Constantine Trucking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Constantine Trucking - Assignment Example We are easy to access as our trucks are made available on an hourly basis, and delivery can be arranged by the ton/yard, and we provide complete solutions for trucking needs on the go. 2a. Plan Highlights: Our main objective is to ensure client satisfaction through timely and fast delivery, and providing best-quality mulch, excavation services and related products. As the construction industry is booming currently, we have decided to expand our horizons in order to improve profit margins and increase local market share. We have also created organizational diversity into our product line by launching into farming industry and provide our freshly baked home-made bakery items and locally harvested organic produce. 2b. Key to success: The local transportation and trucking industry is booming at the moment, so in order to stay not just defendable but in a combative position, in an ever growing competition we have to focus upon quality as well as cost reduction strategies such as:   a) We can deliver daily, from a minimal 3 yards up to 1,000,000 yards with a fleet of trucks from one ton dump to dump trailers. b) We aim to achieve at least four large-scale contracts for the coming three years. c) Expand our customer base by venturing into other geographical areas to achieve a sustainable level of productivity d) increase marketing expenditures by 15% (â€Å"Trucking Services†). Section Three: Company Summary 3a. Vision: Constantine Construction Inc in Loudonville, New York is a licensed, insured and privately owned construction and Trucking Company which falls in the category of Trucking-Contract Hauling, excavating contractors’ mulch. It is in the business since 50 years (â€Å"Constantine Truck and Repair Service†). The prior vision of this company is to deliver top quality products and services. We are a dedicated team striving to expand our community, helping to maintain existing

Deforestation in Costa Rica Essay Example for Free

Deforestation in Costa Rica Essay Costa Rica is famous for it’s rainforests and vast biodiversity and ecosystems, including 12,000 species of plants, 1,239 species of butterflies, 838 species of birds, 440 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 232 species of mammals (Wikipedia), which overtime have become under threat due to deforestation. Since the end of World War II, 80 percent of Costa Rican forests have disappeared (Wikipedia). Various companies are cutting down forests, to provide land for there fruit plantations and cattle ranches. During the 1990s, Costa Rica had one of the worst deforestation rates in the world. Clearing out forests is causing flooding, desertification, sedimentation in rivers, loss of wildlife diversity, and is the number one contributor to global warming. The country has laws protecting certain areas of the forests, but only 25 percent of Costa Rican forests are completely protected from companies due to lenient laws (Viva Costa Rica). Businesses that are clearing out Costa Rican forests are contributing to the destruction of the earth’s environment. Beef production is the largest cause of deforestation in Costa Rica. Approximately 60 percent of Costa Rica has been cleared out to make room for cattle ranching (Algee, â€Å"Cattle Ranching†). During the 1960s, problems worsened when the United States offered Costa Rican cattle ranchers millions of dollars in loans to produce beef (Viva Costa Rica), so all the ranchers had the forests cleared for space for more cattle. After Costa Rica stopped shipping cattle to the U. S. , the country was left with bare spots, where trees were cleared out, and most of the cattle was moved to the Pacific Northwest side of Costa Rica. Fruit plantations are the second largest cause of deforestation in Costa Rica, specifically banana plantations. Banana plantations now cover 130,000 acres of previously forested land in Costa Rica (Guadua Bamboo). Bananas are Costa Rica’s main moneymaking industry. While certain conservation laws have been passed to protect areas from banana farming in Costa Rica, the government lacks the resources to enforce them. The banana industry is known for its dangerously high use of pesticides, which in the 1970s, caused thousands of plantation workers to become sterile (Guadua Bamboo). These pesticides used to maintain fruits, may enter the water systems and contaminate the water. Nutrient balance in the soil is also disrupted by the removal of the rainforests to make way for fruit plantations, by exhausting the soils and leaving them weak. Weak soil makes it challenging to maintain the land for agriculture. When a ground surface is stripped of vegetation, the upper soils becomes helpless to water erosion. Costa Rica loses about 860 million tons of valuable topsoil every year (Mongabay). Forests have a natural ability to absorb water when it rains, and release it slowly into rivers. Without the vast amounts of vegetation, flash floods are caused, the water rushes into the rivers, taking the sediment with it. Once the sediment builds up, the water no longer flows, and it floods the areas. The increased sediment load of rivers suffocates fish eggs, causing lower hatch rates, reducing the fishing industry. Erosion also destroys roads and highways that cross through the forest. The government does not shut down the roads, but must rebuild them repeatedly, using money that could be used more productively elsewhere. Deforestation is the number one cause of global warming. In his article â€Å"Deforestation: The Hidden Cause of Global Warming†, Daniel Howden explains â€Å"Carbon emissions from deforestation far outstrip damage caused by planes and automobiles and factories deforestation accounts for up to 25 percent of global emissions of heat-trapping gases, while transport and industry account for 14 percent each; and aviation makes up only 3 percent of the total† Deforestation results in the immediate release of carbon stored in trees as carbon-dioxide emissions. Trees are 50 percent carbon. When they are felled or burned, the carbon dioxide they store escapes back into the air. Carbon dioxide helps absorb heat; therefore too much carbon dioxide results in global warming. Costa Rica has an amazing conservation program that protects more than 10 percent of the country (Mongabay). One protected strip of forest runs for 40 miles, through nine ecological zones. The country presented a plan in 1995; to protect 18 percent of the country in national parks and another 13 percent in privately owned preserves. The country is targeting to protect the areas with the most biodiversity. The government funds the project by issuing landowners forest protection certificates, which will annually pay landowners about $50 for every 2. 5 acres of forest, with the agreement that the forest will be protected. In 2005, another program added Costa Rica to which wealthy nations were called to compensate poor nations for rainforest conservation. The amount of Costa Rican land deforested annually has declined since 1977, by 118,158 acres (Wikipedia). Around two-thirds of Costa Ricas remaining rainforests are now protected. Companies that are felling trees in Costa Rican forests are destroying the earth’s environment. These companies that contribute to deforestation are killing various species, and are ultimately harming the earth itself through greenhouse gas emissions. Costa Rica is doing a great job repairing their forests, and making sure that certain areas will remain untouched. Last year, the country passed a law that will decentralize their decision-making. The efforts the country is making to stop deforestation, is causing Costa Rica to stand out and show their commitment toward environmental and natural resources issues.

Mary Jane: The Devil Weed :: essays research papers fc

Mary Jane: The Devil Weed ABSTRACT: This paper, entitled "Mary Jane: The Devil Weed?" attempts to examine what we know about marijuana and what problems are associated with its use. The paper examines briefly the history of marijuana legislation, marijuana's known effects, and conclusions about its danger. Early in this century, the government waged a war of terrorism on marijuana, or cannabis sativa. "By 1937, forty-six states had laws against the use of marijuana, and its use had already been made a criminal offense under federal law" (Jaffe, 659). Andrews pointed out that "not until some time in the early 1930s did the Louisianna legislature pass a state regulation making use of the drug illegal" (5). Jaffe noted that "since the early 1900s, marifuana has been considered the one drug that might introduce the susceptible to hard drugs." Jaffe pointed out that "since about 1950.... smoking of marijuana has been linked statistically to the use of other illicit drugs....Most observers have concluded that the link is sociological rather than biological and...marijuana is a marker for individuals who are more prone to seek new experiences even when these violate social norms and local laws." Andrews related that "sensational newspaper stories relating...to crime is generally held to be accountable for the sudden enactment of a law prohibiting its use." He went on to note that "users were often subject to heavy penalties- -up to life imprisonment in Texas." "After caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, marijuana is the fourth most popular abused substance" (O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, 175). does marijuana deserve this reputation? We must first consider what it is and what effects it has. The active ingredient is tetrahydocannabinol, or THC (Andrews). THC, found only in the female plant, produces a mild euphoric effect. Marijuana is considered a hallucinogen, a Schedule 1 drup, under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, 177). A Schedule 1 drug means there is no known medical use. Recently "a new drug application was approved for THC (Marinol) to be used therapeutically for control of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy" (Jaffe, 663). This moved THC from Schedule 1 to 2 (medical use despite potential for abuse). How dangerous is marijuana? Jaffe notes that "any performance test shows impairment....although no distinctive biochemical changes have been found in humans." Andrews writes, "Physical effects of marijuana use is probably the major question....The answer? None." O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, reported that the National Institute on Drug Abuse found, "Marijunan now available is five to 10 times more potent than it was a half dozen years ago" (178). While these statements may not sound conclusive, the Institute of Medicine, according

Psychology: Human Development :: Psychological Social Science Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The field of psychology may have grown to be respected as a science. Objectivity and the scientific method are both part of the psychologist's mode of operation. However, even the greatest of psychologists can only theorize about what makes human beings act the way they do. Absolutes are not part of psychology . Everything is relative and open to speculation. Theorists give us their views or ideas about life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the field of psychology, there have been many different areas of interest. Human development is one of the most popular areas of interest for those who study psychology. Freud, Erikson and Piaget are all great theorists with different ideas concerning human development. Each theorist developed ideas and stages for human development. Their theories on human development had human beings passing through different stages. Each theory differed on what these stages were. These theories also differed with their respect towards paradigmatic assumptions, learning and development, and relationship towards educational practice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freud is known as the father of psychology. Although some of his work has been dismissed, most of it still holds weight in the world of psychology. Freud believed that human development was fueled by inner forces. He believed the most powerful of all inner forces was our sexual being. Freud linked everything with sex. This includes any bodily pleasure whatsoever. Thus, when Freud discusses the sexual needs of children, they are not the same kind of sexual needs that an adult would experience. Children experienced sexual gratification in different ways. Sucking their thumbs or retaining their excrement could be seen as sexual gratification for small children. Freud also specified certain areas of our body as erogenous zones. Those areas included the mouth and genitals. This all fit in to Freud's obsession with sex. An obsession that could be linked to the era that Freud lived in. It was a very conservative period in history. Sexual feelings were often repressed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freud's theory on human development could be labeled the psychosexual stages of development. Freud believed human beings passed through different stages in their life based on which part of their body gave them sexual gratification. Freud's psychosexual stages of development are five in total.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Oral stage takes place from birth to about one year. During this stage, a child is orally oriented. The mouth is the child's erogenous zone. Everything a child touches is put in his mouth. Freud believes children do this because it gives them pleasure. When a child sucks his thumb, it does so because it gives it gives him gratification. According to Freud, the gratification is sexual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second stage in Freud's psychosexual development theory takes place

Turning Point in the Truman Show

Turning point in â€Å"The Truman Show† In the film The Truman Show directed by Peter Weir, Weir brings out messages about how reality TV is perceived by the world and what it really is through the final scene in the movie where Truman goes out to sea and finally escapes from Seahaven. I think it was a turning point of this film because it reveals a system of a reality TV, which manipulates and controls everything possible but the only ones that belong to it. In the final scene, Truman goes out to sea to get out of Seahaven.Christof tracks Truman down in the sea and makes an attempt to make Truman get back to the island by creating a lethal artificial storm. Despite the storm, Truman is determined to continue his voyage, but then gets surrounded by the painted sky. Christof gives a last try by talking to Truman nevertheless Truman stays steadfast and exits the stage. In this scene, there are many elements and techniques that turn Truman into our hero. In this scene, Truman is always filmed by using low angle shots, making the audience feel that they are looking up to him.Also, the boat that he was on is called â€Å"Santa Maria† (the bless Virgin Mary). Furthermore, a flag on the boat had a symbol of an eagle, which represents freedom, power, and victory to Truman. Later when he hits the painted sky he walks on false water, which resembles one of Jesus’s ability to walk on water referring Truman as God who we admire. This final scene is considered to be a turning point, because many change occurs due to Truman’s strong will. Changes that occurred are: Truman himself, mood, and the nature of the show. First of al the most noticeable change was a change in Truman himself.He breaks free from the obstacles that block him from getting out of Seahaven by overcoming his fear of water (aqua phobia) and misleads everyone else involved in his show. The mood of the scene changes. The scene starts off with sunny and calm weather where the sky is blue and creates a happy and relaxing mood. However, as Chistof creates a storm towards Truman, the tone goes down somber by using grey clouds, the Sun disappearing, with a lot of loud banging noises, and leads to Truman’s distorted face due to his grief after knowing all the truth.Nonetheless as the film approaches its very end Truman reveals the real nature of the show by differentiating himself from the rest still involved in the show, and exits out the door. It is followed by a shock and pity on Christof’s face, audience in the cafeteria, and the security guards finding â€Å"something else to watch† showing that they were all exploiting Truman by deceiving him, contrasting with Truman’s genuineness. Furthermore, the final scene is a turning point because it reveals a true system of a reality TV, contrasted to what we thought it was.Christof keeps on boasting that the show is the most genuine and pure as it could be, however, that is inconsistent wit h the unreality of the reality show. Throughout the film everything is controlled, his powers, his wife, and his friends are all fake, his parents and family, friends are all actors reading out the lines, which limits the possibility of Truman contacting with the outside of Seahaven, the reality. However Truman’s Genuineness stems from who he is inside. Christof sees himself as having created an ideal paradise for Truman, which is a digital garden of Eden in which Truman can be forever innocent, forever pure.His delusions of Godhood lead him to believe that he has created who Truman is. The falsity of Christof’s anticipation to Truman leaving the world is a message that controlling the memories doesn’t mean controlling the soul. Truman’s liberation of the soul comes from embracing the love for the woman he once saw, Sylvia. His request for her using the simple tools of photos of women in fashion magazines cropped and rearranged into her face represents hi s triumph of his desire for his love over his physical barrier, which surrounds him.Truman thinks freedom is more important than safety, and would rather take a huge risk to get it. As an example, Truman is holding a finished photo of a resemblance to Sylvia on the boat. Increasingly, we live in a Truman universe as well, saturated by advertisements and we are manipulated by basic film techniques they use. In the film Truman struggles to get out of the show whereas we struggle to be a part of the show, we go for popularity. Truman freed himself from the imprisonment, but the other havent’, and proves that Truman wasn’t the creation of Chrsitof.Reality TV is a highly dramatized structure and attificial life. It bridges the gap between fiction and life by fusing two, creating verite performances surrounded by scripted elements. The Truman Show feeds a script to everyone but Truman, but the script is invisible, by managing everyone else’s dialogue to minimize Truma n’s interactions with every other human being in his life, except the two people who go off the script, his dad and Sylvia. His thoughts cannot be controlled.Reality TV pulls strings of our instincts and by refusing to choose a world that may be dangerous and threatening, but also real, Truman chooses the reality and freedom over the enslavement of entertainment. When he leaves, Truman has found freedom, those viewers still watching have not. In conclusion, via the final scene, which is considered as a turning point due to its exposure of a true system of a reality show in order to prove that reality TV shows can only manipulate the ones that belong to it.

How to Write a Case Study

How to Write a Case Study How to Write a Case Study Case studies are employed by scholars and researchers in order to find, confirm or modify their comprehension of given regularities or principles. In the fields of business studies, political sciences, sociology and psychology, case studies are used as a necessary stage of the analysis of a definite problem. Writing a case study requires a lot of efforts, good preparation and comprehensive knowledge. Depending on the assignment and the subject, the topics can vary, but in all cases one should have some field work in order to carry out a good piece of research. The following instructions can only assist you to accomplish your task. Consider them as introductory steps to the real process of writing. How to write a case study – 7 essential tips 1. Define your topic and task This includes communication with your instructor. You should always keep in mind that a well-defined topic will help you to have your job done earlier and easier. Hence, the topic has to be: narrow (instead of general), indicate the time and place of the research, use technical language, i.e. special terms. 2. Plan your research It is very important to plan how to do your fieldwork; i.e. do some interviews with people, work with archives or documentations at the place, and so on. Thus, you should know the right time (date) when you will be doing the research, its time framework (for how long), and the place/s. If you are writing in the field of sociology, then you have to do two different types of interviews: the first one is quantitative, and the other one is qualitative. Quantitative interview aims at collecting general information and comparing attitudes of different groups (based on age, gender, interests, education, etc.). Qualitative interview is an in-depth interview, which is a means for gathering important information. For example, life stories; they are full of details which can show a personal view on a given process, event, and so forth. The questions for both types of interviews should be prepared prior to your field work. 3. Set forth your working hypothesis This will be theoretical framework of the paper. How would you interpret the process that you have to analyze? What factors and determinants exert influence on it? Here you should refer to some renowned scholars or theories. Whenever you are writing a college assignment or a diploma thesis, the hypothesis always comes first. 4. Do your fieldwork Actually this is a whole process consisting of several stages. First, you need to ask for permission to do fieldwork (for instance, in high-school). Then you need to find respondents or people to communicate with. Once the interviews or other type of work are done, you have to inform people or the institution/company about the results of your research. At any rate, in your paper you must, at least, mention the name of the institution and give all credits to the people who deserve them. 5. Interpret the results Gather all data and analyze them according to your hypothesis. Now, you can add other assumptions which have not been mentioned in the introduction part. You should establish some relations, ratio, and causal chains in order to explain a given process better. 6. Attach photos, videos, audio records Everything which can prove that you have really carried out your field work will be of use. Select your photos according to their value and message. Always ask the respondents if they agree to publish their photos somewhere. 7. Publish the information in a peer-reviewed journal in your field of research, thus the results of your research will be easily disseminated. Upon reading the above tips you definitely know more about how to write a case study. We recommend to be well-prepared and have a thorough plan prior to starting the work on the case study, otherwise the results will not be satisfying.

Cultural Studies, Multi-Culturalism, and Media Culture essays

Cultural Studies, Multi-Culturalism, and Media Culture essays Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism and Media Culture The society that we live in today is mostly reflected by the media. The media includes, television, radio, film, and many sorts of advertisements. The clothing we wear, our hair styles, the choice of food we eat all are influenced the culture we live in. I look back fifty years and from what I know and have read we did things that would help us live better lives. We bought items that would be beneficial and have longevity to us. Today, we buy things out of impulse. The products we buy, for example our clothes, cars, and homes all reflect on us trying to gain a certain status. People go through life thinking that money is the root to all happiness. For some, it can be the root to all problems. For instance, the movie Rocky, genuinely portrays the above statement. Rocky, is the "All-American,""white-collared," worker who eventually gets his chance at fame. He starts out working hard to accomplish something in his life. Eventually, through hard work and dedication he makes it to the top. In one of the later Rocky's, it call comes crashing down. With the more money he made the lazier he became. Then in a matter of a few seconds he lost everything. In Rambo, he also portrays the "All- American" guy. He fights for what he believes in. It also portrays everyone else who is not an American to be evil and the enemy. These type of war movies always portrays other cultures that are no a norm for us as bad. In the article, it says that Madonna was a resource to inspire gestures of independence and fashion rebellion and thus empowered the young girls to express themselves. This is very true. Celebrities, professional athletes, and the wealthy all inspire us to work harder to become what we want to be. But, they also portray many negative elements. Some of the lifestyles these people live go against a lot of our beliefs. We read a lot about celebrities who use dru ...

THE BEST essays

THE BEST essays Flibbety is a very cold region with lot of tree-covered mountains and a lake. The men in this area hunted goats on top of the mountains while others were scouts who kept track of the goats. Some of the men fished in the lake and supplied fish to the area. Some men were lumberjacks who provided wood for building houses and keeping warm. A small group of men organized all the work of the area and were considered to be leaders. There were also medicine men and holy men. The women were usually housewives. Some of them went hunting with their husbands, but that was very rare. Others helped their husbands and sons in farming. When a work needed to be done, all the people would get together and finish it together. The people of this area worked as a group rather than individually. Most of the Flibbetanians lived in log houses since there were plenty of trees available. The leaders lived in brick houses, but they were small in number. There were no poor people in the country because everyone shared the work and the fruits of the work. The houses usually had a small kitchen, a fireplace, a living room, and two bedrooms. The brick houses usually had a regular sized kitchen, two fireplaces, a living room, and four bedrooms. Clothing of the Flibbetanians was very simple. Men wore long sleeve shirts and pants with belts to hold the tools and weapons. They made jackets out of goat skin which kept them really warm through the harsh, cold winter. The women usually wore pants and long sleeve shirts like the men. Sometimes they wore dresses. They only wore their dresses on special occasions. The Flibbetanians faced several hardships in living on mountainous terrain. The hunters had to get past the huge lake midway up the mountain. They used boats to cross the lake and go up the mountain. Sometimes they got lucky and found a goat before getting to the lake, but that was rare. Children would die because of diseases no one knew how to cure ...

Cooper Union Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Cooper Union Building - Essay Example As the Cooper Union Centre is dedicated to the promotion of science and art, this innovative building stands for the basic values of the institute by blending scientific architectural design experiment with a creative vision for future building designs. Most of the building is lit by natural sunlight and the â€Å"green roof† of this building has won it LEED Gold rating. The design of the building attains a political overtone primarily through assimilating the spirit of Peter Cooper, the founder of the institution, who aimed at promoting free access to all, to the arts, whereas appreciation of art still at large remains an upper class vocation and privilege. It was Slavoj Zizek who took the idea of political unconscious delineated by Frederic Jameson based on the theory of Marxism, and developed it to make it a useful tool in evolving a critique of architecture. Zizek observed that â€Å"there is a coded message in an architectural formal play, and the message delivered by a building often functions as the â€Å"return of the repressed† of the official ideology.† ... This essay begins its argument in the realization that architecture is not at all an, â€Å"autonomous art† but one that exists in relation with a â€Å"complex web of social and political concerns.†8 In this attempt to find the political connotations of architecture, one has to take into account, many streams of thought as evolved by social critics and philosophers like Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Georg Simmel, Roland Barthes and so on. For example, while comparing imaginative and functionalist architecture and its progression through history, Adorno has pointed for the need of a modern aesthetics that addresses both the ends of the spectrum.9 This has to be understood in the backdrop of a market oriented architectural ideology. If the history of architecture is traced from a political angle, it can be seen that the entry of an affluent bourgeoisie reflected in architecture as â€Å"decline in craftmanship, enduring mediocrity, and the swindle of mechanical reproduction. †10 This resulted in â€Å"unmitigated kitsch† and later in an attempt to overcome this and address modern realities of capitalism, â€Å"monstrous, schematically rigid skyscrapers (began to) project out of a raging sea lacquered tin.†11 Bloch had called this trend in architectural design as non-humanely and â€Å"rendered uniform in the domineering form of the glass box.†12 Marxian analysis of architecture has taken this discourse one step further and shown how cultural artifacts, including buildings, serve to reinforce the hegemony of â€Å"commodity capitalism.†13 Hale has went on to explain this concept further citing Walter Benjamin and said that: A new architecture had evolved in iron and glass, which eroded the distinction between inside and outside space. This perfectly suited the

Environmental lab Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Environmental lab - Assignment Example In comparisons of the two in terms of energy potential, nuclear produces 10100 energy from an equivalent 1 kg of both. Therefore, there is no doubt nuclear potential is very impressive, but the two have got environmental impacts that needs thorough consideration (Caldicott, 2007). For this research, the main methodology for data collection was animation from MUSE lab. After login, data was collected in accordance with the time changes along the time frame. The data on the quantity of carbon, sulphur, amount of both uranium and coal needed, and accident associated with each are recorded for analysis. From the gathered data, it can be seen that large quantity of Coal is burn than uranium and at the same time carbon dioxide emission is higher when using coal. Sulphur pollution lacks in nuclear plants. Very little is produced as waste in the nuclear plant whole year through while when using coal massive waste is produced (Neeb, 1997). When it comes to accidents, nuclear plants have put in place tight measures in order to reduce accidents as much as possible. Mostly, reaction of uranium is very severe and leads to the production of high energy. As a result, nuclear power is proving to be more sustainable though its safety is still questionable (GiereÃŒ  & Stille,

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 17

Art - Essay Example The third photograph indicates the initial stages of a sisal plant, the second shows the sisal plant while at the farm while the first photo represent a period at which the sisal is harvested ready for use. The stages represented the economic activity at the period of photography. It represents the livelihood of the people at the specific period. The background of the first photo shows a cloudy sky representing perfect weather for farming. The first photo also represents culture and dressing of the region at the given time. It shows that they where weavers as represented by the sisal cap worn by the main in the picture. It also represents the man as a farmer. The existence of the two economic activities indicates the presence of trade and interactions between people at the given period and rime. The budding stage of sisal represents the initial cultural practices with the second photograph indicating the changes within these

African American Vernacular Tradition Focuses on Spirituals Songs Essay

African American Vernacular Tradition Focuses on Spirituals Songs - Essay Example This proved to be the foundation for â€Å"white† and â€Å"colored† discrimination in the United States, which still thrives ceaselessly in the area. With immense African migrations, slavery was legalized in many regions of America (Zinn 23).The African Americans were referred to as â€Å"blacks† or â€Å"negroes† due to their dark complexion they inherited from their homeland environments. This discrimination proposed a widespread racial feeling of mixed emotions – hatred, contempt, pity or patronization (Zinn 23). Several conflicts have risen within the country due to this racism, leading to the Civil War of 1861. Even though attempts have been made to promote equalization of rights for all citizens alike, the cities are now divided into racially segregated segments. The term â€Å"Vernacular† refers to a traditional trademark, specifically associated with a nation. Hence the African American Vernacular traditions refer to their trademark characteristics that differentiated them from masses. African Americans are known to possess unique language skills and values. Their spiritual songs have been their primary source of inspiration since time unknown. Though their vernacular traditions have now been highly influenced by the modern cultures, attempts have nevertheless been made by the African Americans to save their traditions from extinction.... rect addresses and dialogues, as well as erasing all specific time markers in identifying specific episodes, Jones constructs a complex text of characters and events whose authority and authenticity are occasionally undermined by its ambitious elasticity and heteroglossia† (Bell). This reflects the uniqueness of the African American Vernacular language from the Standard English of today. However, it has not been this simple for preserving oral vernacular traditions like spiritual songs. These were essentially conveyed from parents to offspring and down through the generations. The originality could therefore not be protected since the newer generations â€Å"†¦ learned all their songs by ear, they often strayed into wholly new versions, which sometimes became popular, and entirely banished the other† (Higginson 160). Hence the oral vernacular tradition was heavily influenced by the cultural and environmental factors through times and has evolved in many stages into the forms and genres as we see today. The African Americans love their spiritual songs, and they continue to inspire them even today. Their deep respect for the songs stemmed from their relevance with the sufferings of Christ. When the African Americans toiled on plantations and labor in the capacity of slaves, many of them identified themselves as Christ undergoing the troubles and sufferings of his life, often asking God for help and the strength to overcome these problems. But the sufferings of the African Americans turned into their faith – a faith that found its solace in songs. Therefore the African Americans regard their spiritual songs in highest esteem. The African American Vernacular traditions are described as that â€Å"which refers to the church songs, blues, ballads, sermons, stories †¦

Child Poverty and Guaranteed Income in Canada Research Paper - 1

Child Poverty and Guaranteed Income in Canada - Research Paper Example The disagreements around a guaranteed income seem to focus around the concepts of charity vs entitlement. These disagreements, rest upon differing perspectives of child poverty and guaranteed income. For the purposes of this paper, we will agree on a definition of poverty that has been cited by 111 books, from 1962 to 2008, according to the Google search listing of citations, for search phrase, â€Å"child poverty†. The poor shall be taken to mean persons, families and groups of persons whose resources (material, cultural and social) are so limited as to exclude them from the minimum acceptable way of life in the Member State in which they live (Vieminclox and Smeeding, p. 34). This is a fair definition when speaking about poverty in general, or world poverty, because it assumes differing living standards in all countries, differing national priorities, and the multiple aspects of resources rather than limiting the concept to money. Countries, of course, generally state a spec ific monetary level, below which is poverty, and above which is not poverty. This legalistic definition is less pragmatic, however, because people’s circumstances differ greatly and resources vary with a range of circumstances beyond income. For example, a healthy family living with three homeschooled children in a rural intentional community will require fewer resources, per capita, than a young executive couple with a staggeringly high mortgage, a parent with Alzheimer’s, maintained in a nearby facility, three family members in psychoanalysis, a high-interest credit card balance and two children in private school. The needs of each family are quite different. Highlighting the quoted definition for poverty, and adjusting it to focus on child poverty, is a suitable definition by Canadian standards also, because Canada does not specify an official poverty line but uses a lower income cut-off (LIC), relative to situational factors, below which the standard of living woul d be challenged, but not necessarily fitting the definition of poverty (Segal). The National Council of Welfare and most social policy researchers use the LIC as their preferred measure of poverty, even though it was never intended to be used that way and even though doing so gives a greatly inflated picture of people’s discretionary income (Goldberg). Considering this idea of poverty relativity, it is intriguing to note that Canada is one of the richest nations in the world, yet is ranked extremely low, by comparison with other developed nations, for child well-being. This is in spite of the Canadian government’s ratification of the 1991 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Free the Children; Howe and Covell), in which the elimination of child poverty was articulated as a foremost priority. Of course, ratification is not legally binding or enforceable, but it does indicate public and formal political agreement and obligation to cooperate with other na tions to eliminate child poverty, and focus attention and action on this issue. It has meaning. I will address questions of why Canada is still ranked low for child well-being; whether poverty is income based and what the key variables are in urban and rural poverty in Canada; which groups are most affected; and what are the outcomes of child poverty. I will discuss evidence of social and political motivation to end child poverty in Canada and will raise social change scenarios to direct

African American Vernacular Tradition Focuses on Spirituals Songs Essay

African American Vernacular Tradition Focuses on Spirituals Songs - Essay Example This proved to be the foundation for â€Å"white† and â€Å"colored† discrimination in the United States, which still thrives ceaselessly in the area. With immense African migrations, slavery was legalized in many regions of America (Zinn 23).The African Americans were referred to as â€Å"blacks† or â€Å"negroes† due to their dark complexion they inherited from their homeland environments. This discrimination proposed a widespread racial feeling of mixed emotions – hatred, contempt, pity or patronization (Zinn 23). Several conflicts have risen within the country due to this racism, leading to the Civil War of 1861. Even though attempts have been made to promote equalization of rights for all citizens alike, the cities are now divided into racially segregated segments. The term â€Å"Vernacular† refers to a traditional trademark, specifically associated with a nation. Hence the African American Vernacular traditions refer to their trademark characteristics that differentiated them from masses. African Americans are known to possess unique language skills and values. Their spiritual songs have been their primary source of inspiration since time unknown. Though their vernacular traditions have now been highly influenced by the modern cultures, attempts have nevertheless been made by the African Americans to save their traditions from extinction.... rect addresses and dialogues, as well as erasing all specific time markers in identifying specific episodes, Jones constructs a complex text of characters and events whose authority and authenticity are occasionally undermined by its ambitious elasticity and heteroglossia† (Bell). This reflects the uniqueness of the African American Vernacular language from the Standard English of today. However, it has not been this simple for preserving oral vernacular traditions like spiritual songs. These were essentially conveyed from parents to offspring and down through the generations. The originality could therefore not be protected since the newer generations â€Å"†¦ learned all their songs by ear, they often strayed into wholly new versions, which sometimes became popular, and entirely banished the other† (Higginson 160). Hence the oral vernacular tradition was heavily influenced by the cultural and environmental factors through times and has evolved in many stages into the forms and genres as we see today. The African Americans love their spiritual songs, and they continue to inspire them even today. Their deep respect for the songs stemmed from their relevance with the sufferings of Christ. When the African Americans toiled on plantations and labor in the capacity of slaves, many of them identified themselves as Christ undergoing the troubles and sufferings of his life, often asking God for help and the strength to overcome these problems. But the sufferings of the African Americans turned into their faith – a faith that found its solace in songs. Therefore the African Americans regard their spiritual songs in highest esteem. The African American Vernacular traditions are described as that â€Å"which refers to the church songs, blues, ballads, sermons, stories †¦

The strategic partnership for the delivery of Excellent Waste services Essay

The strategic partnership for the delivery of Excellent Waste services for the Somerset County Council (SCC) - Essay Example Wyvem needs to adhere to correct business procedures and procedures as failure to do so may lead to cancellation of the contract. Of much importance is the nature of the contract as it touches on a key service delivery area of the Somerset County Council. In the event Wyvem fails to observe the set standard in executing its duties in cycling of waste, environmental degradation in the form of pollution will occur. This can be a barrier to the success of the partnership. Customer focus is important in this contract because the customer is the final consumer. Wyvem cannot realise profits with out maximizing on sales from its products. The Household waste recycling centres will need proper and professional management, which will ensure customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction largely depends on how customers are treated when they visit the centres, how their views and concerns are responded and acted upon and whether they perceive the management of the centres to value them. For the partnership to succeed Wyvem will need to restrict its operations and practice within the standard limits set in the contract. For instance, it can only obtain waste with in the rules set by Somerset County Council. The incentives offered by Wyvem must fall within the agreement just as the penalties Wyvem introduces to defaulters in the process of execution of its tasks must be within acceptable limits. The payment mechanism between the parties will hold as stipulated for in the contract / agreement and no matter the amount of profit Wyvem realises from recycling business, Somerset County Council is not entitled to claim extra benefits from Wyvem. Therefore adherence to the rules and regulations entered in the contract is necessary for the success of the partnership contract. The future of the contract largely depends on how keenly senior compliance officer plays his/ her role. As a senior compliance

Diversity in America Essay Example for Free

Diversity in America Essay Being in a diverse world I learned ethnic groups went through a lot during slavery. The way minorities were treated in the past was torture no person should experience in their life time. I learned every race has different ways of thinking and beliefs they feel strongly about in their culture [ (Jiwani, 1996) ]. When it comes to being a success some cultures feel you need to be happy and positive to get to the top and others disagree. Important facts I have learned about my racial ethnicity is my culture arrive in the 19th century and they were stereotyped. They were not recognized on applications for employment [ (Jiwani, 1996) ]. My race did not give up and ignored the stereotyped that others thought of them. I also discovered my heritage celebrates in March and we are considered to be 2 years older than the average American. According to (Joel), 2010. In 2050 America will have added 100 million to its population [ (kotkin, 2010) ]. The fertility rate supposes to be less than ever before when the time comes. I think there will be less people having babies because of the recession going on in America. People in the U.S is suffering and struggling to make ends meet. There is too many babies starving in different countries including in the U.S. Americans are being laid off making minimum wage and it hard for them to survive and take care of the children they have now [ (Jiwani, 1996) ]. Older Adults have to live with their children now because they were unable to receive full benefits when they retired. Senior citizens are having such difficulty in today’s society and have to live on social security checks that constantly raise the money than take it away leaving them stuck. Fertility will decrease because America is already over populated now. The challenges America face when it comes to diversity is prejudice and discrimination. People’s lack of knowledge for other people’s culture and beliefs leaves a lot of Americans in the dark because of their ignorance. People who promote ignorance to their children, family, and friends about different cultures and beliefs will never have the privilege to see beyond the color of one’s skin and religion [ (Jiwani, 1996) ]. No one is alike and different groups think different of others who are not similar to them. I feel those who see everyone as equal have respect for others beliefs. Diversity in America brings problems and fighting between people who hate other because of their skin color and beliefs. When hate is involved this brings on discrimination. Discrimination brings on hate crimes  and hurting other people. People who hate other due to their race believe others groups are less then them. Stereotyping of ethnic groups helps continue the ignorance in society ways of thinking. The benefits of diversity are people of all races, belief, and religion can continue to educate themselves about others. Society can learn to see beyond the color of one’s skin and heritage. People will then get to know who an individual or group is by the way they interact with them. I have a friend as well as myself who face racism everyday because of the color of my skin. It hurts both of us at time but we have learned through the way we were taught to have pride and one’ self and keep our head up. Society can learn to see beyond the color of one’s skin and heritage. People will then get to know who an individual or group is by the way they interact with them. I learned my culture was looked down for many of years until the government decided to consider us to join a race. They felt we finally was worthy of being recognized in the way to accept diversity when it comes to culture in America. The people in the United States need to come together and stop trying to separate each other in groups. Teachers, parents, and our communities need to be open-minded to everyone no matter how they look, act, walk, or talk. There is no one perfect in America and if we can just realize no group or person from a different race is better than the other it may work. Hope is all I have and I want my children to see me as a positive role model and not a racist. I have always believed in being a fair person. I feel I have been treated in a mean way from plenty of people because of my race but I believe in god and that’s what helps me smile. People need to learn how to love one another instead of hate each other. Americans need to raise their children in the correct way by showing them its okay to play and be friend with other children who are different and of a different race. A lot of children I find today are afraid to play with other children who don’t look like them because the way they were raised. I remember a time when I was little and I made a friend in class and she told me her mom said not to play with children of my race and if she did she will get in trouble. I was so confused until I went home and asked my mom and she explained to me about how the world viewed me. I then understood and learned to ignore the ignorance of the way people made me feel or looked down on me because of my  skin color. I always found my self trying to prove to others of a different race I was not the lazy person who grew up not wanting to work and make nothing of my life. I have learned I will face this discrimination until I die so I will have to work twice as hard to become a success in life. Media perpetuate prejudice and stereotyping in a negative way. When it comes to ethnic groups the media always show minorities committing crimes and robbing people [ (kareem, 2013) ]. Media help promote hate to people who has lack of education about minority groups so they feel they have a right to be ignorant. This kind of stereotyping makes people continue the hate in schools, communities, and on the internet. Ethnic groups are always showed in the media living in low-income area’s and they make it look like they are lazy, stupid, dangerous and unable to comprehend anything a smart person suppose to be telling or teaching them [ (kareem, 2013) ]. White Americans suppose to be ethnic people’s translators to explain what minorities are trying to say to them. Media promote appreciation for diversity in February when they want America to acknowledge minorities for more than being a problem in America [ (kareem, 2013) ]. I think it’s really contradicting what’s being told for so long about minorities and really making ethnic groups look like a joke. I feel this way because they constantly try to make ethnic groups or a person of an ethnic group look bad. I feel the media tries to make it look like everyone in society is treated the same in America when this is not the case. When the media reports the news I see a low percentage of Black Americans reporting the news and when they do their talking about their own race to put them down. The way people In America can work together to reduce prejudice and accept diversity is by teaching their families in their homes and their neighbors how to embrace others who are not like them [ (kareem, 2013) ]. I will continue to treat others with respect and dignity. I will show those who come around me the same how to treat people of different cultures and beliefs and how they are equal to us.

Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Analysis

Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Analysis Were transported to seventeenth century Spain for what has been called the greatest opera ever composed Don Giovanni! From the initial thundering chords of the breathtaking overture, this opera is filled with sexual heat, thrilling music and dramatic action. Indeed more action takes place in scene one of Don Giovanni, than that of most operas. Within the first fifteen minutes alone; a disgruntled servant, an attempted rape, a dual, a murder, a grieving daughter, and an oath of vengeance ensnare the audience! Our story properly begins in the early seventeenth century, when the character Don Juan made his stage debut in a three act play titled El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest) the play was first performed in Madrid around 1624, but published in 1630. It appears under the name of a playwright named Tirso de Molina; however this was actually the pseudonym of a Roman Catholic monk named Gabriel Tà ©llez. It was most likely written to present the issue of morality in relation to Don Juans amorous excesses. In seventeenth century Italy, it was a favorite story of the commedia dellarte. Molià ¨re wrote a play on the subject in Paris in 1655. And rather go on decade be decade, well hop forward to 1787. A key year, not for Mozarts Don Giovanni, but for the first performance in the city of Venice of an opera called Don Giovanni Tenorio, o sia Il convitato di pietra (Don Giovanni and the Stone Guest) the composer of this 1787 version was Gi useppe Gazzaniga and the Libretto was by Giovanni Bertati. The next person Id like to introduce to this picture is Lorenzo da Ponte; the great court poet in Vienna. Mozart had known of Da Ponte for a while. Four years earlier in 1783, when Mozart was relatively new in Vienna, he writes home to his father from Vienna that hes after Da Ponte to write a libretto for him, but he is so busy writing original opera libretti for some composers and adapting pre-existing libretti for other composers, it would be actually more than two years before Mozart could pin down Da Ponte to work with him. When he did, Da Ponte provided him with the libretto for their first collaboration the Marriage of Figaro. It was composed between October of 1785 and April 1786 and was premiered in Vienna. It received success for a limited time, before other productions came to take its place. But as interest in Figaro waned in Vienna, there was another city that was crazy about the Marriage of Figaro and that city is Prague. (Which at that time, it was the second most impor tant musical centre in Europe) Mozart went to Prague in January of 1787; it marked the beginning of a passionate relationship between him and Prague. Among other things Mozart conducted a performance of Figaro at the Opera house during his stay. On the seventeenth of January he writes to his friend and student Baron Gottfried von Jacquin he says; I saw with the greatest pleasure all the people in the ballroom dancing with such delight to the music of my Figaro. For here in Prague nothing is talked of but Figaro, nothing is played sung or whistled but Figaro No opera is drawing like Figaro. Nothing, nothing but Figaro. Certainly a great honor for me! On foot of the success of Figaro, comes a commission of an opera for the following season (nine months time). That opera would be Don Giovanni, which was written to be premiered in Prague as part of the celebrations for the marriage of the Archduchess Maria Theresa (niece of the Emperor Joseph II) to Prince Anton Clemens of Saxony. Mozart was delighted to accept this new commission and, naturally asked Da Ponte to join him on the project. As it happened, Da Ponte was already heavily committed, working on two librettos Tarare (for Salieri) and Larbore di Diana (for Martin y Soler). But he too was greatly attracted by the occasion and he was strongly drawn to the subject matter (his friendship with Casanova, was now about to pay dividends) this is what Da Ponte himself says about his choice of subject for Mozart For Mozart I chose Don Giovanni a theme which appealed to me enormously. In working on Don Giovanni, I shall think of Dantes hell This is a wonderful image, the great Lorenzo da Ponte, court poet of Vienna, the great operatic librettist. You picture him sitting, inspired by, reflecting on, and plunging into the depths and the mysteries of Dante. The very simple fact is, he was probably thinking a lot more about the libretto that Bertati had written for Gazzaniga in Venice. Da Ponte knows about that libretto and its very clear that he draws very freely from it, hes not about to write something from scratch if he doesnt have to. But in fairness to Da Ponte everything he touches gets better, which in artistic circles is what you like to see happening he borrows and repays the debt with interest. So back to the chronicle of Don Giovanni and its main character; this is a particularly concise sketch of the quintessential Don Juan character; he is the epitome of the modern age, an expansive type who is determined to enjoy the world, Immeasurably self aware, defiant of all forms of authority and opposed to all higher order he is in effect a corporate C.E.O.! Beethoven although he greatly admired the music of this opera, he very famously stated the he could not bring himself to write an opera on a subject so immoral as either Figaro or Don Giovanni .However. this is not to say that Mozart shared Don Giovannis moral values. In a letter Mozart writes to his father shortly after he arrives in Vienna he says the voice of nature speaks as loud in me as it does in others, louder perhaps, but I simply cannot live as most men do these days, in the first place; I have too much religion, in the second place; too great a love of my neighbor and too high a feeling of honor to seduce an innocent girl and then in the third place; I have too much horror and disgust, too much dread and fear of diseases Mozart; an eighteenth century practitioner of safe sex.who knew? Now, taking a look at the opera, theres been a lot of critical discussion over the years. Musicologists and critics of all types have written extensively about Don Giovanni and one central issue that always seems to appear is the question Is it a tragic opera? (opera Seria) or is it a comic opera?(opera Buffa) and the simple fact is that what it really comes down to is that it is both! And the strength is that it can be both of them, the juxtaposition of the tragic and the comic heightens the effect of both. This said, its not simply the alternation between tragic and comic but the fact that Mozart is often able to have both facets displayed simultaneously. In this regard he has the ideal collaborator in the form of Lorenzo Da Ponte, because Da Ponte is often praised by his admirers for his ability to interweave the tragic and the comic elements. Its interesting to note that Mozart himself labeled this opera as a drama giocoso (Playful drama) which reflects what he understands the op era to be. To give an example of the juxtaposition between the tragic and the comic I first have to give you a sense of Mozarts gifts of characterization, because that is what a great opera composer has to have at his or her disposal. The ability not only to delineate a character in music, sometimes in the instrumental music even before they open their mouths to sing, but also the ability to somehow express different emotional states of that character in the course of the opera. So to give an example of a contrast of emotional states; the duet that follows the death of the Commendatore, his daughter Donna Anna is quite understandably upset and agitated. Her betroved Don Ottavio is much more in control and in their music you hear their emotional states she is agitated and he is calmer. Heres what they sound like in their duet: Track 1 You dont have to understand what theyre singing in Italian to realize that shes agitated and hes calmer because you hear it reflected in what they sing. If you talk about the expression of powerful emotions in music, which is something that also matters here. To begin with one thing you should know about Mozart, is that he was very much a man of the classic period; in which elegance, balance, restraint and proportion were the stock and trade of the composer. This also extended to his representation of strong emotions. Theres a famous letter that he writes to his father, when he is composing his first Viennese stage work The abduction from the soraleo in which there is a surly gate keeper at the poshes palace whose name is Ozmide, he has an aria of rage directed at a man whos trying to rescue his girlfriend form the heron and Mozart writing to his father says yes the emotions that are expressed here are extreme, but the music must never lose itself Thats one thing you have to recognise, there will be later operatic composers who will go over the top with their music, when the emotions go over the top, but the musical range within whic h Mozart operates, suggests that even at the most extreme, emotions never lose the propriety of the music that is expressing them. The musical range is different from what you might encounter in Wagner or in Twentieth century but Mozart knows exactly what hes doing and the shading of these levels is what its all about. Now in act two of Don Giovanni its Don Ottavio who swears vengeance for the death of the Commendatore he sings the aria il mio tesoro the text begins go and console my treasure and try to dry the tears from her lovely eyes. I mention this aria because I want you to hear a little of what many consider to be the finest recording of it ever made, which is interesting because it was recorded in 1916 by the great Irish tenor John McCormack: Track 2 Weve really set the stage now for what I mentioned earlier about the juxtaposition of the tragic and the comic elements. After the duet you heard earlier, Don Giovanni and Leperello (Dons Servant) return to the stage and we return to the Opera Buffa style. Donna Elvira then sings a very serious and dramatic aria, its important to note that in every aria except this one by Donna Elvira, the singer is addressing someone else on the stage. This makes her aria the operatic equivalent of a dramatic soliloquy. It is intense, and yet the intensity is undercut by the fact that the fact that Don Giovanni and Leperello are off to the side of the stage eavesdropping and making comments about what she has to say: Track 3 What makes this convention even more elegant is that the places where Don Giovanni and Leperello are making their side comments are exactly the places where you would normally have an orchestral refrain punctuating what shes saying. So hes using the conventional form, but hes twisting it slightly which again undercuts the dramatic intensity. Now back to the original play by Tirso de Molina, if you take a look at that you find that at the end Don Juan with his dying breath says that Elvira is virgo intacta (a virgin) which makes her the only woman in the original play who gets through untouched. In Da Pontes libretto though, things are very different. As a matter of fact another recurring theme in the critical analyses of this opera is; overwhelming lack of success on behalf of the title character. Legendary loverà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.wheres it happening? Heres a compilation of comments on this subject made through the years: 1924 The action portrays anything but a successful sexual adventurer 1867 The cheerful tone that runs through the whole opera depends chiefly on the repulses with which the hero is continually made on the field of the heroic deeds 1954 Of all the Don Juans of literature and of drama, that of Da Ponte is professionally the most futile Irvin Singer You can understand Don Giovanni as a professional Athlete with a very high batting average. That he encounters frustrations within the opera, simple shows how difficult the sport is 1967 Every time Don Giovanni is absent from the stage you should consider a conquest is taking place. We are accustomed to crime detection in prose; this is sin detection with all the major clues in the music and plenty of others in the Italian It would seem like the last authors interpretation is at odds with the intentions of our librettist Mr. Da Ponte, I say that because in that libretto that Giovanni Bertati wrote for Gazzaniga the conquests are explicit and overt. Lorenzo da Ponte decides that he will tone down the obviousness of the amorous conquests in his version of the story. We believe in his seductive powers by virtue of what he says and how he sings it, which of course is what opera is all about. The duet la ci darem la mano is an example of Don Giovannis seductive capabilities: Track 4 A man named Edward Dent (Who wrote a famous book on Mozart Operas) he says After Don Giovanni himself, by far the most interesting character would be Donna Elvira One of her finest moments is very interesting musically because it is Mozart specifically stepping out of the style of his time and stepping back to the style of Handel. Often you would find a composer in any period to be somewhat conservative in their musical style if theyre writing sacred music; the idea of reaching back and evoking a certain timelessness and archaic quality that serves the text. Well here were in the course of an opera, but its clear that he probably wants to make this come across like a sermon because what shes singing is flea the traitor, dont listen to what he says, his lips are lying ones, his eyes deceiving and he crafts it in the style of a Handel aria: Track 5 And then just another indication of the music variety you find here a very simple tune Batti Batti (Beat me, beat me) is rendered less trivial by an obligato solo cello: Track 6 The effectiveness of that cello leads us into the whole question of orchestral colour. When we think of the drama and the power of Mozarts music the first thing of course that comes to mind of course is melody, the most inescapable part of an operas score. But then theres the harmony which we sometimes dont think about as much as the melody but also exerts a powerful influence, but also orchestration; the use of varying colours in varying situations, which even if were not thinking about consciously exerts a very powerful subliminal effect on us. Heres a very nice example; orchestral colour used to literally paint an island of repose in the trio proteggia if giusto cielo (may just heaven protect my determined heart) the strings drop out and the singers are accompanied only by the winds. You can really get the sense that you are somewhere else: Track 7 But the most important instrumental point of interest has to do with trombones. In Mozarts time, trombones generally belonged to church music and not to the theatre. As far as their use in symphonic music it is not until Beethovens fifth symphony (twenty one years later) that the trombone made its first appearance in a symphony. So to put yourself in the shoes of the Prague audience I know trombones but I think of them as belonging to the church so how does he use them here? Mozart associates them with the statue of the commendatore, the statue that is going to come to life, and when it comes to life in the graveyard scene thats when the trombones appear. You can be sure the audience in those days were terrified: Track 8 And when the statue comes to Don Giovannis banquet he brings his trombones: Track 9 When the statue that has come to life shows up with his trombones, the music is not new to us because weve already heard it in the overture, and what is very, very significant about this; it is the only time in Mozarts entire operatic career that he writes an overture that begins with a slow introduction. The obvious reason why he does it in this case is because he wants to give us a taste of that terrifying music at the very beginning: Track 10 Its interesting to note that the night before the premiere of Don Giovanni; Mozart had to stay up all night to write the overture which according to a member of his orchestra had not even been sketched! Another wonderful point of interest, a very famous passage in Don Giovanni, which is a reflection of Mozarts experience writing dance music for the ballrooms of imperial Vienna that is where he simultaneously gives us three different dances representing three different levels of society. Mozart who we all know could work things out in his head and spew it out on the paper without effort actually made sketches for this, it was something he actually had to think about. Its the same effect that Charles Ives is going to create somewhat later. The idea of standing in a certain place with different ensembles playing, you hear them simultaneously and the soundscape is the composite of three different elements. This is what it sounds like in Don Giovanni: Track 11 Now thats simultaneous combination, Id like to also tell you about a kind of consecutive juxtaposition of things which is very interesting, it represents a little of the in humour of whats going on here; we are almost at the end of the opera, and were in the banquet hall of Don Giovanni whose own personal orchestra is playing. The first tune they play is the act one finale of Martin y Solers (one of Mozart contemporaries, and another composer asking Da Ponte for a liberetto) opera Una cosa rara so youll hear the acknowledgement of cosa rara: Track 12 Then they play an excerpt from an opera of another one of his contemporaries named i due littiganti by Sarti. Leperello cheers the selection, Don Giovanni simply tells him to pour more wine: Track 13 There is a basic rule of humour or comedy writing that is; set up, set up and punch line, Mozart knows how to do that! We have something by Martin, something by Sarti, the third thing that Don Giovannis orchestra plays is non piu andrai from the Marriage of Figaro. Now of course every single person in that audience in Prague would have immediately recognised it from the first few notes because as we know these were the tunes to which they were singing, whistling, humming, dancing etc. these were the tunes that took over Prague before Don Giovanni! How does Leperello respond he says I know that tune troppo (too well): Track 14 Since Ive already given away the ending of the opera, I will play some of the music that accompanies Don Giovannis descent into hell.through a trap door in the stage, which is a lesson to all of us to beware of trap doors in stages, because you know where they lead! Again with orchestral effects and an offstage chorus, it absolutely terrified the audiences of Mozarts time: Track 15 Theres a famous story told of a somewhat out of shape Don who got stuck in the trap door on the way down, and no matter what he did, he couldnt push himself either way, at which point someone in the audience yelled out Hurray boys, hells full! Id like to close by posing and answering a question, obvious in the light of the history that Ive provided you with, and that is; after it was performed in Prague, how did Don Giovanni fair in Vienna? Well seven months after the triumphant performances in Prague, it premiered in Vienna, but unfortunately the reception was somewhat cool. The Emperor said to Da Ponte The opera is divine, I would even venture that it is more beautiful that Figaro but such music is not meat to the teeth of my Viennese and the story goes that Da Ponte relayed this message back to Mozart and his reply was well let them chew on it. So Happy Chewing!

Database Comparison of SQL Server 2000, Access, MySQL, DB2, and Oracle

Introduction This paper will compare and contrast five different database management systems on six criteria. The database management systems (DBMS) that will be discussed are SQL Server 2000, Access, MySQL, DB2, and Oracle. The criteria that will be compared are the systems’ functionality, the requirements that must be met to run the DBMS, the expansion capabilities – if it is able to expand to handle more data over time, the types of companies that typically use each one, the normal usage of the DBMS, and the costs associated with implementing the DBMS. System functionality Microsoft Access is a database engine and development environment in one package. It is typically workstation-based, and designed to be easy to use, even for users with no experience. However, it also provides advanced functionality for experienced users. MySQL is the largest open-source RDMBS, and it is server-based, as well as the rest of the DBMS that will be discussed. According to the mysql.com website, it offers high reliability and performance, easy use and deployment, freedom from platform lock-in by providing ready access to source code, and cross-platform support. SQL Server is an enterprise class RDBMS from Microsoft. It is part of the Back Office Suite of products. Although it is always server-based in production, it can be client-based in development. DB2 is also an enterprise-class DBMS, produced by IBM. It offers some object-oriented functionality, as well as cross-platform compatibility, and is server-based. Finally, Oracle offers much of the same functionality as DB2 , with cross-platform capability, and some object-oriented features. It, as well, is server-based. System Requirements There is a correlation between the complexity of the DBMS and the system requirements. For instance, Access can be installed on any Windows-based operating system from Windows 95 and above. SQL Server, in the widely used Standard and Enterprise editions, is also strictly Windows-based, but must be run on Windows NT or 2000 Servers. The personal and development editions of SQL Server may be run on Windows NT Workstation, and Windows 2000 and XP Professional, in addition to the server platforms. MySQL has a wide variety of platforms, including the Windows platforms, Sun Solaris, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, and HP-UX, to list a few. DB2 will run on Windows NT 4 and higher, Sun Solaris, HP-UX and Linux.... ...n   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper was written to show the similarities and differences in five different databases. It compared Access, MySQL, SQL Server, DB2, and Oracle in six different areas. It found many similarities in functionality, but large diversity in pricing. References Chigrik, Alexander, Oracle 9i Database vs DB2 v8.1 (n.d.), retrieved April 6, 2005, from http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/oracle_vs_db2.htm Chigrik, Alexander, SQL Server 2000 vs Access 2000 (n.d.), retrieved April 6, 2005, from http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/sql_server_vs_access.htm Chigrik, Alexander, SQL Server 2000 vs DB2 v8.1 (n.d.), retrieved April 6, 2005, from http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/sql_server_vs_db2.htm Chigrik, Alexander, SQL Server 2000 vs MySQL version 4.1 (n.d.), retrieved April 6, 2005, from http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/sql_server_vs_mysql.htm Chigrik, Alexander, SQL Server 2000 vs Oracle 9i (n.d.), retrieved April 6, 2005, from http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/sql_server_vs_oracle.htm MySQL Licensing Policy (n.d.), retrieved April 6, 2005, from the MySQL company website: http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/licensing/

Romance in Shakespeares Comedy of Errors Essay -- Shakespeare Comedy

Comedy of Errors - Romance What is so interesting about Shakespeare's first play, The Comedy of Errors, are the elements it shares with his last plays. The romances of his final period (Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest) all borrowed from the romantic tradition, particularly the Plautine romances. So here, as in the later plays, we have reunions of lost children and parents, husbands and wives; we have adventures and wanderings, and the danger of death (which in this play is not as real to us as it is in the romances). Yet, for all these similarities, the plot of The Comedy of Errors is as simple as the plots of the later plays are complex. It is as though Shakespeare's odyssey through the human psyche in tragedy and comedy brought him back to his beginnings with a sharper sense of yearning, poignancy, and the feeling of loss. But to dismiss this play as merely a simplistic romp through a complicated set of maneuvers is to miss the pure theatrical feast it offers on the stage - the wit and hu mor of a master wordsmith, the improbability of a plot that sweeps...

An Evaluation and Analysis of the Effectiveness of Professional Training in Preparing Teachers for Dealing with bullying and Classroom Management

ABSTRACT Bullying is known to be a widespread problem in schools and also in workplaces. It is not confined to the U.S.A. and across the globe researchers have been examining the behavior of both perpetrators and targets of bullying for several INTRODUCTIONIntroduction to the studyThere is no universally accepted definition of bullying, although several descriptions have certain common elements. For example, Norwegian researcher Dan Olweus (1993) considers that bullying occurs when someone is exposed to negative actions, carried out by one or more people, repeatedly and over a period of time. Negative action may be described as harmful physical, verbal or other sorts of contact designed to intentionally inflict injury on another person. Bullying may be both overt and covert – for example, loud aggressive shouting in public places, or whispered threats and taunts in the classroom or workplace (Nishioka, Coe, Hanita and Sprague, 2011). A number of academic studies have demonstrated the emotional damage that bullying causes, for example, Schroeder (2010) suggests that bullied students experience disruption in learning, and Dempsey and Storch (2008), link being a target of adolescent bullying to increases in levels of de pression (as cited in Chambless, 2010). Extensive research has been conducted into bullying in schools, including studies by Olweus (1993), Winters (1997), Atlas and Pepler (1998), Brockenbrough (2001) and Natvig, et al. (2001), and these suggest that while certain anti-bullying interventions are deemed to be successful, for example, Olweus’ intervention program in schools in Norway and Sweden (Olweus 1993, pp 64-107), nevertheless further study is needed.Organization under studyFor this reason, conducting a study of teachers’ views on bullying and how they impact on classroom management could make a significant and relevant contribution to the development of effective anti-bullying programs. Conducting a study in middle schools in the Brentwood School District will supply relevant information and provide useful insights to aid further research.Problem statementBullying causes high levels of distress among school students, disruption to their education and increased st ress for teachers and school authorities; thus, there is an imperative to devise successful anti-bullying interventions (Olweus, 1993). Teachers are the ultimate authority in the classroom and they have responsibility for, and a duty to care for and protect, their students (Kendall, 2012). They may be the first adults to observe or become aware of bullying behavior at school, so it follows that teachers should have input into the creation of school anti-bullying programs in order to ensure the classroom environment, and the school as a whole, is safe for all students.Research objectiveConducting a study of teachers’ perspectives on bullying and their classroom management skills could make an important contribution to the creation of an appropriate, successful anti-bullying intervention. Olweus noted that to achieve this â€Å"adults at school and, to some degree, at home [need to] become aware of the extent of bully/victim problems in ‘their’ school; [and to] de cide to engage themselves, with some degree of seriousness, in changing the situation† (Olweus, 1993, p66). Bradshaw et al., (2011) confirm that an examination of staff members’ interpretations of bullying is important and constitutes a significant advance in improving how these are understood. Wright (2003) provides teachers with strategies and guidelines to assist them to understand, and improve their skills to manage, the problem of bullying in school settings. Thus, teachers’ knowledge, experience and skills in dealing with students are highly likely to make a useful contribution to the creation of effective interventions.Proposal structureThis research proposal contains an overview of the subject literature, followed by an outline methodology. The research philosophy, approach and strategy are explored; data collection and analysis is outlined and access and ethical issues are considered. Ideas for sample questions, definitions of terms and research variable s are contained in Appendix 1. LITERATURE REVIEW The literature on bullying is comprehensive and studies are now attempting to address why and how bullying occurs, and ultimately who is to blame. Bradshaw et al. (2011) suggest that teachers should fully comprehend a working definition of bullying and work with the Department of Education to carry out classroom procedures to deal with it. Some researchers suggest that students themselves should not be labeled as a bully or victim, and instead it is the behavior that should be labeled bullying or victim behavior (Burzinski, 2012). Overt or direct bullying behavior involves observable behaviors that are usually conveyed by verbal and physical means. Normally direct bullying takes place face to face and involves relatively blatant attacks on a victim; additionally, children may use disruptive acts that are just as hurtful, but are more difficult to detect. Covert or indirect bullying includes actions such as spreading rumors to damage another child’s character, deliberately excl uding others or encouraging other children to dislike another person. Such behavior may happen behind someone’s back, rather than face to face. Porter (2009) states that the intention to harm physically/emotionally is an essential component of bullying behavior. For example, a friend teasing another friend good-naturedly is not classed as bullying, while a person deliberately teasing another in order to upset them is classed as bullying. Further, bullying can be defined as a ubiquitous aggression, frequently occurring in schools, which has specific features that distinguish it from other aggressive behaviors, namely, it is repetitive, and the victims of bullying have less access to power than the perpetrators. Cyber-bullying is increasing but verbal abuse is still more common (Childnet International, 2007). During the last two decades researchers have focused on identifying the causes and results of bullying, however there are still significant gaps in the literature. While m any studies have investigated students’ views of school bullying, only very few have looked at these issues from staff members’ perspectives (Bradshaw, Sawyer and O’Brennan, 2007; Juvonen, Nishina and Graham, 2008; Goldstein, Young and Boyd, 2008). Newman-Carlson and Horne (2004) state that despite the existence of numerous commended programs in schools to confront the bullying problem, few empirical studies have evaluated or confirmed their effectiveness. Recording teachers’ views based on managing and monitoring behaviors in a classroom setting is therefore valuable in this context. Pellegrini and Bartini (2002) posit that research provides counselors with useful guidelines for developing successful bullying assessment programs. These programs deliver the most precise information when they are conducted over a considerable period of time. Members of a school team, including teachers, who work alongside counselors, may assist the process of creating a mo re integrated format for successful programs. However Lakewood (2012) notes that while during the last ten years bullying has become the central issue that schools have to tackle, and research has examined programs to assess successful and unsuccessful interventions, there appears to be no single program for bullying prevention or bullying intervention that is likely to work in every environment. Dan Olweus’ Swedish study of â€Å"mobbing†, a term for bullying most prevalent in the Scandinavian countries, as reported in â€Å"Aggression in the schools: Bullies and whipping boys† (1978) was the first notable study of school bullying. Subsequently many other countries have undertaken research to try to understand the bullying phenomenon including Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan and the United States (Porter, 2009). These studies show the problem of bullying is prevalent on a national and worldwide level. Increasing repo rts of bullying and its consequences have encouraged more research studies. Milsom and Gallo (2006) note that research demonstrates a tendency for bullying to reach its height in late childhood or early adolescence. This implies that taking steps for prevention and intervention in middle school is crucial. The findings from the National Education Association’s Nationwide Study of Bullying are that the views of bullying expressed by school staff members differ from those of students, who perceive that staff members do not respond adequately when told of bullying incidents (Bradshaw et al., 2011). The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), a sub-department of the Department of Education, has decreed that individual schools are responsible for devising policies and programs to tackle bullying. Data held by the OCR seeks to help school officials to better understand that some acts of bullying may effectively violate the civil rights of the victim, and that this can have an influence on th e way a bullying incident is reported.Literature review summaryBullying is not just a minor problem; the phenomenon has escalated in recent years to such an extent that community leaders, academic researchers, parents, school officials, teachers, and the media have recognized the need for prevention and intervention. The literature concludes that teachers and other school staff require training to acquire appropriate knowledge and skills to deal with the pervasiveness of bullying (Blosnich and Bossarte, 2011).Research questionTeachers and students have different views about how teachers handle bullying incidents. Commonly, victims of bullying fail to report it to a teacher. This is because, according to those who do, while some teachers may help, others are indifferent or even contribute to making the bullying more serious. Contrary to this, the teachers’ view is that they intervene in bullying incidents; students do not feel this is accurate (Porter, 2009). This study seeks to explore teachers’ attitudes to and perspectives on the bullying problem and to gain insights into their understanding of it. Further, this study will look at the different methods teachers use to manage their classrooms and the role of training in developing these methods. Through analysis of the collected data, the study will examine the research question: does teacher training adequately equip teachers with effective techniques to tackle bullying in the classroomThe objective of this study is to use the evidence gathered to arrive at sound conclusions that will help inform future anti-bullying programs. METHODOLGY Research philosophyThe majority of researchers agree that the most effective anti-bullying interventions are comprehensive (Espelage and Swearer, 2003), engaging adults and children at individual level, at classroom level and at whole-school level (Olweus, 1993, p64). There is a lack of research on how teachers understand bullying, and on the specific factors that influence their interventions and views (Mishna, Scarcello, Pepler and Wiener, 2005). This is a curious omission as teachers are in an important and influential position on the subject. If teachers feel respected and their point of view is valued, then intervention programs may be more effective. The planned research will adhere to a positivist philosophy, which holds that every rationally justifiable assertion is capable of logical or mathematical proof or can be scientifically verified and will examine teachers’ perspectives on bullying, and how they manage the phenomenon in their classrooms. Research ap proachThere have been many international media stories concerning high-profile events linked to behavioral problems in schools, such as the Columbine school murders in 1999 and the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, both incidents in which angry teenagers killed and injured fellow students on school premises. Subsequent investigations often reveal an element of revenge for bullying on the part of the perpetrators of such crimes. Then there are other incidents where students have died or committed suicide as a result of being bullied. Neil Marr and Tim Field coined the word ‘bullycide’ to describe these tragic deaths in their book Bullycide: Death at Playtime (2001) and the â€Å"bullyonline† website has a Bullycide memorial page listing the names and circumstances of many young people who have died in the UK and elsewhere as a result of bullying. Such events provide a focus on the seriousness of bullying and the extent of the problem, highlighting the enormity of th e emotional and physical devastation that the victims, and their families, experience. The planned approach for the research is to conduct a quantitative survey of teachers, collecting data and converting it into numerical form in order to make statistical calculations and draw valid conclusions. This will contribute knowledge that will enable improved strategies for classroom management across all schools, which could have a substantial effect on the frequency and severity of school bullying, and may prevent incidents escalating to such extremes.Research strategyThe Brentwood School district includes four middle schools – North, South, East and West – which have a total of about 150 teachers. With permission from the school administration and the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the research strategy is to conduct a survey of teachers’ views across these four schools. The researcher will use self-administered questionnaires to gather data, to analyze it across a number of constituent elements and to draw conclusions from the findings. Although a longitudinal study may deliver more detailed results, this would be time-consuming and onerous for participants as well as the researcher. As a research tool, a survey is cost effective, takes a relatively short amount of time to answer, and is more convenient and less stressful for the participants (Creswell, 2009). This study focuses on the attitudes and perceptions of teachers in regard to bullying and classroom management. Both male and female teachers will be recruited from the four middle schools in Brentwood, NY. All teachers will be invited to take part and the target is to achieve a 55% response rate, which is deemed to be sufficient for making sound judgments (Van Bennekom, 2011). School principals will be asked for permission to approach the teachers for this study and also asked to ensure the questionnaires are placed in the mailbox of the teachers, in each school listed.Data collecti onHaving obtained permission from the director of special programs via an introductory letter explaining the reason behind and the importance of the survey, the questionnaires and accompanying stamped, self-addressed envelopes will be placed in the teachers’ mailboxes. Participants will also receive a letter explaining the research, assuring them that responses will remain confidential and asking them to confirm their consent. No financial compensation will be provided for participation in the study; however, respondents will be able to receive a copy of the survey findings. Teachers will be asked to return the questionnaires within a two-week period in the envelopes provided. On completion of all the returned questionnaires, the data analysis will commence. The data will be stored in the office of the researcher in a locked cabinet.Data analysisA good survey design permits a clear and rigorous assessment process via a logical model (Babbie, 1990). The questionnaire for the s urvey will be designed to measure the attitudes of teachers concerning bullying; a series of questions will allow responses across a Likert scale ranging from 1 (disagree strongly) to 7 (agree strongly). Other questions will cover demographic information, such as age, gender, racial and ethnic background and length of time teaching in this district, as well as a series of questions about teachers’ experiences of observing and dealing with bullying in the classroom, and their perceptions of self-efficacy. A text analysis using a free online lexical analysis tool will be carried out on information contributed in these areas. Bandura (1994) defines perceived self-efficacy as the beliefs people hold concerning their capacity to produce certain levels of accomplishment that are known to â€Å"exercise influence over events that affect their lives† (Bandura, 1994, p. 71). Thus, self-efficacy beliefs govern how people think, feel, behave and motivate themselves. Banduraâ€⠄¢s instrument teacher self-efficacy scale will be used to measure responses in which teachers are assessing their own self-efficacy. Teachers will be asked to complete and return questionnaires within two weeks. This should give them sufficient time, without pressure on them, although a prompt may be provided closer to the deadline. The research will undertake coding and analysis of the returned questionnaires using a computer program specifically made for data analysis (SPSS). See Appendix 1 for sample questions, definitions of terms and research variables. Access As long as permission is obtained as planned, there are unlikely to be major access issues. The use of a postal questionnaire means that the geographic location of the participating schools can be overcome. For people with disabilities, additional steps can be taken to make the survey accessible. For example, large-print versions of the questionnaire could be issued for any participants with sight impairment. The two-wee k period during which forms can be returned is considered to be sufficient time to allow busy teachers to complete the form. Reliability, validity, and generalizability The range of questions asked allows for a correlation between several factors (see Appendix 1), including levels of teacher training, effectiveness of the schools’ anti-bullying programs and policies, and levels of teacher confidence in dealing with bullying behavior. Data on social and ethnic backgrounds is also being collected, in order to underline any specific trends that may emerge concerning how bullying is viewed in different parts of the district, for example, or by teachers of a specific age and background. A T-test can be used to assess whether the means of the different groups of teachers are statistically different from each other. The results will be representative of the district, and may be held to be valid for a large number of middle schools elsewhere in the USA.Ethical issuesBullying causes s tress and Blosnich and Bossarte (2011) propose that school bullying, as a form of low-level violent behavior that has been associated with negative outcomes for both physical and mental health, continues to be a serious public health issue. People dealing with bullying also suffer stress, and it will be important when conducting this research to ask questions in such a way as to elicit general information from teachers, rather than ask them to recall specific bullying incidents, which may be upsetting and uncomfortable. The same applies to questions of self-efficacy – being asked to judge their own competence in terms of classroom management is a delicate subject area and must be handled with care.Research limitationsDue to time constraints, and the ways in which schools function, it is not feasible or practicable to observe how anti-bullying programs within schools work at first hand. The study is thus limited to an analysis of data gathered via a survey of teachers’ views on the bullying situations in their classes; how they feel about the programs used in their schools; and their self-perceptions of their own confidence levels in dealing with bullying behavior. This data will be specific to teachers and will not reflect the views of students other than as perceived by teachers. The participating schools and teachers, and the information extrapolated from the resulting data, may not necessarily be typical of how all teachers in all schools view bullying. CONCLUSION Bullying is acknowledged as a widespread problem and the need for further research has been voiced consistently by academics in the field. This dissertation proposal offers the opportunity to design a new study focused on teachers’ views and attitudes. Its findings will inform current knowledge about interventions designed to mitigate school bullying, and may provide substantial new information that can be used to improve current policies, programs and the scope of teacher training. APPENDIX 1 An agreed definition of bullying would ensure that stakeholders have a shared understanding of the issue. Important questions to be considered are: What is the individual teacher’s definition of bullyingThis may indicate how the teacher approaches bullying in the classroom. A definition will be offered and individuals will be asked to score the extent to which they agree or disagree using a Likert scale. How does the teacher perceive the anti-bullying program that is in place in the schoolThis may indicate how bullying situations are approached across the whole school. Has the teacher had any training on bullying preventionThis may indicate if the teacher will properly implement the program. How does the teacher perceive the target of bullying and the bullyThe words used to describe the individuals will be counted as part of the text analysis. Is the teacher competent and/or confident in handling bullying situationsExamining the age and gender differences of teacher s, in the context of the extent of their anti-bullying training, could provide useful information on whether these factors influence approaches to dealing with bullying. These are the key questions that will be addressed during the development of the study. Definitions Bullying– behavior perpetrated by one or more students (the bullies) who single out a child (the target or victim) with an intention to harm that child. Bullying actions may include making threats, attacking someone physically or verbally, spreading rumors and deliberately excluding someone from a group. Teachers’ training– any training acquired as part of obtaining teaching credentials, including training about bullying; any additional anti-bullying training received within the current school. Training may include in school seminars and lectures; knowledge and information obtained through the Internet; workshops given by the school or any outside sources; continuing education credits (CEUs); any extra reading, or individual personal knowledge, or certifications, (there should be written documentation by the organization that gave the class or workshop). Teachers’ understanding– teacher’s understanding and interpretation of bullyi ng and anti-bullying terms according to the definitions used by the New York State Board of Education. Increased reporting– as measured by the teachers’ incident reports (counting increases in the report logs). Effective classroom management– decrease of bullying behavior as perceived by the teacher; evidence of the positive cooperation of students formerly involved in classroom aggression toward other students; increase in student work production. Fewer episodes– evidence of decrease in student involvement in name-calling, shoving, pushing, teasing, etc; evidence of decrease in classroom disruptions. Student trust– evidence that students feel more confident about telling the teacher of any uncomfortable circumstances; evidence that teacher is helping students gain access to needed services i.e., guidance counselor referrals; evidence that the teacher will discreetly attend to the bullying within the classroom and observe the victim and the bully, deflating any pending incidents. Confiding– evidence that the student trusts the teacher to help the student; increased disclosure of any problems they may be having concerning bullying or similar incidents within the school perimeter. Research variables The independent variables are: 1.Teacher training; 2. Teacher understanding; 3. Increased reporting by teachers; 4. Effective classroom management. The dependent variables are: 1. Increase in reported bullying incidents throughout the school; 2. Fewer episodes of classroom bullying; 3. Student trust level; 4. Confiding in the teacher. Students’ levels of trust and the extent to which they confide in the teacher can be measured by counting the teachers’ reports of students coming to them to give an account of bullying incidents, demonstrating the extent to which the students trust the teachers to help them. References American Heritage Dictionary (2nd ed.) (1982). Boston: MA: Houghton Mifflin. Atlas, R. S., and Pepler, D. J. (1998). Observations of bullying in the classroom. The Journal of Educational Research. 92(2), 86–99. Babbie, E. (1990) Survey research Methods (2nd ed.) Belmont: CA Wadsworth Publishing Company. Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, 71–81). New York: Academic Press. Retrieved from: http://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/Bandura/BanEncy.html. [Accessed 18th February 2013]. 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