Rhetoric in Protest Music Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Rhetoric in Protest Music - Case Study Example A Vietnamese gun boat was rumored to have attacked an American ship. The resolution allowed the United States a carte blanche to invade Viet Nam. For the better part of 16 years, the North Vietnamese Viet Cong fought against South Viet Nam in a bloody battle that claimed roughly six million Asian lives, and 59,000 American lives.1 Although one cannot compare tragedies, Viet Nam was the Holocaust of Asia. The music that encompassed this era was naturally going to be very anti-war. As young men from the countryside, poorer whites, and minorities got shipped off to war in Viet Nam, people in Congress and in Washington sat around and debated and had moral quibbles about whether or not the U.S. should have been in the war in the first place. One rock band which was "most widely known for musical protests against the Viet Nam War"2 was Country Joe and the Fish. There were riches in a mountain, and one of the peoples talked about sharing the riches. The other people, however, took the mountain by force and found a message in lieu of riches that said "Peace on Earth." However, by this time the invading people had "destroyed the treasure in pursuit of it."5 There was another protest song, called "Universal Soldier," written by Canadian singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie.6 This song was essentially about how people have personal responsibility for war and how fighting hurts everyone. Another protest song, "Eve of Dest... There were riches in a mountain, and one of the peoples talked about sharing the riches. The other people, however, took the mountain by force and found a message in lieu of riches that said "Peace on Earth." However, by this time the invading people had "destroyed the treasure in pursuit of it."5 There was another protest song, called "Universal Soldier," written by Canadian singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie.6 This song was essentially about how people have personal responsibility for war and how fighting hurts everyone. Yet another protest song, written by folk singer Bob Dylan, is entitled "Blowin' in the Wind."7 The song asks many deep questions, basically all about "peace, war, and freedom."8 Another protest song, "Eve of Destruction," is a protest song written by P.F. Sloan in 1965.9 The song has to do with the end of the world. It represented the feelings that people had during the Viet Nam war era, in terms of what the United States was facing on a daily basis, seeing their youth be ground to bits in a senseless land war in Asia. One of the most frequently used lines today from the song is "You're old enough to kill, but not for votin'," which "refer[red] to the fact that in the United States, men were subject to the draft at age 18, while at that time the minimum voting age (in all but four states) was 21. Additionally, "The song makes reference to Selma, Alabama, where Bloody Sunday took place'According to Sloan, the lyric 'The pounding of the drums the pride and disgrace' relates to the Kennedy assassination."10 The song "If I Had a Hammer" was written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays.11 Written in 1949, this song did not have enormous popularity when it was first released. Rather, it was recorded 10

Social interaction and the Internet in Asia Essay Example for Free

Social interaction and the Internet in Asia Essay The abstract is excellently presented, and sheds the light onto the study purpose. The author used the abstract to briefly justify the choice of the research country (Singapore). Introduction In the introduction, the author justified the need for such research by the fact that â€Å"little empirical research had been done outside of Europe and the USA†. The author has clearly identified the aim of the research in the form of a question: â€Å"what is the Internet usage pattern of young Singaporeans and what is the extent of its impact on their social lives? † Literature review The author did not perform a detailed literature review due to the absence of sufficient relevant literary sources related to the topic of research. The author summarised the results of the previous studies to create the relevant theoretical basis for her research. Research question The author was not very specific in determining the research question. She limited her study by investigating the social interactions between young Singaporeans and the impact of Internet upon their socialisation. Trying to be very specific, the author suggested that it would be interesting to research, whether young Singaporeans preferred Internet socialisation to traditional means of social interaction. Methodology The author did not create any clear hypotheses, and did not predict any possible research outcomes. The choice of respondents was mainly based on their age (between 15 and 30), without any specific attention to their gender or social position. However, it was important that all of them studied in Universities and were provided with individual Internet accounts. The author used questionnaires which are traditional methods of qualitative analysis. Findings Research findings were presented in qualitative and quantitative form. The author did not mention any significant problems encountered in analysing and evaluating the research findings. The author did not perform profound statistical analysis, but used simple mathematical interpretations of her results as the basis for qualitative research. By quoting interviews with several research participants, the author of the article significantly increased the relevance of the research results. References All in-text citations were referenced in bibliography. The reference list mainly included primary sources, among which previous researches in the area of Internet and communication prevailed. Summary The analysed study is the excellent basis for the further research in the area of communication and social sciences. The article determines the future directions in investigating the socialisation processes under the impact of Internet technologies. New for old? Converging media and e-mail practices in the workplace Abstract The aim of the discussed research was to investigate the impact of e-mail applications on the workplace practices through the three different perspectives: â€Å"e-mail as a medium, e-mail as a set of practices, and e-mail as speech versus writing† (Yell, 2003). The author used the abstract to create the system of questions, which had to be answered during the research process. Introduction The topic of the research was excellently specified in the introduction, and was not too broad. The author also delineated specific theories, on which the research had to be based (Bourdieu’s concepts of dispositions and the habitus, and Schirato and Yell’s concept of cultural literacy). Literature review The author did not use any formal framework for literature review. Moreover, the article lacked any theoretical justification of the study. A separate â€Å"background† chapter provided the reader only with a surface understanding of the research topic, and was not referred to any significant theoretical perspectives. Research question The researcher sought to identify, what means research participants would choose to fulfill a range of tasks and to communicate at workplace. The author has clearly determined the research question and narrowed her research as determined in the article’s abstract. Methodology The methods of the research were clearly identified in the background section of the article: the use of interviews had to ensure validity of research findings, but could potentially decrease the generalisability of research results. The age of participants was between 30 and 65, and they were asked to describe their communication and work preferences in terms of emails or other communication strategies. The author did not conceal statistical insignificance of the research sample, and has concentrated upon determining qualitative tendencies and validity of the communication choices made by participants. Findings Yell (2003) presented research findings in the form of qualitative assessment. The use of tables was called for increasing the generalisability of interviews, but the author did not specify whether she had encountered any significant problems in evaluating the research results. The discussion section of the research was presented in the form of several small chapters, with each devoted to a separate research perspective. There is no reason to doubt the validity and reliability of research findings due to the fact that interviews are relatively unbiased tools of qualitative research. The author constantly linked research findings to the theoretical perspectives identified in the introduction, which made the discussion relevant and theoretically justified. References All in-text citations were included into the list of references at the end of the article. Summary Despite the lack of theoretical basis, the author performed profound research of the communication preferences among workers. The results of the study can be further refined by linking them to certain theoretical perspective. The researcher has generalised the research findings and pointed out the most important aspects of the study, without shedding the light onto potential applications of the research results. The author has identified important contradictions in describing e-mail as homogeneous medium, and has suggested that e-mail had to be analysed from multiple perspectives. Organisational communication satisfaction in the virtual workplace Abstract The abstract was excellently structured. It served a brief summary of the research, research findings, implications, and controversies. Introduction The authors did not elaborate on theoretical or practical research implications in the introduction; the introduction served a brief summary of the similar research works. The potential challenges of the virtual workplace were identified and analysed in a separate section of the paper. Literature review The author did not perform any formal literature review. The authors did not make any predictions or suggestions towards the future research outcomes, but identified the set of variables drawn from the previous surveys. That set of variables was later used to analyse and interpret the research findings. Research question The authors determined the research question in the article’s abstract: â€Å"to compare the levels of communication satisfaction between virtual workplace and traditional employers in a single firm. † This research question was later analysed through the pre-determined set of variables. Methodology Akkirman and Harris used the set of hypotheses based on the previous studies and the research survey conducted â€Å"in the Turkish subsidiary of an international company based in Germany†. The distinguishing feature of the research article was in that the authors had identified the exact set of variables closely tied to their hypotheses: communication climate, organisational integration, etc. (Akkirman Harris, 2005). Findings The research findings were presented in quantitative form, in the form of tables, and statistical analysis. The results were assessed in a concise and organised manner, with each variable discussed and evaluated separately. In this manner, the researchers have explained each variable identified in the research methodology section. References The reference list included all in-text citations, as well as the Appendix with the research survey questionnaire. This questionnaire helped objectively evaluate the relevance and validity of survey results. Summary The advantageous feature of the article is in the fact that the researchers discussed and evaluated the research results in the structured form: implications and limitations of the research were also analysed. As the results of the research were contrary to the majority of previous studies, the authors emphasised the most important variables to be researched in the future studies (the role of transition and support in the level of satisfaction among virtual office workers). The authors of the article summarised their findings in conclusion, but did not identify any problems or biases they faced during the research and evaluation process. Intercultural communication competence and managerial functions within the Australian hospitality industry Abstract The abstract was brief and written in concise manner. The authors briefly delineated major theoretical foundations of the future research. Introduction The aim of the research was very clearly identified in the introductory section of the article. The authors defined the major terms to be used in the study, making the research clear and understandable to the reader. Literature review The theoretical perspectives constituted the significant portion of the article, and initially made it difficult to identify the major theoretical directions which were used in the research. It seems that the authors have gathered all information available on the topic, without specifying the most important data, and the exact theoretical basis of research. Theoretical background of intercultural communication was presented from different perspectives (cultural, psychological, anthropological, etc. ), which have created a confused theoretical image of the study. Ultimately, the researchers neither made theoretical predictions, nor drew hypotheses from previous studies. Research question The authors of the research sought to consider the nature of intercultural communication competence in the Australian hospitality industry. Methodology The authors have limited their research methodology to in-depth analysis of interviews and organisational documentation, ethnomethodology, and historical analysis. In addition, the authors did not inform the readers about the number and characteristics of the research sample. A number of important research variables were identified only in the section devoted to the discussion of interpretive findings. Findings The research findings were interpreted through the prism of qualitative analysis, but as no data on the research sample was available, it was difficult to evaluate the validity and reliability of the research results. It should be pointed out that the authors have discussed implications of their research for management training. Those implications could make their research results applicable, if their validity could be objectively assessed. The conclusion of the article was aimed at summarising the major research findings, and emphasising the limitations of the study: â€Å"the Australian hospitality managers in this study were found to have shortcomings in their ability to apply intercultural communication competence to key managerial functions† (Saunders Sauee, 2000). References All in-text citations were referenced in bibliography. The authors listed all literature sources in alphabetical order. Summary The research could create solid basis for future practical investigations if the theoretical perspectives were clearer. Research findings suggested that intercultural communication in the hospitality industry should be linked to a single theoretical perspective, that could make future researches more transparent and theoretically justified. Organisational websites. How and how well do they communicate? Abstract The author of the research used the abstract to determine the aim of the study, and to briefly justify the need for such research. The author also suggested the need to perform further sophisticated analysis of Websites and communication challenges they face. Introduction The particularity of the discussed research is in the fact that it has appeared too personalised from the very beginning: The author initially turned it into a form of narration, which could be understandable even to a non-professional reader. Literature review The author did not perform any literature review; consequentially, the research findings could hardly be tied to any theoretical perspectives. Research question The author has expressed the research purpose in the form of a question: â€Å"how are websites currently being described and analysed, particularly by researchers? † The author has clearly underlined the criteria for choosing the research information, which ultimately served the research sample. That search was limited to formal business and general websites (Durham, 2000). Methodology The article did not have any separate section devoted to the discussion of the research methodology. As a result, the reader (either professional or non-professional) could not clearly understand how the research was conducted. It is implied that the author of the article used qualitative analysis. However, as the exact methodology of the research was not explained, it was impossible to draw any conclusions as for the validity and reliability of the research findings. Findings The research findings lacked relevant theoretical basis and could hardly be systematised. Later in the article, the author recognised the lack of theoretical frameworks, but the research could significantly benefit of a separate section devoted to literature review. References The author has included the long list of literary sources, used in the research. The author utilised both primary and secondary sources of scientific information related to the research topic. Summary The research conclusion was brief, and was also written in the simple (and rather vague) form, which is not characteristic of the majority of scientific works in the area of communication strategies. â€Å"The overview of current work suggests rich areas for future research: site macrostructure, navigation and issues of intertextuality via the linkages made, etc† – the list of those suggestions was useful for the future studies. Due to the evident lack of theoretical basis, the discussed research looked as a system of practical suggestions, which might become the starting point in the creation of the valid theoretical structure in the area of communicational strategies. References Akkirman, AD Harris, DL 2005, Organisational communication satisfaction in the virtual workplace, Journal of Management Development, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 397-409. Durham, M 2000, Organisational websites. How and how well do they communicate? Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 1-14. Frey, LR, Bolan, Carl H, Fredman, PG Krep, GL 1992, Interpreting communication research: a case study approach, Prentice Hall, pp. 15-19. Goby, VP 2000, Social interaction and the Internet in Asia, A study of young Singaporeans, Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 79-90. Saunders, S Saee, J 2000, Intercultural communication competence and managerial functions within the Australian hospitality industry, Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 111-128. Yell, S 2003, New for old? Converging media and e-mail practices in the workplace, Australian Journal of Communication, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 93-107.

Edgar Allen Poe :: essays research papers fc

Edgar Allan Poe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Best known for his poems and short fiction, Edgar Allan Poe deserves more credit than any other writer for the transformation of the short story into a respected literary work. He virtually created the detective story and perfected the psychological thriller. He also produced some of the most influential literary criticism of his time. Although he contributed so much to the writing world, little is known about the Poe himself. Historians have been trying for years to piece together the life of this literary genius. In almost every biographical publication Poe’s life is divided into three sections: his early life, his career, and his death. Exactly when and where Poe was born is not known, but historians believe that he was born in Boston, in 1809 (Hayes 5). Poe's parents, David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins, were touring actors; both died before he was three years old, and he was taken into the home of John Allan. Allan was a prosperous merchant in Richmond, Virginia. Poe’s childhood was uneventful, although he studied in England between 1815 and 1820 (Jacobs 56). In 1826 he entered the University of Virginia but stayed for only a year. Although a good student, he ran up large gambling debts that Allan refused to pay. Allan prevented his return to the university and broke off Poe's engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond sweetheart. Lacking any means of support, Poe enlisted in the army. He had, however, already written and printed at his own expense his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems (Hayes 6). Temporarily reconciled, John Allan secured Poe's release from the army and his appointment to W est Point but refused to provide financial support (Hayes 11). After 6 months Poe apparently contrived to be dismissed from West Point for disobedience of orders (Kennedy 35). Poe next took up residence in Baltimore with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia, and turned to fiction as a way to support himself (Walker 2). In 1832 the Philadelphia Saturday Courier published five of his stories, and in 1833, MS. Found in a Bottle won a fifty dollar prize given by the Baltimore Saturday Visitor (Walker 125). Poe, his aunt, and Virginia moved to Richmond in 1835. Poe became editor of the Southern Literary Messenger and married Virginia, who was not yet 14 years old (Jacobs 61). During this time Poe published fiction, such as Berenice, but most of his contributions were serious, analytical, and critical reviews that earned him respect as a critic (Jacobs 64). Edgar Allen Poe :: essays research papers fc Edgar Allan Poe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Best known for his poems and short fiction, Edgar Allan Poe deserves more credit than any other writer for the transformation of the short story into a respected literary work. He virtually created the detective story and perfected the psychological thriller. He also produced some of the most influential literary criticism of his time. Although he contributed so much to the writing world, little is known about the Poe himself. Historians have been trying for years to piece together the life of this literary genius. In almost every biographical publication Poe’s life is divided into three sections: his early life, his career, and his death. Exactly when and where Poe was born is not known, but historians believe that he was born in Boston, in 1809 (Hayes 5). Poe's parents, David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins, were touring actors; both died before he was three years old, and he was taken into the home of John Allan. Allan was a prosperous merchant in Richmond, Virginia. Poe’s childhood was uneventful, although he studied in England between 1815 and 1820 (Jacobs 56). In 1826 he entered the University of Virginia but stayed for only a year. Although a good student, he ran up large gambling debts that Allan refused to pay. Allan prevented his return to the university and broke off Poe's engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond sweetheart. Lacking any means of support, Poe enlisted in the army. He had, however, already written and printed at his own expense his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems (Hayes 6). Temporarily reconciled, John Allan secured Poe's release from the army and his appointment to W est Point but refused to provide financial support (Hayes 11). After 6 months Poe apparently contrived to be dismissed from West Point for disobedience of orders (Kennedy 35). Poe next took up residence in Baltimore with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia, and turned to fiction as a way to support himself (Walker 2). In 1832 the Philadelphia Saturday Courier published five of his stories, and in 1833, MS. Found in a Bottle won a fifty dollar prize given by the Baltimore Saturday Visitor (Walker 125). Poe, his aunt, and Virginia moved to Richmond in 1835. Poe became editor of the Southern Literary Messenger and married Virginia, who was not yet 14 years old (Jacobs 61). During this time Poe published fiction, such as Berenice, but most of his contributions were serious, analytical, and critical reviews that earned him respect as a critic (Jacobs 64).

Compare handmaids tale and 1984 Essay

In The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood puts across the sense of mystery, things that were once there but are no more. She talks about ‘the pungent smell of sweat, shot through with the sweet smell of chewing gum and perfume’ which came from the girls who once watched the basketball matches that were ‘formally played there’. In the first section of this book we get the feeling that the character is quite lost, lost in what once was and not in the here and now. She tells us about the dances that ‘would have been held there’ and the lingering music that she could still hear very faintly. We get the feeling that this women has very little, no personal belongings, no wealth; nothing. The fact that the women in this building were not even allowed to exchange names tells the reader that this is some kind of prison, the women have no freedom they are constantly being watched by the ‘Angels’ likewise in Nineteen Eighty-Four written by George Orwell there is a significant similarity between the ‘Angels’ in The Handmaid’s Tale and the Posters in Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Angels watch over the women and in Nineteen Eighty-Four the poster which is described as a ‘one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move.’ Watch over everyone who passes by it. Beneath it the caption read ‘BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU’ giving off the impression that someone, somewhere is watching this middle aged man. The man described on the poster some might say could only be the description of Hitler; ‘a man of about forty-five, with s heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features’ Winston also tells us that the posters were ‘plastered everywhere’ also revealing, like The Handmaid’s Tale that nowhere is safe. Adding to this is the telescreen, which cannot be switched off again may be a sign that someone or something is always watching you, and that you are never alone. Both the Angels and the Posters in these books are very intimidating figures or ‘objects of fear.’ The Angels did not look or talk to the women just stood with their backs to them to show domination. Correspondingly the ‘enormous face, more than a metre wide’ plastered on the walls with the eyes that followed you when you move is also seen as a sign of domination. The two figures show signs of both aggression and great importance, the fact that the Angles will not talk or look at the women tells us that they are  seen as more significant than them. In addition to this the fact that there are so many of these posters and the fixating look on the enormous face also shows great discomfort and stress.

Wolf Lichen

Poisonous but also a healer. It is very abundant in Idaho but very scarce and hard to find in Scandinavia. Wolf Lichen is the name of this mysterious plant. It is one of many different types of lichen found in nature and varies in ways such as habitat, use, and appearance. Lichen is a slow-growing plant genus that is usually structured in a spindle or leaf like shape. Lichen is made up of two components; fungi and algae. (Hollering, J. 014) The Fungal aspect is present in that it contains Chitin in their cell walls, they produce hyphen, spore producing, it is multicultural, and that they deed on dead trees/plants . The algal component means they are eukaryote, are able to photosynthesis, and they have specialized tissues. (Thomas-Sucker, J. 2012) In Wolf Lichen and dead/dying trees form by symbiotic relationships. Symbiosis describes a close interaction between two organisms that benefits/harm at least one of the organisms. Sometimes symbiotic relationships can be beneficial, but can be sometimes harmful.This symbiotic relationship is beneficial to one another, because if we did not have dead or dying plants we could never have Wolf Lichen(Hollering,J. 2014). Wolf Lichen also produces its own food in order for it to survive. To do so, it goes through photosynthetic processes. Photosynthesis starts with trapping the sun's energy in the form of sugar. Then the Wolf Lichen stores the resulting sugar in cells to form glucose for quick growth. Photosynthesis represents the beauty of the chemical process that takes six water molecules from the roots and six carbon dioxide molecules from the air and creates one sugar molecule.If there was no such thing as photosynthesis there would be no life on earth as we know it. (aesthetic, J. , & Comma, C. 014) Lichen are categorized into three different kingdoms, which are Kingdom Fungi, Kingdom Protests, and Kingdom Moaner. One interesting fact about Wolf Lichen is they are able to shut down their metabolism during times when n utrition is scarce and also in freezing weather. Wolf Lichen typically grows less than a millimeter per year. There are a total of 287 different types of species of lichen of 68 genres, and a total of 8 different varieties in Idaho .According to recent research conducted by Dustin Shown, John Areola, and Braided Irishman on the Ph of lichen; Wolf Lichen, along with other lichen have a mean of approximately 4. 1 on the Ph scale. This means that Wolf Lichen have an acidic compound (See figure 1 at presentation). (Thomas-Sucker, J. 2012) Wolf Lichen is also named Lethargy. There are two types of Lethargy (L. ) that are not easily noticeable; L. vulpine and L. Columbian. These two species are very similar in many ways but also very different. L. vulpine is asexual and reproduces with sorehead, while L. Alumina is sexual and does not reproduce with sorehead. L. vulpine is the only lichen that is poisonous. (Hollering,J. 2014) Sorehead is a reproductive structure for lichens. Lichens can reproduce asexually and sexually. Sorehead is a powdery substance composed of fungal hyphen that wraps around contractible. Fungal hyphen make up the basic body structure of lichen. (Conrad,J. 2005) As Wolf Lichen can grow to the size of 1 CM. But can be as large as 12 CM. The branches are round and wrinkled when in very dry conditions. The color ranges from a light yellow-green to a dull yellow.It will not grow in freezing temperatures. However; frost does not kill it, it Just stops growing. Once the weather is warmer the lichen will start growing and reproducing. Wolf Lichen is extremely sensitive to air pollution and will not grow in polluted areas. Wolf Lichen grows on dead trees and stumps. It grows more often on sunny sides of trees and rocks. It does not usually grow in coastal rain forests. (Conrad, J. 2005) In the past people have poisoned wolves and other animals with Wolf Lichen. Since the lichen is poisonous, it allowed the Coachman people in Northern California to use p oison arrow heads.Farmers in the past used pieces of meat, crushed glass, and inserted Wolf Lichen to poison the wolves and other animals that would bother their crops. (aesthetic, J. , & Comma, C. 2014) The lichen has vulpine acid in it which stops the respiratory systems of the animals. The glass is used to damage the intestines of the animals, so that the toxin could attack the body and kill the animals. Wolf Lichen is very poisonous, which made people have to use a mask so they wouldn't harm themselves. (ABA, N. 2011) Wolf Lichen was used as a yellow dye. This dye was used for coloring baskets.Wolf Lichen was also used for medicine. Lichen was used to wash out wounds and cuts, curing their injuries. (Conrad, J. 2005) Statistics show that fifty percent of all lichen are known as an antibiotic. In the United States they used lichen for mouth, stomach, intestines, anus, vagina, nose, ear, and skin pain. While in Finland it was used for treating skin eruptions, skin wounds, and athl ete's foot. (Hollering, J. 2014) In Scandinavia, Wolf Lichen is a rare species and are red-listed, which means that they are in danger of becoming extinct.Wolf lichen used to be abundant in an area of Scandinavia called GarГenslaved, but after the years had passed, Wolf Lichen became scarce and harder to find. The Wolf Lichen was exploited and ruined, so trying to protect GarГenslaved against people who destroyed Wolf Lichen is one thing we can do to hopefully save the Wolf Lichen. Also Wolf Lichen is the most photographed lichen in GarГenslaved. The species are also located around Europe and all the way to North America. (ABA, N. 2011) Although Wolf lichen is scarce in Scandinavia it is very abundant in Idaho.Wolf Lichen is found on most of the trees that are dying or already dead. Wolf Lichen is an indicator that helps people tell if trees or other plants are dead or dying. It can be found all over the town of McCall, Idaho, which is right next to Ponderosa State Park. Wolf Lichen helps the state park by letting them know what trees to cut down or to watch out for so it does not cause any damage to the people visiting or damage to the ecosystem. (Shoehorn, S. 001) Wolf Lichen is mostly found on twigs and stumps of most trees or plants. There are, however, lichen that is found on tree bark,and also houses and fence posts.It sometimes begins on rocks. It usually grows in a thick, solid cover, around and on dead trees and limbs. It is more abundant in numerous habitats where sunlight is more commonly found. (Turner & Kindle, 1998) Overall, Wolf Lichen is a special type of lichen, not only is it poisonous and a healer, but it is the only type of lichen that contains poison. It is also categorized into three different types of Kingdoms which differentiates from all other lichens. Wolf Lichen has many uses. The way people used to use it is very different from how we use it today.

computer teacher essays

computer teacher essays Computers have come to enhance many avenues of our lives. The way we work and the way we play was forever altered by the vast advances in technology. Due to these strides we can see the benefits and the disadvantages associated with computers. For this assignment I decided to take a personal perspective. Within my work atmosphere computers have become the norm. Im not old enough to remember pre-calculator days. But the calculators are better now, with memory features. I remember being in high school and using my first computerized typewriter. You could type an entire document then make corrections by having the typewriter go to the line you indicated. That was my first experience with a word processor and I was able to use it because I was a teachers assistant in the business department. It belonged to the department secretary. The students still had the manual typewriters. I work as a bookkeeper and have done so for over 20 years. My work has changed significantly. When I began as a bookkeeper I used manual spreadsheets called Safeguard. All of the journal entries were done manually to the individual accounts and then transferred to the general journal. It was time consuming but the balances could be verified by doing these double entries. Many things have changed in my field. Now I use Quick Books software for almost all of my clients. The double entries are programmed into the computer. General Journals are easy to check. Payroll no longer requires looking at tables to find the deductions. The computer calculates all of the deductions. I find that technology has been extremely beneficial to my work. I can be far more productive by being faster and more accurate. The adage regarding computers garbage in, garbage out still holds true. The validity of the data is only as good as the knowledge of the person who inputs the information. But because of drop down menus, and help buttons it is ...

The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punis Essays

The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punis Essays The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punishment Cases Sam Houston State University, Huntsville CJ 478W-Introduction To Methods Of Research The Effects of Race on Sentencing in Capital Punishment Cases Throughout history, minorities have been ill-represented in the criminal justice system, particularly in cases where the possible outcome is death. In early America, blacks were lynched for the slightest violation of informal laws and many of these killings occured without any type of due process. As the judicial system has matured, minorities have found better representation but it is not completely unbiased. In the past twenty years strict controls have been implemented but the system still has symptoms of racial bias. This racial bias was first recognized by the Supreme Court in Fruman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972). The Supreme Court Justices decide that the death penalty was being handed out unfairly and according to Gest (1996) the Supreme Court felt the death penalty was being imposed freakishly and wantonly and most often on blacks. Several years later in Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976), the Supreme Court decided, with efficient controls, the death penalty could be used constitutionally. Yet, even with these various controls, the system does not effectively eliminate racial bias. Since Gregg v. Georgia the total population of all 36 death rows has grown as has the number of judicial controls used by each state. Of the 3,122 people on death row 41% are black while 48% are white (Gest, 1996, 41). This figure may be acceptable at first glance but one must take into account the fact that only 12% of the U.S. population is black (Smolowe, 1991, 68). Carolyn Snurkowski of the Florida attorney generals office believes that the disproportionate number of blacks on death row can be explained by the fact that, Many black murders result from barroom brawls that wouldnt call for the death penalty, but many white murders occur on top of another offense, such as robbery (As cited in Gest, 1986, 25). This may be true but the Washington Legal Foundation offers their own explanation by arguing that blacks are arrested for murder at a higher rate than are whites. When arrest totals are factored in , the probability of a white murderer ending up on death row is 33 percent greater than in the case of a black murderer (As cited in Gest, 1986, 25). According to Professor Steven Goldstein of Florida State University, There are so many discretionary stages: whether the prosecutor decides to seek the death penalty, whether the jury recommends it, whether the judge gives it (As cited in Smolowe, 1991, 68). It is in these discretionary stages that racial biases can infect the system of dealing out death sentences. Smolowe (1991) shows this infection by giving examples of two cases decided in February of 1991, both in Columbus. The first example is a white defendant named James Robert Caldwell who was convicted of stabbing his 10 year old son repeatedly and raping and killing his 12 year old daughter. The second example is of a black man, Jerry Walker, convicted of killing a 22-year-old white man while robbing a convenience-store. Caldwells trial lasted three times as long as Walkers and Caldwell received a life sentence while Walker received a death sentence. In these examples, it is believed that not only the race of the victims, but also the value of the victims, biased the sentencing decisions. The 22-year-old man killed by Walker was the son of a Army commander at Fort Benning while Caldwells victims were not influential in the community. In examples such as these, it becomes evident that racial bias, in any or all of the discretionary stages, becomes racial injustice in the end. Smolowe (1991) also makes the point that Columbus is not alone: A 1990 report prepared by the governments General Accounting Office found a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing and imposition of the death penalty. In an article by Seligman (1994), Professor Joseph Katz of Georgia State and other scholars have made a separate point about bias claims based on the devalued lives of murder victims. Seligman also asserts that those claiming bias believe that it is in the race

Sample Short Answer on Soccer for Common Application

Sample Short Answer on Soccer for Common Application College applications often include a short essay that asks you to elaborate on your most meaningful extracurricular activity or work experience. The Common Application used to require a short answer response of 150 words or fewer, and today many schools have retained the short answer in the supplemental essay section. The question will often ask something straight-forward like this: Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. Features of a Weak Short Answer The short answer repeats similar ideas in slightly different words.The essay employs vague language.The response is filled with clichà ©s and predictable language.The response doesnt explain why the activity is important to the author. Short should not be confused with unimportant. When a college has holistic admissions, every piece of the application is important since the admissions folks want to get to know you as a whole person. The short answer needs to convey your passion for something you do, and it should also explain why the activity is important to you. In this sample short answer response, Gwen writes about her passion for soccer, but she makes many common mistakes in the process. Sample Short Answer Response by Gwen Simply put, I love soccer. I love being part of a team of girls who go out there and give their all, heart and soul, in every game. We truly are a family in our team. I love being a part of that family and taking a leadership role, both on and off the field. Soccer has also helped me be a better leader in student organizations and class work, where I take a proactive role. Whether it is a good defensive block or scoring the winning goal, soccer is an empowering part of my life, and I would not be the person I am today without it. Critique of Gwens Short Answer Response Gwens short answer response is not terrible- the language is easy to read and Gwens love of soccer comes across forcefully. However, Gwens response does have several problems: The language is repetitive. Gwen says I love three times, and she repeats the ideas of family and leadership twice.The languge is vague. What does Gwen mean when she says she takes a proactive role? What is her leadership role? What exactly does she mean when she says soccer made her the person I am today?Some language is clichà ©. Phrases like heart and soul and scoring the winning goal appear in far too many essays about sports.The response is short and doesnt say much. The typical 150-word limit isnt much space in which to elaborate on an activity, yet Gwens response is just 540 characters/108 words (and, as noted, those words are repetitive and vague). Gwen hasnt used the short answer to her advantage. Gwen does sound like a perfectly pleasant and enthusiastic student who works well with a team, but her response could be so much stronger. We finish her short answer response without a clear sense of the type of leader she is or what leadership roles she has assumed. Theres nothing concrete here to illustrate how soccer has made her a stronger person and better student. A Final Word on Short Answer Responses To see what a stronger short answer response looks like, be sure to check out Christies essay on running and Joels response on his job at Burger King. Christies response shows how an athletic activity can be presented more effectively than Gwen does, and Joel shows how a relatively unenjoyable activity- a fast food job- can still prove meaningful and valuable. Dont be misled by the word short. You should put plenty of time and care into this type of little essay. Work to follow the guidelines for a winning short answer, and be sure to steer clear of common short answer mistakes.

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Microeconomics - Essay Example The ecological paradigm emphasises on the health and survival of ecosystems. This means minimal and controlled exploitation of the ecosystem. On the other hand, microeconomics stresses on maximising the welfare of the people. This involves maximum exploitation of resources. This causes destruction, depletion and pollution. This has led to the development of ecological economics. This field deals with merging the insights of the two paradigms and resolve their differences. Microeconomics seeks to understand why a market has failed to deliver satisfactory results. It then explains theoretical conditions that are necessary for achievement of perfect competition. When a market has failed, its standard economic assumptions have been undermined. Causes for this include, negative externalities which makes social cost of production to surpass private cost. An example is effects of pollution. On the other hand, positive externalities cause social benefits of consumption to be higher than the private benefit. Imperfect information leads to over-production of demerit goods and under-production of merit goods. Underproduction and high prices can result from dominance by monopolies in the market. Incomplete market occurs where buyers and sellers are not fully aware of the other person’s position regarding product price hence prices may not reflect the true value for the product. Production inefficiency results from factor immobility which causes unemployment. Its competitive advantage is below the expectations of the society (Garegnani, 2006). Market failure results in allocative inefficiency. This is where there is resource misallocation and production of products that are not needed by customers at that time. It is an issue because these resources could have been utilized to make products that meet customer needs. It also causes production inefficiency. This is where given inputs are put in place but the outputs are

How masculinity is Constructed within Men's Health magazine Essay

How masculinity is Constructed within Men's Health magazine - Essay Example The level in which masculinity is because of nurture or nature, an issue of what a person is born with or socialization is a subject of debate. Research, has helped to give much information concerning the development of masculine traits and the sexual differentiation process specific to human beings’ reproductive system. The SRY gene on the Y chromosome is central for male sexual development since it activates SOX9. SOX9 collaborates with Sf1 to enhance the Anti-MÃ ¼llerian hormone to limit female development, while at the same time activating and forming a feed-forward loop with FGF9. This creates the testis cords and causes the proliferation of Sertoli cells. The creation of SRY limits the process of making a female. It causes, events that result in androgen production, testis formation, and a number of pre and post-natal hormonal effects. Scholars have developed a big debate about how children get gender identities. Others say that a masculinity is linked with the male bod y. On this view, it is evident that a masculinity is associated with the male sex and when a child has male genitalia, is regarded as an important aspect of masculinity (Connell 2005). Some scholars argue that biological factors influence masculinity; they also claim it is culturally constructed. Scholars that support this view say that women can become men physically and hormonally and that aspect assumed to be natural are linguistically and culturally driven. Concerning the nurture side of the debate, it is said that masculinity lacks a single source of origin, such as the media, institutions, or groups of people. The military has an interest in promoting a form of masculinity; however, it cannot create it from nothing. Masculinity has helped to influence the creation of the military. As an example of socialization into masculinity, facial hair is connected to masculinity through

Power and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Power and Politics - Essay Example Since political legitimacy is define as the extent to which citizens regard the state, its institutions, personnel, or policies are morally or acceptable. On their situation it is difficult and somewhat impossible, to acquire legitimacy as to their response since there is no economic growth , no major political parties to lend stability and continuity for their public policy and also there is no dominant leader since Lucien have resigned and gone away leaving them no authority's to enjoy. An opportunity doesn't come always. People's tendency when given an opportunity is to grab it immediately. But in Michaels situation, there is a big confusion, but remember that Michael have the patience , for he waits for this opportunity for about 2 years though not that long, so this is the chance for him. Since he has a stellar brand results and strong track record that might help him gain the position though there is competition between Danielle Harcourt and him. But let him face it. The will to fight for the position is great emblems of braveness that leaders should possess. He must consider his fellows and help his company gain legitimacy under him. What he needs to do must be for the common good. Not only for his personal progressions but same with his people. Michael should take the China opportunity but let us consider the practicality regarding its job location. If he is an origin of New York and lives there with its culture, it's better for him to stay. If he do really w ants to go too to China as his aspiration, he may go and be a settler for time. Michael enters and performs the Elitism power. He will manned a top hierarchy or elite; for he is one of the powerful individuals of high status which enhanced by prestige or salient position within the hierarchy of the power structure constituting him as an elite. 1) He must provide political stability which makes possible of the continuity of public expectation and government performance essential to the political process. 2) He must impose democracy making possible of the meaningful and wide spreads participation of citizens in the definition of public policy. Cultures matters most surviving of Michael in china is basely difficult. Since he is not aware of china's culture and tradition regarding business of people there. Michael must provide the following: (outline) 1) Goal a) improving the business production b) transaction (deals and orders) c) increase sales 2) Controlling the people a) assign task b) improved leadership with them 3) Hire a) high qualitative persons b) Flexible and hardworking individuals 4) Implement a democratic socialism government a) Authoritarian b) Presidential form Bibliography Rodee C. et al. (1983) Introduction to political Science. USA: Mc

Training and Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Training and Development - Assignment Example To motivate companies to evaluate training programs, management personnel who are in charge of training and development must emphasize that an evaluation would provide management with the crucial information that defines the success or failure of training programs, depending on the goals that were stipulated. The evaluation of training programs would assist in generating data that would confirm the strengths, as well as effectiveness of training and development programs; and if there are evident weaknesses that need to be addressed. Thus, companies would be motivated to evaluate training programs through the provision of accurate information that relates the direct impact of these programs on the overall improvement of the organization in terms of performance, job satisfaction and financial success. 2. What are result outcomes? Why do you think that most organizations don't use results outcomes for evaluating their training programs? According to Zoe (2010), result outcomes are resul ts of training evaluations which are â€Å"used to determine the training program's payoff for the company† (p. 225). Examples of the results outcome apparently included standards of performance such as productivity, quality, costs, repeat customers, customer satisfaction, and even information on work-related accidents (Zoe, 2010, p. 222).

What are the Psychological effects of the amount of violence portrayed Research Proposal

What are the Psychological effects of the amount of violence portrayed in movies - Research Proposal Example The case of violence against a specific ethnic group shows some psychological variance with movies such as Catch a Fire or Munich since they may shift the observers political viewpoint towards the individuals against which violence is perpetrated even if such a shift is short lived (Koopman and Butler, 2007). The researchers also note that â€Å"Research to date indicates that political films have a variety of discernible short-term effects on political beliefs and attitudes, behavior and behavioral intentions, emotions, and other psychological variables (Koopman and Butler, 2007, Pg. 1)†. However, when dealing with violence and the problem of violent films, it may be possible that the effect measured is less than the effect which actually takes place. For example, if a person has existing viewpoints about a certain political thought, violence for or against that political thought may only go to heighten and reinforce the political ideas rather than weaken them (Koopman and Butler, 2007). In essence, if a violent person sees violent behavior being rewarded in a film, it may go to reinforce their ideas about violence in general whether it is sexual violence or physical violence (Malamuth and Briere, 1986). The psychological effects of watching violent films become clear when we understand that individuals who habitually watch violent movies may be more likely to be violent with their peers and exhibit the same the kinds of behaviors even when their social conflicts could be resolved without violence (Bandura et. al., 1963). The same can be said to be true of sexual aggression since a viewer who sees violent sexual portrayals repeatedly may be more likely to enact them in his/her real life. The association between sexual arousal and violence may become a cue for some individuals to readily make violence a part of sexual arousal (Malamuth and Briere, 1986). Of course,

Investigating a strategic problem (Proposal) Research Proposal

Investigating a strategic problem ( ) - Research Proposal Example The first problem concerns the license bid. The Omani government, through its regulator, TRA announced a tender for mobile license. The license biding process was highly competitive, with approximately 28 international firms bidding for the license (Birnik and Cormack 2010, p. 405). In addition to the problem of acquiring the license, the firm has to attract talent. Even though Nawras has the resources to launch its operations, it faces the problem of recruiting the right people for permanent employment. Most importantly, the firm has to develop effective strategies for competing with Omantel that has already established its presence in the country. Omantel has already acquired a customer base, developed its infrastructure and created networks with influential people. A multi-dimensional approach targeting organizational objectives and situational factors will address the problems. It will allow the organization’s administrators to approach the license problem using a collaborative strategy. Consequently, it will create meaningful relationships to address the issue. The challenges in recruiting meaningful talent can be addressed through modern recruitment processes that use social media. In addition, Omantel’s influence can be countered through dynamic pricing techniques and creating flexible services. Nawras Telecommunications is a relatively new company in Omani. Its operations face a number of strategic problems given the fact that it is yet to develop its infrastructure or acquire an efficient human resources. The challenges are compounded because it operates in a country that has underdeveloped its telecommunication regulatory and legal

What are the Psychological effects of the amount of violence portrayed Research Proposal

What are the Psychological effects of the amount of violence portrayed in movies - Research Proposal Example The case of violence against a specific ethnic group shows some psychological variance with movies such as Catch a Fire or Munich since they may shift the observers political viewpoint towards the individuals against which violence is perpetrated even if such a shift is short lived (Koopman and Butler, 2007). The researchers also note that â€Å"Research to date indicates that political films have a variety of discernible short-term effects on political beliefs and attitudes, behavior and behavioral intentions, emotions, and other psychological variables (Koopman and Butler, 2007, Pg. 1)†. However, when dealing with violence and the problem of violent films, it may be possible that the effect measured is less than the effect which actually takes place. For example, if a person has existing viewpoints about a certain political thought, violence for or against that political thought may only go to heighten and reinforce the political ideas rather than weaken them (Koopman and Butler, 2007). In essence, if a violent person sees violent behavior being rewarded in a film, it may go to reinforce their ideas about violence in general whether it is sexual violence or physical violence (Malamuth and Briere, 1986). The psychological effects of watching violent films become clear when we understand that individuals who habitually watch violent movies may be more likely to be violent with their peers and exhibit the same the kinds of behaviors even when their social conflicts could be resolved without violence (Bandura et. al., 1963). The same can be said to be true of sexual aggression since a viewer who sees violent sexual portrayals repeatedly may be more likely to enact them in his/her real life. The association between sexual arousal and violence may become a cue for some individuals to readily make violence a part of sexual arousal (Malamuth and Briere, 1986). Of course,

Sentencing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sentencing - Term Paper Example Contextually, there are various considerations and provisions under the aforementioned clause, wherein courts are required to perform a review of every case in relation to proportionality (Gardner & Anderson, 2011). The major considerations and provisions that are included in proportionality in the US Courts are as follows. The magnitude of the crime committed and the severity of the punishment sentenced Sentences that are enforced for identical criminal acts in similar jurisdictions Sentences that are enforced for identical criminal acts in relation to other jurisdictions Source: (Gardner & Anderson, 2011) The principle of proportionality came into practice following the case rule in Solem v. Helm, 463 U.S. 227 (1983) and subsequently, the Supreme Court of the US implemented the procedures in accordance with which proportionality amid crime and penalty were to be evaluated. The case of Pulley v. Harris, 1984 can also be regarded as a landmark case in the history of developing the pr inciple of proportionality by the US Supreme Court Gardner & Anderson, 2011). ... Contextually, there are certain groups of individuals who cannot be offered with the death punishment sentence. These individuals include defendants who are (i) mentally retarded or insane, or (ii) are juveniles under 18 years of age and (iii) defendants who are found to be guilty in aiding a felony act but restrains from committing a homicide or a similar category of felony themselves (Gardner & Anderson, 2011). For an example, in the case of Graham v. Florida (No. 08-7412) (2010), the delivered judgment advocated that Graham (the defendant) committed robbery and armed burglary crimes. Later, Graham was charged with additional crimes and accordingly, the trial court canceled his probation terms, convicting him with life imprisonment punishment sentence. Graham then appealed and charged against his sentences under ‘Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause’. Contextually, in accordance with the principle of the clause, because Graham was a juvenile, it was ruled that he could not be sentenced with life imprisonment of death penalty without parole in case of non-homicide crime (Cornell University Law School, 2010). The ‘Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause’, under the provisions of the US Supreme Court, also states that mentally retarded people or insane convicts cannot be deemed eligible to be punished with death sentence, but can be or life imprisonment [Ford v. Wainwright (No. 85-5542) 752 F.2d 526, reversed and remanded] (Cornell University Law School, n.d.). As mentioned above, the principle also prohibits the US courts from delivering a death sentence to a convict who is found guilty to aid and/or abet a homicide crime or equivalent criminal offence(s) but is not directly responsible for the committed crime [Enmund v. Florida (No. 81-5321) 399 So.2d

High Needs School Teacher Application Essay Essay Example for Free

High Needs School Teacher Application Essay Essay As a human with a certain compassion for those who are less fortunate than myself, I believe it is my innate responsibility to ensure that low-income school children receive the same educational benefits through my methodology of teaching. My past experiences in the field of education such as a piano teacher, a Spanish tutor, and childcare food program representative demonstrates my love for aiding children in every capacity. The fact that the school is high need only makes my commitment more substantial. I have also completed 12 units of early childhood development at Pattern University in Los Angeles, California in preparation for any situational concerns that may arise in coping with students who are of low-income communities. It is without a doubt that I am ready for the challenges that may face me in the quest to provide educational support and attention for every individual student under my auspice within the high needs school. Also, I will always ensure that all the needs of each student are met at my best ability through the use of observational techniques, setting goals for each student to achieve and executing a reward system for exceptional achievement. I believe that certain qualities I possess such as attentiveness, great communication skills as I speak three languages—Spanish, English and Korean, which makes me a great commodity or assistance for many low-income area schools as the area may be diverse. Explain how a skill or ability that you possess will help you ensure high academic achievement for all students and provide an example of how you have effectively demonstrated this skill or ability in the past. The counseling skills I obtained from working as an administrative assistant at the Student Assistant Center gives me a keener understanding of how to communicate effectively in the enhancement of academic achievements for all students. My intentions are to help these students make the daily transition from hardship at home to a serene enjoyable environment where the focus will be solely on the acquisition of knowledge. I will implement conflict resolution initiatives in an effort to promote rules and regulations if a situation arises contrary to the policies of the school and the classroom. I am also committing myself to providing additional help to ensure that my students perform to the best of their ability. While working in the capacity of Spanish tutor at Beverly high school, my dedication to promoting excellence was exemplified by taking the time to assist students with their grammar skills, composition, and reading—all essential elements in effective ways of communication whether writing or speaking. Although, it took great diligence, it was worth working because of the benefits the student would receive as a result of enhancing these skills. Briefly describe a professional, personal or academic challenge you have overcome. What steps did you take to address the challenge, and how will that experience contribute to your success as a Teaching Fellow? As an administrative assistant at the Student Assistance Center at Los Angeles City College, I encountered many students who lacked the knowledge in the process of applying appropriately to be admitted into college. They were often overwhelmed with anxiety and fear due to the intricate process of applying to college. I became their support system as I assisted them in the application process. Although I was not directly connected with these students, they felt a dependency towards me because of their unfamiliarity with what they needed to do to successfully submit their college application. To address this particular challenge though would seem simple in the eyes of many, I sat and reviewed all the requirements needed for the process and assisted them with whatever questions and answers they required to be addressed. There were still many limitations as I could not go beyond just assisting them but as policy I was unable to write their application as that would be an unethical method of assistance and completely inappropriate. It is quite obvious that I do not support any unethical means to any given situation. If there are rules and regulations to be upheld, I will always adhere to them, as that is my duty as a Teaching Fellow. Teachers must always be guided by their own discretion as well as I intend to do. This is an important factor because any misguided situation can become a major issue. As a Teaching Fellow, I will allow my past experiences to complement my future successes in the educational field by learning from mistakes in an effort to achieve a high standard of expectations necessary for great achievement for my students as well.

The Effects of Human Mobility :: Traveling Mobility Technology Essays

The Effects of Human Mobility The effect of human travel has been twofold on the course of human history. It has served to transfer technologies, and it has also served to facilitate the spread diseases. There are examples of how technology travels from one culture to another all over the place, from the readings and movies we watch to things that we surround ourselves with everyday. Most of these technologies serve to make the lives of humans easier or more fun, but there are some inventions that have served to only destroy or make others lives worse. In some cases the technology’s originally intended usage was preserved, but in others the technology is used in different manners. An example from one of the first readings from this class is the Chinese invention of gunpowder. Originally it was used for religious purposes, but once the technology spread west through human travel, Europeans used the gunpowder and invented guns and ammunition. Once guns were invented, though, their use has not been altered. T hough there are many different models, and types of guns, they all operate under the same principles and for the same purpose. As I was trying to think of other examples of transfer of human technology through travel the movie â€Å"The Gods Must Be Crazy† came to mind. I know that this movie doesn’t represent real life, and might not be based on a true story, but it shows an example of how technology from one culture can influence and change another. The basic premise of the movie is that a pilot is flying his plane over the African bush lands, and drops his Coke bottle out the window. The bottle falls into the hands of a tribe of bushmen who still live a relatively primitive lifestyle. The Coke bottle serves many different uses for them. This glass bottle is harder than most things that they had access to, and its mouth and base are circular. Eventually everyone in the tribe wanted to use the bottle for their own purposes. The drawback was that there was only one bottle, so everyone in the tribe begins to fight over it. The rest of the plot is irrelevant, but what I have retold so far serves to illustrate how human travel influences the spread of technology. It also illustrates that the use of one culture’s technology in another culture may not be the originally intended purpose.

Environmental Activism Essay -- essays research papers

1. The large mainstream environmentalism groups started to compromise too much with regulatory agencies and bureaus, starting with the Glen Canyon Dam project. This began an estrangement with the mainstreams that culminated in the rise of more militant groups like Earth First! Glen Canyon represented what was fundamentally wrong with the country's conservation policies: arrogant government officials motivated by a quasireligious zeal to industrialize the natural world, and a diffident bureaucratic leadership in the mainstream environmental organizations that more or less willingly collaborated in this process.The mainstream environmental groups and government held the premise that mankind should control and manage the natural world. The radicals held that our technological culture with its intrusions on natural world had to be curtailed, perhaps even undone, to keep the ecology of this planet and our role in it viable. It marked a shift from a rearguard strategy (mainstream) to protect wilderness to an affirmative attempt to roll back the artifacts of civilization, to restore the world to the point where natural processes such as the flow of rivers could continue.The mainstream environmental movement is now perceived by many as out of touch with people's deep concern about environmental degradation, has become systematized. The activists use approaches such as industrial vandalism or "ecotage" to foster dramatic results. Some other methods employed are tree spiking, tree sitting, road blockading, demonstrations, tree pinning, ship sinking, dam breaking and outright terrorist-type sabotage (bombing power stations, bridges, power line, etc.) There may be some complimentary results of the efforts of both mainstream and radical groups. The large environmental organizations, while denouncing the radical's confrontational activities, have then been able to use their ample finances to take the campaign to Congress or the courts with the impetus of public support the radicals generated. 2. With Soule's quote, including "Vertebrate evolution may be at an end" it means that the civilization complex has lost its reference point by overwhelming the natural processes it has always used to define itself. The otherness of nature is disappearing into the artificial world of technology. As the environmental crisis worsens, we can expect increased att... ...of civilization's citizens.' Industrial man and the industrial society may be the most deleterious and unsustainable economic system the world has ever seen, since it constantly eats into the ecological systems on which it depends.We are beginning to realize just how costly a system it is as the health and cleanup bills from years of environmental abuse come due. Not surprisingly, those who benefited most from the extravagant rise of the industrial economy have done their best to pass the burden on to others: the poor, the unwary, or the next generation. Industrialism is perhaps the greatest pyramid scheme in history.The role that industrial man must take for the ultimate survival of the natural world is that he must take the action to slow and reverse human population growth . There are ecological limits to how many people can live in dignity on this planet; to quibble over whether that line has yet been crossed is to invite a game of ecological brinkmanship that there is no nee d to play. And if human population has not exceeded carrying capacity, the arguments of the humanist critics leave out the whole question of the effect present population levels have on the nonhuman world.

The British Judiciary is Both Independent and Impartial

The Judiciary of the United Kingdom is not a single body. Each of the separate legal systems in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland has their own judiciary. The British Judiciary plays a vital part in British Politics. This is unblemished as the judicial system is significantly responsible for a multitude of political roles. The senior judiciary help interpret the meaning of law and directly enforce the rule of law. Similarly they also declare and interpret common law in addition to reviewing executive decision.Essentially the judiciary thrives as a noteworthy system that has been rooted in British history for numerous years. It substantiates to be an efficient system that functions smoothly. So much so that other countries have been influenced to directly copy the system in Britain, many countries are still changing and evolving their current systems to meet the needs of their societies. The British judiciary is widely regarded as one of the best and most independent sy stems in the world.However the question pondered recently is how independent and neutral is the British judiciary? An independent judiciary is Significant as it results in a justice system that is not influenced by either the legislative or executive branch. Moreover it is free to make decisions based upon law and not upon the pressure forced from other groups. The quote â€Å"It is vitally important in a democracy that individual judges and the judiciary as a whole are impartial and independent of all external pressures and of each other (Baroness Butler-Sloss–May 2012) visibly condenses this.Fortunately many argue that the British Judiciary is in essence the most independent of all systems in the world. This is evident due to many reasons. One of which is the constitutional reform act (CRA). The act ensures British Judicial independence as it removes the title of speaker of the House of Lords and also head of the judiciary of England and wales from the office of the Lord C hancellor. This took place when concerns aroused that a member of the judiciary who was also a member of one of the other two branches could not be suitably impartial.Before the CRA was passed, the House of Lords formed some amendments retaining the office of the Lord Chancellor, but significantly reducing his role in judicial affairs. This is not only momentous in the context of Britain but also the European convention of human rights, something the Judicial is responsible for enforcing so that all have the right to a fair trial. At the same time it can also be disputed that the British Judiciary is impartial, this is subsequently because of the broken relationship from the government.The British judiciary is not influenced by politicians as the judicial system is profoundly independent. Fundamentally the judiciary decides matters before the government on the foundation of facts in accordance with the law. Without any restrictions, improper influences inducements, pressures threats or interferences direct or indirect from any sector or for any reason. It is highly prominent that the British judiciary contains an element of ‘impartiality’ as it allows the system to be neutral in the affairs in allocates itself with.There are no major personal biases when administering justice and as a result the following rules under the law are respected; Equality, no one exceeds the law and most importantly everyone is entitled to a fair trial. Ultimately the British judiciary is both impartial and independent, both play vital roles in holding each other securely in place, the absence of judicial independence threatens judicial neutrality and in the same way without impartiality, independence cannot be guaranteed.Moreover, I agree that the British Judiciary is independent as it is assured by the nation and is enshrined in the constitution or the law of Britain. It is essentially the duty of all governmental and various institutions to respect and observe the ind ependence of the judiciary, this is due to the fact that the judiciary has superior jurisdiction over all issues of a judicial nature and has exclusive authority to decide where an issue submitted for its decision is within its competence as defined by law .In addition to this the British judiciary is independent because the judiciary cannot successfully support a government act as it would most likely backfire. This is because it would be upgraded to a European court ruling that takes precedence over a British court decision; in essence the judiciary is free from liability. However it can be argued that the British judiciary is not both impartial and independent. The concept of neutrality can be portrayed as weak due to the understanding that the Judiciary does not include a prodigious deal of Female judges.With the insight that only 23% of the Judges are women it becomes unavoidable that there is gender discrimination within the system. Another factor concerning the lack of indepe ndence and impartiality is the issue surrounding judicial appointments. It can be argued that there is lack of separation of powers relating to the appointments as the Lord Chancellor still manages a magnitude of power. This illustrates how his influence in the appointment can be unfair as it deprives the ideology behind neutral and independent nomination.Essentially judicial appointments were made by the Lord chancellor and monarch however in the modern age the judiciary cannot run as effectively if it fulfilled its old system and it must appear more transparent to aid the Judiciary with distinctive impartiality and independence. Similarly to this its profoundly comprehendible that despite the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) statistics exclaim that most of the senior judges are white middle class men with attainment of education from ‘Oxbridge’ This ultimately elucidates a separation of powers and goes against the promise of â€Å"more diverse judiciary† made by the JAC.From the information I have gathered I can gain the understanding that the British Judiciary is both impartial and independent as it is engraved in the constitution that the government has to respect the independence of the judiciary, similarly the most prominent factor elucidating this is that there is no major link between politics and the judiciary hence the judiciary can guarantee equal justice to all, judges and juries are free from influence and can make fair and honest decisions about cases subsequently creating a far more efficient system that works for the nation as a whole.Ultimately decisions can be reached without fear of retaliation of other groups or special interests. Despite the fact that the judiciary abstains its imperfections that deprive it of complete independence and neutrality, such as the factor consisting of lack of separation of powers’ and influence within the political system, there is major transmogrification that suggests the judi cial system is becoming more transparent.The JAC announced that 8% of the people recommended for judicial jobs last year were black or Asian and correspondingly 156 new women were chosen for appointment under the new system. The British judiciary ultimately proves to be an efficient and momentous system that works, it does so by being both impartial and independent.

Blake is the enemy of all authority(TM) Essay

Blake’s poetry often serves to propagate his anti-authoritarian views and loathing of institutional power. Furthermore, his views often impress upon the reader his belief in the human right for both spiritual and social freedom, unconstrained by established convention. Blake’s treatment of the institution of the church and religion is often contemptuous and shows his attitude to what he sees as the hypocrisy of an uncompromising establishment which in his eyes causes misery, rather than nurturing the human sole. In ‘The Garden of Love’ Blake conveys his anti-clerical message in the stanza â€Å"the gates of this chapel were shut† and reflects his view of the church as exclusionary. Moreover, the â€Å"shut† gates imply that the path to heaven and God does not start at the foot of the alter, but in individual belief and spirituality. The idea is further reinforced in the poem by the image of priests â€Å"binding with briars my joys and desires† and thereby placing the priests in the position of Christ’s oppressors, making them seem malevolent in robbing people of their natural joyful impulse. The alliteration and assonance within the â€Å"binding with briars† further reinforces the idea of a cruel path to supposed salvation. ‘The Marriage of Heaven and Hell’ challenges traditional Christian theology and makes the statement that â€Å"Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion†, this conveys his belief that whilst society may restrain immorality, religion can create it. The â€Å"prisons†¦ built with stones of law† also symbolise how traditional doctrinal teaching has imprisoned personal individuality. Furthermore â€Å"Good is the passive which obeys reason. Evil is the active springing from energy† epitomises the teaching of the Church of Blake’s time and is contrary to the sentiments of most contemporary readers in an age prizing individuality and condemnatory of passive indolence. â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell† was composed after the 1789 French Revolution and in a period of radical ideological and political conflict, therefore Blake’s condemnation of apathy is aimed to promulgate his vision of anarchic energy free from the restrain of authority. â€Å"Reason is the bound or outward circumference of energy† suggests that living purely through one’s intellect is what constrains boundless energy, which to him is â€Å"eternal delight†. So in this respect it is evident that the traditional authority given to rationality is seen as preventative to living life to its full as â€Å"the restrainer or reason†¦ governs the unwilling†. This indicates Blake’s view that the natural human instinct is to oppose reason and that to act according to reason is tantamount to acting under duress, in the mistaken belief that to oppose reason is to go against the â€Å"Good [which] is the passive that obeys reason†. In the poem â€Å"The school Boy† Blake condemns school- an institution which tries to teach reason as restricting the childs’ vivacity in his natural environment. â€Å"How can the bird that is born for joy sit in a cage and sing? † is a metaphor for human imprisonment to show that the environment of the classroom cannot cultivate the unrestrained and joyful energy which Blake reveres. This is in contrast to â€Å"the sky-lark [which] sings† with the boy when he â€Å"rise[s] in a summer morn When the birds sing on every tree†. This illustrates the bucolic setting, filled with aural imagery and how joy prevails in the boundless confines of nature. The repression of man-created institutions such as school can be contrasted to the freedom provided by nature, where arguably God is the only authority. The nurses song centres on the liberating environment of nature where â€Å"the voices of children are heard on the green and laughing is heard on the hill†. This evokes the abundance of delight created by God’s creation of the natural world and how in Blake’s time the idyllic countryside of England was yet largely unspoiled by large, polluting manufacturers seeking profit maximisation. The laughing of the children in â€Å"The Nurse’s Song† almost becomes as natural as the song of â€Å"the little birds† and shows that in such pastoral surroundings the children’s freedom is boundless just as that of the birds. However, this freedom is circumscribed by the watchful nurse in â€Å"The Nurses Song† in ‘Song’s of Experience’ who reprimands the children saying â€Å"your spring and your day are wasted in play† and in contrast to the well intentioned protection of the children in the first â€Å"Nurse’s Song†, this poem presages the eventual loss of the children’s natural freedom. However, Blake does not oppose parental authority arising from love, that is in the best interests of the child. Whilst he may rightfully condemn the parents in â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper† (experience) who â€Å"clothed†¦ [their child] in the clothes of death And taught†¦ [him] to sing the notes of woe†, this is because they are uncaring and hostile to their child’s happiness that is anathema to them. Consequently, their authority is destructive and oppressive. But, Blake does not condemn the guiding role of the mother in â€Å"The Little Black Boy†, who â€Å"taught†¦ [him] underneath a tree†, as her teaching is not institutionalised and rigidly doctrinal, but done outdoors in the natural environment that Blake so venerates. Moreover, at a time when slavery was still legal in England and the general perception of other races was of a racist sort, Blake’s portrayal of the boy and his mother in an affectionate manner, devoid of savagery would have challenged the notions of his day. In another radical step away from the customs of his time the introduction to Songs of Innocence gives authority to the child, to which the piper assents. † ‘Pipe a song about a lamb. ‘/ So I piped with merry cheer† paints the child was the origin of creativity and beautiful, with the piper as his instrument. The reference to the lamb suggests that the child has a moral and spiritual purpose and that his youthful innocence makes him more adept than the piper to whom he shoes how to convey the message through song. However the transience of the child’s authority is conveyed in the words â€Å"so he vanished from my sight† which re-establishes the reality of Blake’s time when children were powerless to resist the demands of their elders and could not dictate their own wishes or destinies. Blake’s focus on authority is intended to make a social and political statement about the customs of his day. Arguably, he does not oppose all authority but merely the kind arising from self-interest and requiring the sacrifice of fellow human beings. His poetry advocates individuality and unrestrained vivacity for life rare for his time and fundamentally preaches unbridled equality.

Chemistry and Biotechnology Essay

ABSTRACT Elemental analysis of organic compounds determine the elements present in them but they do not give the actual structure or the functional groups present. Since all organic compounds contain hydrogen and carbon, most tests consist of only the determination of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and halogens – elements that are most of the time the only ones involved in organic compounds. The experiment focused on the Sodium Fusion test, which tested for all elements except oxygen. In the test, the test compound is broken down into its elements, which then bond individually with sodium. The presence of sulfur was tested either with lead acetate or sodium nitroprusside. The presence of nitrogen was tested with ferrous ammonium sulfate and potassium fluoride. The presence of any halogen was tested by a flame test with copper wire and the identification of the exact halogen was done using silver nitrate. Careful experimentation was needed in order to avoid false positive and false negative r esults. Keywords: elemental analysis, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, halogens, sodium fusion, lead acetate, sodium nitroprusside, flame test[pic] INTRODUCTION Organic compounds are composed mainly of carbon and hydrogen, and in certain functional groups, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and halogens. When presented with an unknown organic compound, it is at times enough to determine the elements present in the compound and not the exact functional groups. The process in which the elements of a compound are determined is called elemental analysis. One of the tests done to conduct elemental analysis is the Sodium Fusion Test. In this experiment, sodium fusion test is used in elemental analysis of qualitative determination of elemental halogens, sulphur and nitrogen in a sample. Sodium is a very strong reducing agent that will able to break up the organic compounds carbon atom chain. It also will convert the atoms which are covalently bonded to the carbon chain to inorganic ions. The elements are detected by sodium fusion test. The organic compound is fused with metallic sodium to convert these elements into ionic mixture which dissolved in water and the filtrate is used to perform the tests. The sodium fusion test, in some texts known as the Lassaigne’s test, was developed by the French chemist, Jean Louis Lassaigne in the 1800’s. It is a general test performed in order to determine the presence of nitrogen, sulfur and halogens. The principle behind the test is the breakdown of the compound into its elements at high temperatures. The breakdown of a compound into its elements is possible for organic compounds as they do not dissociate and form ions when dissolved in a liquid unlike salts and other ionic compounds. These elements then fuse with sodium. These sodium compounds are then the ones tested with different solutions that reveal the presence or absence of the above elements. A limitation of this test is that it cannot test for the presence of oxygen, however, the presence of oxygen can easily be determined through the determination of the actual functional groups in the compound. It is a general test for the detection of halogens, nitrogen and sulphur in an organic compound. These elements are covalently bonded to the organic compounds. In order to detect them, these have to be converted into their ionic forms. This is done by fusing the organic compound with sodium metal. The ionic compounds formed during the fusion are extracted in aqueous solution and can be detected by simple chemical tests. The extract is called sodium fusion extract or Lassaigne’s extract (Wikipedia, 2012.) When an organic compound is heated strongly with sodium, any halogens, nitrogen, and sulfur will be converted into inorganic sodium salts such as sodium halide (for halides), sodium cyanide (for nitrogen), sodium sulfide (for sulfur), and sodium thiocyanate (for sulfur and nitrogen).The nitrogen is confirmed with ferrous sulfate i.e. iron sulfate. In this experiment, the Sodium Fusion Test was used in order to determine the elements present in an unknown compound. MATERIALS AND METHODS The experiment was divided into 2 parts; the first part was the sodium fusion test while the second part consisted of the tests for specific elements. For the first part of the experiment, a piece of sodium metal was washed with hexane and then placed in a completely dry test tube. It was made sure that the test tube was completely dry because any drop of water in the test tube would result to an explosion due to the highly reactive property of sodium. The test tube with the sodium metal was then heated until the metal has melted. Once the vapor has reached a third of the test tube, it was removed from heating and 0.5g/15ml of the sample was added to it. The mixture was then reheated until the fusion has been completed. A successful fusion was noted by a small explosion or flash. The mixture was removed from heating. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, 1ml of ethanol was added to it and the mixture was again heated until a dull red mixture was obtained. This was done with constant stirring. Once the dull red mixture was obtained, the test tube was immersed in 10ml distilled water and was broken using a glass rod. The mixture was stirred and it was made sure that no residue was left on the stirring rod.; it was then heated to boiling and filtered using an ashless filter paper and the residue was kept aside. For the second part of the experiment, tests for sulfur, nitrogen and halogens were performed. The test for sulfur could be done in two ways: the lead acetate test and the sodium nitroprusside test. For the lead acetate test, 1ml of the sodium fusion filtrate was first tested with blue litmus paper. Acetic acid was then added dropwise until the solution becomes acidic. A few drops of 1% lead acetate solution were added to the solution and the formation of a black precipitate indicated the presence of sulfur. The sodium nitroprusside test was done by adding 2 drops of 2% sodium nitroprusside to 1ml of the sodium fusion filtrate, with the formation of a deep blue-violet color an indication of the presence of sulfur. The test for nitrogen was done through the Lassaigne Test or the Prussian Blue Test. 1ml of the sodium fusion filtrate was adjusted to pH13 through the addition of 10% NaOH solution. 2 drops of each freshly prepared ferrous ammonium sulfate solution and 30% potassium fluoride solution. The mixture was then heated to boiling and acidified through the addition of 3M sulfuric acid drop wise until the iron hydroxides have been dissolved. A positive result was indicated by the formation of a dark blue solution or precipitate. The test for halogens was done in two parts – the first part, called the Beilstein’s test was the test for the presence of halogens while the second test was the test for the identity of the halogen if it is present. For the Beilstein’s test, a copper wire with a loop at the end was heated using a Bunsen burner until no color was imparted on the flame. It was then cooled and dipped into the sodium fusion filtrate and then burned again. The appearance of a green flame was the indication of the presence of halogens. For the test for the specific halogen present, 2ml of the sodium fusion filtrate was tested with blue litmus paper. It was then acidified through the drop wise addition of 5% nitric acid solution and boiled slowly for a few minutes. The solution was then cooled and filtered if a precipitate was formed. 2 drops of 0.1M silver nitrate solution was then added to the filtrate. The formation of white, pale yellow or yellow precipitate indicated the presence of chlorine, bromine and iodine respectively. The results can be further verified through the continuous addition of 0.1M silver nitrate in ethanol in order to precipitate all the halogens. The precipitate was then tested with 2ml of 5% ammonium hydroxide. Dissolving of the precipitate indicated the presence of chlorine. Slight dissolving indicated the presence of bromine while insolubility indicated the presence of iodine. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS The following table shows the results of the elemental analysis tests and the flowchart shows the correct steps of the elemental analysis (basing on the identity of the unknown and not on the experimental results): |Cl |- |S |- | |Br |- |N |Present | |I |- |Metal |- | |F |− | | | During the sodium fusion test, the unknown organic compound was heated to very high temperatures and as a consequence, was broken down into its elements. In the presence of sodium, the compound can form different products depending on the elements present. These products can be NaCN, Na2S, NaI, NaCl or NaBr, since the most common elements found in organic compounds other than carbon,hydrogen and oxygen are nitrogen, sulfur and the halogens. For the unknown compound, sulfur was present and so Na2S was formed. If the sulfur was tested with lead acetate, the following reaction occurred: [pic] The reaction leads to the formation of PbS, which is a black precipitate. If sulfur was tested with sodium nitroprusside, the following reaction occurred: [pic] The ionic solution formed was of a deep violet color. For the unknown compound, nitrogen was presend and so NaCN was formed. For the test for nitrogen, the following reaction occurred: [pic] [pic] [pic] The resulting product is of the Prussian blue color; it was either a solution or a precipitate. The unknown compound did not contain halogens but if it did, the following reaction would have occurred for the Beilstein’s Test: [pic] In determining the actual halogen present, the following reactions occurred: AgCl, AgBr and AgI are while, pale yellow and yellow precipitates respectively. If the sodium fusion test was done in limiting sodium and both sulfur and nitrogen were present in the compound, the thiocyanate ion would be formed during the fusion instead of the cyanate ion. A blood color would emerge from the nitrogen test due to the following reaction: [pic] The organic compounds to be analyzed consist of basically of a chain of carbon atoms which various other atoms are attached. Since these elements are covalently bonded to the carbon chain, it is unable to dissolve in water to form cations and anions. However, sodium fusion test can be used to reduce those atoms that are covalently bonded to the carbon chain to inorganic soluble ions since sodium is a very strong reducing agent. In the Lassaigne’s test, the nitrogen can be reduced to form cyanide ions, CN-: [pic] For sulphur, it had been reduced to form sulfide ion, S2- in Lassaigne’s test as shown in the following: [pic] If both nitrogen and sulphur are present in the organic compound at the same time, then the chemical reaction below will take place in the test: [pic] If halogens (Cl, Br, I) are present in the compound, the halogens will be reduced to form halide ions (Cl-, Br-, I-) during the sodium fusion test. [pic] The inorganic ions in aqueous solution could be easily observed after undergo certain tests which can indicates the presence of elements in the particular compounds. In the cyanide test, the filtrate of compound A was added with ferrous sulfate, a dark green precipitate was formed. The formation of ferrous hydroxide was produced from the reaction between ferrous sulfate and sodium hydroxide. [pic] The sodium hydroxide was formed by the reaction of unreacted sodium metal with water due to incomplete reaction of sodium fusion with compound A. [pic] The FeSO4 solution was added to confirm the presence of NaOH and to react completely with it in the filtrate. At the same time, a small amount of black precipitate was formed at the bottom but it was disappeared after more ferrous sulphate was added. The formation of black precipitate may be due to the ferrous sulphide exists in the mixture. [pic] The equation below shows that the ferrous sulphate was reacted with the sodium cyanide to form sodium ferrocyanide as the main product. [pic] The sulphuric acid and increase in temperature was used to increase the suitable medium for the formation of complex. As a result, ferric-ferrocyanide complex with the colour of Prussian blue was precipitated out after ferric chloride is added to oxidize the Fe2+ to become Fe3+. This Prussian blue precipitate indicates that the unknown A contains nitrogen in the compound. [pic] Some of the Fe3+ was formed before the oxidation of ferric chloride. This might be due to the air oxidation of iron(II) ions in the mixture before the ferric chloride is added. For compounds B and C, a negative result is obtained which end up with colourless solution as results. Hence, these shown nitrogen are absent in the both organic compounds. The reduced sulfide ion can be confirmed by using two different tests which were sodium nitroprusside test and lead(II) acetate test. For the first test, the appearance of deep purple solution shows the positive result. The formation of sodium sulphonitroprusside is a complex that was formed between the sodium nitroprusside and sodium sulphide. [pic] In another test, the black precipitate will be formed if the sulphur is present in the compound. The formation of black precipitate shows a positive result for this test. [pic] There are various possible sources of errors for the experiment. One of these is the incomplete or improper fusion of the compound with sodium. If this happens, then the proper compounds would not be formed and therefore would give negative or even false positive results in the tests. Another possible source of error for the test is from the Prussian blue test. The solution must be basic because the test does not run in an acidic medium. If the solution is left acidic, the reaction will not occur and would give a false negative result. Another source of error is the determination of the flame color in the Beilstein’s test. The color should be blue-green because a blue flame indicates Cu1+ ions while a green flame indicates Cu-(non-halide). If the color of the flame was observed incorrectly, then it may give a false positive if it is observed to be blue-green instead of blue or green or it may give a false negative if it is not observed as blue-green. This was the main source of error for this trial since the presence of halogens was incorrectly deduced. Conclusion From the experiment, several conclusions could be made. First, the sodium fusion tests consist of various tests, which determine the presence of nitrogen, sulfur and halogens in an organic compound. The presence of nitrogen was confirmed by the formation of a Prussian blue precipitate or solution. The presence of sulfur was confirmed through the formation of the black precipitate PbS or the formation of a deep violet solution from sodium nitroprusside. The presence of a halogen in the compound was confirmed by a blue-green flame, when the flame test was performed with a copper wire while the exact identity of the halogen was determined by the different colors of precipitate formed with silver nitrate. It can also concluded that the experiment should be done in accuracy and care since the results can give false positive or false negative results when seemingly minor details are incorrectly deduced, for instance the pH of the solution or the color of the flame. Also, sodium is highly reactive and just a small area of contact with water can cause an explosion. REFERENCES 1. Lancashire, Robert John (2005) Qualitative Analysis of Organic Compounds., http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm/lab_manuals/c10expt25.html 2. Baluyut John Y. G., De Castro Kathlia A., Organic Chemistry Laboratory for Chemical Engineering Students Part 2, 2004 3. Klein, David (2012). Organic Chemistry. Danvers. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 4. Wikipedia (2012). Sodium Fusion Test. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_fusion_test