What is Euthanasia?

Euthanasia is one of the most highly discussed topic in society today. It is not morally correct it has to do with killing someone and ruins the intrinsic value of a human being. That is my argument towards euthanasia. Euthanasia goes against nature. Those that oppose say that it is mercy killing, but it is still killing. I am with the majority who are against this so-called mercy killing. Before presenting my arguments, it would be best to define the term â€Å"euthanasia†. Euthanasia can be defined in many ways. Here are categories that fall in with the term euthanasia. â€Å"The term involuntary euthanasia is where the decision is not made by the person who is to die; the patient's life is ended without the knowledge and consent. It is basically a form of murder. Passive euthanasia is to speed up the process of death to a person and stopping some type of support to let that take its course.' (academic, coup) Like: stopping a form of medical procedure, stopping nutrients of food and water and allowing the person to dehydrate or starve to death, with that not delivering CPR. â€Å"The term active euthanasia involves causing the death of a person through a direct action, in response from that person.† (ACADEMIC.COUP) A well-known example of that is the case of Dr. Kevorkian. He gave a lethal dose of medicine to kill a terminally ill patient. Dr. Jack Kevorkian was a retired pathologist who assisted in the deaths of over 130 people. The famous court case of Dr. Jack Kevorkian brought awareness to the controversial issue of euthanasia to the public. â€Å"In Michigan, Dr. Jack Kevorkian was convicted of the second-degree murder because he administered a controlled substance to end the life of Thomas Youk and had prepared a video showing his action and let the video be broadcast on national television (NY Times). A different yet similar situation and legal case would come about Saskatchewan, Canada when a wheat farmer named Robert Latimer would take the question of euthanasia into his own hands. â€Å"Robert Latimer murdered his young daughter, Tracy, on October 24th, 2008. Behind the reasoning of Latimer's act which was immoral is that he couldn't help to see his daughter suffering from a severe form of cerebral palsy and her disability. He killed her by placing Tracy in the back of his car and ran a hose from the exhaust to the cab, while he watched her die. Latimer was then convicted on November 4,1993 of first-degree murder. The year after he was convicted of second-degree murder.† (Inclusion Daily). So the question is: what's the difference between his actions of killing his Tracy who suffers from serious pain, and a doctor who received given permission to kill an individual who is also suffering from pain? Eventually Dr. Jack Kevorkian, and Robert Latimer, were both charged with murder because they chose to practice euthanasia. If murder is prohibited by law because people take murder into their own hands to kill others, then why shouldn't euthanasia be too since doctors kill their patients even if there is consent. A doctor must receive authorization to assist in the death of a patient who is overly sick. Because of this many have questioned why doesn't Robert Latimer have the right to take his own daughters life, since a doctor would have had to ask him anyways to have the right to kill Tracy? Latimer apparently saved his daughter from suffering, which is the same reason many people.

Patient Centred Care Essay

This essay will engage closely in exploring the case study provided during week one through four. It will deal with various issues such as the difference between type one and type two diabetes, outcomes of poorly managed blood sugar levels, the necessity of pain control during post-operative care for Josie, the implementation of Tanner’s model of clinical Judgement and lastly but not the least, a summary of Josie’s progress note. Diabetes and blood glucose control As Diabetes Mellitus is closely connected to the insufficient action of insulin in the body, the type one and two diabetic patients suffer mainly from managing their blood sugar levels (Crisp & Taylor, 2009. ). The widely known differences between the two diabetes are that type one diabetes display an inability of the pancreas to create insulin for the body as its cells producing insulin are destroyed. Type two diabetes do produce insulin, however due to the reduced production of the insulin by the pancreas, the body is unable or resistant to use the insulin appropriately and leads the body to face difficulties in maintaining homoeostatic balance. Further differences of type one and type two diabetes could be identified in managing the disease. It is essential for type one diabetic patient to be treated with an external source of insulin, however for type two diabetic patients the treatment could vary simply from controlling their diet and exercising, or injecting insulin into the body to control their blood sugar levels (Barnes, 2004). Poor function of insulin to control Glucose is the energy source that the cells feed on to survive, therefore poor management of the blood glucose will lead the cells to suffer from insufficient amount of energy to regulate the entire body (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2008). Although the effects may not be immediately life threatening, conditions such as constant exhaustion or hypoglycaemia occurs when there is a low level of glucose in the blood. The patients at such circumstance will experience headaches, dizziness, hunger, seizures and fall into comas at extreme cases. Other outcomes may occur due to hyperglycaemia, when high blood glucose levels damage the small blood vessels. Blood vessels which supply energy to the cells become affected by the high glucose level which in return causes the blood to be toxic and the formation of blood clots (Zmuida, 2009). This will soon result the nerves and the cells to poorly function and trigger blurry vision, nerve damage, poor circulation, foot infections, cardiovascular complications, kidney infections in the long run. Importance of postoperative pain control One of the most important purpose to perform a postoperative pain assessment is to manage the risks the patient may face after the operation. By assessing the location, severity, type of pain and the temperature of the pain area, the patient is likely to have lower risks of developing an infection or a disease during recovery (Doherty, 2010). If pain control assessment is absent during a postoperative care for Josie Elliot, Elliot is likely to meet high levels of pain and stress in dealing with the pain. Such stress is likely to interfere with the other postoperative recovery exercises as it is predictable that Elliot will be physically tensed and unwilling. Furthermore, the consequences of not acknowledging the pain areas for Elliot, could lead to overlooking problems such as swelling or internal bleeding of the operated wrist. Although the problems may be small, they are likely to grow into serious matters such as haemorrhage and amputation. Therefore, for the patients to be less at a risk of becoming susceptible to complications- pain control is the stepping-stone to safety and be considered as a major priority of postoperative care. Tanner’s Clinical judgement: Noticing In this initial step of clinical judgement the nurse will focus in recognising the current situation of the patient. The nurse will seek to find future discomforts and problems that may occur during the care for the patient (Tanner, 2006). As for Elliot, who had an active life before being submitted into the hospital, the nurse should concentrate in understanding the patients psychological well being. Elliot being in such a contrasting environment to her daily life in the society, she could be expected to experience severe stress. For example, the nurse could initiating a casual conversation to assess any signs of depression or discomfort that Elliot may be experiencing. Through her voice, expression or gestures, the nurse will be able to notice conditions out of the ordinary. Another way to collect more informations about the patient may be communicating with the family members. Family members are the ones who will know the patient well enough to be concerned with the minor changes the patient shows. Such way of assessing the patient will help the nurse to accurately point out the changes occurring to the patient and gain deeper understandings of the patient conditions. Interpreting This phase is about digesting the collected information about the patient. For example, Analysing and interpreting the patient’s idea of his or her condition will allow the nurse to prioritise her tasks for the patients health care. Prioritising tasks will help the nurse to initiate the most argent care needed for the patient. This will decrease number of the patient’s risk factors and benefit the patient to be nearer to the risk free zone (Tanner, 2006). For further example, the nurse could interpret Elliot’s dull and restless behaviours, responses, moods and expressions as a sign of depression. Other objective data such as Elliot’s vitals signs could be interpreted into a certain warning for an occurrence of a diseases. After understanding these informations, the nurse could then prioritise the absorbed informations from the most severe issues to the least (Bradshaw & Lowenstein, 2010). In Elliot’s case it would first be the pain assessment on her fractured wrist and the vital signs to identify and tightly secure Elliot’s overall physical health which is crucial. The next will be followed by Elliot’s psychological assessment to ensure Elliot will not be harmed by depression. The last task on the list could be the patient shower to benefit Elliot to feel better and comfortable. However being at the end of the list does not indicate that this task is the least important. Responding This phase requires the nurse to be skilful in order to act out and perform the tasks set out in the previous phase of interpreting (Bradshaw ; Lowenstein, 2010). At this time of care, the nurse is expected to be insightful, with the attitudes of calmness and confidence to achieve successful outcome of the practice. For example, the nurse could systematically perform the interpreted and prioritized tasks on Elliot. During each task the nurse should explain the procedures being undertaken and communicate with the patient to be informative and clear. This will bring Elliot to be aware and be assured of the care being provided. This will help her to feel less confused or discomforted by knowing what is going on with her body while receiving the care. This step of clinical judgment will inform and educate the patient which is a crucial part of patient centered care. Reflecting Reflecting in tanner’s clinical judgment refers to having the knowledge to predict what is expected as an outcome of the care provided. There are two different aspects of reflection which are reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action is when the nurse assesses the patient’s feedback or response in coping with the tasks and the care practiced on the patient. Reflection-on-action is how the nurse learns and gains further knowledge through the patients response to a particular nursing care (Bradshaw ; Lowenstein, 2010). During Elliot’s care, the nurse has given the medication to Elliot for pain relief. The nurse should observe and record Elliot’s responses to the medications. The first response the nurse will be looking for would be the complications occurring Elliot’s health due to the medication, such as a side effects or an allergic reaction. Secondly, the degree of effectiveness of the medication for Elliot to reduce the pain would also be analyzed. After Elliot’s responses have been assessed, the nurse should immediately make an effort to improve the status of the patient, and further promote patient centered care.

A Critical Review Of Che Guevaras The Motorcycle Diaries

A Critical Review Of Che Guevara's The Motorcycle Diaries â€Å"The Motorcycle Diaries† is a story of an eight thousand mile trip that begins from Argentina to Peru. The trip involves two people; Ernesto Guevara and his friend, Alberto Granado, whom they travel together using a motorcycle as they pass through different countries with different landscapes. The young men are on a duty to explore the different parts of the world they had never visited before. The quest of the adventurers in the movie is to see the things they had only read from books about the continent on which they live, more so the physical landscapes of different regions. The Change in Physical Landscapes The physical landscapes change as Ernesto and Alberto travel from Argentina to Chile, and to Peru. The two travel through five different countries starting with Argentina. They pass through the mountains, for example, the Andes where they had to endure very low temperatures. Initially, they travelled through a landscape where the sun shined, and the land was quite warm before they reached Chile, a land full of snow. Ernesto and Alberto also travelled through the Pampas; very large and fertile pieces of land. While in Peru, the two went through the Lowlands and the Tropical rainforest. While in Columbia, they came across part of the Andes Mountain. The terrain in Columbia was also mountainous as in Chile. There was no difference for Alberto and Ernesto in Venezuela, which was the last country they travelled through. The country also had a lot of mountains, with the climate being the tropical type. The change in physical landscapes during the journey involving Alberto and Ernesto is evident when their motorcycle turns over a number of times during the trip. In different occasions, the motorcycle skids out from under the two and even land into a ditch. The mountainous terrain and the lowlands could have been the cause of the turning of the motorcycle. Cultural Differences Encountered by Ernesto and Alberto While travelling, Alberto and Ernesto encounter cultural differences as they travel through the region. Firstly, the two come to the realization that the official language spoken by the people in the area they are going through is Spanish. Even the Indians in Chile speak Spanish. Besides, Alberto and Ernesto encounter a culture where strangers are warmly welcomed without fear. For instance, In Chile, the Mesties and the Indians are both very social, and they are willing to make available foodstuff, clothes, and a sleeping place to the strangers. It is in the culture of the people of Chile to wear Chamants; a type of clothing that look like ponchos with lots of colors. In Peru, they encounter a group of people who still practice the ancient cultures. The people in an old city called Machu Pichu, for instance believe in the preservation of cultures. Alberto and Ernesto realize that the city is still very old fashioned, and far behind a lot of things. In Columbia, the two notice that it is in the culture of the nation to practice Roman-Catholic faith. In Venezuela, there are different types of religions including the Indian religion and Christianity. The Change of Mind for Alberto and Ernesto In the movie, Ernesto and Alberto seem to come from an economically stable community that does not value the lives of others who are poor. As they travel, they are surprised by the poverty levels in most of the countries. They also get amazed by the social nature of the inhabitants of the countries they travel through. They notice the alarming difference between the rich and the poor, a situation that does not seem to be in existence in their home country. Alberto and Ernesto encounters a type of life that makes them change their minds about the world. It is during their journey that they realize that there are people who are very poor and engage in different religions. The different landscapes they go through also make them change their views on the physical nature of the world. The two adventurers notice that the people who have almost nothing possess the virtue of sharing whatever little they possess. Alberto and Ernesto learn to care about others and through that, they change their social and economic aspects. The change in mind is evident when Ernesto, under the name Che Guevara, would later go on to become a world-renowned communist revolutionary. He played a vital role in Cuba in 1959 during the communist revolution. Geographical Imagination of Latin America The film reinstated my geographical imagination of Latin America given that some of the regions visited by Alberto and Ernesto have the natural resources I ever imagined. The two adventurers visited Chuquicamata Copper mine that I did not have a clear idea of its Location. It is apparently Chile’s source of wealth. My imagination of the varied terrain in Latin America was proved to be true by Alberto and Ernesto, who travelled through mountainous terrains and lowlands in the region. In conclusion, the film is an incredible drama that hopefully is a lesson to viewers. The experience Alberto and Ernesto go through changes their lives, and more lives may be changed by the film, as it happened to Ernesto; an iconic communist revolutionary.

Death Penalty in the united States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Death Penalty in the united States - Essay Example Capital punishment is essential in the legal system because punishment should be proportioned to the evil of the offense. Retribution becomes a moral obligation. The offender is to be killed by the state only because he brings death upon himself; but this dead man with a beating heart is to be treated decently right up to the point of gentle termination because he also remains a person, a rational agent of free will. Murderers had previously agreed to submit to the rule of civil authority and partake of its privileges and its responsibilities by engaging with society. Those who violate the laws have broken a trust with the citizenry, which, by exacting a penalty, seeks compensation for an act considered an affront to the purpose for which submission to civil authority was commenced (Bigel 46). The very high ratio of condemned prisoners to executions in many states-200 to 1 rather than the 40 to 1 in many northern jurisdictions- has meant that there is no longer a clear and proximate relationship between death sentences and executions. More than seven out of ten respondents regard the removal of the threat that "the killer might kill again" as an important benefit of the death penalty, but 68 percent regret that the current system results in "mistaken executions." More than six of ten respondents are concerned about the jurisdictional differences in death sentences and executions, but six of ten also think the system provides "closure" (Colson 27). This set of profoundly mixed feelings about the death penalty suggests that public responses to death penalty surveys might vary importantly by the context and the wording of questions. By contrast, the abolitionists see the impact of executions as a statement of pervasive importance about the relationship between the government and the individual. Abolitionists in the United States view capital punishment as a fundamental political issue; proponents usually assert that the question is neither fundamental nor political. From a Biblical view, Charles W. Colson, author of the essay The Death Penalty is Morally Just, notes that to be punished "is to be treated with dignity as human beings created in the Image of God" (Colson 62). The death penalty, as a punishment for murder, reaffirms a criminal's humanity by taking on responsibility for their actions. It is contrary to the idea that execution degrades a convict sentenced to death. According to van den Haag (1994), "[P]hilosophers, such as Immanuel Kant and G.F.W. Hegel have insisted that, when deserved, execution, far from degrading the executed convict, affirms his humanity by affirming his rationality and his responsibility for his actions"( 257). In spite of benefits and advantages of death penalty, there is a social pressure against this punishment. Still, the death penalty had become an exceptional punishment in all Western democracies by the start of the twentieth century, reserved for only the most serious of offenses, rarely imposed, and regarded as particularly problematic. In all the developed nations, other methods of punishment had replaced the executioner as the principal punishment for serious offenses. Executions remained a

Women in a patriarchal society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Women in a patriarchal society - Essay Example In the epoch of Christianity the situation did not change much. Females have been viewed as an inferior sex, prone to sins and temptations. Women have been deprived of numerous rights, like those for education or voting. They have been considered good only for cooking, washing and raising children. Devoting their lives to their husbands, women have not been protected by the law in cases of divorces and abandonment. Having no education and profession, women have often been left below the line of poverty, being made to survive from hand to mouth. Feminist movement has partially changed the situation. However, gender discrimination continues being a reality even in the Western world. Women have fewer opportunities for promotion. They get smaller wages in comparison to males in the equal positions. Women, sacrificing their careers in the name of their families, often have no chance to restore their positions, notwithstanding better education and qualification. Many males express their co ntempt to females. Having more physical power and getting higher wages, husbands often humiliate their wives. Meanwhile, the official church is still against divorces. Women are usually counseled to be patient and continue caring of the men, who beat and taunt them. The Muslim world is even more conservative and cruel. Misinterpretations of the Quran also result in men feeling superior. Muslim women are often deprived even the rights and freedoms viewed as essential in the Christian world. Women can easily be killed by their fathers or husbands in case they are considered to bring ill-reputation on their family. Though is it forbidden by law nowadays, such cases are not rare. The Girls of Riyadh is a book revealing some truth of life of females in the modern Muslim world. Written by a woman and about women, the novel narrates of lives of five girls, studying in the capital of the Saudi Arabia. Almost each of the stories serves as an example

The korean War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The korean War - Essay Example Member states were called on to deploy military aid, and this was followed by the first US troops landing in South Korea. The Korean conflict lasted for three years until a truce and agreement was reached in 1953 Based on the literature I have read with regards to this subject and my logical interpretation of the events preceding and following the Korean conflict, I am convinced that Truman was totally justified in relieving General MacArthur of his duties. MacArthur (as recognized by many scholars) was a fighting man; he did not know how to quit and even viewed a stalemate as a loss (Halberstam, 2007). I cannot fault General MacArthur for his reasoning, but the time was very wrong for an international nuclear war considering that it had been only 5 years since the end of World War II. I therefore believe that Truman was totally justified in relieving General MacArthur of his duties and hence promoting the greater

The failure of the implementation of Queensland health's payroll Assignment

The failure of the implementation of Queensland health's payroll system - Assignment Example Queensland Health used a centralized payroll system whereby the districts that the system covers are linked to a local payroll service provider. In this system, the payroll officers solely handle all the pay information without involving district staff (QHPSCI, 2013). This makes the whole operating system vague. Healthcare organizations face several challenges that are unique to the healthcare sector. This paper uses the Queensland Health payroll system failure case to discuss significant government roles in the process of delivering successful project outcomes. We also analyze the pros and cons of two organizational structures (centralized and decentralized), with reference to the healthcare sector, successful business management and continuity. Additionally, an outline of the challenges in healthcare management practice as a result of the complex nature of healthcare organizations compared to other sectors is provided, with reference to the Queensland Health payroll system failure case. Finally, we discuss the short-term and long-term impact of IT implementation failure. The failure of payroll system at Queensland Health brought both short term and long term effect to the government. The government has incurred severe losses in the processes of repairing the errors created by the defective system. Moreover, the workers of Queensland Health were greatly affected by inaccurate pay outcomes during the two years when the system was under implementation (QHPSCI, 2013). Queensland Health is currently in the process of re-implementing the system, and anticipates that the long term consequences of failure in the payroll system will be reversed eventually (QHPSCI, 2013). Importance of Governance Governance refers to the roles and responsibilities of an organization’s executive management and board of directors. It is an important area of enterprise management and comprises the leadership and organizational structures and processes that guarantee that the organi zation maintains and extends its goals and strategies. Governance determines how an organization manages demand and delivers value while protecting against risk. Due to the large number of individuals, processes, and technologies involved in the operation of IT and the broad nature of governance, managers may find it challenging to identify the areas that require more focus and effort in order to achieve the utmost impact. Organizations without efficient governance experience greater risk exposure, low performance, and arbitrary, political or inappropriate allocation of resources. Effective governance of a system reduces the risk of failure and ensures superior project outcomes. Governance also eliminates conflicts among individuals in an organization by specifying their roles, legal obligations and responsibilities. It ensures the successful implementation of projects by enforcing responsibility, justice, legality, direction and transparency. Organizations that pursue an enhanced a pproach to governance exhibit better performance. This improvement results from both the governance and how the public perceives this governance (VandenBerghe & Ridder, 1999). Moreover, governance protects the reputation of an organization and ensures that it meets the demands of clients, regulatory bodies, legislators, employees and other crucial stakeholders. Governance drives value and manages

Explain the different reasons why an individual might be tempted to Essay

Explain the different reasons why an individual might be tempted to join a roscas - Essay Example The idea behind making everyone contribute is to make sure that the amount of money in the pool remains constant. Once every member has contributed a certain sum of money, then the pot which is generated out of this contribution is given to one of the members of the community as his savings for a definite period. Average membership among adults ranges between 50 and 95 percent in the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gambia, and villages of Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo, and Nigeria. Although roscas do exist in areas where they are formal financial institutions, there is no denying that they still are the most important form of savings and credit institutions in the rural areas. It is a cycle which repeats itself after every round of distribution of money. So when one member gets the pot, he then has to wait for all the other members to get their share of the pot before his turn comes. This allows for stability and continuity for the community and has a uniform system of savings for the poor people. It is the most common form of informal financial institution in the world. ... â€Å"Rosca members are mostly poor individuals who have little access to formal savings and credit markets because of high transaction costs and incomplete markets. In the literature, roscas are usually regarded as a means for poor people to save money to make an indivisible expense.†(Anderson) Let us now go further into the essay and understand why people are taking up to roscas as a primary means to save money. There are three reasons which shall be looked at the paper, which are as follows: 1. Lack of Self Control 2. Lack of Alternate Commitment Saving Strategies 3. Women’s Role in the Family The first reason talks about the lack of self-control within the community for the rural people. The second reason talks about the lack of other alternatives in such villages which are either too expensive or out of reach for people to have their own savings, and therefore the people indulge in an informal means of savings within their established community. The third reason lo oks at the role of the woman in the family and explains that since they are running the house it is important for them to have a means to save, as their husbands have been notorious with their expenditure and therefore it is required that women save up to generate income in the family. (Roscas as a source of housing finance for the urban poor) Lack of Self Control: â€Å"in the absence of alternative commitment savings strategies, sophisticated people experiencing self-control problems turn to roscas since they would inde?nitely renegotiate with themselves if attempting to save money on their own† Gugerty (2007) One of the most primary reasons regarding the involvement of roscas for the people in the village community is the lack

Groupon And Alibaba Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Groupon And Alibaba - Statistics Project Example To achieve this, it looks at IT startups and other e-commerce ventures as opportunities for growth and business merges, to form a global conglomente, providing B2B, and B2C business channels. In contrary, Groupon business strategy is based on economies of networking and economies of scale, encouraging consumers to sign up as a group and enjoy Groupon offer. This strengthens consumer bargaining power, which may be attributable to its poor performance in comparison to Alibaba free market design, where consumers and business are provided with a platform to deal with each other directly. Alibaba major products include free upload of item for sale, payments processing capabilities, item categorization and point-of-sale solutions. Groupon major products are not much different from that of Alibaba, only that item categorization is applied depending on clients preferences. E-commerce industry is fast paced with new inventions and innovations every day. The degree of competition is high, with new entrants at local levels anticipating to go international in future. Substitute’s product for e-commerce business is social networking sites, where businesses and consumers are engaging in business with one another. In e-commerce, the industry has power over consumers to an extent, because it may lead to a rise in prices when it raises its charges on traffic their offer. However, consumers are not tied to a single supplier, because the platform offers a platform for multiple suppliers to meet and trade with clients. Mobile e-commerce is one of the key emerging issues within the industry. Regulations are not very effective, with cases of fraud reported. Alibabas’ growth strategy might provide for long-term market leadership, dependent on the risks of cooperation and merging with other businesses. It employs product differentiation leadership in its business. Alibaba faces no liquidity problems in future, observed in it management of working capital to

Compare, analyse and review excerpts from Mao tse-tung and Lin Piao Literature

Compare, analyse and excerpts from Mao tse-tung and Lin Piao - Literature review Example In his excerpt in the Voices of Terror, Piao supports the three strategies used by Mao to start a revolution in China. The two leaders were phenomenon in bringing a revolutionary leadership and political environment in China (Bennett, 2003). They led their people in great revolutionary wars against oppression by nations such as Japan. They used the people especially peasants to fight great battles using simple strategies that were well thought and planned. The two excerpts are similar in that they talk about fighting a people’s war to bring revolution in China. The two leaders wanted to address the injustices and oppression that the Chinese faced in the hands of the Japanese. Led by Mao, the Chinese people experienced victory in the national democratic revolution. Their greatest victory was in the socialist revolution. Mao’s aim was to start a revolution that would seize and consolidate political power for the Chinese people. Mao’s success lied in the fact that he integrated the truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the revolution. He enriched the truth in Marxism-Leninism by using his masterly in generalization, summation and experience gained during the protracted revolutionary struggle (Kau, 2005). His leadership background and religious principles contributed to his success in leading a group of peasants to fight a great battle and obtain great success. Both Lin Piao and Mao Tse-tung used the theory of the people’s war to fight for their people and obtain great success in battle and political influence. This theory, roved by the long practice of the Chinese revolution was in accordance with the law objectives of such wars. The war was valid for China and revolutionary struggle in other countries throughout the world. For example, Lin Piao in his excerpt argues that Mao’s strategies should be used in different cities to assert the war and amass vast political influence and power for the oppressed people (Laqueur, 2004). Both

History of French Cuisine from Conventional to Extraordinary Essay Example for Free

History of French Cuisine from Conventional to Extraordinary Essay Derived from the French language, bon appetit has been a familiar saying known around the world. Meaning good appetite or enjoy your meal, bon appetit exemplifies the French culture. The French have been known for centuries of elegant and exquisite cuisine especially gourmet desserts. Located in Western Europe between Italy and Spain, France has been a hotspot of enriched ancient culture. France flourished into a tourist location which ignited a change in Frances commercial kitchens. Chefs were obliged to create dishes that appealed to a growing audience. French cuisine has evolved extensively over the centuries. However, centuries of bliss and creativity was dampened with years of anguish and turmoil, when Germany occupied France during the Second World War. France’s once plentiful food supply quickly turned scarce. This forced cooks to utilize new substitutions for ingredients and start practical meal planning. The hardships the French cuisine faced during 1940-1944 simultaneously changed the French lifestyle. Modern French food now embodies simplicity yet class; rustic yet modern. Once having everything then being stripped away to nothing, France needed to rebuild a cuisine embracing the past, present, and future. Therefore beginning from World War II to modern day, French cuisine has experienced many changes whereby impacting French culture. An adversary of Germany, France sustained a significant setback when Germany took control. Prior to the German occupation, French food was known has haute or grande cuisine. Traditional haute cuisine is highly noted all around the world. The food is well known due to the immense amount of preparation and presentation that goes into each dish. Precision plays a crucial role in creating an exquisite haute meal (Franklin). However, haute cuisine ceased to exist under German occupation and subsequent food shortages. Lines were long in front of French shops as people hoped to purchase depleted foods and staple products. Burdened with these difficulties, the French government instituted food charts and tickets which were to be exchanged for French staples. Items such as butter, bread, and meat were being rationed. Traditional cuisine then became obsolete due to citizens skimping on spices and decorations. Although the government tried to provide food subsidies, hunger still existed affecting the youth in urban areas. With the absence of standard foods normally seen in their diet, the French people searched for new European dietary substitutes (Beaufort). They ate unusual vegetables, such as Swedish turnip and Jerusalem artichoke. Products such as sugar were replaced by alternatives such as saccharin. In lieu of coffee, toasted barley mixed with chicory became the beverage of choice (â€Å"French Classics†). Scams and trickery got the best of people who were desperate for a meal during this time. Some people utilized the black market. There people could sell food without government tickets. Resulting in the prices being extremely high. Counterfeit food tickets were also in circulation. Along with the black market there was also direct buying from farmers in the countryside. The above activities carried the risk of fines and punishments as they were strictly prohibited by the government. In remote country villages vegetable gardens, the availability of milk products, and illicit animal slaughtering provided better survival for the people verses those living in the large cities (Beaufort). Wine played a key role during World War II as well. Wine is commonly consumed during festive occasions it has been utilized during war as well. Over the years, wine has made an unusual appearance on the battlefield. Commanders have allowed their troops to consume wine on the front lines hoping for an increase in performance and moral. During World War II, the combination of wine and war played out in a heartfelt way. The French army did everything in their power to keep their wine and their national identity out of the hands of the invading German forces (â€Å"Saving†). Although, the German forces did invade France, the consumption of wine on the frontline gave hope to the French soldiers that traditional French culture was being preserved during and after the war. The liberation of France began on June 6th, 1944. The Allied forces put forth into to action their plan, D-Day which was the invasion of France. After World War II, tourism signaled a new beginning for French cuisine. Tourism introduced the demand for haute cuisine at a reasonable price. Japanese, Middle Easterners, British, Americans, and even French travelers were yearning for new food experiences. French chefs were now determined to start a new style of cooking, one that would keep some traditional recipes but implement new ones. New cuisine was a counteraction to the classic haute cuisine (Franklin). New cuisine or Nouvelle was the answer that chefs from all parts of the world were looking for. Nouvelle cuisine had several characteristics. For example it was important that high quality and fresh products were utilized for cooking. The chefs would travel to markets every morning and look for the freshest products. These new and improved cooks would not fathom the idea of using any product that was not absolutely fresh or needed preservatives. Chefs simplified menu cards deleting a long list of dishes. Smaller quantities and choices meant no leftovers guaranteeing freshness. Chefs were looking for quality and became more attracted by unfamiliar products. Foreign influences prevailed and chefs began to use exotic products from Asia, North Africa and Italy (â€Å"Nouvelle Cuisine†). In new cuisine recipes, fewer ingredients were used to enhance purity and light sauces substituted creamy, thick ones. Flexible preparation methods and more experimentation with non-traditional flavors allowed new cuisine to become popular (Franklin). Fortunately, this new cooking style is said to be less fattening. Chefs used limited meat in new recipes which stems from the shortage of meat during World War II. It is perfect for those seeking a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, the new cuisine was prepared with lighter ingredients such as herbs, quality butter, lemon juice, and vinegar. This flexible and less expensive cuisine mainstreamed into restaurants and other eateries (Beaufort). One byproduct of the new cuisine is the menu de degustation or tasting menu that was offered in many restaurants. Achieving notoriety, diners were eager to sample all of the dishes of the new cuisine. Each member in a group had the opportunity to order a different appetizer, main course, and dessert. Tasting menus gave the diners the convenience to experience many varieties. Another byproduct of new cuisine is the choice of a la carte. It is a menu in which the patron makes individual selections from various menu categories and each item is priced separately. Serving single portions was seen as a rare new talent to chefs (Olver). The French culture was launched and savored by people around the world. World War II impacted French living for the better by reevaluating French values and introducing new French cuisine ideas. French cuisine influenced other cultures as well and many countries adapted new French cooking methods. Throughout the centuries, France was noted for its grandiose and eccentric lifestyle. Rich foods and lavish feasts were an integral part of the France culture. Chefs prepared French cuisine with the finest ingredients. Wine was served and enjoyed at every meal. Food was plentiful for all. All of this changed rapidly with the German Invasion in 1940. A ravaged and war torn country left the French people forced to explore new and less expensive ways to provide meals solely for survival. Yet, despite the devastation and hardship the French citizens endured, they utilized these cost effective measures and the importation of ingredients into the development of the nouvelle cuisine. Tasting menus and ala carte menus, not to mention exquisite appetizers and desserts, created the ultimate dining experience enjoyed by patrons. Thus emerged the world renowned and delectable French cuisine that is so popular today.

Technical Education and Its Importance in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Technical Education and Its Importance in Pakistan Essay ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Professor David Bergin for providing me with support and guidance throughout my research. Through my experiences working with him I learned a great deal about the research process and how to structure my writing and feel better prepared to move forward with research in the future. I would also like to thank my thesis committee members who provided me with a lot of feedback on how to improve my research topic and gave me ideas to build on in future research studies. A great amount of thanks goes to the schools sampled in this study. The director of the Area Career Center was very welcoming and open to my research topic allowing me to gain as much exposure to career and technical education and their students as I wanted. Without the ACC’s interest in my study this research would not have been possible. I also want to thank the local high school that allowed me access to a few students even though they had very demanding schedules. Gaining insight from Advanced Placement students creating an interesting element to my study that I have found very valuable. ducation at an Area Career Center in mid Missouri. Newer programs that combine career and technical education courses with traditional high school instruction can benefit students in allowing them to connect their academic training with real world careers and practical concepts. This study looks at students’ perceptions of CTE, the sources of influence they reported on their decisions to take or not take CTE courses in high school and the role cultural capital played in their views. Utilizing a qualitative method of data collection eight high school seniors enrolled in either CTE only classes, AP only classes or a combined CTE and AP course load were interviewed about their views of CTE at the local area career center. All of the students were white and there were four boys and four girls interviewed in the study. Results show that all students in the study associated CTE with some form of hands on education, with students enrolled in CTE courses reacting more favorably to CTE instruction and its connection to careers and occupations. The most significant influences on students’ decisions to take or not take CTE classes were their future academic or career goals and how CTE knowledge would or would not help them. Other reported influences include teachers, family members and personal experiences. Finally, the role of cultural capital in students’ views of CTE is explored reaching the conclusion that more data and analysis is needed to find more arguable claims. 1 CHAPTER 1: Introduction In this study, I interview high school students in order to understand their thoughts on career and technical education programs in high school. One reason why this is important is that according to a 2002 survey by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce Center to Workforce Preparation, nearly 75 percent of employers report difficulty when trying to hire qualified workers. Forty percent say that applicants are poorly skilled and 30 percent say that applicants have the wrong skills for available jobs (The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) www. acteonline. org). I believe this means that career and technical education can play a vital role in helping promote this environment and help students succeed through hands on education coupled with challenging high school curriculum. The current high school curriculum in the United States faces challenges with the No Child Left Behind legislation that mandates a standards-based education. This initiative makes career and technical education harder to promote in public schools because CTE courses are elective classes. It rests on the students to enroll themselves in courses that will provide them with the best preparation for post high school opportunities. In this study, I ask students about their attitudes toward CTE courses. Research on comprehensive education programs suggests combining more rigorous forms of education, such as advanced placement (AP) with CTE (Association for Career and Technical Education, 2006; Stern, D. , Dayton, C. , Paik, I. -W. , Weisberg, A. , Evans, J. , 1988). Because of this I include students who are taking AP courses in this study to gauge their responses to CTE. While government statistics show that most high school students 2 take at least one â€Å"vocational† course in their high school careers such as typing or home economics. (http://www. ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/index. html), it seems unfortunate that high school students do not pursue a more advanced career and technical education if it is available to them alongside their academic coursework. Students who are interested in a more academic route with AP courses can balance their studies with career and technical coursework. While benefits of career and technical education can appear obvious to some, it is not difficult to understand the rejection of this alternative form of education when at least a college degree is becoming a requirement for the majority of jobs. Purpose and Research Questions Newer programs that combine career and technical education courses with traditional high school instruction can benefit students in allowing them to connect their academic training with real world careers and practical concepts. Research on career and technical education in the U. S. has a history of highlighting the faults of CTE education such as not delivering on its promises and in some cases being a one-way ticket to a working class life (Claus, 1990). These out-dated reports are representative of Career and Technical Education programs in the older sense and not the newer, academically and career focused model being utilized in many high schools today. There is little research on why students take their chosen classes in high school and how students connect their high school curriculum to their post high school decisions and careers. There is also little research on how social class might impact students’ views and use of career and technical education. In this study I addressed students views of current high 3 school career and technical education programs in an Area Career Center (ACC) in Missouri. Area career centers fall under the umbrella of CTE housing career focused coursework and training in a separate building from local high schools. I investigated how students’ reports of cultural capital seem to influence these views. I chose to conduct a qualitative study because qualitative research allows one to investigate the idiosyncratic meanings that people construct about their lived experience. I was able to pursue in-depth reasons that the students give for their decisions, and was able to use follow-up questions to elaborate on understandings. The present study will address the following research questions: Research Question 1: How do students who are enrolled in CTE or AP classes perceive CTE? Research Question 2: What sources of influence do they report experiencing regarding academic versus CTE coursework? Research Question 3: What role does cultural capital play in students’ views of CTE coursework and their decisions to take or not take CTE classes in high school? Limitations to the Study There were a few limitations to my method of recruiting students and the transferability of the findings. First, there are over 1100 students from the high school enrolled in CTE classes at the Area Career Center so eight participants is not a very representative sample of students. However, qualitative research methods required that I keep my participant pool small. Second, at the local high school, I did not have as much control over the students selected for participation as I did at the ACC. the site counselor who helped me in my 4 recruitment process may have introduced bias into the process. Third, all of the participants were white and there were more males than females in CTE classes and more females than males in AP/Advanced classes. Also, the three AP students in this study were all interested in theatre, an area of study not offered at the ACC so there was probably a general feeling of lack of interest in CTE because no courses were offered in their specific area of interest. Future qualitative studies would benefit from more diverse students from underrepresented populations. Also, because student recruitment took place in the spring, it was hard to recruit students, especially those enrolled in AP courses (either AP only or CTE/AP combined), because end of the year AP exams take place during the spring. Recruitment of students in the fall might create a wider participant pool. 5 CHAPTER 2: Literature Review History of Career and Technical Education Career and technical education began as vocational education in Europe in the 19th century in response to the increase in demand for skilled workers who were educated in industrialized professions. Other factors that influenced the birth of career and technical education include the interest traditional European elites had in their children receiving both an education as well as certification in skills. They wanted their children to gain access to positions in law and theology, and the middle class parents wanted their children to attain the necessary educational credentials to help them enter careers in the civil service or managerial positions (Benavot, 1983). In the U. S. , federal funding for career and technical education was initiated with the passing of the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917. Over the next 65 years and four modifications to the act in 1947, 1958, 1963 and 1968, career and technical education increased funding, expanded programs to improve in the areas of science, math, and foreign languages, offered support for technical occupations related to national defense, and included work study programs. In 1968, a National Advisory Council on Vocational Education was initiated to start collecting information about the progress and development of vocational education programs and students. In  1984, the Vocational Education Act was renamed the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act (Perkins I, P. L. 98-524). While continuing federal support for vocational education, it established programs emphasizing the acquisition of job skills through both vocational and technical education. The act also sought to make vocational education 6 programs accessible to â€Å"special populations,† including individuals with disabilities, disadvantaged individuals, single parents and homemakers, and incarcerated individuals. The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Amendments of 1990 (Perkins II, P. L. 101-392) made several revisions to the 1984 Act. Notably, the act created the tech-prep program designed to coordinate secondary and postsecondary vocational education activities into a coherent sequence of courses. Programs to eliminate sex bias were designed to prepare students for nontraditional training and employment (e. g. , training women to be welders or men to be nurses). Also, the law also required states to develop and implement performance standards and measures (e.g. , program completion and job placement) to assess gains in learning and in program performance. The Perkins Act of 1998 provided specific federal assistance for secondary and postsecondary vocational education (Skinner and Apling, 2005). The reauthorized 1998 Act also made modifications to performance standards and measures of the 1990 Act. A core set of performance indicators were included in the 1998 Act that resulted in sanctions if the level of performance was not reached or increased funding if performance exceeded the requirements. A key element of the 1998 Act was a greater focus on accountability with states required to â€Å"provide data for four core performance indicators focusing on: (1) student attainment; (2) credential attainment, (3) placement and retention, and (4) participation in and completion of non-traditional programs. † (CRS Report for Congress) Under its most recent amendment in 2006, the Carl D. Perkins Act became the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act. The 2006 amendment showed one of the most notable revisions to the act since it was established by replacing the term 7 ‘vocational education’ with ‘career and technical education. ’ This name change is especially significant in research on the influences student report in their decisions to take CTE classes because of the stigma associated with the world ‘vocational. ’ ‘Vocational’ education resonates with many as being representative of vocational education in the traditional sense and not academically focused or resulting in a college degree or high status occupations the way career and technical education can be perceived. Changing the name could help change the image of CTE towards a viable and legitimate option for secondary schooling. The 2006 revision also set in place a system of accountability to coincide with the No Child Left Behind Standards mandated for public education in the United States. Under this system of accountability, academic attainment and graduation rates of students enrolled in CTE at the secondary level will be measured. These new accountability measures create a greater need for research on how students perceive CTE in order to discover additional methods for recruiting new students and drawing greater attention from parents who steer their children towards a more college prep, academically focused course load. If students decisions not to take CTE classes rests in their view that to go to college and be a doctor they have to take advanced high school classes and CTE doesn’t look good on his transcript, administrators can use this information to create better recruitment methods. They can focus on educating students and parents on the goals of CTE and how these goals align with the traditional or advanced coursework. The subject areas most commonly associated with career and technical education are the following: Agriculture (careers related to food and fiber production and agribusiness); Business (accounting, business administration, management, information technology and  8 entrepreneurship); Family and Consumer Sciences (culinary arts, management and life skills); Health Occupations (nursing, dental, and medical technicians); Marketing (management, entrepreneurship, merchandising and retail); Technology (production, communication and transportation systems); and Trade and Industrial (skilled trades such as automotive technician, carpenter, computer numerical control technician). One difficulty in defining career and technical education coursework is the existence of district regulated definitions on what qualifies as a CTE course and how many courses a student needs to take to be classified as a CTE student. In the state of Missouri, there are 16 career clusters (See Appendix C, Table 1). â€Å"Career Clusters can give all students the academic preparation, guidance, careerrelated knowledge and flexibility to help them plan studies that are in line with their interests, abilities, and career goals. The Career Clusters framework offers a practical way for educators in all disciplines to create relevant contexts for their students learning. At the same time, it reinforces the schools fundamental objectives of academic accountability and improved achievement for all students. † (Source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Division of Career Education http://dese. mo. gov/divcareered/career_clusters. htm). In response to the need for a redesigned educational system in U.S. public schools to fit the needs of the 21st century, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) compiled a report on their views of how the remodeled education system should look (Association for Career and Technical Education, 2006). The report proposes that Career and Technical Education should be modified to do the following: (1) Support students in the acquisition of rigorous core knowledge, skills, habits and attitudes needed for success in9 postsecondary education and the high-skilled   workplace, (2) Engage students in specific career-related learning experiences that equip them to make well-informed decisions about further education and training and employment opportunities, and (3) Prepare students who may choose to enter the workforce directly after high school with levels of skills and knowledge in a particular career area that will be valued in the marketplace (Association for Career and Technical Education, 2006). Career and Technical Education Research Research on CTE tends to fall most often in two areas: the likelihood of students dropping out of school and how to serve at risk students (Plank, 2001; Stern, et al. , 1988; Catterall, 1986), and longitudinal effects of CTE programs (Plank, 2001; Arum Shavit, 1995). In 1986, Catterall and Stern looked at the use of alternative high school programs in preventing students from dropping out. They utilized the California sub-sample of the 1980 and 1982 High School and Beyond surveys (involving nearly 3,000 sophomores and 3,000 seniors) and studied the impact alternative education programs had on labor market outcomes for students. The High School and Beyond Survey in 1980 asked students how many courses they had completed in each of four CTE areas: business, office, or sales; trade and industry; technical courses; or other vocational courses. In addition to finding mixed support for alternative programs to prevent drop outs, they also found positive results on employment and wages. Stern, et al (1988) conducted a study in California that yielded similar results. Their 10 research reported the results from the first two years of an effort in 10 high schools to replicate the California Peninsula Academies. The students in the Academy school were identified by school counselors as â€Å"low performance students† with a high risk of dropping out of school (Stern, et al. , 1988). They were then placed into the Peninsula Academy, which was a school within a school, for grades 10 through 12. These low performing students took most of their remaining classes together at the school including coursework in English, math, and science as well as a course in the particular Academys focus (Stern, et al. , p. 163, 1988). The â€Å"Academy† model combines the core academic curriculum with technical instruction in a particular occupational field. Local employers representing that field participate in various ways by donating equipment to the school and serving as mentors to the students. For example, Hewlett-Packard contributed computer expertise and hardware. The companies also provide summer jobs for some of the students at the Academy school. â€Å"Having a paid summer job which is related to the Academy’s instructional focus creates a powerful connection between school work and â€Å"real† work† (Stern, et al. , p. 163, 1988). Academy students generally compiled better grades and more course credits than students in comparison groups at the same high schools. At three sites in particular, Academy students consistently out-performed comparison groups in the first two years. The authors also found that results were replicated at other sites and helped prevent students from dropping out of school. Claus (1990) conducted an ethnographic analysis of the student experience in a single CTE program, looking to answer two questions: (1) why did the students in the program report satisfaction and improved attitudes in association with their CTE program and (2) how  11 was CTE related to increasing the opportunity of these primarily working to lower class, academically-alienated youth? The CTE experience tended to reinforce class-related inequalities. â€Å"The ethnographic fieldwork and analysis suggest that while the students found their CTE program enjoyable and rewarding, this response was often rooted in a classroom experience which limited their development and reinforced their tendency toward working to lower class work and lives after school† (Claus, 1990, p. 13). Arum and Shavit (1995) utilized the 1987 â€Å"High School and Beyond† data to study individuals’ early labor market outcomes after high school and their track placement while in high school. They found that â€Å"vocational secondary education is neither as pernicious nor as detrimental as some of its opponents have maintained. † (p. 199) They found that CTE inhibited students in their decisions to continue on to college or achieve success in high prestige occupations, but also found that CTE programs serve as â€Å"a safety net for those high school graduates who are unlikely to go on to college. † (p. 199) Plank’s 2001 report for the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education looked at the balance between CTE and academic course-taking during high school for members of a longitudinal study beginning in 1988 with their eighth grade year. The students in the study were broken down into four groups: purely academic concentrators, purely CTE concentrators, dual concentrators who took both academic and CTE course work, and a group of students who took neither the purely academic or CTE coursework. Plank found the following: (1) academic concentrators showed the highest 1992 achievement, followed by dual (academic and vocational) concentrators, then students who fulfilled neither concentration, and then CTE concentrators; (2) almost all students were either in 12 postsecondary education or working, or both, in 1994, with academic concentrators most likely to be in full-time school and CTE concentrators most likely to be in full-time employment. The study concluded that further research is needed to determine what characteristics of CTE or academic education increase the risk of dropping out, and what types of integration  of academic and vocational education are most successful. Gaunt and Palmer (2005) conducted a quantitative study that investigated students’ attitudes towards career and technical education (CTE), what influenced their views, and their course selection decisions. They utilized the data from a previous study in Michigan of over 450 high school seniors. The were interested in the career and technical education funding crisis that is occurring in the wake of No Child Left Behind. Gaunt and Palmer (2005) found the majority of students citing social relationships with their friends and parents as the prime influencers of their views of career and technical education. In addition, students offered responses on how course structure, the benefits offered from each program, and advertising of the CTE programs affected their views of CTE. These results provide support for further research on the subject of career and technical education that puts an emphasis on academic training alongside CTE instruction in career-related fields. What was interesting about Gaunt and Palmer’s (2005) data was that more than half of the students not enrolled in career and technical education courses saw the courses as helping students prepare for college immediately after high school in comparison to 81% of students enrolled in CTE courses who saw this same connection. More than 80 percent of both groups of students saw the ACC as preparation for work after high school and close to 80 percent of all students saw the ACC in Michigan as designed for students of all ability levels. 13 Utilizing a qualitative methods approach with open ended interviewing methods, my study gives the students a greater opportunity to express their views of CTE education and how they compare it with their purely academic coursework. Gaunt and Palmer’s (2005) research is a big step forward in literature on career and technical education and I hope the dialogue of the participants in my study help take research even more forward. Sources of Influence How students perceive career and technical education and the their high school coursetaking decisions can be attributed to a variety of factors. In this study one of my research questions examined what are these factors and how do they influence student choices. Previous research on the influences students experience while choosing their high school classes include parents and friends, current labor markets, and school social networks including teachers and counselors. The most detailed account of influences that impact a student’s decisions to pursue a CTE curriculum in high school is Rossetti’s 1991 study about the influenced students who chose not to enroll in a Vocational School in Ohio. While evaluating the external factors that contributed to students’ decisions to enroll in CTE classes, Rossetti found that friends were the most influential with fifty-three percent stating that they had consulted their friends. (Rossetti, 1987) The next most influential figures were mother/female guardian (49%); father/male guardian (44%); brother/sister (39%); counselor (35%); girl/boyfriend (32%); other relative (32%); teacher(s) (28%); and athletic coach(es) (21%). A report by Dunham and Frome (2003) took a closer look at the role teachers and  14 counselors can play in encouraging and influencing students in their high school course selections. Their results were similar to Rossettis (1991). Current labor markets can also affect a students’ decision to enroll in CTE coursework. A publication by the National Center for Educational Statistics reported â€Å"students may be more likely to concentrate in vocational areas that prepare them for occupations with increasing job opportunities† (p. 1). In the case of the current U. S. job market, this would mean that students who take advanced courses in math and science and focus their studies towards engineering careers could be doing so not for their interest in those subjects but because they recognize the labor market’s shift to careers in engineering fields. This would also mean that these same students would specifically withdraw from involvement in courses focusing on low demand careers. This study was completed in 1998 and concluded that the reason for the decline in CTE courses was due to the job market not requiring those skills. New forms of career and technical education need to emphasize academics and career training in electronics and computer fields because the job market has made a turn towards careers of a more technical nature. Social Class and Cultural Capital The theoretical framework of this study relies upon cultural capital theory. Cultural capital can be defined as â€Å"high status cultural signals used in cultural and social selection† (Lamont and Lareau, 1988). According to Bourdieu’s definition, cultural capital â€Å"consists mainly of linguistic and cultural competence and that relationship of familiarity with culture which can only be produced by family upbringing when it transmits the dominant culture† 15 (Bourdieu, 1977). Cultural capital, according to Bourdieu, includes things such as going to museums, appreciating art and listening to classical music. â€Å"[Bourdieu] argues that individuals in privileged social locations are advantaged in ways that are not a result of the intrinsic merit of their cultural experiences. Rather, cultural training in the home is awarded unequal value in dominant institutions because of the close compatibility between the standards of child rearing in privileged homes and the (arbitrary) standards proposed by these institutions. † (Lareau, p. 276) In a dominant institution like education, the role of cultural capital translates to the practices of the school staff, teachers, organizational processes and authoritative relationships set in place as a method of exclusion for those who are unfamiliar with the institutional practices. In the U. S., children from high cultural capital backgrounds, according to cultural capital theory, have been taught directly or indirectly the value of raising one’s hand to be called on, working independently on homework assignments, and possessing a sense of entitlement to resources and extra help from teachers and other figures of authority (Lareau, 2000). It is argued that â€Å"children from higher social locations enter schools already familiar with these social arrangements† (Lareau, 1987, p. 288) and therefore succeed at a higher level than those not familiar with these practices. Being more familiar with the skills and knowledge valued by the dominant culture, students of the dominant culture are better able to adapt their skills to new settings to help negotiate their way to higher, more prestigious education and jobs. This creates a higher economic class position and allows their children to be exposed to the same culture, which is congruent with cultural reproduction theory (Aschaffenburg and Maas, 1997). 16 Bourdieu used the term â€Å"cultural reproduction† to describe the way society stratifies members of the population by reproducing the values, lif.

What Is Crime Analysis And Intelligence Analysis Criminology Essay

What Is Crime Analysis And Intelligence Analysis Criminology Essay Crime analysis is the methodical study of crime and confusion problems in addition to other police-related issues which includes sociodemographic, spatial, and temporal factors to make it possible to the police in criminal concern, crime and disorder decrease, crime prevention, and evaluation. (Boba 2005, 6) A detailed explanation of each aspect of this definition assists to prove the different elements of crime analysis. In general, to study means, to examine closely, to investigate, and/or inspect information. Crime analysis, then, is the alert and organized examination of crime and disorder problems in addition with other police-related matter. However crime analysis is a reactive approach which means that you are reacting to find means to reduce crime. As crime is happening it then transforms to a proactive approach so that it transforms data to important information and supports crime prevention. Criminal Intelligence  is the information gathered, investigated, and/or distributed an effort to expect, prevent, or monitor criminal activity.   Criminal Intelligence  is information collated or collected, analyzed, reported and disseminated by law enforcement agencies relating to types of  crime, identified criminals and known or suspected criminals. It is effectual when dealing with organized crime. Criminal Intelligence is improved by using  surveillance, informants, interrogation and research. Introduction The area for my particular study is a playground and its surroundings in the outskirts of Victoria; it is between the village of Sannat and Victoria. The zone is located in Tac-Cawla which  is a place with a very small population.   The SARA model The SARA model is the  most common procedure for acting problem-oriented policing (POP). The acronym SARA means Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment. Scanning contains looking at data, meeting and talking to people, and observing the area so as to identify potential problems. Analysis includes studying potential problems to establish if they be worth of intensive attention and, if so, trying to improve precise descriptions and explanations of them. Response includes searching for a broad range of explanations and then deciding and implementing the ones with the most assure. Assessment involves collecting of data after the response to establish if the problem has been at least reduced if not eliminated. If success has not been attained, then extra investigation and another set of responses may be needed. A notion that was build to help enhance the SARA  model is the problem analysis triangle. The victims, offenders, and locations are the three sides of the triangle. When examining particular problems, officers are promoted to focus on victims (who are the victims, what are the damage they suffer, why are these individuals offended and not others?), offenders (who are the offenders, why do they commit these offenses?), and locations (where do the problems happen, why do they happen in some particular places and not others?). Thinking carefully on these issues makes sense because crime and other police officer problems normally are not erratically dispersed. To a certain extent, crimes and many other problems are focused between comparative small number of offenders, victims, and localities. Scanning The reason of this procedure is to verify that a continuous and considerable problem exists. The procedure involves of collecting data and information from different sources to support the claim that a problem exists. Some problems will be immediately evident, while others may require more investigation. During my scanning procedure it involved the studying of the circumstances to verify that a problem is being existent. It also included the gathering of data on what, when, who, where, why, and how. I also identified frequent problems by using different methods and grouping comparable incidents into subjects of groups. What When Who How Why Bicycles Thefts 12:00 16:00, 20:00 22:00 Children aged between 7 to 15 Going around in the entrances of flats. Vandalism, Personal used for their bicycle. Vehicle/Other Vandalism 19:00 onwards Teenagers Passers by, Children living in the area Vandalism, just for fun. Because of such limitations to enter the playground. Vehicle related thefts 21:00 onwards Male people People living in the area, passers by. Personal use for their vehicle, vandalism Theft from persons 9:00 11:00 Unemployed people Stopovers To acquire their needs. Gas Thefts 8:00 9:00 People living in the area Passing by For themselves Abusive Language 10:00 12:00, 4:00 21:00, 23:00 1:00 Teenagers Gathering of groups. To show power. Illegal Barbeques 19:00 23:00 People living in the area Gathering of people in the playing field. Most people live in flats. Garbage bags 19:00 14:00 People from the area Hump garbage bags left in different points. Most people do not take account of time of garbage collection. Drug Traffickers Between 10:00 am 13:00p.m Unemployed people Car stopping, handover exchange Traffickers live in the area. Analysis The reason of this stage is to expand a complete understanding of the whole problem. At this stage its very important to establish response plan which includes resources for dealing with particular problem. The process involves by using the information gathered to delineate the particular problem while studying the past the type of problem. It also includes using knowledge to expand a hypothesis and choosing useful resources. When analysing my area, it comes out that its a suburb area with quite a high population. During my scanning process it comes out that the area is a housing estate. Housing Estates are usually built and run by the government to facilitate housing to those who does not have affordable housing. This means that most of the families have very low incomes. In many cases they are also unemployed. It also comes out that some of the families have social problems where family members which are part of this society living very close together will have conflicts. Sometimes these problems are impossible to avoid and people living in the same flat doe not get along. Some social issues include domestic violence, unemployment; people hold different opinions about situations like unplanned pregnancy and many others. All these issues correlates why people commits such crimes like theft, vandalism, foul language and other related crimes. Response The idea of this step is to develop a general strategy that is designed to tackle the community problem. The three main one are developing, selecting and implementing. At this point in time it depends on the degree how analysis has been carried out. One has to make sure that the first two steps have been completed. Such solutions can be designed to reduce, eliminate and dealing with the problem. In my opinion in this particular area one has to develop ownership and awareness. To remove such opportunities one has to control the environment. Example of this must be CPTED, Block watch and Volunteer Patrols which can be done by the community itself. Include also such services such as crime prevention units and engage civil law to control public trouble. Response can be reinforced by the police such as protection like surveillance and strategic enforcement. A championed idea as a response must be the social development by implementing new programmes. Assessment The reason of this is to appraise the procedure and the effect of the response strategy. This means to evaluate whether the response strategy was adequately linked to the problem or has it been reduced or eliminated. However for this study one cannot apply this part. What is causing the crime problem and linked theories Rational Choice Theory This theory holds that people freely choose their behaviour and are stimulated by the evasion of pain and the pursuit of pleasure. Persons calculate their choice of actions in compliance with each options facility to create advantage, pleasure and happiness. Rational choice produce a micro view point on why individual offenders decide to commit such crimes like tearing the fence or breaking the markers around the filed; people choose to appoint in crime because it can be rewarding, easy, satisfying and fun. The central principle of this theory is that individuals are rational beings whose behaviour can be personalized by a fear of punishment. (Siegel and McCormick, 2006). This applies to the crime problems I have identified during my observation where such crimes where committed to pursuit pleasure such as vandalizing. Breaking down the markers around the fields its only done to give power and pleasure to the young ones. Similar to this also goes when tearing the fence surrounding the ground; it only gives pleasure to these individuals as they can enter when ever they want. Routine Activity Theory Developed by Cohen and Felson (1979), routine activities theory necessitates three components be present for a crime to occur: an encouraged offender with criminal aims and the power to act on this preference, a suitable victim or target, and the absence an individual who can prevent the crime from happening. These three helps for a crime to occur. Routine activities theory provides a macro perspective on crime in that it predicts how changes in social and economic conditions influence the overall crime and victimization rate. (Felson and Cohen 1980) Criminal activities are a structurally significant phenomenon, which means infringements are neither accidental nor insignificant events. Routine activities theory associates the pattern of offending to the everyday patterns of social interaction. Therefore crime is normal and is reliant on available opportunities to offend. If there is a target and there are rewards, a motivated offender will commit a crime. This means that having people coming out in the same times having the same routine are targets for crime such as thefts from persons and households like cars, garages etc. Opportunity Theory Crime opportunities are very connected to its time and space. For example being without any lights during the night gives more opportunity for vandalizing and stealing. These opportunities are very specific like stealing a car for joy riding have different pattern than stealing it for parts. Another example of this theory is when a routine is assessed regularly a weak point is assessed and can be used by the offender to take the opportunity to commit crime. Also it is a good opportunity for the offender when bicycles and other household which are valuable and unattended. This came out during my scanning process. Another crime goes when people takes out their garbage bags during the night, this gives opportunity to others to leave there waste leaving the area very dirty. Self Control Theory of Crime This theory is about the lack of people self control as the important factor behind criminal behaviour. This theory suggests that people who were incompetently parented before age 10 develop less self control than those who were raised with better parenting. Research was found that low level of self control is linked with criminal and impulsive conduct. This theory is related to my study because many children stay for long hours in the playing field area, which means that most of them are not monitored by their parents and so there is no one to correct them when they are using such language and finally committing such crimes. Broken Windows Theory The broken windows theory says that in a neighbourhood area where buildings have broken windows, individuals are more likely to commit and engage in bad behaviour. Hirschi argues that it can be from different aspect maybe offenders think that they are not going to get caught or there is no one who cares. Examples to my study leaving bikes left unattended in the field are more likely to be stolen than well parked next to an apartment. The same goes to vehicles when left parked, unattended in a field is more likely to be stolen and vandalised than one parked in a parking. Recommendations After working on this project I recommend some recommendations linked to theories and demonstrate them in practice. Firstly I will organise the community and develop awareness and ownership on such crimes which are an opportunity to such offenders. I will work as much as possible with existing forms of informal social control like parents and community cohesion to regulate such behaviour and self control. Then I will regulate the environment to remove broken windows and opportunities like volunteer patrols, neighbourhood watch and CCTV cameras. This will also help to reduce routine activities and such crimes related to this theory. I will also engage civil laws to control public trouble and individuals think twice before committing crimes freely. This applies to the rational choice theory. Finally I will educate and implement new programs as part of the social development. Strength and Weakness For the purpose of this report I will go through some strengths and weaknesses. If the population is well educated, it will automatically reduce such crimes. This is because if neibourhood watch is implemented, the community will report such crimes and helps the offender to think twice before committing crime. On the other hand because most of the buildings are flats and its a housing estates one will mind others business. Also if the area is inspected it will automatically reduce crimes as the offender will be aware that he/she will be caught. Alternatively the area must have adequate lightning during the night. If the area is cleaned from time to time and well kept and law enforcement is implemented individuals are afraid to offend as they might be caught. However if law is enforced and there is no surveillance it not worth implementing such laws. Although individuals might become more frustrated and no matter what they try to be more negative. Conclusion Finally in my opinion if I have to implement what has been recommended if crime is not eliminated at least its reduced. I think that a change will occur no matter what the effort is. Although it might take some time for people to understand such implementation at the end of the day I think that it will effect some of them. Even though there might be obstacles I am sure that there will be a reduction on the occurrence of the problem, reduction on the harm done and positive aspects of the interventions.

Movies: Entertaining and Educational Essay -- Entertainment, films, e

Films are usually developed for several reasons. Most film writers and directors come up with films that present or represent certain thematic and topical issues that they have in mind. These issues may be meant for entertainment purpose as well as educative purposes. It is essential to note that films usually carry societal connotations (Guynn 127). They depict the desires and pains of people within the society. They capture lifestyles, cultures, and political issues, social and economic issues among others. Cinematic and narrative elements of movies together with other stylistic devices help to bring out the intended meaning or outcome. Modern filmmakers have creatively used various aspects that show events that depict historical growth of particular nations. These films show the reasons why certain historical aspects have faded away or have remained and why they hold particular importance to those nations. Au Revoir les Enfantes also known as Goodbye Children is about a French boarding school that is under the administration of priests (Everett 49). The school seems to be a place of protection where people enjoyed peace and harmony until a new student gets into the school. The new student was allocated a room, which he could share with a student who was top in his class. Despite the fact that they became rivals at their first contact, they later form an inseparable bond linked by a shared secret. They became friends one night when they got lost in the woods and are rescued by German soldiers. The soldiers wrapped them in blankets and drove them back to school. The film was written and directed by Louis Malle. It was produced in the year 1987 (Everett 49). The movie is based on an event that happened in January 1944. Louis... ...pened in particular countries. They achieve this through cinematic and narrative conventions. They depict class struggles in these historical periods. The films are used as representative of national cinematic history, such as Rossellini and Vittorio being used as representative of Italian neo-realists. Autobiographical elements have also been used to authenticate the thematic development of the films. Louis Malle used his autobiographical elements to influence the themes of Au Revoir les Enfantes. They represent a realistic version of the fiction film. Therefore, the above films clearly show that films can be important aspects when studying the historical information of particular nations. This is because the films can be used to pass information from one generation to another. Therefore, they are essential tools in the representation of historical information.

The Federal Reserve: Central Banking In The Us Essay -- Economics Econ

The Federal Reserve: Central Banking in the U.S. The Federal Reserve as we know it today was created by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 by President Woodrow Wilson. The Fed, as it is commonly referred, is the central bank for the United States. Primarily, the Fed's job is to manage our nation's money supply. Prior to establishing the central bank, the United States did not have a money manager and the financial system was similar to the nation itself, "diverse and subject to uneven growth" (San Francisco). This led to frequent depressions and financial panics, and after the Bank Panic of 1907, which consisted of heavy withdrawal of funds, large importations of gold, and among other things, a major bank failing, the public realized a central bank was necessary (Herrick). The Federal Reserve System is composed of four basic components; the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Federal Open Market Committee, the Federal Reserve Banks, and member banks. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is an independent federal agency that does not receive any funding from Congress. The Board is made up of seven members who are appointed by the president for one term of 14 years that can span multiple presidential and congressional terms. Two of the appointees are designated by the president as the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, to serve four-year terms, subject to Senate Confirmation. The Chairman of the Board of Governors is one of the most important decision-makers in American economic policies. Even though members function independently, the Board is required to make an annual report of operations to the Speaker of the House. If the president sees "cause," a member may be removed from the Board. T... ...rable stock in their regional Federal Reserve Bank. Works Cited "Court Rules Federal Reserve is Privately Owned." Save-A- Patriot. 23 Jul 2007 . "Fed FAQs." Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. 2007. 23 Jul 2007 . Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, "FED101." The Reserve Today. 2007. 23 Jul 2007 . "The Federal Reserve System in Brief: The Nation's Central Bank." Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. 30 Aug 2006. 23 Jul 2007 . Herrick, Myron. "The Panic of 1907 and Some of Its Lessons." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 31(1908): 8-25. Kemmerer, Edwin. The ABC of the Federal Reserve System. Fourth. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1920. Obringer, Lee Ann . "How the Fed Works." Howstuffworks. 02 May 1992. 23 Jul 2007 . "Open Market Operation." Federal Reserve Bank of New York. 2007. 23 Jul 2007 .

Finding James Cains Life in Mildred Pierce Essay -- Biography Biograp

Finding James Cain's Life in Mildred Pierce      Ã‚   An individual is greatly influenced by his/her environment, life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   challenges, and experiences. As a result, in addition to imagination, a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   novelist uses his life experiences to create his/her books. The influence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of James Cain's life in his writing is obvious.   In Mildred Pierce, James   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cain utilized his characters to portray the hardships suffered in the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Great Depression, characteristics that impressed him about his mother, and   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  his experience with love.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   James Cain employed his experience of the Great Depression as a context of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mildred Pierce. Like any American who lived during this period, he   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   suffered from this economic slowdown. In November 1931, Cain came to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hollywood to start a six-month contract with Paramount; however, "within   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   six months of his arrival in Hollywood, Cain was out of job in the middle   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of the Depression"(Contemporary Authors Online). Layoffs were common   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   because of the bad recession. Thus, although James Cain attained a job at   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Columbia, he quickly lost it (Skenazy 12). Consequently, Cain used the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   effects of the late 1920's market crash to create the story of Mildred   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pierce. Bert, Mildred's husband, lost all his invested money in the AT&T   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   stock on "Black Thursday of 1929, and his plunge to ruin was so rapid he   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   could hardly see Pierce Homes disappear on his way down" (Cain 10).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Similar to Bert, Cain was financially unstable, with a wife and two   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   children to support. Cain wrote some stories and essays; nevertheless, the... ...pedia of World Biography Supplement, Vol. 19.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gale Group, 1999. Reproduced in Biography Resource   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group 2001.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (http://www.galenet.com/servlet/BioRC)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hoopes, Roy. Cain: The Biography of James M. Cain. Southern   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Illinois: University Press, 1987.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marling, William. Hard-Boiled Fiction. Case Western Reserve   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   University. Updated 2 August 2001.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (http://www.cwru.edu/7177060/artsci/engl/marling/hardboiled/Cain%20James.HTM)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Murray, Bill.   James M. Cain: July 1, 1892 - October 27,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1977.(http://www2.rmcil.edu/users/dhaynes/hum120/caincainbio.htm)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Skenazy, Paul. Cain James M. (James Mallahan), 1892-1977.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New York: Continuum, 1989.      

Literary Elements Essay

The following paper will discuss how symbolism and characters relate and contribute to the overall theme behind the story, â€Å"The Necklace.† Those symbols and characters suggest that just because something is perceived to be beautiful and worthy, that deception could be the reality. The theme of a story is basically the idea behind the story (Clugston 2010). In Guy de Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace,† the theme could be concluded as being the idea that appearances are deceptive. For most people, appearances are the most important aspects in life. Social stature, wealth, and physical appearances can conflict with a person in regards to importance as seen by one ’s self and by others leading to deception. In the story Madame Loisel perceives herself as something she is not. She believes that she should be that of wealthy and lavished with material items. In reality she is of the middle class coming from a family of employees, not rich at all. To her, material items, looks, and social status are what make a person â€Å"wealthy.† The fact of having a loving husband, a comfortable home, and dinner on the table is of no importance because she does not have the diamonds, furs, or the extravagant house, which to her are the most important as pects of life. A symbol is something that has literal meaning, but stands for something else (Clugston 2010). Symbolism is used numerous times in the story. When Matilde visits her friend that she envies, she is told to look through what seemed to be the most luxurious box housing numerous expensive pieces of jewelry. She did not realize that the box, in fact, housed a worthless piece of deception. Madame Loisel had a hard time deciding which would be the most affective when flaunting her so-called beauty at the party containing all the higher class people. The one that radiated the most was the one that best suited her. She was ignorant of the fact that such an appearance could be as deceptive as the appearance she would display in the crowd. The necklace itself symbolizes the true meaning of deceptive appearances. It shimmers and shines and changes in the story. That change goes unnoticed by Madame Forestier. It changes from worthless to precious and that suggests that the true value of something only depends on the perception of the appearance. Those perceptions and appearances can be easily deceivable. For Madame Loisel, the appearance of a diamond necklace from a box containing numerous pieces of jewelry was precious and can only be seen as such. Characterization is used in the story by the author to describe the overall appearance of Madame Loisel and her thoughts and feelings about her appearance and her thoughts on the appearances of others. She is described as being a beautiful woman on the outside, but not as beautiful on the inside, adding to the theme of deceptive appearances. Her appearance at the party seems like that of higher class being she is wearing a nice dress with an â€Å"expensive† piece of jewelry. She is noticed by many while socializing and dancing forgetting about the reality that waits for her in the other room. Being unappreciative of what she has makes her beautiful appearance deceivable because beauty if more than just physical appearance. Her actions lead to harsh results that make her poor in physical appearance and assets. The characters and symbols in the story contribute to the theme in ways of defining the true meaning of deceptive appearances. The appearance of the jewelry box is illustrated as giving the jewelry a sense of richness. The necklace is viewed as a source of power and gives the main character feelings of higher self-worth even though it is worthless. Madame Loisel is a beautiful woman at the beginning of the story, but the readers know the lack of true beauty she has. She tries to mislead the higher class with her appearance after buying the new dress and borrowing the diamond necklace. This in turn leads to her misfortune and leaves the audience in shock when the truth about the necklace is brought to light. Reference Clugston, R.,W. 2010. Journey into literature. Retrieved from: https://content.ashford.edu/ Books/AUENG125.10.2

Computer Storage Devices Essay

Computer Storage Devices Storage devices are used in order to store various items such as programs, data and instructions. Storage was used as early as 1804 by hole punching paper cards in order to control machinery. Without storage, the computer programs and files that exist now would not be possible. There are many different devices used for storage today such as hard drives, floppy drives and CD-Rom drives. Hard drives come in all computers and are the main storage device. An average hard drive usually stores from four to fifty gigabytes, but there are hard drives with much greater capacities available. A hard drive works by using multiple platters which are made of glass, aluminum or ceramic which has been coated with a magnetic material. The data is recorded by arranging the magnetic particles in order to form bytes on the disk. Floppy drives are another type of storage unit in which the information is stored on a separate removable disk. There are two different types of floppy drives: a 3.5 inch and a 5.25 inch. The number refers to the size of the disk that is used in that particular drive. A 3.5 inch floppy drive can store 1.44 megabytes and a 5.25 floppy can store 1.2 megabytes. Imation has developed a superdisk drive which has a capacity of 120 or 200 megabytes which is backwards compatible with the 3.5 inch floppy. The third type of storage that I am going to talk about is a CD-Rom (Compact Disk) drive which also uses a removable disk in order to store data. A CD-Rom works by using a laser lens in order to burn pits into the surface of the CD. The surface of the disk, called land, reflects light back to the lens which is read as 1. The pits in the CD absorb the light and reads to be 0. A CD can store up to 700 megabytes of data. In addition to a CD-Rom, there is also a DVD (digital video disk) Rom which can store up to seventeen gigabytes of information. A DVD is different from a CD because the disk is denser due to the fact that the pits are packed closer to each other. Also, A DVD uses two layers of pits and can be double sided. Another method of storage is the Zip drive which uses a 3.5 inch zip disk and was created by Iomega. The disk can hold the equivalent of seventy floppy disks or 250 megabytes. The Jazz drive, which was also made by Iomega, can store up to two gigabytes. The drive with the largest capacity is the Tape drive which can store several terabytes. The only problem with this drive is that the information is only read/wrote in one direction which means that it takes an extensive period of time to retrieve data. Due to this inconvenience, this drive is primarily used for back up purposes. This paper describes the many different storage units that exist today due to the new advances in technology. There are even more drives that are available which were not listed because they are not as widely used today such as the Orb drive. A few decades ago people would only dream for a device that was capable of storing terabytes of information, but now that dream has become a reality. With the amount of new discoveries that are made every day, the future may possibly bring a device capable of storing exabytes of information.