Canada, America, and the Post Industrial Society Essay

The United States of America is one of the global powers. On the other hand, Canada, which is close to America, is also a large country that has a big economy. There are similarities and differences between the two countries. Some of the similarities are language spoken, religion, literacy, GDP growth per decade, and land area. Major languages spoken in both countries are mainly English, Spanish, and French. Major religions in both countries are Protestant and Catholic. Both countries also have the same literacy rate of 99% and the same gross domestic product or GDP growth rate per decade of 10%. Also, the land area of the two countries does not differ that much. Nevertheless, in terms of total area, Canada is bigger than the U. S. Canada has a total area of 9,984,670 square kilometers or 3,855,103 square miles while America has a total area of 9,826,630 square kilometers or 3,794,083 square miles. Canada is bigger than America by 1. 6% of its total area or about 158,040 square kilometers or 61,020 square miles (United North America). On the other hand, some of these differences include total area, population, GDP, unemployment rate, and life expectancy. With a population of 301,139,947 which is 9 times the population of Canada, America has a great advantage over Canada with a population of only 33,390,141. Another difference between both countries is GDP. The GDP of America is relatively higher than that of Canada. The GDP of America is US$ 13. 458 trillion, which is 11 times the GDP of Canada, compared to US$ 1. 287 trillion GDP of Canada. There is also a disparity in the unemployment rate of both countries. The unemployment rate in America is 5. 1%, which is lower compared to 6. 8% of Canada. Life expectancy in the U. S. is also lower compared to Canada. Americans can live up to 78 years while Canadians can live up to 80 years (United North America). The Features of Post Industrial Society Knowledge is a very important factor in our society today. In a post industrial society, everyone relies on information. Hence, exchange of information is highly regarded in a post industrial society. Information is gathered with the use of various data processors, record keeping, market research, etc. As to its economic sectors, the post industrial society is dominated by the tertiary sector, otherwise known as the services sector. Thus, the job opportunities mostly include jobs that offer services. Examples of these jobs are train services and computer services, among others. In a post industrial society, productivity can be seen through the primary sector and the secondary sector because of the contributions of the tertiary sector due to the transition from goods production to provision of services, one of this society’s most important features (Gershuny 1-10). Another significant feature of the post industrial era is that the importance of â€Å"blue collar† comes to dominate the economic world.Knowledge as said earlier is also an important aspect of this society. especially theoretical knowledge (Ritzer 9). Works Cited Gershuny, J. â€Å"What do we do in Post-industrial Society? † University of California, Los Angeles. April 2004. 04 November 2008 . Ritzer, G. The Blackwell Companion to Major Contemporary Social Theorists. Maldem, Mass. Oxford: Blackwell, 2003. United North America. Similarities & Differences Between Canada & United States. 1 January 2007. 04 November 2008

The terms color blind and diversity

The terms color blind and diversity are widely used in affirmative action but they are not synonymous. Applied properly, color blind should be taken to mean without distinction to color. This means that the policies such as affirmative action should neither advance nor protect the interests of any race. As compared to diversity, this is understood to provide the necessary preferential treatment in order to advance the interests of all races, being color blind is not related to racial relations but instead advocates the lack of any racial undertones.To arrive at a better understanding of how these terms work it is important to briefly discuss affirmative action. Affirmative action has been praised and pilloried as the answer to racial inequality. First introduced by President Kennedy in 1961, â€Å"Affirmative action† was designed as a method of reducing the discrimination that had remained despite the civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees.It was a method that was put in place as a â€Å"Temporary Measure to Level the Playing Field† through the offering of the same opportunities to all Americans. As the video shows, the struggle for racial equality has taken different paths in American history. For some, it has mean equal opportunity and righting of a wrong long since committed, for others it remains a constant struggle not only for survival but for recognition.There have been several violations that have disenfranchised many but this clear violation of the Constitution prompted many to create a landmark law that will turn the tide once and for all. It was â€Å"Affirmative Action† that was supposed to save America from the evils of racism and discrimination but this directive failed and in fact it even backfired and instead of helping the oppressed it made them look less worthy of respect as ever before.As such, it is clear that being color blind, while different from encouraging diversity, is oftentimes interchanged and can have disastrous results. These concepts, however, are not mutually exclusive and may co-exist under the proper circumstances. It must be remembered that in order for Civil Rights plans such as Affirmative Action to work there must be a fine balance to encourage racial diversity but at the same time not lead to discrimination of other races.

Integrated Social Telemarketing

The emphasis on consumer which involves thorough research and coherent evaluation is the thrust of social telemarketing. The foundation of social telemarketing process would be research and evaluation per se. Social telemarketing emerged in the 1970’s as a specialized field of study in marketing. Gerald Zaltman and Philip Kotler were the proponents of social telemarketing. they realized that similar marketing strategies which are used to sell products to consumers can be used in â€Å"selling† ideas and behaviors as well.Kotler suggested that social telemarketing as â€Å"differing from other areas of marketing only with respect to the objectives of the marketer and his organization. † It seeks to influence social behaviors which will benefit its target market and its apparent society as a whole. However, such direct marketing method requires significant funding in order to push through with operations (Weinreich, 2006). Direct Product Marketing Direct product ma rketing pertains to the generation of particular product or service which the consumer wants or needs.In order to produce a product for a consumer, a marketer generates a marketing mix to determine the feasibility of a product in its market and to address the needs of its target market as well. Introducing a new product to the general public refers to the product market. The consumer market is the people you are trying to entice in order to buy the product. A product market is subjective in nature. For instance, you can’t lure a 60 year old in buying the new model of the X-box video game console. Likewise, you can’t sell a hair grower shampoo to a toddler ( Wheelright & Clark, 1992). Email and Voicemail MarketingDue to the fast-paced and sporadic technology, direct marketing has spawned a method called Voicemail Marketing, in which utilizes business voicemail systems and personal voice mailboxes. Such direct marketing method is considered cost effective compared to the costly expenses brought about by Social Telemarketing. Voicemail Marketing simply makes good with an enticing human voice in order to reach out to clients. However, such method has its loopholes due to the proliferation of â€Å"voicespam†, which urged a number of jurisdictions to promulgate laws regarding consumer violations concernig voicemail marketing.

Self-Awareness Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Self-Awareness Assignment - Research Paper Example es it as â€Å"the most fundamental issue in psychology.† The least level of self-awareness is usually characterized by confusion while some level of awareness results to some form of differentiation. Above the differentiation level, there is the situational level where an individual begins to explore self while finding circumstances that suit them. The individual can also get to the level of identification where they begin developing a self-image. An individual then begins to realize their position based on their experience and finally they develop to become fully conscious of themselves (Jayashree, 2011). Personally, I am still in the process of self-awareness having realized some of my strengths and weaknesses. Self-awareness is facilitated by self-assessment as well as the need for self-enhancement (Silvia 2002). The realization of strengths can be very important since for the period of time that I have been able to realize them, some benefits have ensued. Firstly, i have always been an individual that loves to be independent. This dates back in early years in school where my parents used to complain that I did not seek assistance and trued to show me its importance. When doing assignments, most of my primary school colleagues were used to doing assignments in groups even those that were supposed to be personal. However, for me, I did not have the slightest persuasion that I needed to do my work in a group. I did not have anything against them but just developed a feeling that I needed to be independent. Later on, as I joined college for my studies I was so pleased to be alone, not for any ill intention but just for having my own space as I face various aspects of life. Upon realization of this, I have been trying to use it to better myself. It has made me accumulate a number of personal belongings as well as get a chance to do appreciate the role of others in my life. Being independent makes me be very selective on the friends I keep and so far, it has been

Strategic Systems Integration Planning of the Heelz Boutique Essay

Strategic Systems Integration Planning of the Heelz Boutique - Essay Example Choi (2014, p. 260) defined as, â€Å"software that is distributed with its source code under a license that sets out terms and conditions for use, modification, and re-distribution.† Subramanyam and Xia (2008) also provided similar kind of definition while describing the characteristics of Open Source Software (OSS). It is evident from the definition that OSS is being developed through geographically distributed software development platform and online community for volunteer developers. In the last two decades, Open Source Software (OSS) attracted significant amount of attention from business houses, researchers, governments, and researchers, as a lucrative alternative to expensive packaged proprietary software from commercial vendors due to advantages like lower costs and flexibility (Noyes, 2011; Choi, 2014). Subramaniam, Sen, and Nelson (2009) gave examples of renowned OSS such as Firefox (a web browser), MySQL (a relational database management system), Linux (operating s ystem) and Apache (a web server). Open source development depends heavily on the support of the self-organizing community, users and business clients (Crowston, Annabi and Howison, 2003; Crowston et al, 2007). On the other hand, expensive packaged proprietary software from commercial vendors is being developed by paid software developers and such software is being rigorously tested by system engineers. On contrary, OSS is being supervised by volunteer members. Therefore, a degree of systematic approach is pretty less for OSS in comparison to proprietary software.

One Year Action Plan based on based on Epstein's 6 Types of Essay

One Year Action Plan based on based on Epstein's 6 Types of involvement - Essay Example Such feasibility studies were done to ensure that the action plan was measurable, specific, time-bound and achievable. These factors were not considered only in the selection but also in the implementation of the plan. As much as possible, over elaboration and sensationalism were avoided. To this effect, the action plan comes with specific activities on what needs to be done to achieve the set targets. These measures indeed make the implementation of the 3-way Action Plan feasible as there are clearly stated measures for achieving the objectives. In the academics for instance, it is stated for example that ways of achieving goal one would be â€Å"Parent involvement, increase in Benchmarks, six weeks test, report cards, TAKS testing†. With measures of this nature running through all the goals, the implementation of the plan is indeed feasible. Factors that will Support the Plan As suggested by Epstein, there have been specific factors picked from the home, community as well as the school as supporting factors for the successful implementation and achievement of the action plan. ... h the academic goals where students will be taken through reinforced lessons in the areas of reading, spelling and the organization of academic competitions to boost students’ desire to learn more. Factors that will Hinder the Plan Not withstanding the carefully crafted factors above, there is no denying the fact that there are still foreseeable factors that may possibly hinder the successful implementation of the Action Plan. Some of these factors include the fact that there may be conflict of targeted goals between the home and the school in one hand and the community and the school at the other hand. This is to mean that there is the likelihood that goals that the home may want to achieve in this period of one year may not just be different from that of the school but opposite to it, causing a lot of inconvenience in striking the balance of pursuing both goals. The same is true for the community. Again, since Epstein suggests that the implementation of the action plan shoul d be out of a collaborative effort between the school and other stakeholders, it is expected that there will be maximum cooperation from the home and community. However, there could be the likelihood that these agents or stakeholders may not have enough time to participate in the implementation of the Action Plan. There could even be apathy on the part of some stakeholders. Financial inadequacies are also hindrances that cannot be overlooked. Extent to which the action plan already supports the Partnership that already exists in School Farlex (2011) explains that â€Å"a relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal† As the adage goes, â€Å"there is nothing new under the sun†. As a matter of

Manifest Destiny Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Manifest Destiny - Research Paper Example Native American tribes in the Southern colonies felt continued pressure from white expansionism, as whites continued to flood South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi in order to expand their highly lucrative commercial agriculture. With the founding of the United States in 1776, whites in North America began to develop a new sense of self and constructed a new identity that placed increasing emphasis on the superiority of whites over Native Americans. This developing sense of identity eventually coalesced in the ideology of Manifest Destiny, the belief that Americans had a divine directive and natural right to possess all land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. In 1839, John L. Sullivan argued that America was to be the new temple of God on Earth, a Tabernacle with the soil for its floor and the skies themselves as its ceiling. American politicians and intellectuals used the language of Christianity and divine Providence to justify any actions that had to be taken in t he name of American expansion throughout North America (Sullivan, 1968, p.19). Thomas Paine, one of America's Founding right to aggressive nationalism was becoming inevitable. ... right to aggressive nationalism was becoming inevitable. Billington and Ridge (1982), indicated that "the true story of the occupation of North America is the story of a conquest, not of an uncontested march westward of Anglo-American frontiersmen" (p.18). This paper aims to analyze the historical phenomenon of Manifest Destiny, transformation of its ideology, its justifications and significance. MANIFEST IDENTITY AND PROVIDENCE As the Americans began to extend their territorial holdings in North America, Americans began to search for a rhetoric of justification for the expansion. The American justification for expansion included: the special mission of Providence, faux scientific laws of race and national development, national right, social duty, national defense and the extension of freedom (Weinberg, 1935, p.2). Among these, the special mission of Providence, and a belief the God was leading the United States to claim more and more land played a particularly important role in the development of expansionist ideology. National mission means that a Higher Power has created a special "destiny higher than [the nation's] own security and well-being", and as such, mere economic or security issues cannot provide the only justification for claiming land on the continent (Rossiter, 1971, p.44). Not only were the Americans fulfilling a special mission from God, the Americans also believed they were worshiping God t hrough their expansion. John L. Sullivan (1968) wrote in 1839, "The boundless future will be the era of American greatness. In its magnificent domain of space and time, the nation of many nations is destined to manifest to mankind the excellence of divine principles; to establish on earth the noblest temple ever

Leadership in Early Childhood Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership in Early Childhood Education - Essay Example In addition, there are different views about incorporating personal philosophy ECEC settings. This essay therefore examines the definition of leadership and how my philosophy reflects my understanding of leadership. There are different definitions about leadership in general and there is no widely accepted definition of leadership, no shared agreement on how best to improve leadership and leaders. The definitions mostly revolve around individual traits, influence over others, role relationships, situational characteristics and the notion of the follower, meeting people’s needs, mobilizing power, negotiating agreements and becoming political. (Lecture A1PP). Traditionally, the leadership viewed worker as a person who was part of the working masses. Historical definitions have changed a lot and new contemporary definitions emerged through many authors’ works. However, highly gendered traditional models of leadership have been seen as natural to leadership (Hard 2005). How ever, research indicates that women are rated as more effective leaders and that many women have developed a leadership style that involves promoting interactions with colleagues, encouraging employee participation, and sharing information and power (Hard 2005). I concur with the view that express leadership in terms of formality and informality (Hard 2005). The formal leader is the one who is appointed the informal leader is the one who demonstrates leadership qualities. This is evident in the theory of Leadership treats approach, which focuses on the traits of individuals, identifying the characteristics such as self-confidence, problem solving, organizational skills (Hard, 2005). Some researchers conceptualize leadership as a treat or as behavior whereas others view the leadership from an information processing perspective. In my view, I support contemporary styles of leadership that include Transformational leaders, Transactional leadership, Charismatic leadership, Gender specif ic leadership, authentic leadership (lecture A2), Distributed leadership, Transformational leaders articulate a vision, use lateral thinking, and inspire their colleagues to achieve at a high level for the organization. In transformational leadership, I am able to improve workers' conditions, develop teams, and have shared decision-making. My success is very much dependent upon the workers' perception of the leader's ability. Visionary leaders adopt a new vision; their goal is to move people towards a new vision. According to Macbeath (2004) (as stated by Hard, 2005), charismatic leader is closely associated with the bid leader image and has qualities that are larger than life and they inspire their colleagues to follow them. Gender specific leadership is based on the assumption that men make the best or most natural leaders. This dominant discourse has prevented women from being the producers or subjects of knowledge (as cited by Hard (Tnaton 1994) 2005). Ebbec (2003) says that the re is an agreement among these contemporary authors that the leadership grows through interaction with people and the relations that grow between leaders and the others are vital in sustaining leadership. The traditional view has changed a lot among the contemporary authors but some traits of it still in use these days. Authentic leaders are self-aware. They are not afraid to show their real selves to their followers. Their behavior does not vary whether they are in the public sector or in private. They are not afraid to make mistakes or look wrong. The conceptual models of distributed leadership primarily developed by Wariganayaanayke (2000, cited by Ebbeck and Wariganayake,

Understand the Individual Elements of the Extended Marketing Mix Assignment

Understand the Individual Elements of the Extended Marketing Mix - Assignment Example Philip Kotler and other academicians (In 1965, Philip Kotler described 4P’s as various marketing variables in his article) proselytized the concept in coming years (Schultz, and H Schultz, 2004, p.7). Proctor & Gamble Proctor & Gamble is a renowned American consumer goods company. The company is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. The organization was established by William Procter and James Gamble in the year 1837. The company serves over eighty countries across the world. Sales volume has touched a record mark of $82,500 billion in the year 2011. The company has established category leadership in various segments like House Care, Skin Care and Oral care. More than 127,000 people work in the company. The consumer goods company markets more than two hundred and fifty brands across the world. The company enjoys leadership in almost twenty four brands in its category and able to fetch billion of dollars annually from each of the brands. The consumer goods organization has es tablished twenty eight technical centres across the globe (PG-Global, n.d.). Product Strategy Product strategy of P&G is influenced by one seventy year old vision statement established by James Gamble that is being honest in product making. The study will focus on product strategy in terms of cosmetics division for the company. They have noticeably changed time tested cosmetics business into a new height by implementing strategic and holistic approach of new product development. Before 1994, the company tried to maintain product systems complemented with Olay, Clarion and Cover Girl but failed due to their unfocused business effort. Real breakthrough was achieved during late 1990’s when the company launched Diamond initiative and developed new product... Understand the Individual Elements of the Extended Marketing Mix Sales volume has touched a record mark of $82,500 billion in the year 2011. The company has established category leadership in various segments like House Care, Skin Care and Oral care. More than 127,000 people work in the company. The consumer goods company markets more than two hundred and fifty brands across the world. The company enjoys leadership in almost twenty four brands in its category and able to fetch billion of dollars annually from each of the brands. The consumer goods organization has established twenty eight technical centres across the globe. Product Strategy Product strategy of P&G is influenced by one seventy year old vision statement established by James Gamble that is being honest in product making. The study will focus on product strategy in terms of cosmetics division for the company. They have noticeably changed time tested cosmetics business into a new height by implementing strategic and holistic approach of new product development. Before 1994, the company tried to maintain product systems complemented with Olay, Clarion and Cover Girl but failed due to their unfocused business effort. Real breakthrough was achieved during late 1990’s when the company launched Diamond initiative and developed new product Olay. Previously the product was meant for whole body usage but the new campaign targeted the product for facial usage. They streamlined distribution network and supply chain management according to market demand.

AIRLINE BARGAINING PROCESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

AIRLINE BARGAINING PROCESS - Essay Example The labor agreement includes various basic procedures which are truly essential to be followed by the unions. According to the report on Aviation sector it has been advised that the â€Å"unions must not agree to long-term concessions but rather to define measures on a short-term basis.† A tentative labor agreement calls for improved wages, job security and increased productivity and details a mutual commitment to labor partnerships and commitment towards employers. The election of the arbitrator should be done by both employer and union. The union and the employers have to go by the final decision taken by the arbitrator. The bargaining agent should be certified by the labor board as it represents all workers in the bargaining unit and negotiates a collective agreement with the employer. Once certified the union then has the legal right to represent all employees in the unit. The bargaining units determine the group of workers who are a part of the union, who are considered by the labor board as an appropriate group to bargain and those who are covered by the same collective agreement. The bargaining unit must pay union dues whether or not the members of the union. Collective bargaining is the negotiation between a union and the employer for a collective agreement. Breaching it leads to various unhealthy labor-management relations. But â€Å"currently there is no centralized bargaining forum in the Aviation industry†. The changed law of â€Å"privatization for workers has also led to various strikes† placing â€Å"excessive demands on the unions and fragmenting worker solidarity†. Such work rules are affecting labor-management relation to a lot.

Robinson Crusoe Critique Essay Example for Free

Robinson Crusoe Critique Essay Volodin Robinson Crusoe And The New Middle Class Before analyzing Robinson Crusoe it is important to give a short background of the author of such an incredible novel. Daniel Defoe was born in 1660 and died in 1731 after a life of adventures and incredible experiences. He was raised to be very religious and his parents were strongly attached to the puritanism tendency that was spreading around Europe. These aspects and the strong education imposed by his parents will strongly influence Robinson Crusoe’s psychology. Furthermore, Defoe worked as a Merchant, Insurer and during his entire live he has been sent in prison several times for either small or serious issues. Having such an experience, Defoe strongly felt to be part of the New Middle class that was flourishing due to the new colonies and the economic boom of that period. In this way we can say that his personal experience, family education and the influence of the growing Middle class strongly gave to Defoe the impulse to create a character such as Robinson Crusoe, who represents the typical New Middle Class person who can, using his brain and his talent, always succeed in life. Robinson Crusoe represents the prototype of the typical English Merchant, heartless and unceasingly looking for a profitable business to lead. This new type of figure continuously changes because of the unsatisfactory position it has in the society and always strives to find new ways to make profit. In fact, Robinson Crusoe reveals these characteristics, and his strong attachment to the religion, when he sells Xury to the Captain. He offerd me also 60 Pieces of Eight more for my Boy Xury, which I was loath to take, not that I was not willing to let the Captain have him, but I was very loath to sell the poor Boys Liberty, who had assisted me so faithfully in procuring my own. However when I let him know my Reason, he own’d it to be just, and offer’d me this Medium, that he would give the Boy an Obligation to set him free in ten Years, if he turn’s Christian; upon this, and Xury saying he was willing to go to him, I let the Captain have him. † From this quota tion powerfully comes out the strong education gave to Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe does not really care about Xury, even though he has served him loyally. This passage highlights the new situation of the Middle Class represented by Robinson Crusoe that championed individualism, seizing every single opportunity to have a personal profit, relying just on own powers and talents. Furthermore, agreeing on converting Xury into a Christian let us explicitly understand the importance of the Puritan education imposed to Defoe by his family with the consequent reflection of this approach on Robinson Crusoe, who just agrees after making sure that the Captain have to turn Xury into a â€Å"Good Christian†. Robinson Crusoe demonstrates to be the â€Å"new bourgeois-man† during his long stay at the isle. The island becomes the perfect field to completely release his middle class attitudes and the opportunity to show that he deserves to be saved by God’s providence. It is important to interpret properly the significant of the Island. Crusoe’s stay at the island has to be seen as the chance for Robinson Crusoe to prove his qualities controlling, manipulating and exploiting the Nature. Consequently, Crusoe starts to â€Å"recreate† the English society of the 18th Century, sticking to the Middle Class uses of efficiency and individuality. For instance, when Crusoe meets Friday he decides to impose him his way of living showing once again his necessity to impose the â€Å"English life style†. In fact, further on in the novel Robinson Crusoe teaches to Friday how to speak English and how to interpret the holy Bible. In the island comes out even the typical attachment to the Puritanism of the Middle Class represented by Robinson Crusoe who believed in the God’s Providence. Crusoe is convinced that God is the first cause of everything but he can change his destiny by acting following his brain and using his talents. To conclude, Defoe shows us a perfect hero who, following the Middle Class education and mentality, can face every problem and solving it using his brain and his talents. It is incredible how Defoe could impress in an unbelievable way the main aspects of the growing Middle Class. Like Robinson Crusoe demonstrates, and Defoe in first person firmly thinks, a person using his own skill and being always self aware of his possibility can emerge and always find a way to survive and succeed in life if he really wants and strives for that.

Effective Treatment for Drug Addiction Essay Example for Free

Effective Treatment for Drug Addiction Essay â€Å"Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans undergo treatment for substance use disorder, also called addiction† (Hart Ksir, 2013, p. 409). Drug addiction is a complex brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. It is a condition characterized by an overwhelming and uncontrollable desire or craving to continue taking a drug to which one has become habituated through repeated consumption. It also produces a particular effect, usually an alteration of mental status. Drug addiction is usually accompanied by a compulsion to obtain the drug, a tendency to increase the dose, a psychological or physical dependence, and detrimental consequences for the individual and society. For many people, drug addiction becomes chronic, with possible relapses even after long periods of abstinence. Hart Ksir (2013), for example, state: â€Å"Substance dependence is often a chronic illness that shares many characteristics with other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma† (p. 22). The pathway to drug addiction initiates with the act of taking drugs, and over a period of time, an individual’s ability to choose not to do so becomes compromised, and as a result, seeking and consuming the drug becomes compulsive. This behavior results mainly from the effects of persistent drug exposure on brain functioning. â€Å"Addiction affects multiple brain circuits, including those involved in reward and motivation, learning and memory, and inhibitory control over behavior† (Huffman, 2010, p. 201). Some individuals are more vulnerable than others to becoming addicted, depending on genetic makeup, age of exposure to drugs, other environmental influences, and the interplay of all these factors. Huffman (2010) argues that â€Å"Psychoactive drugs influence the nervous system (and our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) in a variety of ways† (p. 186). Treatment for drug abuse or addiction is not simple or easy because drug abuse or addiction has so many dimensions. Effective treatment programs typically incorporate many components. Green (2010) notes that: Each component must be directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences. For example, addicted treatment must help the individual stop using drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle, and achieve productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society (p. 148). Because addiction is a disease, addicted people cannot simply stop using drugs for a few days, months, or even years to be cured. The most part of the patients require long-term or repeated episodes of care to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained abstinence and recovery of their lives. Indeed, scientific research and clinical practice have demonstrated the value of continuing care in treating addiction, with a variety of approaches having been tested and integrated in residential and community settings such as inpatient and outpatient community programs. The use of 13-step principles is crucial for addiction treatment to be effective and/or fruitful. 13 Principles for Effective Treatment 1) Family and the drug addict must recognize and understand that drug addiction is a complex but treatable illness that affects brain functioning and behavior. They need to be aware that the abuse of any drug alters the brain’s structure and function. The alterations will result in changes which will continue for a long time even after the drug use is stopped. It also will make the family and the drug addict to understand why drug abusers could relapse at any time even if s/he still in treatment, has experienced potentially devastating consequences, and/or has had long periods of abstinence. Hart Ksir (2013) note: Drugs work on the body to cause a mood-altering effect by the chemical impact they have on the brain. Through the blood supply, the drug is carried to the brain. Once the drug is released to the brain, the drug’s effect begins because the brain concentrates on the drug (p. 88). 2) Family and the drug addict must understand that no single treatment is sufficient, adequate, or appropriate for everyone. Each treatment differs depending on the characteristics of the patient. For example, the type of drug being used, the period of time that the drug has been used, the age and race of the individual, environmental conditions, genetic influences, behavior, the wiliness and ability to react to the treatment, life style, and the broader health of the individual, etc. The National Institute of Drug Abuse notes that: Drug addiction shares many features with other chronic illnesses, including a tendency to run in families (heritability), an onset and course that is influenced by environmental conditions and behavior, and the ability to respond to appropriate treatment, which may include long-term lifestyle modification. Human studies of addictive behaviors have clearly implicated both environmental and genetic influences, as well as interactions between the two. While genetics play a major role in defining who we are, the environment in which we are raised is just as influential (NIDA, n. d. ). The good match treatment setting, such as interventions, therapies, and others services designed only to the individual’s particular problems and needs, is crucial for that person to success to return to his or her normal and productive life. 3) Treatment must be easily available. Many drug-addicted individuals struggle even when they decide to entering treatment. This step is critical for them, so the program should be readily available for them in order to take full advantage of the available services. When the treatment program is not easily accessible, potential patients will be lost, and the likelihood of positive outcome for those patients will diminish because as with other chronic diseases, when the treatment is offered earlier in the disease process, the probability of positive outcomes will be greater. If the treatment is easily available, â€Å"Overall, it will be considered to be effective because it will help many people to abstain often for many years†¦ The benefits far exceed the cost of providing the programs† (Hart Ksir, 2013, p. 423). 4) An effective treatment shouldn’t include only the issue of drug abuse, but the diverse needs of the individuals as well. Hart Ksir (2013) assert that â€Å"Substance dependence is often a chronic illness that shares many characteristics with other chronic illness such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma† (p. 422). A treatment to be considered effective, it must address the individual’s drug abuse issue and all the related issues surrounding the addiction, for example, medical, psychological, physical, environmental, biological, social, vocational, and legal problems, among others. Also, age, gender, ethnicity, social status, and culture should be taken into account. 5) Staying in treatment for a reasonable period of time is crucial. â€Å"Long-term treatment of more than three months tends to create more concrete habits, as well as allows the client more time to develop etter methods to prevent relapse† (Shewood, 2013). A long-term treatment is especially good for those individuals recovering from using drugs for a very long period of time. The appropriate length for a specific individual will depend on the type of drug used and the degree of his or her problems and necessities. Many studies have demonstrated that most addicted individuals will need at least three months in treat ment to greatly reduce or stop using drugs. In addition, the studies have showed that the best results take place with longer durations of treatments. Recovering from any type of drug addiction is not an easy task to do, but with a long-term process and sometimes the requirement of multiple episodes of treatment, the recovery is possible. Sometimes relapses could occur. To prevent this, individuals should not leave the treatment prematurely. A treatment program should include a set of strategies to engage, motivate, and keep its patients in treatment. 6) Behavior therapies should be included. Behavior therapies such as counseling (individual, peer, and/or group) are very effective forms of treatment for drug abusers. These therapies may include: motivating the patient to change, providing incentives for abstinence, building skills or abilities to resist drug use, substituting drug-using activities for positive, helpful, and rewarding activities, developing or improving problem-solving skills, and facilitating better social relationships. The participation in those therapy programs (individual, peer, or group) during the treatment will greatly help drug addicted individuals to maintain drug free. 7) Medication is a fundamental part for the treatment of numerous patients. To obtain better result, they may be combined with behavioral therapies. Hart Ksir (2013) state the following: An intense amount of research efforts have focused on developing medications to treat substance abuse and dependence†¦ Some medications that have been used to help substance abusers deal with withdrawal symptoms and maintain abstinence from alcohol, nicotine, opioids, cocaine, and cannabis are: Benzodiazepines, Disulfiram, Naltrexone, Acamprosate, Bupropion, Varenicline, Methadone, Buprenorphine, Naltrexone, Modafinil, and Dronabinol† (pp. 414-415). As with all complex diseases, the environment plays a vital role in the life of the individual to determine the course and outcome of the disease. 8) The individual’s plan such as his or her treatment, resources, and services must be evaluated constantly. The constant evaluation of the treatment plan is a very important thing that should be done to ensure the program is meeting his or her present or changing needs, if not, it should be modified right away. The modification could include a combination of services and treatments during the process of treatment and recovery. Those changes can be counseling, medication, psychotherapy, medical services, social skills, parenting education, vocational training, and legal services, etc. The continue evaluation and changes during the treatment will provide very positive outcomes to the patient. 9) Drug-addicted individuals should be treated for other mental disorders too. Because many drug abusers beside their drug addiction suffer from other mental illness, they must be evaluated and treated for the specific mental illness as well. The treatment should focus on both the addiction and the mental disease with the inclusion of medications if they are needed. The National Institute of Drug Abuse note that: When two disorders or illnesses occur simultaneously in the same person, they are called comorbid. Surveys show that drug abuse and other mental illnesses are often comorbid. Six out of ten people with a substance use disorder also suffer from another form of mental illness. But the high prevalence of these comorbidities does not mean that one condition caused the other, even if one appeared first. Patients with mood or anxiety disorders are about twice as likely to also suffer from a drug disorder. In addition, patients with drug disorders are roughly twice as likely to be diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders. The rates of specific comorbidities also vary by gender. Among men and women in drug treatment, antisocial personality disorder is more common in men, while women have higher rates of major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety disorders. 10) Detoxification medically assisted should be just the first phase of drug addiction treatment. Detoxification can be viewed as an initial and immediate goal during which medications are administered to alleviate unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that may appear following abrupt cessation of drug use† (Hart Ksir, 2013, p. 415). Medically assisted detoxification can securely manage the acute physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal. 11) Any type of drug use during the whole treatment should be monitored constantly to prevent relapses. For many patients, the alertness that their drug use is monitored all the time is a powerful incentive, and many times it also helps them to stay away from drugs. Moreover, monitoring is helpful to prevent possible returning to drug use. If the continuously monitoring shows that the client is using drugs again, the treatment plan for that specific individual should be adjusted to better meet his or her needs. 12. Treatment programs must assess its patients for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS, chlamydia, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases as well. Counseling to help drug-addicted patients to modify or change their behaviors which place them at risk of contracting or spreading any infectious disease is a very important piece of the treatment. If the counseling is focused specifically on how to reduce sexually transmitted diseases that put the patients at risk, it could help those patients to reduce or avoid substance-related and other high-risk behaviors. If a patient is already infected, s/he will manage with more responsibility his or her disease, and also it will facilitate adherence to other medical treatments. 13) The addiction treatment plan should be hundred percent ethical. Counselors, as mental authorities, have a lot of power, so they never should use this power for personal reasons or beliefs (such as bias) or to reject a patient. Counselors always must follow the NAADAC set of ethical codes when working with patients. According to the NAADAC, â€Å"counselors have the power to do great, good, or great harm. Counselors always must remember: Today, let me remember my power and take care to use it wisely. † In addition, the counselor should accept the fact that the patient has the right to accept or refuse any treatment plan when s/he is aware of the pros and cons of the treatment. The counselor is not supposed to go against the patient’s will. Conclusion Drugs have been a part of our society for many years now. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans receive treatment for substance abuse. Drug addiction is a complex illness that is considered a brain disease. Many drug-addicted individuals in order to become drug free, they must undergo an effective treatment program that typically incorporate many components. Each component must be directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences. The use of 13-step principles is crucial for any addiction treatment to be effective and/or fruitful. They are: (1) Family and the drug addict must recognize and understand that drug addiction is a complex but treatable illness that affects brain functioning and behavior; (2) Family and the drug addict must understand that no single treatment is sufficient, adequate, or appropriate for everyone; (3) Treatment must be easily available; (4) An effective treatment should include the issue of drug abuse, and also the diverse needs of the individuals; (5) Staying in treatment for a reasonable period of time is crucial; (6) Behavior therapies should be included; (7) Medication is a fundamental part for the treatment of many patients. 8) The individual’s plan such as his or her treatment, resources, and services must be evaluated constantly; (9) Drug-addicted individuals should be treated for other mental disorders too; (10) Detoxification medically assisted should be just the first phase of drug addiction treatment; (11) Any type of drug use during the whole treatment should be moni tored constantly to prevent relapses; (12) Treatment programs must assess its patients for sexually transmitted diseases; and (13) The addiction treatment plan should be hundred percent ethical.

Speech And Language Disorders In Children Young People Essay

Speech And Language Disorders In Children Young People Essay An amazing experience in every parents life is hearing their child speak for the first time. The first utter of dada or ma-ma is remarkable. This is the first step in a childs life to be able to verbalize with the world and explain his or her needs. The extraordinary part is how fast a child grasps language and the grammar that goes along with it. The normal age for children to start using words in the correct context is 12 months. Then there is an exponential growth in vocabulary and by 24 months children are stringing three or four words together to create sentences. By the age of three, children have the ability to ask questions, answer questions, and express themselves. This of course is for a normal developing child. For children with a delay in speech capability these milestones take a much longer time to reach and make it difficult for children to communicate their needs. This becomes problem if it goes untreated because of difficulties with school and social situations, the c hild also has difficulty asking for what he or she needs. There are many explanations to why this happens, hearing loss, bodily trauma such as traumatic brain injury, and apraxia are just a few of the multitude of reasons a child can be delayed in speech. Having an evaluation by a speech pathologist is the best way to see if a child has a speech delay or a learning disability because some of the same symptoms can mean either or both. The sooner the speech delay is recognized the better because the best treatment can be assessed and the delay can be monitored, and evaluated to see if treatment is necessary. If treatment is necessary the speech pathologist can decide the best method for the child depending on the severity and age of the child. This gives the child the best opportunity to recover from this either speech delay or speech impairment. Statement of the Problem Being able to understand young children can be challenging because their language skills have not fully developed. This is difficult, but what is more difficult is when a child has a delay in language and speech development. This is frustrating for the speaker and for the listener to understand what the speakers needs and wants are. This makes learning difficult and if these language problems are not eradicated many children go into special education because of their inabilities to use their language skills correctly. McCormack. McLeod, McAllister, and Harrison (2010), found that both the young people and their significant others acknowledged the importance of appropriately understanding and responding to communication needs in order to create a positive QOL (p. 386). The children are aware that their speech impairments or disorders can affect how they live their lives and the opportunities that they can lose it their speech issues go unattended as well. The methods used to correct s peech issues usually include working with a speech pathologist and doing different exercises to help with the speech issues. Parents or teachers are the first to take notice that the child needs to be tested for speech and language delays. McCormack, et al. (2010) state, The decision to seek and receive intervention for young children with speech impairment typically is made by parents or teachers on behalf of the children, as opposed to adults with communication impairment who make this decision of their own accord (p. 381). These children are not necessarily aware they need help, but they are aware that they speak differently and this can create issues with making friends and being able to communicate needs successfully to people that are not close to them. Without help these children can grow up without having the same opportunities as children with normal speaking patterns. The earlier these problems are addressed the sooner therapy can begin and the more likely these children w ill grow up having a regular life with normal prospects at school and at jobs. Beginning list of Terms Apraxia- The inability to perform complex movement like those used for speech, this usually occurs following a brain trauma or damage. Morphology- The use and understanding of minimal units of meaning. Phonology- Language manipulation of sound according to the rules of the particular language being spoken. Semantics- The study of language meaning with the use of words and phrases. Specific Language Impairment (SLI)- is a diagnosis when a childs speech is delayed because of no other apparent physical or mental reason. Speech Pathologists- Someone who specializes in speech and language disorders. Syntax- The principles, grammar, and rules for assembling sentences in language. Telegraphic Speech- The use of one verb and one noun that toddlers sometimes use to ask for things they want. This speech pattern begins around age two. Limitation of Study In recent years there has been many studies done on speech delays and speech abnormality in children. Before the 1970s there was not much information on were speech impairments came from. There were many theories on hearing loss and substandard parenting but not much on genetics at the time (bishop, 2006). Currently the studies on speech impairment are limited to studies that are updated after a few years to see progress. The advancements on speech therapies and modern techniques are not old enough to do studies on children that have gone through these sessions and become adults to see if these therapies are life changing or if some symptoms return with age and if sessions are stopped. This information will only become available with time to see if any of the problems arise with age. Theoretical Foundation Two theorists that have studied how children discover speech are Albert Bandura and Noam Chomsky. These men did not study delays in speech but they did theorize how children learn to speak so these theories can be applied to how delays and impairments can happen in children. Chomsky felt when children are in-between two and three, they start putting three words together, creating simple sentences. While it is true that children learn rules of adult language, they often over generalize language at first. If they hear something is plural, such as cats, then they are likely to put s on other words were it is not appropriate to make it plural, like moose or fish. With children with speech impairments these overgeneralizations with language do not always disappear like they do with children with normal language skills. After three and between six children have a language transformation (Crain, 2005). They start rearranging the sentences almost perfectly. At about the age of seven children start to understand the use of passive voice (Crain, 2005). With a child with a speech impairment of delay this transformation can take much longer to accomplish, or not at all without the proper treatment. Bandura theorized that children learned through observation. They model after what they hear their parents say. They cannot model identically but usually the language rules that go along with the language they are immersed in are mimicked and learned (Crain, 2005). This can be a cause of speech impairment such as a stutter if their parent stuttered. If Banduras theory was solely then only true theory about speech the only children that would be impaired in speech would be those with parents that were impaired in speech. Speech impairment can also influences cognitive behaviors. This can create anger and embarrassment if the speech impairment is not corrected as the child gets older and becomes more aware that they way they speak is different then those around them. The psychological distress that children can go through when they have speech impairment can be seen when they have problems socializing. Speech impairments make it difficult for children to socialize with other children because children with normal speech can be unaware of the delicacy of the situation. They can say things that can be hurtful and this can make it tough to build relationships. It can also be difficult for these children to go to school because they usually need speech therapy and this can be embarrassing for some. Having a speech impairment or delay as a child can be mentally difficult because it affects not only verbal but also emotional parts of their life. Literature Review Definition of speech and language delay The most basic definition of speech and language delay is when children do not start speaking and using language skills the approximate age of the majority of other children. Without treatment by a speech pathologist or therapist the symptoms can continue or become worse. This can lead to difficulties in learning and cognitive development as the child ages. These speech and language delays can be attributed to a number of different causes which include, hearing loss, brain injury or retardation, and commonly specific language impairment when no other issue can be found with the childs other physical or mental capacities. Symptoms of speech delays The symptoms of speech and language delays are vast and can vary from child to child. While one child can have difficulties with sentence structure and omitting words, another child can have a problem with deleting letters from single words in sentences spoken. Deletion

Rebuttal Essay on Needed: A License to Drink -- Alcohol Drinking Essay

Rebuttal Essay on â€Å"Needed: A License to Drink† â€Å"Needed: A License to Drink† is an essay written by Mike Brake. In this essay, Brake explains why he thinks people need a license to drink. He has had family members die from alcohol related events and believes they might still be alive if a license was required to drink. Alcohol is related to many deaths and alcoholism is a disease that affects many people. â€Å"It causes more than 19,000 auto fatalities each year, it is responsible for more than a third of deaths from drowning and fire† (Brake135). Brake mentions that doctors have to report certain sexually transmitted diseases. He think they should have to report alcoholism as well. Also, licenses for hunting, guns, and driving are required, so Brake believes a license for drinking should also be required. Brake believes, â€Å"licensing would act as a screen—preventing a small percentage of the misery up-front† (136). If there was a way to carry out his plan successfully, I wo uld agree with his essay. However, it would be impossible to use Brake’s licensing plan and expect it to be successful. Brakes plan has flaws that have failed before. Doctors should not have to report alcoholism, and licenses would not prevent alcoholics from getting alcohol. Brake’s Plan First, people who want a license would have to study a written manual with facts about alcohol and the law (Brake 136). Next, they would have to be able to pass a written test. If someone gets in alcohol related trouble, the license would be taken away. If they do not have a license, they will have to receive treatment along with attending Alcoholics Anonymous (136). Problems with the Plan If everyone was willing to... ...etting it. Conclusion Doctors should not have to report alcoholism because it is different from other diseases. Also, licenses would not prevent people from drinking because underage people and those without a license would still have ways to acquire alcohol. Brake’s plan would be great if everyone was to abide by it, but unfortunately it would be almost undoubtedly impossible to create a plan like his and expect it to be successful. Works Cited â€Å"Alcohol Prohibition Was A Failure.† Cato Institute. 2004 Cato Institute. 15 April 2004 http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-157.html >. Brake, Mike. â€Å"Needed: A License to Drink† The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thomson-Heinle, 1998. â€Å"Minors and Alcoholic Beverages.† State of Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. 2003 15 April 2004< http://www.iowaabd.com/index.asp >. Rebuttal Essay on Needed: A License to Drink -- Alcohol Drinking Essay Rebuttal Essay on â€Å"Needed: A License to Drink† â€Å"Needed: A License to Drink† is an essay written by Mike Brake. In this essay, Brake explains why he thinks people need a license to drink. He has had family members die from alcohol related events and believes they might still be alive if a license was required to drink. Alcohol is related to many deaths and alcoholism is a disease that affects many people. â€Å"It causes more than 19,000 auto fatalities each year, it is responsible for more than a third of deaths from drowning and fire† (Brake135). Brake mentions that doctors have to report certain sexually transmitted diseases. He think they should have to report alcoholism as well. Also, licenses for hunting, guns, and driving are required, so Brake believes a license for drinking should also be required. Brake believes, â€Å"licensing would act as a screen—preventing a small percentage of the misery up-front† (136). If there was a way to carry out his plan successfully, I wo uld agree with his essay. However, it would be impossible to use Brake’s licensing plan and expect it to be successful. Brakes plan has flaws that have failed before. Doctors should not have to report alcoholism, and licenses would not prevent alcoholics from getting alcohol. Brake’s Plan First, people who want a license would have to study a written manual with facts about alcohol and the law (Brake 136). Next, they would have to be able to pass a written test. If someone gets in alcohol related trouble, the license would be taken away. If they do not have a license, they will have to receive treatment along with attending Alcoholics Anonymous (136). Problems with the Plan If everyone was willing to... ...etting it. Conclusion Doctors should not have to report alcoholism because it is different from other diseases. Also, licenses would not prevent people from drinking because underage people and those without a license would still have ways to acquire alcohol. Brake’s plan would be great if everyone was to abide by it, but unfortunately it would be almost undoubtedly impossible to create a plan like his and expect it to be successful. Works Cited â€Å"Alcohol Prohibition Was A Failure.† Cato Institute. 2004 Cato Institute. 15 April 2004 http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-157.html >. Brake, Mike. â€Å"Needed: A License to Drink† The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thomson-Heinle, 1998. â€Å"Minors and Alcoholic Beverages.† State of Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. 2003 15 April 2004< http://www.iowaabd.com/index.asp >.

Immigration Essay -- Illegal Immigrants Essays

Immigration Debate over immigration and immigration policy is not new to the nation's history. For a long time, Congress debated legislation to control the immigration problem. As immigration rises and hatred grows more laws will be carried out trying to release some of the pressure. Immigrants offer cheaper labor to businesses. Immigrants do not get minimum wage, but instead they get paid lower, this gives the business an edge over other competitors. Agriculture industries employ more undocumented workers than any other industry in the country because it cost less. Half of California's 700,000 farm workers are estimated to be undocumented. Thirty years ago 50 percent of farm workers in California were immigrants, and now it’s 92 percent. Agriculture is not the only industry that has under paid immigrants. Published by the Chronicle, a list of businesses fined by the INS in San Francisco includes a car rental company, construction firms, restaurants, clubs, a trucker, a travel agency and even a Protestant church. Everywhere today, you see immigrant workers cleaning rooms in hotels, mowing lawns in the suburbs, pumping gas in service stations, doing all sorts of temporary jobs. These business groups have a lot of interest in immigrants. The immigrant workers provide cheaper labor which cuts costs and get industries ahead in competition. Richard Rogers, district director of the INS in Los Angeles, was quoted as saying: "If we were to increase fines 75 to 80 p...

Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises :: Hemingway Sun Also Rises Essays

THE SUN ALSO RISES The book THE SUN ALSO RISES By ERNEST HEMINGWAY contains 251 pages filled with sadness, devastation and lost love. The plot is based on real people the Hemingway knew and that angered a lot of his friends, if any. Robert Cohn, the main character, is feeling inferior because he is Jewish and starts a boxing career to feel better about himself. He married the first girl he meets out of college. Then, he meets a new woman in CA and then takes her to Europe with him while he is working on his novel. He returns to the U.S. to get it published. His friend, Jake Barnes, who lives in Paris, is asked by Cohn to travel to South America with him to watch bull fights and meet women to "fall in love with". Jake, not interested, stays close to home. "Listen Robert, going to another country doesn't make any difference. I've tried all that. You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There's nothing to that."(11). However, by staying home, Jake finds trouble. Jake goes to a cafe and meets Georgette, a beautiful woman with an awful smile whom Jake finds boring. Jake takes Georgette to BAL, a dance club and while there, he meets Lady Brett Ashley, the "love of his life" and she is also an alcoholic nymphomaniac. Cohn shows up and also gets infatuated with Brett. However, Brett leave with Jake and Cohn is now extremely jealous, while Georgette is left alone but later leaves with someone. Jake and Brett ride around Paris talking about how they want to be together but can not. Jake goes home later that night, thinks about Brett and ends up crying himself to sleep. "This was Brett that I had felt like crying about. Then I thought of her walking up the street and stepping into the car, as I had last seen her, and of course in a little while I felt like hell again." (34). He wakes up at 4 am to the sound of a drunken Brett arguing with the landlord of Jake's building. She gets up to his apartment but soon leaves and instead, asks Jake to meet her the next day.

Audience Reactions and Attitudes to Much Ado About Nothing Essay

In â€Å"Much Ado About Nothing† Shakespeare captures many of the social standards in Elizabethan society whether they are fair or not. In Act 2 Scene 2 of the play, Don John plots to frame Hero and make it look like she has been unfaithful to her fiancà ©e the night before they are due to marry. This then sparks outrage from the male characters, which in turn shows a male bias in their society. The way Hero’s father takes a mans word over hers shows how strong trust and respect was for men compared to that shown towards women. Even though this play was written in a time when England was ruled by a woman (Queen Elizabeth) society was still dominated by men. Even Queen Elizabeth said she had the stomach of a man, implying that men are tougher than women purely because they are of a different gender. This left women with two roles in society; they were seen as prostitutes to be bought or wives to be owned. On top of this, women were also used as scapegoats for the faults of the world, this idea spawns from the beginning of time and Eve eating the apple and having mankind banished from the garden of Eden. This attitude is similar to the opinion of the Nazis towards the Jews, blaming the Jews for all the bad and evil in the world. At the start of act 4 scene 1, the arranged marriage between Claudio and Hero is about to take place, Claudio, Don Pedro and Don Pedro think that Hero has been unfaithful and is no longer a virgin. However, they have been misled and the other characters are not yet aware of their feelings. As Claudio turns down Hero at the altar and lets everyone know, men’s attitudes towards women become clear. The first person to speak on the subject is Claudio, he turns to Leonato and says â€Å"Give me this maid your Daughter?† He is making a statement because as far as he knows Hero is not a â€Å"Maid† (virgin), he is challenging Leonato because he has been given Hero like a gift but she is not what he expected. This quote is also interesting because is shows us that women are seen as possessions of their fathers. Claudio has to ask for permission from her father to â€Å"give† Hero to him, almost like a present. This would spark a  reaction with a modern day audience as women are now seen as equals and independent in society. However, in Elizabethan times this is what they were used to so they would probably not give it a second thought. Claudio then refers to Hero as â€Å"a rich and precious gift,† this confirms what I have already said that women were seen as possessions to be given to people. Claudio then goes on to say, â€Å"Give not this rotten orange to your friend.† He is using the orange as a metaphor for Hero, a rotten orange can appear fine until you peel it or taste it and see what is inside. He is saying that Hero appeared to be an innocent virgin but now he has seen that maybe that isn’t true. He is saying she is â€Å"spoilt goods.† However, this quote also shows us that Claudio is putting part of the responsibility of Hero’s actions onto Leonato, he is saying that Leonato should not have given a woman who isn’t a virgin to him. Because Leonato gave Hero to Claudio like a gift he is now responsible for any mishaps she may have with Claudio. This really shows how women were thought of as objects, that a woman could be compared to an orange, which is amongst the lowest forms of living things. I think this would have an impact on a modern audience as they would be more sensitive towards sexist treatment of women, and women being treated as objects. Claudio then uses Dian and Venus to show what he thinks of Hero. He says that Hero â€Å"seemed† like Dian, Dian was a true virgin so he is using this imagery to show that he feels Hero deceived his as being a virgin. He then uses Venus the adulteress as the other extreme, saying that Hero is more intemperate than Venus. These two extremes give us a scale on which to picture Hero he has given us the best (Dian) and the worst (Venus), he has then left us thinking that Hero is at the worst end of the scale with Venus. Claudio later says, â€Å"like a maid she blushes there,† he is saying she is deceitful, pretending to be a virgin when she isn’t. I think this would be effective both modern and Elizabethan audiences because of the frustration it makes an audience feel. The â€Å"dramatic irony† would be especially popular with an Elizabethan audience as it was a popular form of humour at the time and common in Shakespeare’s comedies. The audience really feel Hero’s frustration because they know that she is innocent and have to watch on helplessly as Claudio makes a huge mistake because the audience know more than his character does. One of the first real comments on the situation by Leonato is, â€Å"Hath no man’s dagger here a point for me?† This really shows the shame Leonato feels that his own daughter has done such a thing; it also shows how he feels it is all about him. He is not worried about his daughter but by how she has affected him, she has damaged his honour and pride, these things would have been very important in Elizabethan times and not something you can get back as easily as you can lose. This shows the importance in Elizabethan England of the family name and how you can be judged by your name. It also shows the responsibility Leonato has for giving his â€Å"wanton† daughter to Claudio, he wants to kill himself due to the shame and guilt she he has brought upon himself because of his daughter. Leonato next says, â€Å"death is the fairest cover for her shame,† he feels that she has brought such shame upon herself that it would be fair for her to die for it. This woul d have a large impact upon an audience, for them to hear a father saying his daughter should die before he even hears her side of the story or even before he really finds out what has happened. It is especially effective because the audience knows that she is innocent and the fact that she is being told she should die for her crime leads the audience to think that there is no justice. However, an Elizabethan audience may sympathise with Leonato as they would be likely to react in a similar way if it happened to them, as this play is a real reflection of Elizabethan society it would have happened therefore his situation would be very real to them. Leonato then has a long speech in which he seems to no longer love his daughter, where shortly before the wedding he could not have been happier for her. This really shows the strength of opinions on pre-marital sex and adultery in Elizabethan times. Probably one of the most shocking and effective statements made by Leonato in his speech is, â€Å"Myself would on the reward of reproaches strike at thy life.† If it was not shock enough to an audience to hear Leonato say he it was fair for his daughter to die, he is now saying that he is willing to kill her himself. Especially in modern times it is almost unthinkable for a mentally sane father to threaten his daughter with death when he cannot be 100% sure that she is guilty of what is a unthinkable crime. This shows us two things,  firstly it shows yet again how strong views were on adultery, but it also shows us how strong a man’s word was against a woman’s in Elizabethan England. Leonato is threatening to kill his daughter purely on the word of a few men who he does not know that well, he wont believe his daughter who he has raised and known all her life. It is like he has just switched of all his love and trust for his daughter, this shows that he values his respect and honour more than he values her. Friar Francis is interesting in this scene because as a vicar he is maybe expected to speak the side of the church, which we would expect to be very against what Hero has allegedly done. However, Friar Francis plays the middle man in the way that he does not condone what she has supposed to have done. But he sees that she may not be guilty of the accusations so he defends her when almost nobody else will. This may be to represent the church as a voice of reason and as a comfort in times of trouble, the belief that if she has done wrong then God will right it himself. The first thing Friar Francis says during the accusations is â€Å"have comfort lady,† the audience will be relieved that someone is seeing reason and will possibly warm to the character of the Friar. However, they might be slightly shocked to see this comfort coming from a man of the church as it does say in the bible â€Å"thou shalt not commit adultery.† After everyone has said what they think about Hero , Friar Francis interrupts with â€Å"hear me a little.† The effect of this is almost like a hero coming to the rescue, he has seen that Hero is defenceless and he now steps in to reason with everyone and protect her. He refers to her â€Å"maiden truth,† this shows us that he really has faith in her as a person while everyone else takes the word of the princes. By â€Å"maiden truth† he is saying that she is telling the truth when she says she is a virgin, this is interesting from an audience perspective because they would expect these words to come from her father. Friar Francis then makes a plan to save Hero’s dignity. He decides that they should pretend that she died with shock or shame and then Claudio would feel guilty and love her more than when she was alive. They can then reveal that she is still alive and they can happily marry again. At this point it becomes clear why Friar Francis has to be the one to save Hero, it is because he is a trusted man in society and seen as a respectable figure of the church. This puts him in a  position to advise people as Benedick says after the Friar’s speech, â€Å"Signior Leonato, let the Friar advise you.† It works as they all agree with his idea and the Friar has saved Hero from shame making himself almost the true Hero of the play. When you analyse Hero’s self defence and appeal of innocence it becomes less surprising that she was thought to be guilty and that the mans words were taken over hers. Her defence is weak and spoken with little passion or convincing tone, she says very little to her defence except that she is guilty but cannot prove it or offer any alternative solution to how the mistake came about. She says, â€Å"O God defend me,† this shows how helpless she is that she is calling upon God to help her because she cannot help herself. This may make an audience angry because she is so weak, especially in a modern audience where women are seen as stronger and more independent. Women were seen as the weaker gender in Elizabethan society but with Hero’s terrible defence and cry to God for help, she is causing herself to be treated weak because she is acting in that way. I think that audiences would also be amazed at the happy ending to the play when Hero appears to accept the mistakes that were made and forgive for the insults they made without a second thought. This really shows how weak she is and how she is expected to react as a female. An audience would be expecting her to make some kind of speech at the end along the lines of â€Å"I told you so† or something on the way she was appallingly treated by most of the men. However, she says nothing and is happily married to Claudio forgetting about anything that was previously said. I feel this would shock an audience because it gives the message that you can treat women like that and get away with it because they are in no position to argue back. An Elizabethan audience may expect her to be submissive because it is what they are used to, however, a modern audience would be disappointed in the message she is giving. They would be especially disappointed because they have seen Beatrice act strongly and independently against the stereotype placed on women, this makes Hero look even worse because if Beatrice has managed to be strong then there is no reason why Hero cant do the same. I found that what was most shocking in this play was not how the Hero was treated, but how she was representing women and just took all the mislead abuse without any kind of defence or anger. What I found interesting about this play is how it appears to have different appeals for a modern audience and an Elizabethan audience. I felt that a modern audience would be very sympathetic on Hero’s side but also slightly angry at her lack of defence and self respect. They would also feel shocked by the male characters and their treatment of Hero as a woman. However, an Elizabethan audience would sympathise with Hero because she is innocent but they would not be shocked by her lack of defence as that is what they would expect in their society. Similarly, they would sympathise with Leonato and the men where we would be angry, this is because they would be used to a similar reaction in their lives if a woman was thought to have been unfaithful. They would understand the shame Leonato feels in the play. This shows how amazingly Shakespeare can cross not just generation but centuries, his plays are made to entertain a wide range of people with different beliefs and social or religious views. I believe that it is because of this that Shakespeare is seen as one of the greatest playwrights of all time.

Mentoring to Retain Nursing Staff

The purpose of the study aims to investigate the results of the education-based preceptor program of a community hospital intended to address the declining retention rate of nursing staff in the hospital. The implementation of the program is supported by the perceptions of newly graduated nurses that they still need mentoring even after undergoing orientation. Retention rate should increase through the program. The study employed convenience sampling by considering as respondents, the 40 newly graduated nurses of the community hospital. The research design is a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data collection is through a survey guided by a questionnaire made up of closed and open ended questions and visual analogue scales. To ensure validity, all the respondents were informed about how the visual analogue scales work. Reliability was achieved by using standard visual analogue scales and variables supported by literature. Results showed that after undergoing the program, there was an increase in retention rate by 29 percent and a decrease in vacancy rate by 9.5 percent. The primary strength of the study is the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to derive rich data. Its major weakness is the use of convenience sampling, which means that the results reflect the situation of the respondents but this may not be subject to generalizations. Masny, A., Ropka, M., Peterson, C., Fetzer, D., & Daly, M. (2008). Mentoring nurses in familial cancer risk assessment and counseling: Lessons learned from a formative evaluation. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 17(2), 196-207. The study sought to explore the mentoring of nurses to take on the counselling of individuals wanting to learn information on cancer risk in the community. The need to train nurses for this work is because of the rise in community-based activities of the health care institution. The research looked into the results of the 5-day training of nurses on assessment and counseling of cancer risk together with long-distance mentorship to facilitate continuing skills development. Initially, selection of the respondents applied convenience sampling by considering the nurses who completed the training as respondents. The 40 nurses were then randomly assigned to their counterpart in the long-distance mentoring and the scheduling of the mentorship as either immediate or delayed. The study employed the quantitative approach. The data collection instrument is a formative sampling that covers the various aspects of the program. Reliability is ensured by using an instrument already tested by previous studies. Results showed appreciation for mentoring with improved efficacy after 6 months and continuation of the mentoring program to support continuous community-based work. The main strengths of the study are the long period of data gathering that ensured observation of results and use of formative evaluation, which is an accepted measurement tool. The weakness is the focus on quantitative data that could have provided insights from the perspectives of the nurses. Latham, C., Hogan, M., & Ringl, K. (2008). Nurses supporting nurses creating a mentoring program for staff nurses to improve the workforce environment. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 32(1), 27–39. The study sought to determine the impact of mentoring in improving work environment of nurses and patient outcomes based on the underlying recognition that a good work environment supports nursing staff retention. Through a mentoring program, workplace issues such as lack of communication and collaboration are addressed. The mentoring relationship involves a 3-year partnership involving the staff of two hospitals. Research participants were determined through purposive sampling by seeking out the nurses engaged in the mentoring programs of the two hospitals. The research approach is qualitative by considering observations of results and outcomes and comparing these with previous base data. Data collection method is observation and document analysis to support the comparative study. Validity is achieved by considering variables that determine the expected outcomes. Results showed that the mentoring program developed mutual respect and reinforced the support culture in both hospitals. This means higher retention rate. The strength of the study is the consideration of data on long-term results and focus on outcomes. The weakness of the study is reliability since observation data could vary when replicated. Wagner, L., Seymour, M. (2007). A model of caring mentorship for nursing. Journal of Nurses in Staff Development, 23(5), 201-211. The study sought to investigate the relationship between mentoring and the personal and professional growth of nurses. This is based on the recognition that health levels of personal and professional growth of nurses supports higher rates of retention. The paper reports on the results of a mentoring program conducted in the form of a workshop involving student nurses and professional nurses. Participants were selected through convenience sampling depending on the nursing students and nurses that signed up for the seminar. The study employed the qualitative approach as a research design because the intention is to derive accounts of the experiences of the mentoring seminar participants. The data collection instrument is focus group interview and individual interviews. Reliability is achieved by taking the personal accounts of the participants and validity is ensured by using questions intended to draw the experiences of the participants on the aspects of personal and professional growth with implications on retention. Results showed that personal and professional growth occurred for both student nurses and practicing nurses. This supports higher entry and retention rate of nurses. The strength of the study is the derivation of rich and in-depth data to support conclusions while the weakness of the study is the short period of data collection that limited data collected on outcomes. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  

Death Penalty Should Not Be Abolished Essay

In the past, their lives who commit crimes were taken easily. The Code of Hammurabi has many stern laws to punish guilty people. It was said â€Å"If anyone ensnares another, putting a ban upon him, but he cannot prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death.† by the code of Hammurabi. This law shows that people were punished when doing something of illegal. Apparently the death penalty is one kind of warning punishment, and reminding people not to endanger the rights of other people. However, in the recently years, people pay more attention in the human rights. Some of people start thinking that the death penalty should be abolished. Moreover, there are contrary opinions to judge the issue of the death penalty. In my opinion, the existence of the death penalty is necessary. Especially we can save society resource, prevent the crime rate increase, console the population’s psychology. First, the society doesn’t have duty to costs much money for a murder all life in jail. It is very expensive to hold someone in prison for life. Life prisoners stay in prison on average for 30 to 40 years at a cost ofï ¼â€ž40,000 toï ¼â€ž50,000 per year. In the beginning the murder commit crimes which has encroach on other’s right. Every year the government has to pay much money on the prisoner of life imprisonment. On the other hand, if a murder is provided by all common people, it is unfair for all common people to raise the murder who is a killer. We work hard in the world, why do we have to pay our salary to a murder? Nothing the murder done, but the crime does. It seems too ridiculous to raise a murder who makes a big mistake for a life. Second, the death penalty can frighten and hinder committing crime. To prevent people not to take other people easily, they should know they would die if they kill somebody. For the investigation, enforcing the death penalty can save eighteen people’s life. Another reporter shows that the Korea has abolished the death penalty for seven years, but the crime rate has been increase. The important of death penalty can’t be ignored, and the death penalty has the position can’t be waved. The existence of death penalty warns people not to commit serious crimes easily, and prevent the crime rate increase. Third, the death penalty consoles the people’s psychology. Some people think that anyone has no right to take away other’s life, even to punish the prisoner. I agree that life is a valuable present which God gives us. So the life is very important for us. Otherwise, a murder who offended other’s the valuable right, he is not be excused. A murder may take more over one life. The same, he takes so many valuable present that he can’t be excused. Then we don’t punish him, and give him s chance to live. Who can give the chance for the victim to live? Finally, we don’t need to pay so much society resource to imprison a murder, and the government can use the money in education and improving the society. The power of executing the death penalty is a warning to tell people not to murder others. The human right is very valuable, so we can’t take other’s life easily. Enforcing death penalty is a way to confess the relatives of dead people. It stands for the justice of the society. So the death penalty cannot be abolished in this society.

Graphene Replaced with Copper

Graphene replaced with copper Graphene nanoribbons have a current-carrying capacity two orders of magnitude higher than copper Recent research into the properties of graphene nanoribbons provides two new reasons for using the material for interconnects in future computer chips. In widths as narrow as 16 nm, graphene has a current-carrying capacity approximately a thousand times greater than copper while providing improved thermal conductivity. The current-carrying and heat-transfer measurements were reported by a team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA). The same team had previously reported measurements of resistivity in graphene that suggest the material’s conductance would outperform that of copper in future generations of nanometer-scale interconnects. The graphene nanoribbons have a current-carrying capacity two orders of magnitude higher than copper at these size scales, according to Raghunath Murali, a senior research engineer at Georgia Tech. {draw:frame} Composed of thin layers of graphite, graphene has been studied by the Georgia Tech team as a potential replacement for copper in on-chip interconnects wires. The graphene nanoribbons have a current-carrying capacity of more than 108 A/cm2, which makes them very robust in resisting electromigration and should greatly improve chip reliability. This electromigration phenomenon causes transport of material, especially at high-current density and leads to a break in the wire and, consequently, chip failure. The research team also discovered that the graphene nanoribbons also have excellent thermal conductivity properties and can conduct heat away from devices. They found that graphene nanoribbons have a thermal conductivity of more than 1,000 W/m Kelvin for structures less than 20 nm wide. This will help the interconnects serve as heat spreaders in future generations of integrated circuits, according to Murali. They used electron beam lithography to construct four electrode contacts, then used lithography to fabricate devices consisting of parallel nanoribbons of widths ranging between 16 and 52 nm and lengths of between 0. 2 and 1  µm. The breakdown current density of the nanoribbons was then studied by slowly applying an increasing amount of current to the electrodes on either side of the parallel nanoribbons. A drop in current flow indicated the breakdown of one or more of the nanoribbons. In the study of 21 test devices, the researchers found that the breakdown current density of graphene nanoribbons has a reciprocal relationship to the resistivity. Because graphene can be patterned using conventional chip-making processes, manufacturers could make the transition from copper to graphene without a drastic change in chip fabrication. The data they developed so far look very promising for using this material as the basis for future on-chip interconnects. Visit www. youtube. com/watch? v=kd6zzwhfEqw to view a video explaining graphene’s thermal-conductivity capabilities. Though one of graphene’s key properties is reported to be ballistic transport—meaning electrons can flow through it without resistance—the material’s actual conductance is limited by factors that include scattering from impurities, line-edge roughness and from substrate phonons—vibrations in the substrate lattice. Use of graphene interconnects could help facilitate continuing increases in integrated circuit performance once features sizes drop to approximately 20 nanometers, which could happen in the next five years, researchers said. At that scale, the increased resistance of copper interconnects could offset performance increases, meaning that without other improvements, higher density wouldn’t produce faster integrated circuits. This is not a roadblock to achieving scaling from one generation to the next, but it is a roadblock to achieving increased performance. Dimensional scaling could continue, but because we would be giving up so much in terms of resistivity, we wouldn’t get a performance advantage from that. That’s the problem we hope to solve by switching to a different materials system for interconnects Survey in graphene replaced with copper PORTLAND, Ore. —Graphene will carry nearly 1,000-times more current and run over 10-times cooler than conventional copper interconnects below 22-nanometer line widths, according to researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). The speed (electron mobility) of graphene has already been touted as better than copper, but this Georgia Tech data on nanoribbons as small as 16-nanometers quantifies just how superior carbon is to copper. The graphene nanoribbons tested at Georgia Tech could carry as much as 10 billion amps per square centimeter—nearly a thousand times greater than copper. â€Å"No one had measured graphene's current carrying capacity before this,† said Raghunath Murali, a senior research engineer in Georgia Tech's Nanotechnology Research Center. One possible reason that this property of graphene was not touted before is that there were no experimental results until our work. † The superior current carrying capability of carbon formed into graphene nanoribbons is also combined with less heat build-up, since carbon's thermal conductivity is much higher than copper. Nanoribbons have a thermal conductivity of 1,000-to-5000 watts per meter Kelvin—ten times greater than copper . The Georgia Tech researchers also claim that graphene nanoribbons will mitigate electro-migration which is an increasing problem for copper as line widths descend to the nanoscale. If the current carried through a wire is close to the current-carrying capacity of the wire, then the chances of electromigration are greater than if the current in the wire is much smaller than the current-carrying capacity,† said Murali. â€Å"Graphene has over two orders of magnitude greater capacity than copper, thus if a graphene wire is compared to a copper wire carrying the same current, then the graphene wire will better resist electromigration. † Murali's team obtained their graphene samples by removing layers from a graphite block and depositing them on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. E-beam lithograhy was used to construct the metal contacts and cut the parallel lines of graphene into lines 16-to-52 nanometers wide and 200-to-1000 nanometers long. There are three hurdles remaining to commercialization of carbon interrconnects, according to the researchers at Georgia Tech: perfecting methods of growing monolayers of graphene over entire wafers (since today only small centimeter-sized areas can be easiliy grown in monolayers), fabricating vias to interrconnect graphene nanowires, and integration of carbon into the back-end of process on a CMOS line. Murali performed the work with fellow researchers Yinxiao Yang, Kevin Brenner, Thomas Beck and James Meindl. This research was funded by the Semiconductor Research Corporation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Interconnect Focus Center, the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative and the Institute for Nanoelectronics Discovery and Exploration (INDEX). Replacing silicon {draw:frame} Silicon transisitors are approaching the point where further miniturization will no longer be possible. It is expected that once silicon transistors reach 16nm size, optical lithography will no longer be capable of making smaller images. Thus, unless all preogress in transistor size is terminated and performance improvements are limited to processor architecture alone, it is very likely that chip manufacturers will move to graphene as a way to get smaller transisitors. One example is that graphene transistors are very â€Å"leaky† compared to those made of silicon- that is, more charge can escape from them. This means that graphene chips are likely to run much hotter than silicon chips. Graphene has several very appealing traits. Electrons meet much less resistance from graphene than they do from silicon, traveling through it more than 100 times as easily. And because graphene is essentially a two-dimensional material, building smaller devices with it and controlling the flow of electricity within them are easier than with three-dimensional alternatives like silicon transistors. The finding underscores graphene's potential for serving as an excellent electronic material, such as silicon, that can be used to develop new kinds of transistors based on quantum physics. Because they encounter no obstacles, the electrons in graphene roam freely across the sheet of carbon, conducting electric charge with extremely low resistance. The research team, led by Chun Ning (Jeanie) Lau, found that the electrons in graphene are reflected back by the only obstacle they meet: graphene's boundaries. â€Å"These electrons meet no other obstacles and behave like quantum billiard balls. â€Å"They display properties that resemble both particles and waves. † when the electrons are reflected from one of the boundaries of graphene, the original and reflected components of the electron can interfere with each other, the way outgoing ripples in a pond might interfere with ripples reflected back from the banks. he â€Å"electronic interference† by measuring graphene's electrical conductivity at extremely low (0. 26 Kelvin) temperatures. She explained that at such low temperatures the quantum properties of electrons can be studied more easily. The electrons in graphene can display wave-like properties, which could lead to interesting applications such as ballistic transistors, which is a new type of transistor, as w ell as resonant cavities for electrons, that a resonant cavity is a chamber, like a kitchen microwave, in which waves can bounce back and forth. Scientifically, it has become a new odel system for condensed-matter physics, the branch of physics that deals with the physical properties of solid materials. Graphene enables table-top experimental tests of a number of phenomena in physics involving quantum mechanics and relativity. Bearing excellent material properties, such as high current-carrying capacity and thermal conductivity, graphene ideally is suited for creating components for semiconductor circuits and computers comparing with silicon. Its planar geometry allows the fabrication of electronic devices and the tailoring of a variety of electrical properties. Because it is only one-atom thick, it can potentially be used to make ultra-small devices and further miniaturize electronics. Image shows graphene, which can act as an atomic-scale billiard table, with electric charges acting as billiard balls. (Credit: Lau lab, UC-Riverside) Silicon has been the main ingredient in microchips since they replaced vacuum tubes in electronics. But the common element graphene, found in pencils, may one day supplant silicon on the billion-dollar foundries of IBM, Intel and AMD. Graphene shares the characteristics that make silicon so ubiquitous, not just in computers and cell phones, but in such applications as medical and aviation sensors, ultrahigh-frequency analog electronics for preparing signals for fiber-optic transmission or for radars. Graphene can do what silicon can, only better. Graphene has extraordinary electron-transport properties; its monolayer thickness yields exquisite sensitivity to changes in environment, and its mechanical and thermal properties equal or exceed those of the best conventional materials. The superior properties of graphene and graphene-related materials present an extraordinary opportunity for enabling new classes of electronic, optoelectronic and electromechanical devices and sensors The first commercial use for graphene may be as an electrical coating for LCD screens, solar cells, and touch screens. Thin, transparent, extremely conductive, and strong, it seems ideal for the job. ONE OF THE APPLICATION Graphene Quilts to Keep Things Cool December 21, 2009 {draw:frame} Graphene University of California, Riverside (UCR) Professor of Electrical Engineering and Chair of Materials Science and Engineering Alexander Balandin is leading several projects to explore ways to use the unique capabilities of graphene â€Å"quilts† as heat conductors in high-power electronics. Graphene is a recently discovered single-atom-thick carbon crystal, which reveals many unique properties. In Balandin’s designs, graphene â€Å"quilts† (large-area overlapping networks of graphene flakes) will play quite an opposite role of your grandma’s quilts. They will remove heat instead of retaining it. His work on graphene heat-conducting coats for heat removal from high-power gallium-nitride transistors is being funded by a recently awarded $420,000 grant from U. S. Office of Naval Research (ONR). It aims at an experimental proof-of-concept demonstration to be conducted in Balandin’s Nano-Device Laboratory (NDL). In addition to the ONR grant, Balandin received a new three-year subcontract with the Interconnect Focus Center (IFC), based at the Georgia Institute of Technology, that deals with graphene interconnects and heat spreaders for three-dimensional (3-D) electronics. According to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, in the next five years, up to 80 percent of microprocessor power will be consumed by the interconnect wiring—a driver for the search for new interconnect materials and innovative methods of heat removal. Another recent subcontract awarded to Balandin is with the Functional Engineered Nano Architectonics (FENA) center based at UCLA. In this center, he investigates the problems of energy dissipation in graphene nanostructures and nanodevices. Combined new funding secured by Balandin this month for the three projects exceeds $1 million. The centers’ funding comes from the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) and Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). Because graphene is only one molecule thick, it didn’t lend itself to traditional methods of thermal conductivity measurement. Balandin led a team of researchers that first measured it using an original non-conventional technique in 2008. The procedure involved a non-contact approach on the basis of Raman spectroscopy utilizing the inelastic scattering of photons (light) by phonons (crystal vibrations). The power dissipated in graphene and corresponding temperature rise were detected by extremely small shifts in the wavelength of the light scattered from graphene. That was sufficient to extract the values of the thermal conductivity through an elaborate mathematical procedure. Balandin’s research group discovered that the thermal conductivity of large suspended graphene sheets varies in the range from about 3000 to 5300 W/mK (watts per meter per degree Kelvin) near room temperature. These are very high values, which exceed those of carbon nanotubes (3,000-3,500 W/mK) and diamond (1,000-2,200 W/mK). As a result of his findings, Balandin has proposed several innovative graphene-based approaches for thermal management , which might lead to creation of a new technology for local cooling and hot-spot spreading in the high-power-density and ultra-fast chips. A detailed description of Balandin’s graphene and thermal management research can be found in his invited popular science article, â€Å"Chill Out,† in the October 2009 issue of IEEE Spectrum, the magazine of the The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).