Building Construction

The collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River had done major damages in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Many assumptions and speculations about the causes of the collapse of the bridge system had appeared in the public. The public was seemingly confused about the real cause of the incidents and it is their right to be informed about the state of the investigation. The closest and very logical of the causes indicated in some of the investigations are stress or fatigue failure and lack of redundancy.Environment, Design, and Description of the I-35W bridge The I-35W bridge supports a total of eight lanes (four lanes on each direction). The average daily traffic (ADT) is given as 15,000 in each direction , with ten percent trucks. Constructed in 1967, the 581 meter long bridge has 14 spans. The main span is consist of a steel deck truss. The south approach spans are steel multi-beam. The north approach spans include both steel multieam and concrete slab span. There are two steel deck trusses. Builtup plates mostly composed the truss members.Rolled I-beams comprised the diagonal and vertical members. The truss members undergo poor welding details with the connections as mainly riveted and bolted. According to recent evaluation and inspection before the collapse of the bridge, corrosion at the floorbeam exists and rust are forming between connection plates. The two main trussses have an 11. 6-meter cantilever at the north and south ends. Twenty-seven floor trusses spaced at 11. 6 meters are also present. These floor trusses were framed into the vertical members of the main truss.The floor trusses consist of WF-shape members and have a 4. 97- meter cantilever at each end. The design specifications used in the bridge was the 1961 American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) Specifications. During that time, most of the design uses unconservative fatigue design provisions. According to the fatigue evaluation report provided by the University o f Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies in 2001, the approach spans had exhibited several fatigue problems promarily due to the distortion of the girders.The bridge truss and the floor truss system also exhibited poor fatigue details. Lack of redundancy in the main truss system was also present in the design. It is stated in the evaluation report of the University of Minnesota that cracking due to fatigue cause by a future increase in loading will first appear on the floor truss. According to them this future cracks is detectable since the floor truss are easy to inspect. In the incidence that cracks are not detected, the bridge could still hold the bridge system without the entire collapse of the system.In the report, the failure of the two main trusses of the bridge will definitely take much effect to the bridge system. Fatigue Resistance The Standard Specification and the Load and Resistance Factor Design provided by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AA SHTO) contain similar provisions for the fatigue design of welded details on steel ridges. These details are designed ased on the nominal stress which can be calculated using standard design equations and does not include the effects of welds and attachments.Since fatigue is usually present during sevice load application, the design parameters is only applied during service load conditions. Cracks due to fatigue have insignificant effect on the structures in compression but have tremendous effect on structures that experience tension. With this idea, the assessment on the cracks that propagate on such a bridge as the I-35W should only be consider to elements in tension. Structural Redundancy In all the design criteria of any structural system, loads existed in variety of paths should be significantly consider.The strength and reliability of the system can be ensure by the existence of the redundant paths or elements. Without the existence of this redundant system of elements, the fa ilure of the entire system is much possible. Past survey of the Committee on Redundancy of Flexural System on steel highway ad railroad bridges. The report summarized that a total of 96 structures were suffering some distress. It was also take into account that most of the failures were related to connections which were mainly welded.The report had also collected data which indicates that few steel bridges collapse if redundancy is present. Bridge systems with no redundancy was reported to have large number. In another research conducted by Ressler and Daniels, they found that the number of fatiguesensitive details present in the structure significantly affected the bridges with no redundant elements. Theoritical and Actual Bridge Response Many studies have shown that the simplified calculations used to predict the stresses provide a much higher value compare to the actual service stresses.Though the design calculations and load models provide appropriate results, it has great uncer tainty in the maximum life of a bridge system. However, it is still beneficial to have an accurate estimate of the typical everyday stress ranges. In a large bridge, 20 Mpa is the typical value of the service live-load stress ranges. The stress ranges are typically governed by dead loads and strength design specifications. This is the reason why the stress ranges are small. Since the strength design must account for a single case loading scenario over the life of the bridge, conservative load models are used.In addition to load conservative models, the assumptions provided in the analysis of the design can also be the cause of the large difference of the predicted stress and actual stress. A great example of the effect of the assumptions is the case of the US Highway 69 in Oklahoma. Fatigue damage was said to be present upon the welding that had been used in the widening of the bridge. The design computations of the bridge illustrated that the allowable stress ranges could be exceed ed at over 100 locations on the bridge.However, when the bridge was inspected, it appeared that the measure stress ranges was only 27 percent of the allowable stress ranges. This only shows the great effect of the assumptions used in the design of a certain structural system. Moreover, another study that indicates fatigue failure to be caused by the considerable amount of corrosion takes into account. This is the case of the Bridge 4654 in Minnesota where measured stress ranges ranged from 65 to 85 percent of the calculated analysis.These differences are to be point out to the fact that analytical methods provide assumptions that neglect ways in which the structure resists loads. For example, the study conducted y Brudette et al. , more than 50 years of bridge test data were collected and examined to determine specific load-resisiting mechanisms that are ignored in the design of the system. The study concluded that lower stress ranges in a structure can be due to unintended composit e action, contribution from non-structural elements, unintended partial fixity at abutments and direct transfer of load through the slab to the supports.In another study of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, they conducted a program of bridge testing that included more than 225 bridges over a period of 15 years. The study noted that much of the bridges can sustain much larger loads than their estimated capacities. Observations were also made regarding the behavior of the steel truss bridge. The observations are as follows: 1) the stringer of the floor system share a large tensile force thus reducing the strains experienced by the chord in contact with the floor system and 2) Composite action in non-composite system was shown to exist.

Stem Cell Research- Reaction Paper

Stem Cell Research- Reaction Paper Reaction Paper: Stem Cell Research Heather A. Lail Liberty University Stem cell research has bought about heated debate since the time it was reviled. Many different debates have been raised to justify and unjustified the use of stem cells for research throughout the years. The two most enduring debates that have stood the test of time have been the legal and ethical issues. The has been documented in countless research studies the advantages of the use of stem cells for research regarding the two issues stated above.There are also countless articles documenting the disadvantages regarding the stated issues. I will discuss what a stem cell is, the different types of stem cells, and the advantages and disadvantages of both types. I will also discuss the two majorly debated issues, legal and ethical, as states above. A stem cell is fundamentally a blank cell that is capable of becoming another more differentiated cell type in the body and can be used to replace or even heal damaged tissues and cells in the body. Embryonic stem cells come from living, human embryos and can be harvested from two sources, embryos and fetuses.Embryonic stem cells are obtained by harvesting living embryos which are generally 5-7 days old. The removal of embryonic stem cells invariably results in the destruction of the embryo. Fetuses are another type of stem cell called an embryonic germ cell can be obtained from either miscarriages or aborted fetuses. Advantages of embryonic stem cells are that they appear to have the potential to make any cell, one embryonic cell line can potentially provide an endless supply of cells with define characteristics, and they are readily available due to in vitro fertilization clinics.Some disadvantages of embryonic stem cells is that they are difficult to differentiate uniformly and homogeneously into target tissue, embryonic stem cells from random donors are likely to be rejected by recipients, they are capable of fo rming or promoting tumor formation, and it is the destruction of a human life. Adult stem cells exist in humans and are used to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Adult stem cells come from umbilical cords, placentas, amniotic fluid, existing adult issues and cadavers.The advantages of adult stem cells include adult stem cells from bone marrow and from umbilical cord appear to be as flexible as embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells are already specialized to some extent, recipients receiving the cells are receiving their own cells which significantly reduces rejection of tissue, they are relatively easy to harvest, they do not tend to form tumors, and there is no harm to the donor. (National Institute of Health) The most prevalent legal concerns in terms of stem cell research are laws related to federal funding of the research.In August, 2001 President Bush announced that federal funds would be available to support limited human embryonic stem cell research. Th e fact White House fact sheet setting forth Bush’s policy states â€Å"federal funding will only be used for research on existing stem cell lines that were derived with the informed consent of the donors, from excess embryos created solely for reproductive purposes, and without any financial inducements to the donors†( Shimabukuro).With these limitations no federal funding is to be used for the derivation of stem cell lines derived from newly destroyed embryos, the creation of any human embryos for research purposes, or cloning of human embryos for any purposes. The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 â€Å"provides for the collection and maintenance of human cord blood stem cells for the treatment of patients and for research† (Shimabukuro).The Fetus Farming Prohibition Act of 2006 â€Å"amends the Public Health Service Act to make it unlawful for any person or entity involved or engages in interstate commerce to either solicit or knowingly acquire, receive, or accept a donation of human fetal tissues knowing that a pregnancy was deliberately initiated to provide such tissue, or knowingly acquire, receive, or accept tissue or cells obtained from a human embryo or fetus was gestated in the uterus of a nonhuman animal† (Shimabukuro).The above federal laws have been put in place in an attempt to alleviate some of the legal issues involved in the use of stem cells for the use of research purposes. The ethical issues debated by the masses regarding stem cell research include evaluating the benefits and harms of embryonic research and the value of the embryo. The benefits of stem cell research are the advances made in medicine in the aspects of somatic gene therapy for genetic disorders and the generation of replacement organs and tissues for transplant.The benefits of stem cell research are vast in the potential of curing certain ailments, disorders, and disease afflicting people. On the other hand of the ethical issue is the value of the embryo. Heated debate on this issue alone has been the mainstream since the first stem cell study was preformed. At one end of the spectrum is the belief that the embryo from the moment of conception is a person in its own right with the same moral status as an adult.On the other end of the spectrum there is an alternative stance that the embryo acquires full personhood and the moral rights by gradual stages during the process of development between conception and birth. (Rickard; Corrigan, Liddell, McMillan, Stewart, and Wallace) I personal hold to the belief that using embryos created and destroyed for the sake of research is wrong in every aspect due to my personal Christian beliefs. Jeremiah 1:4-5, â€Å"The word of the LORD came to me, saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations† (NIV).Psalm 127:3, â€Å"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from himâ⠂¬  (NIV). I also feel that even though there are potential benefits of stem cell research, the benefits are just that potential. I personal do not feel the means outweigh the risk.

Definitions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Definitions - Assignment Example Syllabus typically, is a document that contains the entire plans of the course. It includes the rationale for the course, topics to be covered, and resources to be used. In addition, a syllabus encompasses the assignments to be handed out, the strategies recommended for teaching, and the goals to be achieved at the end of the course. A content outline is almost similar to a curriculum. Given that teaching consists of content coverage, which is clearly sketched out in the curriculum, then they a content outline and a curriculum are synonymous in the definition and execution. Standards are often used to describe what the students should be able to do by the time they are done with a particular course. In some cases, the standards also describe the processes aimed towards attaining the present learning outcomes. They prioritize all the ideas that are elemental to the discipline. These are the instructional materials used as a guide for classroom materials. They normally comprise of the instructional materials that are relevant to that particular level of the learning process. It is essential that instructional materials are standardized (Pinar, 2013). Official curriculum is the curriculum that has been officially approved by the school. In the curriculum area; all the goals, targets, strategies and instructional materials. It is always advisable to follow the curriculum to the letter, and slight deviations attract hefty punishments. A good example is that of a teacher who was arrested in Houston, Texas for teaching his students things that were not in the syllabus. He was placed on a three-year probationary period. Consists of what is essentially taught by the tutor and how its significance is communicated to the student. In other words, it involves how the students know that what they are being taught â€Å"counts†. It has two aspects, first is the content the teacher teaches and the standards or outcomes for which the students are held

Implementation of Integrated Performance Management Essay

Implementation of Integrated Performance Management - Essay Example TQM has a preventive approach and not a detective approach to work (Walton, 1986). It is a proactive system and not a passive one and stresses on removing the defect rather than just locating it. Deming (1986) and Walton (1986) both state that the detective systems have serious disadvantages. Firstly these are results and as such cannot help in correction of past errors. Secondly, the greater loss is that due to errors the customer will be dissatisfied. Thirdly the direct cost of defect detection and later correction or replacement is doubled. Fourthly the human cost by way of fear of performance and loss of pride in workmanship is the greatest of all (Walton 1986). All this can be avoided by following TQM process by not allowing a defective product or service to be sent from production lines. Obviously prevention is better than cure. Performance management should be understood as a tool for measuring corporate objectives and is calculable in tangible form in terms of outputs and finally deliverables to customers. The ultimate goal is to deliver total quality and 100 percent value to the end customer. (Zairi 1994) and this is the standard or benchmark of acceptable performance management that describes the optimum use of all resources. Zairi (1996) goes on to state that product life cycles are getting shorter making it imperative for organisations to turn to innovations with greater speed to remain effective in their markets. Decision making thus becomes dependant on quality assurance systems that provide the required information for these judgments. Performance management is therefore essential to evaluate the quality and to ensure acceptability by customers. According to Zairi and Youssef (1998) in the global context today competition cannot be met with cost efficiency alone. Quality plays an equally important role in assessing competitiveness. Quality is a function of (TQM) and

Reading and Writing about Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading and Writing about Research - Essay Example Writing about what you read in a peer-review article is challenging because copying author`s thoughts is a simple plagiarism while paraphrasing ideas without losing general sense is quite complicated. Making text coherent and readable is another barrier in writing. It is important to remember that the essay must include smooth transitions, linking words to be comprehensive. Moreover, it is necessary to not only paraphrase the material but also analyze it which requires critical thinking. Gaining more experience is probably the only effective method in working with peer-reviewed articles. The more you read, analyze, and see how the text is structured, the easier it is to get used to original articles and their peculiar manner of information presentation. The more you write reviews on such articles the more coherent and precise your language becomes. However, it is also important to develop attention to details and check up all the references to understand the article

The Effect of Democracy on FDI (Foreign Direct Investmant) Term Paper

The Effect of Democracy on FDI (Foreign Direct Investmant) - Term Paper Example There are a number of concerns that are made when considering the effects of democracy on foreign direct investment. Theoretical perspectives have consistently linked foreign direct investment to government policy. The pervading logic behind these investments is not a matter of great complexity. In these regards, investors have been understood to remain more apt to invest long-term companies and corporate interests based on the host country’s ability to create policy measures that are most conducive to such investment. The complexity emerges as theorists attempt to determine the appropriate government climate for such investments. Currently the United States receives the most foreign direct investments, leading economists to prominently link FDI to the democratic governmental structure (‘greyhill’). Within the confines of the democratic political structure there are a number of specific policy considerations that have been established. One of the most prominent th eoretical perspectives on this matter is that foreign direct investment is directly responsive to changing economic situations. Jensen notes, â€Å"Elected politicians can no longer manipulate monetary policy, but monetary policy does remain responsive to changing economic conditions† (Jensen, pg. 2). In this context of understanding, the nature of the democratic election process itself does not necessarily benefit foreign direct investment, but creates a governmental structure that is highly conducive to developing policies that aid FDI. The main notion is that the encouragement of foreign direct investment must be accomplished in a dynamic context and that the democratic governmental structure is most conducive to this dynamism. In addition to the importance of a dynamic government policy to foreign direct investment, there is a number of other of elements positive linking democracy to FDI in terms of stability. In these regards, pervasive notions of democratic governments having more stability are one of the primary contributors to an increase in FDI (Jensen). While such perspectives on the democratic political structure have been proven erroneous in specific contexts, one considers the current economic fallout in Greece as a primary example; it is oftentimes the perception that drives the reality. Another predominant link between democracy and FDI in terms of stability occurs as a result of the democratic process of checks and balances. Jensen notes, â€Å"The institutional checks and balances associated with democratic systems decrease the likelihood of policy reversal, providing multinationals with a de facto commitment to policy stability† (Jensen, pg. 4). With the stability afforded by these checks and balances, corporations are able to more accurately forecast future returns. Ultimately, it is this stability that greatly While there are considerable arguments for the linkage of democracy to foreign direct investment, counter-arguments ex ist to this proposition. The main notion is that the nature of governmental policy and foreign direct investment is not as multi-varied as some would contest. This perspective contends that the overwhelming link between foreign investments in a host country is the level of taxation. Jensen notes, â€Å"Conventional wisdom holds that nations woo multinationals by

Human Rights Organizations as Agents of Change Essay - 93

Human Rights Organizations as Agents of Change - Essay Example Some people may also fail to perceive abuses as such as the organization try to change such perception into identification of abuses. The organizations, following effective awareness, then mobilize people into activism and studies have reported effectiveness of the efforts in changing actions that violate human rights and in reducing abuse cases. Framing helps the organization to achieve their awareness and mobilization initiatives. Many frames exist that vary in degree of effectiveness and such degrees depend on an environment in which the frame is applied. The most popular frames, based on resources from Amnesty International in the United States, are informational frames, personal frames, and motivational frames. The study focused on these frames to develop hypotheses for evaluating success and failure of human rights organizations in their advocacy initiatives (McEntire, Leiby, & Krain 407- 415). The study used an experimental design in data collection with questionnaire, with measures on an ordinal scale, as the data collection instrument. A fictitious human rights organization was used and Amazon.com used to recruit 1000 participants who were at least 18 years old. The recruits were assigned, randomly, into four groups. One control group did not receive any campaign initiative prior to response, while the other three groups were exposed to any of the three frames that were identified with effectiveness (informational frame, personal frame, and motivational frame). The treatments reflected on the applied frames by Amnesty International in the United States and those of other major human rights organizations (McEntire, Leiby, & Krain 415- 417).

Case Study of a Philosophical Argument of Francis Bacon Assignment

Case Study of a Philosophical Argument of Francis Bacon - Assignment Example The essential framework of Bacon's theory can be summed up by saying that he insisted that a good scientist should not be an ant and mindlessly gather data but nor should he be a spider and spin empty theories. Any good scientist will lie somewhere between the two, and gather data and formulate theories and scientific truths from these observations of nature. This thought of Bacon's has been credited with perhaps setting the ball rolling on the huge amount of scientific advances made in the 17th century, simply because the old methods did not rely on observation and thought. Bacon believed, as scientists do today, that science is something that should follow certain outlines and procedures. Experimentation is key because it leads people to the truth, rather than something that simply propels their own personal ideas and desires. Truth is ultimately what we aim for in science today, and it seems odd that this would be a novel idea in the 17th century, but Bacon's philosophy was one of the first to suggest objective empiricism as a method in science However, although this might sound obvious to the modern reader, there are some philosophical arguments that have been used for and against the ideas of Bacon. For example, the scientific method relies on observations, but there is also the point that the senses themselves are unreliable and can lead to bias, whether we free our minds from idols or not. It is difficult to know whether our observations on nature and science are true because of how they work.; optical illusions are a good example of an argument against scientific inquiry in this way. However, it has to be suggested that there are no other ways of observing any scientific inquiry apart from to use the senses, because they are all we have. All tests rely on measurements, images or results that have to be viewed to be noted down and to form theories from them. There is very little else a scientist can do when it

Prices Revolution From general Crises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prices Revolution From general Crises - Essay Example During the first stage of every revolution, there was material progress, people had confidence in culture and they were optimistic of the future. Such cases explain why the first stage indicated an equilibrium condition (Drelichman 120-147). The second stage of every price revolutions experienced instability. The instability arose from the prices that break into this stage, from the borders of the previous equilibrium. During the stage, prices went up and down. Furthermore, the stage experienced political instability in countries, social disruption, and general cultural anxiety (Pamuk 50-240). During the third stage, people started to think about the price inflation as an inexorable condition. They began to notice the fact that the price inflation was a long-term effect. However, their solution to the issue was more harmful. The choices they made further pushed the prices higher. In the process of the stage, there were scenes of hoarding, price fixing, price gorging, and high levels of cheating. In the fourth stage, the institutional inflation was still in place. During the stage, the crisis was more damaging than before. Prices went high and the inflation condition was highly unstable. There was increased volatility in the end. Commodity movements suffered from severe shock prices. Additionally, the money supply alternated between expansion and contraction. Most governments spent more than their revenues causing the financial markets to become more unstable. The countries with biggest economies experienced fiscal stresses (Pamuk 50-240). In the 18th century, the human race experienced the great wave. During that wave, there were cultural crises in the world. It included economic collapse, international wars and increased social violence. It was due to these events that caused motions of price-revolution experienced relieve. The prices went down, rents became affordable and there were low interests. However, the short deflation ended and a period of

Research and write a 1000 word critical review on an exhibition (see Essay

Research and write a 1000 word critical review on an exhibition (see the list overleaf) - Essay Example It also explored the key projects and their inspirations. The exhibition also highlighted his education; love for the environment hence the title the green fuse. The exhibition explored the central significance of the notion of sense of place in Pearson’s work. The exhibition was an involving multimedia experience where artisanship, materials and space are critically considered as texture, color and seasonality in planting. Through this, spaces are created and are emotionally moving and have a unique sense of place. His works have the spontaneous superiority of his casually qualified design eye and the gardening vigor. They also still depict his painterly quality in his plantings. The art exhibition at the garden museum gives the people a close experience in noticing and admiring Pearson’s work. This exhibition at the London gallery influenced commissioning of other works by Pearson. This work has projected three films in the last five years. These include the Old Recto ry -Naunton, a reserved customary country garden-Maggie, London – public scenery and private patios for cancer  treatment center and  Tokachi Millennium Forest, Hokkaido. This is a two hundred and forty hectare public environmental park. Pearson has also developed an innovative planting project for the edge in front of the Museum, which was fitted in time for the exhibition inaugural. This monochrome planting borrows heavily from his previous work on Tokachi millennium forest. He engages a mixture of woodland species and dramatic inflections of sculptural basics. Pearson began his career as a garden designer, developing common properties in his works. In the past decade, however, Pearson has transformed into a unique designer and plants man. He has consistently been involved in making landscapes in ne building across London. Feilden Clegg Bradley is among the first architects that Pearson worked with in his debut. They developed the landscaping and sitting of the PPS7 hou se in Lincolnshire. He consequently initiated other projects with various other art exhibitionists like Zaha Hadid and 6a. Pearson agrees that architecture solely depends on landscaping to produce the fine touch in new buildings. This has informed his apt work streak across London and acclamation all over the world as one of the best gardeners and landscapers. Pearson’s unique characteristic of using monochrome with a little touch of modernity influences many people’s perspective about gardening and landscaping. Pearson, however, just like any other art exhibitionist has escaped limitations. As a latest Garden Museum meeting confirmed, there is a growing craving for British metropolises to capitalize in aspiring green organization projects. This is in the way of New York’s High Line has exhausted this feature (Mertens, 2010 p1). If any of this plans go through, it would be surprising to leave out Pearson as a pioneer member. He together with others played an imp ortant role in informing this concept to the conference. A vitrine collection of ephemera demonstrates Pearson’s innovation of plants and their habitations. It also depicts his encounters with initial tutors, his gardening education and travels. It also affords the viewer a concluding making of the over-the-edge garden; he developed at Home Farm in Northamptonshire. The films in the exhibition transport the

Investigating electric potential Essay Example for Free

Investigating electric potential Essay A graph of V against 1/d gives a straight line with positive slope from x=0. 05m. It shows that the electric potential measured by the probe is inversely proportional to the distance of the probe from the surface of the sphere. Discussion:   A voltmeter or a CRO cannot be used to measure the electric potential at a point in the air because both instruments draw a small current to produce a deflection and this will disturb the electric field.   With no flame, the probe may acquire an induced charge and thus affect the field around it, altering the potential at the needle. Therefore, a flame probe is used. It produces positive and negative ions which discharge the needle so that the needle becomes uncharged due to neutralization. Since the needle is now neutralized, its potential is the same as the original potential. Sources of error: When measuring the distance of the probe from the centre of the sphere, a piece of string with a mass attached was dropped from the sphere for locating the zero mark of the meter ruler. This may not be accurate as the sting may not be vertically below the centre of the sphere   Precautions: 1. The wire which connects the needle and the electroscope cannot touch the bench or any other earthed conductor. This is to prevent charge leakage. 2. The charged sphere must be well away from the walls and the bench top as the induced charges on these objects will upset electric field. Conclusion:   Between two parallel plates: the electric potential remains constant at constant distance from the metal plates the electric potential is proportionally to the distance from the earthed plates   Around a charged sphere: the electric potential remains constant at constant distance from the centre of sphere the electric potential is inversely proportionally to the distance from the surface of sphere

Impact of Medication Therapy on Diabetes

Impact of Medication Therapy on Diabetes For Doctors and Patients Studies show that intensive medication therapy to control glucose levels may not be the most effective treatment approach for type 2 diabetes. Insulin therapy results in weight gain, which can be excessive, worsening cardiovascular risk profile. Reversing Heart Disease Excess caloric consumption causes the buildup of cholesterol and plaque inside of the blood vessels. Lowering your cholesterol with cholesterol-lowering drugs does not decrease the risk of fatal strokes. Lowering cholesterol with nutritional excellence, however, can offer more protection and disease reversal than drug therapy can, without the risk or expense of prescription medication. The goal is a low body-fat percentage, which is best achieved by prescribed regular exercise and nutritional excellence. Nutritional interventions are effective for: Lowering cholesterol and lipid risk markers Losing weight and glucose intolerance, reversing the diabetic process Reducing inflammatory and clot-promoting tendencies Reducing the tendency toward arrhythmia, sudden cardiac death, heart attack, and stroke Managing Insulin Use for Type 1 Diabetes Early onset heart disease in people with type 1 diabetes is linked to insulin resistance. That means excessive amounts of insulin is dangerous for type 1 diabetics because it can cause heart disease. But when type 1 diabetics follow the nutritarian diet approach, they require substantially less insulin, reducing the risk of heart disease and hypoglycemia. Diabetes During Pregnancy Gestational diabetes is a pregnancy-related condition affecting over 5 percent of pregnancies in which women develop high blood glucose in the diabetic range. Gestational diabetes develops when the pancreas cant produce sufficient insulin to keep up with the bodys higher demand during pregnancy. Overweight women are more prone to gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes poses an increased risk to both mother and child. Elevated glucose level increases the size of the baby resulting in delivery complications. It also increases the risk of the baby having underdeveloped lungs and respiratory distress after birth. Gestational diabetes is characterized by very strong insulin resistance, so if insulin is prescribed to treat the condition, the dosage must be high. High dosage of insulin is dangerous because it can induce neonatal hypoglycemia and preterm delivery. So an aggressive antidiabetic protocol is needed to reverse gestational diabetes quickly without the use of risky drugs. A Sample Phase One (Aggressive) Diabetic Reversal Diet for Newly Diagnosed Gestational Diabetes This is also a version of the phase one diet plan to follow if you are on diabetic medications, yet still have a fasting glucose level above 150. Your glucose level will drop quickly under this strict diet. Once your numbers are more favorable, and you are reducing medication, then you can move on to phase two of the program. Make sure you reduce or eliminate mediations to prevent hypoglycemia. Follow this plan until your blood sugar is favorable. Breakfast Because insulin resistance is the highest in the morning, eat low-glycemic plant foods for breakfast. Avoid grains, beans or fruits, except some berries. Use one of the below suggestion per meal. A green salad with a creamy hemp seed herbal dressing. Half cup of berries. A roasted eggplant casserole. Half cup of berries. Lunch Choose two of the below suggestions per meal A vegetable-bean soup made with low-salt tomato and celery juice base. A bowl of shredded lettuce and raw spinach. Roasted tufu slices wrapped in raw collard green leaves. Zucchini-cauliflower casserole. Spicy beans or lentils (1 cup) served hot over a bed of shredded raw vegetables. Dinner Include all three below per meal Steamed green vegetables, crushed raw walnuts, and toasted almond slivers. Raw vegetable served with a humus or salsa dip. One fresh fruit, or two kiwis or some berries for dessert.

The Age Of Refrigeration Environmental Sciences Essay

The Age Of Refrigeration Environmental Sciences Essay The ozone depletion potential is the ability of gases to degrade ozone if released into the atmosphere, and is compared against the value for CFC-11 (CCl3F), which was chosen to be 1. The halocarbon global warming potential, or greenhouse warming potential of a gas, is a calculation of how strongly the release of a certain quantity of that gas would contribute to global warming, via the greenhouse effect. Once again, it is compared against the value for CFC-11 (CCl3F), which has the value of 1. HFC-134a (1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluroethane, CF3CH2F), a widely used refrigerant, is more environmentally suitable than many other possible refrigerants. Firstly, its ozone depletion potential (ODP) is completely nonexistent, meaning that the release of HFC-134a into the atmosphere would not damage any more of the ozone layer. This is superior to many other proposed replacements to CFC-11, which often feature greatly lowered ODP, rather than zero ODP. HFC-134a also has a reduced halocarbon global warming potential (HGWP) of 0.25, a quarter of CFC-11s value. HFC-134a is not the lowest in this value, however. Some other possible refrigerants, such as ammonia and iso-butane (C4H10) have incredibly low, almost non-existent HGWP values. However, both of these gases (especially ammonia) can be considered toxic to humans, and both are flammable, leaving them liable to explosion from a spark if they were to leak from a refrigeration unit. Because of this, HFC-134a is therefore a more suitable modern refrigerant for domestic use. (Website 1) Q1ii) CCl2=CHCl, or trichloroethylene, can be converted to HFC-134a (also called R-134a) by carrying out several reactions in sequence. In the first part of the reaction, CCl2=CHCl is reacted with hydrogen fluoride (HF) to produce CCl2F CH2Cl. In the second part of the reaction, the CCl2F CH2Cl is reacted with 2HF to form CF3 CH2Cl, and then with another HF to created the HFC-134a (CF3=CH2F). This whole reaction process is shown in full below In order for HFC-134as usage to become widespread, its conversion from trichloroethene through industrial means needed not only to be feasible, but both cost and time effective as well. Firstly, the reaction process takes place within two separate chambers. One of the chambers is where the reaction products can be separated, allowing the HFC-134a to be isolated from dangerous, or otherwise unwanted products. The other chamber deals with recycling the trichloroethylene (CCl2=CHCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) used within the reaction, so they can be reused within subsequent reactions. This helps to make the HFC-134a conversion process more cost effective. A fluorination catalyst is also used in the reaction process, helping to make the conversion more feasible and time efficient. The conversion process also takes place at high temperatures (up to 400oC) and at super-atmospheric pressure to further ensure that it operates both cost and time effectively. (Website 1) Q2i) According to the research published in the article Regulating To Reduce Emissions Of Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases from the Journal of fluorine chemistry, the chemical compounds which contribute the most to global warming are, in order: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), the ozone depleting substances (CFCs HCFCs), and then the fluorinated greenhouse gases, namely hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) Carbon dioxide (CO2), the gas most contributive to global warming, is a small atmospheric molecule that is a key component of our atmosphere as it is used in the carbon cycle of plants. Of all of the contributing gases, CO2 has the lowest global warming potential (GWP). However, due to the incredibly high production and release of the gas into the atmosphere, CO2 is still the leading cause of global warming. Methane (CH4) is another simple chemical structure, and is the main component of natural gas. Like CO2 it has a relatively low GWP, but is a major contributing factor to global warming due the large amounts of the gas released into the atmosphere. Nitrous Oxide (N2O) is an oxide of nitrogen, more commonly called laughing gas that is used for both anaesthesia and for its oxidizing effects. N2Os GWP is higher than methane and carbon dioxide, but its level of emissions is also much lower The ozone depleting substances, namely HCFCs CFCs, were incredibly common in the early days of domestic refrigeration, as they were non flammable, non toxic and inexpensive. They were quickly phased out from general use, however, when it was discovered that they had an extremely detrimental impact on the ozone layer. They also contribute to global warming, and though they were largely replaced by the use of other gases such as HCFs, they still contribute significantly to global warming. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are chemically similar to CFCs, but do not share their ozone destroying effects. As a result of this similarity and due to the inert nature of HFCs (non-flammable non-toxic in almost all cases) they are widely used as replacements for CFCs in a variety of domestic appliances and products. However, HFCs feature considerable global warming potentials (GWPs), making them a key contributor to global warming. Compound Compound Emissions (million tonnes) Global Warming Potential (100 year vs. CO2) GWP emissions (million tonnes CO2e) Percentage contribution to global warming (%) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 30800.00 1 30800 65.4 Methane (CH4) 350.00 21 7350 15.6 Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 11.00 310 3410 7.2 Ozone Depleting Substances (CFCs HCFCs) 0.60 8100 4860 10.3 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) 0.14 2800 392 0.8 Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) 0.02 6500 130 0.3 Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) 0.01 23900 143 0.3 Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrocarbon derivatives, are another set of environmentally damaging compounds, especially when they are saturated and within the C1-C6 range. They are useful compounds in the electronics industry, though it is an aim that their usage is kept to the absolute minimum and only when no other compound would perform the desired function in their place. Like HFCs, they have a lower level of emissions, but a high GWP Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is a technically diverse gas, useful for a diverse range of applications, but most commonly used as a dielectric gas in situations involving high voltages because of its dielectric strength and constant, its properties for arc (spark gap)-quenching and its suitability for use in transferring heat. Its level of emissions may be the lowest of all contributing gases, but its GWP is by far the highest. (Lindley, 2005) Emission values for these key compounds, and their percentage contributions to global warming, are shown in the table below. Table 1: Greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2000 [Adapted from table 1 (Lindley, 2005)] The relative dangers of certain molecules, in regards to global warming, can also be assessed via radiative forcing. Radiative forcing is the effects of the heat energy produced by solar rays being held within the atmosphere (most crucially between the lowest part of the atmosphere [troposphere] and the stratosphere) of earth, rather than escaping out into space. This effect is made worse by the over abundance of certain gases in this section of the atmosphere. Therefore, measuring the radiative forcing effects of certain gases can, in turn, help work out how much of an effect that molecule is having on global warming. A figure, showing the extent of radiative forcing effects for different gases is shown. Figure 1 (right): estimated radiative forcing effects of key gases from 1990-2015 [Figure 1 from (Lindley, 2005)] It is clear from the results shown that in order for the effects of global warming to be lessened, reduction in the emissions of these key contributing compounds would need to be carried out. Most crucially, the emissions of CO2 would need to be lessened, as it has the highest percentage contribution to global warming, as well as the largest radiative forcing value. The radiative forcing values for ozone depleting substances are also very large, but as these are being phased out and replaced by the fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFCs, PFCs. SF6), they are less of a concern. (Lindley, 2005) Q2ii) F-Gas regulation is a proposal designed to keep the usage of hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons under stricter control, so that their emission levels do not contribute any more significantly to global warming. This will be achieved through a variety of means, including: improved containment of gases, reduced and restricted gas usage and putting requirements on how these gases are destroyed. In some cases, a ban may even be placed on a certain gas, preventing it from being used for specific functions. Furthermore businesses that use produce or sell f-gases are required to disclose what quantities of F-gas they are using, creating and supplying respectively. In addition to this, those involved with F-gases will be trained on how to safely handle the gases and prevent any unnecessary leaks, and any significant use of F-gases must be labelled as such. These measures all serve the purpose of limiting the amount of fluorinated greenhouse gases that are leaked into the atmosphere, keep ing the percentage contribution of fluorinated greenhouse gases to global warming as low as possible. (Lindley, 2005) In accordance with these regulations, industrial refrigeration systems are now to be inspected on a regular basis. Details on these new procedures is found in the table below Table 2: Inspection schedules for refrigeration units of different capacities [Adapted from table 2 (Lindley, 2005)] Quantity of F-Gas in Refrigeration System Inspection Frequency (With No Leak Detection) Inspection frequency (With Leak Detection) Containing up to 30 kg (excluding airtight systems which contain less than 6kg) Once every 12 months Installation not required Containing up to 300kg Once every 6 months Installation not required (Presence of install halves inspection frequency) Containing more than 300kg Once every 3 months Installation mandatory (Presence of install halves inspection frequency) [Note: In the event of a leak, the system must undergo reinspection 1 month after the leak has been fixed] Also, the F-gas regulation stipulates that certain refrigeration applications must be banned completely. Details on those affected applications are shown in the table below. Table 3: Banned refrigeration applicants under F-gas regulation [Adapted from table 3 (Lindley, 2005)] Type of Gas Prohibited Usage Date of prohibition Fluorinated greenhouse gases Non-refillable containers Start of F-Gas Regulations Fluorinated greenhouse gases Windows for domestic use Start of F-Gas Regulations Fluorinated greenhouse gases Other windows One year after the Start of F-Gas Regulations Fluorinated greenhouse gases Footwear 1 July 2006 Fluorinated greenhouse gases Tyres Start of F-Gas Regulations Fluorinated greenhouse gases One component foams One year after the Start of F-Gas Regulations (except when required to meet national safety standards Hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons Refrigerants in non-confined direct-evaporation systems Start of F-Gas Regulations Perfluorocarbons Fire protection systems and fire extinguishers Start of F-Gas Regulations Hydrofluorocarbons Novelty aerosols Two years after the Start of F-Gas Regulations Q2iii) F-Gas regulations put restrictions on the many uses of fluorinated gases. One such restriction is that of HFC-134a in mobile air-conditioning units, such as those used in cars. The popularity of air-conditioning in cars has been rising steadily since the early 1990s, such that now over 80% of cars in Europe have this feature installed. While the HFC-134a system is much more efficient than the earlier CFC systems, using less than half of the 1.5kgs of gas that they used, and further research was being carried out in order to make more efficient systems, the EU has still decided to prohibit their future usage, having the use of the gas gradually phased out until 2017 when its usage is completely banned. This will have a considerable effect on the HFC134a industry as its usage in cars and other similar transport makes up a considerable part of their market. In turn, car manufacturers will have to develop new air-conditioning systems in cars, and this will drive up the cost of newer car models to counter development costs. (Lindley, 2005) 3) Ever since the realisation of mankinds negative impact on the environment, preventative measures have been put in place to try and reverse them, and several different pieces of legislation help to ensure that this is the case. The Montreal protocol, which banned the usage of CFCs and HCFCs, was created to help protect the ozone layer from further harm. In this regard, the protocol can be considered a success. Levels of ozone damaging gases in the atmosphere have been steadily falling, and it is estimated that the ozone layer could have repaired itself as early as 2050 (WMO, 2006). However, the replacement of CFCs and HCFCs with fluorinate gases to combat the destruction of the ozone layer lead to more environmental concerns, namely that these fluorinated greenhouse gases were making a significant impact on global warming. While the impact of these gases on global warming may be less than that of some other greenhouse gases (namely CO2) their effects are still considerable, and several pieces of legislation have been set up to try and decrease their usage. Firstly, the Kyoto protocol listed several fluorinated greenhouse gases, including HFCs, PFCs and SF6, along with CO2, CH4 and N2O, as gases that must have their levels of emissions decreased. The F-Gas regulation, making reference to the Kyoto protocol, set regulations on the usage of the HFCs and PFCs, helping to reduce their prevalence in society. Despite this, global warming problems continue to rise, thanks to increasing atmospheric levels of CO2. As long as CO2 is so prevalent in the atmosphere, reducin g the effects of comparatively less harmful fluorinated gases through legislation can only do so much in helping to combat the rising problems of global warming (Lindley, 2005 Website 2)

Civil Liberties of the Early Twentieth Century :: essays research papers

All throughout history civil liberties have been established, fought for, and abused. During the first quarter of the twentieth century, the civil liberties in the United States of America were tested. There were many events where the freedoms that our founding fathers had fought for Passive Voice (consider revising). Prejudice, fear, and racism all played a role during these events, during many of which they decided the outcome. Two events that demonstrate when the civil liberties in America were tested were during the trial of Sacco and Vanzettii and Schenek v. United States. Schenek v. United States was a trial in 1919 that reaffirmed the conviction of a man for circulating antidraft leaflets among members of the armed forces. This trial upheld the Espionage and Sedition Acts, which by many deemed unconstitutional. The Espionage Act of 1917 was a United States federal law, which made it a crime for a person to convey information with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the armed forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies. The Sedition Act forbade Americans to use "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language" about the United States government, flag, or armed forces during war. The act also allowed the Postmaster General to deny mail delivery to dissenters of government policy during wartime. These two laws denied the freedom of speech that our sacred Bill of Rights was supposed to uphold. The antidraft flyers that Schenek passed out claimed to be freedom of speech so the government could not stop the cir culation of Schenek’s pamphlets. However, by passing out antidraft laws, Schenek had â€Å"the intent to interfere with the operation of success of the armed forces of the United States.† By doing this, he broke the law. He was sentenced to six months in prison for breaking an unconstitutional law. The government was trying to reduce the freedom of speech during a time of war so that the nation would be united as one. The opposition of some feared Woodrow Wilson and his cabinet so they took action by reducing some freedoms and imprisoning many people unconstitutionally. The scare of not being united under a time of war was the cause of the Espionage and Sedition acts. These acts immediately caused the unfair conviction of Schenek and put him in prison. Although he was utilizing his freedom of speech, the unfair laws passed through the government by Woodrow Wilson, Congress, and the Supreme Court forbade him his civil liberties.

Pierre Trudeau :: Biographies

Pierre Trudeau Pierre Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada, was once described as "A French Canadian proud of his identity and culture, yet a biting critic of French-Canadian society, determined to destroy its mythology and illusions". He has also been identified as "A staunch, upholder of provincial autonomy holding the justice portfolio in the federal government". Such cumulative appraisal and observation made by past fellow bureaucrat provides high testimonial for the ex-Democratic Socialist. This critique will establish and dispute the prime directives that Trudeau had advocated in his own book written during the years 1965 to 1967. The compilation of political essays featured in his book deal with the diverse complexities of social, cultural and economical issues that were predominant in Canadian politics during the mid 1960's. However, throughout my readings I was also able to discover the fundamental principles that Trudeau would advocate in order to establish a strong and productive influence in Canadian politics. Born in 1921, Trudeau entered the world in a bilingual/bicultural home located in the heart of Montreal, Quebec. His acceptance into the University of Montreal would mark the beginning of his adventures into the Canadian political spectrum. Early in his life, Trudeau had become somewhat anti-clerical and possessed communist ideologies which were considered radical at the time. Graduating from prestigious institutions such as Harvard and The School of Economics in England, Turdeau returned to Canada in 1949 and resumed his social science endeavors. At this time in Quebec, the province was experiencing tremendous cultural and political differences with the rest of the country. The Union Nationale had taken possession of political matters in Quebec and was steadily dismantling the socialist essence imposed on the province by the Federal government. The current Prime Minister, Maurice Duplessis, found himself battling a religious nationalist movement that corrupted the very fabric of political stability in Quebec. The Duplessis faction maintained their conservative approach towards political reform but failed to sway the majority of the population into alleviating with the demands of the Canadian government. The citizens of Quebec revered their clerical sector as holding 'utmost importance' towards preserving French cultural values and this did not correlate with the Federal government's policies and ideals. Francophones were under the impression that their own Federal government had set out to crush and assimilate what had remained of their illustrious heritage in order to accommodate economic and political tranquility. Trudeau himself had decided to join the nationalist uprising with his advocation of provincial autonomy. Ultimately, he and other skilled social scientists attempted to bring down the Duplessis party in 1949, but failed miserably in their efforts.

Drugs In The Music Industry Essay -- essays research papers

Drugs in the Music Industry The Music World-glamorous, fast paced, and a world most of us will never be part of. But if we knew what it entailed, would we still want to be? The whole world seems to be building itself around drugs more and more every day, and music industry isn't immune. In fact, music is one of the most influential art forms of today's society, and drugs, especially to today's youth, just add to the attractiveness of it all. In the last two or three years, drugs, especially heroin, have risen in use dramatically. Kurt Cobain was the most high-profile drug-related rock star since the 1970's and was still battling heroin addiction when he committed suicide in 1994. Along with him, his wife Courtney Love made it fashionable to be a "junkie". In the last year, Stone Temple Pilot's singer Scott Weiland and Depeche Mode singer David Gahan, among others, have been arrested for cocaine or heroin possession. The number of top bands that have been linked to heroin through a member's overdose, arrest, admitted use or recovery is staggering: Smashing pumpkins, Everclear, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, Blind Melon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Breeders, Alice in Chains, Sex Pistols, Sublime, Iggy Pop, the list goes on and on. Together, these bands have sold more than 60 million albums(Newsweek pgs 50 & 53). Since kids emulate popular musicians, what is there to keep them from emulating their drug use? Moreover, what's to keep the majority of the population from doing the same? In the 60's and 70's, drug use was never spoken of nor did anyone admit that it was a problem. Nowadays, there is not a person in the world who hasn't heard about the rising drug use. But what are they doing about it? Back in the 80's, higher prices, the fear of contracting AIDS, and lower purity kept drugs out of the mainstream. Now, drugs are cheaper and easier to get then ever, being imported into the country at double the rate it was in the 1980's. Unfortunately, the outsider's view of drug use isn't the harsh reality. Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, and Charlie Parker are among the many to die from heroin and other drug addictions. Drugs seem to make you a funnier, wiser, cooler person, but what the younger generation fails to realize is that they are fatal. Despite this, drug... ...are easy because they are wealthy, popular, and sublimely happy. Being rich and famous isn't all it's cracked up to be. They lead normal lives, have kids and pay bills just as we do, but this is still no excuse to put your life into your own hands. The music industry may be finally facing up to the truth that drug abuse has become a serious problem, though. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gathered in 1996 to discuss what could be done about it. The sense of crisis has been growing since Kurt Cobain committed suicide, blamed at least partly on his heroin abuse.(Time p57)Expressions of concern are easy to come by, but the chances for meaningful industry action are less clear. Record executives refuse to be drug police, especially in a society where drug abuse has long been accepted, and even condoned, as part of the creative process. Geffen Records has retained a drug counselor for it's musicians who seek help. (Time p 58). But the industry must recognize that pressure from the label to keep tutoring and recording can blow a drug problem out of proportion. It is a minimal step, but at least a start toward trying to keep musicians healthy, productive, and alive.

Family Law Contemporary Issues

Family law has been broadened in a wide range of areas that the law governs, as over the years the concept of family has been widely diversified due to changes in modern society and community standards. Family law governs areas such as marriage, family relationships, legal rights and obligations of parents and children, adoption and the protection and care of children within a family. However, over the recent years the changes in each area of family law has shown some changes have been effective and others demonstrate the need for law reform. This is due to the rapid change of the law and changing social standards, therefore the law is attempting to balance the rights and interest of the society and individual family members. The legal recognition of same sex relationships in Australia has dramatically evolved over the years. Same sex relationships have tackled huge issues in regards to marriage, discrimination and property rights. As same sex relationships have been excluded from a number of rights and obligations for example; the legal recognition of same sex marriage. The Marriage Act 1965 (Cth) defines marriage as ‘the legal union of a man and women with the exclusion of others’. Therefore same sex marriage is void in Australia even those who have married in another country it will be seen as an invalid marriage. Having the lack of legal recognition can have direct consequences to same sex relationships and their families as they are excluded from the protections and rights that normal heterosexual couples and families have. This is demonstrated in the Young V Australia (1999) case, where a Sydney man was refused for a veteran’s dependent pension as he was in a same sex relationship. In this incident the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) determined the Australian government had breached the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as ‘all persons are equal before the law. ’ Not only has it breached the ICCPR but it has breach the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. Therefore, this demonstrates how the legal system is ineffective as there is a lack of enforceability with regards to the role that the international law plays in Australia. In order to create equality in the legal system for same-sex relationships the Australian Human Rights Commission report in 2008 had introduced reforms with the aim to provide same sex couples with the same entitlements as heterosexuals. The most significant reform was the introduction of the Property (Relationships) Legislation Amendment Act 1999 (NSW). This has allowed de facto elationships to have the right to divide property as seen in the Hope and Brown v NIB Health Fund Ltd (1995). In this case the Equal Opportunity Tribunal had played an effective role as it has shown to be successfully in achieving justice and equality for same sex relationships. It has also protected the 2 year old son in which Hope and Brown were now permitted to give their child a family policy for his future. Therefore, the reforms th at have occurred in the past decade have been successful as it has given some rights and obligations towards same sex relationships. In NSW 241 300, reports were made about concerns of child’s or young person’s safety according to the Special Commission of Inquiry into child protection services NSW. The concern of the protection and care of both children and individual members under both the Family Law Act 1975 (Cwth) and the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) is the increasing rate of family neglect, abuse and domestic violence. This issue is rapidly increasing each year as the crime rate of children has increased to 70% of young children committing crime due to being neglected or abused in reference to Australian Bureau Statistics (ABS). The government has made numerous amendments and reforms to the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) e. g. Crimes (Domestic Violence) Amendment Act 1987 (NSW), due to increased domestic violence cases within the domestic household. Over the years there have been a number of cases where family members have suffered domestic violence which has resulted in some of them murdering their husbands or partners, e. g. R v Heather Osland 1996 (VIC). Therefore, the legal system has shown how further amendments and reforms can protect individual family members effectively. But the government needs to step up and focus on providing more resources and funds to smaller organisations e. g. Docs. The government has created the Department of Community Services (DOCs) under the Children Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998. This organization helps protect children who are suffering abuse or neglect. Majority of the time Docs have overseen incidents’ and have failed to report any sort of child abuse, neglect or domestic violence. As shown recently in 2012 August 03 in the Sydney Morning Herald (SHM) ‘Abuse Children were ignored by a welfare worker’. The Department of Community Services have failed to protect and prevent children from harm due to being under resourced and not having the adequate resources to protect children. The Australian government should provide efficient resources e. g. having more people involved with better wages in protecting minors. This would therefore be more effective in protecting children and their rights. Without this new reform in the legal system it will increase the number of children who are in great harm, as recently seen in the media ‘Ebony report’- â€Å"reveals history of Docs neglect†. For individual members to feel safe and protected the law has added extra provisions on the Crimes (Domestic Violence) Amendment Act 1982 which amended the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), has included victims who suffer from domestic violence have the right to seek AVO’s. Many people do not fulfill their responsibility towards their children and sometimes having a divorce within the family can cause major conflicts and struggles on the couple, and most importantly the child. As the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) shows that inadequate parenting is associated with child neglect, to some extent these are the strongest predictors of juvenile crime as 36% of young people are cautioned. One of the most serious of these cases are children having the thought of committing suicide. As seen in one of the most recent cases Merrett and BASS 2013. This demonstrates how the strenuous tension between a couple can have on child. As a parent they have the responsibility to ensure that their child receives an education and to discipline their child. In the re Marion (1991) it demonstrates how the child had no right or say in her medical procedures. Therefore, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children (CROC) has not been effective as it has not been ratified, which therefore it hasn’t protected the child’s best interest. One of the most recent reforms to the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1988 (NSW) is that if a child has broken the law e. g. underage drinking or damages on property, the parents are penalized for their child’s actions. Another reform that has shown to ineffective is the introduction of the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006 (Cth), this reform involves the equal custody of the child. However, this isn’t always the case as the child may end up back with their abusive parent as seen in the Whitehead v Storn. The court system has shown to have responded to many issues of different areas of family law however, some of the attempts of reforms have demonstrated to be ineffective.

Persuasive Speech Outline Essay

Topic: To Inform People on what they need to do to help this situation. Introduction †¢ What is one of the world’s largest animals that is going endangered at a fast pace? †¢One of the world’s largest breeds of Elephants, which are the African Elephants are going Extinct. †¢There are several animal rescue organizations, such as Green Peace, The WCS, State Zoos just to name a few. Along with scientist that explain what this means for the world as we have grown up to know it. As a Huge volunteer at shelters and the zoo this topic is near and close to me. If you look at the reproduction time of an elephant and the amount of times the elephant will mate in its life. I.The African Elephant is quickly becoming extinct due to several main reasons. A. If You look at how many times an African Female Elephants mates in its entire life time and add that to how long it takes her to half the baby that will show you why we as the human race must do everything in our power to help animals survive along with us. 1. The African Elephant lives up to eighty years and will have 1-3 partners during their life span. 2. African Elephants are known to have 4-12 baby elephants throughout its life time depending on how old the elephant is when it first mates. B. When an Elephant mates it will depend on her age that determines how many babies she will have. 1. It takes nearly two years for an Elephant to have one baby that is called a calf. And although it is rare sometimes the Mother Elephant will have the baby calf under the 24 mo. period. 2. Another rare, but not impossible in Elephants is having Twin Calf’s. It is extremely rare in African Elephants but a little more common  in Asian Elephants since there are a smaller breed. . Elephants have a hard enough time producing so when we talk about survival it makes it impossible when they are being illegally captured and killed for their beautiful tusk. . II.Beautiful Creatures that are descendants of the extinct Woolly mammoth are finding themselves becoming extinct. A. Reproduction is not the only challenge the African elephant is facing. 1. Elephants numbers declining because of illegal poaching of their beautiful white teeth known as Ivory. 2. The Elephants are not sedated for the tusk to be cut off, but they are killed. Which is declining their numbers quickly. B. It may surprise you but the demand for Ivory Tusk is not just overseas. 1. China along with other Asian countries are big traffickers of Ivory. But what will surprise you is that there are not the only countries. 2. The United States last year alone traded with countries such as Africa for Ivory worth 60 million dollars on the black Market. . With the Trade of Ivory being a hot commodity for the wealthy Countries are killing Elephants up to 60 a day out of a population of an estimated 500,000 African Elephants. With this number and the length in which it takes a mature Female and male to reproduce African Elephants are being placed on the endangered list. III.Elephants will continue to become extinct and one day will be all gone for the future generation of our children and descendants if we don’t take a stand and take measures to make sure that law makers in our country as well as others put a stop to illegal poaching. 1.Zimbabwe is one of the fastest growing places for illegal poaching of tusk from the Elephant in Africa. 2.This year on February 11th President Obama designed to create â€Å"a near  complete ban† on the commercial sale of African elephant ivory in the U.S. 3. The United States destroyed over 6 tons of illegal Ivory in November. 1. This was the start of a global message to other countries to stop the illegal killing, sale, and trade of ivory. a. With our country being at the top of this demand it was only fitting that we were the first to place a global stop to this senseless killing of these animals. b. Asia and Tanzania are just a few counties that have there name of the poaching of shame list. The Philippine government destroyed 5 tons of confiscated ivory just last month. c. Countries that have corrupt law enforcements are not helping the situation of illegal poaching it allows the people that are getting caught to go free and continue there actions with out punishment for their crime. 2. With several countries still practicing this illegal and brutal method of making money. I am afraid that Elephants will remain on the endangered list unless change takes place. As I have shown you the length and time that it takes this huge, but beautiful animal to reproduce and the fast and cruel way that the Biggest Animal in Africa is surely and quickly going extinct. We have to be aware and caring about the things that go on in our country, and help educate the other countries that don’t realize this long term effect that there actions will have on the rest of the world. Bibliography Delegation, P., & Michael, A. (2009, July 30). Dicovery of Elephant’s oldest known relative. Science Daily, p. 3. Dell’Amore, C. (2012). Elephant, Ranger Protections Endorsed—But Do They Have Teeth? National Geographic News. Douglas-Hamiltion, O. (1980). Africa’s Elephants: Can they survive? National Geographic Magazine. Douglas-Hamilton, I. (2011). African Elephant Data. Africa: National Geographics. Trinidad, E. (2012). Baby Elephants. 1. http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-elephants-endangered-land-grabs-120512322.h

What Role Does International Relations Play in the Shaping, Defining, or Legitimating of Masculinity or Masculinities?

â€Å"There may be numerous ways in which international relations are implicated in the construction of masculinities and masculine identities; through the direct disciplining of male bodies, through numerous political and institutional practices, and through broader cultural and ideological links. † Unquestioningly, more and more people believe that â€Å"the personal becomes political† nowadays, we can see that even for subjects that suppose to be those of intimate details of private lives have become something that are constructed and structured by social relations. More obvious, lives of women are especially in the main stage, but not in a very good way. How? There are many forms of gender oppression towards women. This performance of discrimination â€Å"deprives women from equal rights, whereas men have been judge on their merits as individuals, women have tended to be judged as female or as a group. † This is to say that apparently, the world of international relations is precisely a man’s world, both in practice and theory. Be that as it may, to be success in this particular world, one must pass the criteria measured by masculine traits: power, autonomy, and independence. Also, it has been said that the privilege and power that achieve by men are not due to their physical, but because of their cultural association with masculinity. Having said that, Hooper also proposed that â€Å"it is the quality of masculinity that is closely associated with power, rather than men per se, and the term masculinism, which implies a privileging of masculinity†. Coupled the stories that I have just described with the picture of international politics which is dominated by diplomats, soldiers, and international civil servants, most of whom are men, in defining the governments’ policies, it is not exaggerate to assume that world politics is a man’s world. Regardless of the fact that international relations is one of the last social sciences to be affected by gender/feminist analysis, many agree that it is because it has been so strongly masculinised by the works of those people that I have just said. Moreover, considering the current trend of world politics that is based mainly on the ideology of realism, not only that it helps legitimate the masculine world, but also it contributes to the international relations theory and practice’s focal point on power, sovereignty, and security. Nonetheless, in this paper I will first discuss about the significance of identity towards international relations which I believe will provide the basic clarity of why we have to study about the importance of IR towards the masculine identity, then I will turn to the talk about the meaning of patriarchy and who defines or what legitimates that notion. Next I will try to answer the question of this paper by making it seems more practical. For example, I will depict the picture of the world after Cold War in which realism claims its explanatory power and its effect in shaping, defining, or legitimating masculinity or masculinities, along with the illustration of how the United States have inscribed the idea of gender into IR, and used it to legitimate their actions, etc. Lastly will be the conclusion part. Identity and IR In the famous article of Marysia Zalewski and Cynthia Enloe, Questions about the Identity in International Relations, they have asked us many questions that many always want to know the answers: what our identity is and who defines us. Knowingly, â€Å"identity is being fashioned and constructed by others who have a stake in making up certain social categories and in trying to make people conform to them. † However, if any chance the final result came out showing that your identity is ‘a woman’, then ‘too bad’, because you will have to live with this so-called inferior status for the rest of your life. Asserting Zalewski and Enloe, â€Å"gender and specifically that which is identified as belongings to femininity acts as a pre-emptive deterrent to certain modes of thought, action and speech. † Funny as it may seem, who would have known that the social construction of women identity has been manufactured by mainly male theorists in order to keep them from accessing the public world, the world designed only for men. Patriarchy and the Misogynic World â€Å"The term patriarchy was originally associated with ‘the rule of father’ but feminists broadened its use to cover other aspects of male domination. † Obviously, international relations base its assumption and explanations almost entirely on the activities and experiences of men. Furthermore, according to Connell, there are several reasons why feminists have seen the state as patriarchal institution. â€Å"the state is the core of the whole structure of power relations in gender with the total exclusion of women† †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"the state has a well-marked internal gender regime† with the example of strong gender division of labour †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"it is typical of modern states that the centres of state power, the top decision-making units, are heavily masculine† †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"the state has the capacity to do gender, it generates policies concerned with gender issues† Given these reasons, it can be said t hat only men can benefit, ‘patriarchal dividend’ in the form of money, authority, respect, safety and power, from the world of gender inequalities. Although not all men can receive the benefits of patriarchal world, and not every woman suffers from it either, still the way in which elites men who possess the power in influencing and making decisions in government’s policy tend to focus on dichotomous thinking is mainly in order to sustain the gender order in the way that they want and the way that they can privilege from. Hooper suggested that in defining masculinities â€Å"the academic discipline of IR is not exempt from the general observation that the more men align themselves with hegemonic masculinities, the more they boost their own credibility and perpetuate that hegemony†. And in defending this more valued status, we can see masculine practices work their ways to maintain such position, whether self-consciously or not, as well as to make sure that they meet the threshold of requiring elites’ privileges. Hooper also claimed that â€Å"masculinities are not just domestic cultural variables; both political events and masculine identities are the products of men’s participation in international relations. † Also, â€Å"international relations reflects a world of men in that they influence international affairs through their physical capacities, through practices at the institutional level, and through the symbolic links between masculinity and power. For real supporting example of such argument, I find that many scholars believe that the United States in the post-colonial era had been dominated by politicians, diplomats, and other international players. These were groups of people who had been strongly influenced by European values of hegemonic masculinity. Asserting Hooper once again, â€Å"such institutions still tend to churn out a high proportion of international elites. † In sum, the international arena and men require each other. This is to say that, while international relations needs men to design and work on its structure, most men, especially white elites men, also need the international relations to hold on to and to maintain their status quo. International Politics and its effect on Masculinities The Realism World â€Å"Paradigms such as realism, pluralism and structuralism/globalism are ontologically and ideologically committed to seeing a particular picture of the international, as a result which they are also theoretically and epistemologically constrained. † States are considered to be principal actors in the international relations. Why? To answer this question, one might have to go back to the traditional ideology of realism – which regards states as unitary and rational actor- that has been in the main focus of world politics for quite some time now. Especially in the era of Cold War, foreign policies of both the United States and the Soviet Union led to the institutionalization of masculinity. They fought each other with, besides the arms race, the definitions of masculinity and femininity. However, if we dig deep enough to the core of policy makers and intellectuals that dominated the world, we can see that most of them are men. Thus, as we live in the world that dominated by a masculine’s culture, anything that is relating to the traits of hegemonic masculinity can be seen as in a higher position, superior status to those that associated with feminine. Also, the way in which we mostly concentrate our ideologies after cold war with realism led us to the emphasis on power politics, which finally renders us the reinforcement of masculinities. And, â€Å"for realist, security tied to the military security of the state. Given their pessimistic assumptions about the likely behaviour of states in anarchic international environment, thus war could break out at any time because nothing can prevent it. This rendered states to rely on their own power capabilities to achieve security† . Hence, it can be easily detected that realism is oriented by masculine-linked characteristics. â€Å"Characteristics associated with manliness, such as toughness, courage, power, independence, and even physical strength, have, throughout history, been those most valued in the conducted of politics, particularly international politics† . Cited example from Zalewski and Enloe’s work, â€Å"the current Chinese officials making nuclear policy were all men and they made at least some of their nuclear decision in order to prove to the Russians and the Americas that they too were real men in international politics. † In spite the fact that realism notion can only explain a partial view of reality, still just when we think about the national security, it means that we have already entered into an almost exclusively male domain. Tickner argued that â€Å"in the post-World War II world, this bipolar balance of power became what less sanguine observers termed a balance on terror that rested on the vast array of nuclear weapons possessed by the United States, the unprecedented buildup and maintenance of hugh military arsenals in a time of peace led to a new branch of international relations scholarship known as national security studies. While national security scholars are realists in their basic assumptions and explanations, during the Cold War era they focused almost exclusively in designing a military strategy for the United States with respect to the Soviet Union. As national security specialists have moved between academic and government, American national security policy has rested on the realist prescription of increasing security through preparation for war† . However, the statement that I have just cited is not exaggerate since when we look back into the world history, particularly for the Greeks, the way to achieve status and recognition as an honored man, one needed to participate in war in the form of heroic performance. We can assume from these given facts that realism focus only on men, while oppress women. Tickner gave us clarity that â€Å"The high politics of war and Realpolitik, the traditional Western academic discipline of international relations privileges issues that grow out of men’s experiences; we are socialized into believing that war and power politics are spheres of activity with which men have a special affinity and that their voices in describing and prescribing for this world are therefore likely to be more authentic. † This rendered the pattern of gender discrimination that happens in the world nowadays. To give an insight on this area, I shall point to the work of many well-known realists, namely Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Morgenthau. But first as most international relations student know that the Greek city-state was a community of warriors, and intellectuals and theorists back in those years like Hobbes, he said that people in the state of nature are in international arena. This is to say that, nature is in control of men; thus, it helps legitimate hegemonic masculinity. While for Machiavelli’s â€Å"the Prince†, he highly praised for warrior-prince. Given this fact, many feminists regard warrior-citizenship neither as a negative, unavoidable characterization of human nature, nor a desirable possibility. Rather, they defer it as a revisable, gendered construction of personality and citizenship. Machiavelli also argued that for a person to possess to quantity of manliness, one must have virtu, which literally means manly activity. According to Tickner, â€Å"Machiavelli’s virtu is insight, energetic activity, effectiveness, and the courage: it demands overcoming a man’s self-indulgence and laziness. † On the other hand, he perceived women as fortuna. Or else, it is a feminine power in men themselves against which they must continually struggle to maintain autonomy. For him, â€Å"fortuna is a threat to the masculinity of the citizen-warrior† Furthermore, he always regarded women as weak, fearful, indecisive, and dependent. Also, Tickner claimed that the real test of manly virtue in that era was victory in battle. In Morgenthau’s popular book â€Å"Politics among Nations,† he has constructed his argument almost exclude women. When he claimed about the struggle for power between individuals for dominance, women hardly occupy any claims of such area. Thus, we can assume that when Morgenthau talks about domination, he is referring to men primarily. Having said these, we can presume once again that state continues to derive much of its legitimacy from its security function; especially for national security that citizens are willing to make sacrifices without doubt. Additionally, Connell said that â€Å"while state power is a resource for the struggle for hegemony in gender, hegemonic masculinity is also a resource in the struggle for state power. † And this explains why political parties often choose military heroes or prominent generals as candidates. Tickner proved that â€Å"the president’s dual role as commander in chief reinforces our beliefs that qualities we associate with the manliness are of utmost importance in the selection of our presidents †To understand this logic, we first have to realize that â€Å"soldiering is characterized as a manly activity requiring the masculine traits of physical strength, action, toughness, capacity for violence, and, for officers, resolve, technical know-how, and logical or strategic thinking† and that â€Å"military combat in the pursuit of war is a clear example of how international relations help to shape men †. It is the most complete version of masculinity. Those who went to war and came back had been highly praised for their sacrifice. In this case, the dead were also heroes. Rather, in many cases we can that those men who avoid going to fight in war had been greatly looked down on as soft and feminized. Further we can see that â€Å"war are fought for many reasons; yet, frequently, the rationale for fighting wars is presented in gendered terms such as the necessity of standing up to aggression rather than being pushed around or appearing to be sissy or a wimp. Support for wars is often garnered through the appeal to masculine characteristics †. In the realism world where war is central to the way we learn about the international relations, the vicious cycle and the security dilemma relied greatly on the war, and since war demands manliness, for combat is the ultimate test of masculinity, thus â€Å"war is a gendering activity at a time when the discourse of militarism and masculinity permeates the whole fabric of society †. One of the most interesting examples of to show how international relations and masculinities had interrelationship after reading the work of Hooper is when he claimed that â€Å"Pluralist and liberal perspectives were being feminized by Waltz un order to put them down. Theoretical overcomplication that creates confusion is akin to so-called feminine woolly mindedness, in signifying lack of masculine reason and purposefulness†¦ Such failings contrast neatly with Waltz’s own punchy, curt, and slightly aggressive prose. Given that example, we can infer easily of the direct consequences that international relations use the gender perspectives in upgrading their own point of view. Thus, using this same tactic the United States nowadays in order to fight the war on terror, most of the policymakers in the Capitol Hill, which most of them are men, have been tried to implicate the rhetoric of gender in which they portrayed those who refuse the use of patriot act as being soft, t he characteristic most likely to associated with women. Imperialism and Post-Colonialism Traced back in time we can see that imperial also intervened in domestic life or somehow found the way to link the issue of domination with gender of people in their colonies. For example, one of the greatest works in international relations studies of Edward Said ‘Orientalism’ rendered us the idea of a male perception of the world And Tickner showed that â€Å"colonized people were often described as being effeminate, masculinity was an attribute of the white man, and colonial order depended on Victorian standards of manliness †. Similar to the same tactic using above, sometimes we can see that the imperial countries often portray the countries which they ruled with the picture of female or even children. For example this is how Latin America was perceived by the United States. Thus, â€Å"it is not the action themselves but the gendered interpretations placed on them that are crucial in determining which activities count as masculine and valued and which count as feminine and devalued . † International Political Economy and Gender Division of Labour â€Å"The power of gendered dichotomies and the way in which strategies of masculinization and feminization work to promote inequalities between the sexes can be seen clearly in the gendered division of labor† . Recently political economy has become more and more powerful in its explanatory power. Depicting Japan and Germany, two countries saw as aggressors of World War II, these two countries nowadays have emerged as the economic superpower contrasting to the ideology of realism. Yet, this does not imply that military, power have declined their strengths, rather in many countries still military and arms purchase still prior to other economic budget. True that political economy is another important field of international relations, and it has increased its popularity over time, still, as irony as it may seem, the more global economy has shown its face to the world, the more it shows the cold war imagery of masculinity. â€Å"Post cold-war era in for the United Sates reflected not only a reconfiguration of Anglo-American hegemonic masculinity in conjunction with economic estructuring, workplace changes, and new management styles, but also reflected a more local phenomenon: the Americanization of the City of London and of the culture of international finance †. Even for liberalism that tends to give attention to economy, or liberalism rational economic man, most people still agree that that idea is based heavily on the hegemonic masculinity characteristic s. Be that as it may, this gave birth to the gender or sexual division of labour in which men have dominated the intellectual fields while women have been assigned the domestic tasks necessary for physical survival , especially in the light industries . Enloe said that â€Å"this sexual division of labour has had the effect of further masculinizing national and international politics. For governments to possess heavy industries which most men control is held as proof that a country has graduated. † Also many Marxist feminists believe that capitalism is the source of women’s oppression and lower levels of human capital , radical feminists claim that â€Å"women are oppressed by the system of patriarchy that has existed under almost all modes of production. Patriarchy is institutionalized through legal and economic, as well as social and cultural institutions †. Moreover, â€Å"if capital is being rewarded disproportionately to labour in the world economy, then men are being rewarded disproportionately to women † and that â€Å"women are oppressed in specific ways that are attributable to patriarchy rather than capitalism † Conclusion â€Å"IR symbolically becomes a wholly masculine sphere of war and diplomacy, at the furthest extreme from the domestic sphere of families, women, and reproduction in the private/public/international divides of modernity† . In answering the paper’s question, Hooper said that â€Å"international relations has played an important part in not only reflecting and legitimating specific masculinities, but also in constructing and defining them† . With all the proving examples that I have stated in this paper, I do not think that gender hierarchies that privilege male characteristics and men’s knowledge and experiences, and sustain the kind of attitudes toward women in foreign policy will change any time soon.

Input, Interaction and Sla Essay

When reading the book Essentials for Successful English Language Teaching by Farrell, T. S.C., & Jacobs, G., I am really impressed with chapter 4 Integrated Curricular especially the classroom implications part. It reflects the fact that language teaching should have the connection with other subjects in the curricular as well as learner’s needs and experience in order to motivate and engage students into the learning process. This is a good way to encourage the students to learn English efficiently and independently since teachers should devise ways to help their students apply English into everyday life. As an English teacher, I always inspire my students to the new ways of learning such as dictation running, vocabulary guessing, board hitting, field trip writing, and so on which can give as much help as possible to those who really want to enrich their knowledge through English. By using the term â€Å"enrich their knowledge through English†, I mean that English is not just a mandatory subject that students have to learn structures and vocabularies; it also provides a wide range of findings and knowledge related to different fields. And chapter 4 in the said book indicates just what I need since I applied these ways of teaching to my communication skills classrooms. However, I have some concern regarding the possibility of applying this method to all levels in Vietnam or just English majors and students studying communication skills? When I read the article titled Shifting roles:From language teachers to learning advisors by Brian R. Morrison and Diego Navarro, I change my belief about the role of a teacher in a language classroom. Since I started teaching English, I’ve always believed that a good English teacher is the one who always makes good preparations for lessons before classes and delivers them well in the classroom. By â€Å"deliver them well†, I mean the lessons are interesting and understandable to students. However, recently in the last meeting of a Listening course I’m in charge of, some students asked me whether I could help them with some more reference books for study outside classroom. Although I provided one reference book for this course in the syllabus, when asked this question, I suddenly realized that the number of extra materials I provided was so few that they didn’t help students much at all. Moreover, students also shared their worries about learning other skills such as Reading, Writing and Speaking, which makes me feel that as a teacher I fail to offer what students really need such as learning stralegies,etc. Therefore, after reading the article mentioned above, I think that the role of a teacher as a learning advisor is really important. However, I wonder if the role of a teacher as a learning advisor will replace the role of a teacher as a language teacher completely,or there should be a combination of the two roles of a teacher in a language classroom.

Article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 17

Article review - Essay Example The second recommendation that the article makes contends that math programs for children must shift from focusing on numeracy and begin to explore concepts and ideas, which will develop a more powerful foundation in math (Burghes, 2012). Thirdly, the article recommends that math teachers need to focus more on designing better lesson plans. By studying the Japanese structure of lesson study, in which the math teachers undergo professional development by using their ‘research lessons’ to share their practice (Burghes, 2012). The article contends that this type of professional development successfully changes approaches to teaching since it gets all teachers engaged and on board. In the lesson study, the article proposes that teachers should first come up with an overarching lesson study aim. In addition, they should agree on the objectives for each lesson among themselves, plan a research lesson that satisfies two or more of the objectives, carry out an in-depth review after teaching the lessons, and note action plans that will be disseminated to be used for the next lesson cycle. Finally, the author claims that learning mathematical concepts will only be improved with leadership. The math coordinator mus t be a leader in the initiative to improve teaching and learning of math concepts. The coordinator will take responsibility for supporting and encouraging the rest, discussion and monitoring their progress, and intervening in the presence of uncertainties and problems (Burghes, 2012). The article studies an innovative math program for children that have achieved impressive results in Hungary, which is called the Mathematics Enhancement Program (Burghes, 2012). Most of the lessons learnt from the article are relevant in the US math curriculum. It is non-confrontational and friendly, encouraging teachers to engage pupils in discussion to find solutions to problems in math. The innovative structure enables the lesson plans to support class