Drinking Age Essay Example for Free

Drinking Age Essay The drinking age was moved from 18 to 21 for a reason. The higher drinking age of 21 has saved many lives, helped reduce the amount of underage drinking, and therefore should not be lowered. Many studies from a large variety of sources have proven higher drinking ages have a positive effect on society. Alcohol is harmful to the development of younger people. Research has shown that an adult is less likely to binge drink (have five or more drinks in a row). According to statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, teens become intoxicated twice as fast as adults. Because the teens get drunk faster they are less likely to know when to stop and to go past their limit, causing harm to themselves and others. The Human brain continues to develop after adolescence and into our 20’s. According to a study on the neurocognitive effects of alcohol on adolescents and college students, drinking is harmful to the brain. Since the brains of all people under 21 are still developing, and most are in college, alcohol can prove very detrimental to the development of their brain and can harm their studies, and thus their futures. Underage drinking also largely contributes to many social problems include those such as: impaired driving, fighting, sexual activity, and smoking (Pediatrics 2006; 119:76-85). People have proposed that a 40 hour educational course should entitle people under 21 to drink. Research shows that educating youth drivers does not prevent youth crashes, however restrictions such as a limitation on the amount of passengers a youth driver can have, and curfews do help restrict the amount of youth crashes. The same philosophy applies to drinking. Educating young people about drinking responsibly, and the damage that drinking can do will not prevent alcohol related incidents, or underage â€Å"binge† drinking, but restrictions like the current laws will help prevent these (National Institutes of Health , â€Å"Fact Sheet: Underage Drinking†). Alcohol has a direct effect on the amount of car crashes and crime levels around the world. Studies show that since the legal age was change from 18 to 21 the number of vehicle related accidents has  dropped 16 percent (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Other studies have shown that since the legal drinking age was raised over 25,000 live were saved (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs). Many European countries have lower drinking ages, and many people say that their system is better. Since alcohol is more readily available in these nations there are more underage drinkers than other countries where alcohol is more limited. Studies have also shown that alcohol cause more problems in Europe than America (DiClemente, Ralph J.:Pediatrics 107). These issues include underage drunkenness, injury, rape, and school problems. â€Å"The concept that a person becomes a full adult at age 21 dates back centuries in English common law; 21 was the age at which a person could, among other things, vote and become a knight. Since a person was an official adult at age 21, it seemed to make sense that they could drink then, too† (Ethan Trex: http://www.mentalfloss.com /article/19437/why-drinking-age-21). Certain European nations and states allow drinking with a parent’s consent or drinking in the privacy of the home. Many people claim that this helps reduce underage binge drinking by introducing youths to alcohol at an earlier age in a controlled environment. Research has shown that this is not true (Fell, James: Debating Reform), because the youths feel they have their parent’s permission to drink they are more likely to believe it is okay for them to drink in situations outside the home, which can lead to intoxicated driving, and other harmful acts. Some argument for lowering the drinking age claim that alcohol is more enticing to youths when they can’t have it, and if the legal age was lowered there would be less underage drinking problems. Studies and history have proven this wrong (Fell, James: Debating Reform). Before the drinking age was raised in the U.S. there was a larger underage drinking problem, and over twice as many fatal alcohol related accidents as today. Sources: European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. DiClemente, Ralph J. et al â€Å"Parental Monitoring: Association With Adolescents Risk Behaviors† Pediatrics 107: 6 June 2001, 1363-1368 Fell, James. From â€Å"Chapter 2: Federalism: Resolved, the Federal Government should restore each State’s freedom to set its drinking age.† in Ellis, Richard and Nelson, Michael (eds.) Debating Reform. CQPress Publishers, Fall 2009. Fell, J.; â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Age Policy Knowledge Asset,† website created by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Substance Abuse Policy Research Program; March 2009. Fell, James C. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Oct. 2008 â€Å"An Examination of the Criticisms of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 Laws in the United States from a Traffic-Safety Perspective† National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis â€Å"Lives Saved in 2007 by Restraint Use and Minimum Drinking Age Laws† DOT HS 811 049 A Brief Statistical Summary November 2008. National Institutes of Health, â€Å"Fact Sh eet: Underage Drinking† National Institutes of Health, â€Å"Fact Sheet: Alcohol-related Traffic Deaths† National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Statistics on Underage Drinking National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, â€Å"Research Findings on Underage Drinking and the Minimum Legal Drinking Age† National Institutes of Health, Alcohol Policy Information System â€Å"The 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act† Shults, Ruth A., Elder, Randy W., Sleet, David A., Nichols, James L., Alao, Mary O. Carande-Kulis, Vilma G., Zaza, Stephanie, Sosin, Daniel M., Thompson, Robert S., and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. â€Å"Reviews of Evidence Regarding Interventions to Reduce Alcohol-Impaired Driving.† Am J Prev Med 2001;21(4S). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking 20 07. Zeigler DW, Wang CC, Yoast RA, Dickinson BD, Mccaffree MA, Robinowitz CB, et al. The Neurocognitive Effects of Alcohol on Adolescents and College Students. Prev Med 2005 Jan;40(1):23-32. http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html

The Origins Of Nike Commerce Essay

The Origins Of Nike Commerce Essay Nike was founded by Mr. Phil Knight and his past coach Bill Bowerman in 1964 and they started Blue Ribbon Sports. Knights first shoe was called Tiger and then began distribution of shoes. Blue Ribbon got great success in 1971 and Knight changes the company name Nike. In 1971 it introduced Nikes first brand line. Nike launched its product line in 1979. The new version of its Air shoe which was very successful and it was known as Air Jordan; introduced in 1985. Nike opened its first retail outlet in Portland, Oregon in 1990. In 1991 the company was very successful and its revenue reached USD $3 billion. In 1999 company started selling its products directly to customers from its website. Nike is the worlds leading sports and athletic shoes. Nike is the major manufacturer of sports equipment with $18.6 billion USD in the year of 2008. Nike has 30000 employees in worldwide. (Nikebiz:company overview, 2010) Nike had generated profits of $97.4 million and its profit dropped down by 50% in February 2001. Nike said that it was because of the failure of supply chain software produced by i2 technologies. Both companies blamed each other. This failure also effected Nikes reputation. The supply chain software was the first segment of NSC (Nike Supply Chain) project from SAP and also customer relationship management software from Siebel System. Analysts pointed out the fault of customization of the software and over demand forecasting. (Koah, 2004) Company successfully implemented (NSC) Nike Supply Chain project by 2004. The (NSC) Nike Supply Chain project is centralized planning moving and manufacturing. At last Nike got success in Implementing ERP and it became the desired approach for those who want to implement the ERP systems in their company. Christopher Koch (Editor of CIO Magazine) stated that If it was easy, everyone would just do it. In the late 1990, most companies avoided to adopt ERP because of the huge cost of ERP systems. (Koch, 2004) The lesson of Nikes failure and subsequent rebound lies in the fact that it had a sound business plan that was widely understood and accepted at every level of the company. Given that resiliency it afforded the company, in the end the i2 failure turned out to be just a speed bump. (Koah, 2004) Products Range Nike has wide range of sports equipment, running shoes, and jerseys and may other products as shown in figure 1. Figure Nike Products (nike, 2010) ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) ERP entitles a companys information system which can bring more closely the companys departments and functions like human resources, finance and inventories. It also creates the link between customers and producers. 1.1 Introduction of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Enterprise Resource Planning is the enterprise system tool which manages demand and supply. It has the ability to make link between customers and suppliers. ERP also provides the high degree of integration between purchasing, manufacturing, marketing, sales, logistics and marketing. ERP is the tool which can provide high level of customer services and productivity and also lower the cost. (Wallace Kremzar, 2001) Enterprise Resource Planning is a company which increase it sales by 20% because of ERP. The vice president states that ERP has provided the key to becoming a truly global company. Design can be made with the accurate data and with the process that concretes demand and supply across border and oceans. This change is worth billion to us in sales worldwide. (Wallace Kremzar, 2001) The Director of ERP For the first time ever, we have a good handle on our future requirements for components raw and materials. When our customer demand changes, we-ourselves and our suppliers-can manage changes to our schedules on a very coordinated and controlled basis. I dont see how any company can do effective supply chain management without ERP. (Wallace Kremzar, 2001) 1.2 Origin of the Term ERP The Enterprise Resource Planning ERP developed from Manufacture Resource Planning (MRP). The ERP was introduced by an analytical firm Garner. Enterprise Resource Planning has all the functions of an enterprise except organisation business or charter. Many organisations like IBM, Dell and HP Microsoft, Intel and many other organisations are now using ERP systems. The ERP systems are typically for large and more broadly based applications although it is also used in small and medium sized businesses. The ERP systems provide standardization, lower maintenance and it can store all data in one database. So, we can say that it has greater reporting capabilities. ERP includes other applications like Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP), Financials Resource Management (FRM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Human Resources Management (HRM). (Leon , 2008) Figure : Information integration through ERP (ERP, 2010) 1.3 Overview of ERP Many organisations choose to implement one part for ERP systems and stand-alone systems for the other ERP applications need to develop an external interface to the other ERP system. Because in an organisation one vendor choose to use human resource management system and the financial system choose another and integration between those systems. It is very common in midsized retailer and the retail sector will have a point of sale (POS) and financial application then they have a specialized application to handle other business requirements like logistics and merchandising. (Leon , 2008) The quality of ERP system is that it provides a single database which contains all the data for the software module also shown in figure 3: Manufacturing   Supply Chain Management   Financials   Projects   Human Resources Customer Relationship Management   (Leon , 2008) Figure ERP Database (google, 2010) 1.4 Reasons for Buying ERP Software In these days when the business environment is increasingly complex and highly competitive then the organisations need the IT system which is highly competitive with time management. The organisations need the outstanding performance in their business by utilizing the time in the correct way. Enterprise system utilize the company time correctly. Enterprise Resource Planning is the planning in which the business resources like material, employees and customers moved from one state to another state. An ERP system maintains the data which connects with the business functions like manufacturing, supply chain, Management, finance, human resource, customer relationship management. (Leon , 2008) 1.5 Reasons of ERP projects Failure Sometimes ERP projects fail if you do not implement them well. There are some of the reasons for the failure of ERP failure. The company selected the wrong software of ERP for the company. The training of employee is also very important and some organisations dont train well their employees. Some software is heavily customized and if these are not match with the companys IT infrastructure then there can be problem. If we do not implement the effective change management strategies then it can be the result of failure of the project. If the business merger leaves out the work in the process then it can be also a big loss.(Glenn, 2008) There are also some factors from where we can achieve the successful ERP projects by selecting the right software for the company. Give the right training to employees. For implementing the ERP we have to manage each approach and utilize the best practices for implementing ERP software. (Starinsky, 2001) I found some important realities about ERP are that there is no perfect ERP system exists. We cannot say that any ERP implementation is ever perfect. If two companies have the same ERP software but the implementation cannot be the same because every company has its own style of implementation. (Leon , 2008) SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Supply Chain Management is a network that is involved buying, making, moving, selling and distribution. (Hugos, 2006) A supply chain is a network of facilities and distribution options that performs the functions of procurement of materials, transformation of materials into intermediate and finished products and the distribution of these finished products to customers. (Hugos, 2006) Buying Making Moving Ware housing Selling Selling Buying Making Movin Ware housing Figure Supply Chain (Supplychain, 2010) 2 Nikes Supply Chain Nikes supply chain theme is centralization. All products designs, making and delivery is centralized from Beaverton, Oregon in the US. Nike operations were divided into five regions USA, Middle East, Africa, Asia and America which included Canada, Mexico and Latin and American countries. In 1975, Nike launched one program which is known as future program for managing its footwear products. In this program Nikes retailers placed their orders before six months. Then these orders moved manufacturing units around the globe. The supply chain worked nicely at that time. Nike Company became spreading more and more globally. Nike felt that its supply chain needed rapid changes. The manufacturing process also became very complex because some models like Air Jordan Sneakers required 130 steps to manufacturing. In 1998 Nikes profit dropped down by 50% also shown in figure 5. Nike mentioned that they had problems with the existing supply chain systems. To overcome this problem Nike launched one project known as NSC (Nike Supply Chain) project. (Koch, 2004) Figure : Profit dropped down by 50% (investment, 2010) This was a massive project in which the global operations were operated centralization to implement ERP, supply chain and customer relationship management on a single SAP system as shown in Table 1. Many changes were made various times to fix the supply chain and these changes created serious problems and in the result Nike had to move a whole new system. (Royal, 2001) Table : ENTERPRISE APPLICATION IMPLEMENTATION AT NIKE (CGT, 2010) Company Solution SAP ERP i2 Planning Siebel CRM PeopleSoft Human Capital Management (HR Systems) PTC Product Data Management, Product Life Cycle management See Beyond Application Integration Marc Globe Warehouse Management Systems HP Unix Serves Supporting all supply chain systems IBM Systems integrators other professional services 2.1 i2s Software Implementation 2.1.1 Background Nikes supply chain theme is centralization. All products designs, making and delivery is centralized from Beaverton, Ore. The problem was that the supply chain was built for six months cycle which is also called future program. This future program was developed in 1975. At that time Nike made its market space because people at that time did not much care about the style or looks. Their attention was that they need technically advanced shoes which were steady and fit. (Koah, 2004) 2.1.2 Need the i2 software for better supply chain Nike got the global demand and its supply chain broken down because of the high demand from all over the globe. By 1998, Nike had 27 order management systems all over the globe which were poorly linked with Beaverton. Another problem with these systems was that these were highly customized. At that point Nike needed the ERP system which can handle the manufacturing cycle for up to six months. Nike also decided that the needed the systems which were centralized. For that reason the ERP software like SAPs R/3 software were better for the Nikes supply chain strategy. The software was included with i2 supply, demand and collaboration planner software applications. In the beginning of 1999 Nike decided to implement i2 software. I2 software implementation was the first part of NSC project. The cost of this project was US $40 million. (Koch, 2004) Table i2 SCM Proposed Benefits (Industrial Supply Chain management Solution -i2-Planning, 2010) Solution Objective Challenge Capability Benefit Strategic Planning Maximize profitability by optimally allocating resources Unclear parameters Optimization Long term profitability Demand management Anticipate and influence demand Accurate demand estimation is difficult Demand planning, channel collaboration Improved customer service Supply planning Determine what to make and when and how to profitably distribute supply Size and complexity of problem Collaboration, optimization, Speed Global visibility and coordination , fast reaction to changes Production Determine what to produce and when Managing material capacity tradeoffs is complex Fast finite material capacity planning scheduling Reduced inventory, Improved due date performance 2.1.3 Reasons of i2 software failure There were many reasons for i2 failure. Nike did not show patience during the implementation of the first part of its NSC (Nike Supply Chain) project. Nike decided to install its i2 software while Nike was using its legacy systems. The legacy systems were highly customized. The i2 software also needed to be highly customized because they have to be operated by Nikes Legacy systems. Even one entry took too much time to be recorded by the i2 software. This problem was the unexpected setback. The main fault was that the system ignored some orders and made duplicate the other orders. The ordered data was also deleted after six to eight weeks when it was entered. It was impossible for the company to recall the order had asked to produce. The complications of NSC project are also one of the reasons of the failure. The i2 software failed in demand forecast as shown in the figure 6. In some places Nike has excess inventory and in shortage of inventory in other places. Because of i2 software failure Nikes profit dropped down by 50% from USD $798 million to US $399 million. (Koah, 2004) Figure i2 software failure (Koah, 2004) 2.2 IMPLEMENTING SAP APPAREL AND FOOTWEAR SOLUTION (AFS) Nike had decided to implement the SAP Apparel and footwear solution. AFS is a part of SAP ERP project. This software is based on SAP r/3 and especially for footwear industry. Nike chose to implement other SAP applications like SCM and (B/W) Business information warehouse. Nike is also considering the SAP Net weaver platform in near future. Figure 7 shows the sample structure of SAP Net Weaver Implementation. (Koah, 2004) Figure SAP Net Weaver Implementation (Koah, 2004) Nike did not implement the first version of AFS although Nike had purchased SAP AFS in 1998. This new version of SAP AFS was the base of NSC Project. The SAP module implementations at Nikes were Financial Control (FICO), Sales Distribution (SD), Material Management (MM) and Production Planning (PP). These interfaced fully with Nikes i2 demand-planning and Siebel CRM software. (Koah, 2004) 2.2.1 Strategy for implementing ERP system Nike adopted the Big Bang approach for implementing ERP software by installing all SAP components like planning order entry financials etc. all at once. This task had a high degree of integration between its footwear and apparel sectors. Because of SAP (AFS) the company took full control on both area footwear and apparel of supply chain from raw material until delivery. (Sussman, May 2004) In 2000, Nike Canada became a company which implemented SAP (AFS) along i2 applications and Siebel CRM. The software was used multiple HP enterprise servers because on HP-UC (1) 11 operating environment. HP was chosen because it had experience in SAP and i2 applications. (Sussman, May 2004) 2.2.2 Benefits NSC Project allowed the company to make build-to-order supply chain. Before implementing NSC project Nike purchased products from manufacturers about 9 to 10 months before and on the other hand Nikes retailers ordered for only 6 months. The project enabled Nike to shorten the time for footwear products from nine to six months because of implementing this NSC project. Now Nike can buy from partner factories on the base of actual requirements rather than forecast alone. Another benefit of this project was that it had directly benefited on the financial management. This project gave better integration between departments. (Barrett, 2003) According to Shelley Dewey, Vice president, Nike Supply Checain, The transition of business team members into IT savvy individuals and IT team members into business process experts was an unexpected bonus of the project effort. We are a much stronger team for having done this work. (Clark, July 2004) Recommendations During late 1990 most companies avoided to implement ERP systems because of the huge cost and the project was time consume. But Nike has invested on ERP system and they proved that although they paid a huge cost for implementing ERP system but it worth a lot. We can also observe the complex of implementing ERP system from that if it was easy to implement ERP system then everybody did it at that time. Nike has implemented the NSC (Nike Supply Chain Project). But for this success Nike has paid a huge amount and time. Although the company has implemented SAP system but there was still problem that it did not accept direct point of sale (POS) data in integration with retailers data. The forecasting function is also less accurate because company knew only about the retailers buying and not have any information that what the customer buying. Nike has invested a lot on this project and now Nike has to make this system perfect because small bugs became a huge problem to fix. In the beginning of ERP implementation Nike had faced difficulties but now Nike has those approaches that many companies to follow that approach. But Nike has to aware consistently about the problem in ERP sectors and also makes changes its strategy in the future with market environment.

Insight Meditation :: essays research papers

Buddhist meditation practices often emphasize mainly concentration, particularly on a certain person, place or thing. They teach the mind to focus on one point or object, which achieves strength of concentration. The results are peaceful states, and in some very rare cases are said to create supernormal powers. That is no wonder why many people steer in that direction, in hopes of achieving "superpowers". Insight meditation is quite different however, and although some degree of concentration is needed, the meditator focuses more on mindfulness of the situation. Insight is defined in the dictionary as "the capacity to discern the true nature of a situation". The basis of insight meditation is the four foundations of mindfulness. They include contemplation of the body, contemplation of feelings, contemplation of the mind-state and contemplation of mind-objects. To achieve mindfulness one must try to be aware of these foundations as they exist in their bodies. For example to be mindful of the body, it is necessary to be aware of breathing in, breathing out, posture, bodily movements inwardly and outwardly etc. One must be conscious of mind-objects such as desire, and understand hoe feelings like that come about and how they are eliminated. To understand mindfulness as simply as possible, one can look at the difference between an unmindful person and the opposite. Everyday we see people who are unmindful of their actions, unmindful of their movements. Someone on the street who steps into a large puddle is unmindful of walking, such as someone who slips and falls. The state of mind of this person is unclear and possibly confused. We can compare this to ourselves in everyday life. Almost everybody has moments of calmness and moments of panic in their lives. When we are calm and composed, our minds are bright and clear, and our actions involve more thought. If we were to take a long walk on a desolate beach, with not a single soul around, we would have a higher degree of mindfulness than say, a walk to the subway station. A walk along the beach is much more peaceful, thus easier for us to achieve that mindfulness. On the other hand most of us have experienced a time in our lives when we have been panic-stricken, for whatever reason. In those cases, are mind is cluttered, we cannot think clearly and make rational decisions. In a way we are separate from our mind

Green Laws Boost Clean-up Industry :: essays research papers

Green Laws Boost Clean-up Iindustry Engelskaflevering d. 01.09.95 I Have companies around the globe really become "house-proud", or is planet earth just in for a spring cleaning? It is hard to say - but one thing is for sure; the environmental sector is en-joying a boom. The market for pollution control technology is on a steep exponential growth curve, which seems to be interminable. Especially the European companies put down their names for an immense part of the expansion. But what is the precise nature of this sudden environmental con-cern? After all the deteriorating state of the environment is hardly a novel phenomenon, to say the least. Just how vigorous this potential goldmine is going to be for the clean- up industry ac-tually depends on law and order, so to speak. That is to say that one of the main reasons for the turn up is new legislation. Recent EU-directives as to pollution may cause heavy demands on the purse of one company and consequently pour that money down the pockets of the clean technology indu-stry. Moreover the deadlines for plants to meet EU-directives are getting close, and everything se-ems to show that the laws will be enforced. Yet far from all companies have to meet with the raised finger of the law to start investing in their environmental responsibilities. Investments on a volunta-ry basis are often due to the fact that it makes good ecnomic sense or because it gives the corporate image a face- lifting. Seen from a geoprahical point of view Germany and primarily eastern Europe form tremendously good breeding ground for the sale of clean-up equipment. As a result of opencast mi-ning of lignite coal in Poland, for example, a huge clean-up is left, which will amount to billions of dollars. However accidents also occur at sea, where a spate of oil tanker disasters are likely to fill out the order book at oil cleaning industries. Nevertheless a stroke of bad luck is far from necessary in order to make firms under-stand their green obligations. The power of the consumers has been on the increase over the last few years, and the public environmental image means more to a firm than ever before. The average con-sumer going down to the grocer's for a few necessaries is starting to attach importance to something else than just the product itself. How is the detergent wrapped - is the paper bleached? Is this bottle reusable? Are these outdoor tomatoes? - and so on. Personally I don't think that you notice it, as you're walking alongside the shelves in the local supermarket - but you do pay

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby as Criticism of American Society

  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes American society in the 1920?s for its tendencies to waste, advertise, form superficial relationships, and obsess over appearances. The work has been praised for both its brutal realism and its keen depiction of the age that The New York Times referred to as the era when, 'gin was the national drink and sex was the national obsession'(Fitzgerald vii).   ' . . . indifference is presented as a moral failure - a failure of society, particularly the society of the American east to recognize the imperatives of truth and honesty and justice? (Gallo 35).     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   F. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes the wasteful tendencies of American society.   He uses the valley of ashes to refer to this ugly aspect of American society.   The valley of ashes is a bleak area situated between the West Egg and New York City, 'where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air'(Fitzgerald 23).   This unpleasant wasteland is located right along the roadway and train route between the eggs, home of the lofty aristocrats, and New York City, the exciting and fashionable metropolis where many of the nations wealthiest people live, work, and entertain themselves.   'There is no essential difference between the moneyed wastelands of New York City and Long Island and the valley of ashes,' (Gallo 49)  Ã‚   Referring to an eye doctor's billboard in the valley of ashes, Nick, our narrator comments:   Evidently some wild wag of an oculist set them there to fatten his practice   in the borough of Queens, and then sank down himself into eternal   blindness or forgot them and moved away.   But ... ... Moment: The Novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Urbana: U of Illinois P, 1970. Whitley, John S.   F. Scott Fitzgerald: "The Great Gatsby." London: Edward Arnold, 1976. Outline Thesis statement: In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes American society in the 1920?s for its tendency to waste, advertise, form superficial relationships, and obsess over appearances. I. Introduction   A. Literary Classic   B. Societal Criticism    1. wasteful tendency    2. advertising obsession    3. superficial relationships    4. appearances fixation II. Wasteful Tendency   A. Valley of Ashes   B. Gatsby   C. Tom and Daisy III. Advertising Obsession   A. Billboard   B. McKees   C. Tom   D. Daisy   E. Gatsby III. Appearances Fixation   A. Myrtle   B. Catherine   C. Gatsby IV. Superficial Relationships   A. Billboard   B. Myrtle?s Party

Ludwig van Beethoven and Robert Schumann

Ludwig van Beethoven faced hearing problems which he noticed at about age 26. He accepted at age 32 that he would possibly become completely deaf. He tried to suppress the problem by using headphones though by age 50, he could hardly hear any sound. This however did not deter him from writing his 9th and final symphony (Hosler, 2009).His career was badly affected as he surged into depression and became embarrassed that he would lose his auditory sense though he was a composer. Both the music of the romantic period and other art forms of the period focused on bringing out the expression of intense feelings and emotions.Both aspects were ruled by the depiction of beauty, strangeness and sublimity. Both music types are nourished by and closely linked to other forms of art such as poetry and drama. Classical music is dominated by the aspect of sound building and universality whereas romantic music is predominated by sound feeling and individualism. Ideals of order, control and equilibriu m are associated with classical music while romanticism is deep in passion, movement, fantasy and imagination. Question 2 (Robert Schumann)Robert Schumann intensified his composition after marrying Clara who led him into orchestral music and chamber works in an effort to expand his style. As a result, his love for the piano facilitated a good combination with symphonic orchestration which enabled him to produce the â€Å"Piano Concerto in A Minor†. Robert had seven children with Clara and this created a new dimension of composition in that they started composing songs for children and those about children such as â€Å"Child Falling Asleep† (Schneider, 2002).Johannes Brahms is the composer of the famous Intermezzo and Cantata Rinaldo in addition to his first published work on sonata in C major. Fredric Chopin is the composer of the famous Revolutionary Etude and Opus in addition to writing about lovers who part in his popular Les Adieux (library. thinkquest. org, n. d) . Richard Wagner wrote about ten operas which are today regularly performed in opera houses. He also invented the leitmotiv which is a form of signature tune for events, persons, physical objects and emotions.The orchestra pit and orchestration invented by Richard brought new aspects in the sound properties of the theatre. Composers and other music professionals have gained a lot of knowledge and have been inspired by the harmony, melodic structure and the great orchestration present in Wagner’s inventions. The inventions have been a source of dynamism in the world of music (Roy, n. d). References Hosler, H. (2009). Medical Mystery Behind Beethoven. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from http://lifebridgeblogs.blogspot. com/2009/11/medical-mystery-behind-beethoven. html library. thinkquest. org. (n. d). The Romantic Era Composers. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from http://library. thinkquest. org/15413/history/history-rom-comp. htm Roy, E. (n. d). Wagner the Innovator. Retrieved July 13, 2 010, from http://www. bikwil. com/Vintage10/Wagner-Innovator. html Schneider, E. (2002). Robert and Clara Schumann – a biography. Retrieved July 13, 2010, from http://www. essortment. com/all/robertclarasch_rjya. htm

Physical Activity

CYPOP 4: Promote young children’s physical activity and movement skills 1. 1 Explain why physical activity is important to the short and long term health and well being of children Physical activity is important to the short term and long term health and well being of children. In the short term physical activity helps children to build muscle, develops the skeletal frame, develops the heart and lung function and helps prevent obesity. If children have enough physical activity a day which is said to be up to an hour it can help children get to sleep easier and sleep for longer periods of time.This can lead onto long term benefits as if the activity is outside it will also help to build up a good immune system so they are less likely to fall ill to the common cold or the flu. The outdoor environment helps the overall well being of the children as the outdoors makes them feel free which helps their emotional and social development, as it allow them to learn new skills and develo p confidence in playing alongside others. In the long term physical activity helps the children to become interested in sports and outdoor activities.This is a good foundation to build when the children are young because as they grow older children and young adults start to become less active so early physical activity is more beneficial for the child in the long term. If when children are young and do not take part in physical activity it is more likely that they will become obese later on in life which in turn could end up with them getting more serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer or heart diseases, it could also result in girls having osteoporosis later on in life. Physical activity does not mean expense.This could be that you go for walks in the local area and make it fun by having skipping/hopping/running races between lampposts etc and taking a ball so you can call at the local park for a kick around. This could also incorporate a nature trip to collect and see th ings, so children may not realise how far they are going. Indoor activities could include wii fit hour, which I incorporate as every child can have a go. There is also ‘keepy uppy’, which is a balloon that you pass around so it doesn’t touch the floor or musical statues for movement and balance. 1. Explain the development of movement skills in young children and how these skills affect other aspects of development. 89 CYPOP 4 1. 2 In order to achieve the physical skills required for the areas in the spider diagram, a mixture of movement skills need to be acquired in the right order. They include the following: Hand-Eye Coordination. Many activities require hands and eyes to work together. To catch a ball, for example, the brain needs to take information from the eyes and use it to inform the movements that have to be made with the hands. Foot – Eye coordination.Children have to learn to guide their feet. Climbing stairs and kicking a ball require this type of coordination. Balance. Balance is a complicated skill. Although it is one that most people take for granted. The ability to balance develops with age, with most children relying on visual input to balance. The development of these skills follows the development of the central nervous system (principally the brain and spinal cord) in babies and young children. The central nervous system is responsible for collecting, interpreting and sending out information to all parts of the body.Information is constantly collected via the body’s senses of taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing. This information is then transformed into electrical pulses that are carried by the nerves, up through the spinal cord and into the brain. From the information received, the brain then responds and sends out instructions to muscles, glands and organs using the network of nerves again. The whole process is surprisingly quick, which means the body can take action against possible danger, for exampl e, a person will instantly withdraw their hand from something that is very hot.In babies and young children the central nervous system has to mature. At first babies are reliant on the many survival reflexes they are born with. These are automatic reactions, but in order to gain control, the central nervous system has to learn how to interpret and control these responses. Gaining physical control. The rate at which babies and children gain control over their bodies varies enormously, but it is recognised that there are three key principles that underpin the gaining of control. Development follows a definite sequence.Movements and control develop in a certain pattern, which means that babies cannot walk before leaning to sit unsupported. Development begins with the control of head movements and proceeds downwards and outwards. Babies first gain control of their head and top of the spine before other parts of the body. This is thought to be a survival mechanism as it is important for babies to be able to turn their heads to feed. 90 CYPOP 4 1. 2 Development begins with uncontrolled gross motor movements before becoming precise and refined.Babies gain control over their arms before managing to control their hands and fingers. This principle is an important one to remember when teaching children new skills, such as handwriting, as it means that they will need to start making large letter shapes before using pencils to make much smaller ones. |AGE |HAND-EYE COORDINATION |MOVEMENT SKILL | |3 months |Can find hands and bring to mouth. Looks |Kicks legs strongly and moves arms. | |at and plays with fingers |Movements less jerky although not | | | |coordinated Can lift and turn head from | | | |side to side when laying on front | |6 months |Grasps objects |Begin to roll over Pulls up legs with | | |Follows adults movements |hands when on back Pushes head, neck and | | | |chest off floor when on front | |9 months |Bangs objects together |Sits up well unsupported reaches out for | | | |toys may be crawling or shuffling on | | | |bottom | |12 months |Picks up objects with thumb and |Mobile either crawling, shuffling or | | |forefinger points to objects holds cup |rolling Sits up unsupported for long | | |with help |periods walks with assistance tries to | | | |crawl upstairs | |15 months |Holds and drinks from cup with two hands |Crawls downstairs feet first Walks | | |Builds tower of two bricks |independently Seats self in small chair | |18 months |Threads four large beads |Bends down from waist to pick up objects | | |Turns door knobs and handles |Squats down to look at objects, Rolls and| | |Pulls off shoes and hat |throws a ball, Walks downstairs with | | | |adult help,Pushes and pulls toys while | | | |walking | |2 years |Uses a spoon to feed themselves |Kicks a ball that is not moving, Climbs | | |Puts on shoes |on low climbing frame, Walks up and | | |Builds a tower of 5/6 blocks |downstairs confidently | |3 years |Us es a spoon and ford, puts on and takes |Walks and runs forward, Walks on tiptoes,| | |off coat, Turns pages in a book one by |Throws large ball, Kicks ball forward, | | |one |Jumps from low steps, Pedals and steers | | | |tricycle | | | | | | | | | |4 Years |Buttons and unbuttons own clothing, puts |Walks on a line Aims and throws a ball, | | |together 12 piece jigsaw |Bounces and catches a large ball, runs | | | |changing direction, Hops on one foot, | | | |Pedals and steers a tricycle confidently | |5 years |Forms letters Dresses and undresses |Skips with a rope, Runs quickly and is | | |easily, Cuts out shapes with scissors, |able to avoid obstacles, Is able to use a| | |Draws round a template |variety of equipment, e. g. swings and | | | |slides, Hits ball with bat or stick | The development of movement skills gives children independence. Over time, they are no longer reliant on adults to physically feed them, clothe them and move them from one place to anothe r. This gives children great confidence and also allows them to learn because they can now explore. Children are also able to use their new found skills to play more challenging games and also play together.The diagram below shows physical skills link to other aspects of children’s overall development. Griffin S 2010 Children and Young Peoples Worksforce 1st Ed Portsmouth Heinemann92 ———————– Travel (travelling movements where the child moves from one point to another such as running, jumping, skipping) Object Control (movements such as throwing, catching, dribbling which involve objects being sent, received, travelled with) MOVEMENT SKILLS Balance & Coordination Cognitive Development Much of children’s learning is linked to practical activities. This requires movement skills. There seems also to be a link between early physical movements and brain movements Physical SkillsLanguage Development Language develops wh en there are things to talk about. This is made easier when children can do things or move themselves to explore or see things. It gives them a reason to talk. Social Development Play in children’s early years is quite active rather than language based e. g. playing in sand, dressing up. Children can join in if they have developed the physical skills Emotional Development Builds children’s confidence. When children can do things for themselves, they are more likely to gain confidence. They can do things how and when they want. Children can also use physical skills to explore themselves e. g. draw, paint, dance