Monday, September 30, 2019

Frank Lloyd Wright Research Paper

Frank Lloyd Wright and His Impact Frank Lloyd Wright was a very influential designer and architect who inspired the next century of builders to go beyond their normal standards and break free from the confines of the current building barriers. He used aspects of nature to compliment his buildings, and knew how to perfectly arrange the complex angles and structures to set his projects apart from all others. Frank Lloyd Wright changed the future of architecture with his high attention to interior design, detail, simplicity, and environmental influences.Frank’s upbringing seems to have impacted his choices and views in life. Wright’s father was a Baptist minister and a musician, possibly where Wright may have received some of his creativity. His mother was a school teacher, and she introduced Wright to the Froebel Kindergarten Method, which familiarized children to solely geometric forms and certain patterns on grids. Many say that this was a major part to Wright’s advanced geometric procedures and focus on design and function (â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†).Frank Lloyd Wright held many jobs that added to his architect career early in his life. The first main influence was his part-time employment with a Madison, Wisconsin contractor, working as a draftsman’s apprentice for Joseph Silsbee. Wright also worked with Dankmar Alder and Louis Sullivan. Wright developed a close relationship with Louis Sullivan, who had a â€Å"form follows function† philosophy, just like Wright did later in life. JRank Encyclopedia says, â€Å"By the time Wright was in his early 20s, he had worked on some of the most impressive buildings in Chicago. This quote puts in perspective just how much experience Wright received from his collaborations with Adler and Sullivan (â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†). Wright said himself, describing his work as â€Å"organic architecture; that which proceeds, persists, and cre ates, according to the nature of man and his circumstances as they both change. † This quote shows what Wright wanted his buildings to convey; a view of the natural world through the works of beautiful architecture.The homes Wright created in his earlier years held strong horizontal lines and shapes and roofs that were low pitched and had large overhangs. The interiors of many of his houses were influenced by Japanese designs; they had large open spaces, few closed corners, and large windows to allow for the flow of natural light and to not hide the beauty of nature. The homes were heated by coils built into the slabs of concrete that circulated warm water, heating the house evenly, known as radiant heat.Wright developed a new type of building material, using pre-cast concrete blocks that were reinforced with metal. Several of his houses were built with his new method. Frank Lloyd Wright pushed the standards, creating a new era of architecture that he was paving as he worked ( â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†). Although Frank Lloyd Wright receives so much praise nowadays, during his life time and especially his earlier years, he was not as glorified. Only about 10% of his over 470 buildings and more than 1200 designs received public commissions (McCarter).Having 4 wives and leaving his first family, Wright wasn’t seen as the most likable person, but his designs were irresistible (â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†). He has set a standard that has not yet been matched; those during his time had not realized his creativity. As Wright continued in his career, people began to notice his uniqueness and â€Å"powers†. Frank Lloyd Wright did not receive the full recognition he deserved during his lifetime. Many people can now agree that Frank Lloyd Wright is the single most influential architect and builder to have lived in the recent centuries.When asked about memorable architects, virtually every first-year col lege student entering American universities could name Frank Lloyd Wright (McCarter). A quote from the Taliesin Architects website truly shows the impact Wright had: â€Å"The greatest artist this country has ever produced seems at last to be coming into his own. America's other great artists–our painters, sculptors, composers – don't really rank with the tops of all time. They're not Rembrandt or Michelangelo or Beethoven. Wright alone has that standing. † (â€Å"Frank Lloyd Wright†).Wright has many extremely recognizable buildings located in many areas around the world, such as the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois; the Midway Gardens in Chicago; the Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania; the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan; the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; and the Guggenheim Museum in New York (McCarter). It’s easy to tell that Wright has been seriously noticed and is overly well known. But, one may ask, what kind of majo r impacts has Frank Lloyd Wright had on the world? Well, homes with a living room, open garage, or a floor plan with many open spaces have all been majorly influenced by Mr.Wright. Frank himself pioneered all of these designs. His low and sweeping rooflines, many windows, and central fireplaces changed how houses would be built for centuries to come (â€Å"Frank Lloyd Wright†). In 1952, Wright completed a home for a World War II veteran that is completely accessible for a person confined to a wheelchair, such as the owner Kenneth Laurent. The house is built on completely one level, with curving walls, added space for turning radii, and lowered light switches and heighted electric plugs; giving the perfect example for just how much Wright could bend to certain needs all while maintaining his personal designs.Mr. Laurent described Wright in an interview pacing up and down the room as he listened to the requirements for the proposed home. Mr. Laurent said, â€Å"Mr. Wright seem ed to be designing the home in his mind right then and there. † (Menendez). Being able to complete complex projects such as this home shows how talented and unique Frank Lloyd Wright was. Frank Lloyd Wright’s advanced designs and forward thinking easily makes him without a doubt one of the greatest architects to have lived in the United States.He changed the future of architecture; inventing new ways to have homes run in a more beautiful and efficient way. His complex but simple interior design elements make his homes and buildings a stable to modern American architecture. His respect to the beauty of nature brings the simplistic gloriousness of the outdoors to reside in the structure and designs of his homes. Frank Lloyd Wright made his name known and marked the history of the United States and the world for many, many years to come. Bibliography â€Å"Frank Lloyd Wright. † Building The Windy City.Web. 24 Mar. 2011. ;http://library. thinkquest. org/J002846/a_wri ght. htm;. McCarter, Robert. â€Å"The Other Traditional American Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis I. Kahn. † Phi Kappa Phi Forum. 2003. Web. 9 Mar. 2011. ;http://find. galegroup. com/gtx/start. do? prodId=AONE;. Menendez, Frank. â€Å"An Accessible Jewel. † Paralyzed Veterans of America. Mar. 2010. Web. 9 Mar. 2011. â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview. † Jrank Encyclopedia. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. ;http://encyclopedia. jrank. org/articles/pages/6404/Wright-Frank-Lloyd.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Environmental Pollution and Degradation

Environmental degradation may be defined as the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife. Environmental degradation has occurred due to the recent activities in the field of socio-economic, institutional and technologies. Environmental changes are dependent on many factors including economic growth, population growth, urbanization, intensification of agriculture, rising energy use and transportation.Poverty still remains a problem at the root of several environmental problems. Introduction to environmental issues problems There are innumerable issues and problems faced by the environment today. Due to rapid industrialization, heavy usage of chemicals and lack of concern for the environment, today we are facing several problems. These issues should be dealt with immediately else mankind may have to face serious repercussions. Environmental degradation is a r esult of socio- economical, technological and institutional activities.Degradation occurs when Earth's natural resources are depleted. These resources which are affected include: †¢Water †¢Air †¢Soil CAUSES The causes of environmental degradation are often as complex the problems that result. The primary cause is human disturbance. The degree of the environmental impact varies with the cause, the habitat, and the plants and animals that inhabit it. There are many causes of environmental degradation. These include. Environmental changes are based on many factors including: †¢Urbanization †¢Population growth †¢Economic growth Intensification of agriculture Increase in energy use Causes of Environmental Pollution Increased and uncontrolled human activities like industries, transportation, agriculture, health care, dwelling, and energy generation are some of the causes of environmental pollution. Several industries like textile, steel, paper, sugar, food, petroleum, cement industries, and chemical industries and causes soil or land pollution, air pollution, and water pollution. Conclusion of environmental pollution is that the major cause for the environmental pollution is activities of humans.Industrial pollutants that causes pollution includes gases like cyanides, methane, carbon disulphides, carbon tetrachloride, hydrochloric acids, hydrogen disulphides, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and sulphur dioxide and several other liquid / solid compounds. Modern agriculture which uses large scale of pesticides and fertilizers causes soil pollution and pollution of drinking water. Vehicular traffic releasing excess amounts sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide are the major causes of air pollution especially in cities.INCREASE IN TRANSPORTATION Increased and uncontrolled human activities like industries, transportation, agriculture, health care, dwelling, and energy generation are some of the causes of environmental pollution. Several industrie s like textile, steel, paper, sugar, food, petroleum, cement industries, and chemical industries and causes soil or land pollution, air pollution, and water pollution. Conclusion of environmental pollution is that the major cause for the environmental pollution is activities of humans.Industrial pollutants that causes pollution includes gases like cyanides, methane, carbon disulphides, carbon tetrachloride, hydrochloric acids, hydrogen disulphides, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and sulphur dioxide and several other liquid / solid compounds. Modern agriculture which uses large scale of pesticides and fertilizers causes soil pollution and pollution of drinking water. Vehicular traffic releasing excess amounts sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide are the major causes of air pollution especially in cities. †¢Water and air HABITAT FRAGMENTATIONHabitat fragmentation carries long term environmental impacts some of which can destroy entire ecosystems. An ecosystem is a di stinct unit and includes all the living and non-living elements that reside within it. Plants and animals are obvious members, but it will also include other components on which they rely on such as streams, lakes, and soils. ACID RAIN Acid rain occurs when sulfur dioxide from coal plant emissions combines with moisture present in the air. A chemical reaction creates this acid precipitation. Acid rain can acidify and pollute lakes and streams. It causes similar effects to the soil.If enough acid rain falls in a given environment, it can acidify the water or soil to a point where no life can be sustained. Plants die off. The AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF animals that depend upon them disappear. The condition of the environment deteriorates. Agricultural runoff is a deadly source of pollutants which can degrade environments,. Surface water washes over the soil and into lakes and streams. When it does so, it carries the fertilizers and pesticides used on the farm lands into water resources. Obvi ously, introducing poisons into waterways will have dire consequences.Fertilizers whether or not they are organic carry equal risks. URBAN DEVELOPMENT Urban development is the primary cause of environmental degradation. As populations increased, so did the need for land for homes and farms. Wetlands were drained. Environmental degradation is one of most urgent of environmental issues. Depending upon the damage, some environments may never recover. The plants and animals that inhabited these places will be lost forever. We do not have to look far to see the impacts of environmental degradation on our Earth.DEFORESTATION Cutting down massive forests impacts our biosphere. . Deforestation, wasting resources, and pollution all add to the demise of an environmentally-sound and safe planet. For example, when trees in forests are cut down in large quantities, so that more homes can be built on the land, the birds and wildlife who lived in the forest must find a new place to live. Unfortuna te Impacts of Environmental Degradation The degradation also impacts our: †¢Wildlife †¢Plants †¢Animals †¢Micro-organisms When factories produce harmful chemicals and toxic waste into bodies of water, humans suffer.Pesticides and fertilizers can also get into a region's water system and pollute it. Drinking water is contaminated. Some residing in third-world countries are highly effected by the degradation of our planet and these unhealthy practices cause the following: †¢Illnesses †¢Death in children †¢Death in adults POVERTY . People are finding less nutritious food to eat. , especially those around the Equator, are vulnerable to weather changes, water shortages, and urbanization. All of these factors are increasing the health and lives of thousands.Some scientists and environmentalists are asking that non-food items and agriculture waste be used as alternative fuel for vehicles instead. LOSING EARTH'S BEAUTY As humans dump waste products, use ch emicals, and over fish in the oceans and seas, areas of beauty such as coral reefs are damaged. At times the destruction is so great that is cannot be reversed. We are killing our planet and the consequences are tremendous. How to Stop Degradation There are ways which you can help to decrease degradation in our environment. Some of these include: †¢Purchase recycled products †¢Conserve water Do not litter or toss waste into inappropriate places †¢Conserve energy †¢Join an awareness group †¢Talk with others about the impacts of environmental degradation †¢Be an advocate to save our planet! Factors Affecting Envi: 1. Destruction of natural resources: Agricultural development and farming activities contribute, to soil erosion, land salination and loss of nutrients. The green revolution and over exploitation of land and water resources, and use of fertilizers and pesticides have increased to many folds resulting in land degradation and water logging. 2. Eff ects of Environmental Degradation: 1.Loss of biodiversity: The extinction of plant and animal species will heavily affect the ecosystem; it will reduce ecosystem adaptability and lead to the loss of genetic resources. 2. Environmental changes: Global warming is the result of ozone depletion which is responsible for perhaps 300,000 additional cases of skin cancer a year and 1. 7 million cases of cataracts and may lead to increase in the risk of climatic natural disasters. 3. Hazardous waste production: Diseases are spread by uncovered garbage and drains; the health risks from hazardous wastes are typically more localized, but often acute.Wastes affect productivity causing pollution of groundwater resources. 4. Soil erosion has increased due to deforestation. 5. Climate has become warmer in the deforested regions due to lack of humidity. 6. Floods and droughts have become frequent. 7. Pattern of rainfall has been changing. 8. Pollution due to increased levels of chlorofluorocarbons an d nitrogen oxides cause depletion of ozone layer in the stratosphere. 9. Acid rain is the indirect impact of air pollution. 10. Use of pesticides makes the soil toxic for plants. 11.Large amount of organic matter causes eutrophication. 12. Thermal zonation caused by hot water affects migration of aquatic animals due to thermal barriers. Environmental pollution can be defined as the deleterious effects or changes that causes disturbance to the existing environment and affects the components of the environment. Find below the causes, effects, and conclusion of environmental pollution. Presence of unsafe unnatural components that causes imbalance to the ecosystems and health hazards to animals and human beings is called pollution.Pollution affects the all the components of environment that mainly includes soil (land), water, and air Effects of Environmental Pollution Health problems due to environmental pollution ranges from the skin irritations and simple vomiting to brain tumors, int estinal cancer, and other cancers, from simple fever to the fatal hepatitis, from normal throat irritation to the deadly heart diseases. Air pollution affects the human health and is associated with problems of lungs, throat, respiratory problems, cancer etc.Water pollution of water causes health problems like gastric problems in human, affects the life aquatic organism, etc. Foods that we consume are polluted due to the use of polluted water and use of pesticides, or microbial activities. Many persistent pesticides that enter into the food chain accumulate in the human and animal bodies at larger concentrations and affect the health. Soil pollution due to various hazardous solids and liquids creates imbalances to soil ecosystems and affects the vegetation and habitats of living organisms. Conclusion of environmental pollution effects s it is a major concern of human and animal health and affects the entire ecosystem. So keeping in view of effects of environmental pollution humans a nd government should take several measures to prevent pollution and incorporate stringent laws to prevent environmental pollution. Environmental Issues Problems Conservation of species:Conservation of water, air and the natural habitat of animals and plants to curb their extinction. Over the last fewdecades several plants and animal species have become extinct which has led to a loss of biodiversity on the planet.Climate Change: Due to global warming effect the climate has changed significantly over the last century. Extreme temperatures are bringing about never before seen natural calamities like frequent draught and flooding Energy Crisis:Excessive usage of fossil fuels has led to depletion in these fuels. Usage of alternate fuel will help conserve fossil fuel. Exploitation of Natural Resources:Large scale deforestation has led to loss of vegetation. This in turn has affected rainfall, caused land degradation, soil erosion and changed the planet surface.Nuclear Issues:Usage of nuc lear power has caused major changes in the climate and composition of soil, water and air. This in turn has changed the habitat for birds, animals which migrate to other places in search of a good habitat and sometimes become extinct. Radioactive Nuclear waste needs to be dealt with in a proper way so that it does not affect the environment. Overpopulation:Overpopulation is a major global environmental issue. As the population of the world is increasing more and more resources are used up and destroyed for human use, this has dented the environment.Appropriate measures should be taken to curb population explosion. Pollution:Large and small industries and households discard industrial and household waste in water and in the atmosphere that is causing large scale pollution. This kind of pollution prevents proper growth of plant and animal species. Waste management is an important process of controlling pollution. CONCLUSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES PROBLEMS Continuous damage has been caused to the environment over the centuries. It is important to make consolidated efforts to control degradation of envi HOW TO STOP DEGRADATION There are ways which you can elp to decrease degradation in our environment. Some of these include: †¢Purchase recycled products †¢Conserve water †¢Do not litter or toss waste into inappropriate places †¢Conserve energy †¢Join an awareness group †¢Talk with others about the impacts of environmental degradation Be an advocate to save our planet! CONCLUSION †¢ Air pollution affects all life on Earth, from reducing a plant's ability to produce food to acidifying lakes and killing fish, to causing human disease and death.The complexity of air pollution with its many causes requires a multi-faceted approach that involves not only industry control but conservation practices by citizens as well. it is impossible that one can control environmental pollution but one can control one's own surrounding by throwing ga rbage in proper place, can ride cycle to nearby places and this motto should be followed by each and every person . What do you mean by â€Å"Money is a System of Power? † Money is one of the most extraordinary of human inventions. As a means of exchange it makes modern commerce possible and is one of the most beneficial of institutions.As an instrument of power it can support the most insidious and destructive of tyrannies, particularly when the processes of its creation and extinction are hidden from public view and shielded from public accountability. Money, a mere number of no inherent substance, utility, or worth created from nothing with an accounting entry when a bank creates a loan, shapes the boom and bust cycles of economic life. Its international flows determine the fate of nations. Individuals who have it in large supply enjoy lives of grand opulence in the midst of scarcity.Those who lack it face death by starvation in the midst of plenty. roleThe function of mon ey as medium for exchange required that money acts as a measure of value, otherwise how else would we know how much one item is measured in terms of other items? So human need to facilitate exchange is what gave rise to the role of money as both measure of value and medium of exchange. So far there would be little or no argument as to what money is or its role. As measure, money in and by itself has no value except in terms of the goods and services you can get in exchange for giving up an amount of that money.As a measure, money also is a neutral medium where it only shows how much each commodity is worth in relation to another commodity. A tape measure is the same tape measure whether you are measuring carpet, a pipeline, or how tall or short you are. The value is not in the tape except for the function of standard measuring it provides. It is in what the tape is measuring, and such a value is weighed in relative terms. The distance a taxi travels is measured in terms of money whi ch the driver gets in return for the services of traveling such a distance, which is the same amount of money the passenger pays the driver in return for the service.Neutrality of money is a guarantee that money does not distort the terms of exchange as the relative value of things would be measured of how much one is willing to sacrifice in terms of one commodity in return for another. Once neutrality of money is violated then its very role in facilitating exchange and promoting economic growth of producing more and consuming more in and by itself is compromised. Placing value on money itself then becomes a distorting factor where things are no longer only weighed in terms of relative values to buyers and sellers.A new player comes into play where terms of exchange are now affected by how much value a â€Å"money supplier† places on that money where money abandons the role it was created for to become a commodity in itself. Role Of Commercial Banks In The Economic Developmen t Of A Country – Presentation Transcript 1. o1. Banks promote capital formation o2. Investment in new enterprises o3. Promotion of trade and industry o4. Development of agriculture o5. Balanced development of different regions o6. Influencing economy activity o7. Implementation of Monetary policy o8. Monetization of the economy o9. Export promotion cells . Role of Commercial Banks in the Economic Development of a Country o3. Promotion of trade and industry: oWith the growth of commercial banking, there is vast expansion in trade and industry. oThe use of bank draft, check, bill of exchange, credit cards and letters of credit etc has revolutionized both national and international trade. 3. Role of Commercial Banks in the Economic Development of a Country o4. Development of agriculture: oThe commercial banks particularly in developing countries are now providing credit for development of agriculture and small scale industries in rural areas. The provision of credit to agricultu re sector has greatly helped in raising agriculture productivity and income of the farmers. Globalization and the Indian Economy Indian markets have been transformed relatively as there is addition of wide range of goods in the recent years. These rapid transformations can be understood by analyzing the various aspects like:- 1) Production across countries: Before the middle of the twentieth century, production was largely organized within countries. Raw materials, food stuff and finished products were crossing the boundaries. Trade was the main channel connecting distant countries.This was before large companies called multinational corporations emerged pm the scene. Whence the goods and services are produced globally and production is organized in increasingly complex ways. The production process is divided into small parts and spread out across the globe. The advantages o f spreading out production across the borders to the multinationals can be truly immense. 2) Interlinking pro duction across countries: Almost all MNC’s set up production where it is close to the markets; where there is skilled and unskilled labour available at low costs; and where the availability of other factors of production is assured.The money that is spent to buy assets such as land, building, machines and other equipment is called investment. Investment made by MNC’s is called foreign investment. At times, MNC’s set up production jointly with some of the local companies of these countries. MNC’s provide money for additional investments like buying new machines for faster production and they might bring with them the latest technology for production. As a result, production in these widely dispersed locations is getting interlinked. 3) Foreign trade and integration of markets Foreign trade has been the main hannel for connecting countries. It is an opportunity for the producers to reach beyond the domestic markets. Producers can sell their produce not only in markets located within the country but can also compete in markets located in other countries of the world. Similarly, for the buyers, import of goods produced in another country is one way of expanding the choice of goods beyond what is domestically produced.Therefore, foreign trade results in connecting the markets of integration of markets in different countries. ) By understanding the meaning of globalization: Globalization means integrating the Indian economy with the world economy. In the process India becomes economically interdependent with other countries at the global or international level. It seeks removal of trade barriers. There are various features of globalization they are: 1. Many producers from other countries can sell their goods and services in India. 2. India can also sell its goods and services in other countries. 3. Businessmen of other countries can establish their enterprises in India, produce goods for sale within the country or to other countries as ex port. . In the same way entrepreneurs from India can also invest in other countries. 5. Globalization includes not only movement of capital and goods but also allows exchange of technology experience and laborers from one country to other and 6. In pursuance of this policy government of India has removed restrictions on imports of goods, reduced taxes 5) Factors enabled globalization: Rapid improvement in technology has been one major factor that has stimulated the globalization process. This has made much faster delivery of goods across long distances possible at lower costs.There have been remarkable developments in information and communication technology. Information and communication technology has played a major role in spreading out production of services across countries. Removing barriers or restrictions set by the government is what is known as liberalization. The government imposes much less restrictions than before and is therefore said to be more liberal. 6) WTO  œ meaning and its functions: It was set up in 1995 by the member countries of the United Nation to promote trade among countries.Headquarter is located in Geneva. It has influenced the liberalization and globalization processes in most of the developing countries, including India. It aims at conducting international trade among countries of the world in an open uniform and non-discriminating manner. WTO allows free trade to all, in practice, in developed countries. On the other hand, it rules have forced the developing countries to remove trade barriers. 7) Impact of Globalization in India: Globalization has taken an important place in the Indian economy for the last fifteen years.Globalization in combination with greater competition among producers – internal as well as external, has been of greater advantage to consumers, particularly the well-off sections in the urban areas. Although the impact of globalization has not been uniform, because, MNC have increased their invest ments in India during the last fifteen years, which has proved to be beneficial to India. Mushrooming of industries like cell phones, automo iles electronics, soft drinks, fast food or services, via MNCs have created new avenues. It has given an opportunity to the raw material suppliers to prosper too.On the other hand, the top Indian companies have been able to benefit from the increased competition by investing in new technology and production methods and raised their production standards. Moreover, globalization has enabled some large Indian companies to emerge as multinationals themselves! Some of the Indian companies which are spreading their operations world-wide are Tata-Motors (automobiles), Infosys (IT), Ranbaxy (Medicines), Asian Paints (Paints). It has created new opportunities for companies providing services, particularly those involving IT.But for a large number of small producers and workers, globalization has posed major challenges. Globalization and the pressure hav e also posed a threat to the worker’s jobs, as they are not secure any more. Workers are low and workers are forced to work overtime to make both ends meet. The workers are sometimes denied their fair share of benefits which is brought about by globalization. 8) The struggle for a fair globalization: Globalization has not benefited everyone by way of not giving the best of the new opportunities and have not shared the proper benefits.Fair globalization would create opportunities for all and ensure the benefits of globalization are shared better. It is possible if government takes major steps in this respect. The policies should be framed to protect the interests of all the people in the country, such as labour laws are properly implemented and thus the workers get their rights. By supporting small producers to improve their performance till the time they become strong enough to compete. †¢

Saturday, September 28, 2019

What is Crime?

The Oxford English dictionary defines crime as â€Å"an act punishable by law, as being forbidden by statute or injurious to the public welfare, an evil act; an offence, a sin, -an act can only be considered a crime when identified as such by law. An act was defined a crime in the old testament with the creation of the Ten Commandments. This was when it was literally set into stone that numerous acts became a crime against God, the first rules of the world.Crimes are now defined as crimes with the help of the legal system and certain pieces of legislature and cannot always necessarily be traced back to the Ten Commandments. Crime now has abundant definitions, the most obvious being crime as criminal law violation. The Hg Worldwide Legal Directories website delineates criminal law as encompassing, ‘the rules and statutes written by Congress and state legislators dealing with any criminal activity that causes harm to the general public, with penalties.’ Therefore to viola te criminal law, the individual would be engaging in behaviour that is prohibited by the criminal law. However it has recently become extremely difficult to determine what is now perceived as a crime.Crime has no universal or objective existence but is relative to the subjective contingencies of social and historical circumstance, this is crime as historical intervention. For example, causing death of another individual, whether by neglect or with full intention is a crime, however it is almost justifiable and on many occasions heroic when practised in warfare. This is reiterated with the recent poaching ban, poaching only became criminalised through the convergence of new class and power interests in the 18th Century. James Treadwell argues this point as a criminologist and indicates that specific acts that were once socially acceptable are now becoming criminalised, ‘crime is not static or fixed, it constantly changes.Things that once were not criminalised become so, such as paedophiles ‘grooming’ victims on the internet. . .similarly, activities, which were illegal, may become legal, such as consenting homosexual behaviour between men’. These arguments make it hard to define what crime is as the ‘rules’ of crime are ever-changing. The BBC published an online article that illustrates the extent to which crime is uneasily defined, ‘a hundred years ago you could buy opium and cocaine over the counter at Harrods. Acts which are perfectly legal here may be serious crimes in other countries and vice versa.’ To help us understand what makes a crime a crime, Cesare Lombroso, an Italian criminologist introduced to the idea of positivism, the social reaction to classicism.Classicism is the theory that the punishment for a crime should reflect the severity of said crime. This concept was developed during the transition from feudalism to capitalism and is a strong believer that each individual chooses whether to commi t a crime or not as every person is raised in society that outlines the difference between right and wrong. The criticism for this concept is argued that at what age do you become criminally responsible, for example the horrific act of the two young boys that committed a severe crime when kidnapping and torturing Jamie Bulger.The boys were eleven at the time, therefore as children they unfortunately served half the period of time that an adult would have if they had committed this crime due to the legal system believing they were not fully responsible as they had been raised in broken homes. The contrasting theory to this is that of Positivism, the scientific approach to crime. This concept developed by Lombroso attempts to look at the genetic or biological explanation for a criminal gene. This concept is harshly criticised as many members of the public deem this as treating criminality as an illness.Lombroso published a book in which he makes sever references to the concept of posi tivism and argues that people are wrong to fear that, ‘positivism encourages communistic ideas and even worse criminal behaviour’. This became the birth of criminology. Treadwell discusses Lombroso’s work and informs us that his work is still being studied to the modern day, ‘Lombroso’s work could be placed under the heading of biological criminology, investigations of the causes of criminality using more sophisticated research methods. . .have continued to be developed in the twentieth century’.Tim Newburn wrote that Edwin Sutherland defined criminology as, ‘the study of the making of laws, the breaking of laws, and of society’s reaction to the breaking of laws’. Crime can also be defined as social harm. For example, we ask the question are tobacco companies selling harmful products that are in turn, effectively killing us, murderers. Is this a crime? This is known as the crime of violation to human rights, therefore a fur ther definition could be health and safety issues in the workplace. This is reiterated when we discuss ‘white collar crime’.We struggle to define crime as crime is an act  that breaches the criminal law, however many of the people we put in charge of running our countries or deciding these criminal laws are in fact themselves committing crimes. If this is so, why are these crimes socially acceptable? The offences of these crimes tend to be ‘invisible’ or painfully difficult to trace. They are often committed by persons of high social status and respectability therefore they find it easier to evade persecution. ‘White collar crime’ is often broken down into, embezzlement, breaches of health and safety and environmental crimes. Bhopal was identified as one of the worst industrial ‘accidents’ this world had witnessed.The 1984 incident that killed 8000 people instantly and injuring a further 200’000 was believed an accident du e to the lethal gases leaking from Union Carbide’s pesticide factory. For 20 years after this tragedy, an estimated 30 people a month were believed to have died from lung disease, brain damage, cancer, all linking to the gas leak of 1984. This accident was contested in court yet the people involved have yet to receive a settlement fee and not one person was held responsible for this mass homicide. Newburn records Bhopal as a crime and a ‘major industrial disaster’ in his book as he files it under the heading, ‘environmental crime’. This helps us to define crime as a class issue due to crimes of the powerful having greater potential to cause more harm than crimes of the less powerful.Newburn furthermore analyses hidden crimes within criminology, ‘Criminology has been regularly, roundly and rightly criticised for this preoccupation: a concern with the crimes of the powerless rather than the powerful, with the ‘crimes of the streets’ rather than the ‘crimes of the suites’. The Marxist concept of this is crime as an ideological censure, that acts would only be defined a crime when in the interest of the ruling classes at that period of time. These crimes remain hidden for various reasons. The diffusion of responsibility means that is extremely difficult to legally and morally identify a persecutor, secondly a lot of the crimes the general public hear about are in the media and corporate crime simply does not sell. Media coverage creates moral panic and fear of ‘crime’.To define crime we often look to the media to decipher their reaction on a specific incident. However, although crime consumes an enormous amount of media space as both entertainment and news, concepts of crime are mediated by profit margins. Due to only crimes that are considered to grasp the attention of the general  public being reported, this effects what we as an individual define as a crime. Treadwell argues that, à ¢â‚¬Ëœmost media institutions seek to attract as wide an audience as possible to maximise their profits. . .to attract and retain audiences media products have to entertain, be dramatic or exciting, and sometimes cause outright shock’. Therefore as crime is seemingly a troubling aspect of our life this would seem the most appropriate topic to cover.Treadwell labels this concept, ‘newsworthiness’. He goes on to discuss that, ‘Today, crime stories are increasingly selected and ‘produced as media events on the basis of their visual . . . as well as their lexical-verbal . . . potential’. There is a vivid and highly complex relationship between the media and the criminal justice system. A further more obvious way in which we can define crime is by the Home Office statistics. The Home Office websites defines themselves as, ‘the lead government department for immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime, counter-terrorism and police’. T he two main methods of collecting the criminal data that feature in the Home Office are victim surveys and statistics recorded by the police force. However, only particular offences, ‘serious crimes’ are reported by the police to the Home Office statistics, not the summary offences that are heard in the Courts.Police are also under the instruction to record every allegation they hear and many police officers do not believe a number of allegations or there may be a lack of evidence and many times the victims decide to not press charges therefore they see it unfit to record it as a ‘crime’. Furthermore a crime is only a crime when ‘officially’ recorded and since most victims do not report crimes there is a ‘dark figure’ of crime that remains unknown. The reasons to why victims fail to report their crimes can be broken down into three categories: embarrassment, unworthiness and failure to realise. If a victim has been sexually abused or raped they may fail to report this as they may be overwhelmed with a feeling of embarrassment or in certain religious cultures it may bring shame upon a family.Some victims also feel the nature of their crime isn’t worthy of police time, such as rowdy neighbours or petty theft. Finally, if a person is a victim of identity theft, nine times out of ten they fail to realise and therefore have nothing to report. In conclusion, a crime only seemingly exists when society perceive it as a crime or a great reaction to an act therefore labels it as one. An act is  often acceptable until labelled as morally wrong by a social group.At some time or another, some society somewhere has defined almost all forms of behaviour that we now call ‘criminal’ as desirable for the functioning of that society, (Williams (1964:46)), this would be crime as a violation of moral codes. In the BBC article written by Mark Easton, he reiterates that, ‘one cultures crime is another cu ltures social norm’. This concept is crime as a social construct. In 1963 Becker created the ‘Labelling Theory’ which illustrated that crime is dependent upon social reaction and that the societal consensus is regularly challenged.At the beginning of my essay I provided the Oxford dictionary definition for crime and after studying the wide range of criminal concepts I have reached the conclusion that there is no right or wrong answer to define crime. The dictionary defines crime as punishable by law yet also defines crime as a sin. A person will be prosecuted for an act that does not abide by the legislation set up by the criminal justice system, however an individual may go to church to repent a sin that is only deemed as a crime within their religious culture.Crime will forever be surrounded by questions of social order, it will always be contested and people will always wonder how it can be perceived due to the fact that society’s vision of crime change s with the growth and development of society. Crime is elusive, contested and an ever moving concept that is tied to our social processes.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Community Poling Through Neighborhood Watch Essay

Community Poling Through Neighborhood Watch - Essay Example Neighborhood watches have long been argued as an effective way to empower the community where its members actively participate in crime prevention. Neighborhood watches are also perceived as â€Å"easy to start† as the members would only act the role of â€Å"eyes and ears† of the police force (Williamson, 2008, p. 98). Lastly, this paper supports the hypothesis that there are many ways to gain support for a neighborhood watch if only communication, cooperation, education, and forums are to be highlighted. Neighborhood Watch Not all people may know the concept of neighborhood watch or even its basic forms and processes. Neighborhood watch works toward the concept of crime prevention and reducing fear of crime (Stephens, 2000, p. 19). It is one of the basic forms of homeland security where community members are empowered through active participation in crime monitoring and reporting and feel safe due to the perception that community members will help one another against the threat of burglary and other projected crimes. For the last two decades, neighborhood watch has been so popular because of its dynamics. ... 270–273). There is no need for a neighborhood watch to risk their lives by going out to the suspected crime area. A simple alarm and notification system would serve the purpose of crime prevention. How do we initiate a neighborhood watch in the community? The process of neighborhood watch starts with recruitment or enlistment. First, one will enlist local members of the neighborhood to assist crime prevention officials. Members should voluntarily agree and participate in a neighborhood watch, and coercion is prohibited. Second, they will need to contact their local law enforcement agency to schedule a meeting. Third, members will discuss community concerns and will develop a community action plan about the identified concerns. Fourth, members conduct regular meetings and trainings to develop relevant skills. Lastly, a neighborhood watch member will implement a phone tree and action steps so that a systematic and fast notification could be done regularly. A neighborhood watch m ember must remember and implement these steps carefully to foster a successful neighborhood watch program which will lead to effective reduction of crime rates. The local crime prevention officer holds the most important role in a neighborhood watch including his regular attendance in the meetings. As the local crime prevention officer, he is responsible for explaining the duties of each member of the neighborhood watch. He also sets the time and place of meetings which could be held in a home or local community house. In the said meeting, a leader of the neighborhood watch team is established, who could gather facts about the crime, check police reports, do victimization surveys, learn

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Stories Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Stories - Assignment Example The Lt. carried the guilt and blame because he placed his daydream as an important factor in the story. Pete suggested stories help dampen loneliness. He wrote of â€Å"interviewing† Mt. Hood. In paragraph 5 of page 3, Pete quotes â€Å"Leaves of Grass† by Walt Whitman to explain his sense of stories. Like the Mumford Sons music, poetry and other art forms of storytelling give company and relieve isolation through the understanding of the common experience. Pete’s retelling about the mountain reminded me of â€Å"On a Rainy River†. This story of a physical barrier to freedom, the river between Canada and the U.S. explained O’Brien’s reluctance to turn his back on his own history, his own stories. And, since as Pete reminds, stories are for eternity, when memory is gone. O’Brien did not want to have his story end in shameful cowardice, as he suggested draft dodging would be. O’Brien’s hometown people would not understand such an act. Stories shamed him into staying in the U.S. and being

Community health nursing clinical experiences Coursework

Community health nursing clinical experiences - Coursework Example In particular, the paper examines reflection of the specific clinical experiences, conversations, perceptions and new understanding. Objective I: Demonstrates caring nursing behaviors and safe, competent skills in community health settings for individuals, families, groups, and whole communities (all defined as â€Å"client†) across the health-illness continuum A critical analysis of the clinical experiences in community health reveals that nurses working in this particular area of care must demonstrate awareness of and respect to patient differences, preferences, values and uniquely expressed needs. In practice, I learnt that a professional caregiver meets patients from diverse backgrounds. I learnt that application of sensitivity to these issues could help one improve patient and treatment outcomes. For instance, in my encounter, I met patients from diverse cultural background. One patient stated, â€Å"†¦I have to fast, this requires Godly intervention’. This comment revealed how cultural barriers, especially those related to religious beliefs could affect care giving. My experience in the community nursing practice provided insights about the issue of privacy protection among other important issues concerned with confidentiality. I learnt that professional care givers working in community programs must demonstrate very high competence in addressing privacy issues. For instance, one patient with terminal disease appeared to withhold vital information about the clinical history of the disease. Upon further investigation, I established that she was uncomfortable if such details reached her husband. I convinced her about the confidentiality requirements and advised accordingly. This experience raised my awareness about legal and ethical issues of privacy and confidentiality of patient records. One of the most striking issues in the community

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Defensive Developmentalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Defensive Developmentalism - Essay Example The following script depicts Professor Gelvin’s findings on the defensive developmentalism study and the territories that practiced the approach, with the apparent reasons of assimilating the approach. According to Professor Gelvin, the approach revolved on military and economic prowess. Early in the 17th century, the western economies were fit in military and economic factors, which served as a threat ton the Middle East and North African nations (Kia, 2011). Therefore, the challenged regimes assumed that the best way to stand unchallenged against the rival European nations would be through the implementation of the same policies of leadership. Ottoman Empire and North African communities imply the earliest adapters to the system (Quataert, 2005). Their idea revolved on militarization with a stiff maintenance or improvement to the nations’ economic performance. ... The following recitation implements on the practices the two phenomena, that is, modernism and fundamentalism, with the successes and failures of each theory towards European encroachment. The Middle East empires were trailing behind their western counterparts in the 19th and 20th centuries. In order to clear retrogress, they shifted towards a favorable method of improvement thus they adapted to modernism in order to reshape their states. This would ignite industrialization and political stability as it was the key to stand firm against hostilities. The ottoman and Persian empires allowed the British and Russian aids and involvements in their territories respectively. The result was that the Islamic countries would drastically change their religious and cultural values. The continuous aggression of the European nations was not significant to the Islamic nations who focused on the advantages associated to the white nations. At the long run, the nations became colonies and the modernis m theory had not borne the desired fruits (Quataert, 2005). On the other hand, Islamic fundamentalism led to the restoration of the Islamic phase with a modified approach to political and economical environments. It emanated from the Christian protestant, but the Islams assumed it to imply a revolved approach to counter any future atrocities and cravings from the western colonial powers, with a consequential approach to economic and military competence. The theory was successful to shield the nations against aggression, although the western nations would at other times fund revolutions on the theoretical basis at their own advantage (Kia, 2011). Therefore, both modernism and fundamentalism had positive and negative

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Biology 101 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biology 101 - Essay Example ine that the oxygen in CO2 indeed comes from sugar, and not from oxygen gas, cells (e.g bacterial or yeast cells ) that are actively respiring can be given sugar substrate which has been synthesized with the oxygen isotope 18O. The cells are exposed to regular oxygen which carries the commonly occurring 16O isotope. After some time, gases are to be collected from the headspace and subjected to mass spectrometric analysis which can separate the CO2 based on their molecular weights. If the oxygen in the carbon dioxide came from the sugar, it will be present in higher concentration at a higher molecular weight (because the labeled 18O will have heavier mass). If the oxygen came from the air, then the reverse would be true. 2. A food manufacturer is advertising a new cake mix as fat-free. Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are testing the product to see if it truly lacks fat. Hydrolysis of the cake mix yields glucose, fructose, glycerol, a number of amino acids, and several kinds of molecules with long hydrocarbon chains. Further analysis shows that most of the hydrocarbon chains have a carboxyl group at one end. What would you tell the food manufacturer if you were the spokesperson for the FDA? If I were the spokesperson of the FDA, I would tell the food manufacturer that his claim of a fat-free mix is downright false. Fats and oils are made up of fatty acids that are anchored on a glycerol backbone. Glycerol is a three-carbon compound with 3 carboxylic groups, each can form an ester bond with a fatty acid. For this reason, fats are also called triacylglycerols. Hydrolysis of fats and oils will yield glycerol and three free fatty acids. The free fatty acids are long-chain hydrocarbon compounds (most common fats have 16-18 carbon atoms) with a carboxyl group (-COO) at one end. Further analysis will even show if these fatty acids are either saturated or unsaturated with hydrogen atoms. 3. Imagine that you are a pediatrician and one of your

Monday, September 23, 2019

Monetary Policy & International Finance and the Exchange Rate Essay

Monetary Policy & International Finance and the Exchange Rate - Essay Example The supply curve analysis indicates that an increase in the amount of nonborrowed reserves implies there will be right shift in the supply curve. The implication is that the governemnt funds rate will not rise any further and a constant value may be achieved. As a result, the open market purchase will result into a rise in the monetary base and hence the monetary supply. The central bank uses rediscount operations which allows the banks to borrow from the central as part of its checks and measures on economic stability. While this approach is crucial for ensuring that there is no economic recession, there is evidence that there is danger when the central banks lends to other banks. One problem with this operation is that it prevents banks that would have failed from failing. While the failure of bank may be a sign of economic instability, there are many other causes for the collapse of banks. For instance, poor management strategies within a bank may result to its failure (Kashyap & Stein, 2004). While there is need to support banks and to prevent them from collapsing, there are times when lending to such banks does not solve the problem. Banks that have weak management should be streamline their operation rather than lend them, an approach that may not its problems. Therefore lending to banks that are in the verge of collapsing poses danger to the public as they feel that such a bank is stable while it dependent on borrowing. III. Compare the use of open-market-operations, central bank lending facilities (rediscounting), and changes in reserve requirements to control the money supply on the following criteria: flexibility, reversibility, effectiveness, and speed of implementation. The open-market operations are one of the most flexible approaches of controlling the money supply. Since this method is under the control of the government, it is possible to use it to fine tune the market and to achieve

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Belize Barrier Reef Essay Example for Free

The Belize Barrier Reef Essay The Belize Barrier Reef Andrea G. Milbourne SCI 230 June 20, 2010 The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest barrier reef in the world next to one found in Australia. The reef is Belizes number one tourist attraction. It is home to many different ocean life forms. The reef is in danger of being destroyed. Humans and the rising temperature of the ocean are factors of the reefs danger. There are many conservation groups that are trying to help preserve the reef and its habitants. The barrier reef is 186 miles in length and is 1,000 ft off-shore in the north and 25 iles to the south of the country of Belize. The Belize reef has particularly high species diversity for the region, with about 65 coral species and over 300 fish species. The fish species include sharks, sea turtles, finfish, sponges, tuna, and many more Just to name a few. These species coincide together to produce the reef. Many of the species need one another for food to survive. Larger species tend to feed of smaller ones and the left over materials from the fish are ingested by the smaller species. The Reef is still yet to be fully explored by humans. It is said that there is still ninety percent of the Belize Barrier reef that has yet to be explored by humans. The greatest damage comes from sedimentation, agrochemical run-off, coastal development, tourism and overfishing. Humans destroy the natural habitat of the reef by disturbing it and leaving trash and toxic materials in and around the reef. The reef also sustains damage from overfishing and large commercial fishing boats that try to fish in the shallow parts of the reef. Some large corporations dump oxic chemicals near the reef threatening the wildlife of the reef. There are banana farms near the reef that are quite large. They use fertilizer that helps the bananas to grow. The run off of fertilizer used to grow these bananas is going to the reef and killing the species in it, as well as, the reef itself. The development of hotels and housing affects the reef by cutting into it and disturbing the natural state of the reef. When the country builds developments like this next to the reef it brings more humans to the area to disturb the reef even more. Another reason for the reef being in danger is the fact that the ocean temperature is rising. This causes bleaching of the coral and other parts of the reef. Hurricanes provide damage to the reef every year and it takes time for the reef to naturally repair itself from these damages. While the reef is repairing itself from these natural disasters, the humans cause damage that is irreversible and the reef cannot fully restore itself to normal. The country of Belize does not want to destroy this amazing reef, but it uses the reef for income. The same things that are helping countrys economic system are destroying the reef right before their eyes. The country of Belize tries to educate the visitors and its public as to how to try to help keep the reef clean. There are foundation is a group that is trying to help the Belize government in preserving the Belize Barrier Reef. They have Joined Belize in educating the country and the tourists about the reef and how to protect it. They also educate the businesses around the area to help them take steps in preserving the reef. The UN foundation accepts onations from the public and businesses to give them the resources for the conservation effort. They also help with trying to get legislation passed to protect the reef and the countrys economy. The country of Belize and the conservation groups have already made parts of the reef national parks. Some areas of the reef have also been closed to the public and are considered land preserves so no one is allowed to enter these areas. These steps have helped save portions of the reef from destruction. The reef still needs help to survive. As an individual person you could elp by donating time to the conservation effort. Or by visiting the reef, take care not to disturb the natural habitat of the species living in it. These conservation groups dont want to stop tourism, they Just want educated tourists enjoying one of the worlds amazing places and keep around for many years to come. I think we could all voice our opinion about how we could do our part in the preservation of the reef. If you cant visit the reef or donate to the preservation, you can Join conservation groups and help from you country. There is always the internet. You can give your support to a conservation group of your choice through the internet. There is always something you can do to help the effort. If the barrier reef is not preserved then it will be destroyed. All of the species will not be able to survive and it will affect the area around the reef. The country of Belize will not have the reef for economic purposes. The country may not survive itself without the reef and its species. The fishermen who fish the reef would not have employment. There may be some ocean ife that can only survive in the reef that will be destroyed that we may not even know about. There also will not be a tourist attraction to visit anymore. This would be a big loss to the country and the world around us. I myself have never heard about the Belize Barrier Reef until I received this assignment. I would like to visit the reef one day. I would also like to look for a conservation group that I could Join and do my part to preserve one of the worlds amazing places. References Terracurve (2009) Help protect the Belize Barrier Reef with the support of the United

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Effects of Culture in Teaching and Learning

Effects of Culture in Teaching and Learning Teaching English in Saudi Arabia – The Cultural Context Introduction In this essay, I aim to examine the cultural context predominant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in so far as it might affect effective teaching and learning styles and strategies in the EFL classroom. My interest in this topic is grounded in the reality of the post-9/11 world where the Western world has been pitted against the Arabic world as if there is a great social, cultural and religious divide that might never be bridged – or so the message in the media goes. This poses a great challenge and temptation for EFL teachers working in or curious about the region. The KSA makes for a particularly interesting study into how the local cultural and religious context might impact on successful English teaching and learning, because of the Kingdoms â€Å"politically sensitive geography† (Marcinkiewicz, 1995). The holy cities of Mekkah and Madinah are situated right within its borders and the KSA has thus â€Å"undertaken a protectoral role in religion.† It follows then that the Islamic religion is not only the most pervasive aspect of local culture, impacting directly on teaching method and content, it is also a significant motivating force for KSA learners who are â€Å"intensely religious, Islam having a strong influence on their minds and hearts.† (Al Haq and Smadi, 1996). It can thus be expected then that the religious dynamics in the KSA will â€Å"cause friction in the classroom† (Traynham, 2006). With Islam being the â€Å"strongest denominator† of students in the KSA (Kniffka, 1996), cultural awareness must inform any teaching methodology in order to achieve successful outcomes. Outline of essay I will introduce the cultural context underpinning effective language teaching and learning and give a brief background of the history of English instruction in the KSA as a way of introducing the larger historical and cultural context in which English-language instruction occurs. I will next consider some of the specific sociocultural and sociolinguistic issues that impact on the learning styles and strategies preferred by students and teachers in the KSA. Referring to the relevant literature, I will suggest connections between the local cultural context and the effectiveness of learning and teaching methods and strategies employed. Finally, I will conclude that while the local culture affects both students and teachers – and teachers must respond to this at the practical and theoretical levels – teachers must, at the same time, avoid overgeneralizing about cultural and religious factors and understand that each and every classroom exhibits a unique dynamic between a g iven set of individual students and their teacher and that, in fact, in many cases a universal education culture exists in all EFL classrooms regardless of social and cultural geography and context. The cultural context underpinning effective language teaching and learning In the past decade the concepts of context and culture have become increasingly more important in the literature on language teaching (Byram and Grundy, 2003). This is due to the increased acknowledgement of the significance of socio-political factors in teaching and learning and of the perception of learners as social beings who respond to learning a new language with â€Å"feelings and identities† (p. 1). In language teaching, cultural context is â€Å"usually defined as a/the culture associated with a language being learnt† (p. 1). As far as the English language is concerned, English has been taught in the KSA ever since the Kingdom was established, in 1932 (Al-Seghayer, 2005). The explosion of economic activity within the oil industry resulted in rapid development of English language programs in the 1970s, so that Saudis could successfully communicate in English with imported manpower and outside interests. Today, English is used as the major medium of instruction in universities where science, medicine, engineering and technology subjects are taught. English instruction begins in elementary school and is centralized and controlled by the Ministry of Education. Despite the ever-increasing importance of English in Saudi Arabia â€Å"as an essential vehicle for personal and national growth,† (Al-Seghayer, 2005, pp129), the system still fails to produce a satisfactory level of English language proficiency in Saudi learners. This seems to be an incongruous result, considering that the socio-cultural motivations for learning English are quite significant. Al Haq and Smadi (1996) find that a good knowledge of English rewards with social prestige and is considered to be a kind of duty to help Saudi Arabia advance economically, culturally and religiously at both the Islamic and international levels. With English being the lingua franca, in so far as technology and the sciences are concerned, Saudi citizens see English as a vital tool in advancing in this modern world. But this might be part of the problem. The English language – as the bearer of the goods of technology and science – necessarily comes with Western culture. Languages are expressions of national, historical and cultural identities. Languages are also â€Å"ideological because they are associated with aspirations of unity, loyalty and patriotism,† and â€Å"social because they are perceived as symbols of status, power, group identity, and belonging,† (Wesche, 2004, p. 279). As such, there is a fear in the KSA that the â€Å"use of English entails Westernization, detachment to the country, and a source of corruption to [] religious commitment.† (Al Haq and Samdi, 1996, p. 308). The sociolinguistic features of the English language – the grammar, phonetics and vocabulary – necessarily impact socio-affectively on the society of EFL learners (Khuwaileh, 2000, p. 287) wherever they might be situated in the world. In the case of Saudi Arabia, English language instruction often relies on Western cultural content that conflicts with Islamic culture and ideals. For example, Traynham (2006) explains how many EFL textbooks contain vocabulary – dating, alcohol, music, dance – that is offensive to Saudi students and to the Islamic faith. Khuwaileh (2000) also found similar sociolinguistic obstacles and cultural barriers when learners in an English for Science and Technology class refused to write on topics that included â€Å"taboo vocabulary† such as, AIDS, sexual diseases and contraception (p. 286), because for one student, at least, â€Å"religion,† â€Å"honor† and â€Å"politeness† were more important than gaining the certificate in English. Khuwaileh concluded that, unless modified, â€Å"course material rich in taboo content can significantly hinder the learning process.† (p. 287) Moreover, in a study of EFL textbooks – largely those written by non-Saudis and non-Muslims – used to teach freshman English in Saudi Arabia, Alhaidari (2003) found that they contained images and vocabulary â€Å"that clashed directly with Islamic and Saudi cultures.† These issues might seem easily solved, if common sense prevails even before theoretical and pragmatic considerations are examined. Offensive material should be avoided by designing unique material adapted to the socio-cultural reality of the student group. Even so, the pervasive presence of the textbook as the â€Å"dominant tool in teaching† holds a â€Å"powerful influence† over both cognitive and affective factors in individual students (Alhaidari, 2003, p. 3). Cultural revulsion towards a given text might impact on a students attitude to authority (in this case, the English language and English teacher) and on a students attitude to how important a text might be. A negative response, which is likely to be expected, will surely result in â€Å"learning difficulties, probably lost teaching objectives and, consequently, useless curricula.† (Khuwaileh, 2000, p. 287). Cultural issues in Saudi Arabia affecting effective language learning strategies For all of these reasons, awareness of cultural issues is not only beneficial, but a necessity, and Kniffka (1992) stresses that EFL instructors need to increase their level of expertise in cultural awareness and teaching language within a cultural context. Cultural awareness begins with the understanding that culture is a concept that concerns the role of the individual in the â€Å"unending kaleidoscope of life situations of every kind and the rules or models for attitudes and conduct in them† Oxford (1996, p ix). Context includes the beliefs, perceptions and assumptions that directly influence two things: language learning styles (the general approaches that guide learning) and language learning strategies (the specific steps or techniques used by learners). Of the six types of learning strategies – cognitive, metacognitive, memory, compensatory, affective and social – outlined by Oxford (2003, pp. 12-15), studies (introduced below) find that Arabic students tend to use cognitive and metacognitive strategies with greater frequency, and socio-affective strategies with lesser frequency, though students also exhibit an optimistic flexibility toward using a wide range of learning strategies. Abu-Ghararah (1996) found that â€Å"a wide variety of learning strategies were used† even while the majority of the EFL students surveyed in three public schools in Madinah â€Å"tended to use more cognitive strategies [more] than socio-affective strategies [] in acquiring English as a foreign language† (p. 6). Abdan and Almuarik (1992) also found that students exhibited a preference for multiple learning styles. In fact, gender and subject major, in their study, made no difference at all to their preferences. Riazi and Rahimi (2005) similarly found that while their Iranian student subjects used metacognitive strategies â€Å"at a high frequency,† overall they were â€Å" medium strategy users.† This can be extended to Saudi Arabia, because both Arab countries have a â€Å"similar history, culture and language† (p. 282). These studies show that students regularly â€Å"combine all the learning orientations.† Riazi and Rahimi (2005, p. 110) suggest that this openness and flexibility results from a â€Å"specific philosophy of life† where â€Å"a human being can only be perfect, when he studies all of the sciences and arts.† Reasons pointing to more frequent use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies might be that these strategies offer students direct ways to control learning and are strategies that can be employed in private study, rather than in group situations, which seem to be less preferred. Another factor suggested was that these students might not have much exposure to English in social situations so as to â€Å"pick up† the target language â€Å"unconsciously.† Reasons pointing to the minimal use of other strategies might be, apart from cultural background, â€Å"improper teaching,† and again lack of exposure to English in a native environment with native speakers. For Riazi and Rahimi, at least, it is up to the English instructors to introduce other strategies by discussing them with their students and providing appropriate opportunities to develop and use those â€Å"neglected strategies† (p. 123). To this end, Zaid (1996) evaluated the methodological preferences of teachers in an English department at a major KSA university and found that the overall preference was for a communicative style of teaching. This is interesting when considered against the findings of Riazi and Rahimi (2005, p. 103) where social learning strategies were the least frequently used strategies of EFL students. In fact, Khuwaileh (2005, p. 282) also concluded that social strategies, such as group work and openly expressing opinions in the classroom are â€Å"culturally bound practices which seem to hinder English language learning.† Zaid (1996) warns against teachers developing â€Å"personalized theories† of teaching when it might result in a â₠¬Å"methodological gap† between what they are doing in the classroom and what program administrators – working within the socio-cultural framework of the KSA – expect. Personalized teaching might also result in a preferential gap between how the teacher prefers to teach and how the students prefer to learn. Good practice then is clearly a collaboration between program administration, teacher preference, and the expectations of students as a group and as individuals. â€Å"Individual† is stressed here because, as Oxford (2003, p. 16) emphasizes, a teacher needs â€Å"adequate knowledge about their individual students style preferences† in order to provide the most effective classroom instruction. The literature examined in this essay, while clearly suggesting learning trends and preferences based on cultural background, also suggest an openness and flexibility in the learning strategy preferences of Saudi, and other Arab, students. In fact, the impact of culture is often found to be influenced by other factors, such as individual personality traits (Oxford, 2003), gender, as well as motivation (Kaylani, 1996, p75). Individual learners who are more motivated – regardless of cultural background – will use a wider range of learning strategies thus ensuring greate r success in their learning (Oxford, 1996a, p118). This may further imply that students may successfully adjust preference and expectation if a teacher introduces new activities â€Å"on trial† (Tomlinson, 2005), in the first instance, and only incorporate lesser used strategies should students find them useful and enjoyable. In fact, Tomlinson (2005) suggests that while learners may well have expectations based on cultural norms and experiences, the level of innovation introduced by any given individual teacher into the EFL classroom may have the effect of creating a new and unique to the classroom â€Å"temporary culture.† Tomlinson finds that even in significantly different cultural contexts, â€Å"educational cultures seem to be remarkably similar† (p. 139), what he refers to as a â€Å"universal† education culture. He calls it a Tomlinson seeks to stress the â€Å"teachers attitude† in response to the perceived cultural context in which they work and warns against the â€Å"dangers of cultural overgeneralization.† He concludes that teachers should remember that in a classroom teachers teach to a â€Å"class of diverging individuals rather than to a convergent group of cultural stereotypes.† Conclusion In conclusion then, the sociocultural and religious context in the KSA clearly influences teaching and learning. Teachers should not only be aware of the cultural context in which they teach and but this context should directly inform their choices of method and materials. However, teachers should avoid, on the one hand, making methodological choices based on overgeneralizations and preconceived ideas about how cultural issues influence their students, and on the other hand, should also avoid personalizing their methodology to suit their preferences and ideology. Methods and strategies employed in EFL instruction should always be negotiated anew between the teacher and the group of individual students. And all of this, of course, within the general framework of the sociocultural and religious dynamic prevalent in the KSA. References Abdan, A.A., and Almuarik, S.A., 1992. The Learning Style Preference of Saudi EFL University Students. In Journal of King Saud University. Educational Sciences Islamic Studies. [online] Vol. 4, No. 1, Abstract from King Saud University Journal Digital Library, Available from: http://digital.library.ksu.edu.sa/paper2214.html. [Accessed 15 November 2008]. Abu-Ghararah, A.H., 1996. The Learning Strategy Uses of EFL Students. [online] In Educational Journal, Faculty of Education, Kuwait University. Vol. 10, No, 38, pp. 15-32, Available from: http://abughararah.com/App_content/File/Researches/07.pdf  [Accessed 16 November 2008]. Alhaidari, A.O., 2003. The Compatibility of Freshman EFL Textbooks Used by Saudi Universities with Islamic Culture. [online] In Journal of King Saud University. Educational Sciences Islamic Studies. Vol. 15, No 2, pp1-41, Available from: http://wwww.ksu.edu.sa/printpress/researches/V28M206R2970.pdf, King Saud University Journal Digital Library.  [Accessed 17 November 2008]. Al Haq, F.A., and Smadi, O., 1996. Spread of English and Westernization in Saudi Arabia. In World Englishes, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp 307-317. Al-Seghayer, K., 2005. Teaching English in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Slowly but Steadily Changing. In G Braine, ed. Teaching English to the World: History, Curriculum, and Practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, p 125-191. Byram, M., and Grundy, P., eds., 2003. Context and Culture in Language Teaching and Learning. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Kaylani, C., 1996. The Influence of Gender and Motivation on EFL Learning Strategy Use in Jordan, p 75-88. In Oxford, R.L., ed., 1996. Language and Learning Strategies Around the World: Cross-Cultural Perspectives. : University of Hawaii Press. Khuwaileh, A.A., 2000. Cultural Barriers of Language Teaching: A Case Study of  Classroom Cultural Obstacles. In Computer Assisted Language Learning, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 281–290. Kniffka, H., 1992. Cultural Identity, Life Cycles and Intercultural Communication: Teaching  German to Adults in Saudi Arabia. In Language Teaching Journal, Vol. 2, pp. 75–80. Marcinkiewicz, H.R., 1995. Educational Technology Transcends the Saudi Desert and Cultural Mores. [online] In TechTrends, Vol. 40, No. 2. Preview available from http://www.springerlink.com/content/m415w713355677h4/fulltext.pdf?page=1, Springer Boston  [Accessed: 16 November 2008]. Oxford, R.L., 2003. Language Learning Styles and Strategies: An Overview. In Learning Styles Strategies: Oxford, GALA. Oxford, R.L., 1990. Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. New York: Newbury House. Oxford, R.L., 1996. Language Learning Motivation. Manoa: University of Hawaii Press. Oxford, R.L., ed., 1996a. Language and Learning Strategies Around the World: Cross-Cultural Perspectives. Manoa: University of Hawaii Press. Riazi, A., and Rahimi, M., 2005. Iranian EFL Learners’ Pattern of Language Learning Strategy Use. In The Journal of Asia TEFL, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 103-129. Tomlinson, B., 2005. English as a Foreign Language: Matching Procedures to the Context of Learning. In Hinkel, E., ed., Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, p. 137-154. Traynham, M.S., 2006. Challenges for EFL Students and Teachers in Saudi Arabia [online] TESOL Courses.  Available from: http://www.tesolonline.com/articles/complete_articles.php?index=177category=59  [Accessed: 15 November 2008]. Wesche, M., 2004. Teaching Languages and Cultures in a Post-9/11 World. [online] In The Modern Language Journal, Vol. 88, No. 2, pp. 278-285.  Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3588759, Blackwell Publishing.  [Accessed: 16 November 2008]. Zaid, M., 1996. Ascertaining the Pedagogical Preferences of EFL Teaches in Saudi Arabia. In Journal of King Saud University. Educational Sciences Islamic Studies. [online] Vol. 8, No. 2. pp. 1-20. 20. Available from http://digital.library.ksu.edu.sa/V8M317R2260.pdf Abstract from King Saud University Journal Digital Library.  [Accessed 15 November 2008]. 9/ 9

Friday, September 20, 2019

Reflective Report On Clinical Education In Practice Nursing Essay

Reflective Report On Clinical Education In Practice Nursing Essay This assignment will critically reflect and analyse clinical supervision of third year dental students during their infield placement of Dental Public Health in a school environment, a module within Preventive Dentistry. Clinical supervision of dental surgery assistants during their short clinical placement at the Periodontology Section will also be delved into. The preparation, planning, implementation and evaluation of the supervised sessions will be incorporated, as also the rationale for the choice of particular learning, teaching and assessment strategies. Finally, I will conclude by outlining areas of personal and professional growth, identifying strengths and challenges and putting forward an action plan for my future professional development as a clinical supervisor. Dental public health placement of third year dental students. Description I was assigned direct supervision of ten 3rd year dental students by the Faculty of Dental Surgery for four, weekly sessions at schools of my choice. The objectives were to expose the students to public dental health within a school environment and develop some of the skills necessary to convey dental health education to children of different age groups. Their competence level in communication skills were to be assessed and a report sent to the consultant dental surgeon in public health. Preparation Heidenreich et al (2000) suggests priming students for activities by debriefing them prior to engagement. In view of this, and also bearing in mind that I had never even met these ten dental students, I organised a 45 minute discussion session in our department lecture room. I specifically asked them to prepare a plan of how they propose to organise such an activity of delivering dental talks to children of different age groups. I also suggested that they write down any fears and queries they might have. My intensions were two fold. I needed to familiarize myself with the students- who they were, how they process thoughts and ideas, their feelings and apprehensions towards public speaking and an overview of their knowledge, perceptions and communication skills. I also wanted to use a constructive paradigm as discussed by McMillan (2011), where the knowledge is not transmitted by direct instruction and imposed on the students, but rather were they are actively involved in shaping their own learning experience. When describing androgogy (adult learning), Knowles (1984), states that adults learn best when learning is self-directed. They learn because they chose to do so and thus are more motivated and more reflective. Therefore transformation of knowledge acquired is more permanent. These students were academically mature 21-24 year olds, with their own individual experiences and personal perceptions. I intended to promote a deep learning approach by stimulating their genuine desire to engage in this learning task and to appreciate its value, integrate the experience in the students own biography (Jarvis, 2005). Implementation and evaluation The discussion forum proved to satisfy all its purposes. The students came well prepared, so, after the introductions, I clearly conveyed the learning objectives of the placement as dictated by the faculty and the assessment criteria. However, I wanted to establish what they feel should be the outcome of this placement, what they expect to learn and what kind of feedback they think is most helpful for them. So, we discussed and negotiated these issues first. McGrath et al (2005) propose that in order to promote understanding the supervisor should guide students in contextualizing their theoretical knowledge, bridging the potential divide that exists between the theory they learnt in the lectures and what they actually need to use in practice. The in-depth knowledge studied had to now be broken down into blocks, simplified and used according to the scenario presented. The language by which we speak to young children to convey a message cannot be full of scientific jargon. All the students were actively involved in this open discussion. The two foreigners in the group had to be encouraged and prompted a little but they integrated eventually. As an empirical study by Sweet et al (2008) suggests, when the students worked together and talked about and criticised each others planned activities they learnt in a way that changed their perspectives. I was practically a non-participant observer except when some misconceptions had to be clarified and some fears and queries needed to be addressed. Throughout the discussion I had one of the students create a concept map identifying the salient points. This was used at the end of the session when I summarized their thoughts and together we established how we were going to work on the four placement days. The students felt more comfortable if they observed me giving the first dental talk, then we decided that they are to be grouped in pairs to give talks on the first day and progress in giving individual talks in t he 3 sessions after that. On the day, the sessions went as planned with only a few hiccups. After the students observed me delivering the initial talk I had 20 minutes to give feedback and to answer any questions. This proved to be vital. Most of the students needed reassurance and encouragement. In retrospect, the decision to work in pairs was very sound since this eased some anxieties. At the end of the day we regrouped and I gave feedback to each student individually. Kilminster et al (2007) propose that the supervisor should prioritise and balance the negative and positive feedback. They also suggest that brief and targeted feedback with reinforcement of correct behaviours is very important. I followed this line of thought during the short briefing after the session, pointing out their strengths and commenting on how what they could improve. The students comments suggested that they enjoyed this learning experience. As the students progressed through the rest of the placement they gained confidence and their communication skills improved. There was one student in particular who did not wish to give a talk to the 6year old children. He felt he could not cope with their short concentration span and restlessness and he was afraid that he was incapable of going down to such a simple level of explanation. I had a chat with him were we clarified some negative ideas and attempted to dispel them in view of the wider ramifications that can impact his performance even in a clinical setting in the future. After all, eventually, he will not be having a choice of who he is to treat. At the end, he did deliver this talk, but I suggested that he could make use of a cartoon to capture the childrens attention, and to his surprise he actually managed and enjoyed it. . Hattie and Timperley (2007) state that asking students for an appraisal of their own performance before giving feedback has the potential to develop self-assessment and self-reflective skills which are pre-requisites for becoming competent, independent practitioners. The students were, therefore, asked to write a short reflective account of their experience, after which I gave online feedback. I was not allocated any additional time to have another discussion with the students, which I would have preferred. This formative assessment had to be followed by a summative assessment which was interwoven with the learning process, so the students had the opportunity to demonstrate their competencies in communication skills in a variety of contexts within the school dental education program. First year student dental surgery assistants Description Dental assistants are given five, weekly sessions to learn some basic yet essential skills after attending lectures on the topics. When these students are given the clinical placement, they are simply ushered into the periodontal clinics with barely any introductions let alone learning objectives. I decided that this placement was going to be slightly different. Preparation I took the initiative and asked their coordinator what these students need to learn and what skills need to be mastered in this placement. I also asked for a rough overview of their theoretical knowledge. Jarvis (1999: 46-47) situates learning under the umbrella of practice when he summarises practical knowledge as being practical, dynamic integrated knowledge that has been legitimised in practice, through a combination of process knowledge and content knowledge. Hence, although the dental assistants would have been taught about the theory, they will still need to learn how to implement and practice these skills in a clinical context. I planned the five sessions so as to have some sequence in their learning, from simple to more complex, and not to overload these students with more information than they can process (Heinderlich et al, 2000). I had to keep in mind that these were 16-18 year olds with an average academic level. Implementation and evaluation I felt that my primary role with these novice students was to encourage them to first reflect on what they know and understand, then demonstrate the skills; finally they can perform the skills themselves. A lot of learning in our work context takes the form of experiential learning. Kolb (1984) states that students learn best when experiences are put into practice after observing and analysing possible outcomes, reflecting and assimilating the concepts and coming up with their own possible solutions. In view of this, it was up to me to create the necessary opportunities for the students to meet, observe, interact and consult with people who have more expertise. I made the necessary arrangements to allocate students to reliable clinicians. Bandura (1977) claims that affable and motivated role models compel replication of good practice. Students not only observe the carrying out of the skills but also learn prioritisation, time management, problem solving and how to build relationships with patients and other staff members. The actual practical part came later, since I needed to make sure that the students will perform safe practices. Ultimately I was responsible. I organized a meeting before the start of the placement. I tried to help the students set appropriate learning objectives and establish some ground rules. The students were passive, so I used simple open ended questions to make them feel comfortable. I needed to form a professional relationship of trust and of mutual respect with these students so that eventually they would have the confidence to ask questions, reflect on the practices observed, discuss openly and finally together we could amalgamate all they learn. Questioning also helped me establish their individual baseline knowledge which we linked to the skills they were about to practice. Their academic level varied. Some students could be challenged further with more thought-provoking questions, while others needed more repetition and guidance. I was informed that they use reflective journals throughout their course. So, I exploited this and suggested to the students to write a SWOT analysis. I offered that if they wished to go through it with me I would oblige and offer any assistance on issues which crop up. This was a way to encourage students reflect and think on their own learning process. . I also gave some tips on basic survival skills they need in the challenging setting of a clinic. I explained that empathic and ethical behaviour with the clients is imperative During the actual clinical placement, I made time for short discussions within the clinic itself. Here, I formed an outline of the students individual values, attitudes and beliefs and gained insight to the students preferred mode of taking in information. Some were visual learners, others auditory and others learn best through hands-on approaches. Some students were self-directed and learnt on their own, while others were more passive and need to be encouraged and guided. This directed my teaching style and interaction with individual students. During this time the students themselves had the opportunity to identify any difficulties and analyse the procedures they had seen. I think these short discussions provided a positive learning environment where the students felt unthreatened and free to address their own learning inconsistencies. I also found that after a patient procedure is completed, a few Socratic questions helped develop the students problem solving skills and verbalise their understanding or misunderstanding of concepts (Heidenreich et al, 2000). Some students were asked to look up further on the some of the issues presented and offer their views on a later date. When the observation part of the session was over, the students actively participated in the hands-on practice of the skills. It is through practice that students continuously build a body of knowledge about their own practice, through reflecting, doing, thinking and learning (Jarvis 1992). Although, psychomotor skills varied from one student to another not necessarily in line with the knowledge they had, all of them were given the same opportunity to practice skills in the clinic. Some were more enthusiastic than others, asked questions, used every opportunity to practice and even went further and looked up additional information. Eraut et al (2004) maintain that central to all learning is the confidence and commitment to try out skills and to be proactive in seeking learning opportunities and therefore, the ultimate control over learning rests with the student. My main goal was to gradually and systematically withdraw to a watchful distance while the students carried out the proced ures assigned, safely without jeopardising the health of the clients. Self-assessment I have embarked on a steep learning curve. Although I have supervised dental, dental hygiene and dental assistants students for more than a decade, I must admit that this was the first supervision experience that had true meaning and value I could truly explain the reasons for my actions and decisions and planned the supervision sessions while envisaging outcomes. Subconsciously, I continuously referred to the theories and strategies of teaching and learning sometimes even unintentionally. Today, I can identify problems and loopholes within the systems currently employed to teach the various professions within the dental team. We can give so much more to empower the students to face the challenges of a clinic and to support them in their journey of becoming competent professionals. However, faculty, management, supervisors and clinicians alike need to work together, change and adapt current protocols and be open to innovations. A competency based approach might be a way forward. Competency frameworks are building blocks of a transparent process with hopefully, an end product of a competent graduate. This approach can be used to establish common ground of qualifications in the increasingly mobile European health care work force (Adam, 2004). Reflecting on my role in all this, I realise that I have many hurdles to surpass. With perseverance, commitment, negotiation and continued education I hope I can bring about some changes. However, I need to become more self-aware, since I believe that this empowers me to believe in what I am doing and to be more assertive. I intend to work for a more systematically coordinated, constructive, student-friendly, objective system of clinical supervision within the dental team. Conclusion Learning can be accidental, but teaching definitely cannot. Supervisors need to make use of the various teaching strategies and techniques and adjust them to the student learning needs to reach the ultimate objective of helping in the formation of competent practitioners.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

History of Herman Melville :: essays research papers

Herman Melville was born in New York City on August 1, 1819. He was the third child of eight. Herman went to school early in New York City. His dad used to travel a lot and used to tell him stories which sparked his love of adventure. His father was always on boats and told stories about the giant waves and the ships breaking like sticks. His father also enjoyed talking about Liverpool also, being that it was one of his father’s favorite places to visit. His father was an importer of French goods and became bankrupt and insane and he died when Melville was 12. When his dad died the family moved to a small town along the Hudson River and he stayed there until 1835 which is when he went to the Albany Classical School for a year or so. Herman’s mother was left alone to raise eight children. When Herman was 7 he had scarlet fever in and it left Melville with permanently weakened eyesight. Richard Henry Dana wrote a book called â€Å"Two Years Before the Mast†. That book was published in 1840, and was at once talked of everywhere. Melville must have read it at the time. The next year after he read it he once more signed up for a ship, and on January 1, 1841, sailed from New Bedford, Massachusetts harbor in the whaler Acushnet that was going for the Pacific Ocean and the sperm fishery. He didn’t leave much information as to the events of this time, but he may of wrote â€Å"Moby-Dick† because of this time. Melville decided to abandon the vessel when it got to the Marquesas Islands and when he was there he wrote â€Å"Typee† and its sequel, â€Å"Omoo†. After staying on the Marquesas Islands he shipped for Honolulu. He stayed there for four months and worked as a clerk. He joined a ship called which reached Boston and the continued stopping on the way at one of the Peruvian ports in 1844. While he was there he used his experiences to wr ite â€Å"White Jacket† Herman Melville married Elizabeth Shaw on August 4, 1847. This was the end of all his travels on ships. Herman Melville and his wife lived in New York City until 1850. In 1850 they bought a farmhouse at Pittsfield. Herman Melville stayed here for thirteen years and continued with his writing, and taking care of his.