Thursday, October 31, 2019

Seoul City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Seoul City - Essay Example Ostensibly, the Korean people learned how a conflict can paralyze the economy of a country. The term is a representation of rapid industrialization, urbanization, economic boom, education boom, technological advancement, skyscraper boom, a rise in living standards and modernization. This culminated in the successful hosting of the 1988 Summer Olympics Championship. Additionally, Seoul City co-hosted the 2002- FIFA World Cup. Consequently, the country transformed from the near destruction of the Korea War into globalization and democratization. The city is celebrated as wealthy, developed with sound economic viability and exerting a global economic influence (The Korean Economy - the Miracle on the Hangang River). Currently, it boasts of prominent multinational companies such as Samsung, Hyundai-Kia, and LG. More specifically, the term refers to the economic growth of Seoul city through which River Han flows. It is fascinating to note that it is termed a ‘miracle’ as it r epresents the economic rebirth of the country between the periods 1961 to 1996. Initially, the country was crippled by the Korean War that saw an escalation of poverty levels and unemployment rates. Interestingly, in less than four years, Seoul became a global city, a highly developed economic hub, center of business and commerce. It opened grounds for technological advancement and the development of communication infrastructure. Currently, the inhabitants consider the opulence as national pride as well as a symbol of self-sufficiency.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Walking Stick with Heart Attack Detection Essay Example for Free

Walking Stick with Heart Attack Detection Essay 1. INTRODUCTION The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute states that â€Å"more than a million persons in the U.S. have a heart attack and about half (515,000) of them die in each year. About one-half of those who die do so within 1 hour of the start of symptoms and before reaching the hospital†. A heart attack happens to a person when the blood flow and oxygen supply to heart muscle is blocked, and it is mostly caused by the Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). CAD occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) become hardened and narrowed. It often causes irregular heart beat or rhythm by blocking blood stream. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggest that â€Å"everyone should know the warning signs of a heart attack and how to get emergency help†. The symptoms of heart attack can be detected by observing electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform. An ECG is an electrical recording of the heart and is used in the investigation of heart disease. An electrical impulse initiates muscle contraction, which results in heart beating. The spacing between pulses provides a measure of the heart’s rhythm, whereas the height of the pulses is an indicator of pumping strength. By observing the ECG waveform, the heart condition of the patients can be explained by doctors. The ECG Library shows many samples of abnormal ECG waveform, and they are mostly collected from aged people who are more than 55 years old. The senior citizens are more prone to have heart attack than young people. The Walking Stick with Heart Attack Detection is specially designed to help the senior citizens who need walking aids by walking sticks and have the most possibility of heart attack. The walking stick is used as detection unit and as the medium asking for medical help. 1.1 Overview of Design The ECG circuitry unit on the wrist captures abnormal heart beat signal from the patient. The microcontroller on the stick runs a heart attack algorithm. Warning is given out to the person about his heart condition. The Bluetooth emergency calling system calls for medical help at the moment of heart   attack. This project aims to shorten the time between the moment of heart attack and the arrival of medical personal. The warning before the emergency call will give the patient a chance to avoid heart attack. Figure 1.1 Block Diagram of Walking Stick with Heart Attack Detection Two biosensors worn on the user’s wrists send the real ECG signal to the analog ECG circuitry. The amplified and filtered analog output of the circuitry is converted from analog to digital signal and transmitted to the unit on the walking stick. The ECG circuitry unit, the A/D converter, and the transmitter are worn on one of the user’s wrists. The wireless connection between the unit on the wrist and the main unit on the walking stick gives the user more freedom to move by avoiding wire attachment between the wrist and the stick. The receiver on the stick receives the digital ECG signal, and the microcontroller runs a heart attack algorithm to detect possible heart attack symptoms. If any symptom of heart attack is detected, the risk level rises. When the risk level reaches up to the emergency mode, the Bluetooth module activates the user’s mobile phone to call 911 for medical help. Latest mobile phones include GPS function. Therefore, the GPS unit is eliminated from the previous project as the mobile phone’s GPS can locate the user. 1.2Specifications For the design of the ECG circuitry and the ECG algorithm, the specifications of the previous project â€Å"Wireless Heart Attack Detector with GPS† were used. The frequency range of ECG signal depends on the activity of individual. The typical range is approximately from 50 Hz to 70 Hz. To cover a wide range of frequencies for all scenarios, the band-pass filter of the ECG circuitry is designed to have a lower cutoff frequency of 0.5 Hz and an upper cutoff frequency of 150 Hz. The analog output of the ECG circuitry must be in the range between -2V to 2V so that the A/D conversion operates properly. The overall amplification inside the ECG circuitry should be at least 3000 but no greater than 5000. The minimum sampling rate of A/D converter should be 400 Hz to capture the detailed ECG waveform that changes in millisecond unit. The transmitted data and the received data must be the same. No noise should be added during the transmission. The distance for reliable transmission should be wide enough so that the movement of user is not limited in the near area of the stick. 40 feet is chosen as the user is assumed to be within this distance during all his activities. All the hardware should operate with low power consumption, and the microcontroller must show the least number of error when it runs the heart attack algorithm. High risk and low risk warnings should be as short as possible. 1.3Performance Benchmarks The total delay from the moment the microcontroller output a heart attack signal to the arrival of medical assistance should be shortened as much as possible. This delay is between the output of heart attack signal and the mobile phone calling. The delay time should be less than 45 second. 1.4Subprojects Figure 1.4 Subproject Flow Chart There are three main subprojects: ECG circuit unit, Analysis Algorithm, and Bluetooth Communication. The first unit is worn on the user’s wrist, and the rest two are installed in the stick. The ECG circuit unit captures ECG waveform from the user’s wrists by electrodes. It then amplifies and filters the ECG signal. After that, the signal is digitized by an A/D converter and is transmitted to the stick. In Analysis Algorithm unit, the receiver first captures the digital ECG signal and feeds it to the microcontroller. The microcontroller runs the algorithm to detect heart attack and to raise the risk level. When a heart attack is confirmed, an emergency signal is sent to the Bluetooth Communication unit. In the Bluetooth Communication unit, the Bluetooth module activates the user’s mobile phone to call 911. Objective: Goals of Design: 1.The wireless heart attack detector captures abnormal heart beat signals. 2.The alert system on the walking stick warns the user to realize his health condition. 3.Bluetooth wireless emergency calling system calls for help at the moment of heart attack via mobile phone. Benefits: Electrocardiogram(ECG) signal transmitted wirelessly from the wrist to the main unit on the stick. This avoids the inconvenience of the attachment of the stick to the wrists. Automatic wireless emergency calling system via Bluetooth module warning mode giving the users a chance to avoid the fatal moment actively. 2.DESIGN PROCEDURE 2.1 Biosensors Since the previous project mentioned about the benefits of the Ag-AgCl ECG electrodes, we decided to use the same electrodes as our biosensors. The benefits of the electrodes include good electrical contact with human skin, low motion artifacts and strong adhesive quality to skin. 2.2 Analog ECG Circuitry Based on the â€Å"Wireless Heart Attack Detector with GPS,† we designed the three components, unity-gain buffers, differential amplifier and band-pass filter. The unity-gain buffers are needed for both wrists as impedance transformers. Although skin impedance is high, the input impedance of op-amps is infinity and the op-amps will be able to catch the bio signals out of the two electrodes. Differential amplifier will take the two bio signals and differentiate them with gain to get the desired ECG waveform. Band-pass filter will make sure that noise of frequencies outside 0.5 Hz and 150 Hz is eliminated. For the Calculation of the ECG circuitry design, the same procedure from the â€Å"Wireless Heart Attack Detector with GPS† was used and was quoted as below. The differential amplifier gain should not exceed 33 in order to prevent a 300 mV electrode offset potential from causing the system to saturate. The figure shows a diagram of the differential amplifier component of the circuit. Hence the differential amplifier produces an output that is the difference between the inputs multiplied by a gain factor. The gain is chose to be at 15; R7 and R5 are selected to be 15kÃŽ ©; R6 and R4 are selected to be 1kÃŽ ©. The lower frequency cut-off was desired to be around 0.04Hz, and upper frequency cut-off was desired to be about 150Hz. A gain of around 100 was sought from the band-pass filter. (Overall gain needed to be 1000 to 5000 with the differential amplifier having a gain no greater than 33.) A diagram of the low and high pass portions of the band-pass filter are shown in Figures 2.3 and 2.4, respectively. From eq. (6), it can be seen that the output is amplified by a gain equal to R11/R10. Since the gain is desired to be about 100, eqn. (7) and (8) can be solved. Thus R11 is selected to be 106.2 kÃŽ ©, R10 to be 1 kÃŽ ©, R8 to be 3.9 MÃŽ ©, C1 to be 1 ÃŽ ¼F and C2 to be 0.01 ÃŽ ¼F. The value of R9 is not significant and is selected to be 10 kÃŽ ©. A buffer with unity gain is needed for each input as an impedance transformer, because the skin has much higher impedance compared to the input impedance of the differential amplifier. Figure 2.5 shows a diagram of the buffer components. Figure 2.2.4 Buffer Components Diagram Since no current flows into the input terminals and v+ = v-, by applying KCL The gain is determined by R1/R2 = R3/R2. Desiring a gain of unity, R1, R2, R3, and R4 were chosen to be 10 kÃŽ © each. 2.3 Data Transmission between Wrist and the Walking Stick Our original design was to transmit the analog ECG waveform directly out of the ECG analog circuitry to the walking stick. We would use the analog signal transmission capability of the HP-3 transceiver. We wanted to make this data transmission wireless from the wrist to the stick. This would avoid the inconvenience of the stick attachment to the wrist. User can go into a car and put his stick at the back seats without detaching any wire between his wrist and the stick. He also does not have to switch the device off. When the stick falls down, it won’t drag the user’s wrist to the ground. After we browsed through the data sheet of the HP-3 transceiver, we discovered that the analog bandwidth of the transceiver pair is between 50 Hz and 28000 Hz. As discussed in the previous project, normal ECG waveform has frequency range between 50 Hz and 70 Hz. However, to cover all the possible scenarios like sleeping and fast walking, the lower and the upper cutoff frequencies were decided to be 0.5 Hz and 150 Hz. Since the range from 0.5 Hz and 50 Hz is outside the transmission bandwidth of the HP-3 transceiver, we thought about using mixer and oscillator to raise the lowest frequency of analog signal, which is 0.5 Hz, to 60 Hz. This would ensure correct transmission of the analog signal. When we discussed this idea with our TA, we were introduced to the RS232 capability of PIC. Since RS232 signal is digital, we can use the same transceiver to transmit digital signal. We no longer have to worry about the lowest frequency of the analog signal along with the mixer and the oscillator. 2.4 A/D Conversion of Analog ECG Signal to Digital ECG signal Since we are using a PIC for its RS232 feature, we thought it would be natural to use the A/D conversion feature of the PIC. We then had to decide between using an 8-bit conversion or a 10-bit conversion. 10-bit conversion would give higher resolution to the digitized ECG waveform. But, the final decision was determined by the RS232 transmission. According to the PIC-C Compiler Manual, when defining #use RS232, bits sent can only be between 5 and 9. Because 10 are not in this range, we decided to do 8-bit A/D conversion. 2.5 Heart attack detection When the microcontroller on the walking stick has received digital ECG data from the wrists, it will check for heart attack symptoms. We decided to use the heart attack algorithm developed by the previous project. We would like to indicate to the user his heart condition so that he can take proper action like slowing down or taking a rest before heart attack really happens to him. 2.6 Emergency Calling Previous project needed to use a Bluetooth module and a laptop to make an emergency call. Our goal was to eliminate the laptop. Our project will execute emergency calling with just a Bluetooth module. Bluetooth communication is wireless. The user can put his cell phone anywhere he wants as long as it is within the range of the Bluetooth communication. The user does not have to hang his cell phone to the walking stick, making his waking stick heavy and hindering his movement. 3. DESIGN DETAILS 3.1 Analog ECG Circuitry ComponentValue R1, R2, R310 kÃŽ © R4, R61 kÃŽ © R5, R715 kÃŽ © R8100 kÃŽ © R93 kÃŽ © R101 kÃŽ © R11150 kÃŽ © C11  µF C20.01  µF The band-pass filter has a lower cut-off frequency of 1.59 Hz and an upper cut-off frequency of 106.1 Hz. The gain of band-pass filter is 150, and the overall gain is 150Ãâ€"15=2250. 3.2 A/D Conversion and RS232 of PIC16F877 We use PIC16F877 as our microcontroller on the wrist. The connections to the PIC are shown in Appendix 1. Oscillator of 20 MHz is used as clock to the PIC. Analog ECG signal is sent to Pin2 RA0. Pin4 Vref- is connected to 0 V and Pin5 Vref+ is connected to 5 V. The analog signal will be digitized into 8 bits. The digital values will be between 0 and 127. 0 V will correspond to 0, 1 V will correspond to 50, 2 V will correspond to 100 and 2.5 V will correspond to 125. Since the analog ECG waveform will be amplified to only 2 V, the highest digital value will be 100. The reason of not amplifying the signal to 2.5 V is to provide some error of margin in the real world. The sampling will be done with a while loop that runs continuously with the condition always set to ‘true’. Please refer to the C codes on Appendix 5. The sampling rate of 400 Hz will be implemented by putting a delay of 2500 us in the while loop. After the digital values are obtained through the A/D conversion, the digital values are parallel 8 bits. These parallel 8 bits will be transformed into serial bits of the format of RS232. According to Wikipedia, RS-232 is a standard for serial binary data interchange between a DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) and a DCE(Data Communication Equipment). In our case, the DTE will be the PIC and the DCE will be the HP-3 transmitter. The RS232 format will consist of a ‘start’ bit, eight data bits, least-significant bit first, and a ‘stop’ bit. We also make sure the logic voltage level of RS232 will be between 0 V and 5 V as required by the HP-3 transmitter. 3.3 Digital Data Transmission of HP-3 Transceiver The digital ECG values in RS232 form will be fed into a HP-3 transmitter. HP-3 transmitter has 8 parallel selectable channels. To have simple wiring, we selected channel 0 as we only needed to ground the three ‘channel select’ pins. We are also well aware that the HP-3 transmitter does not encode or packetize the data in any manner. This will assure us that the RS232 data sent from the PIC will be the same RS232 data received at the receiver. The microcontroller at the walking stick does not have to do any decoding. 3.4 Heart Attack Algorithm of the Javelin Stamp Microcontroller The RS232 digital ECG data will be fed from the HP-3 receiver to the Javelin microcontroller. The parameters of the UART of the microcontroller are set up according to those of the PIC. The microcontroller will then get the correct Digital ECG from the PIC. These digital ECG samples will be analyzed with the heart attack algorithm developed by the previous project. Heart attack is preceded by three notable symptoms, which are weak pulse amplitude, irregular heart beat and widened QRS pulse. To check for weak amplitude, a baseline is set up by averaging all the data points. Pulse amplitude is considered as weak if it is below 50% of the baseline. Normal pulse rate is between 35 bpm (beats per minute) and 200 bpm. If the digital ECG data indicates a pulse rate outside of this range, then irregular heart beat is detected. Normal pulse width is less than 36 ms. If the digital ECG data indicates a pulse width more than 36 ms, then QRS pulse has widened 3.5 Low-Risk and High-Risk LEDs of Heart Attack The previous project set up an alert level of threshold of 5 before emergency calling is executed. In our project, we decided to use this alert level to define two conditions, low-risk and high-risk. Low risk is when the alert level is between 4 and 6. High risk is when the alert level is between 7 and 9. These two conditions will be indicated to the user with two LEDs. User can look at the LEDs and be aware of his heart condition to take proper action to avoid the fatal moment. 3.6 EB500 Bluetooth Module and Javelin Stamp Microcontroller When the alert level reaches 10, emergency calling through the user’s cell phone will be executed. In our project, the emergency calling will be done with only the Bluetooth module and the Javelin microcontroller. Laptop will not be used as an intermediate between Bluetooth module and the cell phone. When the Bluetooth module is first powered up, it is in command mode. Communication between the Bluetooth module and the microcontroller will be done in the form of UART. Please refer to the codes in Appendix 6. Microcontroller will send some commands to the Bluetooth module to set up a Bluetooth connection with the user’s cell phone. When the connection is successfully set up, which is indicated by the LED on the Bluetooth module, the module automatically switches to data mode. A successful Bluetooth connection is nothing more than a wireless serial cable. In data mode, everything sent by the Javelin microcontroller will be received by the cell phone. Commands to control a phone are called AT commands. AT commands direct a phone to dial (D), answer (A) and hang up (H). Every AT command starts with â€Å"AT† (Attention). This is the command line prefix. To make a 911 call, the following command will be sent by the microcontroller to the cell phone, â€Å"ATD911;\r†. The last character, â€Å"\r† is carriage return. The command means â€Å"Attention: Dialing 911†. The number 911 can be replaced by any phone number. Since most cell phones today have the GPS feature, the location of the user can be discovered and faster medical help can be sent to the spot.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Animation in TV Commercials

Animation in TV Commercials The effectiveness of animation in TV commercials Bryant May were the first British company to utilize animation for advertising purposes. In 1899 animator Arthur Melbourne-Cooper was hired to produce a stop-motion short in which matchstick men move along a ladder and paint an appeal on a wall. This appeal read `For one guinea Messrs Bryant May will forward a case containing sufficient to supply a box of matches to each man in a battalion with the name of the sender inside.'(www.bfi.co.uk) It is easy to be cynically dismissive of what is obviously a clever, if extremely crude, ad campaign disguised as a patriotic act of charity during the Boer war. However it is not as easy to be as dismissive of the extent to which animation has been adopted from these humble beginnings as a prevailing force within modern advertising strategy. The 22nd September 1955 gave birth to commercial television broadcasting in the United Kingdom. Right from the outset advertisers where quick to seize upon the opportunity and advertising possibilities that animation put in front of them. During these early years up to a third of television advertising was animated such as the â€Å"Murray Mints, the too-good-to-hurry mints,† or Snap, Crackle an Pop,† for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies which both debut in 1955. The Kellogg ads brought to life hand drawn characters that had been used on the packaging of cereal boxes since 1928 and the campaign still runs to this day. The Murray Mints commercial, which featured soldiers in bearskin hats march in time to a jingle, won best ad of the year in the inaugural year of British television advertising. (Robinson, 2000, p35) J Walter Thompson who had handled the Guinness account since 1929 set about bringing to life; through the process of animation, the extremely popular Gilroy post ers that had become an institution and started a ‘Guinness culture.’ If advertisers were keen to use animators in their campaigns then animators where certainly keen to encourage receive the work. The two industries formed a symbiosis which was characterised by the overnight emergence of a whole new market in the advertising industry meant that there were a lot of new opportunities for young animators to set up new companies with the minimum of capital and experiment with new techniques. Companies such as biographic which was set up by Bob Godfrey who produced ads for various companies such as Shipams fish paste and Nestle. (Threadgould, 2005) The use of animation in commercials certainly proved popular with advertisers, and with home viewers but it was the â€Å"Homepride flour men† who proved that it could also be an effective tool. The â€Å"Homepride flour men† ad debut in 1965. The ad featured two men in black business suits and bowler hats standing in between two packets of flour. A sieve is placed over the head of one of the men and flour poured into it. The processes is repeated with Homepride flour which sieves much quicker as it is graded and the second man is instantly covered in flour turning his black suit white. The reason is explained by the man in the hat; voiced by Dads Army star John Le Mesurier; and his words produced the slogan ‘GRADED GRAINS MAKE FINER FLOURS.’ The campaign succeeded in making Homepride a market leader within four months. These characters became so popular that a leader (Fred) was named by the advertising brains to give a name to the uniform faces. Merchandise such as aprons, peppermills, fridge magnets and various other kitchenalias were produced as ‘collectors’ items. Fred’s image spurned a whole range of sub products for the company and it is still used to sell a variety of Homepride products today. To keep up with changing times made retain a sense of tradition; various comedians such as Richard Briers and Paul Merton have voiced Fred, he is today voiced by Nick Frost from Spaced. Homepride have managed to infuse their brand identity with that of Fred, their iconic mascot. They have used his effigy on other products such as sauces and kitchen utensils to place the home pride brand firmly into people’s kitchens. However the runaway success of a particular ad campaign does not guarantee an increase of sales of the product it is supposed to promote. Creature Comforts began life as a short film. It was an incredibly engaging short due to the interaction between fantasy and reality with which it presented the viewer. In his book Understanding Animation Paul Wells describes the relationship between the diegetic narrative and the characters surroundings as fabrication and suggest that it is a narrative strategy. This is to say that ‘fabrication essentially plays out an alternative version of material existence, recalling narrative out of constructed objects and environments, natural forms and substances, and the taken for granted constituent elements of the everyday world.’(Wells, 1998 p90)   This means that there is a relationship between the abstract expression of character through the model and the ‘constituent elements of the everyday world,’ which lends itself more towards mimesis. Despite the fact that animation is an abstract form of expression, these ads have a ‘documentary feel’ that lends a voice of authority to their claims.   Nick Parks Creature Comforts and the electricity adverts that followed it present a world in which highly stylised models of animals are animated with the voices of members of the British public. The opinions and the voices of the public and then perfectly matched to appropriate animals. The most memorable example being Frank the jogging tortoise. Frank chats to a locked off camera about how nice it is to come back from a ten mile run into a warm flat, and how it is important that the boiler is easily â€Å"turn off and onable.† The world being presented to the consumer is instantly recognizable; frank is discussing the simple pleasures of modern life. He is an everyman despite the fact that he is a talking animal. The affinity between model animation and the physical world in which it is filmed means that it is to a certain extent confined by the physical laws of our world in order to remain recognizable and believable. Of course these laws can are being flouted, model characters can talk and discuss everyday matters like members of the general public, but the relationship between the animated models and the world they inhabit means that when physical law is flouted a sense of the uncanny or the fantastic is achieved. This is why the shorts or so engaging but it is also why they failed as ads. Despite the fact that the campaign reached number 4 in a 2000 poll of ‘The 100 greatest TV ads,† the common misconception is that the ads were selling gas. As Nick Park himself explains it, â€Å"People still refer to them as ‘the gas adverts.’† (Robinson, 2000, p124) Although the ads were highly memorable they failed to link the commercial and the product. Successful animalised advertising campaigns are based entirely on the same principles as successful live action campaigns. â€Å"Advertising’s central function is to create desires that did not previously exist.† (Dyer, 1982 p6) A miss-judged campaign such as the creature comforts campaign may not be deemed successful if it does not stimulate within the consumer a desire to consume a given product. Where as the Kellogg animated mascots for frosties, rice krispies and coco-pops have succeeded in becoming intrinsically infused with the products that they are selling. One of the main advantages of using animation in advertising is the ability of animators to create environments and worlds that could not be accessed or reproduced by a live action camera crew. These artificial environments can be used to stimulate imagination and desire, to create a fantastical world of possibility, which can then be realised by the purchase of a given product. Coco-pops are advertised by a variety of jungle characters that inhabit a fantastical world of imagination and fun that is extremely appealing to young children. Also when advertising medical products such as toothpaste, animated medical presentations can be employed. These usually take the form of a split screen with the advertised product on one side of the screen and a leading competitor on the other. The animation will then demonstrate just how the product works and is more effective than a rival brand. Another appeal of animation to the ad man is the classlessness of the form. (Threadgould, 2005) characters such as the Homepride’s Fred and the Fairy liquid baby are free from the class constraints of traditional British society. They bridge the class gap and appeal to proletariat and privileged alike. Animation can also be a relatively inexpensive process. Pioneers such as Peter Sachs of Larkin studios and Bob Godfrey of biographic, found quicker cheaper animation methods than the traditional fluid aesthetic style of Disney. They employed jagged and rough stylings that borrowed from German expressionism. The theory being, to use limited animation to maximum effect.   (Threadgould, 2005) By emphasising certain details advertisers can allude to certain qualities that can be associated with the product. For example the Michelin Man’s rounded tyre body alludes to the strength and durability of the tyres but also their malleability. The problem facing animating advertisers is a problem, which faces animators in general. The immediately obvious thing about animation is that it is an overtly fake diegetic form; that is unlike live action, which is often concerned with replicating the real world to achieve mimesis; the artificial process of creating narrative form is emphasized by the fact that the viewer is witnessing inanimate drawings brought to life through motion. The difficulty here is that advertising is the process of creating desire within the consumer; it suggests that there is a more desirable reality available to its audience through the consumption of a product. Successful animated adverts must therefore reconcile the fact that they are presenting to the consumer a fiction by alluding to an underlying truth. This is not necessarily problematic; Aesops fables were moral tales that spoke of ethical truths through anthropomorphic parable. Stories like the lion and the mouse or the wolf in sheep’s clothing took well-known anthropomorphic traits of certain animals and moulded them into cautionary tales about how one should live their life. In the same way animation selects certain details to present to the viewer to create abstract meaning that a consumer can readily identify with. The concept of the Jolly Green Giant for example is ludicrous; none of sound mind would actually believe that a giant green man lives in cornfields overseeing the quality of the corn. However symbolically he is representative of the qualities that the company wish to associate with there corn. He is a symbol of strength and power that come from nature. The corn he promotes is healthy strong and wholesome and this health can be acquired by those who consume it. He is jolly and friendly, a gentle giant who cultivates top quality product with a deft touch. We is also bright green the colour of nature, a symbol of health and vitality, the essence of life itself. Through these associations meaning is abstracted rather than dictated. It is the art of gentle persuasion as opposed to ‘the hard sell.’ Many people have preconceived ideas about animation as a whimsical medium suitable only for humour and children’s entertainment; however there are many examples of animation as serious political statement. Halas and Batchelor produced Animal Farm in 1954 as an adaptation of George Orwell’s novel. Scholars have often studied it as an allegory about the rise of Stalinism and the threat of communism, but it is no know that American backer Louis DeReochemount was a front man for the American CIA and the film was purposely used as anti Russian propaganda.   Like any other medium with an understanding of its aesthetic qualities can be used seriously and to devastating effect. A recent charity advertisement on behalf on the NSPCC depicted an animated child being sadistically and habitually beaten by his father. The ad showed the child being burnt with cigarettes, thrown down stairs and chocked. Humorous sound effects and cartoon clichà ©s along the same style of Tom and Jerry where used. This was a visual and aural aesthetic that the viewers were used to associating with harmless and enjoyable children’s cartoons. However the tension in play between the diegetic aesthetic of the animated child and the mimetic aesthetic of the father and the background environment served to unease, and unsettle to the point of disturbing the viewer. The viewer was left to imagine the results of such violence on a real child and the commercial’s effectiveness at highlighting the concerns of the NSPCC was undeniable. So why has animation become an effective tool in animation? The answer to this question lies within the concept of brand and brand identity. If the aim of the advertiser is to communicate the identity of a given brand as quickly and as succinctly as possible, then animation is an ideal medium.   In his book ‘Ad worlds: Brand, media, and audiences.’ Greg Myers defines branding as â€Å"the attachment of meanings to a labelled product.† (Myers, 1998, p33) That is to say that semiotic associations are associated with a given brand through the way it is produced, placed, promoted and priced. For example Guinness is a uniquely produced stout that is ubiquitously placed in almost every pub of the nation. It has a history of promoting itself through humour as a traditional drink to unwind and relax with and it is priced at a slight premium to give it a hint of exclusivity. Wally Olins suggests that a modern world that has become saturated with advertising, branding has become an essential tool in order for the consumer to quickly decipher to advertisers message before they are distracted by a competitor. In the words of Olins; â€Å"Why are brands such a clear and unique manifestation of our time? Simply because in a world that is bewildering in terms of competitive clamour, in which rational choice has become almost extinct, brands represent clarity, reassurance, consistency, status, membership –b everything that enables human beings to define themselves. Brands represent identify.† (Olins, 2003, p27) Getting consumers to empathise with a brand identity, and to desire to become a part of that identity can be extenuated through the use of a brand character. From Tony the Tiger to Joe Camel and the re-imagination of the milky bar kid to animated form, drawn and animated characters have been used to sell everything from children’s toys to cigarettes. These characters become intrinsically linked to the qualities of the product that they are selling. So what is it about the process of creating an animated character that is so effective in advertising?   In his book ‘Understanding Animation;’ Paul Wells sums up the basic principles of characterization as a narrative strategy in animation as; â€Å"the character may be understood through its costume or construction, it’s ability to gesture or move and the associative aspects of its design.† (Wells, 1998, p105) Regardless of if an animated character is an animal or human, animators rarely try to completely reproduce natural form. As such the problem is that they are presenting viewers with unnatural looking beings. If the viewer is to accept the characters shown before them, the characters themselves must be presented as believable.   This is why animators rely on exaggeration of individual features to suggest certain character types. Halas and Manvell describe this in their book ‘the technique of film Animation. †Characterization is achieved by the distortion of shapes and forms – big eyes, big mouth, big nose, large head small body etc.† (Halas and Manvell, 1968, p65) What the animators are stressing are the gesturing parts of the body, particularly the features of the head. The eyes, nose, mouth and ears are all vital in creating the illusion of human emotion. Anthropomorphic qualities in animals such as the strength of Tony the Tiger can be used promote a prod uct as healthy or enabling strength. There is a general rule of thumb with regards to which shapes go with what characters: kind gentle characters tend to have soft rounded faces with wide smiles and large rounded eyes. The Pillsbury Dough Boy is a great example of this principle. He is the embodiment of the jolly fat man. Generalizations such as this one serve as visual shorthand for the viewer; they optimise the impact of the character through economy and allow the viewer to make semiotic connections and process narrative information about the characters more quickly. In the words of Wells, animation â€Å"manages to compress a high degree of narrative information into a limited period of time through a process of condensation.†(Wells, 1998, p76) This method of economy and condensation in animation characterisation was born out of functionality as much as anything. Partially it was due to the fact that advertisements are extremely short. As such narrative information has to be delivered with great speed. In the medium of the television commercial, advertisers have anywhere between ten and thirty seconds in order to convey their message. As such the visual shorthand that animation design employs is perfect for the fast and accurate communication of the advertisers message.  Ã‚   With television being the dominant domain of the animated short, characters have to be easily recognizable on a small screen. It’s much easier to do this by recognizing one or two strong individual characteristics than several small ones. Most importantly however the simpler that a character is to draw, the quicker they become to reproduce.They rely on caricature and stereotype to relay narrative information quickly and succinctly. The Homepride flour men discussed earlier in this essay are a great example of how an understanding of characterisation in animation can give rise to a successful marketing campaign. They had a simple uniform design that was all at once, striking, memorable, unique and simple. The business suits and bowler hats stood for a business like British attitude, that at the same time was overly extravagant for selling flour and as such was self mocking. The characters were taken to the heart of the nation. With the effigy of Fred on all sorts of kitchen utensils his rightful place became the kitchens of British homesteads, and as such so did the Homepride brand. The twin process of animated character development and product branding both strive towards condensing as much narrative information into the least amount of detail possible and the shortest amount of time available.   Animation is an intrinsically imaginative medium. The human mind goes through a thought process of abstracting meaning from an animated diegetic aesthetic. It inspires thought in the way that advertisers wish to inspire thoughts of desire. It can be a pleasing experience in the example of Homepride’s Fred commercials, or it can be disturbing in such a way that the NSPCC have employed, either way the reaction provoked is one of individual thought and identification which in turn promotes the consumer to consume. Bibliography Bordwell and Thompson. (2001) Film Art: An Introduction, New York: McGraw Hill. Canemaker, J. (ed.) (1988) Storytelling in Animation: The Art of the Animated Image Vol. 2, Los Angeles: AFI. Dyer, Gillian. Advertising as Communication. London, Routledge, 1982. Griffin, H. (2001) The Animators guide to 2D Computer Animation, Oxford: Focal Press, Halas, J and Manvell, R. (1968) The Technique of Film Animation, Norwich: Focal press Limited. Kline, S. (1993) Out Of The Garden: Toys, TV and Children’s Culture in the age of Marketing, London: Verso. Myers, Greg. Ad Worlds: Brands, Media, Audiences, Arnold, 1998. Ollins, Wally. On Brand, Thames Hudson, London, 2003. Robinson, M. (2000) 100 Greatest TV Ads, London: Harper Collins. Wells, P. (1998) Understanding Animation, New York: Routledge. Williams, R. (2001) The Animators Survival Kit, New York: Faber and Faber. Websites(All accessed 27/11/05) www.bcdb.comwww.bfi.co.ukhttp://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9071-1560670,00.htmlwww.kellogs.com Filmography Animation Nation: The art of persuasion (Dir Merryn Threadgould, 2005, UK)Four Mations: Electric Passions (Dir Paul Madden, 1996, UK)100 Greates TV Ads (Dir Mark Robinson, 2000,   UK)

Friday, October 25, 2019

David Garrick :: essays research papers fc

David Garrick (1716-1779) David Garrick’s contemporaries felt it would be vanity to describe his acting (Stone and Kahrl 27). Vanity has never stopped Shane Davis from doing anything ! David Garrick was considered to be the most influential and skilled actor of his time. Garrick is credited with revolutionizing the portrayal of character. His concept of ‘experiencing’ the feelings of the character, is a concept that helped lead 18th-century theatre into a new naturalistic era. It was an approach to acting that was directly at odds with the theatrical philosophy prior to Garrick’s inception (Stone and Kahrl 35). Garrick’s innovative style known as naturalism, led the extremely popular and successful actor James Quin to remark " If this [method of Garrick’s] is right, then we are all wrong" ( Cole and Chinoly 131). The style that was so admired and later copied by Garrick’s peers was a combination of naturalism, classical representation of the passions, and exaggerated physicality. Garrick was not the originator of naturalism ,that distinction is Charles Mackilin’s, although he is credited with its success. Pure naturalism can be characterized by Macklin’s instruction of his players to ignore the cadence of tragedy, but simply speak the passage as you would in common life and with more emotional force (Cole and Chinoly 121). The term used to describe this new style of speech is called broken tones of utterance. It is a method of speech which concentrates more on the emotion in a verse rather than its meter. David Garrick was a opportunistic actor who borrowed from many different acting techniques (Stone and Kahrl 345). Garrick’s naturalism was concerned more with the feeling of true emotion , the uniqueness of character, combined with the physical representation of the passions. Representation of the passions was an accepted artistic convention for expressing emotion. Le Brun, a late 17th-century century artist , wrote a "grammar" of the passions from Descartes earlier work. In doing so he gives a formal explanation of the 17th and eventually 18th-century representation of emotion. Le Brun’s manual explains that Contempt is expressed by the eyebrows knit and lowering towards the nose, and at the other end very much elevate; the eye very open, and the pupil in the middle; the nostrils drawing upwards; the mouth shut, and the corners somewhat down, and the upper lip thrust out farther than the upper one. (Le Brun) Le Brun’s descriptions along with many suggestions of mannerisms which should accompany them were reprinted in the acting manuals of the time.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Belonging: Past Hsc Student’s Draft

The need to belong is a human phenomenon that is the underlying cause of our actions. As humans, we search for like-minded people with whom we can find a sense of ourselves as people. This is a product of the fact that belonging is integral to the formation of one’s identity. However, a sense of belonging is often achieved by following a path of alienation. Similarly, alienation leads to disillusionment with that (verbose line) which one once believed in. Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Coppola, John Steinbeck’s Tortilla Flat and Peter Skrzynecki’s poetry all deal with these three dimensions of belonging.Belonging and acceptance is integral to the formation of one’s identity. Peter Skrzynecki’s poem 10 Mary Street illustrates the security and comfort that is a product of a sense of belonging. In this case, it is a sense of belonging to a family routine that occurs daily at number 10 Mary Street. The mundanity of the routine provides stability and familiarity. Skrzynecki uses time frames such as â€Å"5pm† and â€Å"For nineteen years† to establish a sense of repetition and order in the reader’s mind.Collective pronouns such as â€Å"we† connote collaboration and inclusion in the family sphere. This family inclusivity allows the poet to establish his identity at an early age in a place in which he belongs, as shown when he describes him wandering in the garden after school. The simile â€Å"like a hungry bird† shows (avoid using ‘show’ repetitively) him to be curious and boisterous. It connotes a healthy organic childhood. In the second stanza of the poem, Skrzynecki uses images of growth and nurturing to suggest a loving family environment and a sense of belonging to the land.The quiet â€Å"hum-drum† of daily routines, such as washing clothes and gardening, suggests that the house and Skrzynecki’s parents rarely change. This conjures an image of immense strength and solidarity. Skrzynecki establishes his childhood home as an enduring sphere of safety. He does this by personifying the house â€Å"in its china-blue coat† as a friend and part of the family. The home is a place in which to remember their Polish heritage. The repetition of the line â€Å"for nineteen years† illustrates the length of time that his family have been paying homage to their ancestry to as they â€Å"kept pre-war Europe alive. The use of the Polish word â€Å"Kielbasa† not only adds authenticity and depth to the poem but reinforces the idea that, though Skrzynecki’s family has moved away from war-torn Poland to Australia, they still firmly belong to their Polish heritage and there is a link for them and their family through which to establish their identities in their new land. The poet mourns the passing of his childhood and the destruction of the home in which he learnt the nature of growing up caught between two cultures and the rift b etween the past and the future. This notion is further explored in Apocalypse Now.Colonel Kurtz was the pride of the American Military Command. Having broken from the decrepit and corrupt school of thought that was the US army, Kurtz establishes his god-like rule over a clan of like-minded natives in the jungles of Cambodia. His character extrapolates all issues surrounding America as a nation, from war crimes to environmental stability. In one of the most compelling scenes of the film, Kurtz expresses his thoughts to Willard, one of the first Americans he has encountered since his dissent. He speaks of his son at home and his fear that if he were to be killed, his son would not understand his father’s actions.At this point, the extended close up shot of Kurtz’s face, half shrouded in darkness, changes slightly as he moves further into the light. This conveys that Kurtz still holds onto the hope that his son will one day come to understand his identity and why he acted in the way that he did. Kurtz is not ashamed of his actions because ultimately, he has fully formed his identity. First he was transformed on the battlefields of Vietnam by the death and ignorance he encountered/witnessed and then again in the jungles of Cambodia amongst the natives and free thought.Therefore, both 10 Mary Street and Apocalypse Now effectively explore the concept that acceptance and belonging are integral to the formation of one’s identity. A sense of belonging is achieved by following a path of alienation. In Migrant Hostel, Skrzynecki’s family struggle to establish themselves in a new land. Skrzynecki delineates the sense of alienation that the migrants have towards the rest of Australia. The â€Å"sealed off highway† demonstrates the separation they feel from the rest of the country.The simile of â€Å"rose and fell like a finger† demonstrates that they do not feel welcomed or accepted in their new land, but are constantly reprimanded , like a naughty child. The line â€Å"needing its sanction† demonstrates how the migrants are enslaved to the entrapment they feel in the hostel. They need permission to continue living in a manner that doesn’t reflect their culture or beliefs. This alienation from their culture and freedom renders each migrant unimportant and attempts to destroy their sense of personal identity and belonging. However, it is because of this alienation that they achieve a sense of belonging and identity.Nationalities ‘found each other’ based on their accents and the town they came from. Inside the hostel, they keep the memory of their home and culture alive though they are haunted by the â€Å"memories of hunger and hate† that destroyed their countries. Skrzynecki uses the simile â€Å"like a homing pigeon† to connote the strong sense of survival and solidarity shared by the migrants. The homing pigeon is a survivor that travels great distances. Skrzynecki us es a reoccurring motif of birds throughout this poem as they have connotations of freedom and migration.This dimension of belonging is further explored in John Steinbeck’s novel Tortilla Flat. Danny, Pilon, Jesus Maria, Pablo, Pirate and Big Joe Portagee are half Spanish- Mexican, misfits who form a brotherhood of drunken antics that centre around the home they all share in Tortilla Flat in California. The book is written in an entirely episodic fashion to fit with the allegory that Steinbeck creates, comparing the six men to King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table. However, instead of knights in shining armour, they are the unruly and boisterous men upon whom the community of Monterey frown upon.Therefore Steinbeck creates a paradox within this novel because whilst this brotherhood is the only place that the men find a sense of belonging, it is also their association with each other that renders them unacceptable to normal society. Steinbeck quite obviously uses the technique of having his characters speak in language befitting the Elizabethan era. This reinforces the notion that they are all fallen from the grace of a former life not mentioned in the novel, but they are fallen together. It is also a distinguishable way from separating the adopted brothers from those in normal society.It heightens not only the sense of unreality that permeates the whole book but also the sense of alienation from the outside world. The brothers eat, drink wine, sleep and occasionally venture out to do good deeds for those around them. They live by an entirely alternative concept of time, space, possession and love. The growing sense of belonging that develops through the novel is conveyed through the slow gathering of the six men to form the brotherhood and the corresponding rising action. Once they are all convened under a banner of bemused freedom, Danny states, â€Å"we are now as one, as never such men have been before. Each member is crucial to the groupâ €™s dynamic and therefore to each individual member’s sense of belonging. This is conveyed at the conclusion of the novel when, after Danny’s funeral, the house that was their home accidentally catches fire but instead of trying to save their one worldly possession, the men allow it to burn to the ground and then go their separate ways. The last words of the novel are â€Å"no two walked together† conveying that the bonds of brotherhood had been broken and that it was only with each other that they belonged.Therefore, both Migrant Hostel and Tortilla Flat effectively convey the idea that belonging is reached by a path of alienation. Alienation leads to disillusionment with that which one once believed in (is there a different way to express this? ). Skrzynecki’s poem In The Folk Museum describes the experiences of the poet as he becomes increasingly alienated from his heritage. After describing his parent’s typical migrant experience in Migrant Hostel, the poet now finds himself unable to empathise with a past that is not his own.The use of first person not only allows the responder to connect on a deeper level with Skrzynecki, but also highlights the fact that he is alone in his musings about a past that he does not fully comprehend. In turn, this adds to the bleakness of an already melancholic poem. The caretaker of the museum represents everything that alienates Skrzynecki from his Polish heritage. She is knitting and has grey hair demonstrating that she is a relic herself and incongruent to contemporary society, just as Skrzynecki views his dying past.The simile of â€Å"cold as water† further illustrates that the poet no longer empathises or has any emotional connection to the events of his past. Although it is not as directly referred to in this poem(weak expression) as in others, In The Folk Museum also conveys how the poet’s disillusionment with his past leads to a sense of belonging with his present . The use of personification in â€Å"the wind taps hurriedly† communicates not only the poet’s frustration but also the determination of the outside world to remind him of the pointlessness of his reminiscing about his Polish heritage.The use of alliteration in â€Å"I leave without wanting a final look† conveys his speedy exit as well as his eagerness to regain the world outside of the museum, where he belongs. This notion of disillusionment is further explored in Francis Coppola’s film Apocalypse Now. Captain Willard, an American officer fighting in the Vietnam War, believes wholeheartedly in the US army and Western Civilisation as a whole. He belongs to war. At the beginning of the film, Willard is off duty in Saigon and recounts one of his trips home.The use of direct speech narration adds depth and authenticity to Willard’s character. He states â€Å"I’d wake up and there’d be nothing. Every minute I spend in this room, I get w eaker and Charlie gets stronger. † The reference to the Vietcong warriors implies that Willard is more at ease when he is fighting in Vietnam. His alienation from normal society is further conveyed by a montage of images of war superimposed with Willard’s face. The non-digetic music of The End by The Doors plays, with lyrics such as â€Å"the west is the best† that further illustrates Willard’s faith in the American way of life and war.However, at the conclusion of this montage, Willard is left naked and bleeding, wrapped in a torn sheet and screaming on his hotel room floor, a high angle shot highlighting his vulnerability. This scene is purposely designed to alienate the audience from the character and connotes the detrimental effect that Western civilisation is having on him. The repetitious rigmarole of a soldier’s life is communicated through the undershot of the turning fan in Willard’s room. He stares up at it from the bed, implying th at he is physically and mentally dominated by his life and routine as a soldier.As Willard travels further and further up river in search of Colonel Kurtz, he reads increasingly on Kurtz’s life and the events that have led him to the insanity that the US army now deems dangerous. Willard experiences more of the US army’s arrogance, blood-lust and drug use and becomes steadily disillusioned with the entity that he placed his faith in. Everything that is wrong with Western civilisation is represented through the arrogant Bill Kilgore who infamously states â€Å"I love the smell of Napalm in the morning. As the boat travels further up river, there is a distinct change in lighting. Before Willard boards the boat, there is a reoccurring motif of brightly coloured flares. The camera pans directly in front of the plumes of red, green and yellow smoke so that they form a veil over the scenes of battles and civilian deaths. However, once up river, the lighting becomes softer, greener and more defined. There is a distinct lack of smoke. This implies that Willard is travelling both physically and mentally away from the chaos of Western civilisation and heading deeper into Kurtz’s state of mind.Finally, Coppola uses the reoccurring motif of extreme close up shots on the faces of Willard and Kurtz. He does this to communicate that these two men are not necessarily similar but that they represent contrary facets of one human entity. The extreme close up shots of Willard and Kurtz reveal them to both be acutely serious men who have come to empathise with the same point of view. However, they are distinctly contrasted. Willard is often sweaty, dirty, constantly smoking whereas Kurtz is pristine, unchanging and aloof.This signifies that they will never be able to emulate the virtues of the other’s character that they themselves are deficient. Therefore, both In The Folk Museum and Apocalypse Now reveal themselves to be texts in which the view that alienation leads to disillusionment is explored. For humans to find where they truly belong, they must be placed outside of their comfort zone. They must travel beyond what they have before and thereby find something in the world, in others or in themselves that gives them a sense of belonging.Peter Skrzynecki’s poetry, Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Coppola and John Steinbeck’s novel Tortilla Flat all successfully explore differing dimensions of belonging such as the necessity of belonging to shaping ones identity, that belonging is reached by a path of alienation and that alienation leads to disillusionment. (just check over your section on Apoc Now – it is very good, however ensure you are explicitly referring to belonging – I would suggest that at the moment it is implicit – and of course make sure you use the words of the question in your answer)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Shaping Special Education

Running head: Shaping Special Education From Past to Present: Shaping Special Education Laura Terpstra Grand Canyon University: SPE 523 May 30, 2012 From Past to Present: Shaping Special Education Fundamental Concepts and Philosophies The history of American special education has taken a long, ever-evolving journey to get to the place it is today. Marilyn Friend (2008) discusses how in the early twentieth century students were still not accepted into public schools. Students who had physical or mental disabilities were placed into separate classes, made up entirely of students with disabilities.Throughout the first half of the twentieth century students with a wide range of disabilities were enrolled in special education classes. Over the past century, various court cases have defined how special education has changed. In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education, gave way to questions about whether or not separating special education students from the general education population was ap propriate or not. Some people believed that taking students out of the classroom gave them a label for their disability and therefore was discriminatory towards students, rather than helpful in providing services they needed to make them successful. Friend, 2008, p. 47) Not only did educators become advocators for children’s with disabilities, so did parents. The Mills v. Board of Education (1972) sparked the determination of providing special education services for students. In response to various lawsuits against the Board of Education legislation created mandates to ensure the rights for students with disabilities. Structure of Special Education Parents continued to push for the rights of children, as well as congress.The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 were laws that provided funding to states to assist them in creating and improving programs and services for children with disabilities. The Education for All Handicapped children Act in 1974 was created to a llow full educational opportunities for students with disabilities. In 1986, the federal special education law was changed to include services for infants and young children. (Friend, 2008, p. 49) In 1990, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was changed to Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and more disabilities were added.The most recent change was in 2004 when provisions were added to help resolve disputes between parents, as well as the requirement for student instruction to be taught using evidence-based practices. Federal law forced educators to change their view of special education students and how to best serve their needs in the school environment. Also in 2004, President Bush and Congress wanted IDEA to align with No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 so that schools would be held accountable for making sure students with disabilities achieve high standards (Friend, 2008, p. 68).Jill Hockenbury (2000) pointed out that special education is a key part of the publi c education system but that there are still challenges in special education today. Critical changes that are needed in special education include constructing a defensible philosophy of education, providing effective and intensive instruction, and improving the quality of teacher training. These changes are still being worked on today. The needs of children today are demanding that teachers provide effective instruction, that’s meaningful and allows the teacher to reach all levels of development in one classroom.Trends and Issues Quality teacher training is also one of the biggest challenges facing special education and relates directly to a key topic heard a lot about in special education, which is inclusion. Inclusion centers on the belief that students with a disability should be allowed to be a part of the general education classroom. However, inclusion is difficult because of the requirement of the general education teacher. The general education teacher should be able to meet the needs of the students in his or her classroom, which can be difficult depending on the students needs.However, inclusion states that students should be in the classroom full time, receiving instruction the same as non-disabled peers, and there should be no need for pull-out. In some cases, members of a child’s IEP team may not agree on the appropriate environment for a student. With increased opportunities for teachers to have training with research-based methods and strategies, this area should be able to improve in the future. Researchers have stated that inclusion is beneficial to both students with disabilities, and those without disabilities.A study done investigating perceptions of learning of nearly 5,000 kindergarten students through 12th grade revealed that students with disabilities wanted to learn the same material, use the same books, and enjoy the same homework and grading practices as typical peers. (Friend, 2008, as cited in Klinger and Vaughn 1999) O ther trends in special education include universal design for learning and differentiation. Universal design for learning (UDL) is the instructional approach that students with disabilities should have access to the curriculum.Along with UDL is the use of differentiated instruction (or differentiation) to explore the concepts of UDL further. Differentiation means that within one environment, students with multiple needs will have their needs met through various ways. UDL and differentiation should be utilized by general education teachers to meet the needs of their special education student. (Friend, 2008, p. 77) These trends are all key concepts in the world of special education. They all impact the way special education teachers should teach to meet the needs of all their students.Pat Beckman (2001) reiterated this fact stating that â€Å"improved student learning requires teachers, schools, and districts to give up unproductive traditions and beliefs, replacing them with validat ed practices and a full understanding of the intent of the law. † IDEA requires teachers to use â€Å"programs, interventions, strategies, and activities† that are researched based. (Friend, 2008, p. 63) As the needs of students increase, the resources provided need to increase, which is the responsibility of those providing the education.Special education has come very far since placing disabled students in their own separate classroom, but it still has a long way to go. There is much to be said about meeting the needs of special education students and reaching those administrators, parents, and educators who still do not have a full understanding of inclusion.References Beckman, Pat (2001), Access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://www. cec. sped. org/AM/Template. cfm? Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay. cfm&CONTENTID=5519 Friend, M. 2008). Special education: Co ntemporary perspectives for school professionals. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Hockenbury, J. C. , Kauffman, J. M. , & Hallahan, D. P. (2000). What is right about special education. Exceptionality, 8(1), 3-11. Obiakor, F. E. (2011). Maximizing access, equity, and inclusion in general and special education. Journal Of The International Association Of Special Education, 12(1), 10-16. U. S. Department of Education (2007) â€Å"Thirty Years of Progress in Educating Children With Disabilities Through IDEA†, retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://www2. ed. gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history30. html

American Culture and False Self essays

American Culture and False Self essays American culture is full of mixed messages and conflicting ideas. Society is far from perfect, especially when it has unrealistic expectations for its teenage girls. In pop culture, it is deemed inappropriate to display androgynous behavior, the ability to act freely without worrying if their behavior is feminine or masculine, once an individual has matured through the childhood years. Research has shown that androgynous people are in fact the most well adjusted adults (Pipher 18). According to Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia, a former number one New York Times Bestseller, during early adolescence girls are expected to sacrifice the parts of themselves that our culture considers masculine. Society forces these girls into their true and false selves, and it is society that causes girls to discard their true selves and acquire false selves. This idea of obtaining a false self is extremely dangerous. Girls are obligated to be attractive, be a lady, be unselfish and of service, make relationships work and be competent without complaint (Pipher 39). This is also the time that honesty is neglected for the ability to be nice and easy-going. Society recognizes and rewards honestly, but at the same time, women are taught that it is more important to be nice than honest. For example, girls who speak openly and bluntly are often called bitches. Girls who are not good-looking are ridiculed. The so-called rules of womanhood can be found in movies, song lyrics, everyday conversations, pornographic magazines and videos, works of literature, and television, magazine, newspaper, and radio advertisements. Girls have to make choices everyday based on this unfair set of rules. They choose to sit quietly in class rather than risking the possibility of being called a brain. They choose to diet rather than eat when they are really hungry. They choose to be polite rather than being honest, and they choose to pretty rather than have...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Definition and Examples of Telicity in English Grammar

Definition and Examples of Telicity in English Grammar In linguistics, telicity is the aspectual property of a verb phrase (or of the sentence as a whole) which indicates that an action or event has a clear endpoint. Also known as aspectual boundedness. A verb phrase presented as having an endpoint is said to be telic. In contrast, a verb phrase that is not presented as having an endpoint is said to be atelic. See Examples and Observations below. Also see: AspectGrammaticalizationTransitivity EtymologyFrom the Greek, end, goal Examples and Observations Telic verbs include fall, kick, and make (something). These verbs contrast with atelic verbs, where the event has no such natural end-point, as with play (in such a context as the children are playing). - David Crystal, A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 4th ed. Blackwell, 1997 Testing for TelicityOne reliable test to distinguish between telic and atelic verb phrases is to try using the gerund form of the verb phrase as direct object of complete or finish, which refer to the natural point of completion of an action. Only telic verb phrases can be used in this way. . . . [What did you do last night?] - I finished {repairing the roof / *repairing}. (Repair the roof is a telic VP while repair is atelic.)It was 11:30 p.m. when I completed {writing the report / *writing}. (Write the report is a telic VP while write is atelic.)He {stopped / *finished / *completed} being their leader in 1988. (Be their leader is an atelic VP.) Unlike finish and complete, the verb stop refers to an arbitrary endpoint. It can therefore be followed by an atelic verb phrase. If it is followed by a telic one, stop is by implicature interpreted as referring to a provisional endpoint preceding the natural point of completion: I stopped reading the book at five. (implicates that I had not finished reading the book when I stopped reading it) (Renaat Declerck in cooperation with Susan Reed and Bert Cappelle, The Grammar of the English Tense System: A Comprehensive Analysis. Mouton de Gruyter, 2006) Verb Meaning and Telicity Because telicity is so dependent on clausal elements besides the verb, it could be debated whether it is represented in verb meaning at all. In order to explore that debate, lets start by comparing watch and eat. Examples (35) and (36) provide a minimal pair, in that the only element that differs in the two sentences is the verb. (35) I watched a fish. [Atelic-Activity](36) I ate a fish. [Telic-Accomplishment] Since the sentence with watch is atelic and the sentence with eat is telic, it seems we must conclude that the verb is responsible for the (a)telicity of the sentence in these cases, and that watch is by its nature atelic. However, that easy conclusion is complicated by the fact that telic situations can also be described with watch: (37) I watched a film. [Telic-Accomplishment] The key to whether each of these situations is telic or not is in the second argumentthe verbs object. In the atelic watch example (35) and the telic eat example (36), the arguments look identical. Go a little deeper, however, and the arguments do not seem so similar. When one eats a fish, one eats its physical body. When one watches a fish, it is more than the physical body of the fish that is relevantone watches a fish doing something, even if all it is doing is existing. That is, when one watches, one watches not a thing, but a situation. If the situation that is watched is telic (e.g. the playing of a film), then so is the watching situation. If the watched situation is not telic (e.g. the existence of a fish), then neither is the watching situation. So, we cannot conclude that watch itself is telic or atelic, but we can conclude that the semantics of watch tell us that it has situation argument, and the the watching activity is coextensive with . . . the arguments situation. . . .Many verbs are like this- their telicity is directly influenced by the boundedness or telicity of their arguments, and so we must conclude that those verbs themselves are unspecified for telicity. - M. Lynne Murphy, Lexical Meaning. Cambridge University Press, 2010 Telicity in the strict sense clearly is an aspectual property which is not purely or even primarily lexical. - Rochelle Lieber, Morphology and Lexical Semantics. Cambridge University Press, 2004

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Thesis- The ego can be damaged at a young age from exsseive bullying Essay

Thesis- The ego can be damaged at a young age from exsseive bullying - Essay Example Teasing, when repeated with the intention of hurting another child, becomes serious and then it is termed as bullying. Bullying is inclusive of threatening, addressing by weird names and subjecting to isolation, to cite a few. As a matter of fact, sometimes, bullying also encompasses acts of physical aggression such as manhandling, forcibly grabbing the belongings and pushing, amongst others. (1) Bullying is a phenomenon that is spread across the globe, encompassing diverse cultures and races. Researches carried out in this realm pointed out that, almost thirty percent of young children are associated with instances of bullying, either as victims or perpetrators. Children who become victims of these acts (of bullying) are generally physical weak, as well as having low levels of self-confidence. Owing to that, these children easily fall prey to bullying. (1) Adverse Impact of Bullying on Ego It is now a proven fact that, when a child is a victim of bullying, the same exercises a highl y adverse impact on their ego- the impact lasting even when the child grows up into an adult. In this context it also has to be noted that, when an individual had been subjected to excessive bullying in their younger years, it increases their risk of developing psychological disorders related to anxiety. In some extreme cases, such individuals also tend to have suicidal tendencies. (2) There is one real instance, which goes on to substantiate the points focused upon, in the immediately preceding paragraph. A seventeen year old adolescent reports that he was a victim of severe bullying, during their elementary school. The reason for that was attributable to the fact that, he was slightly obese. The bullying to which he was subjected to included addressing him by highly degrading names. As a result of those unpleasant things, he ended up becoming a teenager, who considered himself to be of no worth. (2) Latest research states that young girls who have been victimized by bullies underg o intense trauma. To compensate for the severe mental disturbance caused by bullying, young girls are at a high risk of getting addicted to alcohol and drugs. As a matter of fact, as a result of being at the receiving end of bullying acts, the girls are bogged down by severe depression. This invariably leads to low self-esteem where the ego is badly bruised, and they (girls) try to find comfort in the above-mentioned substances (alcohol and drugs). (3) It has been seen that, when children becomes victims of bullying, along with all the aforesaid psychological disorders, they also develop a severe sense of insecurity. They start viewing the world as a very insecure place, and there is a strong possibility of developing many phobias. Apart from that, children become vengeful towards those who bullied them, but are afraid to express their anger. This wrath, which is suppressed inside, is directed towards the child’s family members. Also, these children start to avoid socializing and go into a shell of their own. (3) Young bullies Till now, this paper spoke about the adverse psychological impact of bullying, on the victims. Now, the fact that needs to be emphasized upon is that, even the acts of bullies result from lack of self-esteem. They (bullies) consider themselves to be extremely vulnerable in the ambience of school, and they hence try to make up for that by displaying aggression towards timid children. (4) At this juncture, it has to be stated that

Friday, October 18, 2019

Assignment 1 health and health professional Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

1 health and health professional - Assignment Example The syllabus aims at developing nurses who is committed to the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health and to prevention of disease. The student nurse is trained in problem-solving and clinical reasoning along with competency and safety skills (Bachelor of Nursing). In Australia, the four main challenges to health care systems are affordability of services, meeting the needs of the aging population, treatment of chronic disease, and integration of complex services in care delivery. The government is making available more funds for health care but there are other logistic needs like health care personnel who are not available in the numbers required (Health And The 2007 Federal Elections). The main drawback in health care services in Australia is the rural and remote areas where the strategy of traditional health care cannot work. It is not possible to run extensive hospitals in rural areas as the population there does not warrant such hospital. Instead, there can be something like mobile hospitals with pathological facilities that can criss-cross at different locations with life saving medicines and facilities. Rosemary J.

Government Regulation of Climate Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Government Regulation of Climate Change - Essay Example n the atmosphere is believed to cause extreme climatic conditions such as droughts, torrential rains, floods and heat waves and these have catastrophic effects on human beings and animals. However, of growing concern is the fact that human activities as a result of industrialization are responsible for causing global warming which is a main contributor to climate change. As such, government regulation of climate change is imperative in order to address this dire situation which is a major threat to people’s lives in the near long run if left unabated. Gore (2006, p. 5) says: â€Å"In every corner of the globe- on land and in water, in melting ice and in disappearing snow, during heat waves and droughts, in eyes of hurricanes and in tears of refugees- the world is witnessing mounting and undeniable evidence that nature’s cycles are profoundly changing.† These extreme changes in climate are making some parts of the globe uninhabitable. Thus, a holistic approach should be taken in order to combat this threat to the climate. Whilst industrial development is necessary to our lives, it must be noted that environmental concerns should also be given priority since they can lead to catastrophic climate changes discussed above. Therefore, government regulation on climate change is imperative. This can significantly help in addressing some of the problems that are caused by human activities with regards to the impacts of global warming. The government being the overall authority in the country, it has the power effect measures that are designed to address the issue of climate change. The government can use command and control regulations where it promulgates policies that are meant to ensure that certain actions are prohibited. For instance, the government can put measures that are meant to minimise the use of substances that are responsible for emitting excessive quantities of greenhouse gas emissions such as coal. The government can also put stringent measures that

Analysis of Apple Inc - Multinational Technology Company Essay - 4

Analysis of Apple Inc - Multinational Technology Company - Essay Example The business environment Apple Inc. is very dynamic and competitive. The company in recent years has embarked on various strategies to not only boost their sells but likewise transform their organizational culture (Lüsted, 99). Apple Inc. as a company is devoted to ensuring their social responsibility is of highest standards in all that they do. In this regard, the companies they deal with or do business with are expected to use manufacturing processes that are environmentally responsible at any time their products are designed or manufactured, provide safe working conditions and treat employees fairly. Apple Inc. believes that they are supposed to control and own the main technologies behind their products (Ireland, 45). The company believes in to participate in the markets where they can positively and significantly contribution. Likewise, the company strives to design and manufacture high-quality; easy to use products and low cost that integrates high technology for their consumers. Through analysis, Apple Inc. company mission statement and vision ensure all-inclusive cultural environments that enable the company remain competitive. There exist a unique depth, breadth and tenure midst the Apple Inc. executive team who lead over 36,000 employees. Apple Inc. vision and mission statements incorporate the essence of the company. It explains the goals of the company today and reflects its future production targets. Apple Inc. Mission and vision statement is unique and echoes its company’s culture. Through critical analysis, Apple Inc. vision and mission statement describe their values. In other words, it’s Apple’s DNA (Lüsted, 90). With regard to analysis on Apple Inc. using various key models and tools and company reports, the company’s current strategic plans and direction are geared towards enhancing business culture and profitability.  Apple Inc. strategic plan of market penetration focuses more on the already existing market. Apple Inc. is today among most valued technological firm and the strategy is in line with this success. In addition, the company already has a large market share and is ruling the technological business in various segments.  

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example A person would strive to study the environment and recognize his/her position in the organization thereby playing his role precisely and independently. The perceptual nature of individuals enables them to learn and appreciate other people in the workplace (French, 2011). One becomes conversant with his or her area of jurisdiction. The familiarity with the working environment would facilitate the work with no work clash at all. An individual may acquire knowledge and embrace innovativeness at the workplace because every person is accountable for his job. Working alone in an organization, however, encounters diverse setbacks ranging from limited sources ideas; lack of consultation, boredom some. The absenteeism and health issue on an individual may hinder the smooth operation of the organization. In conclusion, people are more creative when they work alone at their respective workplaces because of the personal accountability. Self-actualization and perception make a person perform better at the workplace. It, therefore, is arguable that individuals’ productivity is high when they are alone. The statement is justified by the argument presented in the

Organisational change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Organisational change management - Essay Example The positive energy approach will help to build the organisations on the strengths (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2001; Cooperrider, et al., 2008). The first step in this process is identifying and describing the problems which are needed to be solved. The approach can be described in five steps: (Source: The Eye Health Summit, 2013) Definition Definition is the first phase of the Appreciative Inquiry process. It is the phase where the organisations try to find out the underlying issues of the current business process, which require immediate attention of the management. In this phase, the management makes a flow map of those factors which are creating problems in the present business process and require external enquiry. In today’s business environment, the importance of organisational change management has been one of the most widely investigated areas. The organisational change management has gained attraction to a great extent from the researchers all around the world. Accordin g to Harigopal (2006), the organisational change is an essential process associated with the growth and expansion of a particular business. It is considered to be a complex process because a change which was successful for one organisation might not be so for other organisations. Thus, it becomes necessary to check that the change is congruent to dynamism, complexity and finally the uniqueness of the respective organization. The changes taking place in the political, economic and social environment also has an effect on the individuals and the organizations. Even if the change has been a constant process but its rapidity and swiftness have always been different. It is because of this reason that the external environmental changes have forced the organizations to make certain changes in their operational systems. We find a large number of companies implementing various strategic changes for coping up with the existing challenges. In case of strategic change, the companies restructure their business or marketing plans in a wider context. The main intention of performing strategic changes in an organization is for achieving the organizational goals and harmonizing the organizational activities along with the business environment. Organizational change management is one of the most crucial activities of an organization (Chen, et al., 2013). According to Jones (2004), there are two reasons responsible for the changes in the organizations. One is the response to the changes in the external environment. Another reason is the response of the companies to a specific crisis situation. The organizational change also becomes evident when various companies undergo any change in their executive power (Haveman, Russo and Meyer, 2001). The present study deals with the investigation of the problems in D2, which is an automobile components manufacturer. The company is facing a large number of problems associated with the cost of operations. The economic downturn has resulted in the worsening of the scenario in the company. D2 had to struggle for surviving in the market. The company planned for formulation of new strategies in order to achieve the economies of scale. The new strategy which has been taken into consideration is yet to be conveyed to the employees and only the senior managers are informed about the strategy

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Analysis of Apple Inc - Multinational Technology Company Essay - 4

Analysis of Apple Inc - Multinational Technology Company - Essay Example The business environment Apple Inc. is very dynamic and competitive. The company in recent years has embarked on various strategies to not only boost their sells but likewise transform their organizational culture (Lüsted, 99). Apple Inc. as a company is devoted to ensuring their social responsibility is of highest standards in all that they do. In this regard, the companies they deal with or do business with are expected to use manufacturing processes that are environmentally responsible at any time their products are designed or manufactured, provide safe working conditions and treat employees fairly. Apple Inc. believes that they are supposed to control and own the main technologies behind their products (Ireland, 45). The company believes in to participate in the markets where they can positively and significantly contribution. Likewise, the company strives to design and manufacture high-quality; easy to use products and low cost that integrates high technology for their consumers. Through analysis, Apple Inc. company mission statement and vision ensure all-inclusive cultural environments that enable the company remain competitive. There exist a unique depth, breadth and tenure midst the Apple Inc. executive team who lead over 36,000 employees. Apple Inc. vision and mission statements incorporate the essence of the company. It explains the goals of the company today and reflects its future production targets. Apple Inc. Mission and vision statement is unique and echoes its company’s culture. Through critical analysis, Apple Inc. vision and mission statement describe their values. In other words, it’s Apple’s DNA (Lüsted, 90). With regard to analysis on Apple Inc. using various key models and tools and company reports, the company’s current strategic plans and direction are geared towards enhancing business culture and profitability.  Apple Inc. strategic plan of market penetration focuses more on the already existing market. Apple Inc. is today among most valued technological firm and the strategy is in line with this success. In addition, the company already has a large market share and is ruling the technological business in various segments.  

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Organisational change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Organisational change management - Essay Example The positive energy approach will help to build the organisations on the strengths (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2001; Cooperrider, et al., 2008). The first step in this process is identifying and describing the problems which are needed to be solved. The approach can be described in five steps: (Source: The Eye Health Summit, 2013) Definition Definition is the first phase of the Appreciative Inquiry process. It is the phase where the organisations try to find out the underlying issues of the current business process, which require immediate attention of the management. In this phase, the management makes a flow map of those factors which are creating problems in the present business process and require external enquiry. In today’s business environment, the importance of organisational change management has been one of the most widely investigated areas. The organisational change management has gained attraction to a great extent from the researchers all around the world. Accordin g to Harigopal (2006), the organisational change is an essential process associated with the growth and expansion of a particular business. It is considered to be a complex process because a change which was successful for one organisation might not be so for other organisations. Thus, it becomes necessary to check that the change is congruent to dynamism, complexity and finally the uniqueness of the respective organization. The changes taking place in the political, economic and social environment also has an effect on the individuals and the organizations. Even if the change has been a constant process but its rapidity and swiftness have always been different. It is because of this reason that the external environmental changes have forced the organizations to make certain changes in their operational systems. We find a large number of companies implementing various strategic changes for coping up with the existing challenges. In case of strategic change, the companies restructure their business or marketing plans in a wider context. The main intention of performing strategic changes in an organization is for achieving the organizational goals and harmonizing the organizational activities along with the business environment. Organizational change management is one of the most crucial activities of an organization (Chen, et al., 2013). According to Jones (2004), there are two reasons responsible for the changes in the organizations. One is the response to the changes in the external environment. Another reason is the response of the companies to a specific crisis situation. The organizational change also becomes evident when various companies undergo any change in their executive power (Haveman, Russo and Meyer, 2001). The present study deals with the investigation of the problems in D2, which is an automobile components manufacturer. The company is facing a large number of problems associated with the cost of operations. The economic downturn has resulted in the worsening of the scenario in the company. D2 had to struggle for surviving in the market. The company planned for formulation of new strategies in order to achieve the economies of scale. The new strategy which has been taken into consideration is yet to be conveyed to the employees and only the senior managers are informed about the strategy

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Essay Example for Free

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Essay a) Diversity Diversity is about valuing individual difference. So diversity is much more than just a new word for equality. A diversity approach aims to recognise, value and manage difference to enable all employees to contribute and realise their full potential. Diversity challenges us to recognise and value all sorts of differences in order to make our environment a better place for everyone to work see more:social barriers to equality and inclusion b) Equality Equality is about making sure people are treated fairly and given fair chances. Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way, but it recognises that their needs are met in different ways. Equality focuses on those areas covered by the law, namely the key areas of race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender and Age. People must not be unfairly discriminated against because of any of these factors and we must all contribute to creating a positive workplace and service delivery environment where discriminatory practices and discrimination no longer happen. c) Inclusion Inclusion is about ensuring that children and young people, whatever their background or situation, are able to participate fully in all aspects of the life in school. It is not about viewing everyone as the same or providing the same work, but about providing the same opportunities and access to a high quality of education. Describe the potential effects of discrimination. Discrimination can only have negative effects on children and young people. Not only does it affect the academic progress of children, discrimination can negatively impact their overall health and well-being. Those who have suffered from discrimination may experience loss of self-esteem, anger, and disempowerment, lack of motivation, confusion and depression. Explain how inclusive practice promotes equality and support diversity. Inclusive practice is a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging. Inclusive practices will ensure that everyone feels valued and has a sense of belonging. In an inclusive environment there is recognition, acceptance and celebration of diï ¬â‚¬erences and similarities. Explain how legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and discrimination apply to your own role. The way in which we interact with each other in society is regulated by law. The Equality Act 2010 brings together all previous acts relating to equality and discrimination. The Act applies to all organisations that provide a service to the public. The Ac protects all individuals and groups from discrimination. Early years setting must be aware of these laws and have in place a policy regarding equality of opportunities and for supporting children with learning difficulties and disabilities. Providers must also have regard to the SEN code of practice. The EYFS also states that providers have a responsibility to ensure positive attitudes to diversity and difference. Within our setting we have an equality and diversity policy, and a SEN and disability policy. These policies must be followed by staff and integrated in to our working practice. The policies bring together all the main points from the various acts and the requirements of the EYFS. Policy and procedures when dealing with: Accidents If an accident takes place in the setting, I would do the following: * Inform another member of staff so that they know what happened to the child * If I am unable to deal with the accident myself I would refer the child to another member of staff who is first aid trained * E.g. A child has fallen over and grazed his/her knee: Firstly I would comfort/ reassure the child. I would then wipe the knee with a wet tissue, record the accident on a accident form, inform the parent of the child about the accident, get them to sign the form and then keep it in the accident folder. Incidents If an incident was to happen in the setting, it would be reported to a senior member of staff. The staff would then deal with the incident. It would be recorded on an incident form which would be signed by a witness and by a parent. The incident form is then kept in an incident folder which is kept safely and is easily accessible to the staff members. Emergency In the case of an emergency occurring in the setting the following procedure would take place: E.g Fire drill (Real or practice) * Upon hearing the fire drill, children and staff leave what they are doing, quietly and sensibly make their way the nearest fire exit. * A member of staff takes the register, usually a senior. The rest of the staff usher the children out to the fire assembly point. * A head count of the children is done as children exit the building * When children line up at the fire assembly point a head count is taken and the register is completed. * If there is no real fire, the staff can take the children back to the setting when an all clear is given by the head teacher. * The children are recounted when they return to the setting. In the event of a real fire, the staff and children would remain at the fire assembly point and the emergency services would be called by a staff member. The parents would also be contacted regarding the incident. Illness If an illness occurs in the setting, e.g. a child falls ill and has a temperature. A staff member would check the temperature of the child using a thermometer/strip, and monitor the child. A wet paper towel/cool icepack would be placed on the child’s forehead to cool the temperature. If the temperature remains the same and does not decrease, the staff member would then contact the parent/carer of the child to come and collect the child. Recording and Reporting of accidents and incidents The correct procedure for reporting and recording accidents, incidents, injuries and emergencies would be carried out by following the guidelines of Riddor. Riddor stands for, reporting of injury, disease, and dangerous occurrences regulations. All of this would be reported to the Health and Safety executive if: * Any accident to a member of staff requiring treatment by a general practitioner or hospital, and any dangerous occurrences, this may be an event that causes injury or fatalities or an event that does not cause an accident but could have done, such as a gas leak. An incident book is also kept for recording incidents including those that are reportable to the health and safety executive, these incidents include: * Break in, burglary, theft of personal or property of the setting. * An intruder gaining unauthorised access to the premises. * Fire, flood, gas leak or electrical failure.  * Attack on member of staff or parent on the premises or nearby. * Any racist incident involving staff or family on the centres premises * Death of a child, a terrorist attack or threat of one.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Environmental Geochemistry of Gold

Environmental Geochemistry of Gold INTRODUCTION Gold is a chemical element with the symbol (Au) and atomic number 79. In its pure state, it is a bright, moderately reddish yellow, dense, soft malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a density of 19,300kg/m3, though native gold typically has a density of 15,00kg/m3 (Marsden et al 2006). Because gold is inert at ambient temperature and pressure, there are very few naturally occurring compounds of the metal. The purity of gold (sometimes referred to as fitness) is expressed in karats. Pure gold is 24 karat (Boyle 1987). Gold is one of the native earth metals that is of very high value in our world today. The current price of gold per Ounce is approximately 1220usd (GFMS, Thomson Reuters, 2016). Gold plays a vital role in the economic development of a country. Gold, the noblest of metals, has been used by man for more than 5000 years (Nelson et al, 2014). Its malleability, softness and resistance to tarnish, led to its earliest uses in art and currency. It is the metal choice for jewellery. Some of the countries where gold is mined are South Africa, USA, Canada, China, Australia, Indonesia, Peru, Russia etc. The average concentration of gold in the earths crust is 0.005 g/t, which is much lower than most other metals, for example, copper (50% g/t) and silver (0.07 g/t)(Boyle, R. W.1979). Gold is commonly associated with other metals like iron, lead, zinc, copper and silver. Minerals most associated with gold are pyrite, marcasite and pyrrhotiteetc. Gold is the most noble of metals, and its geochemistry is conditioned principally by this fact Minor concentrations of gold occurs in most natural substances. In seawater, for example, there is approximately 0.012 parts per billion (ppb) of gold, and in fresh water it is slightly higher at 0.02ppb (Boyle, R. W.1979). Its average concentration in the earths crust or lithosphere is approximately 5ppb, and in sedimentary rocks it may have concentrations of up to 2100ppb or 2.1 parts per million (ppm). At these concentrations 20 or 30 tons of rock must be processed to extract a single ounce of precious gold. As a result, gold can only be mined profitably where it is highly concentrated by natural chemical and physical processes. Gold occurs in many different rock types and geological environments and economic deposits are main ly of two types: lode deposits (primary) and placer deposits (secondary)(BGS 2010). Gold is extracted by open cast or underground mining method, which depends on the geological settings of a deposit. Gold in its raw state is displayed in the diagrams below. PROPERTIES OF GOLD      Ã‚   Physical Properties Gold is both ductile and malleable. Ductile meaning it can be drawn into wire forms. Malleable meaning capable of being hammered into thin sheets. Gold is quite soft. It can be scratched by a penny. Its melting point is 1,064. 760C (1,948.570F) and its boiling point is about 2,7000C (4,9000F). Its density is 19.3 grams per cubic centimeter. Gold leaf is translucent and the transmitted light is greenish blue colour gold metal reflects yellow and red, leaving the greenish colour (Boyle R. W. 1979). Chemical Properties Gold is known to be a noble metal. It is chemically inactive. This is because it is highly resistance to react with other elements. The oxidation state of gold ranges from -1 to +5. The +1 and +3 (Au (I) AND Au (III)) are the most common oxidation state of gold. It is resistant to the effect of most acids and therefore does not corrode easily. Apart from acids, gold does not combine directly with oxygen). Gold has one stable isotope, 197 Au. Aqua regia, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids, has the ability to dissolve gold (Young and Derek, 2009). USES OF GOLD Gold has been used to make jewellery and ornamental objects for thousands of years. Gold nuggets found in a stream are easy to work and were probably one of the first metals used by humans. Today most gold that is newly recycled is used in the manufacture of jewellery. About 78% of gold consumed each year is used in the manufacture of jewellery. Special properties of gold make it good suitable for manufacturing of jewellery. These include very high lustre and its yellow colour. Pure gold is known as 24 karat gold. Pure gold is too soft, craftsmen learned that alloying gold with other metals such as copper, silver and platinum increase its durability. Gold is also used for medical purposes, to treat small number of medical conditions. Radioactive gold is used in diagnosis. Gold as an extraordinary ductile and malleable metal, it is still cosmic demand in jewellery, medical applications, because of its unique physical and chemical properties (Spitzer and Rodnei, 2004). According to (Renner et al. 2000), gold and its alloys are used for conductor material and low-voltage contacts for communication and information transfer equipment, where even very thin oxide layers would cause interruptions or failures in signal transfer. Below are the examples of processed gold. EXTRACTION OF GOLD Gold panning, sluicing and mercury processes have been extensively used in placer mining to recover gold from primary sources. The primary sources of gold are alluvial gravel and auriferous quartz. Gold extraction may require comminution, mineral resources, pyro-metallurgical and hydrometallurgical process to be performed on the ore. Mechanical separation, pyro-metallurgical, hydrometallurgical and bio-hydrometallurgical technologies have been extensively used to recover gold from secondary sources (Fleming, 1992). Mining gold from year to year is always an increase, in which the more developed, ranging from mining system that uses simple system to a more modern processing system. Gold mining was first carried out in alluvial areas. Processing system is also very simple to do that is by panning using a tray, which then developed with gold mining wave table, and followed by gravity separation method using the amalgamation process with the capture of mercury. GOLD PROCESSING After the extraction of gold from its ore, it is further passed through comminution (crushing / milling). This comminution process is divided into stages: Refractory ore processing, crushing and milling. Once the size of the ore is reduced, the process is then performed by separating the mineral concentration process gold from mineral impurities, consisting of several kinds of processing techniques: process gravity concentration, amalgamation process, flotation process, leaching process. From the stage of the process, will then be obtained concentrate processing ores containing various metals. And the concentrate will be processed in order to obtain the value of gold in high purity chemical process. And a few stages of the treatment process through a process: smelting, parting and aqua regia. After the treatment of the processed gold by the above processes, it is finally made into different forms, for example gold bars, jewelries, gold equipment etc. Below is a flow chart showing the processing of gold. GOLD DISCARDING Recent research has proven Gold and other precious metals for example silver, palladium and platinum are discarded mostly through e-waste in our environments today. (Husman, 2004) revealed that in mobile phones, three quarter of the environmental impacts result from gold and palladium content. According to (Husman et al, 2007). Gold accounts for 16% of the total environmental weight of materials contained in waste IT and telecommunication equipment (excluding monitors). UNEP (2005) reported that 20 to 50 million tonnes of small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE) are generated worldwide every year. Report shows that these discarded metals are being recycled and reused. GOLD WASTE AND POLLUTION As gold is being extracted from mines, gold waste are concentrated in the rock piles, tailings and waste rocks. The waste from gold mines constitutes the largest single source of waste and pollution. As at 1997, South Africa produced an estimated 468 million tons of mineral waste per annum (DWAF, 2001). Gold mining waste was estimated to account for 221 million tons of 47% of mineral waste produced in South Africa, making it the largest, single source of waste and pollution (DWAF, 2001). There are more than 270 tailings in the Witwatersrand Basin, covering approximately covering 400 km in surface area (AngloGold Ashanti, 2004). These dams are mostly unlined and many are not vegetated, providing a source of extensive dust, as well as soil and water (surface and groundwater) pollution (Anglo Gold Ashanti, 2004). Historically impoundment on land was the preferred option for tailings disposal. The environmental implication of this disposal option include contamination of streams and rivers by acid mine drainage (AMD), contamination of streams due to surface run off from the impoundment area, air and water contamination due to wind erosion of dried-out tailings. The exposure of sulphide bearing rock materials to oxygen and water produces Acid mine drainage. Mine waste problems are numerous, but the most difficult problem to handle is the acid mine drainage (AMD) that emanates from both surface and underground workings, waste and development rock, tailing piles and ponds (Durkin and Hermann, 1994). TOXICITY Gold mining has been reported to be a dangerous activity as the heavy metals, mainly Hg, Pb and As are released into the environment. There were studies based on the assessment of the above stated heavy metals and their presence in soil and water in Kenya, South Africa and other parts of Africa. These metals were selected because of their toxicity nature in similar mining environments. According to the United States Agency for Toxic substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR, 1999) Hg, Pb and As are in the top list of hazardous substances. As and Pb are major metals in gold sulphide deposits, where they occur as minerals mainly in arsenopyrite (FeAsS) and galena (PbS), respectively. Under natural conditions, they are relatively stable. However, gold extraction from its ore breaks down these minerals due to exposure to oxygen and water, thereby making it acidic. Mercury as a pollutant in mining is released during gold processing, when mercury is used to amalgamate gold so as to recover it from its ore. Cadmium is also another toxic metal, occupying position seven in the list of hazardous substances, generally occurring as an isometric trace element in sphalerite. It is estimated that about 1.32kg of Hg is lost for every 1kg of (Au) produced (Harada et al., 1997). As, Pb and Hg are all known as poisonous metals which when taken in by humans causes lots of diseases. GOLD STANDARDS Gold standard is referred to as monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. Three types of gold standard can be distinguished: specie, exchange, and bullion. Most nations abandoned the gold standard as the basis of their monetary systems at some point in the 20th century, although many hold substantial gold reserves. An estimated total of 174,100 tonnes of gold have been mined in human history, according to (GFMS Thomson Reuters, 2012). This is roughly equivalent to 5.6 billion troy ounces or, in terms of volume, about 9,261 cubic metres (327,000 cu ft), or cube 21 metres (69 ft) on a side. There are also other varying estimates of the total volume of gold mined. DISCUSSION Gold is defined as a chemical element with the symbol (Au) and atomic number 79. In its pure state, it is a bright, moderately reddish yellow, dense, soft malleable and ductile metal. Gold is one of the native earth metals that is of very high value in our world today. The current price of gold per Ounce is approximately 1220usd (GFMS, Thomson Reuters, 2016). It has different properties, which are physical and chemical properties. Physical properties which consist of the malleable and ductile nature of gold, density of gold and also its melting and boiling point. Chemical properties which is its resistance to corrosion and it is chemically inactive. Gold has been reported to be used for the production of jewelries, medals and monetary exchange. Gold can be recovered or extracted from primary source in placer mining by the use of panning, sluicing and mercury or cyanide amalgamation. In secondary sources the use of hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy and bio-hydrometallurgy has been applied to recover gold from ore. After the extraction of gold from its ore, its passed through crushing and and milling process. This is done so as to reduce the size before conducting other processes, which involves leaching, flotation, gravity concentration and amalgamation to separate the gold concentration from its impurities. And finally through a few stages of the treatment process which involves smelting, parting and aqua regia. The processed gold after the above treatment is then produced into various forms for example jewelries, medals etc. Discarded gold from e-waste and other sources is being recycled into new forms. Generally mine water waste, rock piles and tailings from mining has led to the pollution of our environment today. The most common problem concerned with mining is Acid mine drainage. (AMD), occurs when rock bearing sulphide materials are exposed to oxygen and water. The extraction of gold from its ore also causes the release of toxic substances for example lead, mercury, arsenic etc. These substances, when introduced into our environment and spread through water bodies, it causes adverse effect to humans health. Gold standard is known to be a monetary system, in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. Three types have been distinguished: specie, bullion and exchange. CONCLUSION Research has shown that gold is chemically inactive, which is because of its high resistance to react with other metals. It is proven that in its natural state, it occurs with other metals and minerals. The extraction of gold from its ore causes the exposure of this minerals and heavy metals in our environment. Heavy metals e.g. Lead (Pb), Arsenic (AS), Mercury (Hg). And sulphide minerals which are mostly common with ores, when exposed to oxygen and water produces Acid mine drainage (AMD). Mercury is introduced by humans in the extraction of gold to amalgamate with gold making it easier to recover from ore. These heavy metals are toxic substances, which when released into water bodies in our environment cause severe hazard to humans. REFERENCES 50.6 EXTRACTION OF GOLD AngloGold Ashanti ( 2004). Case studies. Woodlands Project- good progress being made with phytoremedation project. Environment- AngloGold Report to society. Department of Water and Affairs and Forestry (DWAF). (2001). Waste generation in South Africa. Water Quality Management Series. Pretoria. Boyle, R. W. (1987). Gold: History and Genesis of deposits. Canada Geol. Survey Bull 280. Durkin, TV and Hermann, JG. (1994). Focussing on the problems of Mining waste: an introduction to Acid Mine Drainage. EPA Seminar publication no. EPA/625/R-95/007. Managing environmental problems at inactive and Abandoned metal mine sites. Harada, M. (1997). Neurotoxicity of methylmercury: Minamata and the Amazon. Mineral and metal neurotoxicology, 177-188. Marsden, J., House, I. (2006). The chemistry of gold extraction. SME. Author, A.A.. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL(Citing a website) Boyle, R. W. (1979). The geochemistry of gold and its deposits (together with a chapter on geochemical prospecting for the element) (No. 280). Unipub. Rapson, W. S. (1992). Mining, Extraction and Refining of Gold. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 17(3), 203-212. Eugene, W. W. L., Mujumdar, A. S. (2009). Gold Extraction and Recovery Processes. Minerals, Metals, and Materials Technology Centre, National University of Singapore. Delgado, C., Artim, E., Szezak, J., Stevels, A. (2007). Review of Directive 2002/96 on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). UNU, Bonn. Nelson, A. (2014). Michael Hamburger, John Rupp G188 16 June 2014 Gold in the West. Park, Y. J., Fray, D. J. (2009). Recovery of high purity precious metals from printed circuit boards. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 164(2), 1152-1158. UNEP, E. (2005). waste, the hidden side of IT equipments manufacturing and use E-waste, the hidden side of IT equipments manufacturing and use, Environment Alert Bulletin. Renner, H., Schlamp, G., Hollmann, D., Là ¼schow, H. M., Tews, P., Rothaut, J., Drieselmann, R. (2000). Gold, gold alloys, and gold compounds. Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Reuters, T. (2012). Gold Survey 2012. April 2012. London: Thomson Reuters GFMS. Spitzer, M., Bertazzoli, R. (2004). Selective electrochemical recovery of gold and silver from cyanide aqueous effluents using titanium and vitreous carbon cathodes. Hydrometallurgy, 74(3), 233-242. Schultz, J., El-Kretsen, A. B., Huisman, J. (2004). QWERTY and Eco-Efficiency analysis on cellular phone treatment in Sweden. http://www.miningeducation.com/2011/12/processing-flow-chart-of-gold.html http://www.vosizneias.com/211793/2015/08/09/colorado-gold-mine-toxic-wastewater-spill-triples-in-volume-to-3-million-gallons/ http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/rivers-of-gold-in-our-recycling-bins/2007/04/15/1176575687671.html Figure 5. Simplified gold processing flow chart (after Processing flow chart of gold, 2011)