Modern Day Cinderella Story

My Modern-Day Cinderella Story P3 Language Arts It was pouring outside. Not just pouring, that word doesn’t suffice how much water was aimlessly falling from the sky and crashing to the ground with every footstep that Ella Kess took on her way home. Today was the day that seven years ago her parents died in a plane crash over the Atlantic Ocean. It was strange, how she had to live on after the death, but she pulled through with the help of her best friend Kylee Lainer. She would have been okay this year too but they were not friends anymore.They had grown up together, friends since age three but when they reached high school Kylee became a different person, got new friends, and left Ella alone. After their breakup as BFFLs, Ella’s so called friends dropped like flies. She figured it was because they liked Kylee not her, but this didn’t bother Ella, she never liked them anyway. She reached her uncles condo right before the thunder started to roar. She dashed in th e building and walked right over to the elevator without bothering to say hello to the front desk manager, Gary, who had been her mentor since her parent’s death.He was an older guy, probably in his 70’s, but he knew a lot and told her stories of when he was a child and these things kept her calm. She knew he would understand that she didn’t want to talk. Ella pushed the up button and the elevator doors opened. She walked in and saw Drew Hawthorne. Drew just wasn’t ANY guy, she had liked him ever since he stole her crayons in kindergarten. He threw a lopsided smile in her way and said â€Å"hey†. â€Å"Hi† was the best she could muster. Conversation wasn’t her thing, especially right here, right now. The trip from the lobby up to the penthouse level seemed like it would go on forever.Drew had lived in the other penthouse since about the time her parents died. Ella was convinced that one day they would get married and have three childr en, two girls and one boy. She had already named them anyway. Her fairytale ended right when the Kylee, knowing that Ella and Drew we’re in the pre-dating stage (in other words, neither of them we’re planning on asking the other out), asked Drew out herself. Kylee and Drew are still going out. The elevator finally made it to the top level of the high end condos and made a stop. â€Å"See you around. , Ella,† Drew said. â€Å"Um, yeah.Have a nice weekend,† Ella replied trying to sound cheerful and happy. Tonight was the fairy queen parade. She never bothered to enter the contest, she just enjoyed watching the catty girls bring each other’s confidence down and argue over what color lipstick looks best on who. This year was going to be even more interesting because her two step-cousins, Regina and Carly, we’re entering. She would have too, but they made it clear that that wasn’t happening anytime soon. She walked past the kitchen and gra bbed an apple on the way to her room. Her room was her sanctuary, her favorite place in the whole entire world.It had amazing views of the city, Seattle, and from here she could pretend that she was on top of the world. â€Å"Can you like stop being so depressed, Ella. I swear to god if you ruin this weekend for Regina and me, you will suffer,† Carly hissed at her on the way to her own room. â€Å"Carly, don’t be so mean to her! † Regina snapped. Regina is probably the closest thing to a sister Ella never had. She can be mean, but hey, at least she tries to be her friend. â€Å"Carly, chill. I’m not even entering and even if I was I doubt I would win,† Ella yelled to Carly down the hall. Regina came in and sat on her bed. Ella, I know that you just want to feel like you belong†¦ and you do,† Regina said trying to cover up any of the pain she sees on Ella’s face. â€Å"Yeah, whatever. † She shot back, knowing that sheâ€℠¢ll get the signal. Ella didn’t want to talk. As she sat and thought about how much she wanted to enter, the desire got greater. Only one problem†¦ she didn’t have a thing. She decided to go down to the lobby and ask Gary for advice. He would surely know what to do in a situation like this. â€Å"Hey Gary,† she said while trying to decided how to ask about all this without sounding needy. I need†¦ a favor. † â€Å"Hello there dear! Finally decided to enter the contest, eh? I knew you would and that is exactly why old Gary made a couple of calls and got you everything you needed, And remember kid, you go out there and win that thing and Drew will be yours. † It’s like he read her mind. He knew exactly what she needed and why. This is why she liked Gary so much. But how’d he know about Drew? â€Å"Gary, thank you so much. But, how’d you know about Drew? † â€Å"It’s extremely obvious. Now run along! † and with that he handed her a large box.She got back up to her room and with excitement bubbling in her blood she threw open the lid. Her mouth dropped. She reached in and pulled out the most beautiful blue dress her emerald eyes had ever seen. It wasn’t just any dress; it fit her body like a glove. The dark blue satin shined as she walked over to her mirror. The dress was elegant from head to toe. She walked back over to her bed and looked inside the box, discovering the silver heels, diamond necklace, and blue hair pin. This must have been Gary’s wife’s clothing. She died of cancer awhile back†¦Ella guessed he never really got over it. â€Å"I look like a princess,† Ella thought aloud. She knew it was time to go now or she would miss the whole thing so she grabbed her mom’s silver shawl and headed out. Once she got to the parade, any bit of confidence she might have had, vanished. She didn’t know a thing about being pretty and she s ure as heck wasn’t going to start learning now. â€Å"No. I’m not doing this,† Ella said to herself. But it was too late. From across the street she saw Carly and the other girls looking straight at her, the envy clear in their eyes. â€Å"GET OUT OF HERE!!! † screamed Carly.Gasps and awes escaped the mouths of the jealous contestants and Ella knew she needed to leave right then. She turned on her heels and ran, tears streaming down her face. She got so flustered and so panicked that to prevent her from being there any longer, took down her hair and threw her heels and blue hair pen on the sidewalk. She didn’t care who found them. And then she heard a voice. â€Å"Ella! Wait, stop running! † the voice yelled. She immediately recognized it as Drew’s. Her Drew. She looked back, tears now streaming down her face and gave him the best smile she could. And then she was gone.The next morning, Ella woke up to the sound of Carly’s voic e drifting in from the kitchen. â€Å"I can’t believe she showed up AND ACTUALLY LOOKED PRETTY! † Carly yelled â€Å"Well, you know it was bound to happen. I saw Drew looking the whole time. I went over there this morning and he said that he found a blue pin and silver shoes. He’s confident they belong to her, after all he went psycho on Facebook messaging almost every girl. † Regina said. â€Å"He was looking for me† Ella thought. The next morning Ella decided to go down to Starbucks. She headed out into the hallway and pushed the down button.And there he was, Drew, leaning calmly against the elevator railing. â€Å"Great,† Ella said under her breath. â€Å"You looked beautiful, Ella. I don’t know why you left,† And with that he pulled out the silver shoes and blue pin from behind his back. â€Å"I believe these are yours, are they not? † Drew said flashing his lopsided smile. â€Å"Uh, yeah thank you† Ella stamm ered. â€Å"I broke up with Kylee† Drew choked out. And in that moment when they were both staring at each other intently, Drew realized she was his Cinderella and he was her Prince Charming. â€Å"I’ll buy you that drink if you be my girlfriend,† Drew teased. The End

Nuclear Weapon and Science

SCIENCE IS A THREAT TO HUMANITY * Science has greatly increased the capability of man to kill each other, literally threating humanity. Although science is not always the cause of wars the advances in nuclear weaponry have given the man the power to destroy the world. At certain points in history, such as the Cuban missile crisis, the world has stood on the brink of destruction. *The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba that occurred in the early 1960s during the Cold War.The crisis ranks as one of the major confrontations of the Cold War, and is often regarded as the moment in which the Cold War came closest to a nuclear war. * Our air is polluted with toxins and our water is polluted with waste from manufacturing. There are people suffering everywhere and yet science is so far behind where it matters. A satellite can be launched into orbit and bring back images millions of miles away but our water filled, with pharmaceutical s, cannot properly be cleaned? Why on earth would cloning another living being come before finding cures for diseases!I truly believe science to be a good thing but there is far too much depravity coming from it. We’re stuck finding cures for the ailments caused by technology and yet people latch on to technology, expecting it to solve all our problems. Most haunting, society is becoming desensitized to all of it. We are very close to stripping away what little humanity we have left and becoming robotic in nature, looking at everything in a scientific lens. Society expects instant gratification and is consistently undervaluing the very things that make us humane.As a whole we’ve becoming needy, less principled, and incapable of doing things without relying on technology. We’re on the verge of becoming nothing more than sponges for gratification without purpose. It’s sickening. * Our lives are in danger because bombs are made to blast thousands or millions of people. New guns are made for robbery. People are rebelling against their own blood, and it's not fair. This all is done by the cruel advancement of science. Can you believe science has increased the capability of men to kill each other? It's true we owe a lot to science, all the convenience and creature comforts we enjoy on earth wouldn't have been possible without advances in science. The downside is that all this technology can and will be used against us. Look at the atomic bomb, with the destruction it caused and that was almost seventy years ago. The weapons we have now, would make the atomic bomb look like a firecracker. Then you have people who get greedy for profits and use technology for their own benefit; not worrying about the welfare of anyone or anything else.As much as I would like to say no, as long as we have a world full of greedy people in power, who are only thinking about the next big payday; science will always be a threat. * Although I understand the view that science has brought us many benefits, I think people often forget its consequences. It has enabled countries to create terrifying Weapons of Mass Destruction, has caused numerous ethical questions to be raised and is a constant threat to humanity with the danger that it may never stop, and we will become our own worst enemy.Even some of science's greatest achievements like the discovery of antibiotics has caused massive implications through the uncontrollable population increase. For these reasons and many more I think scientists should be very careful about how far they go to improve society as it could in fact turn into a serious threat to humanity. * We may be living in a modern world with the influence of science however does it makes any difference? many people are still suffering the effect of science. The floods, global warming and etc.Science may help us, but the total destruction it causes us is just one-fourth of the benefits it give us. * It is true that science has brought many great advancements. But because of these advancements humanity is ruined. The world is in corruption because of science. For example, the global warming which lead to the melting of Antarctica. Hacking and cracking of information. The invention of dangerous bombs like nuclear weapons and atomic bomb. The viruses and the diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.These declines are started and caused by science and these type of situations will keep worsening by the minute as long as there is an existence called science. * People keep saying that it is humanity that controls science and therefore science is not the actual threat to humanity but rather it is humanity iteself? If it is an innate part of humanity to want to explore then surely so is violence and science is making our violence potentially more and more destructive. SCIENCE IS NOT A THREAT TO HUMANITY * Look back in time a couple hundred years.Since then the quality and length of our life has increase d significantly. If you live in a first world nation then you benefit from these advances the most. For example: when was the last time you went a day without being able to eat? How long does it take you to travel thousands of miles? How quickly can you research information on a computer? All of these great advancements are thanks to science. * The only thing that will lead to destruction of people, is people. There’s rarely knowledge that can’t be construed for purpose of mal-intent. If you hand out knives to convicts, someone most likely will be stabbed.Would you deem knives as something to be diminished simply because cutting a steak isn’t as significant as killing someone? Knowledge, like a knife, is a tool and it, like any other tool, most be handled appropriately. * Science has transcended the boarders of human understanding and expanded our knowledge of the things that were once unknown, making everything easier, faster, lighter and better. Scientific stu dies about human have given a huge progress for Medicine and Surgery; diseases that were once incurable are now easily cured, and even changing parts of our body is made possible.The modern facilities of communication have made contact between people who are miles apart be easily patched within seconds. * It is true that Weapons of Mass Destructions are deadly weapons that could bring an end to humanity as we know it. However, is it right to blame all of these potential threats on science? Albert Einstein became a vegetarian because he believed that, in every human, there is barbaric emotion. These barbaric human impulses, not Science, may bring an end to humanity.Science, however, improves our lives, makes us realize the truth and sometimes brings miracles. Firstly, the birth of internet has made our lives more efficient and comfortable. The internet is the reason why people could express their own opinions on websites, send mails in a matter of seconds and explore the world. Secon dly, science has also improved our lives in terms of health. Consider the potential of stem cell research. * Simply put, I believe that it is an innate part of the human psyche to want to explore and to find out more about the world.Science is literally our knowledge of the physical/material world gained through observation so to say that advances in science would be detrimental to humanity is like point your finger at a gun and saying that it was the one that killed the person, not the soldier. People can choose what they want to do with new developments in science, whether they want to use it to better modern society or otherwise. * Although the fact that WMD's (weapon of mass destruction) are a result of research in science, this does not mean it is, generally, science's fault. It is a human ‘s need to be the powerful one.To be the superior. It is human nature to want to create a bomb that could kill millions, they just use science to find out how to use it. We take advanta nge of the discoveries of others before us and use it to kill, manipulate, or destroy. * Science helps humanity because it is how we heat our homes up, how we keep our food fresh. Science is how we know the world around us. Science is also even a solution to things like global warming. Science does not pose a threat to humanity unless it is misused or used irresponsibly. * No, humanity is a threat to humanity.Science hasn't 'caused' those things, humans have, societies and governments have, usually to the screaming objection of actual scientists and the scientific consensus. They seem to be the only ones playing by reason or empiricist rules yet they get the blame for the rest of society ignoring their warnings. * Reason why science is threatening to humanity is because humanity itself has conjure up ways to apply science destructively with or without intention. If we blame science generally, we are merely saying that everyone is a threat to humanity just by existing.

The Chemistry of Organic Molecules

THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC MOLECULES I. MACROMOLECULES-large molecules that are composed of smaller molecules and atoms that are bonded together. These are among the largest of all chemical molecules. A. Polymers-the largest of the macromolecules. These are composed of numerous, small identical subunits known as Monomers. There are 4 major polymers that are important for living organisms. These polymers are; carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. B. Polymers are referred to as being organic compounds. Organic compounds are compounds that contain the elements carbon and hydrogen. 1.Chemical Properties of Carbon a. Carbon has 6 electrons. What is the structure of a carbon atom? b. Carbon can form 4 single covalent bonds with other atoms. It also has the ability to form double bonds with some atoms. Overall, the 4 bonds that carbon forms with other atoms makes the carbon stable. This stability is what makes carbon an important component of macromolecules. C. Functional Groups- groups of covalently bonded atoms that have definite chemical properties. 1. These always react in the same way, regardless of what molecule they are a part of. 2. Some polymers have several functional groups. . The exact arrangement of a functional group in a molecule greatly influences and determines the chemical properties of the particular molecule. 4. Important Functional Groups: a. Hydroxyl b. Carbonyl c. Carboxyl d. Amino e. Sulfhydryl f. Phosphate D. The Formation and Destruction of Polymers 1. Dehydration (Condensation) Reactions-reactions in which monomers bond together to produce polymers. a. Water is lost from the monomers in these reactions. 2. Hydrolysis Reactions-reactions in which polymers are broken down into monomers. a. These reactions require an input of water to occur.II. 4 MAJOR POLYMERS IN LIVING ORGANISMS A. Carbohydrates B. Lipids C. Proteins D. Nucleic Acids III. CARBOHYDRATES-includes sugars and related compounds. A. Carbohydrates are composed of three maj or elements: B. Carbohydrates tend to be very strong compounds due to the presence of carbon-hydrogen covalent bonds. C. Carbohydrates serve as a major source of energy for living cells. Some carbohydrates also serve as structural compounds in living cells. D. 3 Classes of Carbohydrates 1. Monosaccharides-simple sugars a. These serve as monomers for many of the larger carbohydrates. b.Structurally, these serve as rings or chains. c. Types of Monosaccharides 1. Glucose-C6H12O6 a. Serves as a major energy source for living cells. 2. Fructose a. Isomers-compounds with the same atoms and the same number of atoms but, that have different structures. Glucose and fructose are isomers of each other. 2. Dissacharides-sugars that are composed of 2 monosaccharides that are covalently bonded together. These are formed by dehydration reactions. a. Types of Disaccharides 1. Sucrose 2. Lactose 3. Maltose 3. Polysaccharides-sugars that are composed of more than 2 monosaccharides that are ovalently bonded together. These are often very large molecules. a. What types of reactions are these formed by? b. Types of Polysaccharides 1. Starch-a stored form of glucose in plant cells. Plants can use starch for energy under times of need or stress. Amylose is a common starch. 2. Cellulose-makes up the cell wall of plant cells. This is a thick, protective polysaccharide. Many animals do not contain the needed enzymes to break this compound down. Deer, cows and a few other animals have special bacteria in their stomachs that help digest and breakdown cellulose. 3.Glycogen-the storage form of glucose in animal cells. Many animals can convert glycogen into glucose under times of need or stress. This glucose can then be used as an energy source. Glycogen is stored in the liver and in some muscle fibers. 4. Chitin-a structural polysaccharide found in fungi and insects. This is also a thick, protective compound. IV. LIPIDS-includes fats, oils and waxes. A. All lipids are insoluble in water. 1 . What does this mean? B. Functions of Lipids in Living Organisms: C. Structure of a Typical Lipid 1. Lipids are composed of 2 major components: . Glycerol-a 3 carbon alcohol. 1) Hydroxyl groups bond to each of the carbon atoms in glycerol. 2) Glycerol serves as the major backbone unit for most lipids. b. Fatty Acids 1) Three fatty acid molecules attach to glycerol to form a lipid. Each fatty acid replaces the hydrogen atom on the hydroxyl groups of the glycerol molecule. Due to this, there is one fatty acid bonded to each carbon atom of the glycerol molecule. a) Due to this arrangement, lipids are often referred to as triglycerides. 2) Saturated fats-occur when the fatty acid groups contain single covalent onds between their carbon atoms. There are no carbon to carbon double bonds in these. a) In other words, the carbon atoms are saturated with as many hydrogen atoms as possible. b) These are known as animal fats are solids at room temperature. c) Are these bad for us? 3) Unsaturat ed fats-occur when fatty acids contain double bonds between their carbon atoms. These are often referred to as vegetable oils. a) Polyunsaturated fats- b) These types of fats are liquids at room temperature. D. Types of Lipids 1. Phospholipids-contain only 2 fatty acid tails. These are found in cell membranes.They have hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails. 2. Waxes-serve as protective coverings over surfaces. 3. Hormones-chemicals that regulate the growth and functioning of living organisms. 4. Steroids-there are several different types of steroids: a. Cholesterol-common steroid. 1) Humans do need a small amount of cholesterol for: a) The formation of Vitamin D b) The production of estrogen and testosterone 2) Cholesterol is carried through the human body by 2 proteins that are found in the human bloodstream: a) Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL)-this protein is responsible for elivering cholesterol to body cells and tissues where it is needed. This is often referred to as the â€Å" bad cholesterol. † b) High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)-this protein removes cholesterol from cells and tissues and transports it to the liver where it is secreted into bile. This is usually known as â€Å"good cholesterol. † 1) Bile-compound that is secreted by the liver that aids in digestion. Bile is also a waste product that is excreted from the body. It contains fatty wastes and it is excreted via feces. 3) Cholesterol in the human diet comes only from animal products. ) Normal Cholesterol Readings in young individuals should be around 180mg/dl. This rises to 230-250 mg/dl as humans age. 5) An important issue relating to cholesterol is the LDL/HDL Ratio. a) A high HDL values ensures that cholesterol is removed from body tissues in an adequate fashion. b) A low HDL values indicates that cholesterol removal is not occurring as it should. c) If cholesterol is not removed from the body, it can form plaques or deposits in the arteries of the body. This is a major cause of heart disease and heart attack. 6) How can an individual increase their HDL levels? b.Anabolic Steroids 1) These steroids are thought to increase muscle mass. 2) Side Effects of Steroid Use Include: c. Not all steroids are bad. Some are used to treat allergies and other human illnesses. These steroids do not cause the side-effects mentioned above. V. PROTEINS A. Functions of Proteins in Living Organisms 1. Make up cell membranes 2. Make up enzymes- 3. In collagen-protein that provides strength and support to structures in the body. 4. In keratin-a thick, protective protein. 5. Transport-some protein carry various materials through the body. An example would be hemoglobin. 6.Defense-proteins are in antibodies. 7. Proteins make up the contractile portion of human muscle. The major contractile proteins are actin and myosin. B. Proteins are found in and are essential for both plants and animals. C. Protein Structure 1. Proteins are composed of many amino acids that are bonded together. 2. Peptide Bonds- 3. Chains of bonded amino acids are often referred to as polypeptides. 4. What attaches amino acids together? 5. Amino Acids-there are 20 naturally occurring amino acids. They can bond in a variety of sequences to produce proteins. a. General Structure of an Amino Acid: . Some common amino acids include: phenylalanine, tryptophan, asparagine 6. Proteins can occur as simple chains or they can exhibit complex structures. 7. Denaturation- a. What can cause denaturation to occur? VI. NUCLEIC ACIDS A. These are composed of nucleotides that are covalently bonded together. What forms these bonds? B. Individual Nucleotides Contain: 1. A 5 Carbon Sugar 2. A Phosphate group 3. A Nitrogen-containing base C. Types of Nucleic Acids: 1. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)- 2. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)- 3. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)- 4. Coenzymes- VII. MACROMOLECULES AND THEIR MONOMERS

Social Security and the Downfalls of Early Retirement Essay

Social Security and the Downfalls of Early Retirement - Essay Example As a means of providing a certain level of financial assistance to those who have entered the later years of their live, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in one of his acts as commander-in-chief, enacted a social help doctrine that would be commonly known as Social Security. The importance of Social Security is not lost among people. The program in which benefactors are able to received a certain amount of financial help each month after a certain age which is supposed to be comparable to the amount of earnings that the person would have been into the system over the lifetime in which they were working. As many of the "baby boomer" generation begin their approach to retirement, there is a great concern amongst many people as to how the Social Security system will ultimately handle the influx of new retirees as they filter in. Some wish to retire early, while others are determined to maintain their status as working individuals to the median age of retirement, or the common age in which many people choose to not work anymore. As it stands, the current health of the Social Security system is at a point in which there is great concern when it comes to the amount of beneficiaries there will be in the near future. With such being the case, the level in which the system can support both current, as well as future retirees, is something that has many answers to it and great implications for the ultimate outcome. A question for a great many people is to whether or not they are able to retire early and as such draw upon their benefits. The following can become very true; Social Security for early retirement is a complicated issue. Since many countries cannot offer significant financial support for retirement, this indicates that a person should save money early to be prepared and become financially secured as he or she retires from work. Contrary to popular belief, the Social Security never intended to be thee only source of income for retired people. For this reason, weighing the pros and cons of social security for early retirement is important to understand your rights, benefits and limitations so you could invest in other pension plans to support your retirement. Over fifty years ago, life expectancy of a person who started earning income around 20 years old was at age 68. Today, the life expectancy of that same 20-year-old who started earning is at around age 78, which continues to rise. For this reason, the earlier you save money for retirement, the greater benefits you will receive once you retire. ("Understanding", p.1). To decide how best to go about retiring, whether it being to do so early or at the age in which is considered to be common, an important thing to keep in mind is to observe and consider whether or not the Social Security system would be solvent enough to provide enough benefits to help beneficiaries in their later years. Essentially, to retire early means a less amount of benefits that will be available at the end of the retiree's life, with those benefits having been used to care for the person when they sought to leave the work

Relationships and Dating in the Modern Age Essay

Relationships and Dating in the Modern Age - Essay Example The second key benefit is that social sites facilitate networking as individuals can conduct both formal and informal interactions via online. The author observes that casual conversations have become easy and fun through the use of features such as digital doodle or virtual kisses (Wortham 394). Technology has a negative impact on relationships. In spite of the author’s positive attitude towards the use of technology to foster relationships, Wortham does not fail to point out its disadvantages. First, with the vast array of applications to use, consumers face the challenge of choosing the ideal form to communicate (Wortham 394). The second challenge is that the use of technology as a mediator affects how people prioritize offline communication and our ability to interact (Wortham 395). Some researchers argue that people have become dependent on applications instead of the real-world face to face communications. Resultantly, people forget the exhilarating experience of face-to-face interactions that cannot be compared to the use of technology. Wortham begins her article with a short narrative dubbed â€Å"A lazy afternoon† with her boyfriend. This writing technique is an effective way to begin an essay as it grabs the reader’s attention. Readers are curious to find out what the article is about including the author’s attitude towards the topic. Furthermore, through the short narrative, readers gain insight concerning the topic including the author’s stand on the same.

How the Draft has changed since the Vietnam War Research Paper

How the Draft has changed since the Vietnam War - Research Paper Example How the Draft has changed since the Vietnam War? Men found to have been insincere by the board for military tribunals tried various offenses with seventeen sentenced to death, three hundred and forty five to penal labor camps, and one hundred and forty two to life imprisonment. In the United States, conscription, or the draft, has been used a number of time, normally in the event of war, as well as when there is nominal peace, such as during the Cold War. The draft was discontinued in 1973 by the US government, which shifted to a military force that was all-volunteer. For this reason, mandatory draft is not in effect at the present time. The Selective Service System (SSS), however, is still in place for contingency purposes. Men aged between eighteen and twenty-five must register for quick resumption of the draft should there be a need for conscription2. However, most military and political experts do not consider conscription likely under the current conditions. The Military Draft While the United States did not initially join the Second World War, the Selective Training and Service Act (STSA) was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1940. This required all American men aged, between twenty-six and thirty-five, to register for drafting into the military3. This acted as the United States’ first draft during peacetime, and it was responsible for the establishment of an independent federal agency, the SSS. Because of increasing threats from Japan and parts of Europe, President Roosevelt decided that it was prudent for the United States to train military personnel in case they had to defend the motherland. Germany had already invaded France and Poland, and it was becoming clear that Hitler was involved in persecution of European Jews, and Great Britain was his next target. In response to the distress that Great Britain was in, Roosevelt decided to sell more weapons to repel an attack by the Nazis, as well as to increase the humanitarian effort for the increasingly isolated British. On appending his s ignature to the STSA, he warned the American citizenry that America was caught in the middle of a war for her destiny with the distance and time that separated the US and Europe becoming smaller4. In his opinion, which was shared by a majority of Americans, it was not possible to remain neutral in a world of increased and rampant force. It was now up to the Americans to be prepared in the event that the war in Europe and the Asia-Pacific got to their shores The Americans were receptive of the draft after that impassioned appeal from President Roosevelt. Whatever resistance there may have been to the draft dissipated with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 19415. This event led to massive enlisting by American men and enlisting continued until 1973, both in peacetime and when the United States was involved in conflict, such as during the Korean War. Men were also drafted in order to fill the vacancies left by retiring or killed service men, which could not be filled using volunta ry conscription. In December of 1969, the United States military reinstated the lottery drawing, unused since 1942, in Washington D.C.’s Selective Service National Headquarters. This was meant to determine how men born between 1944 and 1950 would be inducted into the army. This lottery was a change from the earlier method where 366 plastic capsules with birth dates, representing the days of the year, were put in a large jar, after which they were drawn manually to assign all men born between the said years with

Management Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management Coursework - Essay Example Thus container shipping was one of the early industries to become heavily reliant on operational computer systems. However, it is one thing being able to access all the information in your computer systems on your own premises, but the true benefits from technology are only really experienced to the full when you have the ability to communicate this information wherever and whenever it is needed. State-of-the-art communications are fast becoming a necessity in today's international freighting and transport industries. Sophisticated logistics chains, offering a fast and flexible response to customer demands, require an accurate flow of information for tracking, planning and control. An efficient, streamlined system such as this is essential in order to meet the demands of the "just-in-time" concepts developed by the manufacturing industry whereby every stage of the process is timed to perfection. Everything required, no more no less, is in the right place at the right time, thereby saving huge amounts of time and money associated with stock inventories. Fast and efficient planning, stowage and tracking of cargo are the freighting and transport industry's response to manufacturers' needs. (Lakshmanan, 2001) From the outset, many sectors of the shipping and containerization industries saw electro... EDI standards was closely monitored by the industry and a message development group was set up early in the life of the EDI Association to consider new Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transportation - or trade (EDIFACT) standards for the shipping industry. In the deep-sea trade, a single container vessel can currently carry in excess of 4,000 containers. Typically, for example, a vessel will load containers at four or five ports in Europe for discharge at any of six or more ports in the Far East and it will additionally discharge and load containers at two further ports on the way. It is, therefore, a complicated exercise to keep control of the stowage plan such that all loading ports can add their cargo to the ship efficiently and with the minimum movement of the containers already on board. Additionally, the ports where cargo is to be unloaded are required to be able to access their containers easily and without having to move other containers in the process. (Shipley, 2003) A stowage plan of a container vessel is called a bayplan. A bayplan, in paper form, is a series of diagrams consisting of each cross-section of the ship or a list of each possible location on the ship and its contents. In EDIFACT terms, a bayplan is a UNSM called BAPLIE, which consists of a header section with information identifying the vessel and then a group of segments which is repeated for each container on board and containing relevant information about the container including its position on the ship, its loading and destination ports, the nature of the goods carried and the conditions under which it should be stowed on board. Traditionally, the bayplan was transmitted between port container terminals and ship planners by telex or by fax - typically in the Far

The theory of supply and demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The theory of supply and demand - Essay Example The theory of supply and demand Supply and demand are two of the most critical concepts in the study of economics, especially in microeconomics where it determines market prices. The law of supply and demand concludes that in the event of an increase in demand while supply stays unchanged, then a shortage will ensue resulting in a higher equilibrium price. On the other hand, the law argues that if demand decreases while supply stays unchanged, a surplus will occur, causing the equilibrium price to fall. However, if demand stays unchanged and supply increases, a surplus will ensue, causing a lower equilibrium price. The last law of supply and demand concludes that if demand remains the same and supply reduces, a shortage will be experienced within the market, resulting in a greater equilibrium price. The earliest records of considerations of the concepts of supply and demand started in the 14th century. 14th century Muslim, Mamluk scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah suggested that if the need for goods within the market increase s while its availability reduces the price of the goods will increase. He also suggested that if the availability of the commodity increases and the need for it diminishes, its prices will come down. . In 1691, John Locke’s work â€Å"Some Considerations on the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest and the Raising of the Value of Money† consists of an early and succinct description of supply and demand, as well as their inherent relationship.... cs subsequently used the term in his 1776 book in which he presumed that the supply price was inflexible, but its value would eventually diminish as its scarcity increased (Krugman and Wells 89). In effect, Smith was speaking to the law of demand. In his work, Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, Ricardo rigorously laid down the notion of the assumptions, which were utilized in order to develop his ideas of supply and demand. In the 19th century, the marginalist school of thought was established, and its key idea was that prices are determined by the most expensive price or the price at the margin. This was a massive change from Smith’s thoughts concerning the determination of supply price through the forces of demand and supply. The model of supply and demand encompasses the supply and demand schedules. A supply schedule is a table, which quantifies the relationship between the price of a product and the quantity supplied. A supply curve shows the link between the pr ice of the product and quantity supplied. Through the assumption of perfect competition, marginal costs determine supply. This means that firms will produce additional products when the production cost of an extra output is less than the price expected. Inherently, supply is determined by production costs, the number of suppliers within the market and the firm’s expectations regarding future prices (Krugman and Wells 247). On the other hand, a demand curve is the graphical depiction of a demand agenda and represents the quantity of goods buyers are both capable and willing to buy at certain prices. The law of demand requires that the demand curve must always be represented as downward-sloping, which means that consumers will by extra goods as prices diminish. Demand curves are also determined

Happy Days Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Happy Days - Assignment Example Additionally, the improved economic conditions catapulted many Americans from low class to medium income earners. Most families could afford a car, and top of range products such as fridges, televisions among others. It is also worth noting that 50s marked an era of tremendous growth in the housing industry as well as transport infrastructure and networks. The increased number of affordable houses and high quality road networks made life easy for Americans. On a different note, entertainment became entrenched in people’s lives hence improving social life for Americans. Most significantly, Americans were enjoying high quality of life compared to many countries in the world. This made Americans feel at the epitome of the world. However, not everybody enjoyed the happy moments. An appreciable portion of Americans was already on their old age and had suffered the aftermath of World War II making it difficult for them to enjoy the 50s. Additionally, political critics and conservatists spent more time critiquing the government instead of taking advantage of the overwhelming opportunities present during that time. Left behind were the uneducated citizens, and African Americans who could not fit in the job market. Without a good source of livelihood, such groups could not enjoy the benefits of 1950 era. However, the 50s was by general means, good moment for

An Analysis of the Movie Syriana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An Analysis of the Movie Syriana - Essay Example From the research it is clear Quicksand is an academic book written by one Geoffrey Wawro. The author’s academic background on military matters and the long-term experience as a teacher of the Naval War College grants him an ability to write from a political perspective. He gives a historical perspective of the incidences that have been pioneered by the American government in the Middle East and relates the incidences to the political and economic significances that are the driving forces behind the involvements. This paper seeks to give an analysis of the movie Syriana and in turn give a relation between the main theme communicated by the movie and the propositions given by Wawro in his book Quicksand. As the study presents Syriana is a 2005 film written by Stephen Gaghan. The film focuses on the interplay that exists between political and economic drivers in the world today. The influences of the United States in the oil industry are addressed in the movie. The movie begins with a major US oil company, Connex, losing drilling rights to a Chinese company in the Middle East oil fields in a kingdom ruled by the Al-Subaai family. This turns out to be a great disappointment to US oil industry. Connex, therefore, settles on establishing a merger with Killen, a comparatively smaller oil company that has recently won the rights to drill oil in Kazakhstan. The position of Connex in the oil industry is hence greatly affected and its position in the world among the oil drilling companies drops to twenty-three.

Effect of Video Games Essay Example for Free

Effect of Video Games Essay A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word videoin video game traditionally referred to cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, but it now implies any type of display device that can produce two or three dimensional images. The electronic systems used to play video games are known as platforms; examples of these are personal computers and video game consoles .These platforms range from large mainframe computers to small handheld devices. Specialized video games such as arcade games, while previously common, have gradually declined in use. Video games have gone on to become an art form and industry. The input device used to manipulate video games is called a game controller, and varies across platforms. For example, a controller might consist of only a button and a joystick, while another may feature a dozen buttons and one or more joysticks. Early personal computer games often needed a keyboard for game play, or more commonly, required the user to buy a separate joystick with at least one button. Many modern computer games allow or require the player to use a keyboard and a mouse simultaneously. A few of the most common game controllers are gamepads, mouse’s, keyboards, and joysticks. Video games typically use additional means of providing interactivity and information to the player. Audio is almost universal, using sound reproduction devices, such as speakers and headphones. Other feedback may come via haptic peripherals, such as vibration or force feedback, with vibration sometimes used to simulate force feedback. In the early days of cartridge consoles, they were sometimes called TV games. Early games used interactive electronic devices with various display formats. The earliest example is from 1947—a Cathode ray tube Amusement Device was filed for a patent on 25 January 1947, by Thomas T. Goldsmith and Estle Ray Mann, and issued on 14 December 1948, as U.S. Patent 2455992. Inspired by radar display tech, it consisted of an analog device that allowed a user to control a vector-drawn dot on the screen to simulate a missile being fired at targets, which were drawings fixed to the screen. Other early examples include: * The NIMROD computer at the 1951 Festival of Britain * * OXO a tic-tac-toe Computer game by Alexander S. Douglas for the EDSAC * in 1952 * Tennis for Two, an interactive game engineered by William Higinbotham in 1958 The term platform refers to the specific combination of electronic components or computer hardware which, in conjunction with software, allows a video game to operate. The term system is also commonly used. In common use a PC game refers to a form of media that involves a player interacting with a IBM PC compatible personal computer connected to a video monitor. A console game is played on a specialized electronic device that connects to a common television setor composite video monitor. A handheld gaming device is a self-contained electronic device that is portable and can be held in a users hands. Arcade game generally refers to a game played on an even more specialized type of electronic device that is typically designed to play only one game and is encased in a special cabinet. These distinctions are not always clear and there may be games that bridge one or more platforms. In addition to personal computers, there are multiple other devices which have the ability to play games but are not dedicated video game machines, such as mobile phones, PDAs and graphing calculators. With the advent of social networking and other online applications hubs, the term platform started being used to refer to the online service within which the game is played, regardless of the actual hardware on which it is executed. A games platform could simply be Facebook, whether it is played on a Windows PC, Mac, Smart TV, or smartphone. Statement of the problem : 1.) What is the negative effects of video games to teenager? 2.) What is the positive effects of video games to teenager? 3.) Does game violence make teens aggressive? Scope and limitation Development in technology brings many things that people dont have many years back. One of these things is online gaming that is provided by the internet. Online gaming is one of the widely used leisure activities by many people. Teenagers who are playing these online games said that they are playing these games just for fun, to keep away from the heat of the sun, without knowing that there are a lot of effects of playing these games that are more than what they think. Playing online games, according to some research is beneficial. It enables the mind of the players to be more active , especially those puzzle-based games. It helps the player to come up with decisions in tight situations, especially those adventure games that keep the players to be alert, active and strategic. Playing these types of games makes the player experienced different feelings because it is as if the player is really the one taking the challenges. Despite those benefits, playing these games also bring negative effects. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE RELATED LITERATURE â€Å"Computer Gaming Effects to the Academic Performance among High school students† The internet and online gaming industry has grown considerably over the past decade. As the advent of internet occurs, online gaming is undisputedly popular to the students and that online gaming has become high school students’ favorite leisure choice. Most of the High school students in these times are seen on internet sites and spending their money for them to be ready on their battle online. Because of this widespread, parents and educators are concerned about the doable effects on the academic performance among high school students. The most common question discusses about how it affects the academic performance of the gamer. Not surprisingly, gaming culture has become a polarizing force in our society, as well. â€Å"The Effects of Computer Games to the Academic Performance of Aims Students† Computer addiction is a relatively new term used to describe a dependency on one s computer. Computer addiction is not limited to personal computers (PCs). It covers video games and the Internet and has already been given a label by psychologists, namely Internet addiction disorder (IAD). People can grow addicted to a variety of substances, and there is usually a substantial amount of help available to treat them. Alcohol, drugs and sex have all been known to bring out the addictive personality trait in some people, but other forms of addictive behavior, such as exercise, watching television or spending too much time on a computer, have only recently been recognized. Computer addiction, like any addiction, can creep up on a person without one being aware of it. Talk shows are full of people whose relationships have been torn apart by one partners computer addiction. Spending hours chatting online, surfing the web or playing computer games can cause relationships to deteriorate as other parts of a person’s life are neglected.

Humor in Mathematics Classroom Essay Example for Free

Humor in Mathematics Classroom Essay INTRODUCTION To make the learning in classroom more fun, teachers do make a different strategies or techniques. Game and laughter is very important in learning, that’s why teachers that do have humor make their class more enjoyable and interesting. Anyone who has paid attention to great speakers would know that humor is an excellent method for eliciting sympathy from the audience and opening them up to your message. Every teacher also knows that a sense of humor is necessary to winning the hearts of students. How should this inform teaching? Should the teachers focus on creating an entertaining show for their students? Or would the teachers change their lessons into therapy sessions? This study presents a teaching approach that is built around math problems that are for the student at the same time Cheerful (entertaining, funny, cool) and Challenging (difficult). We call this CheCha mathematics. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY The technique of using humor to enliven lectures is as ancient as the Babylonian Talmud. Rabbah (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbos 30b), a Talmudic sage who lived 1700 years ago, would say something humorous before starting to lecture to the scholars, and they would laugh; after that, he would begin his lecture. Rabbi Meir (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 38b), another Talmudic sage, was an expert in fox fables and would devote one-third of his lecture to parables. These sages recognized the value of humor in education, even in ethical and religious instruction. Most statistics textbooks do not use a humorous approach, with exceptions such as Runyon (1977) and Pyrczak (1998). Blumenfeld and Alpern (1985) discuss ten reasons to use humor in the classroom. These include such factors as opening communication and the humanizing effect of humor on image. Berk (1996, 1998) claims that humor has the ability to decrease students’ anxiety, improve the ability to learn, and boost self-esteem. This, in turn, can encourage a more receptive learning atmosphere. One researcher found that having students watch an episode of Seinfeld helped calm them and reduced their heartbeats when they were later forced to do something stressful, give an impromptu speech about Bosnia, a subject they knew very little about, in front of a camera. The heart rates of students who had watched the humorous Seinfeld episode rose from an average of 70 to averages of 80 to 85 beats per minute while speaking; the heart rates of students who had not been inoculated with humor rose to a mean of 100 (Burkhart 1998). Lundberg and Thurston (1992) discuss various ways humor can be used in the classroom. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK CheCha math method is based on three educational approaches: acknowledging the role of affect in math learning (Hannula, 2006), using humor in teaching (Grecu, 2008) and use of open-ended problems in math teaching (Pehkonen, 2004). Affect in mathematical thinking and learning In order to study affect in math education in contexts of actual classrooms there are three main elements to pay attention to: cognition, emotion, and motivation. Achievement without motivation is not sustainable, and neither is motivation without enjoyment. All three domains have a more rapidly changing state-aspect and more stable trait-aspect. (Hannula, 2006). One fundamental principle of human behavior is that emotions energize and organize perception, thinking and action (Izard, 1991). Research has confirmed a positive relationship between positive affect and achievement. It seems that the affective outcomes are most important during the first school years, as they are less likely to be altered later on. Two key elements of a desired affective disposition are self-confidence and motivation to learn (Hannula, 2006). Advances in our understanding of the neuropsychological basis of affect (e.g. Damasio 1995, LeDoux, 1998) have radically changed the old view of the relationship between emotion and cognition. Emotions are no longer seen as peripheral to cognitive processes or as noise to impede rationality. Emotions have been accepted as necessary for rational behavior. Moreover, research has also shown although not yet fully understood that certain emotions facilitate certain type of cognitive processing (Linnenbrink Pintrich, 2004). Focusing on motivation we may find ways to influence what the subjects want to do, not only how they try to achieve it. In the existing literature, psychological needs that are often emphasized in educational settings are autonomy, competence and social belonging (e.g. Boekaerts, 1999). These all can be met in a classroom that emphasizes exploration, understanding and communication instead of rules, routines and rote learning. However, this requires that all feel safe and perceive that they can contribute to the process. A possible approach to meet all these conditions would be the open approach, and more generally focusing on mathematical processes rather than products (Hannula, 2006). Humor Already Kant (1952) considered the nature of humor. He stated Laughter is the result of expectation which suddenly ends in nothing (p. 199). His classical statement has started considering humor as a mental mechanism resulting in laughter. As another early scientific approach to humor, Freud (1991) divided comic into wit, humor and actually comic. Many kinds of activity, including wit, are directed on reception of pleasure from intellectual processes. A person feels pleasure from suddenly released energy, which is splashed out in the form of laughter. From this perspective already, we can perceive how a good joke can generate a joyful atmosphere and create a positive emotional background of activity. The comic, humorous contents can be reached in various ways and techniques. For example, Veatch (1998) suggests a list of types that are funny: finishing to the point of irrationality, satire, literal understanding of metaphors, irony, ambiguity, word-play, contradiction, discrepancy, excessive rationality and a deviation from the usual. Each of these types of the comic can be expressed as a joke or a problem in math context. As an example of a math contradiction we take a joke, here framed within the world of Winnie the Pooh: Pooh and Piglet sit on a small bench and talk. Eeyore has sent them a box. In the box there are ten sweets and a note. In the note Eeyore tells them to divide them: seven for Pooh and seven for Piglet. Piglet: How is that? I do not understand. What do you think of it?† Pooh: I do not even want to think. But I have already eaten my seven sweets. Humor can also act as means of a psychological discharge, and promote efficiency of pedagogical activity. Suhomlinsky (1975) wrote: I would name laughter as a back side of thinking. To develop ability to laugh in the child, to enhance his sense of humor means to strengthen his intellectual forces, abilities, to teach him to think and to see the world wisely. Grecu (2008) has considered use of humor in teaching. She highlights seven basic functions of humor in pedagogical activity: 1) informatively-cognitive (Opens essential features and properties of subjects and the phenomena. Rejecting standard approaches, the humor bears in itself any discovery), 2) Emotional (the Humor can act as means of creation of creative state of health and as means of emotional support) 3) Motivational (The humor can serve as a stimulator of volitional processes) 4) Communicative (the Person with humor is attractive for people) 5) Developing (Humor promotes development of critical thinking, a sharpness of vision of the world, observation and consequently intellect) 6) Diagnostic (by the laughter maintenance at what the person laughs, it is possible to judge about his merits and demerits) and 7) Regulative (the humor gives the chance to look at oneself from an unexpected angle, allowing self-evaluation). In CheCha method most of these are relevant, the most important functions being on top of the list. Grecu suggest the following techniques for designing of humor for educational tasks. These pedagogical techniques are paradox, finishing to the point of irrationality, comparison by the remote or casual attribute, return comparison, wit of absurd, pseudo-contrast or false opposition, a hint, a self-exposure of own faults, intentional ignoring of things that might cause laughter, and exaggeration of the certain features of behavior. Grecu has offered also classification of means of the comic: 1) word-play based on violation of language norm (carrying of terminology over to a context unusual to it). Consider the following riddle: I am it while I do not know that I am. But I am not it when I know that I am. What am I?† 2) Comparison, authors original neologisms, based on artistic expressive means (double entendre, an ambiguity). Examples are easy for finding in Carrolls books (2006, s. 50): â€Å"Explain yourself!† â€Å"I can’t explain myself.† 3) Paradox, an example being the claim â€Å"I am lying now†. Also Dzemidok (1993) distinguishes several humoristic methods: modification and deformation of the phenomena, unexpected effects and amazing comparisons, disproportion in attitudes and communications between the phenomena, imaginary association of absolutely diverse phenomena, creation of the phenomena which deviate from logic. As an example of the latter method consider the following: There were only 3 students attending a professors lecture in University. Suddenly 5 persons left the room. The professor said: If 2 students enter this room, there is nobody attending. Most types of humor and their techniques could be used at mathematics lessons. Thanks to entertaining tasks and comical contents of the problems the classroom climate promotes a positive interaction between the teacher and students. However, one must be aware that opportunities of humor as pedagogical means have their limits. Grecu (2008) gives several suggestions regarding these limits. She suggests that one should use humor gently and support humor of students. She also warns not to ridicule student’s person, laugh at what the student is not able to correct or change or laugh at an involuntary mistake of the student. Rough joking would indicate lack of customs and disrespect of the student and hence is absolutely unacceptable for the teacher. Moreover, the teacher should avoid being the first to laugh at ones own joke, as it can cause the reaction opposite to expected. Problem solving and open-ended problems Problems are said to be open, if their starting or goal situation is not exactly given and they usually have several correct answers (cf. Pehkonen 2008). Open-ended problems emphasize understanding and creativity (e.g. Nohda, 2000, Stacey 1995). This would not mean lowering the expectations, quite the contrary. If an open task allows the solver to gain deeper and deeper insights (a chain of discovery; Liljedahl, 2005) it can facilitate a state of sustained engagement. This would also lead to more intensive working. Research has shown that problem solving can be engaging and enjoyable for many students, but it does not attract everyone. Schoenfeld (1985) defined an individuals beliefs or mathematical world view as shaping how one engages in problem solving. For example, those who believe that math is no more than repetition of learned routines would be more likely to give up on a novel task than those who believe that inventing is an essential aspect of mathematics. Unfortunately, there are students who do not see the potential for engagement and enjoyment in a math problem. We see humor as a means to engage also those students who do not perceive math problems enjoyable to begin with. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: 1. What mathematical problems are entertaining from the students point of view? 2. How CheCha method influences the atmosphere in mathematics lessons?

Diversification within UK Private Real Estate Portfolios

Diversification within UK Private Real Estate Portfolios A Critical Appraisal of the Literature on Diversification within Private Real Estate Portfolios in the United Kingdom   Abstract One of the two major ways in which institutional investors can invest in real estate is private real estate. Private real estate is to purchase un-securitized real estate directly through property pools, commingled real estate funds (CREFs), syndications or separate accounts that are managed by professional real estate portfolio managers or investment advisors. This form of ownership will henceforth be referred to as private real estate. There are different drivers of investing within the private real estate portfolios, including markets, sectors, management, area/building specific, scale, diversification, liquidity, tax and governance risks. The private real estate has a low level of linear dependence on equity, so private real estate requires the diversification of its portfolios. This paper provides a critical appraisal of the literature on diversification within private real estate portfolios. Does a U.K. market need to do the diversification within private real estate portfolios when British people need it? Not really. Literature Review Investment in private real estate offers considerable advantages: it is a tangible asset with low volatility; and it generates an attractive income stream and long-term capital appreciation and particularly strong diversification benefits to stocks and bonds. Thus, there is extant literature showing that private real estate has a significant place in the U.S. mixed-asset portfolio: see Ziobrowski and Ziobrowski (1997); and Firstenberg, Ross Zisler (1998); among others. Researchers conducted several studies on real estates role as a component of asset-only portfolios, specifically focusing on real estates diversification benefits. These studies compensate for some of the issues with real estate data, in particular, that of valuation smoothing. Most of these studies conclude that the allocation to real estate should be from 10% upward. The results indicate that limited diversification benefits can be gained from international investments in pure office strategies, particularly for multi-asset investors seeking to reduce risk stemming from the capital markets. Existing empirical evidence is generally consistent with firm owners portfolio diversification having a positive impact on their firms risk taking (e.g., Amihud and Lev (1981) and Faccio, Marchica and Mura (2011)). The general theme in the existing literature is that firm riskiness can be reduced primarily by means of choosing safer investments, i.e. investments that result in lower cash flow volatility or stock return volatility (e.g., Lyandres, Marchica, Michaely, and Mura (2015) and Faccio, Marchica and Mura (2011)), or lower correlation with the rest of the firm decision makers cash flows (e.g., Amihud and Lev (1981) and Gormley, Matsa and Milbourn (2013)). The association between private (constrained) firm owners portfolio diversification and investment is negative and significant in most cases (Lyandres, Marchica, Michaely, and Mura, 2015). Lyandres, Marchica, Michaely, and Mura (2015) study possible endogeneity of firm owners portfolio diversification and of firms private status does not seem to drive their results. The inclusion of owner fixed effects does not impact the qualitative relation between owners portfolio diversification and private firms capital investment (Lyandres, Marchica, Michaely, and Mura, 2015). However, the fixed-effects results may still be affected by self-selection: better-diversified owners may select to invest in companies with higher investment rates, which better their risk preferences. Lyandres, Marchica, Michaely, and Mura (2015) suggest the firms capital investment depends on portfolio diversification of their controlling owners; the effect of owners portfolio diversification on firms investment levels depends crucially on firms financial constraints: the investment-diversification relation is positive for relatively unconstrained firms and is negatively for relatively constrained ones. Owner fixed-effects, a quasi-natural experiment, and instrumental variable analysis suggest that this result is not driven by potential endogeneity of owners diversification. A matched-sample analysis, selection model, and an alternative measure of financial constraints show that Lyandres, Marchica, Michaely, and Mura (2015)s findings are also not driven by the endogeneity of their proxy for financial constraints. The analysis builds on and extends that of Hoesli et al. (2004) but broadens the length of the time series and the depth of analysis as they pertain to the real estate portfolio. They concluded that both domestic and international real estate contribute with risk diversification, and therefore portfolio efficiency, to the multi-asset portfolio and that the data support an allocation to real estate of between 15 and 25%, depending on risk preferences and the investors country of domicile. The purpose is to investigate how the composition of a real estate portfolio affects the ability to achieve risk diversification when management costs are taken into account and after removing the assumption that investors can only by a real estate market portfolio. The analysis contributes to the body of knowledge by exploring how the type of underlying tenant demand type affects the portfolio composition problem for real estate investors and thus how real estate strategies should be fashioned to more effectively support overall portfolio objectives. Hoesli and Lizieri (2007) report correlations close to zero for private real estate in the UK. Lizieri (2013) finds that the correlation of the private real estate varies significantly over the market cycle, tending to increase in periods from 1995 to 2010 of poor stock market performance. Lizieri (2013) finds that the correlations of private real estate with equities and bonds changed in the last five years of the sample from around zero to 0.4 and -0.5 respectively. This would indicate that the diversification benefits from real estate disappear when they are most needed. However, it is also found that when the variance is decomposed, a high proportion of private real estate variance cannot be explained by wider capital market factors, which indicates substantial diversification benefits. Even though data construction issues for private real estate cannot be ruled out, Lizieri (2013) concludes that the results support the diversification role of the private real estate. Ang (2012) explores the characteristics of real estate in the context of its real asset characteristics along with real estates role in the asset allocation puzzle. Ang (2012) concludes that real estate is different from other asset classes in several respects: the idiosyncratic risk, the heterogeneity of the assets and requirement to actively mange real estate holdings. Ang (2012) also points out the difficulty of including real estate in any asset allocation model on par with stocks and bonds because direct real estate total returns are not returns in the same sense as are total returns for the other asset classes. This is because real estate total returns are not transaction based nor is there a way to measure the whole market. Ang (2012) does not say that real estate has no role to play but rather that the only return derived from real estate measured on the same frequency as the return on mature asset classes is the income return. Diversification of the Private Real Estate Portfolios with Equity REIT shares An examination of resulting efficient frontiers and their corresponding optimal portfolio weights across various levels of expected return reveals that the ability of public real estate to rebalance and diversify private real estate only portfolios, using either long or short positions, is very much in doubt (Seiler, Webb and Neil Mye, 2001). Private real estate helps reduce the risk of a portfolio because it has less than a perfect correlation with stocks, bonds and all other assets. Qualitative Analysis Standard Markowitz portfolio selection model assumes jointly normal and symmetric distributions. If that holds, then mean, variance and covariance are sufficient to define effective diversification strategy. Traditional diversification strategies no longer provide desired level of protection in bear markets. Portfolio risk and expected value fall in bear markets are systematically understated. Traditional notions of risk-return trade-off are systematically overstated. Frequent portfolio rebalancing needed to maintain target level of risk, leading to higher transaction costs. For example, Stichting Pensioenfonds X: Asset Mix is an archetypical private real estate portfolio. 9% property allocation is reasonable for a well funded and growing scheme if assume under-performs equities and out-performs bonds and adds some diversification. Higher portfolio diversification reduces the variance of owners portfolio return and its covariance with the firms cash flow. As a result, higher portfolio diversification of firm owner lowers the risk avoidance incentives and leads to increased risk taking by the firm. The direct effect of higher owners portfolio diversification on an unconstrained firms capital investment is through the reduction in the variance of owners wealth and the resulting decrease in his or her risk-avoidance incentives. A more diversified owner is less concerned with higher cash flow volatility resulting from higher operating leverage, and chooses a higher level of capital investment. The result is a positive relation between owners portfolio diversification and firm investment for unconstrained firms. The mechanism behind the negative relation between a constrained firms investment and its owners portfolio diversification is different. A constrained firm cannot increase its capital investment level in response to an increase in firm owners portfolio diversification, as its investment is determined by the investment capacity constraint. The only channel the constrained firm can use to alter its cash flow volatility is the riskiness of its investments. The scale/diversification of assets depends upon the genuine efficiency from scale, diversification and impact on equity rising and the decrease of the default. The portfolio of loans demands diversification during the debt and credit crisis. High correlation among portfolios means diversification across sectors relatively little impact on risk reduction in UK historically compared to specific risk. The degree of portfolio diversification of a firms controlling owner may influence its choice of riskiness of firm strategies. The reason is that an expected-utility-maximizing risk-averse owner takes into account the variance of the private real estates overall wealth when making decisions on behalf of the firm the CEO controls. Drivers of diversification from equities Drivers of rents Demand-GDP, business and financial services, consumer spending, distribution, general price inflation, technology, profitability and other investment sentiment drivers. Supply-Construction, planning, obsolescence Drivers of yields Interest rates/term structure, credit availability, credit sentiment (high grade versus low grade), property sentiment. Other factors Tax/political risks, property specific (e.g. lease structures) The earlier studies revealed real estate, with all its illiquidity, management intensity and information asymmetry, does exhibit characteristics that complement the multi-asset portfolio by contributing diversification (Lekander, 2015). But the findings go further to suggest that diversification objectives in low-risk overall strategies are best achieved via types of real estate in which the tenant demand is less affected by global factors, whereas diversification strategies for higher overall risk strategies are best supported by real estate strategies focusing on globally dependent real estate (Lekander, 2015). When accounting for the cost of liquidity, by defining the market value as the mean of the buyer reservation price distribution, a different return pattern emerges. This has implications on the correlation characteristics of real estate, reducing the real estates diversification potential. A similar bias affects investment indices through the population of transactions available to the appraiser to determine price evidence. As such, there is a risk that the return indices measuring private real estate performance are based on market evidence that suffers from selection bias and appraisal smoothing, thus skewing the characteristics of the private real estate returns. A form test of the superiority of economic-based diversification strategies for real estate portfolio diversification was undertaken by Mueller (1992). Mueller (1992) showed that a diversification strategy based on his own classification, which relies solely on economic base, provided even greater risk-adjusted return possibilities. Data and Quantitative Analysis Model The estimates produced and updated are based on a two-quadrant approach looking at private real estate (holdings of funds and other private investors) and private real estate debt (lending by banks and other institutions). I consider a situation in which a firms controlling owner is entitled to a proportion of the firms cash flow. In addition, the firms owner is endowed with initial wealth x outside of the controlled firm, which is invested in an imperfectly diversified portfolio with a normally distributed return, whose mean is and whose standard deviation is . Our model abstracts from the reasons for imperfect diversification of the firms owner, which is a feature consistent with the data. The focus is on the effects of imperfect diversification of owners portfolios on controlled firms investment strategies. I assume that the firms controlling owner is risk-averse and that the CEO maximizes the expected utility of his or her terminal wealth, . This utility is given by , where is the firm owners Arrow-Pratt coefficient of absolute risk aversion. Assuming that the firms cash flow (discussed below) is normally distributed, investors expected utility maximization simplifies into the mean-variance criterion: . The model shows that in order to understand the impact of firm owners portfolio diversification on firms investment strategies, it is crucial to consider simultaneous choices of both the level and riskiness of firms investments. The analysis focuses on the relation between owners portfolio diversification and firms investment level, extends and complements the existing literature that focuses on the riskiness of firms investment. The interaction between these two decisions results in a non-trivial and somewhat surprising relation between owners portfolio diversification and the level of her or his firms capital investment. Comparative statics Lemma 1: If the investment capacity constraint is not binding in equilibrium, then the firms equilibrium level of capital investment and its riskiness, and respectively, are given by the following system of equations: , subject to . I am interested in the effects of controlling owners portfolio diversification on the choice of the level and riskiness of capital investment of constrained and unconstrained firms. In what follows, we present comparative statics of the firms investment level and its riskiness with respect to the standard deviation of the owners portfolio, . I also graphically illustrate these comparative statics using the numerical example to help explain the intuition. Totally differentiating the unconstrained equilibrium conditions in (3) and (4) with respect to owners portfolio standard deviation produces the following result: Proposition 1 For a firm whose capital investment is unconstrained in equilibrium, , equilibrium level of capital investment and its riskiness, and respectively, are decreasing in the standard deviation of firm owners portfolio, . The owners objective function is: subject to Maximizing the owners expected utility in (5) with respect to , while assuming that the investment capacity is binding, i.e., that , leads to the following result: Lemma 2 If the investment capacity constraint is binding, , then the firms equilibrium riskiness of investment, , is given by the following equation: Data The UK data are from the Investors Chronicle Hillier Parker (ICHP) Index and comprise 32 semi-annual observations from 1977 to 1993. The UK data are available disaggregated by three property types (offices; industrial; and retail) and by 11 regions (London, South East, South West, East Anglia, East Midlands, West Midlands, Wales, Yorkshire and Humberside, North, North West, Scotland). The data exclude shopping centres, mixed use buildings, and business space. Data for the U.K. 11 regions were also aggregated to produce three super regions as suggested by Key et al. (1994). These regions are London, South and North. Quantitative Analysis Results The estimated correlation matrices for the three UK property types and three UK regions are shown in Table I and II. As the number of regions differs from the number of property types, there is no test for the UK 11 region data comparable with the one undertaken above. It is, nonetheless, informative to analyse this data. This is done by calculating the correlations between all market segments, in which a market segment is defined as one property type in one region. The full matrix is given in Table III. In the UK it is a conventional wisdom that retail property offers least scope for regional diversification: retail sales tend not to have strong regional differences and the supply response of the retail property market does not differ significantly across regions. In contrast, in the office market, as the London market is driven by the financial sector has a strong international dimension; opportunities should exist for regional diversification within the office market. Table I. UK correlations based on semi-annual returns for 11 regions and three property types (1977-1993) In conclusion, the results show that the scope for diversification within a region varies from region to region and is greatest the further from London, while the diversification within property type is generally limited but is better for office and industrial property. Retail property is poorly correlated with either industrial or offices. Thus, full diversification by both property type and region is to be preferred. Table II Insignificant correlations between market segments by property type, based on semi-annual returns, UK, 1977-1993 IPD/MSCI Data to Explore the Most Important Characteristics of Diversification in Private Real Estate MSCI IPD is the only global provided of appraisal-based total return indices for private real estate across a number of different geographical markets. In this subsection, we look at the main factors affecting the performance of financial investments, i.e. economic growth, inflation and interest rates. These are the most important characteristics in driving differences in performance across the private real estate market over the past few decades. Also, the impact of these factors is partially overlaid with endogenous dynamics of real estate markets resulting from lagged responses of supply and demand. This subsection mainly suggests a specific real estate factor may exist that drives real estate returns but is not common with the drivers of equities or bonds, indicating the existence of long-term diversification benefits of private real estate. Table III: Comparison of key statistics for selected total return indices in the UK UK (1990-2014, monthly) Average return Standard deviation Sharpe ratio Private RE (smoothed) 7.46% 3.76% 0.69 Private RE (unsmoothed) 7.46% 7.49% 0.37 Private Re (trans.-based) 10.39% 8.84% 0.06 Source: IPD and EPRA. IPD data available since 1987 but presented since 1990 to align with other indices. Sharpe ratio calculated relative to three-month T-bills. Table IV: Overview of average annual returns and volatilities for selected international private real estate indices Table IV summarizes the risk-return statistics of the IPD and NCREIF indices across a number of countries. Whilst we are aware that the statistical significance of comparisons based on only few observations is low, it is striking that the UK market is among the most volatile ones. The broad market opinion that the UK real estate market observes tends to see stronger cyclical movements. On the other hand, the UK private real estate market offers higher liquidity and market depth. Changes in the levels and volatility of returns from commercial real estate investments in the UK over a rolling ten-year view is presented in Figure 1. Figure 1: Rolling ten-year average returns and return volatilities in the UK The risk-return profile of the UK market shows a regime shift following the financial crisis. Also, for the UK, unsmoothed real estate indices show Sharpe ratios comparable or slightly above the levels measured for equity and bond indices. However, one needs to consider that risk-return profiles may not be stable over time. Also, the risk-return profiles of investments may be different for long-term investors, although there is no conclusive evidence that the reduction of the effective volatility should be higher for real estate than for other types of assets. However, the fact that a high proportion of the return is derived from income may indeed favor real estate in the long term. Real estate factor The existence of a specific real estate factor is highly relevant for the construction of investment portfolios based on fundamental factors. Recent research supports the existence of such a factor for commercial private real estate. In order to verify the existence of a real estate factor, I ran a factor analysis for the UK following the reasoning of Mei and Lee (1994). Monthly data were used in the UK. A higher absolute value for a loading means that the factor has a higher impact, positive or negative, on the returns of the index, while a value close to zero indicates no significant impact. Table 5: Factor loading of stocks, bonds and alternative real estate index returns Source: my own calculations. The highest absolute loading for each index has been highlighted in bold in Table 5. While the levels of the loadings are not directly interpretable, the regularity in their relative values is striking. Factor F1 loads highly on stock market indices and on pubic real estate indices. In fact, it appears to represent mainly listed real estate, while pure stock indices are also influenced by F3. Factor F2 loads very highly on all private real estate indices, both smoothed and unsmoothed, as well as transaction-based indices. Factor F3 loads most strongly on bond indices and to a lower extent on stock indices. It appears justified to label F1 as a stock market factor and F2 as a real estate factor, while F3 could be associated with monetary factors such as interest rates. The above results represent a strong indication that the factor that drives direct real estate returns may indeed differ from the one that drives the returns of equities or bonds. While it is impossible to conclude on t he basis of this analysis what particular risks or drivers this factor might reflect, they seem to be different to the risks and drivers behind the equities or fixed income, which should create diversification potential. Conclusion The sections above have provided a critical appraisal of the literature on diversification within private real estate portfolios. For the UK, the opposite result was obtained for retail property and diversification across both property types and regions was to be preferred for the other two property types. The results offer some insights into real estate performance and may offer some input into the determination of a diversification ion strategy for a real estate portfolio. There are two major qualifications on the results. The first is that they are historical results and they may not be a good proxy for the future correlations. Historical returns are unlikely to be a good proxy for future returns and that probably also holds for the correlations calculated between real estate categories. The second qualification is that investors have objectives, which are more complex than just the trade-off between the level of period return and volatility of period return. Behind the analysis of regional economic base is the reasonable presumption that similarity in economic structure and performance should lead to similarity in real estate performance. However, such analyses, which focus on demand proxies, ignore supply or, at best, assume no differences in supply responses across property type or region. Testing the economic base ideas with highly disaggregated returns data is therefore very important. The UK data allow comparisons of the economic similarity of regions and the similarity of property performance. It would then be possible to infer from the UK results whether the proxying of real estate performance with economic performance is valid and perhaps at what spatial scale. Table III Real Estate Portfolio Diversification References Amihud, Y. and Lev, B., 1981. Risk reduction as a managerial motive for conglomerate mergers.   The bell journal of economics, pp.605-617. Ang, A., 2012. RealAssets. Columbia Business School Research Paper No. 12-60.   Faccio, M., Marchica, M.T. and Mura, R., 2011. Large shareholder diversification and corporate   risk-taking. Review of Financial Studies, 24(11), pp.3601-3641. Firstenberg, P.M., Ross, S.A. and Zisler, R.C., 1988. Real estate: the whole story. The Journal of  Portfolio Management, 14(3), pp.22-34. Gormley, T.A., Matsa, D.A. and Milbourn, T., 2013. CEO compensation and corporate risk:   Evidence from a natural experiment. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 56(2), pp.79-101. Hoesli, M., Lekander, J. and Witkiewicz, W., 2004. International evidence on real estate as a   portfolio diversifier. Journal of Real Estate Research, 26(2), pp.161-206. Hoesli, M. and Lizieri, C., 2007. Real estate in the investment portfolio. A report for the   Investment Strategy Council of the Royal Ministry of Finance. Key, T., Zarkesh, F., MacGregor, B. and Nanthakumaran, N., 1994. Understanding the property   cycle. Main report: Economic cycles and property cycles. London: RICS. Lekander, J.R., 2015. Real estate portfolio construction for a multi-asset portfolio. Journal ofProperty Investment Finance, 33(6), pp.548-573. Lizieri, C., 2013. After the fall: Real estate in the mixed-asset portfolio in the aftermath of the   global financial crisis. The Journal of Portfolio Management, 39(5), pp.43-59. Lyandres, E., Marchica, M.T., Michaely, R. and Mura, R., 2015. Owners Portfolio   Diversification and Firm Investment: Evidence from Private and Public Firms. Mueller, G. and Ziering, B., 1992. Real estate portfolio diversification using economic   diversification. Journal of Real Estate Research, 7(4), pp.375-386. Seiler, M., Webb, J. and Neil Mye, F., 2001. Can private real estate portfolios be   rebalanced/diversified using equity REIT shares?. Journal of R

Basics of Human Gene Therapy :: Genetics Science Essays

Basics of Human Gene Therapy Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was no cancer? No heart disease? No blood problems? Everyone wants to be healthy and have a healthy family but some diseases are genetically related. How are these diseases avoided? This question was pondered by molecular biologists and geneticists. What they developed will revolutionize medicine and health care as we know it. The technique used to try to cure these "incurable" genetic diseases is called human gene therapy. Gene therapy is by no means a new field of scientific query. The idea was first proposed back in the 1950's when Watson and Crick described a model of the double-stranded helix of DNA (Griffith 316). Knowing that DNA is composed of nucleotide base pairs in certain ways, scientists began to ask questions about the DNA structure in the 1970's (Becker) . If the bases can be arranged "incorrectly", then why can't they be rearranged in the "correct" way to produce the desired effect? Genetic experiments involving base pairing went on for years. After these years experiments with bacteria and viruses began. The genetic codes of these cells were changed to express different products like insulin. These products are human based but can be produced by non-human cells. This led to more thoughts and questions. If a bacteria cell can be altered to produce a human product, then why can't a human cell which can't produce this product be altered to produce it also? New experiments began with animal s and creatures with larger genomes. Answers formed from the animal experiments. Technical advances occurred to the point that gene therapy could be performed on humans. Gene therapy has now become a relatively simple process. The basics of the process are the identification of the gene in question, duplication of that gene, and insertion of the gene into the human genome needing the gene (CIS) . The gene that needs to be altered or replaced must be identified. The correctly functioning gene that replaces the defective gene must first be isolated and then duplicated. The gene in question can be isolated by attaching a molecular marker to the gene. The gene is then removed from the genome by a restriction enzyme that will break the genome only at the desired base junctions (i.e. when ATA is next to GAT). Genes removed from the genome can be duplicated easily by PCR. PCR is a process where the genetic sequence of the gene is replicated by the introduction of base pairs in the sequence along with replication enzymes, which induce, cause, and proofread replication. Basics of Human Gene Therapy :: Genetics Science Essays Basics of Human Gene Therapy Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was no cancer? No heart disease? No blood problems? Everyone wants to be healthy and have a healthy family but some diseases are genetically related. How are these diseases avoided? This question was pondered by molecular biologists and geneticists. What they developed will revolutionize medicine and health care as we know it. The technique used to try to cure these "incurable" genetic diseases is called human gene therapy. Gene therapy is by no means a new field of scientific query. The idea was first proposed back in the 1950's when Watson and Crick described a model of the double-stranded helix of DNA (Griffith 316). Knowing that DNA is composed of nucleotide base pairs in certain ways, scientists began to ask questions about the DNA structure in the 1970's (Becker) . If the bases can be arranged "incorrectly", then why can't they be rearranged in the "correct" way to produce the desired effect? Genetic experiments involving base pairing went on for years. After these years experiments with bacteria and viruses began. The genetic codes of these cells were changed to express different products like insulin. These products are human based but can be produced by non-human cells. This led to more thoughts and questions. If a bacteria cell can be altered to produce a human product, then why can't a human cell which can't produce this product be altered to produce it also? New experiments began with animal s and creatures with larger genomes. Answers formed from the animal experiments. Technical advances occurred to the point that gene therapy could be performed on humans. Gene therapy has now become a relatively simple process. The basics of the process are the identification of the gene in question, duplication of that gene, and insertion of the gene into the human genome needing the gene (CIS) . The gene that needs to be altered or replaced must be identified. The correctly functioning gene that replaces the defective gene must first be isolated and then duplicated. The gene in question can be isolated by attaching a molecular marker to the gene. The gene is then removed from the genome by a restriction enzyme that will break the genome only at the desired base junctions (i.e. when ATA is next to GAT). Genes removed from the genome can be duplicated easily by PCR. PCR is a process where the genetic sequence of the gene is replicated by the introduction of base pairs in the sequence along with replication enzymes, which induce, cause, and proofread replication.

Why Hamlet is a Tragic Hero and the Play a Classic Tragedy :: essays research papers

Dear Kylie, I noticed your submission to Culture Magazine, regarding Shakespeare’s great play â€Å"Hamlet†. Having recently studied â€Å"Hamlet† in Year 12 English, I think I can help answer one of your questions. You asked why is Hamlet regarded as a tragic hero and the play a classic tragedy? Before I can answer your question, you must first understand the difference between the meaning of tragedy today and what is meant by tragedy in drama. Whereas a tragedy in life may be considered something such as a death or accident, in drama a tragedy in drama is much more. In a tragedy, although the hero may be in conflict with an opposing force, the cause of his downfall falls ultimately on himself. This is usually because of a character defect – a â€Å"tragic flaw† which causes him to act in a way which ends up bringing about his own misfortune, suffering and ultimately death. â€Å"Hamlet† is very much a tragedy, but it is also different, being a revenge tragedy where the hero is driven by the need for revenge, not unlike a modern day horror movie. Prince Hamlet is a tragedy of character where it is himself that brings his downfall, not fate. Well Kylie, a tragedy is usually a story of one person, with both the hero victims in the play usually of a high standing of society. This is especially the case in â€Å"Hamlet†, with his victims being King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonious, Laertes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, all being linked to the Royal Family of Denmark. A personality fault (the tragic flaw) causes the hero to act in a manner which brings about his own misfortune and eventually death, during which he lets the audience know he is dying by delivering a final speech. In â€Å"Hamlet†, it is his tragic flaw of his indecisiveness and inability to act, which brings his own suffering and misfortune. Had he been able to kill King Claudius in the beginning none of the suffering would have occurred. He also delivers his final speech telling the audience of his death, â€Å"I am dead Horatio. Wretched queen, adieu!† he exclaims after being poisoned by Laertes envenomed rapier. In a tragedy the pity and fear (known in drama as pathos) is ultimately replaced by an uplifting and suffering (known in drama as catharsis) Hamlet’s acts cause suffering but in the end ultimately achieve learning. Hamlet’s ultimate death teaches the country of Denmark about Claudius’s murder and brings them under the reins of a new ruler Fortinbras of Norway.

Exploring Gardners Theory on Multiple Intelligences Essay -- Educatio

Howard Gardner used to define intelligence as â€Å"the ability to solve problems or to create products that are valued within one or more cultural settings† (Gardner 33). The modern day human being would most likely include the words â€Å"smart† and â€Å"dumb† in their definition of intelligence. Gardner questioned the belief of only one intelligence so he created his own theory that involved seven different discoveries. He didn’t want to call these discoveries â€Å"skills† or â€Å"talents† or gifts† because those all suggested a drawback so he decided on the word â€Å"intelligence,† creating his theory of multiple intelligences (Gardner 33). Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences including, linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, intrapersonal and interpersonal, has many implications for modern education and culture. Howard Gardner grew up in Pennsylvania in the late 1940’s, although his parents were originally from Germany. He attended Harvard as an undergraduate with the hopes of becoming a lawyer and with a major in history. However, as soon as he became the mentee of Erik Erikson, a well-known psychoanalyst, his interests started to change. Gardner entered the doctoral program at Harvard and received his PhD in 1971 with a dissertation on style sensitivity in children. During his years of doctoral study he became a part of the Project Zero, which does research on arts education, and he now co-directs the project. Gardner’s work with Project Zero led to the Project on Human Potential, which resulted in his first well-known book, Frames of Mind. He has written many books since then including, The Shattered Mind and Multiple Intelligences, and he is â€Å"currently Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Har... ...ly. It’s not Gardner’s goal to take over the education system and have it all reformed, but he does want educators to rethink their everyday lessons and see if they can improve them using his theory in order to broaden the comprehension of ideas to all students. Now all our society has to do is learn how to use this theory as an advantage and put all the intelligences to work. Gardner has started this concept of multiple intelligences but no one knows where it will end and what other implications it will have along the way. Works Cited Gardner, Howard. Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York, NY: Basic, 1999. Print. Smith, Mark K. "Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences and Education." The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.