Bonnie Lyons Essay Example for Free

Bonnie Lyons Essay The critic, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, considers The Handmaids Tale to be far more than a political tract deploring nuclear energy, environmental waste and antifeminist attitudes. Which features of Atwoods novel do you believe have contributed to its readability and secured its reputation as a piece of classic modern fiction? In the novel, The Handmaids Tale, it is my opinion that the principal aspect of Atwoods writing style is the depth and intensity with which she approaches her subject matter; she consistently shows that she has researched her material and is able to show relatively potential alternate futures at the time of the early 80s it is not inconceivable to imagine certain turns of events happening as they did in the narrative. In the 1980s, the political climate globally seemed to be turning toward economic restraint and conservatism. In general, this shift was a response to the liberalism and unchecked social spending that occurred in the 1970s, which were in turn the extended results of the freedoms won by the worldwide social revolutions of the 1960s. This conservative trend appeared in different forms in different countries. In Margaret Atwoods home country of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, the Liberal Party leader resigned in 1984, and the voters replaced him with Progressive Conservative Brian Mulroney. Margaret Thatcher, who was elected Prime Minister of England in 1979, reversed decades of socialism by selling government-run industries to private owners. In the United States, the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan created such a turbulent reversal of previous social policy that the changes sweeping through the government during the first half of the decade came to be referred to as the Reagan Revolution. The extreme shift toward conservatism in the United States at that time is significant to the social change that created the Republic of Gilead in Atwoods imagination. After the novel was published, she told an American interviewer that she had tried originally to set the novel in Canada, but that it just would not fit the Canadian culture. Its not a Canadian sort of thing to do, she told Bonnie Lyons in 1987. Canadians might do it after the United States did it, in some sort of watered-down version. Our television evangelists are paltrier than yours. The States are more extreme in everything. The Republic of Gilead is characterised as a dystopia; a dystopia is any society considered to be undesirable, for any of a number of reasons. The term was coined as a converse to a utopia, and is most usually used to refer to a fictional society where current social trends are taken to nightmarish extremes. One of The Handmaids Tales successful aspects concerns the skilful portrayal of a state that in theory claims to be founded on Christian principles, yet in practice miserably lacks spirituality and benevolence. The state in Gilead prescribes a pattern of life based on abstinence, conformity, censorship, corruption, fear, and terror-in short, the usual terms of existence enforced by totalitarian states, instance of which can be found in such dystopian works as Orwells 1984. The novels thematics operate by speculating upon conflicting extremes: a decadent present, which Aunt Lydia cynically describes as a society dying of too much choice, and a totalitarian future that prohibits choice. Naturally, while rejecting the indulgent decadence and chaos of an anarchic society, the reader condemns the Gilead regime for its intolerant, prescriptive set of values that projects a tunnel vision on reality and eliminates human free will. There is more than one kind of freedom, said Aunt Lydia. Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Dont underrate it.

Introduction to Chemical Kinetics

Introduction to Chemical Kinetics Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Chemical kinetics Chemical kinetics is the branch of chemistry that deals with the rates or velocity, at which a chemical reaction occurs and also the factors affecting the rates. The word â€Å"kinetic† means the movement or change; here it refers to the velocity of a reaction, which is the change in the concentration of a reactant or a product with time. Kinetic investigation of a reaction is usually carried out with two main objectives in mind. Analysis of the sequence of elementary reactions leading to the overall reaction. i.e. To arrive at the plausible reaction mechanism. Determination of absolute rate of the reaction. There are several reasons for studying the kinetics of a reaction. At the outset, there is an essential curiosity about â€Å"why some reactions are fast and some are slow?† Some phenomena, like photosynthesis, hydrocarbon combustion and nuclear reactions, take place on a time scale as short as pico seconds to micro seconds. Other processes like the setting and hardening of cement and the transformation of graphite to diamond, take longer period of time to complete. Practically, a good understanding of reaction rates is useful, in waste water treatment, in pollution control, in drug design and in food processing. Chemists working in industry give more importance to speed up the rate of a reaction and also to increase the productivity. Chemical kinetics is a tool to understand fundamental aspects of reaction pathways, a subject that continues evolution with ongoing research. The knowledge rate of reaction has many practical applications. The kinetic study provides the valuable information about the rate and mechanism of chemical reaction, which helps out in running a chemical reaction successfully by selecting optimum reaction conditions. Generally, reactions are represented by following equation Reactants →Products This equation indicates that as the reaction proceeds, reactants are consumed and products are formed. Consequently, the progress of the reaction can be followed by monitoring the change in the concentration of reactants (decrease) or products (increase). The kinetic investigation also helps us to study the factors which have an effect on the rate of reaction like temperature, pressure, substrate concentration, oxidant concentration, dielectric constant, ionic strength and catalyst concentration. For example, kinetic study helps in optimizing reaction conditions for industrial processes, in understanding the complex dynamics of the environmental problems, in understanding the very complicated bio-chemical reactions that are the basis of life. Generally, reactions involving organic reactants have several plausible pathways. Kinetic analysis of atmospheric reactions helps us to understand chemical transformations of pollutants released in the atmosphere. At a more fundamental level, we want to understand what happens to the molecules in a chemical reaction. By understanding this concept we can develop the theories, which can be used to predict the outcome and rate of reactions. We presume that in order to react, the colliding molecules must possess a total kinetic energy equal to or greater than the activation energy (Ea). The activation energy is the minimum energy required to start a chemical reaction. When molecules collide, they form an activated complex (also called the transition state or quasi equilibrium state), formed as a result of the collision of reactant molecules before they form the product. A +B → AB†¡ → C + D Where AB†¡ denotes an activated complex formed by the collision between A and B. If the products are more stable than the reactants, then the reaction occurs with a release of heat; i.e., the reaction is exothermic. Conversely, if the products are less stable than the reactants, then the reaction occurs with the absorption of heat from the surroundings; i.e., the reaction is endothermic. The plots of potential energy of the reacting system versus the progress of the reaction qualitatively show the potential energy changes as reactants are converted in to products. The Arrhenius Equation The Arrhenius equation explains dependence of the rate constant of a reaction on temperature: k = Ae-Ea/RT (1) Where, Ea →activation energy of the reaction (in kJ/mol), R→ Universal gas constant (8.314 J/K/ mol), T → absolute temperature A → frequency factor which represents frequency of collision. It can be treated as a constant for a given reacting system over a reasonably wide temperature range. Equation (1) shows that the rate constant is directly proportional to frequency factor (A) and, therefore, to the collision frequency. Further, due to the negative sign on exponent Ea/RT, the rate constant decreases with increasing activation energy and increases with increasing temperature. This equation can be simplified by taking the natural logarithm on both sides, ln k = ln AeEa/RT (2) (3) Rearrangement of equation (3) leads to the following linear equation, (4) Therefore, a plot of ln k versus 1/T gives a straight line with a slope m and intercept c. The slope m is equal to Ea/RT and the intercept c is equal to ln A. One of the important uses of chemical kinetics is to provide the information which is required to propose the plausible mechanism of a reaction. The order of a reaction can be used to interpret the reaction on molecular level. The reaction mechanism is predicted in the way in which molecular bonds break and atoms rearrange during the reaction by considering the order of a reaction with respect to different reactive species. Almost all the information regarding reaction mechanism comes by implication of indirect evidence. It is the responsibility of chemists to plan the proper experimental method to generate most conclusive truths or evidences for the reaction. The main steps in any kinetic study are; (1) measurement of rate constant and reaction order (2) establishment of relationships between the rate and reaction mixture composition (3) identification of intermediates and products and (4) interpretation of the collected data to arrive at plausible reaction mechanism. If Chemistry is producing new substances out of old substances (i.e., chemical reactions), then there are two basic questions that must be answered: Is the reaction feasible? This is the subject of chemical thermodynamics. If the reaction is feasible then how fast? This is the subject of chemical kinetics. Kinetic studies constitute an important source of mechanistic information on the reaction, this is well demonstrated with respect to unsaturated acids in both aqueous [[1][2]] and non-aqueous media [[3]]. 1.1.1 The main importance of kinetic investigations are Product and intermediate identification. Determination of concentration of all reactant species present in the reaction. Deciding the method may be used to determine the rate. The kinetic analysis. Determination of the mechanism. 1.1.2 Applications of kinetics The chemist uses kinetics to plan new and better ways of achieving desired chemical reactions. This may involve in increasing the yield of desired products or discovering a better catalyst. The mathematical models, which are used by chemists and chemical engineer to predict chemical kinetics, provide information to understand and describe chemical processes such as ozone depletion, waste water treatment, decaying of food and vegetables, microorganism growth, and the chemistry of biological systems. The mathematical models can also be applied in the design and fabrication of chemical reactors for optimization to get good yield, better separation of products, and to eliminate environmentally hazardous by-products. Kinetics has an ample of applications in the field of medicine. Chemical kinetics plays an important role in the administration of drugs, in addition to respiration and metabolism mechanisms. For example, the mechanisms for the controlled/sustained release of drugs are based on the half-life period of the substances used and sometimes the pH of the body as well. Half life period and pH have an effect on the way in which dosages are determined and prescribed. The reaction rates and the conditions in which the reactions occur are vital for determining certain aspects of environmental protection. For example, the depletion of ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is best understood through an analysis of catalyzed chemical reactions. 1.1.3 Kinetic Methods in chemical analysis For catalyzed reactions the rate of reaction depends on the catalyst concentrations and hence, a kinetic–catalytic method of analysis of the catalytic species becomes available. Thus, a method of analysis can be developed down to the ppm level in several cases [[4]-,[5][6]]. The development of kinetic methods is an inseparable part of modern analytical chemistry. Great demands are placed on the precision, sensitivity, rapidity and possible automation of analytical methods. This necessitates progress in the physico-chemical methods, employing the most varied chemical, physico-chemical and physical properties of substances for their analysis. As reactions from the basis of most analytical methods, it is unimaginable that the dynamic character of chemical reactions would remain unused for analytical purposes. As has been shown recently, kinetic methods often provide the solution to the analytical problems more effectively than is possible using equilibrium methods [[7]]. Certainly, the most widespread use of kinetic methods is in biochemical and clinical laboratories, where analysis is based on kinetics than on thermodynamics. 1.2 Electron transfer reactions Electron transfer reactions play a key role in physico-chemical and biological processes. Because of the ubiquity of electron transfer processes, the study of electron transfer reactions, perhaps more so than that of any other area of chemistry is characterized by a strong interplay of theory and experiment [[8]]. The significance of electron transfer reaction in transition metal chemistry and in physical-organic chemistry is well documented [[9][10]]. Prof. R. A. Marcus received Nobel Prize in the year 1992 for the discovery of â€Å"Electron Transfer Reactions† and Prof. Ahmed Zewail received Nobel Prize in the year 1999 for the discovery of â€Å"Femtochemistry† and 2001 Nobel prize to Prof. William Knowles, Prof. K. Barry Sharpless and Prof. Royji Noyori for their work on â€Å"Chirally Catalyzed Hydrogenation Reactions† and Nobel Prize for the year 2005 to Prof. Robert Grubbs, Richard Schrock, and Yves Chauvin on their contribution to â€Å"Metathesis Catalyst Technology† put emphasis on the importance of reaction kinetics. The research work of Henry Taube [[11]] in redox systems explicitely demonstrated the transport of electron from reductant species to oxidant species. This discovery indeed added many essential features in the syntheses of metal complexes and organo-metallic compounds. An oxidation reaction is always accompanied by a reduction reaction, such reactions are called redox reactions [[12]]. Therefore, redox reaction needs at least two reactants, one capable of gaining electrons (oxidant) and the other capable of losing electrons (reductant), i.e., a reductant by losing electrons, gets oxidized and an oxidant by gaining the electrons gets reduced. Redox reactions are the basis for various biochemical transformations and chemistry of cells, biosynthesis, and regulation [[13]]. Electron transfer reactions may take place through outer or inner sphere mechanisms. References [1]. R. Stewart, Oxidation in Organic Chemistry, in K.B. Wiberg (Ed.), Part A., Academic Press, New York, 1965. [2]. D. G. Lee, E. J. Lee and K. C. Brown, Phase Transfer Catalysis, New Chemistry, Catalysts and Applications, ACS Symposium Series No. 326, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 1987. [3].J. F. Perez-Benito and D. G. Lee, Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of unsaturated carboxylic acids by methyl tributyl ammonium permanganate in methylene chloride solutions, J. Org. Chem., Vol. 52, 1987, pp.3239-3243. [4] . S. M. Tuwar, S. T. Nandibewoor and J. R. Raju, Analysis of Palladium (II) by a kinetic method and Mercury (I) by volumetry. Indian J. Chem., Vol.29A, 1990, pp. 825-826. [5].S.T.Nandibewoor and V. A. Morab, Chromium(iii)-catalyzed oxidation of antimony(iii) by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(iii) and analysis of chromium(iii) in microamounts by a kinetic method,J. Chem. Soc. Dalton Trans., 1995, pp.483-488. [6]. P. L. Timmanagoudar, G. A. Hiremath and S. T. Nandibewoor, Osmium(viii) catalyzed oxidation of antimony(iii) by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(iii) and analysis of osmium(viii) in micro amount by a kinetic method, Indian J. Chem.,Vol. 35A, 1996,pp.1084-1090. [7]. G. Svehla, â€Å"Kinetic Methods in Chemical Analysis Application of Computers in Analytical Chemistry†, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, New York, Vol. 18, 1983, pp. 19. [8] . J. J. Zuckerman, â€Å"Inorganic Reactions and Methods†, VCH Publishers, Florida, Vol. 15, 1986, pp.1-22. [9] . Sir. G. Wilkinson, â€Å"Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry†, Pergamon Press, Vol. 1, 1987, pp.327-332. [10] . R. A. Sheldon and J. K. Kochi, â€Å"Metal Catalyzed Oxidation of Organic Compounds†, Academic Press, New York, 1981, pp. 387-407. [11]. H. Taube, Electron Transfer Reactions of Metal Complexes in Solution†, Academic Press, New York, 1967. [12] . H. J. Price and H. Taube, Reduction of ÃŽ ±-carbonylcarboxylic acid complexes of pentaamminecobalt (III) by chromous, vanadous, and hexaammineruthenium(II) ions, Inorg. Chem., Vol. 7 (1), 1968, pp. 1–9. [13]. J. H. Espenson, Inner-Sphere Reduction of an Azidocobalt(III) Complex by Vanadium(II). Kinetics of Formation and Decomposition of the Metastable Monoazidovanadium (III) Ion, J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol.89 (5), 1967,pp. 1276–1278.

Analysis of the Greenwich Primary Care Trust

Analysis of the Greenwich Primary Care Trust A report describing and analysing the public health contribution of an organisation or initiative of your choice. Greenwich Primary Care Trust Introduction The contribution to public health made by an organisation or agency can be evaluated in relation to a number of features. These can be the range and scope of activities, the relevance for the local area, the effectiveness of the interventions, and their foundation within the boundaries of evidence-based practice. However, public health can also be measured in relation to how well the agency addresses key aspects of public health, including inequalities in health, what these constitute and their impact, and what is being done to address specific inequalities. In addition, known areas of public health need can be assessed in terms of progress made so far and amount of services provided to meet identified targets. This report explores the public health contribution provided by Greenwich Primary Care Trust in their The annual Public Health Report 2007 2008. In this report, which introduces itself using the following frames of reference, â€Å"providing the most up-to-date and local information; thinking ahead as the population is due to grow and change; and making evidence-based recommendations to help prioritise local actions on the key health challenges for the borough† (GPCT, 2008 p 3). Discussion Public health is generally focused on significant health factors and issues which are important to the wider population, rather than to the individual, and impact upon society and social structures and social life, not just on the lives of single people (Pomerleau and McKee, 2005; Orme et al, 2007). Pomerlau and McKee (2005) describe public health as â€Å"the science and art of promoting health and preventing disease through the organized efforts of society† ( p 7). Therefore, it is not surprising that the report focuses very much on language surrounding the identification of key elements of public health which are subject to health promotion within the locality, as being the specific focus of the Trust. Pomerleau and McKee (2005) cite the Ottawa Charter which was concerned with building healthy public policy; creating supportive environments; strengthening community actions; developing personal skills; reorienting health services ; and demonstrating commitment to health prom otion (p 9). These could be considered as signposts to understanding the value of a public health policy published by a specific agency. The report is a clear, detailed and comprehensive report clearly and effectively outlining key areas for health which are viewed as priorities. These include: Improving mental health (especially depression); Reducing cardiovascular disease (chiefly heart attacks and strokes); and reducing cancers (especially lung, bowel, prostate and breast) (GPCT, 2008). The report provides statistics on morbidity and mortality for the borough which demonstrate that in relation to health and disability over the lifespan, these are the most significant health problems and the ones which are, it can be assumed, most urgently requiring attention. All of these foci are very much about health promotion, but when looked at in the context of what is known about these kinds of diseases, all of the other elements of the Ottawa Charter cited above can be seen to affect these health issues. In line with health promotion principles, the report does focus on living longer, on quality of life, and on wellbeing issues, all of which are laudable in relation to public health because they relate both to the individual, and individual desires, and to the aspects of public health which will support and benefit the state (Iphofen, 2003). One of the drawbacks, however, of such a sweeping approach to public health policy, however, is seen in this report as frequently as it is seen in the national, governmental health promotion campaigns, that of over-simplification, and, arguably unconscious, marginalisation of certain individuals. For example, the report, like government public health campaigns, does not take enough notice of the individual fac tors which not only influence health but are not so easy to eradicate, such as the genetic factors influencing health and health behaviours (Hall, 1951). In relation to health promotion in the key health areas identified, the report does acknowledge the issues of lifestyle factors and socio-economic factors affecting health and disease, morbidity and mortality. The report states that both current and historic socio-economic factors, and the diversity of the local population, especially in relation to ethnicity, are considered significant in relation to the most important public health issues. There is a wide range of literature which links social life, socio-economic status and health, and which demonstrates that those who experience inequalities in health are those who are most disadvantaged in social and economic life (Bury and Gabe, 2004). It is also well known that health inequalities increase as the gap between advantage and disadvantage widens, and that certain social or cultural groups are more likely to experience disadvantage and the concomitant inequalities in health (Freund et al, 2003). GPCT (2008) acknowledge this, and fo cus on some important social groups as most suffering disadvantage in the locality, including Black African and Irish populations. They argue that their policies have been designed to demonstrate â€Å"greater targeting of groups at greatest risk of poor health outcomes, and working with these groups to develop approaches that will really work, with a particular focus on the Black African and Irish populations in the borough who have poor outcomes across the major causes of early death and ill health† (p 7). The report also addresses a range of ethnic issues and differences in health. However, it does not go far enough in describing and discussing policy responses to these issues, and to outlining constructive ways to make real progress in these areas. Plenty of literature shows the ethnicity based inequalities in health and the spectrum of disadvantage related to ethnic diversity (Spector, 2002). These kinds of inequalities, which are often racially demarcated, are reflected in global communities, and are no new occurrence (Goeslin et al, 2004). Yet there are ongoing discussions about the ability to address such problems through public health initiatives, even with the inclusion of and best use of healthy public policy (Bury and Gabe, 2004; Pomerleau and McKee (2005). Issues which continue to reflect the cross-sectorial problems surrounding public health include homelessness and poverty (Ryan and Sarikoudis, 2003). The report does address the statistics around economic inequalities and poverty, showing that the borough has a higher proportion of people in lower-paid occupations, which significantly impacts on health. It also addresses some specific issues which emerge from the social health spectrum, including sexual health and young people (Bergmann and Scott, 2001). The report does focus on behavioural aspects of health, and illness, across specific social groups, including young people’s health. Some of the issues presented are similar to those found nationally and internationally, including teenage pregnancy and teenage social isolation (Bergmann and Scott, 2001; Goesling and Firebaugh, 2004). However, there is very little focus on, for example, homelessness as a public health issue, one which affects many of the key points which are being raised in the report. Shah and Cook (2001) for example, show that in one of the key indices of cardiovascular disease, that of hypertension, factors influencing this disease the most are not socioeconomic status but actually social isolation, and homelessness is one of the most severe forms of social isolation that exists in our society. The report cites a number of initiatives which have positively affected health and wellbeing within the borough, but it does not really present any radical or innovative initiatives to address what are ongoing, predictable and somewhat repetitive and recurrent health and lifestyle issues which impact upon morbidity and mortality. There is a great need for different approaches to public health which build upon existing knowledge and incorporate, perhaps, more concrete information. For example, including service user input in the collection, analysis and use of these kinds of data, and in the development of public health policy, should be a significant part of public health activities such as these, and should feature more strongly in these kinds of reports. Yet models of health and social care continue to exclude the patient voice, though in this circumstance it may be complicated by the ethnic and cultural diversity fo the borough (Gagliardi et al, 2008). Conclusion The report discussed identifies the specific public health concerns of this London borough, and demonstrates not only what the most challenging issues are, but how the public health data of mortality and morbidity statistics intersect with some of the socio-economic and cultural statistics of the area. It identifies key areas for health promotion, but does not go far enough in addressing individual differences and the genetic factors which can complicate sweeping statements about causal and affecting factors in health and illness. It demonstrates that public health policies must be focused on local need, and that ongoing concerns are cardiovascular disease, mental illness and cancer. All of these are related to lifestyles, and therefore public health policy also relates to social policy. However, the links between these two could be made much clearer. References Bergman MM, and Scott J (2001) Young adolescents wellbeing and health-risk behaviours: gender and socio-economic differences. Journal of Adolescence. 24, 2, 183-197 Bury, M. and Gabe, J. (2004) The Sociology of Health and Illness: A Reader. London: Routledge. Carr, S.M. (2007) Leading change in public health – factors that inhibit and facilitate energizing the process. Primary Health Care Research and Development. 8 207-215. Freund, P., McGuire, M. Podhurst, L. (2003). Health, Illness and the Social Body London. Gagliardi, A.R., Lemieux-Charles, L, Brown, A.D. et al (2008) Barriers to patient involvement in health service planning and evaluation: An exploratory study. Patient Education and Counseling 70 (2) 234-241. Goesling, B. and Firebaugh, G. (2004) The Trend in International Health Inequality Population and Development Review 30 (1) 131–146. Hall, C.S. (1951) The genetics of behavior. In Stevens, S.S. (ed.), Handbook of Experimental Psychology, 1st ed. John Wiley and Sons, New York, USA 304-329. Harding, G. Taylor, K. (2002) Social Determinants of Health and Illness The Pharmaceutical Journal 269 485-487. Iphofen, R. (2003) Social and individual factors influencing public health. In: Costello, J. Haggart, M. (2003). Public Health and Society Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Orme J, Powell J, Taylor P and Grey M (2007) Public health for the 21st century (second edition) (Chapter 1.) Milton Keynes: Open University Press. Pomerleau J, Mckee M (eds) (2005) Issues in Public Health Milton Keynes: Open University Press Ryan, A. Sarikoudis, V. (2003). ‘The Social Model of Health, Bridging the Gap between the health and homelessness sectors’. Paper Presented at the Third National Homelessness Conference. Shah, S. and Cook, D.G. (2001) Inequalities in the treatment and control of hypertension: age, social isolation and lifestyle are more important than economic circumstances. Journal of Hypertension. 19 (7) 1333-1340. Spector, R.E. (2002) Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness Journal of Transcultural Nursing 13 197.

Freer Trade Stolen disclaimer :: Essays Papers

Freer Trade Stolen disclaimer â€Å"It is not one single cause that makes nations either prosperous or miserable. No friend of free trade is such an idiot as to say that free trade is the only valuable thing in the world; that religion, government, police, education, the administration of justice, public expenditure, foreign relations, have nothing whatever to do with the well being of nations† Macaulay 1845. If we could call free trade the string that ties nations together. Then we could say that the rule of law, education, a justice system, all part of a government, are basic binding points of free trade among nations. With Macaulay’s very eloquent disclaimer in mind we can say that free trade does exist and has been very successful, but it has yet to achieve its full potential. The full potential of free trade has not been achieved because these basic binding points have found themselves lacking in one way or another of Adam Smith’s’ economic ideal. Adam’s logic What is prudence in the conduct of every family can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom. If a foreign country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, better buy it of them with some part of the produce of our own industry, employed in a way in which we have some advantage. The general industry of the country†¦ will not thereby be diminished†¦ but only left to find out the way in which it can be employed with the greatest advantage. It is certainly not employed to the greatest advantage, when it is thus directed towards an object, which it can buy cheaper than it can make. AdamSmith1799. Adam Smith makes an invitation to apply as a nation what we already do as individuals. So free trade is an international extension of what we do everyday in providing and buying services from others. The key to success in doing this according to Adam Smith is specialization. A country must find an industry where it can have an absolute advantage by specialization and let other countries provide other products and services. David Ricardo added that if comparative advantage (usually by lower cost) beats you at something you are good take advantage of opportunity cost and spend your efforts on what you are best at that others don’t produce. Adam’s utopia The obvious and simple system of natural liberty, advocated by Adam Smith, in which individuals would be free to pursue their own interests, while the government provided infrastructure, and a legal framework within which commerce would take place was very idealistic.

Birth and Beyond :: essays research papers

Birth & Beyond of Sacramento, is a non-profit health care agency whose main focus is to provide family support services in a form of family resource centers and home visitations where a personal home visitor is recruited from the same neighborhood they serve to provide the caregiver the help he/she needs on how to give a better care for the child. Their mission is to support the caregiver in all areas such as job referral and training, how best to communicate with other parents in the neighborhood, the best way to overcome obstacles that the family might be facing, and how to better use the community resources such as transit system or comprehensive health care services. All these services are provided until the age of five of the youngest child in the family. The family resource centers offers support in budgeting, parenting groups, health, immunization, overall child development, class sessions for anybody who would like to learn Spanish, English, Hmong, or Russian, and Play and G row groups which are parent/child bonding classes through arts and crafts and kid connection. In addition to the family resource centers and the home visitations, families also have the support of the team of consultants and specialists such as Nurses and Family health counselors, joined together to coordinate a full range of services for the families. (www.birth-beyond.com/Content/Learn-Participate/Learn_More.htm). The geographical area served by Birth & Beyond is the Sacramento County which houses nine different Family Resource Centers. Each resource center is responsible for certain zip codes areas of the Sacramento County. Many serve up-to five different zip code areas, however Meadowview Family Resource Center only serves the zip codes 95822, 95831, and 95832. (www.birth-beyond.com/Content/Locations/FRC_map.htm). According to Heather Blanchard, Meadowview Family Resource Center serves one hundred and thirty families, in which fifteen are Spanish speaking families and five are English speakers. Home visitation services are provided to ten families. This center has the capacity to serve two hundred families. Birth & Beyond is open to anyone who would like to improve the care of their children. However, since Meadowview Family Resource Center is located on Florin Road, the population that frequents this facility the most is Spanish speakers. The youngest client at this facility as of now is a fifteen year old female who started attending at this facility at the age of thirteen and the oldest person is forty-one. This facility is visited by 99% females and .

Solvong the Education Equation

Josh Irish English 101 6 March, 2013 Solving the Education Equation ?The myth of education in America works like a broken function box; what we are putting in is not coming out complete, thus leaving an unsolved equation. This unsolved equation is the education system in America, which continuously crams numbers into the function, without yielding any results. This myth America has constructed has been debated by many, benefited few, and has encompassed us all. It was created by the culmination of false goals by a system that does not cater to society as a whole or been proven successful.The original mission statements of public education in a democracy set out by Horace Mann were to â€Å"Equalize all conditions of men, in order to balance the wheel of the social machinery† (Mann 116). I believe that the America’s current public education system is not fulfilling these goals set for all citizens of this nation. ?There are numerous projected goals of American education that have been set out, in writing, by the trusted officials of America’s government. These goals are aimed at creating a thriving society occupied by well rounded individual citizens.In Horace Mann’s address to the Massachusetts board of education he states, â€Å"It may be safely affirmed that the common school, improved and energized as it can easily be, may become the most effective and benignant of all forces of civilization† (Mann 117). Mann was suggesting that education can be very adaptable, suiting all facets of society to be the sole beneficiary creating good citizens. I believe that his vision was and is still true if America follows his advice, creating a system more adaptable around its constituents.I believe the main goals of education in a democracy should include individual empowerment, creating honest citizens, equal opportunity for success, and political knowledge of your government. In regards to political knowledge, Michael Moore in idiot nat ion states, â€Å"A nation that goes out of its way to remain ignorant and stupid, is not one that should be running the world – at least not until its citizens can locate Kosovo(or any other country it has bombed) on the map† (Moore 129). This shows just about how little Americans seem to know about their own government’s practices and decision making.The apathetic attitude many Americans have towards politics as well shows disregard for their own well being, since the government’s decisions will inevitably affect them. regarding success, John Gatto states that â€Å" We have been taught in this country to think of success as synonymous to, or at least dependent upon schooling, but historically that isn’t true in either an intellectual or a financial sense† (Gatto 150). This alludes to the common phrase money doesn’t buy happiness, in comparison to â€Å"schooling† not automatically bringing â€Å"success†.This is the m ain myth of our education system, which falsely advertises the transition of schooling into success. ?With every projected goal the government has for education, there are just as many ways our democracy is not fulfilling them. For starters, schools are massively overcrowded with an increasing student to teacher ratio, creating less interaction and communication between the two. On top of this problem, teachers are being highly underpaid although they must work harder trying to account for the larger amount of students.These problems stem from the fact that our education system is not adequately funded and resources are hard to come by. Michael Moore states the hypocritical nature of political funding in Idiot Nation when he says â€Å"The ultimate irony is that the very politicians who refuse to fund education in America are the same ones that go ballistic over how kids have fallen behind the Japanese, Germans, and just about every country with running water and an economy not bas ed on the sale of Chiclets† (Moore 138).Another problem we face is the current system being designed to merely push students along until the end, whether they are ready or not, based on George bush’s No Child Left Behind initiative. John Gatto reveals a solution to this in Against School when he states â€Å"If we wanted we could easily jettison the old, stupid structures and help kids take an education, rather than merely receive schooling. we could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness simply by being more flexible†¦ and giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then† (Gatto 149).The clearest problem we can see in education system is the separation of social classes within schools. schools are clearly still a separate and still unequal institution when you examine the differences between working class, middle class, affluent, and elite schools in America. Each of these levels of schools has a hidden curr iculum of work designed for that specific social class’s educational upbringing. Working class schools follow steps of procedure, involving mechanical behavior, with little decision or choice making. In Middle class schools, work is getting the right answer.Therefore one must follow directions to get the right answers, and accumulate right answers to get a good grade. In affluent schools, students work independently with creative activity, and are asked to express ideas and concepts. This also involves individual thought and expression rather than listening to others. Lastly, elite schools develop ones analytical, intellectual powers by work that challenges both reason and logic through problems. All these levels of curriculum between schools correspond to students’ future â€Å"designation† or career path in society’s workplace.Jean Anyon describes this complex in Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work when she says â€Å"Public schools in compl ex industrial societies like our own make available different types of educational experience and curriculum knowledge to students in different social classes† (Anyon 170). The hidden curriculum of schools in our public education system is clearly a problem and the biggest obstacle to creating equal opportunities for all students in America. ?Education creates empowerment. In theory, yes, this statement is true.However in the current state of education in America, this is false advertisement when you include the obstacles such as overcrowded schools, incompetent teachers, outdated information sources and hidden curriculum in schools. In order to make that statement more than a myth we need to become aware of the industrial complex that our government has made public education into and start changing the system. We as a nation must demand adequate funding for schools, relevant information sources and diminish class from being intertwined with our education.We live in a thriving , complex society that has become an idiot nation due to our passivity and apathetic attitude towards education. We must wake up and take back the very foundation of the American dream, our education. Once our nation achieves this we will solve the equation of the education system and function properly as a country. Works Cited Anyo, Jean. â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. 70. Print. Gatto, John. â€Å"Against School. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. 149. Print. Gatto, John. â€Å"Against School. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. 150. Print. Mann, Horace. â€Å"Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education. † Rereading America: Cultural Context s for Critical Thinking and Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. 116.Print. Mann, Horace. â€Å"Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. 117. Print. Moore, Michael. â€Å"Idiot Nation. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. 129. Print. Moore, Michael. â€Å"Idiot Nation. † Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. 138. Print.

Compare and Contrast: Schools Essay

Choosing a college could be hard like if your choosing the University of Nevada, Las Vegas or University of California, Los Angleos. They have many similarities but there has to be something different about them that helps you choose a decision but you cant find it. Is it the environment that surrounds each of the schools. Maybe the different academics, does it have what I want to succeed in one day. Or what if it has the sports I love to play and watch and are they good at them. Choosing a college is a choice that is apart of your life forever. Its where one day you hopefully will get your degree and have the oppurtunities of a lifetime. Is the University of California, Los Angelos a better school then the University of Nevada, Las Vegas? The environment in Las Vegas is not as big and open as Los Angelos. They both have many simularites such as: the culture, opportunities, experiences, and walking distance in many places. But Las Vegas is known as sin city and if your for the partying, and having the fun its a great environment for you to be around. Like Los Angelos, Las Vegas is known to many big businesses. There are 20,000 people that attend this university which seems like a lot In contrast the University of California which is located in Los Angelos. When many people think Los Angelos they think gangs and violence but there is an up part to that. The University of California is one the highest known schools in the United States. The environment is a lot like Vegas but there are 40,000 people that attend the school and wheres there more people usually means more surroundings and a bigger space. It may have some of the same things like culture, opportunities , and experiences. Like UNLV, UCLA is a lot of walking distance from dorms to school, and many things in between those are things like food, gyms and etc. Vegas is a great place for learning; It has many things to offer just as well as Los Angelos. The environment is great but academics is the real reason you are going to college unless your the next Micheal Phelps, Lebron James , or another athletic star. In the University of Nevada they offer 220 undergraduate, masters , and doctoral degree program. It might offer less due to the smaller school. Unlv is based on a medical school. As for UCLA, it offers 5,000 courses that could end in 125 different majors. UCLA has a lot more to offer its not really based on just one thing. With the bigger classes it maybe a little crowed but the professors are there to help you. They may not care as much as they do it the classrooms but it would be your responsibility to go after to ask for help. Or even join tutoring which I’m sure is offered at both schools. With over 109 academic departments it would help you decided on what you want to do in life. Being Micheal Phelps, LeBron James, or even Alex Rodriguez, you would have to start somewhere in life. College is where everything hits the big time because the professional teams or even Olympics starts to really look at you. Both UNLV and UCLA have many sports to offer. The University of Nevada is the home of the red and silver Rebels. They offer the normal football , baseball, basketball, swim, golf, soccer,and etc. They do offer men cheer which not many schools do not offer. Although UCLA doesn’t offer male cheer it offers others things like track and field, mens volleyball, water polo, women gymnastics, women rowing,and women sand volleyball, otherwise it offers the same basic sports. UCLA is home of the blue and gold Bruns. They are very high in there division because of the level of talents they have on the field and/or courts. UCLA is a better school it offers a more experience environment that will prepare you more for the future, has a better verity of academics, and more sports to offer for the people who have dreams to become professional athletes. College is very stressful itself but finding one right for you is even harder. The University of Nevada in Las Vegas offers many things but; it isn’t just as big and have more opportunity then the University of California in Los Angelos. With the environment, academics, and sports its a bigger and better school. Some people might disagree but that’s what I think.