The Pros And Cons Of Homeschooling - 1331 Words

Page 1 of 3 ZOOM Badr AlmutawaProfessor SpollenEnglish I24 July 2017Homeschooling: A Reasonable AlternativeHomeschooling is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to other forms of schooling such as at public or private schools. homeschooling does seem to gain opponents from time to time and they might have good points. However, this movement has rendered satisfactory results and should continue to be legal and should be respected and aided by educators and the legal system. Home schooling produces students that are learning as much or even more than other students, and are well socialized and stable, who can get a college education and who are better citizens than those who graduate from other†¦show more content†¦Another homeschooler won a $50,000 scholarship and an Intel Foundation Young Scientists award. Third, the Scripps National Spelling Bee winner won it for the fourth time and was a homeschooled student (Green and Green 25). They have also à ¢Ã‚â‚ ¬Ã‚€between 2000 and 2005 improved their record with the National Merit Scholarships. They went from 137 semifinalists to 250 semifinalistsà ¢Ã‚€Â€(Lyman 11). These accomplishments added to the fact that they do just as well or better than public school students support the idea that they are not being denied a good education. Minority groups such as African Americans are benefiting from the homeschool movement. There is a significant increase in homeschooling among this group because there is a gap in achievement between blacks and whites. In traditional schools,blacks are doing very poorly and the parents are trying to find alternatives and so far, home schooling is become their workablealternative (GaitherFurther, to add to their successes, they are getting a good enough education that they are admitted to colleges and universities (Drenovsky 24). They are being admitted to colleges and claim that they can speak and write clearly and they can also th ink critically (Drenovsky 23). Once in college, they do well and have high grade point averages (Greene and Greene 25). For example, when homeschooled studentsShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of Homeschooling1383 Words   |  6 PagesHomeschooling is a phenomenon that has been there for a long time where parents pass knowledge and skills learned from a long times experience to the younger generations. This practice equipped the younger generations with skills that they would use in their lives guaranteeing their success in life. Since the time that this method began, many things have changed in different aspects involving education and social setting as well. It is a time that the homeschooling practice is re-evaluated sitingRead MorePros And Cons Of Homeschooling1126 Words   |  5 Pagesother kid from public school, they could all do well if they studied hard enough and put in the work. Isabel also stated â€Å"Homeschooling is becoming more popular every day, with a growth rate of 7 to 15 percent per year. There are about two million children currently learning at home† Also said by a research by National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) in 2010, homeschooling is growing at a rate of 2-8% every year making it the fastest among different forms of education. This may seem like aRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Homeschooling1182 Words   |  5 PagesHomeschooling has long been an alternate method for parents to educate their children. Homeschooling is a method where a child is being schooled at home by their parents, relatives or private tutors to educate their children from pre-k to 12th grade. Basically their whole childhood to their early adulthood. Homeschooling should be avoided by parents because it can cause their children to have a difficult time integrating into society because they have extremely limited interaction with their ownRead More Homeschooling Pros and Cons Essay1009 Words   |  5 PagesHomeschooling Pros and Cons Homeschooling is a rising alternative in children’s education. As with any other major movement there have been doubts and debates as well as support and promotion for this educational approach. Homeschooling was once the norm in society before there was a public school system. But the parents involved in homeschooling feel very strongly about the positive outcomes that it has brought about in the lives and success of their children. It has once again surfaced and becomeRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Homeschooling1022 Words   |  5 PagesWhile homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, federal courts have not settled the issue of whether homeschooling should be considered a fundamental right. This means that in the future, an anti-homeschooling state legislature could take away the ability to homeschool. To protect itself against efforts to suppress the homeschooling movement, Raley suggests that the homeschooling movement seeks to have homeschooling recognized as a fundamental right under the Fourteenth Amendment. If homeschoolingRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Homeschoolg And Homeschooling773 Words   |  4 Pagesfor success and improvement. Two controversial forms of education are public schooling and homeschooling. Though public schooling is beneficial, homeschooling has proven itself to be better in almost every area, including productivity, socialization, testing, cost, and flexibility. While in public school students are required to stay for countless hours, having no say in the curriculum. In homeschooling students have a flexible schedule; they can spend as much time as they want on subjects. Read MoreHomeschooling in the United States: Types, Pros and Cons Essay1988 Words   |  8 PagesIs Homeschooling A Good Educational System? Once a parent has child that is old enough to start school, the parent has to think about if they want to enroll their child in public school or homeschool them. Today, many parents are homeschooling their children. A U.S. Department of Education’s report shows that approximately 1.5 million children were being homeschooled in 2007 (Lips amp; Feinberg, 2008). This is almost 3 percent of all school age children (Lips amp; Feinberg, 2008). A privateRead MoreEssay On Homeschooling907 Words   |  4 PagesHomeschooling Many families are taking their children out of public and private school’s classroom to move the classroom to their homes. In both articles, the parents have different reasons for why they are choosing to homeschool instead of keeping their children in public or private schools. Homeschooling is not for everyone and cannot be taken lightly. There are many different reasons why families would rather homeschool instead of sending their children to public schools. According to parentsRead MoreWhy I Homeschool : The Answers Change Almost As Fast As My Kids1084 Words   |  5 Pagesor so she thought. Amy Thornton–Kelly explains the many reasons why homeschooling is the best decision she has made. First, she explains that once her husband and her considered homeschooling â€Å"the floodgates opened† to the many benefits of homeschooling. It alleviates stress, allows her kids to learn in a healthier environment and allows her to teach her kids in a more profound way. Second, Thornton-Kelly states that homeschooling allows her kids to better master subjects, unlike in public schoolsRead MoreThe Effects Of Homeschooling On Children And Public Schools895 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: Homeschooling is becoming much more common now than it was years ago. Parents are now preferring to homeschool their children over public school due to many reasons such as religion, safety, academic quality travel, family togetherness, separation of government and school, mastery over grades, expenses, and focusing on learning plans made for the student. Public schools are institutions, which are funded by tax revenues from the government. Schools have boundaries to then figure

Wilma Mankiller - 2536 Words

Wilma Mankiller was born November 18, 1945 in Oklahoma but later relocated due to the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Indian Relocation Program of the 1950’s. Because the relocation program failed to keep promises it made to Native Americans, Wilma became an activist fighting for the rights of Native Americans (Wallis). Wilma Mankiller was the first female elected Deputy Chief and later became the first female in modern history to lead a major Native American tribe by becoming the first Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma in 1987. With an enrolled population of over 140,000 members and an annual budget of more than $75 million, her accomplishment is equal to that of a chief executive office of a major corporation (Yannuzzie).†¦show more content†¦Across cultures and throughout history, women have experienced ongoing systemic oppression; and they have responded with progressive movements of protest and creative alternatives. Harriet Tubman in the fight against slavery: Fannie Lou Hamer for voting rights: Ella Baker and Mary White Ovington in the civil rights movement: Rosa Luxemburg in the German socialist movement: Winnie Mandela in the anti-apartheid movement: Puerto Rican independence leader and poet Lolita Lebron: and American Indian movement activists Anna Mae Aquash, Ingrid Washinawatok, and Winona LaDuke (Mink and Navarro). Women have pioneered in movements for labor rights, prison reform, reproductive rights and health, education, affordable housing, affirmative action and equal rights, human rights, and environmental safety. These women’s leadership styles span a range from soft to harsh, from wielding individual, hierarchical power to possessing a commitment to collectivism, and from identifying as â€Å"woman as caretaker of life† to woman as requiring and utilizing equal power to man. There is no one characteristic that applies to all women as social change leaders (Hurtado). In the United States and the majority of other countries, a woman has never been president: men still dominate the economy. These factual sociological, economic and political conditions have a direct impact on what projects women organize and lead. There are those who are known publicly, who have written,Show MoreRelatedThe Influence Of Social Change On My Life1721 Words   |  7 Pages When looking on the outside Wilma Mankiller and I seem to be nothing but a blur of different skin color, struggles, and livelihoods. Once you put on the sociological glasses though, the picture begins to clear and we seem more alike than when you were blind. You begin to sharpen in on our similarities of social changes, gender problems and how the world perceives us, and our out-of-the-home identities we struggle to hold. Through multiple sociological concepts a chief and a student are able to seemRead MoreEssay about Analysis Gender Equality and Gender Discrimination913 Words   |  4 Pages(Rousseau) â€Å"Nontraditional Jobs† Wilma Mankiller, Gwendolyn Mink, Marysa Navarro, Barbara Smith, and Gloria Steinem, eds. THE READERS COMPANION TO U.S. WOMENS HISTORY Dec. 1, 1998, n.p. http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S4450859-0-2858artno=0000264516type=ARTshfilter=Ukey=Gender%20roletitle=Nontraditional%20Jobsres=Yren=Ngov=Nlnk=Nic=N/ â€Å"Emile† Jean-Jacques Rousseau http://facstaff.uww.edu/johnsons/Rousseau.htm â€Å"Moral Reform† Wilma Mankiller, Gwendolyn Mink, Marysa NavarroRead MoreWhat Does Character Look Like?810 Words   |  4 Pagesthe desired look; consequently, ‘chemists, perfumers, beauty salons, drug stores†¦ and department store – began to establish a profit-making infrastructure for new notions of beauty† with a â€Å"dominant message, that every woman could achieve beauty† (Mankiller). Conformity to the beauty standard is how we’ve chosen to cope with the growing importance of appearance but, should our approach have been in the opposite direction: for instance eliminating the standard of beauty and letting meritorious qualificationsRead MoreQuestions On Women And Domestic Abuse1523 Words   |  7 Pagespeople who were in a domestic relationship with the victim (Howard and McCurley). In 1985, a surgeon named General Everett Koop showed that a larger majority of women are injured by abuse and battery than by accidents, rape and mugging combined (Mankiller and Wilma). Additionally, it’s more common that one might think. You most likely know someone who was in abuse relationship at one point. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 out of every 4 women reported having been abused byRead MoreWhy Eugenics Is A Violation Of A Human s Rights1749 Words   |  7 Pagesexistence.† In the past century, humans have been experimenti ng and debating the use of eugenics, which is the science of improving the human race through controlled breeding in order to increase the occurrence of desirable, heritable characteristics (Mankiller). Although eugenics is supported by many, one could argue that eugenics is a violation of a human’s rights. In the United States Constitution, some of the human rights mentioned are the right to liberty and freedom, the right to live life free fromRead MoreA Timeline of Gendered Movements849 Words   |  3 Pagescapabilities rather than judging a person on account of his or her gender. Works cited: Kerber, Linda K. U.S. History As Womens History: New Feminist Essays, (Univ of North Carolina Press, 20.03.1995) Mink, Gwendolyn, Navarro, Marysa, Mankiller, Barbara Smith, Wilma, and Steinem Gloria, The Readers Companion to U.S. Womens History, (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 15.10.1999) Ruiz, Vicki, and DuBois, Ellen Carol, Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in U.S. Womens History, (Routledge, 2000) Read MoreMary B. Shelleys Frankenstein Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesBradley and etc, who often were adventurous with form and unafraid of vital women characters; these writers have been architects of new worlds with their own social structures, values, and language in the world of science, english, and culture (Mankiller). Furthermore, unlike creating a new life form like Victor had in the gothic novel Frankenstein, scientists now seek to make a better the human race by engineering or use of biotechnology on the basis of human functions and abilities: genes. LikewiseRead MoreNative American Cherokee Tribe : Native Americans916 Words   |  4 PagesButler in North Carolina† (Smithers, 2015). Many Indians from the Cherokee tribe ended up in Oklahoma, and some still live there today. Cherokees are led by war chiefs and peace chiefs. The first woman to be principle chief of the Cherokees was Wilma Mankiller. Sequoyah was a very intelligent man. He did not know how to read or write in other languages but he came up with the writing system for the Cherokees. Cherokee literary writing has its origins in defining locality. Like all Native American communitiesRead MoreEating Disorders: The Skinny on Skinny Essay1672 Words   |  7 Pageseating disorders. An incredible link is shown between disordered eating and social trauma. Problems such as bullying, sexual abuse, racism, pressure from ones family and the media they are exposed to can trigger an eating disorder within a person (Mankiller). People with a â€Å"history of being teased or ridiculed based on weight or size† are incredibly likely to develop an eating disorder (NEDA). â€Å"(Eating disorders) are more like a recipe, where several ingredients—genetics, personality type, hormonesRead MoreOn How the American Indians Were Removed from Their Land1586 Words   |  7 PagesRemoval† New GeorgiaEncyclopedia.org Gilderlehrman.org Garrison, Tim A. â€Å"Cherokee Removal.† New Georgia Encyclopedia. 12/09/13. Web. http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaelogy/cherokee-removal. 4/12/14. Mankiller, Wilma Pearl and Micheal Wallis. Mankiller: A Chief and Her People. New York: ST. Martins Press, 1999. Sussex County Technical High School Virtual Library: Trail of Tears. Web. htpp://librarysussex.tec.nj.us/trail_of_tears.htm â€Å"Indian Removal.† PBS.org: Africans

Oil & Gas Exploration - Production - and Distribution

Question: The Impact of the Oil and Gas Exploration/Production/Distribution on the Environment. As an environmental consultant, your role is to provide guidelines and information on issues related to the impact of the oil and gas exploration, production and distribution on the environment. Analyse and discuss how this kind of impact can be prevented, if not, minimised. Answer: Introduction Oil and gas exploration is the process of searching hydrocarbon production under the earths services, which are mainly known as petroleum products. This process has to be in existence for over a century to sustain the demand of petroleum products that are used in several tasks. Hydrocarbon exploration is categorised in the branch of petroleum geology, which is among the largest mining exploratory processes. Different oil and gas exploration methods are currently exercised in this particular field to ensure that the extraction of petroleum is successful. For any particular areas to be subjected to the exploration, various processes must be undertaken to prove that there are high levels of hydrocarbon deposits. Some of these processes include; magnetic survey, gravity survey and seismic reflection to check whether the sub-surface geology is in large amounts (Howard et al., 2014). Despite the numerous advantages of oils and gas exploration in the community, there are some negative impacts on the environment. Based on previous research work, the entire process of oil exploration, production and distribution have posed several dangers to the environment, thus causing water, air, and soil pollution. The community has been focusing more on the importance of petroleum production, thus forgetting to handle the negative impacts experienced. Some environmental organisations have developed interventions to deal with such issues, but these plans and methods have gained little support from the authorities (Mariano and La Rovere, 2007). Therefore, this paper will outline the negative effects of exploration, production, and distribution of oil and gas on the atmosphere, specifically of air pollution. Environmental impacts on air pollution During the exploration of the oil and gas exploration, some emissions reduce the quality of the air in the surrounding environment. These emissions are as a results dust produced from the vehicles moving around the place, earth movers used, seismic surveys, testing, and completion of the wells. There are also pollutants that are emitted into the space such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxide, particulates, carbon monoxide among other volatile organic compounds. Some of these compounds combine to create ground ozone such as the volatile organic compounds and the nitrogen oxides (Jean-Pierre and Favennec, 2011). Dangers are also posted by the distribution processes, which includes the piping leakages and spillages from trucks. Fire tragedies have been frequently observed as a result of these spillages, thus leading to the emission of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. In the petroleum production firms, the refining process of turning crude oil into petroleum products leads to the emission of toxins into the environment that is dangerous to the living things (TEEIC, 2014). The machines that are used in the exploration and production companies produces a lot of sounds that caused to noise pollution. People living in these areas are at risk of suffering from hearing problems because these sounds are unfriendly. Blasting, seismic activities, drilling, earth movers and traffic are among the sources of the noise. Carbon dioxide is produced in the process of burning gasoline, thus increasing the volume of greenhouse gases atmosphere, which increases the rate of global warming. The natural oil and gas processes lead to the emission of methane gas into the environment, due to incomplete combustion. Although, the rate of oil and gas combustion cannot be compared with coal, carbon dioxide, and methane gases are emitted in the processes. Based on environmental research works, methane contributes the highest percentage of air pollution in the society. Other hazardous air pollutants result from the oil and gas operation such as certain hydrocarbons and sulphide. Among these compounds, benzene is included, which is known as a human carcinogen. Benzene has been detected in several areas around natural gas production such as in Colorado and Texas, thus concluding that it is emitted in these particular processes (Kharaka and Dorsey, 2005). Formaldehyde is another hazardous pollutant that is emitted by compressors engines, and it has been perceived as a factor contributing to health issues, although there little studies that have correlated such pollutants with societal effects. Due to the air pollution resulted in air and oil operations, the neighbourhood residents have reported complaints from residents about cases such as dizziness, skin irritation, headaches, neurological and respiratory problems (Nasen, Noble, and Johnstone, 2011). The effects discussed above are the most experienced air pollution sourced from gas and oil operations. Ministries that are dealing with the exploration, production and distribution of oil and gases are working on projects that can reduce these negative effects in the society. Technology improvements in these operations are the only refuge, which can be used to lower the intensity of the effects perceived from these activities (Khan and Islam, 2007). Preventive measures for the impacts The operational processes of the oil and gas exploration, production and distribution activities should be reviewed to create more proactive and effective methods that are less harmful to the environment. Pollution prevention is a task that should be undertaken through a combination of efforts between the producers, government, and the private sector (Matanovic, Gaurina-Medimurec and Simon, 2013). Several methodologies can be used to reduce the effects of poisonous emissions to the atmosphere and noise pollution that disturbs the residents. Achieving a pollution-free environment, the society will be cleaner and eco-efficient (Exploration and Production, 2016). The atmospheric emissions have been reduced through the adoption of the latest and improved technologies that have been developed by engineering researchers (Xu et al., 2015). These technological developments have been conducted in search for better approaches to reducing the emissions, which will reduce the rate of air pollution from the oil and gas operations (E. Ite et al., 2013). Firstly, the technological improvements in the valve design and maintenance systems have reduced emissions fugitive contents. Also, improved design of the flare has raised the combustion efficiency, reducing the chance of harmful gases being emitted. The turbines gas have been made more efficient after consideration of their optimizations (Mariano and La Rovere, 2007). Other effective technologies have been generated to improve the power efficiency in the exploration, production and distribution processes. Some of these technologies are; compressor and pump optimisation, heat recovery for waste, electric power distribution, steam injection, and combined cycle generation among other technologies. Some of these improvements will help reduce noise pollution, which has been previously could by generators, compressors and explosions among others. For instance, if machines that are using fuel are replaced with those customised for electricity, the sound produced will be reduced. Technologies that are improving the efficiency of combustion are also being introduced into the industry. For instance, combustion of nitrogen oxides has been improved by the introduction of selective catalytic reduction technology and dry low NOx technology (Khan and Islam, 2007). The emission of carbon oxides into the atmosphere can also be prevented by employing some approaches into the storage and distribution of the petroleum products. For instance, cases of spillages on the piping systems should be reduced by creating an efficient maintenance system. Therefore, the probability of experiencing fire explosion caused by oil spillages in the pipes will be minimized. It is through the reduction of the fire tragedies when the amounts of carbon oxides emitted into the atmosphere will be reduced. Transportation of oil products by roads should be minimized, especially for long distance to reduce the cases of accidents that lead to explosions. It is the responsibility of all the government and the organisations dealing with oil and gas to ensure that they are operating under safe basis. Otherwise, these will be a lot of environmental effects that lead to discomfort for the residents and the world as a whole (Matanovic, Gaurina-Medimurec and Simon, 2013). Some of the effects such as global warming are long-term and without control, the side effects might outdo the benefits. More technological developments are required to solve the remaining of air pollution caused by oil and gas operations. Intentional emission of poisonous gas contents into the atmosphere should be condemned and violators judged under the law. Efficient technological approach The community has suffered a lot of negative effects caused by oil and gas operations. There are specific technological approaches that can be used to minimize the effects of petroleum exploration and its usage. The drilling technologies can be made efficient, thus reducing effects such as noise pollution to the society (E. Ite et al., 2013). Technological approaches can be developed to capture hazardous gases emitted from the process. Such of these technologies might include processes which mix these gases with other compounds to form useful of non-harmful substances. Currently, scientists have concentrated on creating cars, which do not depend on fuel to operate. Other sources of energy such as the sun and electricity have been the main focus for the scientists. It has not been clearly identified how the energy can be stored and made efficient for the vehicles. If such technological developments are created, the society will experience a cleaner environment, without pollution caused by emitted gases from motors that use petroleum. Technological methods of controlling and monitoring the oil and gas firms should be developed and implemented. Human beings will always make errors and there some mistakes that will always be assumed, but they cause a lot of effect to the environment. For instance, the setting of a valve might not be accurately configured, thus letting emission of large amounts of hazardous particles into space. In contrast, using a programmed software that has monitored certainty levels, it will be easy to identify errors in the configuration of the delicate sections (Bahadori, 2014). Emergencies will also identify effectively, thus enhancing the response speed and time. All these technological approaches will be economical, socially and environmentally effective. Monitoring scheme Projects and schemes that have been implemented need to be monitored and evaluated to be informed about the progress conditions. The stakeholders are responsible for generating the monitoring scheme, which is the government, investors in the oil and gas operations and the environmental protection association. For the case of the effective technological approaches, there should be monitoring schemes that evaluate every aspect. For instance, development of electric or solar cars can be monitored by the technological body that has implemented the idea, with the assistance of the respective governments. Secondly, installation of technological systems that controls the exploration, production and distribution processes will be monitored by the respective managements. A maintenance system should be created to reduce the chances of failures that may pose a great danger to the environment. In every technological approach created towards the air pollution led by oil and gas operations, an eff ective monitoring scheme should be developed to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes. Critical analysis of Refining, Marketing Retail Distribution The refining process of the stage when the crude oil is processed into usable products for the customer/consumers. These final products include jet oil, gasoline, heating oil, and diesel among others. The oil refining processes include several activities such as catalytic reforming, vacuum distillation, alkylation, hydrotreating, catalytic cracking, and isomerization. Natural gas is also processed through glycol hydration, amine treating, and compression processes. This method separates the mixtures of the compounds to form the required natural gases, which are then stored separately. Some of the gases that are formed from the petroleum include butane, ethane, isobutane, propane, and natural gasoline among others. Through the marketing channels, these petroleum products are marketed and purchased from the companies or distributed nearer to the customers. The main transportation channels include tanker, pipeline, rail, and truck. Pipelines are cost efficient and economical for long di stance although truck and rail are used such situations. Conclusion and Recommendations In conclusion, oil and gas operations should be performed safely to minimize negative effects on the environment. Individuals who are involved in the oil and gas business should understand the environmental impacts of all the operations so that they can develop solutions for the benefit of the community. Therefore, it will be profitable to implement the existing preventive measures as more research results are being generated to provide solutions to underlying problems. The technological approaches for reducing the negative effects discussed above should be implemented and monitored for maximum outcomes in the oil industry. The government should develop policies, which firmly protect the environment against industrial emissions. This approach will help control recklessness on the oil and gas operations. References Bahadori, A. (2014). Pollution control in oil, gas and chemical plants. Cham: Springer International Publishing. Ite, A., J. Ibok, U., U. Ite, M. and W. Petters, S. (2013). Petroleum Exploration and Production: Past and Present Environmental Issues in the Nigerias Niger Delta. ENV, 1(4), pp.78-90. Exploration and Production. (2016). Oil and Energy Trends, 41(2), pp.26-26. Howard, R., Wells, C., Michot, T. and Johnson, D. (2014). Effects of Disturbance Associated With Seismic Exploration for Oil and Gas Reserves in Coastal Marshes. Environmental Management, 54(1), pp.30-50. Jean-pierre favennec, N. and Favennec, J. (2011). OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION 3RD EDITION. Paris: Technip. Khan, M., and Islam, R. (2007). True sustainability in technological development and natural resource management. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Kharaka, Y. and Dorsey, N. (2005). Environmental issues of petroleum exploration and production: Introduction. Environ. Geosci. 12(2), pp.61-63. Mariano, J. and La Rovere, E. (2007). Oil and gas exploration and production activities in Brazil: The consideration of environmental issues in the bidding rounds promoted by the National Petroleum Agency. Energy Policy, 35(5), pp.2899-2911. Maslennikov, S. and Potapov, S. (2004). Gas-Distribution Stations and Means of Their Automation. Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, 40(3/4), pp.138-142. Matanovic, D., Gaurina-Medimurec, N. and Simon, K. (2013). Risk analysis for prevention of hazardous situations in petroleum and natural gas engineering. Pennsylvania: IGI Global. Nasen, L., Noble, B. and Johnstone, J. (2011). Environmental effects of oil and gas lease sites in a grassland ecosystem. Journal of Environmental Management, 92(1), pp.195-204. Natural Gas Production. (2013). Oil and Energy Trends, 38(8), pp.29-31. Natural Gas Production. (2014). Oil and Energy Trends, 39(1), pp.24-26. Shannon, P. (1993). Oil and gas in Ireland - exploration, production, and research. FB, 11(1272). TEEIC, (2014). Oil and Gas Exploration Impacts. [Online] Teeic.indianaffairs.gov. Available at: https://teeic.indianaffairs.gov/er/oilgas/impact/explore/index.htm [Accessed 17 Jul. 2016]. Xu, B., Bai, Y., Chen, G. and Feng, R. (2015). The impact of engineering parameters on shale oil and gas production: theory and practice. "Proceedings" of "Oil Gas Scientific Research Projects" Institute, SOCAR, (2), pp.24-31.

Watergate Essays (2241 words) - Watergate Scandal, John Dean

Watergate Sex, drugs, money, power, you name it and there is a scandal for it, but look back and you will see that from all the scandals there have been, Watergate was among the worst. The Watergate scandal had everything. From Nixon disgracing the presidency by lying to the country and abusing his power, to his committees being involved in illegal acts and a big cover up. All leading to little side roads of corruption and lies. Watergate is by far one of the worst presidential scandals in the history of the United States. In the story of Watergate, five burglars were found breaking into democratic offices at the Watergate complex in Washington DC. The break-in was passed off as just another burglary, but when the burglars were found to have connections with the CIA, questions were starting to be asked. Then when the phone number of Howard Hunt was found in one of the burglars phone books, it made people think, "Why would one of the burglars have the phone number of one of the presidents men?" Then there is Richard Nixon, the man of the hour, plays the role of the president of the United States of America. The man that was voted into office by the people, and the man that swore to serve the people. When Watergate was uncovered, it revealed that the president was a liar and a cheat. The president lied to our country, lied about his involvement, concealed self incriminating evidence, abused his power, and planed to have the CIA stop the FBI investigations. He was also deeply involved with the cover up and still lied about his involvement. During the times of the unraveling of Watergate, questions were asked about connections with the White House and the president, but when the president was asked about it at a press conference he assured Americans that "The White House has no involvement whatever in this particular incident." He was lying to the country like it was part of his job (Dorman 158). The lying did not end there, it went on and on for months, and as the scandal kept unraveling, "President Nixon and White House, and creep officials were deliberately misleading the public about the significance of the Watergate affair" (158). As Watergate was becoming a front-page article in the newspapers, new evidence was being uncovered. One piece of evidence that changed the peoples ideas of our president was the tapping of every conversation in the oval office "since about the 18th month of president Nixon's term" (Kutler 368). Those tapes would soon prove that the president was deeply involved in the scandal. During the trials, "the Nixon administration claimed that the March 21st, 1973 meeting was the first Nixon had heard of the cover-ups", but after the tapes were heard it was discovered that Nixon was involved from the beginning (Heritage 36). The Nixon tapes brought out much controversy. The tapes alone could prove the president innocent or guilty, whichever one it was, Nixon refused to hand over the tapes. the courts then demanded the tapes, and Nixon still would not give them up. After much struggle Nixon agreed to give a transcript of the tapes. The transcripts brought to light a significant amount of evidence against Nixon. The transcripts revealed payoffs, affiliation with the burglaries, and the OK's to the cover-up, But most important "the transcripts showed that Nixon had lied repeatedly after he had denied knowing anything about the conspiracy" (27). After much struggle, the courts finally got the tapes from Nixon, It was Archibald Cox that issued the subpoena for the tapes, and that started the bloodbath we now know as the Saturday night massacre. "The night of October 20,1973, possibly the most tumultuous in American political history, when the special Watergate prosecutor and the nations two top law officers lost their jobs within the space of an hour and a half." (Heritage 38). Soon the country would find a new problem with the tapes. "When the presidents lawyers were going over the tapes, they came along an 18 minute gap during a conversation with Nixon and Haldman" (34). Three weeks later, the gap was discovered, Rosemary Woods (Nixon's secretary) testified that while transcribing the tape, she had accidentally erased perhaps five minutes when interrupted by a phone call, she said she had pressed the ?Record' button instead of the ?Stop' button and then kept her foot on the machines control pedal while speaking into the phone. (34) "Not everyone accepted this explanation; The maneuver would have been difficult

How to be Successful

Success in life entails discovering your potential to do certain things. This calls for setting up of individual plans and goals and working hard towards achieving those goals and plans (Knowledgebase 1). The difference between those who succeed in life and those who do not is that successful people make it their mission to pursue their goals and objectives in life.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on How to be Successful specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Before one embarks on pursuing success in life, it is important first to be fully aware of the issues that have thus far hindered your potential to succeed. One of the key hindrances to success in life is false beliefs. This prevents you from achieving your true potential and by extension, your success. It is important therefore to get rid of such false beliefs. Another hindrance to success in life is lack of persistence. All too often, we lose focus of what we want to achieve simply because we have failed on one or several occasions (Harford 25). However, those of us who are persistent enough always succeed in the long run. In his book, ‘Adapt: Why success always starts with failure†, Harford (26) reckons that most business did become successful instantly; rather, it happened after several failed attempts. Those businesses that did not persist perished, while those that ‘hang in there’ succeeded. The fundamental lesson that we can borrow from Harford is that we need to design our own lives in order to gain the most from our failures. Lack of proper planning is also a hindrance to succeeding in life. For example, you must have clear plans and goals about what you want to achieve, and how you intend to achieve it. One of the key steps of succeeding in life is being proactive. What this means is that we should always endeavor to create our own destiny, instead of waiting for others to do so. In other words, deciding on whether to pursue success in life is our choice to make. Successful people always make SMART goals in life. Such goals are specific in nature, can be quantified, are attainable, and can be realized within a given time-frame (Boyle and Tymchuk 71). In order to succeed in life, start by setting goals and plans that you would want to achieve in life. In addition, ensure that you have a roadmap that will enable you to achieve this goal. Another importance thing to do in order to succeed in life is to take immediate and decisive action. Sadly, not many people have the self-drive needed to take decisive action. No matter how good your plan or an idea can look on paper, it is useless if you cannot implement it. In this respect, successful people recognize the need to actualize their plans and getting things done. Another character trait of successful people that is worth emulating is that they are more focused on being productive, as opposed to being busy.Advertising Looking for ca se study on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Successful people strive to work smarter, as opposed to working harder. Similar sentiments have also been echoed by Ferris (18) who observes that being busy is characterized by indiscriminate action and lazy thinking. Being busy does not mean you are doing the right things. Successful people know this, which is why they opt to work smart, and not work hard. In order to be successful in life, it is important to ensure that you are constantly evaluating your weaknesses or areas where you have fallen short of your expectations in life (Dureke 89). This way, you will be able to avoid many of the pitfalls that could have prevented you from achieving your set goals and objectives. Above all, succeeding in life is a journey that you must be prepared to make and as such, you should be ready to deal with the many challenges and pitfalls that you are likely to encounter along the w ay. If you are patient, prepared, focused, and are quick to make decisive action, then you are on your way to attaining success in life. Works Cited Boyle, Gert and Tymchuk, Kerry. One Tough Mother: Success in Life, Business and AP. Westwinds Press, 2005. Print. Dureke, Margaret. How to Succeed Against All Odds: Make Adversities Your Foot Mat. New York: Jahs Publishing Group, 2000. Print. Ferris, Tim. The 4-Hour Worksheet: escape 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new rich. London: Ebury Publishing, 2011. Print. Harford, Tim. Adapt: Why success always starts with failure. London: Little, Brown Young, 2011. Print.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on How to be Successful specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Knowledgebase n. d., Self Improvement – How To Succeed in Life? PDF file. Web. This case study on How to be Successful was written and submitted by user Melody Whitley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Influence of Visual Cues on Buying Behavior

Influence of Visual Cues on Buying Behavior Influence of Visual Cues on Buying Behavior Retail environment is an art of persuasion, which includes many factors that affect on consumer buying behavior. Though, most customers make their choice in favor of a product spontaneously, and a major role in this case has an attractive appearance of the products. During promotion new products to the market, often the most important visual cues are size, shape, light, and color of the product. Experts are unanimous on the importance of the visual view of packaging and are not inclined to belittle its role in creating the image of the product. It is not a secret that in a competitive environment, especially if the market includes a large number of goods, similar in composition, purpose and other features, the products fate depends on its design. The customer makes an impulsive and unplanned purchase under the influence of intelligently designed product appearance. Visual cues affect the person in the way that his or her mind does not perceive this. One of the most influential visual cues on consumer buying behavior in a retail environment is size of the product. According to Postlethwaite Gerry (1991, p. 154) more than 20% of consumers are guided solely by the big or small, compact or inconvenient products size. As well, human choice depends on the convenience and portability of the bought things. If it is some technique product, of course it is expected to not take plenty of place in the room, apartment or even in the pocket of the consumer. Therefore, if a man or woman came to the supermarket to buy a lot of goods, the number of those, which can be transported directly related to the products size and shape. It has to be admitted that packaging shape is the key to a hidden code inside customers unconscious psyche. For example, architectural elements are unconsciously perceived such feelings as order, organization, and evoke a sense of reality, responsibility and duty. That is why almost product packages have a shape of the pr oper geometric figures. Product packaging light and color are also important and influence on the consumers choice while buying the items. Particular colors and lights draw attention and are involved in shaping the image of goods. Thus consumers emphasize these cues as in the retail environment they are observed first. In the choice of a particular color always considered historical cultural preferences of potential buyers. It is well known that one and the same color in different countries is interpreted in different ways. For example, black color in the West is considered the color of mourning and sadness, but in many Asian countries these emotional meanings have white color. In addition to this not mind-controlled association, products light and color in the consumers representation call up desire to buy the product. The most of the customers faster pay attention to the bright and light colors. Each light and color means how it perceived on a psychological level. This discovery was made by the Swiss psyc hiatrist Max Luscher, who developed the so-called color test that shows human choice and its influence on buying behavior according to the certain attitudes and mood (Sandhusen Richard 2000, p. 113). Visual cues such as size, shape, light, and color are important for manager because of his or her responsibility to ensure consumer in the environmental safety and quality of goods. For the good manager visual cues of the product are necessary help, which is able to increase selling and attract more customers in the future. Successful manager clearly know range of products and its features, skills to not only get clients though to establish with them a long relationship. The role of the products visual cues in all these cases is huge: item with the practical size, well-shaped, and nicely presented with the light and color will always be popular among the consumers and increase managers progress and career.

Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Holocaust - Essay Example Germany lost battle during the war. The German economy dropped drastically. Apparently, the Germans started developing hatred towards the Jews since most of them, at that time were well off. Hitler was among those who had an extreme hatred for the Jews. He tried unsuccessfully to vie for presidency in Germany. However, he occupied a leadership position in the German governing system. It was through that position that he started spreading the message of hate towards the Jews. In 1933, Hitler rose to power and introduced anti-Semitism that meant hatred towards to Jews. He introduced holocaust that lead to the death of 6 million Jews. This paper will attempt to explain activities that took place during the Holocaust. It is obvious that many Jews and some Germans perished the atrocious events that happened during the reign of Hitler. Apparently, Hitler did not commit the activities alone. He received support from collaborators who did not like the Jews. Moreover, due to his experience, e ducation, and influence he was able to lure people and collaborators to join his quest. According to most articles considering events that took place during the holocaust it is difficult to explain the causes of Holocaust. However, many factors supported it and contributed largely to atrocious activities that took place during Hitler reign. Some of the factors that influenced holocaust dates back when Jesus Christ was alive and living in Israel, home to many Jews (Walters, 2009). After the death of Christ, most people across the world, including the Germans, developed hatred towards the Jews. Germans viewed them as the people responsible for the death of Jesus. Many Germans are Christians. Therefore, most of them believed in the message communicated by Jesus. For this reason, they grew hatred when they met those related to Jesus murderers. According to the most Germans, they were revenging for Jesus Christ. At a young age, especially after First World War,

Schools and court systems need to work together to tackle the problem Article

Schools and court systems need to work together to tackle the problem with trauncy and increase graduation rate - Article Example In order to prevent truancy one needs to find out the main reason behind truancy. Trujillo (2006) observes there are four primary causes behind truancy - student demographics, family characteristics, personal and psychological factors of the student, and climate and condition of family, school and society (Trujillo, 2006, p.74). Truancy and Dropouts School absenteeism and truancy is not always the same. There are various kinds of absenteeism and not all are grouped under the term truancy. Absence of a student from specific classes or in course of specific lessons or absence under parental consent would not fall under truancy. But, absence without any proper reason can be considered under truancy. If absence without good reason continues then there is a chance that students might incur poor academic results. Sometime bad relations with teachers or friends, involvement in unconstructive activities cause truancy. Once a young student starts believing that they are lagging behind his or her batch mates then the tendency of dropping out also increases rapidly as the latter option is more convenient than competing with others (Reid, 2005, p.59). Truancy and Juvenile Crime Truancy not only affects the young generation of the country but also hampers the growth of the population as well as development of the future generation. The direct and indirect effects of truancy always have an impact on individual, families, school and society in both short as well as long term. Zhang et.al (2007) observes that truancy destroys potential in youths. As a result they are headed for social isolation, criminal activities and education failure. Tendency of chronic absence in the early school days was associated with poor results in examination, isolation from friends’ groups which ultimately caused dropouts in near future. In their review, they also pointed out that, truancy accounted for almost 26% of juvenile crime cases. According to their point of view, truancy can be cons idered as a first sign of trouble and most powerful reason for the delinquent behavior. Students who miss occasional classes were more inclined to get addicted to marijuana than those who never skip. They also mentioned that students who admitted being involved in truancy were, likely to be reported having committed serious crimes, and arrested owing to their involvement in serious assault. Generally when youths were absent from school, the rate of crime increased during the school going years only. Some truants were reported hanging out during school time, cruising in cars, and getting into trouble while skipping school (Zhang et.al, 2007, pp. 246-250). How Truancy Affect Dropout Dropouts from the school is directly associated with truancy. In the beginning of their school days, if students remain absent from school without any proper reason then they eventually consider this as a habit. White and Kelly observe the rates of dropout in USA were 11% among the age group of 18-24 in th e year 2008. They also pointed out the fact that rate of drop out was higher among the low income group which was 10.4% compared to that of the high income group (2.5%) in the same year. Truancy and absenteeism was the main reason behind this increased rate of drop out. Once it becomes a habit, students chose to drop out rather than catching up. In 2007 almost 9 percent students from the age group of 16-24 years dropped

How are fashion and appearance central to the construction of social Essay

How are fashion and appearance central to the construction of social identities Discuss, with reference to specific examples - Essay Example Fashion plays a very important role in this process, for it is a way to express our personality, to state our beliefs, to communicate our likes and dislikes. Fashion is a skilled architect for our bodies, using colours, shapes and textures to create pieces of clothing, which combined in a particular way produce, at their turn, a graspable, yet unique image of our identity. As Bennett states in Culture and Everyday Life (2005) â€Å"fashion embodies a range of symbolic values which are collectively understood within and across different social groups†. Therefore, by dressing in a certain way and creating a particular appearance for ourselves, we can send out particular messages about our character, education, financial success, interests and intentions, even sexual preferences. After all, in this fast and complicated world we have very few seconds to make an impression, this is why fashion is a key factor which will help us express all of who we are trough our style and choice of clothing. A piece of clothing can make one feel inhibited, or on the contrary, free and daring, nostalgic for the past or a visionary of the future. The right clothes can help us accomplish our goals and better interact with the people surrounding us. Therefore, given the complex nature of fashion as a central part of our society I will focus on three major aspects: feminism and the way fashion has helped women define and change their social roles and identities, youth and their use of fashion to make statements about their place in the society, as well as their personalities and in the end, intercultural exchange and the way one can create a unique style by combining fashion elements from different cultures. I will start with a short historical map out and thus begin with the Medieval times, since it is considered a period marked by darkness, rigid ideology and strict social delimitations. This is why fashion did not suffer any exceptions: clothes were used to set specific socia l boundaries and thus, dictate social identities. First of all, fashion was inspired at court and it included carefully tailor garments, which offered information about the social status of the person that was wearing the clothes. It included heavy dresses, which did not allow women the privilege of fast movement and which transposed into society as little involvement and obedience. The clergymen’s simple tunics were supposed to represent their penitence and modest life. The peasants’ poor dressing was a result of their placement at the bottom of the Feudal Pyramid of social order. As we slip into the modern era, towards the 18th and the 19th century, fashion still remains a wealth-dominated area. However, new social roles appear, such as public magistrates and the militia, which mark their social identity by particular clothing and uniforms. The tailoring business develops rather faster and cheaper replicas of high-fashion, designer clothes became more accessible for women belonging to lower social classes and disposing of smaller wealth. Luxury was not limited to the elite or the metropolitan any more (Breward, 1995). However, women continued to be restrained in movement by their clothes, which included the corset and the long dresses: women’s dresses were composed of large quantities of fabric and different occasions needed different kinds of dresses, factors which

The Dominant Occupation Of The Pastoralism Sociology Essay

The Dominant Occupation Of The Pastoralism Sociology Essay Pastoralism is the dominant occupation in the Horn of Africa simply because the arid environment, with its scattered, inconsistent and often short and intense rainfall (when it occurs) permits no other consistent food harvest (Herr, 1992). The pastoralists largely obtain their food from their herds of cattle, sheep, goats and in the drier regions, camels. Some of these people cultivate agricultural crops where they can, most do not. Pastoralist societies in Kenya are in transition. This reality is confirmed by studies on the pastoralist communities particularly on the Maasai, Boran, and Rendille of Kenya (Evangelou, 1984; Fratkin, 2001). The same can be said of the Gabra, the Ariaal, the Sakuye, the Samburu, and the Turkana (Oba, 2001). The transition is due to population growth, loss of herding lands to farmers, ranchers, game parks, urban growth, increased commoditization of the livestock economy, out-migration by poor pastoralists, and dislocations brought about by drought, famine, and ethnic conflicts coupled with privatization and individuation of formerly communally held resources. The region of Northern Kenya (with an area of 250,000 km.) is arid and semi-arid. Rainfall is highly variable from year to year and drought is recurrent. Pastoralism is the dominant economic activity, given that agricultural potential is low. Farming is only possible in the few localities with high and medium agricultural potentials. Economic survival of the peoples of the region depends on management of many species of livestock: camels, cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats. Drought, disease and a certain measure of insecurity are all realities. Northern Kenya also borders highly unstable states, including Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda, and the borders with these countries are porous, if they can be said to exist at all. The regional dimensions of conflict, and in particular the ease in which groups and arms cross borders has increased the incidences and severity of conflict in the region and led to a commercialization of cattle raiding and cattle rustling. The foregoing points to a near collapse of the traditional pastoral economy and fabrics of the social security systems thereby pointing to an uncertain future (Sobania, 1979; Kassam Bashuna, 2004). Life in these environments is uncertain, dangerous and tenuous forcing many young people to migrate to urban areas in search of alternative livelihoods. Given the harsh natural environment, pressure on natural resources, decline or collapse of , loss of livestock, lack of capital, and limited survival alternatives, encamped youths are for the most part destitute. Dislocated youths living in urban areas have to contend with rent, electricity, water and other bills, as well as buying food. This can be particularly challenging for those without a steady source of income. Many engage in petty trade, buying and selling vegetables, second-hand clothes and shoes (mitumba), food items, fuel (paraffin, charcoal, firewood), while others participate in itinerant hawking, boda boda (bicycle taxis), brick making, brick laying and selling water. A few work in factories, others have started small businesses such as brewing illicit liquors and tailoring. Some youths have been reduced to begging or crime in order to survive for lack of valid skills in the salaried sector. They find themselves isolated from family and friends in an environment charact erized by inadequate amenities (Livingstone, 1986; Cernea, 1990; Bovin et al., 1990). Pastoralist youths have suffered serious reverses in economic and social wellbeing such that they are unable to live up to established norms of supporting their households. This is because dislocation can devalue their shared survival skills whereby vital social networks and life support mechanisms for families are weakened or dismantled. Authority systems are debilitated or collapse (World Bank 1994, Cernea 1993b; 1994a). The proposed study will explore the causes and social consequences of the erosion of the pastoralist livelihood systems as exemplified in urban migration, urban crime, joblessness, substance abuse and other evidence of social and psychological anomie among youths with reference to Wajir District. 1.2 Statement of the Problem In Wajir District it is estimated that 80% or more of the population depends on pastoralism. The district is predominantly arid and semi-arid, has a history of conflict and internal displacement. These are harsh realities that are made worse by marginalization by the government largely due to the districts perceived lack of economic potential as well as a deficient understanding on how to support and promote nomadic pastoralism as a viable and sustainable livelihood. The district is further characterized by chronic drought (RoP, 1965; RoP, 2005). The cumulative result is the breakdown of social support systems rendering the provision of positive opportunities for asset accumulation impossible (Amuyunzu-Nyamongo Ezeh 2005, Rakodi 2002). These realities have made social dislocation and or urban migration attractive alternatives (Ellis, 2000; Fratkin, 2001). Youthful individuals who experience social dislocation are at risk of social impoverishment. They are exposed to social problems of urban life such as joblessness, urban crime, drug and alcohol addiction. Their experiences may also increase their dissatisfaction with existing orders leading to an upsurge in crime and violence, accompanied by other symptoms of social and psychological distress (World Bank 1994, Cernea 1993b; 1994a; Oba, 2001). This study seeks to probe the experiences of social dislocation in Kenya with reference to youths from pastoralist communities in Wajir District. 1.3 Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to probe the experiences of social dislocation in Kenya with reference to youths from pastoralist communities in Wajir District. 1.4 Study Objectives This study will be guided by the following objectives: To provide an overview of the present challenges facing pastoralists in Wajir District To provide the patterns of displacement among youthful pastoralists in Wajir District To examine the difficulties of adjustment socially dislocated youths face in Wajir District To determine remedies to the problem of social dislocation among youths in Wajir District 1.5 Research Questions This study will be guided by the following research questions: What are the present challenges facing pastoralists in Wajir District? What are the patterns of displacement in Wajir District? What adjustment difficulties do socially dislocated youths face in Wajir District? What are the remedies to the problem of social dislocation among youths in Wajir District? 1.6 Research Assumptions The study will be guided by the following assumptions:- All the respondents will give reliable information without fear or favor. That major towns in Wajir District have socially dislocated pastoralists youths. That the findings of this study will assist policymakers and stakeholders to address the pastoralist crisis. 1.7 Justification for the Study This study is significant because of the following reasons: There is limited literature (Ellis, 2000; Fratkin, 2001) on the demasculation and decline in the social capital of the pastoralist economy in Wajir District. This study, therefore, by documenting this aspect, could immensely contribute to knowledge and literature on the experiences of social dislocation and how it impacts on youths from pastoralist communities in Wajir District. The findings of this study could be relevant to policy-makers and other stakeholders such as NGOs and CBOs in formulating viable policies and intervention programmes to remedy the problem of social dislocation among youths in Wajir District. The local community will hopefully benefit when the problem of social dislocation among youths in Wajir District is addressed. 1.8 Scope and Limitation of the Study These are the boundaries to any study (Mugenda and Mugenda, 1999). This study will be carried out in Wajir East District in NEP Kenya. This study was prompted by the fact that the issue of social dislocation is a major challenge in Wajir District. The research will not cover broad issues outside the issue of social dislocation in Wajir District. The study will limit itself to Wajir District. For more conclusive results, all geographical locations inhabited by pastoralist communities would have been studied. However, this is not possible due to financial and other logistical constraints such as time and duration of the study. Other limitations in this study include the tough terrain, poor transport infrastructure and general insecurity making it difficult to traverse the district during data collection. The researcher will make special travel arrangements to overcome these challenges. 1.9 Theoretical Framework This study will be guided by the theories of social geometry and social capital. The theory of social geometry links socially-constructed places, socially-constructed time, and socially-constructed personages in order to grasp routine and ritual activities (Fabian, 1992). The social geometry of a people consists of infinite intersections of socially-constructed spaces, socially-constructed times, and socially-constructed personages. And, for many cultures, the geometry also defines who are we? Research on environmental memories has discovered the near universality of fondly remembered childhood places, representing the intersection of culturally constructed time and place (Altman et al. 1994; Marcus, 1994; Chawla, 1994). Mitigating social dislocation begins by reconstructing the social geometry (spatial and temporal dislocation) of the displaced. This is because attachment to space and time can be a powerful binding force for displaced social groups. Moser (1996) is renown for making significant contributions to the social capital theory. He argued that communities ability to cope depends not only on their material well-being, but also on their social capital the trust, networks, and reciprocal arrangements that link people with their communities. Rural and urban migration often follow long established patterns drawing on networks of information and contacts established by earlier waves of migration. Up to a point, such social capital may be strengthened by economic crisis, but beyond that threshold, networks become overwhelmed and social systems break down with disastrous consequences (Cousins, 1993; Amuyunzu-Nyamongo Ezeh 2005, Rakodi 2002). Studies (Moser and McIlaine 2005; Buvinic et al., 1999) were undertaken on the experiences of migrants in urban environments especially with reference to Latin America. These studies established that social dislocation is accompanied by an upsurge in crime and violence, accompanied by other symptoms of social and psychological distress. These studys findings indicate that social dislocation that manifest through the apparent breakdown of collective responses to livelihood erosion is both the result of a decline in the social capital of many pastoralist communities, and a causal factor in accelerating that breakdown by reinforcing social differentiation and decreasing levels of trust between individuals. Traditional, or informal institutions can often no longer maintain order, and neither do the formal institutions of the state command any confidence. Social dislocation weakens and helps dismantle vital social networks and life support mechanisms for families and communities. Authority systems are questioned or simply collapse in the face of the arising new challenges thereby groups lose their capacity to self-manage and the society suffers a demonstrable reduction in its capacity to cope with uncertainty (World Bank 1994, Cernea 1993b; 1994a). This coupled with the high rate of migration into urban centers and the speed of economic change (not necessarily growth) complicates pastoralists adjustment. 1.10 Definition of Significant Terms District a geographical area defined with a gazetted political boundary and comprises of a number of divisions, locations and sub-locations. Stakeholders people/ institutions that are directly interested in the functioning of a school. Social Dislocation The emotional, psychological or physical experience by persons who were forced to separate themselves from the circle of people, places and activities on which they had depended (for their livelihoods). CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter review related literature under the following subheadings namely social dislocation, challenges facing pastoralist communities, difficulties of adjustment for socially dislocated pastoralists, remedies to the problem of social dislocation and gaps identified. 2.2 Social Dislocation According to Sutro, Levingston and Downing (1988) people experience social dislocation when they are emotionally, psychologically or physically forced to separate themselves from the circle of people, places and activities on which they had depended (for their livelihoods). The debate on social dislocation revolves around the relationship between human activity and climate. The human-made dimensions of the pastoral plight are attributable to overstocking and other exogenous factors such as population growth, immigration, conflict and government policies. Climate related explanations revolve around drought, famine, decreased rainfall, floods, among others. Sobania (1979) observes that each year drought results in dislocation of the poor, despite massive hand-outs of famine relief by governments and donors. For him, drought survival involves survival of the fabrics of the social security systems that must depend on survival of livestock, marketing of the produce and sharing the resources. World Bank (1994) observes that each year, about 10 million people become involuntarily displaced and risk social impoverishment. Causes of social dislocation among pastoralists include limited access to water and pasture resources, loss of traditional grazing land, cattle raiding, lack of alternative sources of livelihood from pastoralism. Fratkin (2001) observes that dislocations among pastoralist societies in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are brought about by drought, famine, and civil war. These problems are intensified by the current trend of government policies that encourage privatization and individuation of formerly communally held resources (Lane, 1989; 1996). Getachew (1995) and Fratkin (2001) attribute the prevalence of social dislocation among pastoral communities to the deteriorating conditions of food security and the breakdown of the traditional pastoral economy. They further note that worsening conditions of food security are occurring as interventions by states and international NGOs are decreasing. Several reasons exist for this state of affairs. First, development took no notice of the indigenous coping strategies of the pastoralists, their goals and aspirations (Grandin and Lembuya 1987, Hogg 1990). Second, because coherent government policies on drought are lacking, failure to reduce drought losses is frustrating the development efforts. Third, programs designed to help the pastoralists do not integrate their coping strategies into drought management plans (Huss-Ashmore and Katz 1989). Bonfiglioli (1992) identifies six factors that to him are responsible for social dislocation among pastoralist communities. First, is the issue of climate and ecology the lack of rainfall tends to set the array of vegetation over time, directly affecting livestock populations and pastoralists. Change in this parameter has worked to push pastoralists of the Sahel south. Second, demographic growth this factor contributes principally to the push of pastoralists into nomadism. Third, the agricultural impasse an increased demand for agricultural products has led to less fallowing and the opening up of more lands for agriculture at the expense of pasture land. These practices have led to disruptions in local level farmer-herder interchange. At another level, mega-project agricultural development has expropriated large areas of former grazing land. Fourth, government development policies this factor is one of central control serving state interests rather than local interests. Additiona lly, mismanagement, faulty policies and international trade has worked to impoverish pastoralists. Fifth, incorporation into the market economy essentially, this has been a double movement of increasing dependency and marginalization because of national production/exchange structures and the resulting loss of control by pastoralists over the terms of trade. Finally, insecurity, wars, and conflicts the interplay of political conflict, ecological stress and resulting food insecurity is present throughout the drylands. Pastoralists have borne the brunt of this crisis both as soldier and victim. Bovin and Manger (1990) noted that the political and economic dimensions of social dislocation include state policies that are seen to favor agriculture and settlement at the expense of pastoralism. 2.3 Challenges Facing Pastoralists Communities The Sessional Paper No 10 of 1965 on African Socialism and its Application to Planning in Kenya presented the framework for development and equity in Kenya but also presented great dilemma when it noted public investment would go to areas of highest potential returns and people most responsive to change. This approach was to favour the former White Highlands while perpetuating the marginalization of areas like North Eastern Province and the malaria and tsetse fly infested western lowlands (RoK, 1965). Little (1997) and Hogg (1988) documented a series of crises that led to losses and impoverishment among the Ilchamus pastoralists of Kenya. The Ilchamus crisis was attributed to loss of pasture to European settlers, market quarantines, farmer encroachment, use of communal grazing by absentee owner and the expansion of cultivation by herders. This reality could equally serve to describe the situation among pastoralists elsewhere in Kenya Sperling and Galaty (1994) attributed the crisis among the Samburu and Maasai pastoralists in Kenya to the gradual truncation of pastoral relations and narrowing of their access to resources, in land use, labor and livestock networks. Such circumscription undermines the strength of a more collective specialized pastoralism e.g. access to a range of pasture and an extensive shared labor pool to the benefit of a privileged minority. Fratkin (2001) used examples of the Maasai, Boran, and Rendille of Kenya to demonstrate that East African pastoralists are increasingly witnessing social and economic stratification, urban migration, and diminished nutrition for women and children as a result of increased economic diversification including agro-pastoralism, wage labor, and increased market integration. Oba (2001) observes that pastoralists have to contend with environmental vagaries and conflicts over the exploitation of limited resources. While the traditional practice of cattle raiding was done seasonally as a rite of passage into adulthood, to obtain cattle for bride price, a means of restocking after calamities such as prolonged drought and raids were predictable, infrequent and controlled not to cause death or harmfully affect the lives or livelihoods of the society, today that is not he case any more. The Pokot, Turkana, Marakwet, Tugen and Keiyo raided each other, but lived harmoniously until the onset of multi-party politics in the 1990s, when the raids eventually acquired belligerent and criminal tendencies. As the practice gained political character, raiders disregarded the seasonal aspect of cattle theft. Whereas communities would organize missions to retrieve stolen animals, the introduction of small arms has changed the nature of such custom and undermined traditional conflict management arrangements. Increasingly, communities are amassing weapons for their own security, and to carry out raids and retaliation missions. Any number of armed young raiders can now go on raiding missions, with or without the blessing of the traditional elders who traditionally sanctioned raids 2.4 Difficulties of Adjustment for Socially Dislocated Pastoralists Cernea (1990) revealed that social dislocation may lead to eight forms of impoverishment: unemployment, homelessness, landlessness, marginalization, food insecurity, loss of access to common property, erosion of health status, and social disarticulation. These findings were reconfirmed by a wider study conducted by the World Bank. Indeed, World Bank (1994) observes that following the drought of 1984, the phrase new pastoralists was coined to describe the growing number of stockless or near-stockless pastoralists clustered in and around prominent trading centers subsisting on famine relief. The implication is that those pastoralists who become involuntarily displaced and risk social impoverishment. Social impoverishment occurs when the displaced are unable to answer the primary cultural question where are we? Or rather who are we? Displacements in North Eastern Kenya has been due to resource conflict and security operation (Oba, 2001). For instance, in Manyatta Demo, Isiolo district, the pastoral economy has never recovered from the brutal government counter-insurgency activities in the 1960s and raiding by groups from the east in the 1980s and 1990s. Most residents have no capital or stock, and are obliged to produce and sell charcoal, an activity which is precarious, low return, and illegal. Women, on the other hand, have a much wider set of pursuits: collecting and selling of firewood, selling miraa (khat), milk, eggs and honey; gathering wild fruits, herbal medicines and incense; weaving baskets and mats; and making bread. 2.5 Remedies to the Problem of Social Dislocation Studies (Bryceson, 1996; Ellis (2000) and Francis et al (2005) observe that livelihood diversification has been widely recognized phenomena in Africa in recent decades as households have sought to sustain themselves by means of a wider array of economic activities. While these processes can be a positive response to new opportunities, they may also reflect a forced shift into more marginal activities as assets become eroded and former livelihood systems unviable. Forms of diversification recorded in their study included shifts to new farm enterprises, to off-farm sources of income, and to non-farm activities. Several studies in Kenya and elsewhere have laid this to rest (Green, 1987; Atwood, 1990; Carter, Wiebe and Blarel, 1991; Migot-Adholla, Hazell, Blarel and Place, 1991) the common belief that indigenous tenure systems impede productivity and the former mistaken notion of pastoralist overstocking and mismanagement. McCabe (1990) and Ndagala (1990) recognized that the provision of certain developments such as boreholes and veterinary care have removed some constraints on the potential for herd increase with the possibility for localized forage depletion. Behnke and Scoones (1992) and Scoones (1995) talked of ecological succession that captured fluctuating stocking rates and migratory patterns of forage exploitation that allow pastoral management to survive and even to flourish, sustaining livestock numbers in good years well beyond the conventional range management recommendations. These sentiments are supported by Bonfiglioli (1992) who argues that the image of eco-disaster and collapse should be tempered by the realization of the complexities, cultural resilience and the possibilities of pastoral viability. Besides, Sandford (1983) and Homewood and Rodgers (1987) observed that no satisfactory evidence was found for either declining for either declining productivity or overgrazing in either Baringo District, Kenya or the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania. Oba (2001) also opines that development programs might alleviate problems of social dislocation on a sustained basis if the people are helped to revive indigenous means of coping. This has not happened because improved knowledge of indigenous coping strategies, which is essential for developing food security policy, is lacking. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction This chapter presents the research methodology for the study including the research design, the study site, target population, sample and the sampling techniques, data collection instruments, validity and reliability of the instruments, data collection procedures and data analysis. 3.1 Research Design The study will use the survey design to explore the experiences of social dislocation in Kenya with reference to youths from pastoralist communities in Wajir District. A survey design is a technique where detailed information concerning a phenomenon is collected by posing questions to the respondents such that it becomes possible to find explanations for the social phenomenon in question (Wiersma Churchill, 1995). Therefore, surveys design concerns gathering of facts or pertinent and precise information concerning the current state of a phenomenon and wherever possible conclusion from the facts discovered. The descriptive survey design is best suited for this study because it is aimed at description of state of affairs as they exist (Kombo Tromp, 2006). 3.2 Study Location This study will be conducted in Wajir District an administrative district in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Wajir. The district has a population of 319,261 and an area of 55,501 km ². Wajir district has only one local authority: Wajir county council. The district has four constituencies: Wajir North, Wajir West, Wajir East and Wajir South. Wajir District is divided into fourteen administrative divisions. The researcher collected data from two divisions, namely, Habaswein and Central. These are the divisions that host important urban centres namely Habaswein and Wajir town respectively. Borg Gall (1989) noted that the ideal setting for any study should be easily accessible to the researcher and should be that which permits instant rapport with the informants. Wajir District is chosen because it is easily accessible to the researcher. Wajir District is of importance in this study because it has the right composition of the target population given that it has urban centres that have become attractive to dislocated pastoralist youths. 3.3 Target Population The target population is the number of real hypothetical set of people, events or objects to which a researcher wishes to generalize his/her findings (Borg Gall, 1989). The target population will consist of all dislocated pastoralist youths in Wajir District. The study will involve local provincial administration (chiefs), Muslim religious leaders comprising of Sheikhs, Imams, mosque committees and madrassa teachers. Other categories will include representatives of NGOs, CBO officials, government officials and youth groups leaders. 3.4 Sampling and Sampling Procedures By observing the characteristics of a carefully selected and representative sample, one can make certain inferences about characteristics of a population from which it is drawn (Kothari, 1995). Mugenda and Mugenda (1999) suggest that 10% of the accessible population is adequate to serve as a study sample. Probability sampling will be used to obtain a sample of respondents to participate in the study. Since we are selecting two divisions, the figure 2 becomes the benchmark for selection of respondents that will Muslim religious leaders comprising Sheikhs and Imams, madrassa teachers, representatives of NGOs, CBO officials, government officials, youth groups leaders, and village elders. 3.5 Research Instruments This study will be based on primary and secondary data. Fieldwork incorporating personal observation will be utilized to obtain primary data. Primary sources of data will comprise field notes and reports made by the researcher with the help of two research assistants, interviews and observation summaries in the selected areas. The researcher and the assistants will use self-administered questionnaires to collect pertinent information from a cross section of informants. A selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ completion questionnaire is deemed most appropriate for the proposed study. This is because questionnaires are easy to administer, friendly to complete and fast to score and therefore take relatively very little time of researchers and respondents. The questionnaire enables participants to feel free to note down their responses without inhibition since they are not being observed. The study will use closed-ended and open-ended questionnaires, interviews and observation to draw responses from various categories of respondents. Open-ended questionnaires will be used to elicit in-depth information from respondents. Secondary data will be gathered from official documents, development reports and other published and unpublished materials. 3.6 Instrument Validity and Reliability Validity of a test represent the extent to which a test measures what it purpose to measure what it is supposed to be measuring (Orodho, 2005). To enhance content validity, the research instrument will be appraised by the project supervisors. Their contributions and suggestions will be used to clarify ambiguous questions and add new questions that would be forgotten. This will help reduce error in data collection. Reliability concerns the degree to which the same results could be obtained with a repeated measure at accuracy of the same result concept. A pilot study will be conducted to ensure reliability of the questionnaire and to identify any needs for revisions. Participants of the pilot study will be asked to complete the instrument and to provide comments or suggestions for revising any ambiguous items. Orodho (2005) observes that if the scores obtained from each respondent in the two tests are identical or quite close the measurement will be perceived to be reliable. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation will be employed to compute the correlation coefficient in order to establish the extent to which the content in the questionnaires are consistent in eliciting every time the instrument is administered. A correlation coefficient of about 0.8 will be considered high enough to judge the instrument as reliable. 3.8 Data Collection Procedures The researcher will seek a research permit from the Ministry of Education then notify the office of the district commissioner, the district education officer and the local administration. The researcher will then visit the respondents and give out the respective questionnaires to each of the respective selected respondents personally. The researcher will be available throughout to offer assistance to the respondents and make any necessary clarifications. 3.7 Data Analysis Data collected from the field will be cleaned and prepared for data analysis. Data analysis will be done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Data presentation will take the form of descriptive statistics (i.e. frequency tables, cross-tabulations, pie charts and bar graphs). 3.8 Ethical Considerations A permit will be sought from the Ministry of Education to carry out the research. The researcher will obtain informed consent from the institutions and participants. The respondents will be assured that the information obtained from the data will only b

Ethical Issue on Do Not Resuscitate/Do Not Intubate Essay

In cases of cardiac or respiratory arrest, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals conduct resuscitation, which is a medical procedure meant to restore cardiac function in such cases (The Cleveland Clinic Department of Bioethics, 2005). DNR, or â€Å"do not resuscitate† is an order that prohibits resuscitation to individuals who gave the order (The Cleveland Clinic Department of Bioethics, 2005). DNR orders are often executed by patients, whether in a hospital or nursing home (NYS Department of Health). Wherever a patient may be, the DNR order prohibits medical practitioners from performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR to attempt to restore the heartbeat and breathing of a patient whose heart has stopped beating (NYS Department of Health). Similar to a DNR order is a DNI order, or a â€Å"do not intubate† order. This is a separate order because essentially, resuscitation is different from intubation (WebMD, Inc. , 2007). Intubation involves the insertion of a tube through the nose or mouth to into the trachea so that the patient can breathe (WebMD, Inc. 2007). Intubation could prevent respiratory arrest or heart attack (Caring Connections & National Alliance for Hispanic Health). A person’s need for either intubation or resuscitation may differ depending on the circumstances, and it is possible that a person gets difficulty breathing even though his heart functions well (WebMD, Inc. , 2007). Thus, a DNR order does not always include a DNI order, and vice versa. All adults can execute or ask for a DNR order (NYS Department of Health). In certain instances, family members, friends, or representatives may also execute the DNR in behalf of the patient (NYS Department of Health). The main consideration for having a DNR ready is the fear or possibility of the failure of CPR or intubation (NYS Department of Health). The success or failure of CPR or intubation depends on many factors, including the general state of health and age of the patient (NYS Department of Health). Less healthy and ageing patients may have other conditions and frailties that could hinder the success of CPR or intubation (NYS Department of Health). Cardiac arrest can sometimes signal the shutting down process of the body, and CPR or intubation could only serve to interrupt such natural process (Caring Connections & National Alliance for Hispanic Health). Therefore, a failed resuscitation or intubation could lead to worse cases, such as brain damage (NYS Department of Health), dependency on a ventilator, or broken bones from the compression of the chest (Caring Connections & National Alliance for Hispanic Health). Thus, patients, particularly the older ones, prefer to die in relative peace rather than undergo aggressive resuscitation or intubation procedures. DNR/DNI orders are widely accepted as ethical practice (NYS Department of Health). Thus, healthcare professionals are mandated to respect such orders and refrain from giving treatment even though they feel CPR or intubation could still save the patient’s life. Thus, healthcare professionals, nurses, and doctors are left with few options when they face the dilemma between honoring a DNR/DNI order or his medical instinct (NYS Department of Health). First, he must follow the DNR/DNI order. Second, if he cannot follow the order, he must transfer the patient’s care to another doctor who would do so. Lastly, he could try to settle the dispute the soonest possible time (NYS Department of Health). There are many ethical issues relating to the execution of DNR/DNI orders. Working in acute health care setting as a nurse, this issue is an ever-present one that needs resolution. Ethical issues on this aspect revolve around the question of the right or authority to decide whether to discontinue life or prolong it. The justifications for the favorable ethical standing of DNR/DNI orders lie in the medical possibilities that are present in the given circumstances. Given the above-discussed considerations relating to health and old age, there are medical cases where CPR or intubation becomes an unwise option. The possibility of a fate worse than death, such as permanent brain damage, may not be worth pursuing, and the case might just be nature’s way of ending a person’s life (NYS Department of Health). Another justification for DNR/DNI orders from the ethical standpoint is freedom of choice. Pursuant to Kantian philosophy that gives premium on human reason and free will, the ultimate choice and control over a person’s life lies in himself alone, except in certain cases where he is no longer equipped with the necessary faculties to make such decisions on his own. Nursing care is directly involved with the ethical issues on this respect because they are the ones who are often faced with the dilemma between honoring a patient’s DNR/DNI order or following the medically justified path. Given the existing laws and rules on the matter, nurses can do nothing but follow protocol, and respect such orders when present. Ultimately, the law and the rules do not place the decision in their hands, but on the patient’s.

Big Ideas from Big Business (1921)

The author is listed as being Edward Earle Purinton. There are two instances which support a single author view such as on the first page where it reads, â€Å"I shall base the facts of this article on the personal tours and minute examinations I have recently made†¦ † (Purinton). Another reference to a single author status is when he states, â€Å"I am aware that some of the preceding statements will be challenged by many readers,† (Purinton). Though there may be some confusion to the single author idea when towards the end he writes, â€Å"We suggest a few†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Purinton). The referral is concerning fellow business savvy authors who would have the expertise in giving the novice an idea of which founders of big business to study. 2. This source and type of this document would have to be a newspaper editorial describing all of the benefits of big businesses. The author actually calls this work an article towards the beginning. This document could be viewe d as a persuasive essay piece, supporting those who are in, or founded a big business. 3.The message of this work implies that there is nothing better going for the human race than big business, to the point of the author beginning by stating, â€Å"Thru business†¦ the human race is finally to be redeemed,† (Purinton). The author goes through a list describing the virtues of big business, relating it to finest game, science, art, education, opportunity, philanthropy, and religion. The basic story is that these are his â€Å"conclusions† on how these ideas relate to big business and what it has to offer. 4.The intended audience of this article would be the common reader from the public. Although he infers that the reader has some sort of idea of business when he addresses the reader with â€Å"You may not agree†¦ because you judge business by the†¦ imitation of business that happens to be around you,† (Purinton). He also assumes his readers as educ ated when he says, â€Å"I am aware that some of the preceding statements will be challenged by many readers,† (Purinton). Again, this reiterates the idea of this piece being a type of editorial article in a public newspaper.5. This source was created to advocate and support big business and it's founder families. Also, it encourages the reader to learn more about big business. The author mentions at the end that manual workers, or labors, would â€Å"think and feel in unison with themselves,† by realizing all the benefits that big business has to offer, and persuading the reader to get to know big business by stating, â€Å"All enmity is between strangers. Those who really know each other cannot fight,† (Purinton). 6.The author states that, â€Å"I shall base the facts of this article on the personal tours and minute examinations I have recently made of twelve of the world's largest business plants:† (Purinton). The whole of the piece is based on his int erpretation of the values of big business, and there are some correlations within the work that make sense, but this is an opinion-based article, which means that the concluding facts are coming from what his ideas are, and not necessarily the truth, though he does encourage the reader to find out the facts regarding big business for themselves. 7.This source can be a valuable tool to use as an example of a persuasive essay, or opinion piece. It is very successful at outlining and discussing the views that it wants the reader to understand. Also, the author himself has a few quotes in this piece that one could almost find inspirational, such as â€Å"The only ripened fruits of creeds are deeds,† (Purinton). Lastly, there is historical reference value to this article in the fact that it is listing most of the powerhouse businesses of 1921, and it's interesting to see his view of the businesses then, compared to what those businesses are today.

Five Reasons Why Your Writing Matters (Even if No-One Will Take You Seriously)

Five Reasons Why Your Writing Matters (Even if No-One Will Take You Seriously) Five Reasons Why Your Writing Matters (Even if No-One Will Take You Seriously) Five Reasons Why Your Writing Matters (Even if No-One Will Take You Seriously) By Ali Hale Do you ever think about giving up writing? You’ve been working on a novel, but you’re afraid it’s never going to be good enough. Your short stories never win competitions. Your poetry hasn’t been published. Even your blog only has a handful of readers. It’s easy to feel disheartened – especially if you don’t have much support from friends or family. Perhaps your partner just doesn’t get writing, or your friends tease you about it. Don’t give up. Your writing does matter. Even if you’ve never shown a piece of your work to anyone, even if you know that publication is a distant dream, it’s still worth writing. Here’s why. #1: It’s Not Just a Hobby Non-writers often think that writing is some casual hobby – and not a very productive one at that. After all, you might sweat for days on a story, and it still might not get published. If you took up knitting instead, you’d at least have a lumpy scarf or a pair of socks to show for your effort. Writing isn’t just a hobby, though. It’s a calling. Writers don’t pick up the pen (or turn to the keyboard) because they’re bored – they do it because they feel compelled to put their thoughts down on the page. Your writing is part of who you are, and it’s not something to take lightly. If you want to make sure your writing is more than just a hobby, read 7 Habits of Serious Writers. #2: Your Writing Can Outlive You We’re all going to die one day. Of course, memories live on – but eventually, there’ll be no-one alive who ever knew you. Your writing may well outlive you. Perhaps you’ve not got an audience for your memoir right now but it could be an incredible treasure for your great-great-grandchildren. And if you’re a poet, playwright or novelist, you might find that your work lives on long after your death. Just think of Chaucer, Shakespeare and Dickens. Your name could be one that every school child knows in three hundred years’ time. Want to write your life story and get it published? Start with Are You Writing a Memoir? #3: You Can Change Lives Most of us have a pretty small circle of influence: family, friends, colleagues, our local community. Writing, though, lets us reach across the world. If you have a blog – even a blog with ten readers – you’re touching other people’s lives. It always makes my day when I get an email or comment telling me how much one of my blog posts meant to someone. Often, I’ll hear â€Å"this came at just the right time for me†. Your writing could change someone’s life, by opening up new possibilities for them, by teaching them something new, or simply by giving them an experience that they wouldn’t otherwise have had. If you want to start reaching more people, read Aren’t You Blogging Yet? #4: Self-Expression is Important If I don’t exercise, I get cranky – and if I don’t write, I get cranky too. I do some of my best thinking with a pen in my hand, or with a keyboard under my fingers – and I’d bet that you do too. Being able to get things off your chest and onto the page can be extremely therapeutic – more so than simply talking about problems. The contents of your journal might be ephemeral but the act of writing it might be crucial for your well-being. Fiction or poetry can also be a crucial outlet, letting you explore emotions and ideas, and bring structure to them. Not sure what to write about today? Try Writing Prompts 101. #5: You’re Improving with Every Word You Write Perhaps you’re tempted to give up writing because you’re not good enough. Perhaps you’ve had nasty comments on your blog, or you’ve sent off your short stories again and again, meeting with rejection each time. Maybe you’re worried about how to find a literary agent. Even if you’re not quite there yet, you’re learning and improving all the time. Every single word you write helps you to hone your craft and take your skills further – especially if you’re actively seeking to learn new techniques. If you give up now, you’ll never know what you might have been capable of. Take your writing to the next level with The Basic English Grammar Book and 100 Writing Mistakes to Avoid. Where Next for Your Writing? I know life is busy, and that it’s hard to find the time and energy to write. But I’d encourage you to set aside just an hour this week to focus on your writing. If you’ve been reading a lot about writing without actually doing much, then now’s the time to change that. If you want others to take you seriously, it’s vital that you take your writing seriously. That might mean joining a group, enrolling on a course, or simply committing more time to your writing. What will you do, this week, to make your writing a more important part of your life? About the Author: Ali Luke is a writing and writing coach from the UK, with the cute accent to match. She’s just released How to Find Time for Your Writing, a short, practical ebook that’s completely free. Click here to find out more and to get your free copy. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Arrive To vs. Arrive At80 Idioms with the Word TimeWhen to Spell Out Numbers