Chemistry Life in Daily Life Essay Example for Free

Chemistry Life in Daily Life Essay Introduction: Fluorine has the distinction of being the most reactive of all the elements, with the highest electronegativity value on the periodic table. Because of this, it proved extremely difficult to isolate. Davy first identified it as an element, but was poisoned while trying unsuccessfully to decompose hydrogen fluoride. Two other chemists were also later poisoned in similar attempts, and one of them died as a result. French chemist Edmond Fremy (1814-1894) very nearly succeeded in isolating fluorine, and though he failed to do so, he inspired his student Henri Moissan (1852-1907) to continue the project. One of the problems involved in isolating this highly reactive element was the fact that it tends to attack any container in which it is placed: most metals, for instance, will burst into flames in the presence of fluorine. Like the others before him, Moissan set about to isolate fluorine from hydrogen fluoride by means of electrolysis—the use of an electric current to cause a chemical reaction—but in doing so, he used a platinum-iridium alloy that resisted attacks by fluorine. In 1906, he received the Nobel Prize for his work, and his technique is still used today in modified form. Properties And Uses Of Fluorine: A pale green gas of low density, fluorine can combine with all elements except some of the noble gases. Even water will burn in the presence of this highly reactive substance. Fluorine is also highly toxic, and can cause severe burns on contact, yet it also exists in harmless compounds, primarily in the mineral known as fluorspar, or calcium fluoride. The latter gives off a fluorescent light (fluorescence is the term for a type of light not accompanied by heat), and fluorine was named for the mineral that is one of its principal hosts. Beginning in the 1600s, hydrofluoric acid was used for etching glass, and is still used for that purpose today in the manufacture of products such as light bulbs. The oil industry uses it as a catalyst—a substance that speeds along a chemical reaction—to increase the octane number in gasoline. Fluorine is also used in a polymer commonly known as Teflon, which provides a non-stick surface for frying pans and other cooking-related products. Just as chlorine saw service in World War I, fluorine was enlisted in World War II to create a weapon far more terrifying than poison gas: the atomic bomb. Scientists working on the Manhattan Project, the United States effort to develop the bombs dropped on Japan in 1945, needed large quantities of the uranium-235 isotope. This they obtained in large part by diffusion of the compound uranium hexafluoride, which consists of molecules containing one uranium atom and six fluorine anions. Fluoridation Of Water: Long before World War II, health officials in the United States noticed that communities having high concentration of fluoride in their drinking water tended to suffer a much lower incidence of tooth decay. In some areas the concentration of fluoride in the water supply was high enough that it stained peoples teeth; still, at the turn of the century—an era when dental hygiene as we know it today was still in its infancy—the prevention of tooth decay was an attractive prospect. Perhaps, officials surmised, it would be possible to introduce smaller concentrations of fluoride into community drinking water, with a resulting improvement in overall dental health. After World War II, a number of municipalities around the United States ndertook the fluoridation of their water supplies, using concentrations as low as 1 ppm. Within a few years, fluoridation became a hotly debated topic, with proponents pointing to the potential health benefits and opponents arguing from the standpoint of issues not directly involved in science. It was an invasion of personal liberty, they said, for governments to force citizens to drink water which had been supplemented with a foreign substance. During the 1950s, in fact, fluoridation became associated in some circles with Communism—just another manifestation of a government trying to control its citizens. In later years, ironically, antifluoridation efforts became associated with groups on the political left rather than the right. By then, the argument no longer revolved around the issue of government power; instead the concern was for the health risks involved in introducing a substance lethal in large doses. Fluoride had meanwhile gained application in toothpastes. Colgate took the lead, introducing stannous fluoride in 1955. Three years later, the company launched a memorable advertising campaign with commercials in which a little girl showed her mother a report card from the dentist and announced Look, Ma!  No cavities! Within a few years, virtually all brands of toothpaste used fluoride; however, the use of fluoride in drinking water remained controversial. As late as 1993, in fact, the issue of fluoridation remained heated enough to spawn a study by the U. S. National Research Council. The council found some improvement in dental health, but not as large as had been claimed by early proponents of fluoridation. Furthermore, this improvement could be explained by reference to a number of other factors, including fluoride in toothpastes and a generally heightened awareness of dental health among the U.  S. populace. Chlorofluorocarbons : Another controversial application of fluorine is its use, along with chlorine and carbon, in chlorofluorocarbons. As noted above, CFCs have been used in refrigerants and propellants; another application is as a blowing agent for polyurethane foam. This continued for several decades, but in the 1980s, environmentalists became concerned over depletion of the ozone layer high in Earths atmosphere. Unlike ordinary oxygen (O 2 ), ozone or O 3 is capable of absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, which would otherwise be harmful to human life. It is believed that CFCs catalyze the conversion of ozone to oxygen, and that this may explain the ozone hole, which is particularly noticeable over the Antarctic in September and October. As a result, a number of countries signed an agreement in 1996 to eliminate the manufacture of halocarbons, or substances containing halogens and carbon. Manufacturers in countries that signed this agreement, known as the Montreal Protocol, have developed CFC substitutes, most notably hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), CFC-like compounds also containing hydrogen atoms. The ozone-layer question is far from settled, however. Critics argue that in fact the depletion of the ozone layer over Antarctica is a natural occurrence, which may explain why it only occurs at certain times of year. This may also explain why it happens primarily in Antarctica, far from any place where humans have been using CFCs. (Ozone depletion is far less significant in the Arctic, which is much closer to the population centers of the industrialized world. ) In any case, natural sources, such as volcano eruptions, continue to add halogen compounds to the atmosphere. Introduction: Chlorine is a highly poisonous gas, greenish-yellow in color, with a sharp smell that induces choking in humans. Yet, it can combine with other elements to form compounds safe for human consumption. Most notable among these compounds is salt, which has been used as a food preservative since at least 3000 B. C. Salt, of course, occurs in nature. By contrast, the first chlorine compound made by humans was probably hydrochloric acid, created by dissolving hydrogen chloride gas in water. The first scientist to work with hydrochloric acid was Persian physician and alchemist Rhazes (ar-Razi; c. 64-c. 935), one of the most outstanding scientific minds of the medieval period. Alchemists, who in some ways were the precursors of true chemists, believed that base metals such as iron could be turned into gold. Of course this is not possible, but alchemists in about 1200 did at least succeed in dissolving gold using a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids known as aqua regia. The first modern scientist to work with chlorine was Swedish chemist Carl W. Scheele (1742-1786), who also discovered a number of other elements and compounds, including barium, manganese, oxygen, ammonia, and glycerin. However, Scheele, who isolated it in 1774, thought that chlorine was a compound; only in 1811 did English chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) identify it as an element. Another chemist had suggested the name halogen for the alleged compound, but Davy suggested that it be called chlorine instead, after the Greek word chloros , which indicates a sickly yellow color. Uses Of Chlorine: The dangers involved with chlorine have made it an effective substance to use against stains, plants, animals—and even human beings. Chlorine gas is highly irritating to the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and lungs, and it can be detected in air at a concentration of only 3 parts per million (ppm). The concentrations of chlorine used against troops on both sides in World War I (beginning in 1915) was, of course, much higher. Thanks to the use of chlorine gas and other antipersonnel agents, one of the most chilling images to emerge from that conflict was of soldiers succumbing to poisonous gas. Yet just as it is harmful to humans, chlorine can be harmful to microbes, thus preserving human life. As early as 1801, it had been used in solutions as a disinfectant; in 1831, its use in hospitals made it effective as a weapon against a cholera epidemic that swept across Europe. Another well-known use of chlorine is as a bleaching agent. Until 1785, when chlorine was first put to use as a bleach, the only way to get stains and unwanted colors out of textiles or paper was to expose them to sunlight, not always an effective method. By contrast, chlorine, still used as a bleach today, can be highly effective—a good reason not to use regular old-fashioned bleach on anything other than white clothing. Since the 1980s, makers of bleaches have developed all-color versions to brighten and take out stains from clothing of other colors. ) Calcium hydrocholoride (CaOCl), both a bleaching powder and a disinfectant used in swimming pools, combines both the disinfectant and bleaching properties of chlorine. This and the others discussed here are just some of many, many compounds formed with the highly reactive element chlorine. Particularly notable—and controversial—are compounds involving chlorine and carbon. Chlorine And Organic Compounds: Chlorine bonds well with organic substances, or those containing carbon. In a number of instances, chlorine becomes part of an organic polymer such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), used for making synthetic pipe. Chlorine polymers are also applied in making synthetic rubber, or neoprene. Due to its resistance to heat, oxidation, and oils, neoprene is used in a number of automobile parts. The bonding of chlorine with substances containing carbon has become increasingly controversial because of concerns over health and the environment, and in some cases chlorine-carbon compounds have been outlawed. Such was the fate of DDT, a pesticide soluble in fats and oils rather than in water. When it was discovered that DDT was carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, in humans and animals, its use in the United States was outlawed. Other, less well-known, chlorine-related insecticides have likewise been banned due to their potential for harm to human life and the environment. Among these are chlorine-containing materials once used for dry cleaning. Also notable is the role of chlorine in chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which have been used in refrigerants such as Freon, and in propellants for aerosol sprays.  CFCs tend to evaporate easily, and concerns over their effect on Earths atmosphere have led to the phasing out of their use. Introduction: Bromine is a foul-smelling reddish-brown liquid whose name is derived from a Greek word meaning stink. With a boiling point much lower than that of water—137. 84 °F (58. 8 °C)—it readily transforms into a gas. Like other halogens, its vapors are highly irritating to the eyes and throat. It is found primarily in deposits of brine, a solution of salt and water. Among the most significant brine deposits are in Israels Dead Sea, as well as in Arkansas and Michigan. Credit for the isolation of bromine is usually given to French chemist Antoine-Jerome Balard (1802-1876), though in fact German chemist Carl Lowig (1803-1890) actually isolated it first, in 1825. However, Balard, who published his results a year later, provided a much more detailed explanation of bromines properties. The first use of bromine actually predated both men by several millennia. To make their famous purple dyes, the Phoenicians used murex mollusks, which contained bromine. (Like the names of the halogens, the word Phoenicians is derived from Greek—in this case, a word meaning red or purple, which referred to their dyes. Today bromine is also used in dyes, and other modern uses include applications in pesticides, disinfectants, medicines, and flame retardants. At one time, a compound containing bromine was widely used by the petroleum industry as an additive for gasoline containing lead. Ethylene dibromide reacts with the lead released by gasoline to form lead bromide (PbBr 2 ), referred to as a scavenger, because it tends to clean the emissions of lead-containing gasoline. However, leaded gasoline was phased out during the late 1970s and early 1980s; as a result, demand for ethylene dibromide dropped considerably. Halogen Lamps: The name halogen is probably familiar to most people because of the term halogen lamp. Used for automobile headlights, spotlights, and floodlights, the halogen lamp is much more effective than ordinary incandescent light. Incandescent heat-producing light was first developed in the 1870s and improved during the early part of the twentieth century with the replacement of carbon by tungsten as the principal material in the filament, the area that is heated. Tungsten proved much more durable than carbon when heated, but it has a number of problems when combined with the gases in an incandescent bulb. As the light bulb continues to burn for a period of time, the tungsten filament begins to thin and will eventually break. At the same time, tungsten begins to accumulate on the surface of the bulb, dimming its light. However, by adding bromine and other halogens to the bulbs gas filling—thus making a halogen lamp—these problems are alleviated. As tungsten evaporates from the filament, it combines with the halogen to form a gaseous compound that circulates within the bulb. Instead of depositing on the surface of the bulb, the compound remains a gas until it comes into contact with the filament and breaks down. It is then redeposited on the filament, and the halogen gas is free to combine with newly evaporated tungsten. Though a halogen bulb does eventually break down, it lasts much longer than an ordinary incandescent bulb and burns with a much brighter light. Also, because of the decreased tungsten deposits on the surface, it does not begin to dim as it nears the end of its life. Introduction: First isolated in 1811 from ashes of seaweed, iodine has a name derived from the Greek word meaning violet-colored—a reference to the fact it forms dark purple crystals.  During the 1800s, iodine was obtained commercially from mines in Chile, but during the twentieth century wells of brine in Japan, Oklahoma, and Michigan have proven a better source. Uses And Applications: Among the best-known properties of iodine is its importance in the human diet. The thyroid gland produces a growth-regulating hormone that contains iodine, and lack of iodine can cause a goiter, a swelling around the neck. Table salt does not naturally contain iodine; however, sodium chloride sold in stores usually contains about 0. 01% sodium iodide, added by the manufacturer. Iodine was once used in the development of photography: During the early days of photographic technology, the daguerreotype process used silver plates sensitized with iodine vapors. Iodine compounds are used today in chemical analysis and in synthesis of organic compounds. Introduction: Just as fluorine has the distinction of being the most reactive, astatine is the rarest of all the elements. Long after its existence was predicted, chemists still had no luck finding it in nature, and it was only created in 1940 by bombarding bismuth with alpha particles (positively charged helium nuclei). The newly isolated element was given a Greek name meaning unstable. Indeed, none of astatines 20 known isotopes is stable, and the longest-lived has a half-life of only 8. 3 hours. This has only added to the difficulties involved in learning about this strange element, and therefore it is difficult to say what applications, if any, astatine may have. The most promising area involves the use of astatine to treat a condition known as hyperthyroidism, related to an overly active thyroid gland.

Dhaping human behaviour Essay Example for Free

Dhaping human behaviour Essay Socialisation is the lifelong process by which human behaviour is shaped through experience in social institutions (e.g. family, which is a crucial factor in primary socialisation). Through socialization, individuals learn the values, norms (formal and informal rules), and beliefs of a given society.  In considering the nature of the self, it is necessary to include a still more fundamental social scientific issue the extent to which human beings are being formed by biological inheritance (i.e. genetic determinism), or through socialisation (i. e. cultural determinism); the issue called nature-nurture debate. Another way to put this is the difference between instinct and learned behaviour, where instinct is inherited, and learned behaviour acquired through socialisation. Sociologists does not really consider instinctive behaviour; therefore, most sociologists would only accept there are inborn needs of food, shelter and sex. Other than these three, sociologists prefer the fact that human behaviour is shaped by social experience rather than that it is biologically given.  However, although the direction of sociology is towards social explanation, there is no contradiction between social and biological explanations of behaviour. It is just a matter of empirical research by biologists, sociologists, social biologists and by other relevant subject specialists to find explanations of human behaviour. According to sociologist Charles Cooley, there are two types of socialisation: primary and secondary. Those factors that are involved in primary socialisation are usually small, involve face-to-face interaction and communication and allow the individual to express the whole self, both feelings and intellect. Usually, those factors are the family, peer groups, of close friends and closely-knit groups of neighbours. Within these groups, through personal experience, the individual learns primary values such as love, loyalty, justice, sharing, and etc. Freud claimed that the first few years of a persons life those usually spent amongst primary groups are the most important in forming the structure of the persons character. In contrast, secondary groups are usually large, more impersonal and formally organised, and exist for specific purposes. In the secondary stage, the individual learns by himself or herself more values and norms which are to be applied for the individual to fit in. This includes learning how to organise and conduct oneself in formal contexts (backgrounds) and how to behave towards people who have different degrees of status and authority. One of the crucial agents of secondary socialisation is school. Trade unions and professional associations, also secondary socialisation agents, can affect an individuals behaviour when an individual agrees to conform to the beliefs, aims and regulations of the organisation. Therefore, indirectly, the individual accepts a socialising influence on his or her conduct. In both primary and secondary groups, the mass media (e.g. radio, television, the cinema) also plays a vital part in socialising individuals. For example during primary socialisation, by watching certain cartoons, a child (although indirectly) can already be socialised of his or her gender roles, such as patriarchal ideology (e.g. where the cartoon might portray the girl as the weaker one, always being bullied and being the helpless, damsel in distress; while the boy will then be the hero). Later, during secondary socialisation, magazines (a form of mass media) can also reinforce gender roles such as saying that girls must learn to cook so that they could cook for their husbands later in marriage. One way of studying the role of society in shaping human behaviour is to examine the development of individuals who were either completely or nearly excluded from any social interaction for a period of their lives. This includes cases of those who spent most of their childhood isolated from others in the wild (such as the Wild boy of Aveyron and the two girls, Wolf children of Bengal) and those who were cut off from others through confinement (imprisonment), also during childhood (such as the cases of Anna and Isabelle). The case of the wolf children revealed that their behaviour was very similar to the wolves that had apparently raised them. They preferred raw meat, moved on all fours and lacked any form of speech. There is a more recent case described by ODonnell where a 14 year old boy found in the Syrian desert had exceptional speed and had adopted some of the behavioural characteristics of the gazelles he was found with.

North Carolinas Position on Vaccine Preventable Diseases

North Carolinas Position on Vaccine Preventable Diseases In Northern Carolina, it is very difficult to find diseases that are preventable through the use of a vaccine. This is because of an efficient vaccination program that normally targets its citizens at a younger age, as well as a constant monitoring of the emergence of diseases that are preventable through vaccination programs. It is the philosophy of the State of Northern Carolina to continuously vaccinate diseases that are also under control, for purposes of ensuring that they do not re-emerge. This includes diseases such as polio and measles (Department of Health, 2014). Furthermore, the health department of Northern Carolina would always seek to ensure that the vaccination record of a child is checked once the child under consideration enrolls in a school, or a child care facility. It is important to provide an explanation that a child is not allowed to enroll in a school, whether it is private, religious, or even public without the same child receiving all immunizations that are appropriate and useful for their age. This policy is aimed at reducing the chances of a child to acquire diseases that are preventable through vaccination, as well as reducing the chances of such a disease spreading to vulnerable children. It is the following ailments that the state of North Carolina actively vaccinates its citizens against, HPV, Hepatitis A, and B, Diphtheria, Anthrax, Influenza, Mumps, Rabies, Tetanus, Typhoid, etc (Department of Health, 2014). Furthermore, for purposes of turning this vaccination policy into a success, the Government of North Carolina has developed a vaccination schedule that all health care agencies must follow while vaccinating children under the ages of 18 years. This schedule contains the identification of the ages in which children are supposed to be given certain doses of the vaccine, and identifies the type of vaccine to be administered. These vaccination schedules do not only identify the vaccination programs of children, but they also identify the vaccination programs of adults. Cohort Study Data: In the medical field, a cohort study is always used to obtain evidence for purposes of disapproving the existence of an association between the causes and effects of a disease or medical condition. It is important to provide an explanation that by failing to disapprove an hypothesis, then chances are high people will start having confidence in it. It is important to understand that the cohort study can be a useful method in reporting on HPV, and tracking the disease. This is because scientists will identify a particular group of people, who are not infected with the HPV disease and thereafter conduct a study on the people who acquire the HPV disease (CDC, 2014). This would help in coming up with the characteristics and behaviors of these people, and hence develop a plan, based on their behaviors and characteristics on how to treat, as well as prevent the development and the spread of the HPV disease. It is important to provide an explanation that the results of the cohort study regarding the emergence of HPV are accurate, mainly because this study has been conducted over a long period of time, and data has been collected at regular intervals, reducing any chances of errors. A cohort study can also be used for purposes of analyzing the effects of HPV on the victims and the society, and thereafter provide a report on the best methods of minimizing the effects of these medical condition on the society. Take for instance; various findings from cohort studies indicate that stigma is one of the associated effects of HIV AIDS (CDC, 2014). On this basis, conducting a cohort study will enable policy makers to know the effects of HPV on the society, and hence come up with ways and means of solving the problem. It is important to understand that a cohort study will identify the environmental agents that play a role in accelerating the negative impact of HPV. Without this knowledge, it would be impossible for policy makers to come up with a solution on how to tackle the negative effect of HPV on an individual, as well as the society. Finally, researchers can use the Cohort study to calculate the exposure of risk in contaminating HPV that different groups have. This is because the cohort study will start by studying people who are not infected with HPV, after which it will study the people affected with the HPV, from the same group. This would help the researcher to come up with a report that calculates the absolute, relative, and attributable risks of people. Policy makers can thereafter use these calculations for purposes of developing a policy aimed at preventing the spread and emergence of HPV. Efficacy of Cardiovascular Diseases: Cardiovascular Diseases includes diseases such as stroke, heart attack, and other ailments of the circulatory system. In Northern Carolina, stroke and heart diseases contribute to the fourth and second largest killer diseases or ailments. In total, cardiovascular diseases were the largest killer diseases in Northern Carolina. This was as per the statistics of the year 2012. It is important to provide an understanding that the mortality rates in Northern Carolina are higher than the national average mortality rate. However, over the years, the differences between these rates have reduced, with North Carolina depicting a decrease of more than 50%. For instance, in the year 1979, the mortality rate of North Carolina due to cardiovascular diseases was 555 deaths, for every 100,000 people. This reduced to 242 deaths, for every 100,000 people. Furthermore, over the last ten years, the mortality rate due to cardio vascular diseases in North Carolina has remained equal with that of the average national government (Government of North Carolina, 2014). This is an indication that the strategies employed by North Carolina to prevent the spread, as well as the emergence of these diseases are taking shape. Despite these improvements, the rate of stroke in North Carolina is very high in the United States as a whole. North Carolina has the 10th largest mortality rate of stroke in the country. On this basis, there are efforts of reducing the emergence of stroke in the country, and this is through improving an access of gaining services in caring for the patients with stroke, as well as initiating preventive measures such as education forums that promote healthy living. Furthermore, to increase efficiency in further reducing the emergence of cardiovascular diseases, there is a need of following the following steps; Carrying out education clinics for purposes of educating the public on the need of healthy living, and using proper diets. Sponsoring research, for the main aim of developing new methods of fighting the disease as well as treatment methods. Partnering with the local communities, and all stakeholders of health, for purposes of coming with suitable measures of preventing the occurrence and spread of the disease. Improving the health sector, through building of more hospitals, training medical experts who specialize in this field, as well as improving an access to medical facilities in the state. Making it mandatory for people to be medically screened on a monthly basis. Steps to take when utilizing Cohort study design in following CVD: There are four important steps to take when utilizing a cohort study design in following the emergence of the disease; these steps include the following (Community Guide, 2014), Describing the situation: This involves providing a description on the intentions of the cohort study, the type of people used for purposes of the study. Furthermore, this step involves identifying the patterns, as well as the frequencies of the occurrence of the disease in terms of person, place and time of diagnoses. Examining the Determinants: This involves the search of the factors or causes that has been associated with an increase in the probability of the development of the disease. This involves asking questions such as what, who, where, and when. Furthermore, this also involves asking questions such as why, and how. Health Related problems. Identification of other health related problems that relate to the emergence of cardiovascular diseases. This is for purposes of developing an effective design that will be effective in serving its purpose. Population; Identifying the right population, who are not infected with the disease, for the purpose of conducting the cohort study. It is important to understand that a right population matter, in the sense that they would determine whether the study is successful or not. References: CDC. (2014, March 20). Genital HPV Infection Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and  Prevention. Retrieved May 24, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm Government of North Carolina. (n.d.). Chronic Disease and Injury Section. DPH:. Retrieved  May 24, 2014, from http://www.publichealth.nc.gov/chronicdiseaseandinjury/ Department of Health. (n.d.). Vaccine Preventable Diseases. NC DPH, WCH: Immunization:  Family:. Retrieved May 24, 2014, from http://www.immunize.nc.gov/family/vacc-prev.htm Community Guide. (n.d.). Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control: Team-Based Care to  Improve Blood Pressure Control. The Community Guide-Summary-Cardiovascular Disease: Team-Based Care to Improve Blood Pressure Control. Retrieved May 24, 2014,  from http://www.thecommunityguide.org/cvd/teambasedcare.html

The Issues of Neglected Children Essay -- Child Abuse Neglect Childhoo

The Issues of Neglected Children â€Å" â€Å"Child†: means a boy or a girl apparently or effectively aged less than eighteen years† (Van Stolk 146). â€Å"Rich kids, middle-class kids, poor kids - all deal with risk and neglect on a scale unimagined in previous generations† (Hewitt 11). There are problems of poverty, absentee parents, divorce, violence and drugs, plus much more that is simply out of hand. Deprivation and rejection dominate the lives of many children, among both poor and middle-class. We cannot ensure the safety of children on the streets or in our homes. On the educational front the news is even more disturbing, since underachievement and failure are now very popular. Something else that contributes to child neglect is a fast rate of family breakdown. This is an effect of divorce and rapid increase in single parent pregnancies. Couples marrying today face an even higher chance of divorcing at some point during their lives together. â€Å"A family’s deterioration can come about in ways other than separation† (Wilson 50). Staying together, in certain conditions and situations may increase further economical or psychological problems that may affect the child. Social attitudes today are scarcely more tolerant. â€Å"With the ratio of one divorce in four marriages moving towards one in three, we have been forced to look beyond those unexamined assumptions to asses realistically the changing role and changing needs of the family in Canadian society† ( Canadian Council 28). For women, and their children, divorce can often put severe economic hardships on them. Another part of family breakdown can occur when the absence of a male presence or male support to single mother families. â€Å"In the years following divorce living standards for ex-wives drop by an average of 30 percent while those for men rise an 8 percent† (Hewitt 41). Although babies from teenage girls have declined, the unmarried single parent teenagers who have children has risen rapidly. â€Å"There are now close to half a million live births to unwed teenagers every year† (Hewitt 41). The children in our society are defined by their dependent status. â€Å"From birth, to early adulthood, children must look to others to provide the adequate and dependable economic support required to meet their needs† (Canadian Council 21). Even in early childhood, they cannot support themselves and even if th... ...ore worth doing than easing the pain and improving the life chances of vulnerable, blameless children† (Hewitt 283). We need to invest in our children to save ourselves from further disaster. An additional distinctive character, is if we revise our civil policies so that children may prosper, it will greatly improve the economic status of women. â€Å"Enhancing and enforcing child support awards eases the lives of the children of divorce but also bolsters the standard living of ex-wives; mandating parental leave improves life circumstances of infants but also protects the earning power of women and reduces wage gap..† (Hewitt 282). â€Å"If we fail to look after our children they will drag this nation down† (Hewitt 10). Bibliography: 1. Canadian Council on Children and Youth. Admittance restricted: The child as citizen in Canada. Ottawa, Ont. , c1978. 2. Hewitt, Sylvia Ann. When the bough breaks: the cost of neglecting our children. New York, New York. 1987. 3. Van Stolk, Mary. The battered child in Canada. Rev. ed.Toronto, McClelland and Stewart, c1978. 4. Wilson, Jeffrey. Up against it : Children and the law in Canada. Toronto, Anasi. c1980.

Argument Against Standardized Testing Essay -- Standardized Testing Ess

Argument Against Standardized Testing President Bush is promoting annual standardized testing for all students in grades three through eight. This bill is currently being considered in Congress, and has garnered much support. As of right now, 15 states test students in those grades, and more than 20 have high school exit exams, which look only at the test score of a student, not at his or her academic achievements. Standardized testing is an unfair and inaccurate form of judging a person’s intellect. In many cases, people are either over- or underrepresented by their test scores, partly because America does not currently have the capabilities of fairly scoring the increasing number of tests. Additionally, many students today are not native English speakers, and their capabilities could be grossly underestimated by these types of exams. Although President Bush is a supporter, many influential people are against this bill, including the largest teacher’s union in the United States, which has formed a commission in opposition to the President’s proposal. As stated earlier, many states require a student to pass a certain test in order to receive a diploma. This results in many capable students, who have finished all of their requirements, being denied their diplomas. If the Valedictorian does not pass the exit exam, are you going to bar him or her from graduating? It is a fact that some people are better at taking tests than other people. Intelligent students who challenge themselves throughout their high school careers and have high grade point averages can do poorly on a test, while a student who has only taken basic level classes can score significantly higher. Is that a fair representation of what ... ...logies and always received poor scores on the language portion of standardized tests. Her teachers always encouraged her to be a math or science major, since she had scored much better on those subjects. She rebelled and is now a very successful and influential writer. This points out an obvious flaw in depending on standardized tests. It is not in America’s best interest to pass the proposal to require standardized testing at elementary school levels, or to force students to pass exit exams to earn their diplomas. If we wish for our children to be informed and educated, and ready to survive on their own in the real world, we need to give them the tools that will get them there. These tests are not accurate, and they are detrimental to the education of children. There should be no debate over how our representatives in Congress should vote on this bill.

competition :: essays research papers fc

Examine the concept of competition. Explain how it works in market economies. In what way is it a crucial part of the business environment? 1000 words In this essay I have analysed the different types of competition and market structures, and linked this to a current world example. I’ve discussed the neo-classical and dynamic approaches to competition and have studied Michael Porter’s Five Force model. Systemic and structural competitiveness has been mentioned, and market economies are examined including technical and allocative efficiency. I have assessed the relationship between competition and the business environment, and finally given personal views and come to an argued conclusion. Competition is the process by which two or more firms compete in the same market for a larger market share. This rivalry that exists is very beneficial to firms as is leads to increased efficiency and higher output at given cost levels. The amount of competition in a market is measured using concentration ratios (e.g. the five firm concentration ratio). There are two different types of competition which firms may undertake, price competition and non-price competition. In price competition, firms compete on the basis of price, for example by increasing the price of a good or service, the demand will either increase or decrease accordingly depending on its price elasticity of demand. In non-price competition firms compete in less risky forms of competition other than price, such as advertising and branding. Non-price competition exists in imperfect competition (usually oligopolies). Imperfect competition occurs in situations when there are a number of competing firms (with market power), but the market is without some or all features of perfect competition. The three types of imperfect competition are duopoly, oligopoly and monopolistic competition. Perfect competition on the other hand exists when a market has a large number of small firms, with no one firm influencing price (firms are price takers, not price makers). These firms all sell identical products, with perfect knowledge of the market, which has no barriers to entry. This represents one end of the competition spectrum (see Appendix 1). There are two main views to the concept of competition, the dynamic approach and the static approach (Neo-Classical approach). The first is based on the behaviour of firms and their constant interactions with market structure, which involves change and innovation. The second involves classifying market structure, and the type and amount of competition (mainly on number of firms within the market), to determine the firm’s behaviour.

The Haunted Mask Ii and Anthology Series

The Haunted Mask li and Anthology Series BY pud1992 Goosebumps Episodes Season One: 19 Episodes 1 . The Haunted Mask (Part One): Sick of being scared and tortured by the boys at school, shy and quiet Carly Beth Caldwell buys a Halloween mask from a new store, but doesn't heed the storekeeper's warning of wearing the mask for more than three times, which is when the mask begins to change its wearer's personality. 2. The Haunted Mask (Part Two): Carly Beth visits the man who sold her the mask to help her break its spell over her. 3.The Cuckoo Clock of Doom: Michael Webster's prank on is unruly little sister involving an antique cuckoo clock sends Michael backwards in time. 4. The Girl Who Cried Monster: Lucy Dark discovers her librarian's strange behavior of eating flies after closing time and suspects him of being a monster. 5. Welcome to Camp Nightmare (Part One): Billy's summer camp trip turns scary when his friends start disappearing and a monster is rumored to be loose in the wood s. 6. Welcome to Camp Nightmare (Part Two): Billy plots revenge on the counselors when they threaten to go after one of the campers–until he learns the secret of Camp Nightmare. Phantom of the Auditorium: A school production of † The Phantom † is threatened by strange happenings from a real phantom. 8. Piano Lessons Can Be Murder: Jerry takes piano lessons from a weird man who's obsessed with stealing the hands of his students–and is haunted by the ghost of the weird man's mother. 9. Return of the Mummy: In the sequel to the Goosebumps book, â€Å"The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb† (which was never made into an episode),Gabe and his cousin are trapped in a pyramid belonging to an Egyptian queen who now has control of the mummy from the first book. 0. Night of the Living Dummy II: A girl named Amy receives a replacement ventriloquist dummy, which she accidentally brings to life. 11 . My Hairiest Adventure: Larry Boyd freaks out when his hands become hairy presumably as a result of expired tanning lotion. Things get weirder when his friends begin to disappear and dogs who share their physical features appear in their place. 12. Stay Out of the Basement (Part One): Two siblings, Margaret and Casey, investigate the strange plant experiments in their father's basement. 3. Stay Out of the Basement (Part Two): Margaret and Casey find a man tied in the basement who laims to be their real father who was trapped when his plant-hybrid clone locked him up and took over his life. 14. It Came from Beneath the Sink! : Kat finds a sponge under the sink of her new house that's actually a monster that causes and feeds on bad luck. Directed by David Winning. 15. Say Cheese and Die! : Three friends, Greg, Bird, and Sherri, find a camera that predicts misfortune on the subject it photographs. 16.A Night in Terror Tower (Part One): Two siblings, Eddie and Sue, get lost in England after visiting a torture chamber†¦ and are hunted by an executioner. 7. A Night in Terror Tower (Part Two): A wizard disguised as a 20th century man reveals that the two lost siblings are actually a prince and princess who traveled forward in time to escape being murdered. 18. The Werewolf of Fever Swamp (Part One): Grady Tucker gets a dog suspected to be a werewolf after rumors of murdered animals and late-night howling surface. 19. The Werewolf of Fever Swamp (Part Two): 1.Be Careful What You Wish For†¦ : Klutzy Samantha Byrd gets three wishes from a strange woman named Clarissa–with horrifying results. 2. Attack of the Mutant (Part One): Comic book addict Skipper finds out his favorite comic book villain is real. Adam West guest stars. 3. Attack of the Mutant (Part Two): Skipper discovers that he has been turned into a comic book character chosen to fght a villain called The Masked Mutant. 4. Bad Hare Day: Wannabe magician Tim Swanson steals the bag of tricks from his favorite magician–and finds himself unable to control the mag ic.Colin Mochrie makes a small appearance. 5. The Headless Ghost: Two pranksters, Stephanie Alpert and Duane Comack find themselves trapped in a seaside house haunted by a headless ghost, a sea captain, and the ghost of a boy who died falling hrough a dumb waiter when his strawberry ice cream didn't arrive. 6. Go Eat Worms! : Todd Barstow's sadistic experiments on worms backfire when his test animals begin to haunt him. 7. You Can't Scare Me: Two boys (Eddie and Hat) who dare each other to scare a fearless girl (Courtney) find themselves running from swamp monsters. 8.Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes: A lawn contest prompts a dad to buy two lawn gnomes who cause destruction at night. 9. Ghost Beach: Two siblings, Jerry and Terri Sadler discover the secrets of a seaside mountain cave supposedly haunted by a ghost. 10. Attack of the Jack O'Lanterns: Pumpkin-headed aliens force four children into trick or treating in a strange town. 11. The Haunted Mask II (Part One): In this two-part sequel to â€Å"The Haunted Mask†, Steve Boswell, one of the boys from the original story takes an old man mask from the store that Carly beth went to and begins to become an old man.Meanwhile, Carly Beth's mask from the first story returns to exact his revenge on its former wearer. 12. The Haunted Mask II (Part Two): Steve and Carly Beth try to break the mask's spell–and defeat the mask that tried to possess Carly Beth. 13. Let's Get Invisible! Max and his brother Noah find a mirror in the attic that turns its users invisible, but on the other side is a world where evil mirror reflections want to switch with real people. 14. The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight: An old couple is haunted by demonic scarecrows brought to life by a farmhand's black magic. 5. Monster Blood: In this adaptation of the first â€Å"Monster Blood† book, Evan Ross and his friend, Andy, discover a novelty slime called Monster Blood that devours everything in its path. 16. More Monster Blood: In this story (which has never appeared in the Monster Blood series), Evan travels back home, only o find that the Monster Blood he destroyed is aboard the plane. 17. Vampire Breath: While searching for their birthday presents, two siblings, Freddy and Cara find a bottle that releases the spirit ofa vampire. 18.How to Kill a Monster: Step-siblings Gretchen and Clark stay at their grandparents' house in the middle of a swamp that has a monster locked in a room. 19. Calling All Creeps! : School newspaper Journalist Ricky Beamer plays a prank on his rival that calls the attention of a group of kids who are actually reptilian aliens bent on world domination. 20. Welcome to Dead House Part One): The Benson family moves into a house in a neighborhood were its residents were killed in an accident from a chemical factory and now walk the Earth as zombies. 1 . Welcome to Dead House (Part Two): The children, Amanda and Josh try to fight the zombies and send them back to their graves. 22. Don't Wake Mummy: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, a family inherits Beauchamp, a wannabe writer, receives a typewriter that brings anything written to life–even the story of a blob monster. 24. Night of the Living Dummy Ill (Part One): Slappy is found by the O'Dell family, and begins terrorizing them. 5.Night of the Living Dummy Ill (Part Two): Slappy faces off against another evil dummy named Rocky who later turns good and kills Slappy and himself to protect the O'Dells. Season Three: 22 episodes 1. A Shocker on Shock Street: Erin Wright and her friend Marty are trapped in an amusement park based on a horror movie series. 2. My Best Friend Is Invisible: Sam Jacobs visits a house that's supposedly haunted by the ghost of a lonely boy named Brent†¦ who ends up following him home and becomes his invisible friend. . The House of No Return: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology eries, four friends get trapped in an old house haunted by a married couple whose firstborn child died in an accident. 4. Don't Go To Sleep! : After being told that he can't have the attic as his room, Matt Amsterdam goes to sleep in there, and finds himself in a chain of alternate worlds and on the run from a police force bent on nabbing anyone who messes with reality. Don Cherry guest stars in this episode. 5.Click: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, a boy mail-orders a remote control that controls his TV, his VCR, his DVD, his stereo–and his life. The 2006 summer film Click starring Adam Sandler has a similar plot to this. 6. An Old Story: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, an aunt feeds her nephews, Tom and John, prunes that have the power to turn them into old men. 7. The Barking Ghost: Cooper Holmes and his new friend Fergie are tricked into switching bodies with ghostly canines. 8.One Day at HorrorLand (Part One): The Morris family get trapped in a theme park run by monsters. 9. One Day at HorrorLand (Part Two): The Morrises compete on a game show run by monsters from the park. 10. The Haunted House Game: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, two friends play a game that comes to life–and may cost them theirs. 11. Perfect School (Part One): Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, Brian gets sent to a boarding school where students are cloned and sent to live with the real students' families. 2. Perfect School (Part Two): Brian tries to stop his clone from taking over his life. 13. Werewolf Skin (Part One): Alex Blackwell discovers a secret about the werewolves that live in the woods. 14. Werewolf Skin (Part Two): Alex confronts his aunt and uncle about the werewolf skin they use to turn themselves into the beasts. 5. Awesome Ants: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, a kid buys an ant farm that comes with pellets that turn the ants into giants. 16.Bride of the Living Dummy: Adapted from the â€Å"Goosebumps 2000† series, Slappy returns and now is planning to marry a girl's doll (who proves to be Just as evil as Slappy). 17. Strained Peas: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, Nick discovers his new baby sister is a monster. 18. Say Cheese and Die – Again! : In the sequel to â€Å"Say Cheese and Die†, Greg Banks tries to prove to his English teacher that the amera he found does exist so he doesn't flunk his class.When Sherri unearths it, she accidentally takes Greg's picture which predicts that he'll become so fat, he'll explode while Sherri's picture comes out as a negative, predicting that she'll be so part episode that was never adapted from a book, a greedy girl gets sucked into a toy town where she cheats the people during a lemonade sale and turns into a pig as the town chases her down. 20. Chillogy, Part II: Strike Three You're Doomed! : In part two of a three-part episode that was never adapted from a book, a boy gets sucked nto Karlsville and gets caught in a twisted baseball game. 21.Chillogy, Part Ill: Escape from Karlsville: In the conclusion of a three-part episode that was never adapted from a book, Matthew and Jessica enter the toy town to prevent Matthew's younger brother Todd from being turned into plastic. 22. Teacher's Pet: Adapted from the â€Å"Tales To Give You Goosebumps† anthology series, two kids on a field trip in the woods discover why their teacher is so obsessed with snakes, he is one. Season Four: 8 Episodes 1 . How I Got My Shrunken Head (Part One): Mark given a shrunken head by his xplorer aunt travels to the Jungle where his aunt's partners want to steal the shrunken head for themselves. . How I Got My Shrunken Head (Part Two): Mark learns of the Jungle magic hidden in his shrunken head while searching for his aunt.