To what extent was naval rivalry the main cause of the first World War Essay Example for Free

To what extent was naval rivalry the main cause of the first World War Essay One of the main causes of World War I was the Anglo-German naval race. Britain, as an island empire, always had the navy as one of her top priorities. A key event in Britain’s naval expansion was the 1889 â€Å"Naval Defense Act† that established the two power standard: Britain considered necessary to have a navy that was not only the largest in the world, but also equal to or greater than the sum of the worlds second and third largest navies. On the other side of the channel, also Germany saw naval expansion vital and as the only way to succeed in the acquisition of overseas colony; therefore, the â€Å"official† aim of Germany’s naval expansion was to reinforce their colonial empire, but this expansion was also seen as an obvious response to the British naval plans. This situation exacerbated the relations between the two European power and set basic elements for a naval race. In 1906, the Naval Race took an important turn. Britain launched the ‘HMS Dreadnought’, this new battleship was faster (21 knots), with a bigger range ( 9-12 Km), and powered with ten twelve-inch guns instead of the usual four, it was such an advancement of naval technology that it rendered all existing battleships obsolete. A couple of years later Germany responded to Britain, planning to build four dreadnoughts in a three years time. Britain inevitably had to counterattack Germany’s expansion by announcing the building of eight dreadnoughts instead of three. Consequently the relations between them were obsessed from the building of the navies, and a direct and evident rivalry was created. The results of this frenetic naval rivalry was that by 1914 Germany ,even if Britain’s fleet remained considerably larger , had become the second naval world power; they were both ready for a more than ever imminent war. Although the naval rivalry was one of the main causes of World War I and profoundly contributed to create an aggressive situation between the European nations, there was other long terms causes beside it. One of them was the alliances system that divided Europe in two main faction: on one side the triple alliance, including Germany Austria and Italy, on the other the triple entente, including France Russia and England. These alliances were defined as defensive, but choosing allies obviously also implicate choosing the most likely enemies, therefore this two blocs were ready to fight in case of a war. Another long term cause was the colonial rivalry. In the decades preceding WWI almost all the European nations were involved in the â€Å"Scramble for Africa†. All the nations wanted to demonstrate their strength occupying vast areas of Africa. France was one of the most successful, controlling almost all the West and Centre Africa. Also Germany started an intense colonial expansion and gained a million square miles territory between 1884 and 1899. Britain gained the control of some areas in the south of Africa, in Egypt and on the East and Gold Coast. The colonies were often seen as a source of free raw materials and as the only areas of possible expansion without deeply compromising European balance. Effects of the colonial rivalry can be analyzed in two different ways, on the one hand colonies were a sort of safety valve allowing the European power to keep the contrasts away from their continent; on the other hand this rivalry implemented the tension between the colonists nations, causing aggressive foreign policy. Besides this long term causes there was also the event that formerly caused the outbreak of war: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The heir to the throne was assassinated on 28 June 1914 during a visit to the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The attack was planned from a group of six young Bosnians, even if their first plan to kill Franz Ferdinand failed, Gavrilo Princip, one of them, was able to approach the car and shot the Archduke and his wife. The assassination was the perfect pretext for Austria to start military actions against Serbia, and after gaining Germany’s support Austria-Hungary finally mobilized her troops against Serbia on 25 July. As a reaction Russia mobilized against both Germany and Austria, Germany declared war on France and Britain declared war on Germany for violating Belgium neutrality. In conclusion none of these causes can be defined as the only cause of war. All of them contributed to create hostility between European powers and to create the basis for a World War. The Naval Rivalry was probably a result of the pre existing tensions but certainly increased the hostility between Britain and Germany. Anyway the presence of such a great navy and army do not implicate a war but should be a deterrent since large scale destructions would be inevitable. It’s also true that the possession of a great and expensive navy and army pushes to use and test them. The overwhelming impression is that the long term causes made a conflict inevitable and that the short term causes such as the Balkan and Moroccan crisis just helped to increase the tension; while the Franz Ferdinand’s assassination was just the excuse the nations were looking forward to start the conflict.

Relationship between hypothesized behavior Essay Example for Free

Relationship between hypothesized behavior Essay The aim of the paper was to determine the relationship between hypothesized behavior resulting from a personality test and actual information behavior from a group-based assignment. Traditionally, information seeking behavior is subsumed under a single monolithic theoretical framework. The study seeks to address the empirical categorization of such behavior. About three voluntary groups of ten library and information science students were observed during a project assignment. The NEO-PI-R test was employed to describe and define personality traits of participants. The independent variables are gender and test results. The dependent variable is the so-called ‘differential information-seeking behavior’ (between the populations). The findings are as follows: 1) some personality traits are related to actual information-seeking behavior, 2) gender is not a good determinant of good behavior, and 3) personality traits are also related to the overall context of group activities. 2) Research Design. You want to know more about the social interaction of preschoolers in the playground. Suppose the number of preschoolers (assuming) is 30 and above, then we can conduct a statistical test. The independent variable is ‘time spent playing with other preschoolers’- X- (assuming that we expand the playing time of the children). The dependent variable is ‘personal acceptability’ – Y (the degree in which a child receives positively other children). If we observe that an increase in X is accompanied by an increase in Y, then we can assume that the two are correlated. In short, as the amount of time spent playing with other preschoolers is increased, the degree of personal acceptability increases. 3) A correlation value of 0. 89 means that there exists a very strong positive linear relationship between the two variables. In short, the amount of time (in hours) spent in studying is positively related to exam scores. A student who spends more time studying will likely to receive high exam scores. 4) The researchers subjected ‘Albert’ to intense psychological conditions without his consent. The researchers were also indifferent to the consequences of the experiment (which turned out bad for the child). These two instances merit as ethical faults in the study. 5) Neurotransmitters are chemicals which allow the transmission of signals from one neuron to the next across synapses. Neurotransmitters, in a sense, activate receptors of the nervous system. Hormones are also signal chemicals but with different purpose. They are chemicals that transport signal from one cell to another, altering body metabolism (which neurotransmitters cannot do).

Enhancing Teaching and Learning Practices in Malaysia

Enhancing Teaching and Learning Practices in Malaysia Education is one of the main fundamentals in building up a nation. In Malaysia, education has always been the top priority of the government. About a quarter of the government 5 years budget is allocated to the ministry of education to maintain good education system in this country. The vision of the government is to make Malaysia a centre of educational excellence. There are three levels of education in Malaysia which are the primary education a period of six years, that is, from Standard One to Standard Six; secondary education five years, that is, from Form One to Form Five; and the tertiary level of education. Upon completion of secondary education, eligible students can opt to pursue two years of post-secondary education, Form Six. This is the university entrance preparatory course. The pre-tertiary education (pre-school to post-secondary education) is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE) while tertiary or higher education is the responsibility of the Mini stry of Higher Education (MOHE).  [1]   Education is a priority of the Federal Government of Malaysia and it is committed to provide quality education to all. Most of the Five-Year Malaysian Plans have placed great importance on education, training and lifelong learning. In line with greater focus on human development, an average of about twenty-one percent of the total budget allocation has been allocated for the expenditure of education and training development. The national philosophy of education states that Education in Malaysia is an ongoing effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. It is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, possess high moral standards, and are responsible and capable of achieving a high level of personal well-being as well as to contribute to the betterment of the family, society and nation at large.  [2]   In order to support Vision 2020 the education system is transforming which entail changing the culture and practices of Malaysias primary and secondary schools, moving away from memory-based learning to an education that stimulates thinking, creativity, caters to individual abilities and learning styles, and based on a more equitable access. At the same time, Malaysia is initiating many approaches in order to keep up with the changing world and current needs which will generate a well-structured development of higher education. The government has also clearly outlined the strategic thrusts in the National Higher Education Strategic Plan to make Malaysia an international centre of educational excellence by 2020.  [3]   MALAYSIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM Education is the responsibility of the Federal Government. Malaysias national education system is divided into pre-tertiary and tertiary education. There are two governing authorities for the education sector. Pre-tertiary education, that is, from pre-school to secondary education, is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE) while tertiary education or higher education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). Under the national education system, a child begins his/her education with pre-school education at the age of four and will be admitted into the first year of the six years compulsory primary education when the child reaches the age of six on the first day of January of the current school year. The government provides eleven years of free primary and secondary education. Most schools in the country are government or government-aided schools and a number of private schools. The school starts in January and ends in November. Students sit f or common public examinations at the end of primary, lower secondary, supper secondary and sixth form levels.  [4]   Pre-school Education. Pre-school education is part of the National Education System under the Education Act, 1996. The aim of pre-school education is to provide a firm foundation for formal education. Pre-schools are run by government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as private institutions. The major government agencies that are responsible for pre-school education are the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ministry of Rural Development, and the Ministry of National Unity and Community Development. Children enroll between the ages of four and six and all pre-schools have to abide the curriculum guidelines set by the Ministry of Education. The curriculum enables pre-school children to acquire sufficient basin communication, social and other positive skills in preparation for primary schooling. The learning components include language and communication, physical development, cognitive development, moral and spiritual growth, socio-emotional development, aesthetic and creativity. Primary Education. Primary education is divided into two phases phase 1: Year 1-3 and phase 2: Year 4-6. Education at this level aims to provide the child with a firm foundation in the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as emphasizing thinking skills and values across the curriculum. While education at this level is not compulsory, more than ninety-nine percent of this age-group are enrolled in primary schools throughout the country. There are two types of schools at the primary level the National Schools and the National-Type Schools. In the National Schools the medium of instruction is the Malay language which is the national language. The medium of instruction in the National-Type Schools is either Chinese language or Tamil language. in both types of schools, the Malay language is a compulsory subject. English is compulsory and is taught as a second language in all schools. Chinese, Tamil and indigenous languages are also offered as subjects in national sch ools.  [5]   Secondary Education. Secondary education is basically an extension of primary level education. Education at this level is general in nature and is divided into lower and upper secondary level, and a special year transition program known as Remove Class for pupils from the National-Type Chinese and Tamil Primary Schools.  [6]   Remove Class. Remove Class is a transition year for pupils from the Chinese and Tamil medium schools to acquire sufficient proficiency in the national language to enable them to learn through this medium the following year. However, pupils who have performed well in the Primary Assessment Test (UPSR Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah) at the end of Year 6, are allowed to proceed directly to Form 1. Lower Secondary Level (Form 1-Form 3). This level covers a period of three years. Education at this level is general in nature. All subjects are core subjects and compulsory for all. Chinese, language, Tamil language and Arabic language (Communication) are offered as additional subjects. Upon completion, pupils sit for a common examination, that is, the Lower Secondary Assessment (PMR Penilaian Menengah Rendah). Upper Secondary (Form 4-5). Education at this level covers a period of two years. Besides following the general education program, students begin to specialize in the science, arts, technical, vocational and religious discipline. Specific schools are designated for each discipline. These schools are academic schools, technical schools, vocational schools and religious schools. Upon completion, students sit for the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examination. Secondary Technical Schools. Secondary technical education is aimed at producing an adequate pool of qualified students who excel in mathematics and science, as well as in basic engineering subjects. Students in secondary technical schools follow the same core subjects of upper secondary school curriculum and choose science and technical subjects as electives. Admission to these schools is through application based on the PMR results, and only students with strong background in Mathematics and Science are selected. Students from these schools are expected to continue their studies in science and technology-related courses at the higher levels as well as in advanced skills. Secondary Vocational Schools. These schools provide courses in pre-employment skills as well as general education. Courses are offered in two streams vocational education stream and skills education stream. In the former, emphasis is given to general and technical subjects in order to provide students with a good foundation for admission into polytechnics or other higher institutions. In the skills stream emphasis is given to practical work to develop competency in trade skills required by related industries. Students are prepared for the National Vocational Training Certificate. Upon completion of eleven years of free education, further education is no longer automatic but is subject to the individuals academic performance and financial stability. These upper secondary school graduates, that is, Form Five leavers, can opt to continue their education in post-secondary schools to obtain a pre-university qualification such as the Sixth Form or Matriculation program or GCE ALevel, or further their education at tertiary or higher institutions. Higher education includes certificate, diploma, undergraduates as well as postgraduate studies. Undergraduate studies consist of Bachelors degree levels and professional studies while postgraduate studies consist of Masters degrees and PhD levels. Generally, higher education at the diploma level is for secondary school certificate holders, that is, Form Five (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or SPM) from the age of seventeen onwards. The Bachelors degree is for students from the age of nineteen onwards with post-secondary qualifica tions such Form Six (STPM Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia), which is equivalent to the GCE ALevel, or pre-university qualifications.  [7]   MALAYSIAN SCHOOL CURRICULUM The role of the school curriculum is to ensure the holistic development of the individuals potential, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically. The curriculum is to bring faster the Malaysian citizen who is balanced and well-rounded individual, trained, skillful and cherishes the national aspiration for unity. The Malaysian school curriculum has been reframed and realigned to present and future needs. Besides that, rapid developments in technology, new theories of learning and developments within Malaysia itself necessitated the systematic curriculum. The basis of the curriculum took into considerations four main aspects national development, individual development, learning theories, and the national philosophy of education.  [8]   The basic theoretical principle in the planning and design of the Malaysian curriculum is the integrated approach. Infusion of specific aspects of education such as moral values, patriotism, science and technology, language, environmental education, study skills, creative and critical thinking, and road safety across the subject disciplines is a basic feature in the Malaysian curriculum. Such an infusion is made with the purpose of consolidating these aspects which may already be in the school subjects but needs further emphasis. Patriotism, for example, is already discussed in History and Local Studies but because of its importance, the national curriculum requires that it be taught across other subjects. Others such as environmental education are taught across the curriculum because it cannot be accorded the status of subject due to constraints of time, facilities and the like. The technical, vocational and skills training offered in secondary technical and secondary vocational schools provide students with practical training and employability skills. Besides that, the use of technology as an enabler to facilitate teaching and learning activities have made learning interesting, motivating, stimulating, meaningful and develop skills that will prepare students to face greater challenges.  [9]   Pre-school Curriculum. The pre-school curriculum focuses on the whole-child development. The curriculum emphasizes on socialization process, the development of personality and the preparation of children to enter primary school. The components in the curriculum include language and communication, cognitive development, socio-emotional development, spiritual development, physical development and aesthetic and creativity. Primary School Curriculum. The Integrated Curriculum for Primary School (ICPS) is divided into two phases phase 1 for Year 1-3 and phase 2 for Year 4-6. The ICPS emphasizes the mastery, reinforcement and application of 3Rs, acquisition of complex skills and knowledge, pre-vocational skill, and the development of personality, attitudes and values. The ICPS consists of three areas, mainly communication, man and his environment, and self development. These areas are further divide into six components basic skills, humanities, art and recreation, living skills, communication, spiritually, values and attitudes. Secondary School Curriculum. The emphasis of Integrated Curriculum for Secondary School (ICCS) is on general education, the consolidation of skills acquired in primary school, the development of attitudes, values, personality, and interests as well as specialization for higher education and career options. CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION In the twenty-first century, education in Malaysia will face significant challenge as it is in this century that the country is set to become industrialized. It is imperative therefore to understand what it is that needs to be given attention for the education system to prepare adequately for the century: Shift to K-economy. Knowledge has to be the basic form of capital in the twenty-first century to position Malaysia for industrialization. The education system must yield knowledge workers to push Malaysia into the K-economy. Knowledge workers are essential for the country to make investments in technology which will contribute to sustainable growth. Malaysian education must enhance knowledge and technology in every facet of its education system.  [10]   Improving Education Qualities. Given all the qualitative achievements at all levels of education with continuous growth of enrolment rates, Malaysian education has to shift to the dominance of qualitative target. Several factors have to be considered for determining educational quality. The areas of content and delivery that directly affect teaching and learning must be given emphasis. There have to be innovations within the approach for both the content and delivery at all levels of education. To ensure effective delivery, teacher professionalism has to be addressed to induce greater professionalism among school teachers. Recruitments, training and school restructuring should be the primary target areas for introducing professionalism among teachers.  [11]   Narrowing the Digital Divide. The equity issue in education should aim for providing equal access to education. The focus of democratization of the education in the twenty-first century will be in terms of providing equity in education with emphasis on knowledge and technology between rural and urban school population. Malaysian education has to achieve increase participation and improved performance in science and technology especially among the school population. Apart from providing the necessary infrastructure, science and technology have to be aggressively promoted to harness interest among students.  [12]   Redifining the Role of the Private Sector. The role of the private sector is vital particularly at the higher level of education. It releases some of the heavy financing load off the government, reduces the capacity constraints of the public institutions, and provide innovation and competition. Nonetheless, profit and commercial motivations have developed a number of problems. These problems if not address adequately will effect the quality of higher education in the country. One broad question that should be addressed is what should be the role of private higher education should they be complementary, supplementary or both.  [13]   Teaching Methodology. Two shortcoming are identified in the current practice: (i) lecture-based instruction students tend to become passive recipients of knowledge and resort to rote learning; (ii) teacher-centered students tend to rely on their teachers to decide what, when, and how to learn. This worked relatively well but it is not clear that students are learning at higher, conceptual level of thinking.  [14]   PROPOSED ENHANCEMENTS Several factors ought to facilitate the enhancements of the Malaysian education system, especially the national curriculum such as the introduction of new subjects and programs in schools. The facilitating factors include findings of research and studies, public opinions, world trends, social and economic needs and political pressures. In addition, they are to be facilitated further with the existence of the following supporting factors at varying degrees: The governments continued efforts to expand and improve education and training through increase in the budget for education. The experience over the years of the nations education policy in enhancing quality and access to education to meet the needs of rapid development of the nation. Availability of basic infrastructure and training, that is, in-service teacher training, seminars, forums and workshops to familiarize teachers with the curriculum and to upgrade teachers efficiency. Continuous training received by ministry officers both locally and overseas covering a wide range of topics which helps the officers to gain more knowledge and experience in planning and implementing curriculum reform initiatives. Public awareness and support to carry out educational reforms to fulfill the needs of cultural, social and economic development. Efforts by both the government and private sectors to intensify the acquisition and application of information and communication technologies in all fields of life as a result of globalization and modernisation. The strong commitment and awareness among parents of the importance of education in producing educated, knowledgeable and skillful Malaysians who are prudent, creative and innovative. In the learning process, to develop inter-personal and small-group skills teachers must provide opportunities for group members to know each other, support and accept each other, communicate accurately and confidently, and resolve differences constructively. Promotive interactions individual can achieve promotive interaction by helping each other, exchanging resources, challenging each others conclusion, provide feedback, encouraging and striving for mutual benefits. Individual accountability teachers should assess the amount of effort that each member is contributing. These can be done by giving an individual test to each student and randomly calling students to present their groups work. Group processing teachers should provide opportunities for the class to assess group progress. This would enable group to focus on good working relationship, facilitate cooperation in learning and ensure members get feedback.  [15]   The curriculum must be so designed and randomly monitored to help students achieve overall and balance development and improvement. Appropriate mix of learning strategies to ensure mastery of basic competencies and promotion of holistic development. More emphasis should be given on students understanding of a particular concept, guiding students in active learning, providing opportunities for discussion and elaboration, and encouraging them to work with peers and teachers. Encourage and support collaborative effort with students from other schools or even from other countries. The curriculum and teaching methodology must cater to students different capabilities, for example, their learning styles and levels of intelligence. Allow students to practice self-paced, self-accessed and self-directed learning which can be facilitated via the use of technology.  [16]   CONCLUSION The environment and socialisation process to which students are exposed remain as important factors contributing to academic success and character building. The Malaysian educational system, at pre-school, primary and tertiary levels have consistently emphasised on the importance of nurturing, among others, moral values and ethics among students. Thus, the quality of education that teachers provide to students is highly dependent upon what teachers do in the classroom. Teachers should have the knowledge on how students learn and how best to teach. In addition, contemporary learning and teaching methodology should be in line with the technologies of tomorrow where technologies and communications infrastructure are paving the way for a more sophisticated ICT-enabled teaching and learning environment. Indeed, with the advent of globalisation and modernisation, the education curriculum in Malaysia for sustainable development in the new century, call for a total commitments from all Malaysians, with a sense of urgency in the face of increasing competition. The Malaysian policy framework recognises that education development plays an ever important role in building a sustainable, resilient and competitive society. Interestingly, the global education scenario has similar development strategies, namely, by providing wider accessibilities, ensuring quality education, continuous strategic education reforms so that the respective countries can compete as global education providers. In fact, education has already evolved into a big economic entity for some countries. Malaysia ought to be ready to face these challenges in the field of education, both internally and externally, with the advent of globalisation, trade liberalisation, and the development of ICT in this new century.

Essay --

Chapter 11 How does Atticus advise Jem to react to Mrs. Dubose’s taunts? Atticus says to Jem, â€Å"You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it’s your job not to let her make you mad.† (pg 111) What does Mrs. Dubose say about the children’s mother? How does Jem feel about this? Mrs. Dubose said that, â€Å"†¦ it was heartbreaking the way Atticus Finch let her (their mother’s) children run wild.† (pg 111) Jem obviously didn’t like this and the novel describes his expression as â€Å"livid†. What request does Mrs. Dubose make of Jem? Is this a fair punishment for his ‘crime’? Mrs. Dubose asks that Jem reads to her every day for a month. I think this is a fair punishment because he ruined some of her joy- he should do something to make up for it. Explain in your own words what Atticus thinks of insults like ‘nigger-lover’. How far do you agree with him? Atticus thinks that the name has no meaning. He thinks he shouldn’t take it as an insult because it’s simply a derogatory description of what he really is. I do agree with him, but it’s still insulting, even if it’s true. Why, in Atticus’ view, was Mrs. Dubose a ‘great lady’? Atticus thinks that Mrs. Dubose was a ‘great lady’ because she didn’t mindlessly accept the views of others and had her own opinions- even if they didn’t correspond with his own. Atticus says that Mrs. Dubose is a model of real courage rather than ‘a man with a gun in his hand’. What does he mean? Do you think he’s right? Mrs. Dubose was a ‘model of real courage’ because she confronted her problems herself and didn’t hide behind anyone else. I think he’s right because she definitely got over her morphine addiction and didn’t complain. Chapters ten and eleven are the last two ... ... verdict to be? Does Atticus think the same? Jem expects that Tom Robinson will be declared ‘innocent’, but Atticus doesn’t want to be too optimistic. What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict? Is the verdict predictable or not? It unusual that it takes the jury so long to reach a verdict because normally the black person would have been immediately announced guilty. Because of Atticus’ convincing case, it was taking them much longer to decide, and the verdict was quite unpredictable. As Scout waits for the verdict, she thinks of earlier events. What are these and how do they remind us of the novel’s central themes? While Scout waits, she remembers what Jem had told her about the power of human concentration, which can suggest how she and many of the other characters in this novel have the power to change what happens, even slightly.

The Kohen Gene :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Kohen Gene In a world where Jews have assimilated so much into other cultures, is it possible to trace the lineage of an elite group of Jewish men all the way back to a man who lived three-thousand and five-hundred years ago? According to Karl Skorecki, a scientist at the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, and Michael Hammer, a geneticist from the University of Arizona at Tuscan, the possibility is alive (1). In Jewish tradition, as written in the Hebrew Bible, the Children of Israel were split into three groups. The Kohanim (the singular is simply Kohen) were the priests. The first Kohen was Moses' brother, Aaron, and all Kohanim since then are said to be descendants of Aaron. The second group was the Levis, of which Moses himself was a part of, and the third group was compiled of the remaining eleven tribes (of which ten have said to be "lost"), simply called the Israelites. Since the Kohanim were the priests among the Jewish people, their duties were the holiest and most important. They were in charge of the sacrifices brought to the Temple, and thus had the most intimate relationship with God, aside from the prophets such as Moses. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E., and thus the secession of sacrificial offerings, the role of the priests became ceremonial. However, despite the fact that their strict duties do not apply today, all Kohanim, according to Jewish tradition, must still obey many commandments that pertain directly to them. The hope is that one day, a new Temple will be built, and their service will be required once again (1). According to Jewish tradition, the role of each individual (Kohen, Levi, or Israelite) is passed down patrilineally from father to son. In traditional and orthodox Judaism, a woman is known as "the daughter of a Levi" (if her father is a Levi) until she marries, and then she is "the wife of a Levi." So, the concept of a "kohen gene" can only pertain to Jewish men who have not converted into the faith (1). A gene is a sequence of DNA that is used by cells to create protein. It has all of the information needed to make a protein. It knows when to make these protein and where to begin and end. The functions of a cell are then carried out by the proteins.

Effects of Divorce on Children Essay -- Divorce Marriage Psychology Es

The Effects of Divorce on Children The statistics for divorce in the 1990's suggest that nearly sixty percent of marriages end in divorce. Given this startling figure, the presumption can be made that many children will experience some effects caused by the life-changing event called divorce. What is it exactly about divorce that causes negative consequences for these children? In what ways will these children be affected? Will these effects show outwardly? The unsettling fact is: young children of divorced parents face great psychological challenges due to the environmental conditions and changes associated with divorce (Wolchik and Karoly 45). When we pass the year 2000, we will see two groups of working age adults emerging. One group will have received psychological, social, economic, educational and moral benefits and the other group will have been denied them all. The first group will have grown up with both parents present in the house and the second group will have not had both parents present. Parental conflict appears to have a pronounced effect on the coping efforts of children. The intense anxiety and anger between some parents in the early stages of divorce is real. Often times parents allow their children to get in the middle of fierce verbal fighting between them. Berating the other parent in front of the child is another way of placing the child in an unfair position, which in essence is expecting the child to choose between the parents. Any form of parental conflict, no matter to what degree, lends to a difficult adjustment period for children involved. (Jekielek 1-3). The deterioration in parent-child relationships after divorce is another leading cause in psychological problems for children. With a divorce comes a parenting plan of some kind. A child may experience shared custody between both parents or custody by one parent with visitation by the other parent. Variations of these plans can be included or added at different times in the child's life depending on special circumstances. More often than not, the mother is awarded custody of the children. The absence of the father on a full time level is detrimental to the healthy development of the children. In the case that the father is awarded custody of the children, the opposite applies as well. Studies have shown that a decay in custodial parent-child relationships may freque... ...e to try and take the place of my Dad. But sometimes when she's dating one man a lot and he's nice to me, I can't help wishing he was my Dad. I told her that if she did ever want a husband, I have a list of choices and it would be nice if she could pick someone who could help me play with my computer. I wouldn't mind if my Dad got remarried because maybe they'd have another kid and to tell you the truth I would really like to have a younger brother. But I wouldn't want my Mom to have a baby because it would live with us and then I'd have to share all my stuff. Still, what I really really want, deep down, is that my Dad doesn't get remarried and my Mom doesn't, either. What I'm just hoping and hoping more than anything is that they'll get back together again" Works Cited Diamond, Susan. Helping Children of Divorce. Furstenberg, Frank F. "Children and family change: Discourse between social scientists and the media." Jekielek, Susan M. "Parental conflict, marital disruption and children's emotional well-being." Krementz, Jill. "How It Feels When Parents Divorce." Wolchik, Sharlene A., and Paul Karoly "Children of Divorce Empirical Perspectives on Adjustment."

Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution

Name: Date: Save Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution Student Worksheet 1. Access the Smog City 2 web site at www. smogcity2. org. 2. Select â€Å"Save Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution. † 3. Once Smog City 2 loads to your computer, take note of the areas of Smog City, including Weather Conditions, Emissions Levels and Population. All areas have â€Å"clickable† choices. Mouse-over or click on the choices. †¢ NOTE: in the information box at the bottom of the screen, there is information about each choice. 4. Notice how each of the choices are pre-set to a certain level. These are called the default settings. You can use the reset button at any time to return to the default settings. In the chart below, circle or highlight the default setting for each choice. The first setting, Sunlight, has already been completed for you. Weather ConditionsChoices Included in the Area: Sunlight : Inversion Layer: Wind Speed: Maximum Daily Temperature: Clear -Partly Cloudy – Cloudy No inversion – Low inversion – High inversion Calm – Light Breeze – Breezy – Windy 30? F – 40 ? F – 50? F – 80? F – 90? F – 100 ? F – 110 ? F EmissionChoices Included in the Area: Energy Sources – Cars and Trucks – Off Road Vehicles – Consumer Products- Industry – Some energy sources produce more smog-producing emissions than others. (level 1 is cleaner sources like a wind or solar technology, level 3 produces more smog like a coal-fired power plant) Levels: 1 2 3 This includes Passenger vehicles (all sizes), large and medium trucks, motorcycles Levels: 1 2 3 4 5 This includes airplanes, trains, power boats, earth movers, tractors, harvesters, forklifts, bulldozers, backhoes Levels: 1 2 3 4 5 This includes paint thinner, charcoal lighter fluid, glue or other adhesives, gasoline Levels: 1 2 3 4 5 This includes manufacturing facilities, power plants, oil refineries/storage/distribution centers, food and agricultural processing Levels: 1 2 3 4 5 Area Name:Choices Included in the Area: Population – Population in Smog City 2 affects air quality. Changing population, as shown by the â€Å"total emissions† chart and the emission sources n the cityscape, affects VOCs, NOx and SO2. The compounds react to form ground-level ozone and particle pollution. When temperatures are cool, changing population also changes the usage of wood-burning stoves, which emit particle pollutionIn Smog City 2, you can increase the population from near-zero to about two million people. Levels: 1 2 3 4 5 5. Observe the AQI (Air Quality Index) box inside the bla ck box. The default settings, which are circled above, result in a â€Å"red†, or â€Å"Unhealthy† AQI for particle pollution. The health message is: â€Å"Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. † Scenario 1: Emission Sources 1. Minimize the â€Å"Save Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution! † instructions at the top of the screen. 2. Turn only Cars and Trucks control to 1. Leave all other choices at the default settings. Record what happens on the Student Worksheet in the table below. Uses the reset button to return the Cars and Trucks control to 3, so all controls are in default position. . Turn only Off Road down to 1. Leave all other settings alone. Record what happens on the Student Worksheet. Use the reset button to return the Off Road control to the middle setting, so all controls are in default position. Student Worksheet Energy SourcesCars &TrucksOff RoadConsumer ProductsIndustryAir Quality Index (AQI) ColorMessageValue DefaultRedU nhealthy157 21333YellowModerate80 23133RedUnhealthy158 4. Using the worksheet below, adjust each of the remaining controls noted in red and record the result in the worksheet. Student Worksheet Energy SourcesCars &TrucksOff RoadConsumer ProductsIndustryAir Quality Index (AQI) ColorMessageValue 23313RedUnhealthy175 23331RedUnhealthy152 13333Red Unhealthy173 5. Move all Emission controls to level 1. What is the AQI? Why? The AQI is green and healthy. The emissions are the main reason for the poor air quality. 6. Using the reset button, return all Emission controls to the middle setting and turn the Population control to level 1. What is the AQI? Why? (Hint: Read â€Å"WHAT IS THIS† in the information box) The AQI is green again. The reason for this is because when there are less people, there are less emissions as well as less particle pollutions from wood burning fireplaces (when the weather drops below 50 degrees. ) Scenario 2: Weather 1. Using the reset button, return all Emission and Population controls to the middle setting. What is the AQI level? Unhealthy for sensitive groups is the AQI when emissions and population controls are in the middle. 2. Set the Temperature to 80 degrees F. Check the black sign in the cityscape for the temperature. How does this affect particle pollution? Why? Heat increases the chemical conversion of emissions to ozone and particle pollution. 3. Move the Inversion control to low-altitude (the far right). How does this affect particle pollution levels? Why? Temperature inversions create a warm layer of air above the ground-level ozone that traps pollution. The lower the altitude, the closer to the ground the lid traps the pollution. Questions Based on all the data collected, answer the following questions 1. Was there any one variable that seemed to have a greater increase in particle pollution than others tested? Which one? Population made the most impact in either direction quicker than any other factor. 2. What steps could be taken to control emissions levels? Choose energy sources that are not produced with fossil fuels, telecommute (shop online) instead of taking trips to the mall, recycle, etc. 3. Can you think of ways to reduce particle pollution levels? Keep fire burning to a minimum or use a gas burning fireplace instead, ride a bike, take public transportation, walk, keep â€Å"off road† trips to a minimum, avoid revving engines for longer than 30 seconds when driving, etc.