A further distinction in Anasazi culture is made by archaeologists and historians between Western and Eastern Anasazi, using the Arizona/New Mexico border as a fairly arbitrary divide. The people who resided in Chaco Canyon are considered Eastern Anasazi. The term Anasazi is an English corruption of a Navajo word meaning Enemy Ancestors or Ancient Ones. Modern Puebloan people prefer to use the term Ancestral Puebloans. Current archaeological literature as well tends to use the phrase Ancestral Pueblo to describe the pre-contact people that lived in this region. Cultural Characteristics Ancestral Puebloan cultures reached their maximum presence between AD 900 and 1130. During this period, the landscape of the entire Southwest was dotted by large and small villages constructed in adobe and stone bricks, built along the canyon walls, the mesa top or hanging over the cliffs. Settlements: The most famous examples of Anasazi architecture are the famous Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde National Parks. These areas contain settlements constructed on the mesa top, at the bottom of the canyon, or along the cliffs. Cliff dwellings are typical of Mesa Verde, whereas Great Houses are typical of Chacoan Anasazi. Pithouses, underground rooms, were also typical dwellings of Ancestral Puebloan people in their earlier times.Architecture: Buildings were usually multistory and clustered near the canyon or cliff walls and were reached through wooden ladders. Anasazi constructed typical round or squared structures, called kivas, which were ceremonial rooms.Landscape: Ancient Puebloan people shaped their landscape in many ways. Ceremonial roads connected Chacoan villages among them and with important landmarks; staircases, like the famous Jackson Staircase, link the bottom of the canyon with the mesa top; irrigation systems provided water for farming and, finally, rock art, such as petroglyphs and pictographs, dots the rocky walls of many sites surrounding, testifying to the ideology and religious beliefs of these peoples. Pottery: Ancestral Puebloans crafted elegant vessels, in different shapes, such as bowls, cylindric vessels, and jars with distinct decorations typical of each Anasazi group. Motifs included both geometric elements as well as animals and humans usually portrayed in dark colors over a cream background, like the famous black-on-white ceramics.Craftwork: Other craft productions in which Ancestral Puebloan excelled were basketry, and turquoise inlay works. Social Organization For most of the Archaic period, people living in the Southwest were foragers. By the beginning of the Common Era, cultivation was widespread and maize became one of the main staples. This period marks the emergence of the typical traits of Puebloan culture. Ancient Puebloan village life was focused on farming  and both productive and ceremonial activities centered around agricultural cycles. Storage of maize and other resources lead to surplus formation, which was re-invested in trading activities and feasting celebrations. Authority was probably held by religious and prominent figures of the community, who had access to food surpluses and imported items. Anasazi Chronology The Anasazi prehistory is divided by archaeologists into two main time frames: Basketmaker (AD 200-750) and Pueblo (AD 750-1600/historic times). These periods span from the beginning of settled life until the Spanish takeover. See the detailed Anasazi timelineSee details on the Rise and Fall of Chaco Canyon Anasazi Archaeological Sites and Issues Penasco BlancoChetro KetlPueblo BonitoChaco CanyonKivaChaco Road System Sources: Cordell, Linda 1997, Archaeology of the Southwest. Second Edition. Academic Press Kantner, John, 2004, Ancient Puebloan Southwest, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Vivian, R. Gwinn Vivian and Bruce Hilpert 2002, The Chaco Handbook. An Encyclopedic Guide, The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City Edited by  K. Kris Hirst

No need for topic Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

No need for topic - Case Study Example Herr acted on instinct, even though he gambled he eventually bought the Boeings when the dollar was at its lowest. In that aspect, Herr should not be accused of mistimed purchasing and thus should be retained as the chairman of Lufthansa airlines by the board. 2. Even though he had expected the dollar to depreciate, he would not have left the whole amount unhedged, due to a variety of factors. First Herr was not sure that the dollar was going to depreciate; he was just going by his instincts. In that aspect living, the whole amount unhedged would have lead to the firm using more money in purchasing the Boeings. Hedging half the amount was a brilliant idea as it ensured that either way; the company would not use a lot of money in buying the Boeings. If Herr had left the whole amount unhedged and the dollar appreciated further, the organization would have used the colossal amount of money in buying the Boeings. However, hedging half ensured that the firm was cushioned whether the dollar appreciated or depreciated the firm would still benefit. Faced with such uncertainties Herr made a wise decision in hedging half the amount. Remaining uncovered as contemplated by the board would have had a positive impact, however, if the dollar would have appreciated and Herr’s anticipation proved wrong, then the firm would have lost a lot of money. Some of the risks associated with remaining uncovered include; higher spending. Full forward cover also has some advantages as well as disadvantages. The advantage of full forward cover is that the firm would have been protected adequately against currency exposure. However, taking such a risk in purchasing would have been a dangerous option, most companies prefer taking such a risk in other lines of business other than purchasing. 3. Herr had expected the dollar to depreciate, however, leaving the whole amount unhedged was risky, and however using forward contracts was not a good idea. Herr was

Are too many people being sent to prison Research Paper

Are too many people being sent to prison - Research Paper Example These are some of the questions that come to mind when one views the growing statistics of prisoners worldwide. This paper will focus on the fact that too many people are being sent to prison. There are too many people being imprisoned worldwide. The United States is leading in statistics for having many people in prison worldwide. The population in jail has risen by over ten times as compared to thirty years ago. Most prisons are overcrowded and the cost incurred by the state in its move to fighting crime is colossal and could be falling out of hand if nothing is done to address it. People are being sent to prison for minor crimes. Minor drug offenders for instance, make up a large number of inmates, are being jailed for long terms. Debaters have argued that these minor offenders should be subjected to other forms of disciplinary action like being made to do some community service in public. They claim that this would be a more positive way to punish them and subsequently the other offenders who have not been caught will learn from them (Doughty 1). Take a tour to any prison around and you won’t fail to notice the evident congestion. The prison facilities have been suffocated by the vast number of prisoners being injected to the system on a daily basis. Inmates in these prisons are facing unmentionable miseries since the facilities and resources in the prisons are not enough hence they have to live like slaves. Alabama’s prisons for instance, hold twice the number of prisoners that they were originally designed to hold. Their daily budget per prisoner is less than half the national average amount that should be spent on an individual prisoner. This strain is far from over since the number of people being sentenced is still increasing and new facilities have not been set up to accommodate them (Doughty 1). The increase in the number of people in the lower class is directly related to the increase in the number of people being sent to

Correctional Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Correctional Policy - Essay Example erica boasts the highest incarceration rates on the planet, even higher than places such as China, Iran or Russia, Canada also has significant challenges housing, feeding, and rehabilitating all of the prisoners in its prisons nationwide. According to a report released by the Pew Center for Research on the United States, nearly one in 100 persons in the United States is incarcerated (Pew Center, 2008). Canada has a much smaller population than the United States but the statistics are no less that a staggering. Statistics Canada has recent reported that for the first time in more than 10 years Canadas incarceration rate has increased and is now 110 prisoners per 100,000 of the Canadian population. This represents a 2% increase and for comparative purposes Canadas incarceration rate is higher than most western European countries including that of Sweden which is 82 per 100,000 and France which has an incarceration rate of 85 per 1000 population. The numbers are staggering and must be u nderstood if one hopes to tackle the issue of criminal justice reform and correctional policy reform in the 21st century (Tony, 2001; Statistics Canada, 2008). Seeking to address the fundamental issues associated with an overcrowded prison system and to propose a means through which correctional policy reform can be undertaken in the Canadian context, the following will argue that restorative justice will provide the answer to Canadas incarceration woes. This policy brief will be structured in the following manner in order to properly address the problems associated with over incarceration in Canada. Beginning with an analysis of the problem, an exploration of the weaknesses, deficits, and excesses of Canadas present correctional policy will be this elaborate upon. Following this a recommended policy to address the problems discussed above will explain the concept of restorative justice. Arguing that restorative justice can be one of the means through which solutions to Canadas

Types of Poisonous Snakes and Snake Venom

Types of Poisonous Snakes and Snake Venom In the fourth century BC, India was invaded by Alexander the Greats army, which was accompanied by a number of Macedonian physicians and observers. They were impressed by the achievements of the local Ayurvedic practitioners, particularly in the treatment of snake bite (1). Unfortunately, the legacy of ancient skills, experience and wisdom may have held back rather than encouraged the application of modern scientific research methods to manage this continuing scourge of rural life in India (2).In India, snake envenomation is a huge public health problem, but unfortunately it hasnt got its due attention. There is scant information on epidemiology and minimal research on anti venom. Most of the quoted figures on snake bite are hospital based though most bites occur in villages and among poor population, who rely largely on traditional treatment. Recent Global Snake Bite Initiative of the International Society on Toxicology and by the World Health Organisation, is expected to throw more light on epidemiology and treatment of snake bites (3). Of the 3,000 or so snake species that exist in the world, only about 15% are venomous. Venomous snakes exist on every continent except Antarctica. In India the Big Four (Cobra, Krait, Saw scaled and Russels viper) are the key poisonous snakes(4).Though the hospital records show only 1,300 annual deaths but a recent Nationally Representative Mortality Survey puts this figure to approx. 45,900 deaths a year. Snakebite remains an underestimated cause of accidental death in modern India. Community education, appropriate training of medical staff and better distribution of antivenom, especially in the states with the high prevalence, could reduce snakebite deaths in India(5). Historical Background: Since time immemorial snake has been an object of worship in many countries. According to Hindu mythology this world is resting on a many-headed cobra. Lord Vishnu lies on Sheshnag. The Cobra coils around Lord Shiva. Old Egyptian nobility are pictured with cobra hood on their forehead. Some cultures held snakes in high esteem as powerful religious symbols. Quetzalcoati, the mythical plumed serpent was worshipped as the master of life by ancient Aztecs of Central America. Some African cultures worshipped rock pythons and considered the killing of one to be a serious crime. In Australia, the Aborigines associated a giant rainbow serpent with the creation of life. In Jewish texts, in the old Maya civilization, in Kundalini yoga, theosophy and in many medieval society emblems the world over, snakes form an essential symbol. This shows how intimate has been the historical, social and mythological association of snakes with the mankind and no wonder the cobra is wors hipped in India on Naga Panchami day. Ayurvedic texts written by Vagbhata and Sushruta, have given in fair detail the classification of snakes according to their symptoms and their poisoning. There are many stories about constrictors, particularly anacondas in the Amazon and pythons in the east, which are said to have strangled adult humans, these need to be treated with great deal of skepticism (6,7,10). In practice it is only the poisonous snakes that are of interest. Poisoning from snake bite is an important medical emergency in Africa, South America, India, Pakistan and greater part of south East Asia. Epidemiology As snake bite is not a notifiable illness, there is little reliable information on incidence of snakebite in many parts of the world. Snake bite is an important occupational injury affecting farmers, plantation workers, herders, and fishermen. Open-style habitation and the practice of sleeping on the floor also expose people to bites from nocturnal snakes. Bites are more frequent in young men, and generally occur on lower limbs. The incidence of snake bites is higher during the rainy season and during periods of intense agricultural activity (6). Available data shows 30,000-40,000 deaths from snakebites every year but this figure probably is an underestimate (8), because of incomplete reporting. Recent global estimates suggest 2.5 million bites and 85000 annual deaths. In India recent published literature suggests yearly 45,900 deaths due to poisonous snakebites and 5.6-12.6 deaths per 100,000 population in some states appears to be realistic(4,5). Upto 80% of snake bite patients in developing countries, first contact traditional practitioners, before visiting a medical center (6,7,9). Owing to the delay in reaching hospital many patients die enroute. Going by the fact that around 85-90 % snakes are non-poisonous and even 50% of bites by poisonous snakes are dry runs, number of snakebites in India are enormous(4). Myanmar probably has highest mortality figure in Asia, where over 70% bites are by Russells viper. In India, Maharashtra records the highest number of snakebites, followed by West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. In Maharashtra alone, 70 bites per 100,000 population occur yearly with 2.4 per 100,000 mortality. Rajasthan and Jammu region of JK also report large number of viper bites (up to 95% of all bites (10). During rains and floods number of cases shows a steep rise. Most bites occur between 0400 hours to midnight and mere observation that majority of bites are on lower extremity suggest that snake is inadvertently trodden upon. In India 2/3rd of bites are due to saw scaled viper, about 1/4th due to Russells and a smaller proportion due to cobra and Krait. In neighboring Sri Lanka Daboiarussellii accounts for 40% and in Myanmar 70% of snake bites (11,12). For correct epidemiological studies one requires enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to identify antigen and antibody. This permits reliable identification and sensitive quantification of venom antigens and antibody. Natural antibody is detectable in serum by one week of bite, which rises to peak by one year and falls to low levels by 3 years, though may be detectable for up to 40 years after bite. Anti snake venom reduces but doesnt abolish the generation of antibodies. In some countries e.g. Australia, ELISA is routinely used for identification of poison (13). Anatomy and Habits Snakes belong to order Ophidia of the Reptilia general class. Over 3000 species are encountered in the world of which less than 15% are poisonous. Most of these are found in tropical and subtropical regions, Australia and throughout USA except in Alaska, Maine and Hawaii. In India 216 species from 9 families are reported of which 52 species from 3 families are poisonous. Most snakes are non-venomous, have no fangs and belong to colubrid family; a few colubrids are technically poisonous having a venom gland connected to a solid fang at the back of mouth. Bites from back fanged colubrids are generally harmless to man but with some species like African boomslang, Dispholidustypus, serious and even fatal poisoning has been reported in the snake handlers(13). The three families of front fanged poisonous snakes are elapids, vipers and sea snakes. Elapids are land snakes with non-mobile 3-5 mm long fangs in adults. Vipers have 10-30 mm long fangs which are easy to see when erected, but diff icult to see when folded against upper gum. Vipers are divided into crotalids or pit vipers who have heat sensing pit between eye and nose and viperidae which dont have the pit. Sea snakes have very short immobile fangs and flat rudder like tails. There are mainly 4 poisonous snakes encountered in India i.e. Cobra, Krait, Saw scaled and Russells viper. New addition to Big Four is Hump-nosed Pit viper (Hypnale hypnale), recently being reported from India though existent for more than 100 years(16). This has been mistaken for Saw Scaled Viper by most. It is identified by larger, triangular head ending in a snout with large scales on the head in contrast to the small scales of saw scaled viper. The envenomation is manifested by coagulopathy and renal failure. It is reported as one of the most poisonous snakes in India but specific anti venom against this is not available (12). Common poisonous snakes found in India are as below; Viperidae * Saw scaled viper (Echis carinatus) * Russells viper (Vipera russelli) Elapidae * Indian Cobra (Naja naja) * Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus) Crotalidae * Pit Viper Hydrophidae * Sea snakes Cobra is 1.2-2.1 meters long while King Cobra may be as long as 5.5 meters. Cobra is usually slate gray to brown. The back of hood may or may not have a pattern. They raise their hood when aroused or threatened. They try to avoid mankind unless they are too close or are trodden upon. The distance a cobra can strike in forward direction is the height its hood rises above the ground. Some cobras however can spit venom upto a distance of 3 meters. This can cause redness, corneal abrasions/ulcers etc. King cobra is uniformly olive, brown or green with ringlike cross bands of black. Although it is the largest venomous snake in the world but it avoids attacking another venomous snake for fear of being bitten, therefore it feeds only on harmless species. Females build a nest and then deposit the eggs. Lying close by, she guards the nest and is highly aggressive towards anything which approaches the nest.The king cobra is found in the forests or their vicinity in the Himalayas, Bengal, Assam and South India. The common Indian cobra is found in jungles but also in open country with or without vegetation; in gardens, drains, cultivated fields, and populated areas in mans proximity; in stacks of wood and under rubbish, in loose masonry, crevices of walls and building ruins; in old cemeteries, in temples or mosques.It is often seen in dark corners of bathrooms, stables and servant quarters of old bungalows. It may be found in old hole of a tree, in ant-hill or a rat burrow. It can climb trees and swim well. It feeds on rats, mice, frog; less frequently on birds or their eggs; and sometimes on chickens, squirrels, lizards and other snakes. It is usually diurnal in habit but in populated areas it is more nocturnal(14,15). Krait is black or bluish black with white narrow crossbands and a narrow head. Its average length is 90cm 150 cm. It is found only in Asia. It is active during night and passive during the day. It is found in plains, cultivated fields and human habitations. It has tendency to seek shelter in sleeping bags, boots and tents.Kraits are mostly found in Eastern India, Assam, Bengal and parts of South India and patches all over the country. There are two varieties, banded and non-banded. Although it has most potent venom of all land snakes, it is rather shy and bites human beings least commonly (13,15). Vipers are so called because they are viviparous. There are 110 kinds of vipers and all are poisonous. Vipers have broad plates extending right across the belly and small scales on the head similar to those on the body. Body is light brown and their back is usually covered with black blotches of inverted V shaped markings. Some of the pit vipers have large shield on the head. Russells viper or Daboia is a big stumpy snake  ½-2 meters long with short tail and characteristic marking as described above. It is irritable. When threatened it coils tightly, hisses and strikes with a lightning speed, that victim has no chance of escaping. Indian pit vipers are generally found in hilly areas of Western Ghats and Sunderbans in West Bengal.Russells viper prefers open country, cultivated fields and bushy or grassy fallow lands. It is nocturnal in habit. It is commonly found in plains of Punjab, Bombay, Madras area and Brahamputravalley(4,6,20). Saw scaled viper (Echiscarinatus) is found all over India but particularly in Western India, Punjab, and around Tiruchirapalli. It prefers open dry rocky country or arid deserts.Saw Scaled Viper (Phoorsa) is responsible for maximum bites and deaths all over the world than any other snake. This small stumpy snake measures 25-60cmand camouflages well with the surroundings. Colour is light buff with shades of brown, dull red or gray. Its sides have a white or light coloured pattern. Its head usually has dark stripes that start behind the eye and extend to the rear. It gets its name from the fact it rubs its own body from sides and produces rasping sound. This ill- tempered snake attacks any intruder. It is common in rural settlements, cultivated fields and regions, barns, and rock walls(4,14). Sea snakes resemble cobra and its allies in structure of their fangs and most other characters. Most of them are 3-4 ft. long, and a few may attain a length of 8 feet. Their tails are laterally flattened and are sculled in paddle -like fashion during swimming. Most sea snakes are covered with small round scales and lack the enlarged ventral scales found in terrestrial species. The nostrils are valvularand hey can be closed when snake submerges- and may be displaced towards the top of the head. Excess salt from the sea water and diet is excreted through special glands in the snakes mouth. Venomous sea snakes mostly inhabit the waters of Australia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia and India. Of the more than 50 species some are many times more poisonous than land snakes, with venom 10-40 times more potent than that of cobra. Except for a single species found in creeks and river estuaries sea snakes are all poisonous. They however have a narrow gape and rarely bite effectively.Their bite is re latively painless and, amazingly very low percentage of patients suffer significant envenomation during the attack. In a census in Malay Peninsula less than 25% developed features of poisoning and a small percentage became critically ill (4,12,14). Snakes have a good sensory perception with primitive ears. Their vision is limited to few meters only, with better acuity for moving objects. Lower jaw is a pair of bones joined together centrally by an elastic ligament which doesnt articulate with maxilla thus enabling the snake to swallow its prey as a whole. Fangs are modified teeth on pre maxilla. Venom is secreted from parotid glands and is meant to immoblise the small creatures like rat. Man is an innocent coincident victim. Bite is a well coordinated act involving movement of head and body. It involves coordinated positioning of head, opening of mouth, attack by forward thrust of body and head, piercing the skin by fangs and injecting the venom while the wound is deepened by contraction of temporalis muscle. Vipers have holes at the tip of fangs while elapids have gutters in the fangs(14,15). Identification of Poisonous Snakes Most of the bites are by non-poisonous snakes, but the intense fear of snake bites may cause acute panic reaction or feeling of impending death. If the patient has brought snake to the attending doctor, proper identification can help institute early and appropriate treatment to the victim and also alleviate undue emotional disturbance. Some of the important differentiating features of poisonous from non-poisonous snake are appended below(13,18). (a) Fangs: The most distinctive feature of poisonous snakes is the fangs. These are modified teeth in the upper jaw, generally two in number, one on either side. They communicate with salivary glands and are hollow or grooved. In elapidae and sea snakes they are located in front, are short and immobile while they are large, curved and have wide range of movement in vipers. (b) Scales on Belly: In poisonous snakes the belly scales are large and extend all across the belly. In non-poisonous snakes belly scales are small and generally dont extend across the belly. (c) Head: Vipers have heavier triangular head with small scales all over. In case of pit vipers a pit is located between the nostril and the eye. Cobra and Krait have large head scales. In cobra upper third labial is largest and touches the eye and nasal shield. In Kraits upper third labial does not touch the eye and nose, but the fourth lower labial scale on the under surface of mouth is the largest. All the poisonous sea snakes have large scales on the head and valved nostrils. (d) Pupil: Poisonous snake have generally elliptical or vertical slit. However pupils are round in elapidae (cobra) and most non-poisonous snakes. (e) Body design: Krait has central row of large scales on dorsal side, which are almost hexagonal. It has paired white or black stripes across the body in the banded Krait. Some cobras have spectacle-like mark on their hood. (f) Fang marks: In non-poisonous snakes since all teeth are at same level so bite is stretched and bite marks are along a curved line i.e. row of bites,as in human bite. Bite site can be easily made out. In poisonous snakes since poisonous teeth are generally two (fang marks) and other teeth areat lower level, so only two,1-2 cm spaced puncture marks are seen. A distance of less than 10 mm signifies a small snake while a distance of over 15 mm is suggestive of a large snake. Sometimes one requires hand lens to identify these marks especially in cases of cobra or Krait bite. It is noteworthy that the size of the venom fangs has no relation to the virulence of the venom. The comparatively innocent Indo-MalayLachesis  have enormous fangs, whilst the smallest fangs arefound in the  Hydrophids  which possess very potent venom. (g) Sound: Most venomous snakes produce characteristic sounds, which may also help in recognition of snake. Russells viper produces Hissing, saw scaled viper Rasping and King Cobra Growling sounds. Easy identification of different snakes is as follows: Cobra: Hood while alive, large scales on head. Pupil is round and 3rd upper labial touches the eye and nostril. Large belly scales extend acrossthe width. Krait : The fourth lower labial scale on the under surface of the mouth isthe largest. Hexagonal large scales in the central row on dorsal side. Body may be banded. Belly scales extend across the width. Viper : Triangular heavy head with small scales all over. Large belly scales extend across the width. Snake Venom Snake venoms are the most complex of all natural venoms and poisons. The venom of any species might contain more than 100 different toxic and non-toxic proteins and peptides, and also non-protein toxins, carbohydrates, lipids, amines, and other small molecules. The toxins of most importance in human envenoming include those that affect the nervous, cardiovascular, and haemostatic systems, and cause tissue necrosis (21). Snake venom is primarily meant to paralyse the prey, man is only accidental victim to whom snake strikes if threatened. Proteins constitute 90-95% of venoms dry weight and they are responsible for almost all of its biological effects. Venom is made up of toxins, nontoxic proteins (which also have pharmacological properties), and many enzymes especially hydrolytic ones.  Enzymes (molecular weight  13-150 KDa) make-up 80-90% of viperid and 25-70% of elapid venoms: digestive hydrolases, L-amino acid oxidase, phospholipases, thrombin-likepro-coagulant,andkallikrein-like serine proteasesand  metalloproteinases  (hemorrhagins), which damage vascular endothelium. Polypeptide  toxins (mol weight 5-10 KDa) include  cytotoxins,  cardiotoxins, and postsynaptic neurotoxins (suchas  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±-bungarotoxin  and  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±-Cobratoxin). Compounds with low molecular weight (up to 1.5 KDa) include metals, peptides, lipids, nucleosides, carbohydrates, amines, and oligopeptides, which inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and potentiate bradykinin (BPP).  Phosphodiesterases  interfere with the preys cardiac system, mainly to lower the  blood pressure.  Phospholipase A2  causes  hemolysis  by lysing the  phospholipid  cell membranes  of  red blood cells.  Amino acid  oxidasesand  proteases  are used for digestion. Amino acid oxidase also triggers some other enzymes and is responsible for the yellow colour of the venom of some species.  Hyaluronidase  increases tissue permeability to accelerate absorption of other enzymes into tissues. Some snake venoms carry fasciculins, like the  mambas  (Dendroaspis), which inhibit  cholinesterase  to make the prey lose muscle control (22,23). The most lethal venoms are those of elapids and sea snakes. These toxins are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream thereby causing rapid systemic effects. Large molecular weight viper toxins are absorbed slowly through lymphatics thereby staying longer at local site, hence more local effects. Pathophysiology of ophitoxemia is basically dependent on disruption of normal cellular functions. Some enzymes like hyaluronidase disseminate venom by breaking down tissue barriers. Ophitoxemia can lead to increase in vascular permeability thereby causing loss of blood and plasma volume in extravascular space. Collection of this fluid is responsible for edema and fluid loss, if significant it can lead to shock. Venom also has cytolytic effect leading to necrosis and secondary infection. Neurotoxic effect may lead to paralysis, cardiotoxic effect can cause cardiac arrest and likewise myotoxic or nephrotoxic effect can lead to rhabdomyolysis and renal failure. Ophitoxaemia also can lead to coagul ation disturbances. Among the various species, the lethal dose of venom, for cobra is 120 mg, Krait 60 mg and for Russells viper and saw scaled viper is 150 mg respectively. But clinical features and outcomes are not predictable as every bite does not cause complete envenomation. Pathological effects of venom may not be noticed until about six hours (varying between 1.5-72 hours), and it may remain functionally active causing persistent coagulopathy even after three weeks of bite. Hence duration of antigenemia is an important determinant for the extent of pathological effect. It has been unequivocally proved by studying the venom levels by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), that effects due to envenomation depend on venom hours (i.e. Blood venom level x time elapsed between bite and institution of treatment) rather than blood levels alone. Hence with the same level of venom, features due to envenomation may become progressively severe with passage of time (14,20). There are four distinct types of venom effects: Proteolytic  venom  dismantles the molecular structure of the area surrounding and including the bite. Hemotoxic  venoms  act on the heart and cardiovascular system. Neurotoxic  venom  acts on the nervous system and brain. Cytotoxic  venom  has a localized action at the site of the bite. Pathophysiology of various biological effects of snake envenomation The following few paragraphs shall describe the biological effects of venom. (a) Local Swelling: Most viper bites cause local swelling at the site of bite, which starts within minutes of bite and massive swelling of the limb may develop within 48-72 hours. This is usually the result of hemorragins in the venom. This opens the endothelial pores resulting in leakage of plasma or whole blood. At times leakage may be so much that patient develops hypovolemic shock. This swelling is not due to any venous occlusion or infection. If the exudation is of whole blood, then later discoloration of the limb may develop. In contrast to Echis, in European adder V berus bites, spontaneous bleeding is rare but discolouration is common. Sometimes local swelling is delayed and compartment syndrome may result(10,13,17). (b) Local Necrosis: In viper bites local necrosis appears late if at all and if it occurs, it is due to ischemia, mimicking dry gangrene. On the other hand in Cobra bite local necrosis appears early. Local swelling may develop after 2-3 hours but necrosis develops rapidly after that. It is due to cytolytic factors present in the venom and is a wet gangrene. As this dead tissue provides ideal setting for anaerobes, hence the putrid smell. An early excision is warranted (13). (c) Non-specific early symptoms: With bites of some vipers e.g. V berus, V xanthina, Australian elapids, some rattle snakes etca few symptoms are common. Vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, explosive diarrhea and collapse can occur. These features resolve in 30-60 minutes, suggesting activation of kinin system followed by inhibition of bradykinin (13,17). (d) Shock: It can develop due to extensive volume leak from vessels in cases of viper bite. It can result even before a limb gets swollen. Pulmonary intra vascular clotting, pulmonary edema and cardiac effects can be contributory factors for shock. (e) Spontaneous haemorrhage: Haemorrhages can develop in patients with viper bites even days after the bite. These at times may be life threatening especially if they occur in brain. Local blisters at bite site appear to be depot of venom, which dont get targeted by anti snake venom. Therefore one must keep in mind the delayed absorption from bite site in patients who present with late bleeding manifestations despite having been given anti-snake venom a few days back. (f) Effect on Circulation: Some viper venoms contain procoagulant activity which activates prothrombin to thrombin; which in turn converts fibrinogen to fibrin while in others procoagulant venom may directly affect fibrinogen. This fibrin formed is susceptible to lysis unlike natural fibrin thus resulting in poorly clottable or non-clottable blood because of absent or very low levels of fibrinogen. It should be remembered that bleeding manifestations during envenomation are not generally due to coagulation disturbances but rather due to haemorrhagin. Platelet count may also be low though usually it is normal. Low platelet count is due to consumption of platelets in the repair of endothelial damage. Polymorphonuclearleucocytosis is common in all forms of envenomation especially severe envenomation. Both viper and elapidae bite may have hemolytic activity in vitro but abnormal hemolysis is rarely of clinical importance except probably in renal failure (13,17). (g) Renal Failure: Renal failure is a common manifestation of viperine envenomation especially where treatment has been delayed. On renal biopsy acute tubular necrosis is the commonest underlying lesion in 50-70% of cases and acute cortical necrosis (patchy / diffuse) has been found in 20-25% of cases. Hypovolemia and shock are the usual underlying mechanism. Other contributory factors are hemo/ myoglobinuria, hemolysis, associated sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (24). Glomerular lesions have also been described in snake bite cases. Merchant et al(25) have reported mesangial proliferation, splitting of basement membrane, swelling of endothelial cells and ballooning of glomerular capillaries, but the significance of these lesions in causing renal failure is not clear and is debatable. Seedat et al(26) reported two cases due to puff adder who developed oliguric renal failure and biopsy showed crescenticglomerulunephritis. Authors suspected hypersensitivity of venom as the cause. Occasional casesof severe glomerulonephritis related renal failure have been reported in the literature. Experimental studies carried out on the effect of Habu snake venom (found in Japan) has given some insight into understanding of the glomerular lesion. This venom contains hemorrhagin, like the venom of Echiscarinatus. Within 24 hours of injection of this venom destruction of mesangium occurs resulting in ballooning of capillaries which become packed with red cells and fibrin giving an appearance of blood cysts. This is followed by proliferation of mesangial cells giving appearance of segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis. Rarely crescents are observed. These studies provide evidence that these glomerular changes are due to vasculotoxic effects of hemorrhagin. However about tubular necrosis or cortical necrosis, the commonest lesion encountered in snake envenomation, there is no consensus that venom has any direct toxic effect in producing these lesions (27,28). (h) Neurotoxic effects: Elapidae venom and sea snake venom cause neurotoxic effects due to neuromuscular blockade. Commonly affected muscles in elapidae bite are those of eye, tongue, throat and chest (leading to respiratory paralysis in severe envenomation). Neurotoxins are small molecular weight positively charged molecules with less antigenecity. Neuro- muscular blockade is produced by one of the following mechanisms. (a) Post synaptic block (Cobra) cobratoxin and alpha-bungarotoxins act similar to d-tubocurarine on the post synaptic membrane. There is no decrease in acetyl choline. Response to neostigmine is satisfactory. (b) Pre-synaptic blockade (Krait)beta- bungarotoxin acts like botulism toxin pre synaptically to block the neuro-muscular junction. Post junctional membrane remains sensitive to acetyl choline. The time required for neuromuscular block varies with impulse traffic, therefore intense physical activity shortens the interval between envenomation and neuromuscular bl ock. Response to neostigmine is less satisfactory. It is important to note that these neurotoxins dont cross the blood brain barrier and therefore do not cause alteration in consciousness. Hence in case of altered sensorium an alternative cause should be found (23,29). (i) Cardiotoxic Effects: Cardiotoxin (Cobra) acts on cell membrane of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle to produce paralysis and cardiac asystole. Cobramine B and cytoxin cause irreversible depolarization of cell membrane and systolic cardiac arrest. Hyperkalemia following massive hemolysis or rhabdomyolysis also depresses cardiac function. (j) Myotoxic Effects: Although sea snake venom appears to be neurotoxic in animal experiments, the effects in man are primarily myotoxic. There is diffuse effect on all muscles though local effects at the site of bite are minimal. In humans bitten by sea snakes the findings are typical of generalized myopathic lesions in skeletal muscle. Damage to muscles- rhabdomyolysis and hyperkalemia resulting from it may be life threatening. Snake envenomation has so diverse effects that every system of the body is affected directly or indirectly (20,29). CONCLUSION Since ancient times snakes have been worshiped, feared or loathed in India. It is a common and frequently devastating environmental and occupational disease, especially in rural areas of our country. India has the highest number of death to snake bite in the world. One of the major gaps in the battle against snakebite in India is the lack of qualitative work. Most Herpetology text books give snake identification data that is overtly complex and of little use to doctors. Snakes are misidentified by doctors in most cases where snake is brought to the hospital. Without the snake, identification based on symptomatology is clearly fraught with problems. The doctors should be aware of discovery of a new poisonous snake, the Hump-nosed Pitviper (Hypnale Hypnale) which has no available antivenom at present. Community education, appropriate training of medical staff and better distribution of anti venom, especially in the states with the high prevalence, could reduce snakebite deaths in India .

Internal combustion engine Essay

There is a big debate about the future of the auto industry. The new big topic is electric cars. Ads emphasize how much less pollution these cars put out, but the truth is that many people do not realize the downside of these cars. For instance, did you know that average battery cost for electric cars is between $18,000 and $20,000? Also, these cars produce significant more amounts of sulfur dioxide compared to traditional internal combustion engines, and what about the factories that burn billions of tons of coal everyday to produce electricity to charge these cars? Yes, these cars do produce little carbon dioxide directly, but the main source of pollution comes indirectly from the power plants that power these cars. Electric cars are not the best environmental solution in the long run because they still cause pollution while charging and producing them, there is no safe place to dispose of the batteries, and they are extremely expensive (Hogan). The first major issue with electric cars is that the process of manufacturing and charging these cars produces billions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The EPA’s research shows that for an average size car, electricity’s emissions are about three times higher than the emissions of gasoline (Inside Climate Staff). Electric cars do not produce much pollution directly. Instead the pollution is rather created at the source of the energy, power plants. Pollution is caused when manufacturing and producing these cars too. In addition, large amounts of pollution are produced while mining for the metals found in the new types of batteries. All of the mining machines and vehicles are powered from fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline, and diesel fuels. A great amount of energy is lost in the process of transmitting the electricity from the power source to your car. Also, electric cars emit significantly higher amounts of sulfur dioxide into the air compared to internal-combustion engines. Sulfur dioxide is the main component that causes acid rain. Acid rain can cause damage to lakes, streams, forests, car paints, copper, stone, and other building materials. Acid rain soaks into the soil and roots of plants, and causes slowed growth, and loss of leaves or needles. In the Great Smoky Mountains, acid rain has actually killed one-hundred or more of the Frazier Fir and Red Spruce trees (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency). Furthermore, in the Northeastern United States. , such as in the Kesterson Reservoir in the San Joaquin Valley, acid rain caused hundreds of fish populations to vanish from lakes (Davis). Acid rain can contaminate our own drinking water without us even knowing it; it tastes, and looks like regular water! When sulfur dioxide is inhaled, it can cause damage to your heart and lungs, causing disorders such as bronchitis and asthma (National Parks Service). Additionally, battery disposal is a key issue. The average life of this new type of batteries is twenty-five to thirty thousand miles before they will have to be replaced. If electric cars are going to be a thing of the future, there will become an excess of batteries in landfills and other disposal sites. Presently, landfills are not designed to handle the millions of batteries that would need to be disposed of if millions of people were driving electric cars. If these batteries are not properly disposed of, toxic chemicals could leak into the environment. Also, recycling these lithium-ion batteries doesn’t appear to be in the future anywhere soon. The cost of collecting, organizing, and shipping these metals to a recycler far outweighs the value of the scrapped material, so for the time being, most of these metals will be thrown away in landfills and junkyards (Mitchell). Another obstacle with these materials being tossed in landfills is the possibility of corrosive chemicals leaking into streams, rivers, and lakes. The process of refining metals for these batteries also releases pollutants into the environment. Once the refiner gets what metal they need from the ore, they discard the other materials into the nearby ecosystems. When this happens, our drinking water could be contaminated, and it could also damage, or kill the wildlife in that area (Bacher). Lastly, these cars are extremely expensive. Because the batteries only last for about a hundred miles, this means you would have to charge them about three times for every full tank of gas that you would normally buy. Also, with this low charge capacity, it would be virtually impossible to take long trips. You would have to stop frequently to charge the battery, which takes about nine hours to completely charge. This would turn a normal two-hundred mile, four hour drive into at least a thirteen hour trip, assuming that you could find an open charging station! Another reason that these cars are so expensive is that you have to replace the battery in your car about every twenty-five to thirty thousand miles. This is a very costly expense, especially since each new battery is about eighteen to twenty thousand dollars! This is $80,000 for batteries alone if you drive 100,000 miles in your car! The price of charging an electric car is less than what a full tank of gas would cost you, but you end up paying for it in the long run when you have to replace the battery. Electric cars are expensive from the start. The average retail price of most electric cars is in the thirty to forty thousand dollar range. Most middle class individuals cannot afford to pay this price for this new technology, which is why this will not be the best economical solution in the long run. These cost projections assume that both the car and the battery work correctly for the duration of their lives, but what if the battery breaks, or stops working, forcing you to replace it? The technology is new and underdeveloped, which means that there might still be some problems or â€Å"bugs† that the designers haven’t had a chance to fix. That’s $20,000 right there that you would have to pay in addition to the purchase price. That’s close to half of what you originally paid for the car! Since these cars are less, there are fewer mechanics that are qualified to work or operate on them, so the price of operation will be very high. Electric cars were released around 2010, which means there hasn’t even been enough time for a mechanic to get a four-year degree in operating on electric cars (Hogan). The problem with automobile pollution definitely needs to be addressed and solved, but fully-electric cars are not the best solution. They are made out to be better than they actually are, and they definitely have major disadvantages. First of all, they will have to become a lot cheaper for people to be able to afford them. The general public cannot afford to pay $20,000 for a new battery every 30,000 miles. Designers also need to find a way to lengthen the range of these cars. With only a 100 mile range, it is just not practical for most people. In addition, these cars still produce pollution, just not directly. All of the pollution is created indirectly, at coal-burning electricity power plants. Another unaddressed issue is that these cars emit large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which is what combines with water to become acid rain. Lastly, there is no good place to dispose of batteries. If millions of people are going to be driving these cars, there will be tons of toxic batteries in landfills and disposal sites, which can cause harm to the wildlife, and the surrounding environment. If you accidentally miscalculate the charge left in your car, you will be stuck. Unlike a gas-powered vehicle, you cannot simply fill up your car with a gas can. With electric cars, there is no way to replenish the energy in your car on the side of the road. The fully-electric car was a good idea, but in the long run, it is not the best answer. The automobile companies need to continue to improve internal combustion engines to decrease their carbon dioxide emissions. Works Cited Cultrona, R. L. Pros and Cons of Electric Cars. 1999-2012. 18 March 2012. . Davis, Jay. Marine Bio. 1998-2012. 18 March 2012. . Hogan, Micheal C. The Encyclopedia of Earth. 21 February 2012. 18 March 2012. . Mitchell, Robert L. Computer World. 22 August 2006. 18 March 2012. . National Parks Service. 28 October 2010. 18 March 2012 . Staff, Solve Climate. Inside Climate News. 1 April 2010. 18 March 2012. . U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. 8 June 2007. 18 March 2012. .

MRF Madras Rubber Factory Essay

Solutions and Services Implementation Highlights Time-frame: 9 months, strict adherence to time-schedules Top Management’s support Highly dedicated team Comprehensive change management SAP ERP success story MRF Limited MRF Limited is engaged in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of an extensive ange of superior quality tyres for various kinds of vehicles. The company’s operations relate to manufacture of rubber products, such as tyres, of applications. MRF has six production facilities in India and around 80 sales offices. From its humble origins in 1946, the company has come a long way to become the market leader in the tyre manufacturing industry. MRF exports its products to over 75 countries worldwide. Today, global tyre manufacturers have to plan and adapt to changes in customer demand, fluctuations in raw material prices and availability, while keeping pace with timelines for shipments; in the face of increasing ompetition in the global marketplace. The Need for SAP Before becoming an SAP customer, MRF was running several outmoded legacy systems that could no longer keep up with the company’s expanding operations, and, as a result, the company was plagued with inefficiency. Problems of slow availability of information, tedious manual entry and data transfer, lack of system flexibility, excess manpower utilization and costs started to have a negative impact on the business. Consequently, the company was spending a lot of time in consolidating the information, getting the data together, and on time. It did not take long for MRF to know that it had to replace its nonintegrated, independent systems if it wanted to gain strategic insight and higher productivity to manage rapid business growth. The company wanted a flexible solution to allow IT to keep pace with changes while offering a low total cost of ownership. MRF decided to reengineer its entire IT landscape by implementing SAP ERP and SAP CRM solutions, based on the SAP NetWeaver platform. A Core Team called the Power Users team was formed to determine the requirements of the company and the selection of a suitable ERP olution. MRF brought in IBM Global to facilitate the process and the Core Team was sensitized to the process of reengineering. The company did a detailed evaluation based on various criteria such as experience in the manufacturing sector and product-offerings; Oracle and SAP were short listed. MRF participated in a SAP summit which helped the company to take the final decision. â€Å"SAP came out on top in terms of product superiority, post-sales support, and record customer satisfaction. We were confident that SAP will support our plans for continued growth,† says Prince Azariah, Chief Information Officer, MRF Limited. SAP offered a clear solution for MRFs manufacturing operations which include process as well as discrete production. â€Å"We have moved onto a mature product with SAP. We have made a very good decision in selecting SAP,† adds Sathya Gautham, Manager IT Services. Implementation MRF chose Siemens Information Systems as the implementation partner after a thorough selection process. The project went live on December 1, 2007. There were around 60 members from MRF and 35-40 members from Siemens involved in the implementation process. The core team nd the partner’s team worked in full collaboration, while ensuring that the implementation was carried out according to time schedules. â€Å"One of the complications was that our systems were in silos. Change management has been a big challenge,† says Gautham. There were many instances when MRF looked to SAP India and SAP Labs for assistance and support during the implementation. SAP ERP has been implemented at the company’s Head Office in Chennai, 6 factories in Sales Offices. MRF went in for all core modules including Financials and Controlling (FICO), Sales ; Distribution (SD), Materials Management (MM), Production Planning PP), Quality Management (QM), Plant Maintenance (PM), Human Resources (HR), and SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (SAP NetWeaver 81). Today, there are around 700 users who have accepted the implementation in a positive manner. Benefits With SAP ERP, the company has one harmonized, standardized and integrated solution. The solution has enabled MRF to transform its business operation management from time consuming and inflexible to real-time and adaptable. The users can now count on easy access to accurate, complete, and up-to-the minute information, thanks to entralized, integrated data. This has led to quicker decision making and improved business transactions for MRF. SAP is the best thing that has happened to MRF,† Sathya Gautham, Manager IT Services The implementation of SAP has brought in a major shift in the work-culture in the company. â€Å"The core team was clearly aware that they are responsible for creating their future. Earlier, we were a top-driven company. Now, we have close to 60 personnel at the middle management level who have been empowered to take business decisions, and who are advising top management on what needs to be done o set up processes in the company. There is so much of enthusiasm among the core team members and the end-users. Also, we used to be a very silo-ed company. With SAP, the Heads of different Departments look to these people for resolution of problems.

Timeline of the Titanics First and Only Voyage

Timeline of the Titanic's First and Only Voyage From the time of its inception, the Titanic was meant to be gigantic, luxurious and safe. It was touted as being unsinkable because of its system of watertight compartments and doors, which of course proved to be just a myth. Follow the history of the Titanic, from its beginnings in a shipyard to its end at the bottom of the sea, in this timeline of the building of the ship through its maiden (and only) voyage. In the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, all but 705 of its 2,229 passengers and crew lost their lives in the icy Atlantic. The Building of the Titanic March 31, 1909: Construction of the Titanic begins with the building of the keel, the backbone of the ship, at Harland Wolffs shipyard in Belfast, Ireland. May 31, 1911: The unfinished Titanic is lathered up with soap and pushed into the water for fitting out. Fitting out is the installation of all the extras, some on the exterior, like the smokestacks and the propellers, and a lot on the inside, like the electrical systems, wall coverings, and furniture. June 14, 1911: The Olympic, sister ship to the Titanic, departs on its maiden voyage. April 2, 1912: The Titanic leaves the dock for sea trials, which include tests of speed, turns, and an emergency stop. At about 8 p.m., after the sea trials, the Titanic heads to Southampton, England. The Maiden Voyage Begins April 3 to 10, 1912: The Titanic is loaded with supplies and her crew is hired. April 10, 1912: From 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., passengers board the ship. Then at noon, the Titanic leaves the dock at Southhampton for its maiden voyage. First stop is in Cherbourg, France, where the Titanic arrives at 6:30 p.m. and leaves at 8:10 p.m, heading to Queenstown, Ireland (now known as Cobh). It is carrying 2,229 passengers and crew. April 11, 1912: At 1:30 p.m., the Titanic leaves Queenstown and begins its fated journey across the Atlantic for New York. April 12 and 13, 1912: The Titanic is at sea, continuing on her journey as passengers enjoy the pleasures of the luxurious ship. April 14, 1912 (9:20 p.m.): The Titanics captain, Edward Smith, retires to his room. April 14, 1912 (9:40 p.m.): The last of seven warnings about icebergs is received in the wireless room. This warning never makes it to the bridge. Last Hours of the Titanic April 14, 1912 (11:40 p.m.): Two hours after the last warning, ship lookout Frederick Fleet spotted an iceberg directly in the path of the Titanic. The first officer, Lt. William McMaster Murdoch, orders a hard starboard (left) turn, but the Titanics right side scrapes the iceberg. Only 37 seconds passed between the sighting of the iceberg and hitting it. April 14, 1912 (11:50 p.m.): Water had entered the front part of the ship and risen to a level of 14 feet. April 15, 1912 (12 a.m.): Captain Smith learns the ship can stay afloat for only two hours and gives orders to make first radio calls for help. April 15, 1912 (12:05 a.m.): Captain Smith orders the crew to prepare the lifeboats and get the passengers and crew up on deck. There is only room in the lifeboats for about half the passengers and crew onboard. Women and children were put into the lifeboats first. April 15, 1912 (12:45 a.m.): The first lifeboat is lowered into the freezing water. April 15, 1912 (2:05 a.m.) The last lifeboat is lowered into the Atlantic. More than 1,500 people are still on the Titanic, now sitting at a steep tilt. April 15, 1912 (2:18 a.m.): The last radio message is sent and the Titanic snaps in half. April 15, 1912 (2:20 a.m.): The Titanic sinks. Rescue of Survivors April 15, 1912 (4:10 a.m.): The Carpathia, which was about 58 miles southeast of the Titanic at the time it heard the distress call, picks up the first of the survivors. April 15, 1912 (8:50 a.m.): The Carpathia picks up survivors from the last lifeboat and heads for New York. April 17, 1912: The Mackay-Bennett is the first of several ships to travel to the area where the Titanic sank to search for bodies. April 18, 1912: The Carpathia arrives in New York with 705 survivors. Aftermath April 19 to May 25, 1912: The United States Senate holds hearings about the disaster; the Senate findings include questions about why there were not more lifeboats on the Titanic. May 2 to July 3, 1912: The British Board of Trade holds an inquiry into the Titanic disaster. It was discovered during this inquiry that the last ice message was the only one that warned of an iceberg directly in the path of the Titanic, and it was believed that if the captain had gotten the warning that he would have changed course in time for the disaster to be avoided. Sept. 1, 1985: Robert Ballards expedition team discovers the wreck of the Titanic.

The Green Mile (book) essays

The Green Mile (book) essays He wore chains on his arms and across his water barrel of a chest; He wore legirons on his ankles and shuffled a chain between them that sounded like cascading coins as it ran down the lime-coloured corridor between the cells You have just been introduced to the man who was convicted of raping and murdering two young girls, the man who was convicted to meet Old Sparkey on death row (The Green Mile), you have just met John Coffey. The Green Mile is Death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary, it holds such condemned killers like Wild Billy Wharton and the possessed Cajun Eduard Delacroix with his pet mouse. The new inmate, John Coffey, seems to strike an emotional chord with the head prison guard, Paul Edgecombe, an understanding character but an unfortunate victim of a urinary infection. The minute Coffey is introduced to his cell he seems to break down and on being asked if he had any questions he replied Do you leave a light on after bedtime... Because I get a little scared in the dark sometimes, if its a strange place. This worried, discouraged voice is of a convicted killer but Paul Edgecombe seems to think otherwise. When reading this I seemed to feel sorry for John Coffey because he appears to be emotionally distraught and doesnt contain the mind and conscience of a killer. When Coffey is told to sleep he lay on his bed, feet hanging off the end, and silently started to weep. This part made the reader feel quite sorry for John Coffey as it becomes apparent that John could be innocent and he is going through hell in prison. It makes you wander that if John Coffey should be there. The story starts to turn when John Coffey asks Paul Edgecombe to approach his cell because Coffey claims to feel and know about Edgecombes pain. As Edgecombe draws nearer to the cell, Coffey sits up He patted the mattress beside him, his eyes never once leaving mine Paul Edgec...