Alka-Seltzer tablets react with water Essay Example for Free

Alka-Seltzer tablets react with water Essay Things tend to go wrong at higher temperatures because at higher temperatures (60iC+) the dissolved calcium hydrogen carbonate starts to decompose. This removes the temporary hardness and therefore removes the dissolved Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, therefore making the test unfair because at lower temperatures there was hardness in the water. From the results obtained it has been seen that the rate of reaction increases as the temperature increases, supporting my hypothesis in which I stated that As the temperature increases, so will the rate of reaction, but at higher temperatures the pattern (link) will break down (giving us unreliable results and the trend in the graph will show this). Therefore the Alka-Seltzer tablets dropped into the hottest water will dissolve the fastest. As you can see from the graph, at 80i C the link breaks down, giving us a result that does not fit in with the general trend of results. This is not an anomalous result and there is a reason behind this. Things tend to go wrong at higher temperatures because at higher temperatures (60i C+) the dissolved calcium hydrogen carbonate starts to decompose. This removes the temporary hardness and therefore removes the dissolved Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, therefore making the test unfair because at lower temperatures there was hardness in the water. The graph showing the time in seconds (rate of reaction), against the temperature shows the rate of reaction increasing with the temperature, and there is a curve that at first goes down steeply, but then becomes straighter. At 80i C the link breaks down, giving us an odd result, which can be explained by the fact that the Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions are removed due to the decomposing of the calcium hydrogen carbonate. As you can see from the graph and my table of results, the result obtained at 30i C is an anomalous result (i. e. it doesnt follow the general trend). This again supports my hypothesis in which I stated this by saying that the link would break down giving us unreliable results. The link did not break down at 60i C as I had stated that it would because that is only the temperature at which the Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions started to decompose and once they had fully decomposed the results showed this. For the 1/time(s) against the temperature (i C) graph I got a straight line, which was the line of best fit. Again it shows how unreliable the results are at higher temperatures, as the results for 70i C and 80i C do not fit in.showing how the link breaks down due to dissolved substances in the water. This shows that the temperature is inversely proportional to the time. Also I predicted that as the temperature increased by 10i C the rate of reaction would approximately double. The results do not clearly show this happening, but I believe that it shows some signs of this happening. At 20i C the average time is 97. 5 seconds. When the temperature was increased to 30i C it approximately doubled (x 2. 17 to 3 significant figures) to 45 seconds. However this is an anomalous result and should be higher. Even so, this still supports my prediction. The next result obtained is for 40i C, which is 37 seconds. There is no sign of the rate doubling (x 1. 22 to 3 significant figures), but if we take into account that the previous result should have been higher, then it would appear to approximately double. From here onwards it does not double for every 10i C. This is due to my theory (scientific background knowledge) that things go wrong at higher temperatures due to the decomposing of calcium hydrogen carbonate at temperatures of 60i C and above. Evaluation: I have obtained a reliable set of results, with repeats of the evidence obtained. An accurate procedure was used, with this being shown by the results obtained which all agree with each other. By using a burette, it allowed me to work up to a very accurate degree of accuracy, rather than simply using a beaker or a measuring cylinder. However, I did use a measuring cylinder for repeat results and this did not seem to affect my results. I obtained one set of anomalous results. These were obtained for a temperature of 30i C and did not fit in with the general trend. According to the best-fit line on my graph, the rate of reaction should have been longer and it should have taken about 58 seconds for the Alka-Seltzer tablets to dissolve in water with a temperature of 30i C. A reason for me obtaining this anomalous result could have been due to the fact that whilst the reaction was taking place the 100ml beaker was still in the water bath. This would have caused the temperature to rise slowly and slowly increase the rate while the tablets were dissolving, therefore causing more collisions and increasing the rate. This did not happen however at higher temperatures, because the temperature of the water bath was about the same, and so it did not really have much effect, and it just kept the temperature constant (i. e. stopped it rising or falling). Although I tried my best to make the experiment perfect there were some unavoidable inaccuracies with the experiment. Firstly, when testing lower temperatures, the temperature of the water bath, which was much higher than the actual temperature being tested, caused a rapid increase in the temperature, or if it were lower it would cause it to decrease rapidly, especially when taken off the Bunsen. These gave us results for inaccurate temperatures to which were we testing. To overcome this problem, a thermostatic water bath would need to have been used, since it can be set to a certain temperature, and it will stop when it reaches there. Also it would mean that the solution inside it would reach the exact temperature or close to it. , and not increase or decrease once the water inside it has reached equilibration. Secondly, it was impossible to say when exactly the Alka-Seltzer tablets had completely dissolved and consistently decide this for every result obtained. This was a huge flaw in the experiment and affected the results in a big way. To overcome this problem a special piece of apparatus would be needed to decide exactly when they had dissolved each time and give us the same measure of consistency each time. To improve the quality of the results, the same piece of apparatus would have needed to be used throughout the whole experiment, and not changed for repeat results. To extend my inquiry and provide additional evidence for this experiment, I think that I could have investigated up to higher temperatures and see how the link would break down, and how the results would fit in with the trend of results. Also, it would have helped me to see how the decomposing of the dissolved substances affected the results. To improve the experiment and make it fair, distilled water should have been used instead of tap water because it is purer than tap water and does not contain impurities.

Cannabis Use in Young People

Cannabis Use in Young People INTRODUCTION Cannabis, also known as Marijuana or weed is a commonly used illegal substance in the United Kingdom (UK) today even among persons under the age of 18 research shows (Rcpsych.ac.uk, 2017) Presently, young people in the UK are likely to smoke cannabis as cigarettes which impacts negatively on their mental health and the community at large. Peer pressure to use drugs especially cannabis is high among young persons and its continuous use increases the risk or probability of them experiencing mental health symptoms and disorders. (Dearden, 2017). Hence the need to educate young persons about the detrimental impact cannabis and other illicit drugs can have on their health. The target audience for the leaflet designed as part of this assignment is adolescents (young persons aged 12 18). RATIONALE Young persons use of cannabis or weed is on the ascendancy even though it is a harmful illegal substance. This group of people have no true knowledge of what it contains as they buy them from drug dealers and those addicted to it risk getting physical health and emotional wellbeing issues such as poor concentration, slow reaction times, panic attacks, mood swings and isolating themselves from friends and family (JOHNS, 2001). There is the need to create awareness about the dangers of cannabis to adolescents in the UK and how it affects their mental health to reduce the risks it may pose to their health and wellbeing and to deter them from using it.   About 60,000 people suffer from mental health problems which are caused by weed in the UK (The Sun, 2016). This causes more admissions to mental health facilities, causes more distress and has negative cost implications on health services (The Sun, 2016) thus making it a significant public health issues that needs to be addressed. The more people especially adolescents who use cannabis realize the need for them to quit, the better it will be for the society as a whole; there will be a reduction in drug related crime and accidents, poor human relations associated with its use will be reduced, and a healthier and happier life for all. PREVALENCE OF CANNABIS USE AMONG ADOLESCENTS Adolescents in the UK are more likely to have tried cannabis or are regular users of cannabis. Almost 40% of adolescents revealed they had tried cannabis and other illicit substances, the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) revealed. (EPHA, 2017) Another survey, by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, revealed that among15 year olds in the UK, two in five have used cannabis. These statistics could mean that parents or adults in the UK are setting a bad example for their children in relation to cannabis use because young persons are likely to emulate the behavior of the adults they live with. It could also mean that some adolescents do not have the willpower to say no to cannabis and other illicit substances or try it out of curiosity and end up becoming addicted in the end. The use of cannabis occasionally leads to an increase in social adjustment and skills in young persons. However, regular or heavy use of cannabis at an early age is associated with numerous negative outcomes such as poor physical and mental health, having unprotected sex, and dropping out of school. 20,032 adolescents were treated for drug (including cannabis 68%) related health problems during 2012 2013. This proves that cannabis is the most frequently used illegal substance, with 15.8% having used it in the last year (around 975,000 young persons). (DrugWise, 2017) Despite these health problems posed by cannabis use, herbal cannabis seems to pose less harm as compared to other illicit substances but long term use of strong cannabis (skunk) could lead to later developing mental health problems like schizophrenia. GOVERNMENT POLICIES TO DISCOURAGE THE USE OF CANNABIS AND OTHER DRUGS 2010   policy: drug misuse and dependency This paper comes up with strategies for helping young persons from becoming drug misusers. It places importance on encouraging adolescents to live healthy lives and making them know the dangers of drugs misuse of which cannabis is included. It goes on to suggest drug services to adolescents early enough if they do encounter drug problems. The strategies are as follows: supporting children in the early years of their life so that we reduce the risk of them engaging in risky behaviour (like misusing cannabis) later in life. providing accurate information on drugs and alcohol through drug education. making it easier for school authorities to take action against pupils who are found dealing drugs in school. through the Business Rates Retention Scheme (which includes what was the Early Intervention Grant), giving  £2 billion to local councils, between 2014 and 2015, which they can use to create programmes to help prevent young people misusing drugs in the first place. helping young persons who have problems with drugs by giving them treatment and support, including supporting them in other areas of their life (for example with housing or mental health problems), so that they dont return to drug use as a way of coping with these problems. The 2016 drug strategy gives us an opportunity to finally address the deficits in access to mental health services, jobs and homes, which have undermined the recovery aspirations of the 2010 strategy. The strategy successfully reframed the treatment system around recovery as an organising principle. The balance between ambition and evidence established a new consensus about best practice, steering clinicians to use opiate substitution therapy (OST) to provide a gateway to recovery for everyone who could take advantage of this opportunity. It also gave a secure place to build motivation and capacity to change for those not yet able to take the next step. This enabled the treatment system to promote recovery at the same time as continuing to deliver crime reduction and public health benefits. THE TARGET GROUP The target group for this resource is: Adolescents (young people aged between 12 and 18). Male and female Living in the UK Attending school and living at home with parents or guardian. Users of cannabis or those thinking of experimenting cannabis. This group of people living in the UK are very vulnerable in our society. They lack a sense of direction from parents (who may be cannabis users themselves) (Hidden Harm, 2003), guardians in care settings who have limited powers to prevent the young people in their care from being introduced to cannabis use or addiction and are also at high risk of exposure to cannabis use because they want to make friends or feel accepted amongst their peers who may be habitual users. It is often very difficult for them to say no or reject the use of cannabis because they have no basic knowledge about cannabis or are not informed of the short and long term effects it may have on their mental health and body. Also, those already addicted to cannabis are at greater risk due to their possible increase in preference of stronger versions of cannabis which could trigger psychosis. The leaflet therefore provides an easy to read, handy information and facts about cannabis to young persons and provides reaso ns why they must avoid/stop its usage, the side effects of cannabis and the benefits of quitting the habit of smoking cannabis. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS In designing the leaflet, careful consideration was taken to make it attractive and readable by adolescents or young persons aged around 11 years. (http://www.literacytrust.org.uk) The words QUIT SMOKING WEED is written in bold to catch the attention of the reader who sets eyes on it. Also, there is a smaller writing in red asking if cannabis users know that quitting is good for their health? There is also a cannabis leaf with a stop symbol on it printed on the front page. Different shades of green were used to design the leaflet mainly because cannabis is herbal based and it is green in its leafy form. Weed is also written in the colour representing the dry form of cannabis that is usually smoked.   The other bright colours used are colours known to attract the attention of young persons and this is aimed at catching the attention of that age group who prefer to scan through leaflets and it is hoped that they may go on to read the entire information provided. (Ecolourprint.co.uk, 2017) Cartoon images are also attractive to young persons hence the images on the inside page of the leaflet which depicts a young person, with other little images which symbolize the changes the body goes through when one smokes cannabis or the possible physical and mental health state of a cannabis user. REFLECTION/CRITIQUE Some positives about the design of the leaflet are: Cheap and easy to produce It does consist of relevant information about cannabis for adolescents and the health benefits of quitting its use. Does not take much time to read Knowledge or message it contains can be easily shared with family and friends. It reinforces information out there regarding the laws governing cannabis use and its potential effects on ones mental health. The design of the leaflet also has some drawbacks: Unless the picks it up to read, it could remain unused. It can easily be misplaced or lost. It may do more harm than good when the target audience decide to experiment rather than the message deterring them from cannabis use. It could have been produced in other formats for those who are visually impaired etc. CONCLUSION Messages about drug usage and its harmful side effects on its user, the society, the environment and the world at large sent to adolescents and the general public must be clear and consistent. (www.official-documents.gov.uk) Adolescents, their parents and guardians, must take the necessary steps to refrain from cannabis use and tackle problems related to cannabis use. Help, advice and support must be made available and accessible in ways that are sensitive to an individuals age and circumstances, and attempts must be made to reach and help vulnerable people who have a high risk of developing severe mental health related and public health problems. Prevention should start early, with broad life-skills approaches at primary school, and built on over time with appropriate programs for young people as they grow older through youth work, peer approaches, training and wider community support. The aim is for approaches to be better integrated nationally and locally. (DrugWise, 2017). More Rehab clinics and therapy centers should be opened in local communities with high usage of cannabis and other illicit drugs to make it easier for drug abusers to seek professional help to quit.

Personal Development Plan Business Essay

Personal Development Plan Business Essay Finance is a career which imposes high requirements on the overall qualities of a person. In this report, I am choosing finance as my career field. First, we will describe a career planning methodology in my personal career planning. There are several steps to the career planning process. These steps are: occupational exploration (know the career opportunity), self exploration (know who you are and what you want), decision making, and plan of action. Second, we will identify several job families in the field of finance and the difference between the different possible career paths. These include hedge fund manager, sales and trading, finance analyst, and etc. Then, we will make a decision, giving my career map and career plan as a finance analyst. Six consecutive jobs will be presented to allow me to progress towards my dream job. We will also reveal the KSAs and personal qualities required at each job. Finally, a personal development plan is given with recommendations for future gra duates on the different career they could have in a given field after they graduate. 1. Introduction Finance is an attracting and challenging area for youngsters. For a new comer into this field, just financial knowledge is not enough. Other qualities, such as team spirits, communication skills, and business intuition are equally important for a successful career. With regard to my career goals, I am determined devote myself into financial area. I have great interest in finance because of its importance in corporate development and economic development. Currently, China is relatively weak in its financial sector. I regard it as a huge challenge as well as a huge opportunity for myself entering this field. 2. Career Planning Theory The career planning process is composed of several steps. First it is the self exploration, which answers the question of who you are and what you want. Second it is the occupational exploration, which deals with the job opportunities. Then it is decision making, in which you make up your mind of your career. Finally, it is the plan of action, in which you will set up your goals and put it into action ( Barbara et al 2003; Brian et al 1988; Robert et al 2009;;Samuel et al 1993). 2.1 Self-Exploration Before any career planning, people should have a clear idea about themselves and their expectations of a career. They should ask the questions, such as where do I like to work, indoors or outdoors? Am I good at dealing with the public? Do I prefer to work as a team or do I like to work alone? The thing is that there are no right or wrong answers to these questions, just personal preference. By rethinking of these questinos, they are able to know more about themselves and match themselves to the right occupation. 2.2 Occupational Exploration Having knowledge of the possible job families is equally important. Details about the work carried out in various occupations can be learnt through a large number of methods that can be used to gather occupational information. Some of the methods are listed below, such as online research, personal observation, interview with employees working in the field, books, posters, and TV programs. Usually people use a combination of methods. In this way, they can also get knowledge of the potential income, working conditions, and employment prospects. 2.3. Decision Making After you get the information about yourself and the occupations, it is time to make a decision. From your personal preferences, you should have a good idea of the things that you want in your life. From the job exploration, the occupatinoal requirement, such as the education as well as the work experience you need, will be clear. You can then choose the occupations that will give you what you want. 2.4. Plan of Action From the above steps, the particular career is determined. Now it is time to set up a plan to help you achieve that goal. First, you should consider the needs and insufficiency of yourself, such as what kind of education and training is necessary; What type of interim jobs are required; Second, you should foresee the obstacles which hinder you to get to your career. And hence you will be able to come up with a plan to overcome these obstacles. All these can be used to form your plan of action. 3. Possible Career Path for Finance 3.1 Hedge fund manager A hedge fund manager will decide how to place the assets in different classes of securities. These include cash, bonds, stocks (domestic versus foreign) and etc. 3.2 Finance Analysts This involves the processing and servicing of a variety of operational, personnel, and financial transactions. Involves developing, interpreting and implementing financial concepts for financial planning, resource planning, and control of organizational budget. May analyze and prepare recommendations for financial plans, including annual resource allocations, future requirements, and operating forecasts. 3.3 Mergers and Acquisitions People doing mergers and acquisitions are similar to finance analysts. Only that their focus is on synergies, cost savings, and coinsurance effects that may result from combing firms in similar or dissimilar industries. 3.4 Sales and Trading Sales and trading encompasses a broad spectrum of jobs within an investment bank. Salespeople generate new business by obtaining clients for the firm. Traders concentrate on developing systems and strategies for executing orders to buy and sell securities. Knowledge of the operations of markets is essential to a good trader. 4. My Career Map During my study as a business graduate, I have taken courses in various business subjects such as macro and micro economics, accounting and math. In my free time, I read publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times and The Economist. I browse the financial websites everyday to get a update on the latest business markets. I am good at gathering information. I can understand the financial situation of a specific company from its balance sheet; I can read the economic situation of a country from its macropolicy. Moreover, I receive strict training in interpersonal relationships with others. I have skills in communication. Proposal writing and oral presentations is also my competence. Therefore, I consider myself to be fit for becoming a finance analyst. My career map is in Figure 1. Figure 1 Career Map 5. My Career Plan: Finance Analysts Job Title Assistant Finance Analyst Junior Finance Analyst Finance Analyst Level Entry Junior Experience General Description Entry-level professional; uses professional concepts to resolve problems of limited scope and complexity; works on assignments of limited variety and complexity, requiring limited judgment and decision making. Experienced-level professional who knows how to apply theory and put it into practice with full understanding of the professional field; Challenges Uses basic professional concepts. †¢ Applies campus policies and procedures to resolve routine issues. †¢ Works on problems of limited scope with moderate control and review. Follows standard practices and procedures in analyzing situations or data from which answers can be readily obtained. †¢ Cultivates internal and external contacts. †¢ Resolves a wide range of issues in imaginative as well as practical ways. Knowledge and Skills †¢ Basic knowledge of financial or accounting concepts, processes and procedures. †¢ Understanding of regulations and best practices concerning financial accounting and services. †¢ Familiar with department chart of accounts and related business processes. †¢ Effective written and verbal communication skills. †¢ Active listening, critical thinking, attention to detail, organizational skills, good interpersonal skills and the ability to multi-task. Basic knowledge in data collection and analysis techniques. †¢ Service orientation †¢ Leadership skills to provide coaching and mentoring to support staff. †¢ Knowledge of core software programs and systems. †¢ Thorough knowledge of finance policies, practices and systems including campus, state and federal rules and regulations. †¢ Knowledge of financial data management and reporting systems. †¢ Active listening, critical thinking, attention to detail, organizational skills, strong interpersonal skills, and ability to multi-task in a high-volume environment. †¢ Able to independently gather, organize, and perform financial analysis assignments. †¢ Advanced knowledge of software programs and systems. Responsibilities †¢ Analyzes financial and/or resource data; prepares and summarizes information. †¢ With supervision, reconciles, researches and resolves discrepancies in financial data. Monitors workflow and productivity in areas such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Collections, Purchasing and/or Cashiering. †¢ Coordinates and monitors operations of assigned functional area(s). †¢ May act as central resource for support staff. †¢ Assists with monitoring productivity with the goal of meeting or exceeding standard expectations for timeliness and quality. Identify systematic problems and propose solutions. †¢ Assesses compliance with regulatory agencies and internal policies. †¢ Triages and addresses customer inquiries as appropriate †¢ Ensures the delivery of quality customer service to various constituencies. †¢ Applies professional concepts to resolve issues and to perform moderate to complex analysis. †¢ Gathers and analyzes, financial and resource plans. (Continue) Job Title Senior Finance Analyst portfolio manager CFO / Partner of Company Level Senior Expert Senior Expert General Description broad job knowledge; deals with problems of diverse scopes Recognized expert. Has significant impact and influence on company policy and program development. assigned high level analytical duties that involve in-depth knowledge and understanding of numerous variables and interrelationships. Regularly leads projects of critical importance which carry substantial consequences of success or failure. Challenges †¢Must have good sense of judgment and have proper techniques for obtaining solutions. †¢ Applies wide-ranging knowledge and understanding of campus objectives to resolve complex issues with campus-wide impact in creative and effective ways. †¢ Works on most complex issues with little or no campus precedent where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. †¢ May provide guidance to other personnel or supervise professional or clerical staff; may serve as team lead. †¢ May serve as subject matter expert or project manager. †¢ Internal and external contacts often pertain to broad-reaching plans and objectives. Knowledge and Skills †¢ Sophisticated written and verbal communication skills. †¢ Able to use good judgment and decisionmaking and to solve problems. †¢ Leadership skills to provide coaching and mentoring to professional and support staff. †¢ Expert knowledge of campus and systemwide financial processes, policies and procedures, as well as related accounting and regulatory compliance requirements. †¢ Analytical skills sufficient to assess, advise development, and implement financial data management and reporting systems. †¢ Able to communicate complex findings and recommendations †¢ Able to identify, analyze, and report on complex data. †¢ Sophisticated service orientation and ability to lead a team to deliver excellent customer service. †¢ Strong inter-personal skills and ability to work effectively across the organization at all levels. †¢ Skills in project management, leadership, and process re-design. †¢ Ability to multi-task effectively in a varied, high volume environment. †¢ Sound judgment, decision-making, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. †¢ Understands and anticipates different perspectives. †¢ Leadership ability both inside and outside of the department. †¢ Advanced knowledge of software programs and systems and the ability to use them strategically to achieve results. Responsibilities †¢ Ensures that financial processing functions are performed with accuracy and that daily operations run smoothly. †¢ May act as team leader for support and lower level professional staff. Train staff and create effective teamwork environment. †¢ May review, process, and approve financial data and transactions. Documents procedures for financial activities. †¢ Participates in internal audits and processes. †¢ Reads professional literature and attends seminars to keeps abreast of regulations and best practices. †¢ May serve as a project work leader, project manager or subject matter expert. †¢ Interprets policies and advises campus departments accordingly. †¢ Directs the initiation of and/or designs summary reports and background materials regarding a wide variety of internal and external policies and regulations to address a range of issues and the organized implementation of new services, procedures and/or policies. †¢ Coordinates the gathering of budgetary and resource information during planning stages. †¢ Independently performs highly complex financial or resource research and studies for both internal department and external constituents and makes recommendations to maximize financial or other resource outcomes †¢Analyzes and prepares recommendations for new services, systems or processes that have an impact outside of the school or department. †¢ Participates in audits of internal records and processes. †¢ Develops and implements financial transaction processes and procedures; may train campus staff on financial activities. †¢ Regularly leads analyses of industry approaches, trends and best practices. Develops and implements improvements and/or new approaches and services. †¢ Ensures timely and accurate financial activity capture and reporting. 6. My Personal Development Plan Following my career plan, I am going to present my personal development plan in order to prepare to the first job after graduation I need to begin with to reach my dream job. Floodgate and Nixon (1994) described a form of personal development plan with SMART goals. I will apply their format here. Focus Area Current State Desire State Activities Resource Timeline Language Skills English reading and listening is fair; weak in writing and speaking Sophisticated written and spoken skills Taking English courses; Practise English writing and speaking Online English Learning website; English mp3; English learning books 3 months Communication Skills Basic Communication Skills Active listening, critical thinking, organizational skills, good interpersonal skills Work with others; build up team spirit and team working Books on Communication and team work. 1 months Financial Knowledge Prepare for CFA Passing CFA Level 1 Taking CFA courses; CFA books and exercises 9 months Accounting Knowledge Prepare for ACCA Passing ACCA Part 1 Taking ACCA courses; ACCA books and exercises 6 months Data handling techniques elimentry knowledge in Excel Familiar with minitab, advanced Excel Practise data collecting and processing; Software(Excel/ Minitab); Online tutorial 1 month 7. Conclusion and Recommendation This report is about my personal development plan as a finance analyst. I follow the framework of career planning in developing my personal development plan. In career planning, we must identify our likes, dislikes, assets, and weaknesses. This helps us know what we want and who we are. Then we should identifying potential career opportunities. Finishing these steps, we will be able to choosing a career path. After making a decision, we should define targets and an action plan to achieve our goals. As new graduates, everyone wants to find his/ her perfect match job. Always remember, learning and building up your knowledge will provide you the opportunity to the dream job. On the other hand, youll need to develop the necessary knowledge to understand the working environment, tasks, and responsibilities. All these combined will prepare you for your career. But no matter what career path you are on, for your plan to work out, you must work hard and continuously learn more so that you can do more.

Excavating an African Burial Ground: Lack of Funding Could Mean Loss o

Excavating an African Burial Ground: Lack of Funding Could Mean Loss of Information Forever As children growing up in the United States, educated through our public schools, we learned about the institution of slavery, which was an integral part of life in our country for nearly 300 years. We do not usually question the historical facts we learned about slavery or ask how we know so much about the history of these people (the enslaved Africans in America) who left behind so little written record. In the classroom, archeologists do not receive much credit, but it is largely through their work and research that we have been able to learn about â€Å"America’s diverse ethnic heritage† (Singleton 155). In the 1960’s, excavations of slave cabins inspired a new area of research. Today’s field of African-American Archaeology was born from these first digs, only three decades ago. Archaeologists carefully and skillfully collect artifacts, which are â€Å"tangible material remains and by-products of behavior† (Singleton 156). Through historical and ethnographic analysis and interpretation, archeologists are able to put together pieces of the daily lives and living conditions of the first African-Americans. One such African-American archaeological dig, called the African Burial Ground Project, is currently taking place in New York City. In 1991, the construction crew for a new, $276 million federal office building stumbled across the skeletons of what are now known to be early African slaves. The United States General Services Administration (GSA), the government agency that handles the funding and administration of all federal property, began further exploration of the site. Today we know that this â€Å"plot of land is just a sliver of the 18th ... ...es 21 Mar. 1999: Sec. 14, pg. 6. Gaines, Patrice. â€Å"Bones of Forebears; Howard U. Study Stirs Ghanaian Chiefs to Honor Ages-Old Link to U.S. Blacks.† The Washington Post 3 Aug. 1995: B01. LaFee, Scott. â€Å"Grave Injustice; Archaeologists are Beginning to Unearth the Buried, Tragic Secrets of America’s First Slaves.† The San Diego Union-Tribune 15 Sep. 1999: E-1. â€Å"New Chief of African Burial Ground Project.† The New York Beacon 16 June 1999: 12. Satchell, Michael. â€Å"Only Remember Us.† U.S. News & World Report 28 July 1997: 51-52. Singleton, Theresa A. â€Å"The Archaeology of Slave Life.† Before Freedom Came: African-American Life I the Antebellum South. Ed. Edward D.C. Campbell, Jr. and Kym S. Rice. Charlottesville: The University Press of Virginia, 1991. 155-175. Staples, Brent. â€Å"Manhattan’s African Dead.† Editorial. The New York Times 22 May 1995: A14.

Crossover Fashion Essay -- essays research papers

Men’s Fashion for Women and Vice Versa Civilizations as ancient as Jericho and as widespread as the Roman Empire have used clothing and jewelry as a form of nonverbal communication to indicate specific occupation, rank, gender, class, wealth, and group affiliation. These same material goods are used today for similar modes of communication. While some modern societies like the Taliban in Afghanistan make such distinctions with utmost conformity (the Taliban of Afghanistan) others like America have proven to be more dynamic. This dynamic nature can be seen in the emergence of crossover fashion within the last 80 years which has correlated with the changing role and social status of women in society. The effect of the gradual increase of power for women during the Industrial Revolution could be seen in the increase of crossover fashion. As a result, crossover fashion is dominate and socially acceptable in today’s society. From the 1700’s through the Industrial Revolution, regulating fashion was deemed as a way of preserving social and gender distinctions that were firmly established in the predominantly patriarchal society. During the 1850’s, the Victorian Era, there were strict guidelines on how people could behave and dress, and behaviors that they had to conform to their everyday lives. The rules were so strict that there were codes for how certain inanimate objects should be displayed; for example, table covers had to be long enough to cover the table’s legs because soci...

A.J. Dbq for Us History Advanced Placement

Before Andrew Jackson became president, he came off as an average man living in middle class America. He pulled his â€Å"Average Joe† persona off like a pro and got elected into the White house as a â€Å"man of the people†. However, Jackson may have been a common man, but he wielded power like a king. Kings have a difficult job. They have to walk the fine line of being strict enough that the subjects won't throw a fit when they don't get what they want but at the same time not being too dictatorial or else the people will rebel. More importantly, a king must be firm in what he believes is right for the country. Jackson greatly increased the power of the presidency. He did not comply with the checks and balance system, and also did not allow North Carolina to nullify the Protective Tariff of 1823. Jackson fired the old aristocrats (from farming families) from government jobs and replaced them with incompetent people – this was known as the â€Å"spoils system. † He was also responsible for the â€Å"Trail of Tears†. Jackson took his job extremely seriously and used his full power to help the entire country. Andrew Jackson often took advantage of his veto power. He was very willing to veto the laws that the legislative branch came up with. Because of this, Congress learned to ask for his opinions in advance to avoid vetos. All presidents have since had a say on impending legislation. Andrew was not afraid to use his power aggressively if it meant helping the whole country. An example of this is in the Nullification Crisis. In short, this was when Andrew Jackson passed tariff acts on the states. South Carolina, after years of complaining about it, finally refused to obey the 1832 tariff. They voted to have troops defend them against Jackson. The president responded angrily and sent troops to South Carolina to enforce the tariff bill and asked Congress for a â€Å"Force Bill† to back him up. Andrew Jackson was also responsible for the Trail of Tears. This was when he forced thousands of Native Americans to relocate. In 1830, Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act. It ordered all Native Americans living east of the Mississippi River to move west of it. This resulted in many of them dying from exposure, disease and starvation while migrating. Jackson, of course, did this intending the best for the country.

Input And Output Devices Of A Computer Essay

The terms â€Å"input† and â€Å"output† are used both as: verbs to describe the process of entering /displaying the data. nouns referring to the data itself entered into /displayed by the computer. Input Devices Input devices are necessary to convert information or data in to a form which can be understood by the computer. A good input device should provide timely, accurate and useful data to the main memory of the computer for processing. Keyboard Keyboard is the standard input device attached to all computers. The layout of a keyboard is just like the traditional typewriter of the type QWERTY. It also contains some extra command keys and function keys. It contains a total of 101 to 104 keys. You have to press correct combination of keys to input data. The computer can recognize the electrical signals corresponding to the correct key combination and processing is done accordingly. The computer keyboard is used to enter text information into the computer. The keyboard can also be used to type commands directing the computer to perform certain actions. Commands are typically chosen from an on-screen menu using a mouse, but there are often keyboard shortcuts for giving these same commands. keyboards usually have a numeric keypad, a bank of editing keys, and a row of function keys along the top. Laptop computers don’t have room for large keyboards. they include a â€Å"fn† key so that other keys can perform double duty. Most keyboards attach to the PC via a PS/2 connector or USB port. Pointing Devices The graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in use today requires some kind of device for positioning the on-screen cursor. Typical pointing devices are: mouse, trackball, touch pad, trackpoint, graphics tablet, joystick, touch screen. Pointing devices are connected to a PC via a serial ports (old), PS/2 mouse port (newer), or USB port (newest). Mouse A mouse is an input device that is used on personal computer. It rolls on a small ball and has two or three buttons on the top. When rolled across a flat surface the screen censors the mouse moves in the direction of mouse movement. In older mice, a ball in the bottom of the mouse rolls on the surface as it moves. internal rollers sense the ball movement and transmit the information to the computer via the cord of the mouse. The newer optical mouse uses a light and a small optical sensor to detect the motion of the mouse by tracking a tiny image of the desk surface. Optical mice avoid the problem of dirty mouse ball, which causes regular mice to roll unsmooth. A cordless or wireless mouse communicates with the computer via radio waves. such mice need internal batteries. A mouse also includes one or more buttons (and possibly a scroll wheel) to allow users to interact with the GUI. The traditional PC mouse has two buttons, while the traditional Macintosh mouse has one button. On either type of computer you can also use mice with three or more buttons and a small scroll wheel. Touch pad Most laptop computers have a touch pad pointing device.   Moving the on-screen cursor is done by sliding a finger along the surface of the touch pad. The buttons are located below the pad, but most touch pads allow you to perform â€Å"mouse clicks† by tapping on the pad itself. Touch pads have the advantage over mice that they take up much less room to use. They have the advantage over trackballs that there are no moving parts to get dirty and result in jumpy cursor control. Trackpoint Some sub-notebook computers, which lack room for even a touch pad, incorporate a trackpoint. a small rubber projection embedded between the keys of the keyboard. The trackpoint acts like a little joystick that can be used to control the position of the on-screen cursor. Trackball Trackball is sort of like an upside-down mouse, with the ball located on top. A is fingers is used to roll the trackball, and internal rollers sense the motion which is transmitted to the computer. Trackballs have the advantage over mice in that the body of the trackball remains stationary on a desk, so much room is not needed to use the trackball. Early laptop computers often used trackballs. Touch screen Some computers, especially small hand-held PDAs, have touch sensitive display screens. The user can make choices and press button images on the screen. Stylus is often used, which you hold like a pen, to â€Å"write† on the surface of a small touch screen. Graphics tablet A graphics tablet consists of an electronic writing area and a special â€Å"pen† that works with it. A graphics tablet allows artists to create graphical  images with motions and actions similar to using more traditional drawing tools. Joysticks Joysticks and other game controllers can also be connected to a computer as pointing devices. They are generally used for playing games, and not for controlling the on-screen cursor in productivity software. Scanners A scanner is a device that images a printed page or graphics by digitizing it, producing an image made of tiny pixels of different brightness and color values which are represented numerically and sent to the computer. Scanners scan graphics and pages of text which are then run through OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software that identifies the individual letter shapes and creates a text file of the page’s contents. The common optical scanner devices are: Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR), Optical Mark Reader (OMR) , Optical Character Reader (OCR). Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) This is widely used by banks to process large volumes of cheques and drafts. Cheques are put inside the MICR, as they enter the reading unit, the cheques pass through the magnetic field which causes the read head to recognize the character of the cheques. Optical Mark Reader (OMR) This technique is used when students have appeared in objective type tests and they had to mark their answer by darkening a square or circular space by pencil. These answer sheets are directly fed to a computer for grading  where OMR is used. Optical Character Recognition (OCR): This technique unites the direct reading of any printed character. Suppose you have a set of hand written characters on a piece of paper. You put it inside the scanner of the computer. This pattern is compared with a site of patterns stored inside the computer. Whichever pattern is matched is called a character read. Patterns that cannot be identified are rejected. Microphone A microphone is attached to a computer to record sound. The sound is digitized and stored in the computer to later processing and playback. MIDI Devices MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a system designed to transmit information between electronic musical instruments. A MIDI musical keyboard can be attached to a computer and allow a performer to play music that is captured by the computer system as a sequence of notes with the associated timing. Output Devices Visual Display Unit (VDU) The most popular output device is the VDU. The VDU is also called monitor. Monitor is used to display the input data and to receive messages from the computer. It has its own box which is separated from the main computer system and is connected to the computer by a cable. In some systems it is compact with the system unit. It can be color or monochrome. CRT Monitor Traditional output device of a personal computer has been the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor. It contains a large cathode ray tube that uses an electron beam of varying strength to â€Å"paint† a picture onto the color phosphorescent dots on the inside of the screen. CRT monitors are heavy and use more electrical power than flat panel displays. CRT are preferred by some graphic artists for their accurate color rendition, and preferred by some gamers for faster response to rapidly changing graphics. Monitor screen size is measured diagonally across the screen, in inches. Not all of the screen area may be usable for image display, so the viewable area is also specified. The resolution of the monitor is the maximum number of pixels it can display horizontally and vertically (such as 800 x 600, or 1024 x 768, or 1600 x 1200). Most monitors can display several resolutions below its maximum setting. Pixels (Picture Elements) are the small dots that make the image displayed on the screen. The spacing of the screen’s tiny phosphor dots is called the dot pitch (dp), typically .28 or .26 (measured in millimeters). A screen with a smaller dot pitch produces sharper images. Computer must produce a video signal that a monitor can display. This may be handled by circuitry on the motherboard, but is usually handled by a video card in one of the computer’s expansion slots; often the slot is a special one dedicated to video use, such as an AGP slot (Accelerated Graphics Port). Video cards are also called video display adapters, and graphics cards. Many video cards contain separate processors and dedicated video memory for generating complex graphics quickly without burdening the CPU. Flat Panel Monitor A flat panel display usually uses an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen to display output from the computer. The LCD consists of several thin layers that polarize the light passing through them. The polarization of one  layer, containing long thin molecules called liquid crystals, can be controlled electronically at each pixel, blocking varying amounts of the light to make a pixel lighter or darker. Other types of flat panel technology exist (such as plasma displays) but LCDs are most commonly used in computers, especially laptops. Older LCDs had slow response times and low contrast, but active matrix LCD screens have a transparent thin film transistor (TFT) controlling each pixel, so response, contrast, and viewing angle are much improved. Flat panel displays are much lighter and less bulky than CRT monitors. They consume much less power. They are more expensive than CRTs, but the price gap is narrowing. The display size of a flat panel is expressed in inches, and the resolution is the number of pixels horizontally and vertically on the display. Terminals Terminal is a very popular interactive output unit. It is divided into two types: hard copy terminals. soft copy terminals. A hard copy terminal provides a printout on paper. A soft copy terminals provides visual copy on monitor. Printer Printer is an important output device used to get a printed copy of the processed text or result on paper. There are different types of printers that are designed for different types of applications; Depending on their speed and approach of printing. printers are classified as: impact. non-impact printers. Impact printers Impact printers use the familiar typewriter approach of hammering a typeface against the paper and inked ribbon. Dot-matrix printers are of this type.   Dot matrix printers use small electromagnetically activated pins in the print head, and an inked ribbon, to produce images by impact. These printers are slow and noisy, and are not commonly used for personal computers anymore they can print multi-layer forms, which neither ink jet nor laser printers can. Non-impact printers Non-impact printers use electro-static chemicals and ink-jet technologies. Laser printers and Ink-jet printers are of this type. This type of printers can produce color printing and elaborate graphics. Ink Jet Printer For hardcopy output, you need some kind of printer attached to the computer. The most common type of printer for home systems is the color ink jet printer. These printers form the image on the page by spraying tiny droplets of ink from the print head. The printer needs several colors of ink (cyan, yellow, magenta, and black) to make color images. Some photo-quality ink jet printers have more colors of ink. Ink jet printers are inexpensive, but the cost of consumables (ink cartridges and special paper) makes them costly to operate in the long run for many purposes. Laser Printer A laser printer produces good quality images by the same technology that photocopiers use. A drum coated with photosensitive material is charged, and then an image is written onto it by a laser (or LEDs) which makes those areas lose the charge. The drum then rolls through toner (tiny plastic particles of pigment) that is attracted to the charged areas of the drum. The toner is then deposited onto the paper, and then fused into the paper with heat. Most laser printers are monochrome, but more expensive laser printers with multiple color toner cartridges can produce color output. Laser printers are faster than ink jet printers. Their speed is rated in pages per minute (ppm). They are more expensive than ink jets, but they are cheaper to run in the long term if you just need good quality black & white pages. Other Printers Multi-function printers are available that not only operate as a computer printer, but also include the hardware needed to be a scanner, photocopier, and FAX machine as well. Sound Output Computers also produce sound output, ranging from simple beeps alerting the user, to impressive game sound effects, to concert quality music. The circuitry to produce sound may be included on the motherboard, but high quality audio output from a PC usually requires a sound card in one of the expansion slots, connected to a set of good quality external speakers or headphones. Multimedia is a term describing computer output that includes sound, text, graphics, movies, and animation. A sound card is an example of a multimedia output device .