Investigation into the relationship between the density of fresh water shrimps in fleet brook and the flow rate of water brook Essay Example

Investigation into the relationship between the density of fresh water shrimps in fleet brook and the flow rate of water brook Essay Fresh water shrimps (gammarus pulex) are crustacean living in many rivers and streams of this country. They prefer to live in flowing fresh water environments which often has better oxygenated waters that still water environments.2 Aim The aim of my investigation will be to determine the relationship, if any, between the gammarus pulex (fresh water shrimp) population density (the number of shrimps) and the rate of water flow at particular sites of Shir Burn Brook. Preliminary work We will write a custom essay sample on Investigation into the relationship between the density of fresh water shrimps in fleet brook and the flow rate of water brook specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Investigation into the relationship between the density of fresh water shrimps in fleet brook and the flow rate of water brook specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Investigation into the relationship between the density of fresh water shrimps in fleet brook and the flow rate of water brook specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For my preliminary work, a variety of sampling techniques were carried out to collect samples of freshwater organisms in Shir Burn Brook. The methods include the kick sampling technique and the prodding sampling technique. The range of the flow rate of water in Shir Burn Brook was found to be 0.05m/s-0.25m/s. The samples collected also enabled me to correctly classify and thus allowing me to recognize gammarus pulex. Samples were also collected in a static water environment to enable me to differentiate between the species gammarus pulex and its static water relatives, grangonyx pseudogracilis. Kick samples were taken at different site in the brook. The numbers of freshwater shrimps found at each of these sites are 20, 35, 60, 15, 24. This shows me the range of the number gammarus pulex I should expect. These figures gave me a rough guide on the range of the numbers of gammarus pulex living in the brook. This means that I have a rough estimate of the numbers of shrimps I expect to find during my investigation. Hypothesis: There will be higher densities of gammarus pulex present in areas of faster water flow. The results should show a positive relationship between the rate of flow at a site in the stream and the number of shrimps found at the site. I believe this will be due to the variation in oxygenation of the water. As the water flows faster, the movement will mean that more oxygen can be dissolved into the water, creating a higher dissolved oxygen level in the water. The increased amount of oxygen will allow larger numbers of shrimps to thrive. Null hypothesis 1. There will be no relationship between the population density of gammarus pulex and the water flow rates of sites in Shir Burn Brook where the gammarus pulex are collected. 2. There is no correlation between the dissolved oxygen level of the water of the different sites of Shir Burn Brook and the rate of flow of water at these sites. Background information to explain hypothesis Site The Fleet is a man-made brook by diversion of Shir Burn Brook (TM075314) in the 19th century. The purpose of the Fleet was to deliver water to be used by the steam turbines in the near by railway station down stream.1 It runs through a clearing in woodlands. It is relatively unpolluted with nitrates and phosphate levels within the normal guidelines. As with any flowing fresh water habitat, there are large numbers of freshwater shrimp dwelling there.1 Gammarus pulex Gammarus pulex is a species of freshwater shrimps. Fresh water shrimps belong to the order of the amphipoda. A typical amphipod crustacean is flattened from side to side, and the body when at rest is curved round to form an arch. Gammarus pulex is found swimming on its side. When it is moving the hind parts of its body straightens out, only to contract again suddenly into its normal curved position as soon as the creature stops. They are often found under stones or on the soft surface of the mud, and when disturbed scud rapidly away to shelter. The male is about 25mm in length and the females slightly smaller. Their colour is usually lightish brown. Fresh water shrimps are largely scavengers, feeding on decaying organic matter, but they are also known to devour other smaller creatures. Gammarus pulex are found abundantly in freshwater habitats in the British Isles. Care should be taken during classification to differentiate between the species gammarus pulex and grangonyx pseudogracilis which are usually found in static water environments.2 Flow rate of water Velocity of water varies throughout streams. This is due to the friction between the water and the stream bed. It is therefore expected that deeper parts of the stream will have higher rates of water flow since the surface in contact with stream bed-water volume area is smaller, meaning less friction. Depth is therefore a good indication of the flow rate at any site in the stream. Slower flow rates of water will allow small sediments of mud to develop on the bed of the stream. In faster sites, however only larger substrates such as pebbles are allowed to deposit while substrates that are too small are carried off by the water. The stony bed of the stream are especially suited for the gammarus pulex as there legs will allow them to cling on to rocks, this would be less possible with a muddy substrate.3 Some species of fresh water fauna are in a similar niche to the gammarus pulex will not all be designed to with stand the turbulence of the water. Therefore, at sites with higher water speeds, the diversity of species present there will be less. This means that there will be less interspecies competition for all the essentials which the gammarus requires (e.g. planktonic foodstuffs, oxygen, space for shelter).4 Dissolved oxygen and temperature. The solubility of oxygen from air, at normal atmospheric pressure, in pure fresh water is related to the temperature of the water by the equation: Cs = 475à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½(33.5 + t ) 5 Where Cs is the solubility of O2 in water in mg/l and t is the temperature. It is obvious that if more oxygen is dissolved in the water, there will be more of it available for the respiration of fresh water fauna living in the stream. Respiration provides energy in the form of ATP allowing the metabolisms in the animals bodies to occur.6 The oxygen concentration in the streams is expected to be higher in concentration compared to static aquatic environment. The distribution of oxygen is also expected to be more even than static water habitats. This is all due to the movement of the water in streams allowing more oxygen to dissolve and subsequently mixing the oxygen evenly. Nitrates and phosphates Nitrogen and phosphorus are basic elements in all living matter. Nitrates and phosphates therefore are not unexpected to be found dissolved in Nitrate is an essential provider of nitrogenous elements for living organisms. Nitrogen is essential for the synthesis of protein and nucleotides in most living things. Nitrogen is recycled through the biosphere by the nitrogen cycle.7 Dead and decaying organic materials (in this case dead leaves) are broken down by denitrifying bacteria inhabiting the water. The nitrogenous molecules are converted into nitrates Nitrate and phosphates are regulators of organic growth. The free flowing algae and small planktonic forms are affected directly. High levels of nitrates and phosphates often stimulate their growth. Gammarus feed on these. Therefore if more plankton are in the stream due to the nitrate and phosphates, the number of gammarus will increase also. The problem with nitrate and phosphates is that when excessive amounts are present (often due to soil leaching, effluent produced by farms, and human effluent) algal growth is intensified leading to eventual deoxygenation of the water eventually causing eutrophication. Thus there will be a decrease in the number of gammarus found in the water. 8 Variables and Key variables Explain Independent, the different rates of flow of the Dependent Factor / Variable Effect on the project Control method Density of fresh water shrimps This is what is tested Flow rate of river This is the key variable of the investigation. It is expected that a higher flow rate of water will lead to higher gammarus population densities, and lower water flow rate will lead to smaller gammarus populations. Dissolve oxygen level of water For all aerobic organisms, oxygen is essential for their survival. Thus, a higher concentration of dissolved will enable a larger population of gammarus to exist in an area providing other factors are not limiting. Control variables Nitrate levels in water This will increase the algal populations in the water. Though sustainable amount of nitrates in the stream will lead to more foodstuffs for the gammarus and thus increase their population, high levels of nitrates caused primarily by pollution will lead to diminished shrimp population as the result to the effects of eutrophication. This variable is sampled at each site so that it is ensured that the nitrate level throughout the stream is constant. It is expected to be constant since the movement of the water will mix any dissolved nitrates till it is in equilibrium in the water. Phosphate levels in water Like the nitrate levels, this abiotic factor will cause fluctuating levels of micro organisms in the stream. The phosphate level in the water is tested at every site. This again ensures that the phosphate concentration is constant throughout all of the tested sites as expected. The phosphate compound is expected to be distributed evenly in the water due to the movement of the currents. Water temperature There will be an optimal temperature range at which gammarus will like to live. If a section of the river is out of this range, the number of gammarus found there will be lower than other sites. The water temperature is monitored at every site. This again ensures that the temperature of the water is constant throughout every site. The water of the brook should be of very similar temperatures since the flowing water currents will distribute the heat evenly throughout the river. Where the water temperature is significantly different from the other sites tested, another site with a more acceptable water temperature will be chosen to be sampled. pH of water There again will be a range of pH of water outside of which few gammarus will survive. Sites whose water pH is too low or high will not contain many gammarus. The pH of the water is tested at every site. This is to make sure that every site tested all have the same pH. Sites whose pH is significantly different from all of the other sites are not chosen to take samples from. The pH is expected to remain fairly consistent throughout the stream. Leaf coverage of the sky above the brook If a section of the brook is covered by leaves, the chance of a dead leave falling into the brook is greatly increased. Since gammarus pulex feeds primarily on decaying plant material, the populations of freshwater shrimp in these regions will be expected to be greater than regions with no leaf cover. The percentage leaf coverage is recorded at the sites where samples are taken. It is made sure that the leaf coverages at all these sites are similar. This shall not prove to be difficult since the brook runs through a wooded area. Seasonal variations Due to the life cycle of the fresh water shrimps, there will be times in the year were there will be small amounts of the gammarus making sampling difficult. This is over come by taking all of the samples in a day. The investigation is conducted in summer when there is sufficient numbers of shrimps in the river. Range of samples and number of repeats At least ten different sites of the stream should be sampled. This will give me a suitable amount of data to adequately perform statistical tests such as Spearmans rank coefficient. The range of the water flow rate of the sites will be from about 0.05m/s 0.25m/s as I have discovered in my preliminary work. This will provide an adequate range for the above ten sites of data to be taken, e.g.: 0.05m/s 0.07m/s 0.09m/s 0.11m/s 0.13m/s 0.15m/s 0.17m/s 0.19m/s 0.21m/s 0.23m/s In practice it will be difficult in the natural environment of to select sites with these exact flow speeds of water. Rather than findinf sites with precisely the same flow rate of the above, ten sites with suitably different flow rates and of suitable range is used to take the samples from. At each site, the site is repeatedly sampled for ten times. This will allow me to calculate the mean of each site and to identify any anomalous samples that were taken. Apparatus A wide range of equipments are needed for sample collection and the monitoring of the aboitic variables of the different sites of the stream. The possible sampling techniques are also considered here as the preference of any one of the methods will invariably affect the choices of apparatus. Kick sampling Prod sampling Needs large area to take each sample, So the sample area may not e of equal flow rate Not much substrate at some sites. Prodding method difficult in picking up samples. Use of apparatus Apparatus available Apparatus Chosen Reason for choice Effect on precision and reliability To measure flow rate of rive at different sites Pooh stick method Impellor method Impellor method The impellor will enable me to determine the rate of water flow at the bed of the stream. Whereas the Pooh stick method will only tell me the surface flow rate. The impellor and flow rate counter will give the speed of water flow to the nearest 0.1m/s. it also eliminates any human error To measure water temperatures Mercury thermometer Digital thermometer Digital thermometer It is more accurate if the thermometer is always left in the water when the temperature reading is taken. The level of the stream is on a very low level, making the accurate reading of the mercury thermometer very difficult. Furthermore, the digital thermometer will record the temperature to the nearest 0.1oC, whereas the accuracy of the spirit thermometer is at best à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.25oC. The digital will give us the temperature of the water to a greater degree of accuracy (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.05oC). This reduces the precision error from the mercury thermometer by ten fold. Human error is eliminated by not having to take a reading of the temperature at the correct eye level. There is no longer need to estimate when the reading lies between two graduation marks. To measure water pH level Digital pH meter Universal indicator Digital pH meter The digital pH meter will give an accurate qualitative pH reading to two decimal places. The universal indictor will allow me to estimate the pH by matching the colour of the test solution with a colour chart. This is extremely prone to errors in that it is often very difficult to obtain test solutions with exact matching colours as the chart. The digital meter gives the pH to a far greater degree of accuracy. There is no comparison with colour charts needed. Care should be taken to ensure that the pH meter is properly calibrated before use. To measure dissolved oxygen concentrations of water. Diaphragm dissolved oxygen meter Diaphragm dissolved oxygen meter (0.0-19.9mg/l) This will give the dissolved oxygen level of the water. There is not another method that is both as accurate and as easily performed as this, making it ideal for project work in the wild. This is the only applicable method of testing the oxygen content of the water in the stream. It is also the most accurate method that could be used. The dissolved oxygen concentration of the water will have to be tested on site rather than on samples taken back to the laboratory. This is because that some oxygen will enter or leave the water in the sample bottles during transporting to the laboratory. To obtain dissolved nitrate concentrations of water. Reflectometer Indicator strips Reflectometer The reflectometer gives the nitrate concentration quantitatively rather than a qualitative result from the indicator strips. It gives the concentration of nitrate in water in units of mg/l. Reflectometry allows the conversion of a single nitrate presence test in to a qualitative nitrate concentration analysis. As the name suggests, the test is conducted by reflection light on an indicator strip which will undergoes a colour change in the presence of nitrate. The strip changes colour in proportion to the concentration of nitrate in the water. The reflectometer is calibrated to detect the degree of this change and convert it into a quantitative concentration of nitrates. To obtain dissolved phosphate concentrations of water. Reflectometer Indicator strips Reflectometer (for high phosphate levels) Indicator strip and reagents kit (for low phosphate levels: 3.0mg/l Similar to the nitrate concentration test, the reflectometer gives the concentration of phosphate in the water quantitatively. One difference between testing for phosphate and nitrate is that there is going to be much less phosphate expected to be dissolved in the water than nitrate. If the nitrate concentration is smaller than 3.0mg/l, this reflectormeter will register the concentration only as low. Under these circumstances, another technique is used. In this technique, 5cm3 of water sample is used and a series of two reagents are added to it. The colour change underwent is compared to the colour changes on a chart. This gives the phosphate concentration to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.25mg/l accuracy. The reasons are similar to those for testing the nitrate concentrations of water. The phosphate low concentration test will present a range of five distinctive colour changes. These will correspond to the concentrations of 0.0mg/l, 0.5mg/l, 1.0mg/l, 1.5mg/l, 2.0mg/l, and 2.5mg/l. This give the phosphate level to a greater degree of accuracy the reflectometers for higher concentrations of phosphates, although the over all precision error will remain similar (0.5à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.5 = 1.0 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 5.0) To measure the depth of brook at different sites. Meter rule Meter rule The meter rule will be most suitable as only a rough guide for the depth of the brook is to be obtained. The waster will leave a mark on the ruler from which the depth can be taken. The meter rule will give the depth of the brook to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1mm. This is of an acceptable accuracy as only a rough guide of the depth of the stream at the sampling site is requires. To collect sample kicked up. 0.50 meter net width. 0.25 meter net width. 0.5mm holes. 1mm holes. 0.50m wide net with 1mm holes in the netting material with 2m handle. As kick sampling is preferred, as net of the biggest width should be used to ensure that all organisms disturbed by the kick sampling is collected. As gammarus pulex are larger than 1mm, the pores in the net will allow substrate to filter through while retaining the gammarus to be sampled. The biggest possible net is used to ensure that most of the sample kicked up from the stream bed is collected. A net with 1mm pores is used to allow mud particles to pass through the net. Less mud will be transferred to the vessel in which the gammarus pulex are counted. This means the water in the vessel will be clearer which means any gammarus pulex present can be spotted more easily. To mark out site of sample taking. 0.50m by 0.50m quadrants 1.00m by 1.00m quadrants. 0.50 x 0.50m quadrant. A suitably large area of the stream will be marked out by this quadrant for sampling. At the same time the quadrant is not so big so that the speed of water flow does not vary within the area enclosed by the quadrant. A good sized quadrant will allow a site to be marked out for sampling. The quadrant chosen will increase the reliability of the test by allowing a large enough area with the same flow rate to be sampled. Apparatus required to classify and count the numbers of gammarus pulex in each sample. White enamel tray Pipette Plastic spoon. White enamel tray Pipette Plastic spoon. A white enamel tray will offer a light background to contrast the darker colours of the gammarus pulex so that they can be easily spotted. Pipette and plastic spoons will allow gammarus to be removed from enamel tray once they are counted. This avoids one gammarus being counted more than one time. Several major measures are to be take ensure the accuracy of the investigation. Water tamparature, oxygen concentrations, and water samples are collected before any sample is taken. This ensures that the abiotic variables of the water is not disturbed before they are measure. Whilst sampling, always work from down stream to up stream. This means that sites up stream from where the sample is taken is not disturbed. For each sample, the same number of kicks is done with the same hardness. From my preliminary work, kicking each spot ten times gives an adequate numbers of shrimps in each sample. It was seen that if the shrimp population density at a site is high, kicking 10 times brings up large number of gammarus pulex. At areas with low gammarus concentration however, only small numbers of gammarus are collected despite kicking ten times. Method 1. Select 10 sites in the river with 5 suitably ranged flow rates. This can be estimated by firstly measuring the depth of the brook at that point with a meter ruler. Make sure there are no drastic differences in percentage branch cover by using a section of hose pipe. 2. Once a site is chosen, the dissolved oxygen level and the water temperature must be measured first. This means that the water is no disturbed before the measuring which could lead to anomalous results. Water dissolved O2 levels Submerge probe in water. Do not sub merge the electrical wires. Move probe gently in water and wait for dissolve O2 level reading to equilibrate on digital display. Record the dissolve oxygen level in mg/l. Temperature Submerge metal part of thermometer into the water. Water for readings to equilibrate Record the water temperature. 3. Water sample is taken with a 150ml water sample bottle. The water sample should be taken from as close to the bottom of the stream as possible as this is the immediate surrounding of the freshwater shrimps. 3. The flow rate of the water is then tested with an impellor. The impellor device is placed in to the water. When in rotates freely, the digital counter is switched on. A flow rate speed is then given after 30 seconds of testing. Wait another 30 seconds to ensure that the reading displayed is correct since the first reading could be erroneous. 4. Before taking the sample, fill a white porcelain tray with water from the brook. This will allow any fauna collected to survive while the sample is being counted. 5. A 50cm x 50cm quadrat is then placed into the brook. Collect the sample by using the kick sampling technique on areas within the quadrat. The substrate is kicked ten times with the same hardness. The disturbed substrate and organisms is then collected by the net placed down stream. 6. The sample in the net is emptied in to a porcelain tray. It is rinsed with water in the porcelain tray to ensure no life forms are stuck on to the net. 7. Any gammarus pulex identified in the sample is counted. To avoid counting the same shrimp twice, the counted shrimps are removed by a plastic spoon or pipette in to a plastic palette. Once counting is completed the shrimps are returned back in to the brook. 8. All of the remaining substrate and fauna in the porcelain tray are returned in to the river also. 9. Within the vicinity of the quadrant, choose another undisturbed site around 15cm up stream and repeat the process above. A site upstream is used to ensure that the site used is not disturbed when the previous sample is taken. 10. Ten samples should be taken altogether from a site with a certain flow rate. 11. The above is to be repeated with the other nine sites. Testing of water samples The pH, nitrate, and phosphate levels are tested in the laboratory due to the nature of the equipment which has to be used. Nitrate 1. Set test 261 on reflectonmeter. 2. Dip NO3- indicator strip in water sample. 3. Start 60 second count down. 4. The indicator strip should change to a purple colour if nitrates are present. 5. Insert the strip in to the reflectonmeter after 55 seconds. 6. Record the nitrated concentration displayed (mg/l) Phosphate 1. Put 5ml of water sample in to a small bottle. 2. Add in with it 10 drops of H2SO4 (care corrosive). Shake to mix. 3. Select test 124 on reflectonmeter. 4. Start 90 sec countdown. 5. Dip indicator strip in sample. 6. There will not be any colour change if low amounts of phosphate are present. 7. If phosphate levels are below 3mg/l, the reflectonmeter will display LOW. If this happens, use the low phosphate test as below. Low Phosphate 1. Put 5ml of water sample in to a small bottle. 2. Add in with it 5 drops of H2SO4 (care corrosive). 3. Add 1 measure of Reagent 2 then shake for 2min to mix. 4. There should be a colour change of the solution. Compare the colour change with the chart provided to ascertain phosphate level. pH Insert digital pH meter into water sample. Swirl around and wait till reading equilibrates. Record the pH. Safety precautions Make sure that there is someone around at all times, and do not work alone. Do not sample areas in the brook which is too deep. Wear rubber gloves while sampling to avoid infections. Carry a mobile phone in case of an emergency. Give mobile contact numbers to staff. Sign in and out of the field centre so that the staffs know my whereabouts. Analysis of results I will calculate the standard deviation for the data collected from each site of the stream. This will tell me the diversity of the data collected at these sites. I will plot the graph of shrimp density against water current flow. This will inform me of any correlation that may be present between the two variables. I will carry out Spearmans correlation to establish the strength of the correlation between the variables above. I will plot the graph of rate of water flow against dissolve oxygen concentration. This will inform me of any correlation that may be present between the two variables. I will carry out Spearmans correlation to establish the strength of the correlation between the variables above. If there seem to be a linear proportionality between any of the two pairs of variables above, I will calculate the regression line which will enable me to plot a line of best fit onto my graph. This will allow me to carry out interpolations of the data which could give me a chance to carry out further studies in the future to see whether the interpolations are reliable, thus determining the accuracy of this study. By looking at the data for the dissolved oxygen concentration at the different sites and the rate of water flow at each site, it is obvious that there is no correlation between the two variables as I had expected. I will still plot a graph between the two variables and carry out spearmans rank correlation coefficient to support the null hypothesis. Below are examples of how I carried out the statistical analysis. Spearmans rank coefficient Flow rate of water /m/s Density of gammarus pulex R1 R2 d d2 7 8 13 22 14 16 12 7 19 13 ? Conclusion * There is a positive correlation between the current flow rate and the density of gammarus pulex found at the site. * The abiotic factors tested remains constant throughout the river, it is therefore assumed that the varying densities of gammarus pulex collected at different sites are not affected by these. The constant nature of abiotic factors is caused by the moving nature of the water. Any nitrate, phosphate, and oxygen will be well mixed to obtain equilibrium. The temperature of the water remained constant for the same reason. * Contrary to my prediction, the dissolved oxygen level in the stream was indeed higher than that in still water. * If varying oxygen levels are not the main cause for the diversity of shrimp density, the cause could be attributed to the different nature of substrates found at different sources. * Faster sections of the stream have more small stones under which the gammarus may cling for shelter to avoid the current. The stone acts as a barrier for the gammarus against the water. Thus the numbers of gammarus in these faster, rockier sections thrive. In slower sections of the stream, more sediment is deposited. This leads to muddy sections of the river bed. Here, gammarus will have less protection from the streams currents. They would have to burrow under the surface of the muddy substrate. This is far difficult than hiding behind a stone. Smaller numbers of gammarus will be able to remain there, thus its density is the lowest in slower sections of the river. * At faster sections of the stream, fewer other species of fresh water organisms will be able to survive due to them being unable to cling in to rocks and being washed away. This means there is less overlapping of the niches of organisms and thus less competition for the shrimps. This means the shrimp population is able to grow larger than areas with slower current speeds.9 To be sure of the assumption above, more tests need to be carried out in site with flow rates of between 0.05-0.15m/s and ;0.05m/s. Discussion Percentage branch cover. Substrate quality. I mentioned carrying out further tests to find out the accuracy of interpolations make from the available data, it is however more likely that as the flow rate of water is increased further, the increase in the number of gammarus found at these sites will not increase in the same proportions as before. A graph of this is shown below: This is due to other limiting factors such as intra species competition. Evaluation Assumptions made to limit In reality, a wide range of factors would act along with the speed of water flow to affect the gammarus population density. Assumptions were made that other factors will not vary greatly since the sampling was conducted in a single river. Although many important variables were tested to confirm that they are indeed fairly constant, there are fluctuations in the concentration of nitrate () at the different sites. This probably will have had an effect for the sample data. For example, the nitrate concentration at the site with the water flow rate of 0.18m/s is 53mg/l compared with the rest of the sites having a nitrate concentration of about 47mg/l. It is instances like this which may limit the reliabilities of the findings. There may be other abiotic factors which I did not have the means to measure affecting the gammarus pulex density. For example, the calcium carbonate concentration of the water is an important issue concerning the density of shrimps. Shrimps require calcium to form and repair their shells. The assumption was made that all of the shrimps which were collected in each sample were correctly classified and tallied. The fact is that it was far from certain that every single shrimp in sample is indeed counted. The classification of the gammarus made difficult by the amount of substrate brought up along with each sample. Large numbers of shrimps in a single sample made counting difficult since they are mostly fast moving. Difficulties caused by method The method caused unavoidable disturbances to both the water and the substrates of the river bed other than that of the sampled area. This is due to that many groups are conductiong investigations in the stream at once. The disturbed water meant that the various abiotic variables of the river is disturbed. It also affects the speed of water flow as people standing in the river unavoibly obstructs the flow of the river. Sources of error Limitations of method * Uneven kicking It is very hard to control the amount of stream bed disturbed by each kick. Although the number of kicks is kept constant, it is very hard to keep constant the area and amount of substrates and fauna sampled each time. * Not all disturbed substrate collected Due to the width of the net, it is impossible to collect every bit of potential sample that is kicked up. * Equipment cross contamination The reflectometers, pH meters which were shared between the groups could have been contaminated with the samples of other groups. Thus giving a higher NO3- level that the actual value etc. * Not all shrimps sampled It cannot be guaranteed that every gammarus collected in the sample will be counted. This could be caused by the size pf the gammarus, problems with identifying, and gammarus hiding below substrates brought up with the sample. The numbers of gammarus counted should be treated as a bare minimum. * Slightly different speeds at different sites Although several impellor readings are taken at different areas within the 0.25m2 area within the quadrat, it is more than likely that there will be areas in the site where the speed will vary. * The dissolved O2 level meter did not work at the site. Therefore the dissolved O2 levels of the water samples collected in bottles were tested back at the lab. To avoid oxygen to be mixed in to the water while inside the bottle, the bottle was filled completely full to the brim. Due to the concave shape of the lids, some air bubbles remained in the bottle. This could have had an effect on the dissolved oxygen levels recorded. * Other investigations taking place upstream * There were other people conducting investigations up stream. This means that the samples I collect could contain some shrimps that have been disturbed and the carried down the stream by the current. This will increased the number of shrimps I collect in some samples. * Errors in classifying species of shrimp * Precision errors of apparatus ; Meter Rule à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.5mm ; Flow meter à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.01m/s ; Oxygen meter à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1.5% of total scale of 0.0 19.9mg/l ; Reflectometer à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.5mg/l ; Digital thermometer à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.3 ; Digital pH meter à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.2 These contribute to the percentage errors of the results. Anomalous results Anomalous results are highlighted in red in the result table. These are excluded when the average for each site is calculated. This is so that it will affect the reliability of the data. The anomalies would probably have arisen due to the limitations to the method listed above. Improvements * Sample a larger number of sites to further establish a trend. * Sample different rivers to see if the trend is replicated. * Find regions in the stream where the water current is faster to see if the trend continues linearly, or whether there is a cut off point to this positive correlation. * Retest sites which seem to give anomalous results. * Investigate the contribution of substrate quality to shrimp density * Reflectometers could have been contaminated with water samples of other groups. Since the equipment is shared, other groups using the reflectometer to test water samples would have their water left in the testing slot. This will results in the indictor strip changing its colour to another shade thus registering an anomalous NO3 reading. Further work Futher work should be conducted to investigate the relationship between the substrate quality of different sites of the stream and the number of gammarus pulex these sites contain. * Investigate whether the diversity of fresh water fauna is linked with the speed of the water flowing at the point. This will show whether interspecies competition has a major effect on the population density gammarus pulex.

What You and I Can Learn From Writer Patricia Raybon

What You and I Can Learn From Writer Patricia Raybon What You and I Can Learn From Patricia Raybon Who she is Her essays have been published inThe New York Times Magazine, Newsweek,USAToday, TheChicago Tribune, TheDenverPost, Guideposts,and aired on National Public radio. The first two of her five books,My First White Friend: Confessions on Race, Love, and Forgiveness(Viking/Penguin) andI Told the Mountain to Move(Tyndale) were award winners. Her latest book (Undivided: A Muslim Daughter, Her Christian Mother, Their Path to Peace) releasesApril 28. (She’s the mother.) Her pedigree B.A. in journalism fromOhioState M.A. in journalism from theUniversity ofColorado Former editor ofThe Denver Post SundayContemporary Magazine Former feature writer forTheRocky Mountain News Former professor of journalism at the UniversityofColorado Former stringer, TIME Magazine, Denver Bureau Her personal life Married 39 years toDan Mother of two grown daughters Grandmother of five What Patricia’s lauded career can teach us Her writing awards already filled several single-spaced pages when she sold a personal essay toThe New York TimesSundayMagazinethat resulted in literary agents hounding her for a month. Her husband urged her to give bookwriting a try.My First White Friendwon a major award and is still in print after more than 20 years. The secret? Sure, she was an accomplished writer. But there are many of those. Just not many with books that stay in print longer than six months, let alone two decades. But Patricia wrote that essay from her passion, from her own experience, from her gut. And of course the resulting book came from that same place. What she told her university students about writing That good character makes good writing. â€Å"Talent helps, of course,† she says with a smile. â€Å"But hard work, persistence, integrity, curiosity, follow-through- these turn a dabbler into a professional.† She says writing is about truth and courage. â€Å"When readers see that on paper, they are often stunned. It’s transparent and real. You want writing gold? Know your truth and have the courage to tell it.† The biggest weakness she sees in beginning writers? â€Å"Fear.† What she says makes a good book stand out â€Å"It’s written for the reader, not for the author. Engage the reader, evoke an experience, as the famous editorSol Steinadvised. That tells the reader they matter.† What impresses me most about Patricia Raybon Her new book,Undivided: A Muslim Daughter, Her Christian Mother, Their Path to Peace,is a stunner. I read several books a month, so my standards keep getting higher. This one is riveting. Imagine your own grown child leaving the faith she was raised in. I could tell you all the twists and turns and agonizing dynamics of praying, arguing, discussing, and wishing things were otherwise- all the while desperately loving your own flesh and blood and not wanting to jeopardize the relationship. But this is one you have to read for yourself to see how a master writer handles a most delicate subject. Click here to get a copy. What will you apply from Patricia’s writing life to your own this week?

William Connor Case Study for Cruise Industry Essay

William Connor Case Study for Cruise Industry - Essay Example This "William Connor Case Study for Cruise Industry" essay describes the dissimilarities flanked by the proponents and adversaries of approach, in so as to a conversation is based on why planning is much maligned by its opponents. Strategic organization has usually been portrayed as rotating approximately the separate stages of formulation, accomplishment, and manages, approved out in approximately cascade ladder for ships. These are three stepladder of the intended move toward to plan involves an official procedure to approach configuration: problem consciousness, the growth of explanations and the assortment of an answer (Forbes and Fletcher, 2000). In the similar background, Marlo (2000) indicate a intended approach encompass of a announcement of detailed and spoken meaning, holders with official gearshift (Boisot, M., and Child, J, 2004, 600-628). Jauch and Osborn (1991) observations with his understanding that towards a triumphant outcome of the approach, a firm arrangement is essential for an association. Hence all choices complete from the top organization can be approved out all through the association, with the â€Å"populace† persuaded and act in ways that are predictable to create attractive consequences ad hoc to the diagram. Therefore, strategy-making power rests with top organization, consigns a federal power in an association. In vision of the onward looking natural earth of a intended approach, Mazzolini (1988) experiential that goals or purpose fulfillments are the dangerous ending of the approach.

Summarize the Ssources Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Summarize the Ssources - Coursework Example For example, in the case of Marijuana, it evaluates health issues related with the drug. Medical anthropology is discussed in the book’s first part; the second part evaluates the environment and health along with the social sources of certain health issues, the range of medical systems in various societies is evaluated in the third part while the fourth part is in support of the fusion of social action and theoretical perspectives (Baer, et al., n.p.). The book provides an approach that is proportional and engaging in terms of both local and state politics. It demonstrates how the government and politics vary between communities and the states in which the communities are situated. It also identifies and discusses the sources and impacts of these differences. The book also looks at concepts put forward by societal scientists concerning the impacts of institutions and regulations on policies and politics. An example is that of the Arizona department of health that was tasked with regulating sale and use of Marijuana specifically for medicinal reasons. By evaluating such institutional mandates, the book gives insight on the outcomes and impacts of such regulations. The book also evaluates the effects of public policies and political bodies on public predicaments, and people like policies on prohibited drugs and their use (Donovan et al., n.p.). The book specifically and categorically looks at the campaign by the federal government against Marijuana. According to the book, the campaign by the federal government against Marijuana is focused on all aspects of Marijuana that include, its growth, cultivation, sale, and use that includes medicinal and recreational purposes. The book goes through the various administrations that have led the federal government including the Clinton, Bush, and Reagan administrations. It evaluates the efforts of these administrations to stop every use of Marijuana. The book looks at how these administrations disregarded

The Toyota Production and Marketing Plan Assignment

The Toyota Production and Marketing Plan - Assignment Example An organization’s internal marketing and a production function affects virtually all organizational activities. The motor vehicle industry in the United States of America is one of the main contributors to the country’s economic success, creating over 600,000 jobs per year. One of the universally known motor vehicle manufacturers in the country is Toyota Company. The company has instituted a well-organized and managed network that transforms separated parts and raw materials into fully functioning vehicles. The network entails the identification and financing of raw materials, promotion activities, management and distribution of the finished products to the end users (Toyota’s U.S, 2011). The Toyota Company also works hand in hand with other firms that have the business of producing motor vehicle parts, sales, and final vehicle assembly. Referring to the International Trade Commission, in the production of Toyota vehicles, the United States Toyota company imports motor vehicle parts worth over $ 77 million per year. However, the amount is projected to increase within the coming years. Tires and brakes is some of the highly-imported vehicle parts by the company in the production of a fully functional Toyota vehicle. ... Japan is currently the leading exporter of drive train components into the Toyota Company. Mexico on the other hand has dominated the supply of Toyota vehicle interior components including seats parts and wiring harnesses. Mexico’s supplies into the company are preferred due to its sensitive labor costs. To necessitate efficient and timely production and marketing of Toyota vehicles in the global market, the United States of America Toyota company has created an exceptionally productive Just-In-Time strategy. The strategy aims at ensuring that, raw materials and other essential components are delivered to the company instantly and at the right time. This has reduced tremendously time wastage in the production process. It is also significant to note that, most of the vehicles manufactured by the company are sometimes not meant for the global market. Additionally, to be relevant and competitive in the global market, Toyota Company has also established manufacturing plants in som e of its major regional and global markets. Initially, the United States of America’s Toyota primary market was in Europe and the United States of America. However, the company has in the recent past expanded its markets into other countries including South Korea, China, and in Africa, forcing it to open manufacturing plants to the identified countries. The absence of industry-wide standards has forced the Toyota Company to have a worldwide customization of Toyota vehicles in global market. In these cases, the company gives its customers the choice to specify a particular vehicle model. The customization is in most cases done either through online services

The Age Of Neoliberalism Politics Essay

The Age Of Neoliberalism Politics Essay Neoliberalism is in the first instance, a theory of political economic practices that proposes that human well-being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong private property rights, free markets and free trade. The role of the state is to create and preserve an institutional framework appropriate to such practices. The state has to guarantee, for example, the quality and integrity of money. It must also set up those military, defence, police and legal structures and functions required to secure private property rights and to guarantee, by force if need be, the proper functioning of markets. Furthermore, if markets do not exist (in areas such as land, water, education, health care, social security, or environmental pollution) then they must be created, by state action if necessary. But beyond these tasks the state should not venture. State interventions in markets (once created) must be kept to a bare minimum because, according to the theory, the state cannot possibly possess enough information to second-guess market signals (prices) and because powerful interest groups will inevitably distort and bias state interventions (particularly in democracies) for their own benefit Its foundations can be traced back to the classical liberalism advocated by Adam Smith, and to the specific conception of man and society on which he founds his economic theories. Neoliberalism is, under this view, thought of as an entirely new paradigm for economic theory and policy-making the ideology behind the most recent stage in the development of capitalist society and at the same time a revival of the economic theories of Smith and his intellectual heirs in the nineteenth century. A great reversal had taken place, where neoliberalism had replaced the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes and his followers. Keynesianism, as it came to be called, was the dominant theoretical framework in economics and economic policy-making in the period between 1945 and 1970, The theory stipulated that full employment is necessary for capitalism to grow and it can be achieved only if governments and central banks intervene to increase employment. These ideas had much influence on Presiden t Roosevelts New Deal, which did improve life for many people. The belief that government should advance the common good became widely accepted. But the capitalist crisis over the last 25 years, with its shrinking profit rates, inspired the corporate elite to revive economic liberalism. It was then replaced by a more monetaristà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ approach inspired by the theories and research of Milton Friedman is an ideology somewhat similar to and yet markedly different from much conventional conservative thought, and often hardly recognisable as a genuinely conservative that individual liberty depends on there being a free-market economy, where the state has voluntarily given up its ability to control the economy for the good of society as a whole, or the interests of its own citizens. The main points of neo-liberalism include: The rule of the market: Liberating free enterprise or private enterprise from any bonds imposed by the government (the state) no matter how much social damage this causes. Greater openness to international trade and investment, as in NAFTA. Reduce wages by de-unionizing workers and eliminating workers rights that had been won over many years of struggle. No more price controls. All in all, total freedom of movement for capital, goods and services. To convince us this is good for us, they say an unregulated market is the best way to increase economic growth, which will ultimately benefit everyone. Its like Reagans supply-side and trickle-down economics, but somehow the wealth didnt trickle down very much. Cutting public expenditure for public service: like education and health care.reducing the safety net for the poor, and even maintenance of roads, bridges, water supply, again in the name of reducing governments role. Of course, they dont oppose government subsidies and tax benefits for business. Deregulation: Reduce government regulation of everything that could diminish profits, including protecting the environment and safety on the job. Privatization: Sell state-owned enterprises, goods and services to private investors. This includes banks, key industries, railroads, toll highways, electricity, schools, hospitals and even fresh water. Although usually done in the name of greater efficiency, which is often needed, privatization has mainly had the effect of concentrating wealth even more in a few hands and making the public pay even more for its needs. Eliminating the concept of public good or community and replacing it with individual responsibility. Pressuring the poorest people in a society to find solutions to their lack of health care, education and social security all by themselves then blaming them, if they fail, as lazy. Neoliberalism has played a major role in redefining the nature of the welfare state. The fundamental problem with neoliberalism, is their perception that the market can cure all problems especially when dealing with the welfare system, which they believe has no reason to exist. They prefer to use either negative income tax or other market-based means to provide for them. Whats worse is they rationalize not giving welfare people through a variety of means which Linda Gordon typifies the problem in their perception with her enlightening and shocking article Who deserves Help? Who must provide? Within it she explicates how the neoliberals pressure the poorest people in a society to find a job, then blame them if they fail, as lazy. She then delves into of how a major structural feature of the US welfare system is that stratification of entitlement justified by degrees of deservingness creates perception of deservingness and undeservingness.  [i]  Many studies show that welfare recip ients find welfare degrading and demoralizing, and greatly prefer the chance to work. There is no incentive for lazy people to enrol in welfare because the payments do not allow families to make ends meet. In the case of the US its gender based, more specifically for mothers (especially single ones.) Welfare mothers familys rent and utilities cost more than the welfare check. Even for those few who receive housing assistance, very little is left over to cover all other monthly expenses, such as transportation, clothing, hygiene and school supplies. The typical food stamp allowance is insufficient, and many recipients actually go hungry near the end of the month. To make ends meet, mothers have to receive income from somewhere else. They do so because they cannot get jobs that pay better than welfare. The very reason why they cant get any jobs that pay better than welfare is a direct result of neoliberal practices that result in only low-wage work remaining in the West. As a result of outsourcing, factories and subsequently jobs, neoliberal countries do nothing to stop multinational corporations from doing so for they would be affecting free trade. Thus allowing jobs to leave the country and people being exploited elsewhere. As well the only real jobs that are really created in recent years have been predominantly retail and service jobs that are low paying and thus inadequate substitutes for the working poor or mothers, to help themselves out of the poverty line. In their article welfare reform as race population control, Kenneth Neubeck and Noel Cazenave continue Gordons path, by charting the evolution of welfare racism and the rationale behind this racism in the United States through a detailed analysis of specific case studies. They delve into welfare racism against black people, immigrants in general and black women. Beginning with the 1911 mothers pensions (largely intended for white widowed women), Neubeck and Cazenave demonstrate that U.S. welfare policy has been racialized, gendered and stigmatized from its very inception, at times excluding and discriminating against African Americans, then eventually immigrants and at other times providing a limited form of highly stigmatized assistance. Using their concept of welfare racism as an analytical tool, the authors explain that: welfare racism exists as a major force shaping contemporary public assistance attitudes, policies and practices à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it serves three major functions, s ocial stratification and social control functions for racialized societies and their racial states.'  [ii]  Welfare racism provides social prestige for the general white population, political and career power for its politicians and other elites, and economic acquisition for the nations economic elite in the form of a large and easily exploitable low-wage labour pool. This is what is needed to perpetuate neoliberalism it is integral to the continual expansion of profits upon which capitalism depends. Neoliberalism is constituted not simply by the exchange of things but is founded on the commodification (which the next article the Three worlds of Welfare Capitalism further delves into) and exchange of labour itself: the source of profit. This is the primary goal of this racialization. As well in tracing the ways that welfare racism exists, persists and changes, Neubeck and Cazenave reveal the mythical and erroneous and persistent characterization of African-American women as welf are queens or welfare mothers. This racism-centered framework provides an excellent lens for exploring the links between stigmatized welfare policy and stereotypes of poor racialized women and men in U. S. social and political discourse. The reason this becazme a popular notion, that of stereotyping black people, immigrants and mothers (especially black ones) is that Neoliberalism is a failing policy, and has not been at all successful in reducing unemployment to the levels that free trade was purported to, in fact its increased ion every country that has implemented them, thus they have no choice but to rationalize this disaster of a policy by blaming not the economic component, but rather the people. Their either lazy, immigrants looking to freeload or welfare mothers who merely desire to have babies and again freeload off the system. Neoliberalism provides the jobs, they just dont want to work them. Their rationale sadly isnt backed up by statistics, for each year America and our country Canada loses major jobs in our manufacturing sector, which sadly service or retail based jobs we might gain dont make up for this loss. Neoliberalism has proven itself to be an unsuccessful ideology in the way it treats its citizens and the next article The three worlds of Welfare Capitalism really delves deep into Neoliberalisms commodification of its citizens. I will commence my analysis of this article by addressing the concept of commodification. Furthermore, I will summarize the three theories presented and apply them to the concept of commodification.   This will lead to the synthesis of themes presented and will, if my intentions are realized, provoke response to the idea of commodifying (or decommodifying) human labour.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whilst reading about commodified labour images of workers with price tags and discount tickets floated through my subconscious in much the same way one might imagine a car lot.   Rows of eager workers aiming to receive the best price for their resources and skills while at the same time guaranteeing they dont get passed over in favour of the more appealing offer in the next row.   Perhaps comparing human capabilities with a car lot appears crude and grossly dysfunctional, but the methodology behind such madness will become apparent.  I shall, therefore, draw upon this analogy in order to develop an analysis of Esping-Andersons welfare regimes. A commodified worker is, in simple terms, a worker with a price.   On a purely micro level, the individual determines what he or she must earn in order to survive within the constraints of the cash nexus, a decision influenced by macro level factors such as the demand and price typically awarded for a particular skill or qualification. Within the market the neoliberalism appears justified: the worker can freely choose between alternative utilities, jobs, employers, and leisure trade-offs. Thus, in a model free market, the worker is able to make decisions freely and without negative ramifications.  Conversely, it is the decommodification of the worker that Esping-Anderson aspires to as this definition of commodification implies that the market is indeed dogmatic.  Furthermore, in reality the market is far from stable and is unrelenting to those unable to participate. Referring to the analogy of car lots commodification requires several conditions including the stability previously mentioned.   This would enable the worker to obtain a fair wage from an employer in much the same way a dealer would assess a fair price to a worthy vehicle.  Ã‚  The absence of stability in the marketplace leads to the inability of workers to exercise freedom of choice.   Faced with the dilemma of an injury (think a head-gasket or deflated tires) the worker must withdraw from the marketplace to recover. But unlike a car with easily replaceable parts return to the marker may not be as simple or prompt and the worker will require an alternative means of income.   The inability to work decreases choice based on the sole premise that ones skills are no longer active and thus, no longer in demand as a commodity.   The employer will seek out alternative labour just as a dealer purchasing new vehicles for the lot would move right along to the cars in the next row; a fter all who wants a car lot of faulty or less than optimal vehicles?   The worker must find a means of survival.   It is within this framework the humanistic element of welfare emerges.   When a worker can no longer subsist independently, what resources exist to prevent degradation?   It is this dilemma which introduces the humanistic element to the analogy.  A car is easily replaced without much consequence to the defunct vehicle itself.  A worker, while potentially easily replaced, most certainly does experience the negative consequences negative of commodification.   For example, transition to a new job may require specific, time consuming, potentially costly retraining.   Esping-Anderson offers a critique of the three theories of welfare, feeling that although some attempt to solve the problem decommodifcation doesnt exist from any of these approaches, it only deceptively convinces the masses that they are being aided. The first theory is the social-insurance model. The adoption of the German social security approach by the Western European countries and the USA countries had two fundamental purposes; the first one to cover the human risks to guarantee a productive labour class; and the second one to maintain the security of the elites, through of control and the stabilization of the labour class. It sought to achieve two simultaneous stratification results. The first goal was to consolidate divisions amongst wage earners by legislating distinct programs for different class and status groups, each with its own conspicuously unique set of rights and privileges designed to accentuate the individuals appropriate station in life. The second objective was to tie the loyalties of the individual directly to the monarchy or in our case (state authority). The goal was to combat labour movements.  [iii]  The state is viewed largely as a minimal interventionist with any welfare allocated firmly upholding the stratification of society or maintaining the hierarchical/patriarchal structure.   The second tactic was Fraternal societies were voluntary mutual-aid associations. The principle behind the fraternal societies was simple. A group of working-class people would form an association (or join a local branch, or lodge, of an existing association) and pay monthly fees into the associations treasury; individual members would then be able to draw on the pooled resources in time of need. The fraternal societies thus operated as a form of self-help insurance company. Sadly despite this supposedly being a fraternal collectivistic approach and an example of a true communalism, the end result was stratification for the weakest, the most likely to need help wereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦likely[to] be excluded.  [iv]   A third porposed methodology was universalism, which is an integral system based on the provision of social welfare for all through public or private institutions rather than partial and individuals subsidies. Programs are established universally to serve everybody and are financed by Government. In this approach institutions are obligated to deliver social services to all without constrains As a principle universalism focuses in Society as a whole; it does not distinguish by class, religion, age, race, sexual orientation, or gender. Universalism in social policy is a re-distributive institutional approach; it considers social welfare as a very important institution of society providing general services outside the market on the basis of the necessities principle. Of course, the reality of fully socialized welfare programs is minimal due to the overwhelming maintenance costs and the problems experienced by governments that try to convince the population to pay higher taxes in order t o provide for those who do not compete in the market place, unwillingly or not. There are, however, several states which strive for high levels of decommodification the best examples situated in the countries comprising Scandinavia.   For him, this model incorporates the redistributions system of available resources along time. However despite sounding equitable the end result was not what was intended. Without verging upon the perimeter of repetition the following summaries of the three major theories presented by Esping-Anderson serve as the foundation for the ultimate link with commodification. This will illustrate the extent to which regime types with characteristics of any of the three regime-types embrace, or berate the decommodification of labour.   The neoliberal welfare regime argues that a free market will abolish class and inequality, while state intervention only strengthens issues of class. The neoliberal model argues that democracy and universal suffrage would be likely to politicize the distributional struggle, pervert the market, and fuel inefficiencies. In reality, however, the neoliberal regime, through the capitalist system, tends to commodify labour to such an extent that people were unable to survive outside of the market. Stripping society of the institutional layers that guaranteed social reproduction outside the labour contract meant the people were decommodified. This leads to a difficulty in class mobilization as workers are now nothing more than a commodity to be traded between industries. As such, they are unlikely to gain the political power to translate power into desired policies and reforms. Because the neoliberal regime is so reliant on market forces, the state will not intervene unless the familial or market institutions fail. Esping-Anderson refers to this structure as a residual or welfare state. Such a state is characterized by means-tested social assistance. This often punishes and stigmatizes recipients of social welfare and ultimately creates a system of class stratification, particularly between the middle class who relies on market social insurance and the poor who are reliant on state-sponsored social insurance programs. Generally, the benefits offered by the neoliberal regime are quite small, as social welfare is seen as a cause of poverty and unemployment, and may lead to laziness and moral corruption. The Social-insurance model disagreed with the idea of laissez-faire economic policies. Esping-Anderson suggests that Social-insurance model ideal was the perpetuation of patriarchy and absolutism as the best legal, political, and social shell for capitalism without class struggle.  [v]   The Social-insurance model paradigm sees a more authoritarian state as better fo r everyone, as opposed to a more chaotic system based on free markets. As such, the corporatist model created its first social policies because the corporatists saw liberalism democracy and capitalism as destroying the old hierarchical structure. In sum, the Social-insurance model does not want to see people starve commodification is morally repugnant. Rather, they want people to subordinate self-interest to recognized authority and prevailing institutions.  [vi]   This idea is characterized in the modern social welfare regimes in that it is still reliant on many of the precommodification institutions. Rather than having people be slaves to the market, the corporatist model makes people reliant on the state. Lastly, the universalism model argues that the accumulation of capital disowns people of property. This leads to deeper class divisions. Additionally, social welfare initiatives like those posed by the neoliberal and corporatist model, is more conducive to ensuring class di visions in the name of stability, instead of actually addressing need . The universalism model expands on this premise, arguing that by bringing social policy into the parliament, workers will have less dependence on the market and employers. This, coupled with a strong coalition between labour and other groups, farmers perhaps, leads to a system of equality and socialism through the exercise of political power Around the world, neo-liberalism has been imposed by powerful financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. It is raging all over Latin America. The first clear example of neo-liberalism at work came in Chile (with thanks to University of Chicago economist Milton Friedman), after the CIA-supported coup against the popularly elected Allende regime in 1973. Other countries followed, with some of the worst effects in Mexico where wages declined 40 to 50% in the first year of NAFTA while the cost of living rose by 80%. Over 20,000 small and medium businesses have failed and more than 1,000 state-owned enterprises have been privatized in Mexico. In the United States neo-liberalism is destroying welfare programs; attacking the rights of labour (including all immigrant workers); and cutting back social programs. The Republican Contract on America is pure neo-liberalism. Its supporters are working hard to deny protection to children, youth, women, the planet itself, and trying to trick Americans into acceptance by saying this will get government off my back. The beneficiaries of neo-liberalism are a minority of the worlds people. For the vast majority it brings even more suffering than before: suffering without the small, hard-won gains of the last 60 years, suffering without end.

Essay --

​Throughout history there have been several radical events which have ultimately affected large groups of the human population, if not the world in its entirety. The events of World War II are without question a part of that list of radical events. Lasting approximately six years, this global war went from unprovoked acts of military invasion, to acts of mass genocide, to utilization of suicide bombers, and even the first appearance and use of atomic weapons. While it’s not hard to understand why the events in this war, or really any war or large scale battle, can be considered radical in nature, it is also not uncommon to also question whether certain actions were or were not ethical [1]. For instance, it has often been questioned whether the United States’ decision to drop two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was ethical or not. While many people may struggle with the realization of the aftermath of these events, to me the answer i s quite clear. The United States' utilization of nuclear weapons against Japan during WWII was neither necessary nor ethical. ​Before any rational discussion or analysis on the topic can be formally begun, I believe it is of relative importance to clarify exactly what is meant by the word â€Å"ethical.† Ethics can roughly be defined as the moral principles and standards that govern people’s, or groups of people’s, behavior, thoughts and general way of thinking. This means that when one deems an event or action as ethical or unethical one is not simply deciding if said event was right or wrong [1]. Ethical labeling implies that one has taken the general mindset of the society in which they consider themselves a part of as well as their own personal feelings, thoughts and opini... ...us that while the U.S. did not intend to formally enter the conflicts of the time, it was the actions taken by the Japanese that caused us to declare war. History also tells us that the Japanese didn't stand a chance against the U.S. and it's coordinated efforts with allies. The fact still remains that the Second World War was ended with the utilization of nuclear weapons against two Japanese cities. Asking if the attacks were necessary, majority of what is now known says no. Asking if the attacks were right or wrong, the simple fact is I believe it was wrong for the U.S. to implement that kind of attack on populations that were primarily composed of noncombatant civilians. Between one, let alone two, atomic weapons not being necessary and it being obvious how inhumane and wrong the attacks were, there is no question in my mind that the events simply weren't ethical!

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Final Paper: â€Å"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down† By: Anne Fadiman Meghan Maloney 26 April 2013 To understand the struggles that the Hmong people face living in America it is important to understand where they come from and what they have gone through. The majority of the Hmong people originate from the mountainous country of Laos. The mountains created isolation from the neighboring cultures and cultivated a clan identity. They were part of a society where everyone worked together and lived off the land. They also practiced oral tradition since they could not read or write any language.Unfortunately, in the 1960’s Laos became the battlefield for the Vietnam War. The land was destroyed and the Hmong were forced to move or fight. Many evacuated while many were trained and armed by the U. S. as a secret guerrilla army. During this time of war, the Hmong lost all self-sufficiency, and became dependent on the U. S. for food as well as survival. An exodus of Hmong from Laos to Thailand was the death of many. The Hmong were hunted and forced to leave everything behind. The clan identity was left behind as well for it was everyman for himself. Those that were lucky enough to make it to Thailand were faced with assimilation.The Hmong saw assimilation as an insult and a threat to their culture. In order to resist oppression, the Hmong took the United State’s promise of land and government support, and moved to America. Still resisting assimilation in the U. S. , the Hmong were faced with culture shock. One of the biggest differences between Hmong culture and American culture is the practice of medicine. Anne Fadiman in â€Å"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down† tells this clash as the story of Lia Lee and her American doctors. Lia Lee is a Hmong child that was born in the U. S. n July 19, 1982, after her parents, Foua and Nao Kao Lee, moved to America. She was delivered at a hospital in Merced, California they way Americans th ink is normal-on a metal table, scissors to snip the placenta, washing the baby with soap, and putting the baby in a heated box. Normal childbirth for the Hmong would be the mother pulling the baby out herself in silence on the dirt floor of their hut and then burying the placenta under the house. The Hmong believe that when you die your soul will come back to get your placenta. When Lia was three months old, her sister, Yer, slammed the front door in her face.Moments later Lia’s eyes rolled up, her arms flailed over her head, and she fainted. Lia’s parents believe that the noise of the door had been so frightening that her soul fled her body and became lost. The resulting symptoms are recognized as Quag Dab Peg, â€Å"The spirit catches you and you fall down†. Having Quag Dab Peg gives the person the power to perceive things others cannot see, and is a prerequisite for the journey into the realm of the unseen. Quag Dab Peg is considered an honor and blessing in Hmong culture. It allows the person the opportunity of becoming a txiv neeb, or spirit healer.It also confers an enormous amount of social status in the community because the txiv neeb is seen as a person of high moral character since the spirit chose them. In Hmong culture, saving face is of high importance. Foua and Nao Kao Lee brought Lia to Merced Community Medical Center (MCMC) after she had 20 of what Americans call seizures. At times, the Lees believed that Lia’s epilepsy wasn’t as much of a medical problem as a gift. The Hmong believed in shamanistic animism, which asserts that malevolent spirits are constantly seeking human souls, especially those of vulnerable or unloved children.Their hope was that if the spirits decided to keep hold of Lia, that long-term she would become a tvix neeb, and if she did not become a tvix neeb, then their hope was that the sickness would be short-term. The American doctors in MCMC view the Hmong as problematic patients and were not empathetic with the traditional Hmong lifestyles. Because there are no interpreters, communication is always an issue, they bring lots of family members with them as well as animals, and they make loud noises. When Foua and Nao Kao arrived at MCMC Lia had stopped seizing and was coughing.The doctors were forced to as they put it â€Å"practice veterinary medicine† since they couldn’t talk with the Lees, and treated Lia for her cough. They diagnosed Lia with early bronchiopneumonia because she exhibited those symptoms. The doctors had no way of knowing that the bronchial congestion was caused by aspiration of saliva or vomit during her seizure without trying to communicate with the Lees. The doctors put a pen and paper in front of the Lees and had them scribble on it. The doctors assumed the Lees would be able to buy and administer the medications that the paper described in detail.In reality the Lees had no idea what they just signed and walked out. This same situ ation happened a few more times until one time the Lees brought Lia in when she was still seizing and Dr. Dan Murphy was on shift. Dr. Murphy had some knowledge of the Hmong and could certainly diagnose her with epilepsy. In Hmong-English dictionaries Quad Dab Peg translates to epilepsy. Lees parents and the American doctors both knew what disease she had but to different cultures it meant different things. As stated above, in Hmong culture it was a privilege and was caused by Lia losing her soul.In American culture, we believe epilepsy is caused by a sporadic malfunction of the brain due to a head injury, tumor, infection, etc. We view it as a disease and that it needs to be taken care of by giving the person anticonvulsant drugs since there is no cure. This is just what Dr. Murphy did. Lia was discharged with specific instructions on what medications to take, how much of each, and what time of day they were to be taken. Considering Hmong don’t have the same time keeping sys tem as Americans, can’t read, don’t know how to measure medicine, and don’t believe in all this medication, Lia did not receive any medication.The Lees believed a txiv neeb could help Lia, so they had one come over and sacrificed a cow for her. It did not help and the American doctors continued to see Lia not getting better when her parents kept bringing her to MCMC. The American doctors thought that because Lia had no levels of medication in her blood her parents were guilty of child abuse. If they would have seen how much the Lees loved and cared for Lia at home they would have known this was not the case. Instead, they got the government involved and took Lia from the Lees and sent her to a foster home.The Lees welcomed Lia home after a year apart and lots of work with a social worker, Jeanine, whom was very interested in the Hmong and helped with administering the seizure medications. Hmong have many customs and folkways that are contradicted by those of the American mainstream and medical communities; for example, upon Lia’s arrival home her parents sacrificed a cow to propitiate ancestors and cure her illness. They performed traditional Hmong medial practices like coin rubbing, pinching Lia, gave her an herb necklace, and tried changing Lia’s name so that the spirit would leave her body and not be able to find her.On Nov. 25, 1986 not long after being home, Lia had another seizure episode. After ten minutes had passed, Foua and Nao Kao got in touch with their nephew who could speak enough English to get an ambulance. By calling for an ambulance Lia was given more attention upon arrival in the emergency room, but it delayed her treatment. Lia continued to seize for two hours and was barely breathing. A twenty-minute bout of status elipticus is considered life threatening. Lia was transferred to Fresno Intensive Care Unit for Pediatrics.Foua and Nao Kao thought that Lia was being transferred because the doctor at MCMC was going on vacation, but in fact it was because Fresno had a pediatric unit. At Fresno Lia was diagnosed with septic shock, the result of a bacterial invasion of the circulatory system that triggers the failure of one organ after another starting with the lungs and then moving to the brain. She also developed a condition in which her blood cannot clot. Lia’s EEG was flat. She had no brain activity left. The doctors decided to discontinue the anticonvulsants because she was dead to them.The doctors explained that her seizure medicines lowered her immune system responses, which allowed a bacterium to take over and stop brain activity. Foua and Nao Kao were somewhat right; the doctors were giving too much medicine and not enough neeb. It is most likely though that if the Lees were still in Laos, Lia would have died before she was out of her infancy, from a prolonged bout of untreated status epilepticus. Foua and Nao Kao finally got permission to bring their daughter home as they had been insisting the whole time. Lia went home on Dec. , 1986 as a quadriplegic, spastic, incontinent, incapable of purposeful movement, and in a persistent vegetative state. To Lia’s parents she went home as their little princess that they loved with all their heart. At home, Lia’s parents adored her and never left her side. They fed her teas from powdered roots and herbs, made several pig sacrifices, and bathed and dressed her multiple times a day. Because of the quality care Lia was receiving, she was stable and her medical check-ups decreased. Lia did not die but did not recover.Examination of this unfortunate story of a clash of two cultures has led to the discovery of what can be done to facilitate cooperation between cultures. Dr. Arthur Kleinman from Harvard Medical School designed a series of eight questions to elicit a patient’s explanatory model and enable the understanding of other cultures. The questions include: â€Å"What do you call the proble m? Why do you think it started when it did? What kind of treatment do you think the patient should receive? What do you fear most about the sickness?If the doctors at MCMC had taken the time to find a translator and sit down with the Lees to ask these questions, Lia might not be in a vegetative state. Other suggestions that could have aided in cooperation between the doctors and patients are female doctors for female patients, involvement of the patient’s families in all decisions, the use of interpreters who are both bilingual and bicultural, and the practice of conjoint treatment. The doctor using Western allopathic medicine can cure the disease but the indigenous healer heals the illness. This strategy promotes trust between the cultures.One person’s worldviews should not dominate another’s because they feel it is right. We need to realize our view of reality is only a view, not reality itself. In the U. S. , the medical community rarely has ways to communica te with people of cultures so radically different from mainstream American culture; even a good translator will find it difficult interpreting concepts between the two different cultures' world-concepts. Doctors need to be able to transcend culture and practice cultural responsiveness where they listen to patients and respond to them both as members of their cultures and as un-stereotyped individuals.A whole doctor-whole-patient approach is imperative: Ask not what disease the person has but rather what person the disease has. I am glad to hear that we have been moving in this direction as an American culture since 1995. Medicine in the U. S has been teaching students to separate emotions from the patient; dissociation is part of the job. In the last decade, efforts have been made to correct this way of thinking, and realize you are treating another human being not a universifiable body. Classes incorporating culture studies are being required as part of medical school and undergrad uate school curriculum as well.

A class trip to remember Essay

Contributing nice photographs from our class trip would be the great challenge to complete an album, which is the photomontage and part of parcel of our portfolio assignment. We planned beforehand the journey to Damai Puri Resort and came out with a list of interesting activities and equipment that we will have to bring along. Out of expectation, it was just the start of the disaster that we could never imagine. The class trip was fun, memorable, and enjoyable. The day of the trip began as usual but it was fun enough for us. The fundamental issue of the trip was the transportation to the location. We have insufficient budget and could only rent a mini van. Then, some of us had no choice and were forced to carpool in Bryan’s car. We had a fun riding trip with some card games and singing some trending songs in the car. Then, Yasmin brought up a hot discussion topic and all of us had a really fun time debating over each other’s statement. Not long after that, the entrance of Damai Puri Resort is just right in front of us. Once we arrived at the destination, we immediately settle down in the hotel room. The bus riding brought us an unforgettable memories and we had enjoyed the greatest moment, chitchatting, singing pop songs and laughing together. I noticed that we were already bonded and literally grouped. We then took our first group photo on the beach. By then, we were divided into groups to play around. Damai is indeed a fun place for outdoor activities and the view is superb, one that we could never forget. Nevertheless, the weather was extremely hot and was unsuitable for activities on the beach. So some of us have decided to soak into the pool and just chilling around. Some other girls who were not interested to swim decided to have their girls talk under the coconut trees. The scenes were memorable. After that, it was nearly evening. We have decided to watch the sunset on the beach, it was indeed beautiful. Lik ewise, we enjoyed the strong wind blows, the coconut torso up, I closed my eyes and listened to the relaxing sound of sea waves. It was such an enjoyable moment. By six o’clock, all of us were exhausted. We were already starving but it is still long to our barbeque dinner. Some of us insisted to take the early dinner at the central food court. Those who struggled starvation went there for their early dinner while the committee were busy preparing the barbecue night for the others. During the preparation of the dinner, Celine, one of the committee, shouted.  Apparently, she forgot to bring the necessary equipment and we could not stick to our plan without it. The girls were complaining and conflict arose. The committees were blaming each other too. Meanwhile, another class were also having the barbecue dinner nearby. At that moment, the smartest guys in our class, Julius came out with an idea, which was to borrow the equipment from them after their dining. Fortunately, the idea worked really well. Although the barbecue became our supper but we still enjoy of it. To sum up the trip experiences, I would use the words: memorable, unforgettable and fun! However, our group leader was pretty upset about the conflicts. There are always ups and downs in our life and I hope she is no longer grieving, I also hope that we will have another trip together and I will definitely volunteer to be the leader to bring up the joy to everyone.

Operation Smile Essays

Operation Smile Essays Operation Smile Essay Operation Smile Essay For example, Kent State University; its one of 450 students associations working to ease money and educate students about the values of commitment, leadership and volunteerism, according to Operation Smiles website. This organization raises money by selling items such as sweatshirts and T-shirts, as well as candy and pens. The organization has raised $2,400 and in September of 2006 their money gave 10 children from all over the world the opportunity to have the life-altering surgery (Franco 2). Operation Smile is a nationally known organization open to all majors on the campus of Kent State. So even if someone Isnt Interested in the medical field, here Is still a way to help out with the organization. It looks really good to get Involved In campus actively and on resumes for future Jobs and graduate school applications, said Marcia Thomas, secretary of the Kent State chapter. For those who are interested in the medical field, as Thomas said, volunteering with a world-wide organization such as Operation Smile looks good on resumes for Job applications and graduate school applications. Plus someone could even find that they are specifically interested in working with facial deformities, which could help that errors and the organization. They would get a good Job, which could lead to an even better Job that pays, and they would be helping people all over the world. Cindy Raglan, a mother of two and a registered nurse, is one of the many volunteers who travel the world with Operation Smile. She also works in the newborn intensive care unit of the Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia, the founding place of Operation Smile. Your charitable donation doesn’t only impact the lives of children abroad. Operation Smile operates a U. S. Care Network as well, providing referrals for children who need assistance. QUICK FACTS * Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide childrens medical charity. In 1982, Operation Smile was founded by Dr. William P. Magee Jr. , a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen S. Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker. * Operation Smile was launched with its first mission to the Philippines in 1982. Operation Smile currently supports international and local, in-country medical missions to 26 countries. * Operation Smile partner countries include: Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gaza Strip/West Bank, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam. * Since 1982, more than 115,000 children and young adults have been treated by thousands of volunteers worldwide and thousands of healthcare professionals have been trained globally. For as little as $240 Operation Smile can change a childs life by giving the gift of a surgery. Revenue in excess of surgical costs is invested into our sustainability programs, empowering our partner countries to treat more children on their own and making your investment go even farther. The complete Operation Smile model is an investment of $750 per child. In as little as 45 minutes, one cleft lip surgery c an change a childs life forever. * Operation Smile integrates its partnerships with leading medical teaching institutions into its in-country medical education programs. Our partners in education include Yale University, Chang Gung Hospital and University (Taiwan), Duke University and the University of Southern California. * Thousands of students in more than 500 Operation Smile Student Associations in the United States and around the world build awereness, raise funds and educate students about values of commitment, leadership and volunteerism. * Operation Smile has worldwide offices in Hong Kong, London, Dublin, Brisbane, Rome, Los Angeles, and New York City that raise funds and awareness to support international programs. The annual Operation Smile Physicians Training Program (PTP) brings doctors and nurses from around the world to the United States for advanced training in their specialized skills. Since 1987, more than 700 health care professionals have attended the program, held at our headquarters in Norfolk, VA. * The World Care Program brings children and young adults, through sponsorships, to the United States for surgeries that are too com plicated to be performed during in-country missions. Since 1985, more than 200 World Care patients have received life-changing surgery.

Mothies Comparison Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mothies Comparison - Movie Review Example Pride and Prejudice penned by Jane Austen, based on the contemporary writing has achieved a huge success and is still under awe by various writers. Bridget Jones's Diary is an aptly justified adaptation of it. The most endearing and realistic characters and events have been screened in the movies with similar names. Both the movies have brought forth the similarities along with huge disparities, reinforcing the similarities all the more. It is evidently clear that Helen Fielding is great admirer of Austen's work and the replicated work is also intentional. These had an outstanding response as it seems very close to the common man depicting middle class life-like friendships, gossips, searching "Mr. Right" and false pride. Apart from the two movies there have been seen the up coming of several other movies with similar subjects "Sense and Sensibility", "Mansfield Park" , "The Edge of Reason" are a few among them.Talking of the similarities between the two movies based on the novels Pr ide and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary would take lots of pages with numerous similar characters and construction of discourses as well. Starting with the theme, husband hunting was the foremost theme of the movies which led to various events. "Both are smart, sassy, and thoroughly enjoyable, and features one of the most endearing and believable characters." The heroes of the two bear significant resemblance to each other, being proud of their class. Both think the heroines to be less than beautiful to tempt them and find themselves falling in love with the least suitable women around with the course of events. Bridget also overhears Mark Darcy calling her "verbally incontinent spinster" while Darcy comments that Elizabeth isn't "handsome enough". Bridget on close look resembles to Austin's Elizabeth Bennet too. Both make false impressions about the protagonists in the beginning. The names 'Pemberley' and Darcy are also repeated in both the novels. Bridget works with the press named Pemberley Press while Mr. Darcy owns Pemberley estate and Darcy is the name of the hero in both the novels. The introductory note of Pride and Prejudice - "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." - is similar to the dialogue of Bridget as she halts at a mall to see her mother and says, , "It is a truth universally acknowledged that as soon as one part of your life starts looking up, another part falls to pieces." But in Pride and Prejudice it is not the blonde who is favored, but the beautiful brunette, Elizabeth Bennet, who is lovely and certainly a woman worth fighting over. ................ woman worth fighting over." Ranson - Polizzotti, Sadi. Blog Critics. 17 August. 2005. Mr. Darcy changes in Pride and Prejudice while Mark Darcy doesn't. He has a conversation with Elizabeth to solve the misunderstanding while Mark Darcy tells Bridget that he loves her the way she is which promises happy ending for both. The movies also have a striking equity with the roles of Mr. Darcy and Mark Darcy played by the actor, Colin Firth. The production team of the movies were influenced by the actor who himself belongs to the elite class and has projected the role without any scar in it. And the main reasons for repetition of the same discourse in several movies are the timelessness of the theme, real-life characters and importance of good life partner which can never be changed. Towards the end, watching both the movies, I would like to say that one should overcome the false notions of superiority interfering true love. The films are true classics and ageless fables close to every commoner. Changes are made and will be made with time but the essence is too strong to rule the hearts

Appropriatness of alternative methodologies for different Essay

Appropriatness of alternative methodologies for different organizational configurations - Essay Example These sub-systems are an interrelated set of activities which are executed to meet the goals of the organisation (Luthans 1985, p. 22). Hicks and Gullet (1975 p. 14) defines an organisation as a specific design of structure, people, duties and procedures. Structure explains the form of departments, the pecking order and committees. The structure influences the organisations competence and effectiveness. People refer to the abilities, attitudes and social relations of the employees of the organisation. Duties or tasks refer to the goals of the employees and the organisation. Procedures refer to the methodical approach used to perform tasks. Organisational structure thus refers to the institutional arrangements and mechanisms for mobilizing resources i.e. physical, financial, information and human resources at all levels of the organization. Organisation has been defined differently by numerous people. However, all definitions generally contain these five common features: Change can be said to be situations and events that occur in an organisation that have an effect in the way it operates (Huse and Bowditch 1973, p. 57). The effects can be positive or negative. There is need for organisations to embrace changes so that they can stay ahead of their competition. Several factors may necessitate change but this will be discussed later on in the paper. The phrase â€Å"organisational change† is about a major change in the organisation which might include issues like reorganization or adding up a new product or service (Gortner, Mahler and Nicholson 1987, p. 63). This is in contrast to smaller changes such as implementing a new computer procedure. Organisational change can look like such a vague occurrence but it is helpful especially if you can think of change in terms of a variety of dimensions. Organisations that offer services, either large or small scale, often view taking risks as the core of their business. True to