Persuasive Speach – Buy vs. Rent

Project 4 Written Outline Even in this economy it is still better to buy a home then rent. I. Why pay rent and make the landlord richer when you can own your own home for basically the same monthly payment and reap the tax benefits yourself. II. In 2006 I was faced with having to make the decision to buy or rent. After researching found I could buy a 4 bedroom house in a good area for same price of renting a 2 bedroom apartment. Also working for the government I knew the tax advantages I would get so I don’t have to tell you which decision I went with.III. Today I am going to show you that buying a house is a better choice then renting even in this unstable economy. IV. There are many programs that help people purchase a home. First time homebuyers even with bad credit can qualify. Do you know where to look? I will provide you with some internet sights that can be of assistance. V. There are many reasons why home buying is better than renting; the few that I will talk about ar e 1. Long term buying costs less on a yearly basis then renting. 2. Good financial investment and low interest rates and 3.Tax advantages Now that we are coming to a close on the semester some of you are going to be faced with the decision upon graduation as to whether you should buy or rent. I. If you have already decided that you will be staying in a certain area for at least 7 years it is shown that buying is cheaper than renting. a. On April 21st. 2010 the NY Times reported that if you remain in your home for 7 or more years you will save approximately $759/year over renting. b. Did you know you could also use the rent ratio to help determine what areas are better to buy in?To determine rent ratio you look at the average purchase price of a house and divide that by rent of a similar house. If the rate is under 20 it is a good indication to buy i. Some areas that are currently under 20 include Philadelphia, New York. Boston. Washington, Cleveland, Chicago, Dallas, Sacramento and Los Angeles ii. In the 4th quarter of 2005 the rent ratio for Philadelphia was 17. 2, since then it has dropped to 16. 7 (4th quarter of 2009) this shows that now is still a better time to buy then rent in our area.In 2006 I had to evaluate my own circumstances and the Pros and Cons of buying vs. renting. II. I compared what I would pay for a 2 bedroom apt to what I would pay for a home. I found that I could buy a 4 bedroom house in a good area and get a mortgage with a 7. 5% interest rate. My monthly payment would have been the same as renting an apartment. a. Last year I refinanced with all the programs that were being given out because of the financial problems banks were having. I was able to get my interest rate down to 4. % and now my mortgage is only $750/month (and that includes my taxes being escrowed) b. Now where can you rent a 4 bedroom house for $750/month in a good stable area? c. Even though the housing market is on the mend you can still get in on a low interest rate today at about 5. 13%. d. Owning home helps to build equity that you can use later in life for other events like your child going to college; adding an addition to your home. It also lets you be in control of your interior decorating and your outdoor landscaping.No need to sit around waiting on a landlord to come fix something that has broken, or losing a deposit if place isn’t in condition the landlord wants it to be in. Buying a home has tax advantages that renting does not. III. When buying a house certain costs can be deducted on your tax returns giving you benefits instead of a landlord. a. Closing costs and points paid are deductible on Schedule A as Itemized deductions. b. You can also deduct your interest payments on your mortgage as well as School Taxes, County Taxes, etc. c.Also recently added was that you can now claim PMI payments. d. Even if your itemized deductions are lower than the standard deduction you can still reap the tax benefits of being a homeowner. i . If you can not itemize you can claim an additional $500/1000 deduction (single/joint) added to the standard deduction line on the tax return. Today I have shown you that buying a home is better then renting. Conclusion Buying saves you money in the long run. You’re investing in your future and providing yourself with stability and security in your community.Your building up equity in your home as you pay off your mortgage and reaping the tax benefits instead of writing a check to a landlord and watching your money go out the window. You can find more information at the following sites: www. Rentlaw. com, www. smartmoney. com, www. hud. gov/buying. comq. cfm, and to find out current mortgage rates you can visit www. bankrate. com I. So let’s stop making others rich and give yourself the financial security and stability you deserve by owning the American dream. Your own home†¦

A Letter to Morrie Shwartz

It really started to dawn on me how lightly we take the time we have in our lives and how little we love and live to the fullest. I feel that your belief in â€Å"when we learn how to die, we learn how to live† was really enlightening and true. As I read your philosophies on death and aging, you really described aging as not something to be hated and feared, but something to be embraced. You thought of it as more knowledge and experience, and had no reason to be jealous of young people; why be jealous of a man who is 40 when you've already been there?This idea really changed my thoughts on aging. Another belief of yours that admired was the bird perched on your shoulder. Though it wasn't your philosophy, it changed me a lot to try harder in life. I ask myself each day whether or not would be satisfied with dying at the end of the day. From this idea, thought of each time I sleep as me dying, but being reborn in the morning and starting the day anew. However, some days I'm just really unsatisfied, and that's okay, but will always try my best to have a great day every day.When you had one of your early conversations catching up with Mitch after so many years, I found your outlook on people's everyday lives to be very true. In the past few months, found myself very unsatisfied with how I was doing in school and keeping my body active. I had many unsatisfied days and nights, falling asleep unsure and anxious. During the day, I try my best to be alive and in the moment, and really being there, having my presence in the room in front of my peers. This idea really changed my thoughts on everyday fife and experiencing it fully.Yet another philosophy of yours that really moved me was your â€Å"detachment' technique. Recently, I've taken a lot of blows to my pride, and have lost a lot of respect from others and myself. I just have a lot of self-pity. Some days, when I feel incredibly sad and helpless, I detach myself; experience, wash myself in all the negative emotions bothering me. Face these problems and emotions so that I can understand it, know it, and then let go. It really helps when I feel pretty low, and I'm sure it will help even more n the future, and thankful for that, Morris. Next pig) All in all, my idea Of the meaning Of life has changed so much. I have learned to live more, love more, and do more. It has changed me as a person, and really could never have had such a great learning experience. I've learned a lot about myself and the people around me; flaws, talents, interests, opinions, beliefs, the list goes on. A lot of the problems I've had have been solved thanks to your story, Morris. I am sincerely thankful for that, and your student Mitch, for sharing it with us. Sincerely yours,

John Knowles novel, A Separate Peace Essay

In John Knowles novel, A Separate Peace, Knowles proves through an adolescent relationship, that in order to have a reliable friendship, one must accept another completely, revealing that jealousy can not co-excist within a friendship. Jealousy plays a major role in the deterioration of the relationship between Gene and Finny. Gene has a growing jealousy towards his bestfriend Phineas. Because Finny always â€Å"gets away with everything† and can be whoever he wants to be, while Gene feels as if he is imprisoned within his own body (Knowles 28). The dangerous envy Gene feels towards Finny is eating away at his soul and is in no way healthy for the friendship, or Genes well being. Because of this jealousy, Gene can not fully accept Finny and his mischevious ways and fears to become inured to the fact that Phineas will always be better then him, all without noticing the breathtaking talents he himself possesses. Knowles displays the friendship as a way to prove that jealousy can not only mentally but physically force one to do unthinkable and incomprehensible things to another. The jealousy Gene was hiding within his walls enventually broke and he â€Å"jounced the limb† making Phineas fall from the tree and break his leg (Knowles 60). Revealing that Genes competitive hatred towards Finny lead to unbelievable, malicious action to physically disable his friend. For though friendship is depended on one another, the balance between Gene and Phineas is unequal: Finny needed Gene to help him face adulthood, while Gene uses Finny as a constant comparison to his own hopeless life. Knowles documents when jealousy collides with friendship and the fear of it becoming a reality, when it effects a loved one . In the article â€Å"A Separate peace: Four Decades of Critical Response†by Lois Rauch Gibson, Gibson analyzed Knowles and his perspective on jealousy. By jouncing Finny off of the limb, â€Å"Gene can rid himself.. of the evil within† (Gibson 5). Although ridding himself minimal of jealousy, his unkindly act forced  Gene to be plunged into a new internal world war. With this new profound guilt he destroyed any feelings of affection he once has for Finny. With a consistent feeling of jealousy throughout their friendship and in preparation for the war, Gene wrote : â€Å"i was on active duty all my time at school: I killed my enemy there† (Knowles 196). Revealing that instead of being able to embrace the friendship Finny has always offered, jealousy took over Gene, and eventually all the insecurity kills Finny. To accept each other completely Gene knew this jealousy could not excist within the relationship, he also knew the peace was always Finny, and with him no longer by his side; Gene was able to find his own separate peace. Works Cited Online: Gibson, Lois. â€Å"A Separate Peace: Four Decades of Critical Response.† E-article. Kowles, John. A Separate Peace. New York: Scribner, 1959.

Write about being a revenue cycle director in managed care Term Paper

Write about being a revenue cycle director in managed care - Term Paper Example President, I am tasked with verifying, reviewing and updating all information relating to the demography on the managed care’s database, SoundConnect, which is primary a care service provider. i. Evaluating equipment, systems and staffing so that they meet the set standards of business. I provide assessments, appraisals and recommendations to the Chief Financial Officer and other top level management. After I send my recommendations, they are then responsible for making the appropriate changes. iv. Monitoring the productivity of all the departments. These productivity metrics include claims that have been rejected, denied or processed. It also includes collection volume, payments of patients, rates of fee schedules and account write offs. v. Ensuring that the staff attends training programs for specified functions. Through reviewing the staff, I am able to gauge their job proficiency. Additionally, I schedule staff meetings aimed at enhancing staff development and improving communication. vii. Using the billing system and systems of collection for processing and billing. I am an accountant by profession and therefore I ensure that the billing systems are utilized by the staff at the care. I also conduct training programs to make sure that proficiency testing for all staff is established. Friedman et al., argues that, the revenue cycle director is part of the managerial staff and as such, is involved with contributing to the vision and strategic strategies that a managed care facility adopts. Therefore, the director sets the strategy and vision in alignment with the goals and initiatives of the critical revenue cycle for every business line (Friedman et al., 2013). As the director, I provide the strategy and vison for the Pain Center, Home Health, Orthopedics and the Ambulatory Surgical Center. My job extends to managing and leading intrinsic revenue cycle projects. I perform this role by providing the total oversight and direction of the core areas that

President Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address Literature review

President Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address - Literature review Example He also began to illustrate how the condition of slavery had been outgrown by both Northern and Southern states, the progress that was surely just and right in the eyes of God. Because of the arguments and components included within the speech and the situation in which it was delivered, this qualifies as a rhetorical situation based upon the definitions provided by Lloyd Bitzer. This is because all three components of a rhetorical situation are present. These include exigence in which there is â€Å"an imperfection marked by urgency †¦ a thing which is other than it should be† (Bitzer 7) in the form of a war within the nation, an audience capable of being influenced by discourse, and a set of constraints â€Å"made up of persons, events, objects and relations which are parts of the situation because they have the power to constrain decision and action needed to modify the exigence† (Bitzer 12). Lincoln’s rhetorical speech was designed to urge an end to the war and a re-recognition of the South as brothers within the same house rather than enemies. Lincoln’s speech is clearly intended to get his audience to accept their Southern enemies as brothers. Being relatively assured of winning the war at this point, he was laying the foundation for Reconstruction. Although he, like many others, lays the blame for the war entirely at the feet of the South, â€Å"To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest [slavery] was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it† (Lincoln, 1865), he also insists to his listeners that the people of the South are still ‘family’: â€Å"Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God †¦ It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces, but let us judg e not, that we are not judged† (Lincoln, 1865). In making this argument, Lincoln reminds his listeners that the North has benefited from the slaves of the South too. Therefore, the losses sustained by the North are just punishment for having allowed such practices to continue. Lincoln suggests it is God’s will that the North has lost something rather than the fault of the South. For this reason, the North should not expect any retribution from the South. Instead, Lincoln suggests they should just end the war and begin helping each other to rebuild, â€Å"with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations† (Lincoln, 1865). At the time the spee ch was delivered, the nation was strongly divided and tensions were high on both sides.  Ã‚  

Global issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global issues - Assignment Example It had proved to be rather tenable, when used partially, as it was in the post-war Britain, where sacred nature of private property and private enterprises were combined with nationalized industries; in other words, in the mixed economy. Keynes’ purpose, to the contrary, was to subject economy to the governmental central planning. His position implied that the government should take control over the key industrial and economy sectors, regulating them – particularly, via price control. However, this purpose wasn’t achieved to the full extent, as the ideas began to collapse with growth of inflation, unemployment, poverty and extreme forms of governmental control – totalitarian, like in Nazis’ Germany – posing a threat to democracy. His theory had proved to be efficient for wartime but ineffective in the time of peace. However, Keynes remained among the most influential economists of the 20th century. The term â€Å"Commanding Heights† was first mentioned in the speech pronounced by Lenin regarding the key sectors of economy that should be run by the government. To my thinking, governments should own commanding heights only partially to avoid excessive control over economy. There is a huge plus in the global economy, which is absence of boundaries in mutual help, and this is illustrated by operation of numerous international economic organizations like International Monetary Fund. However, there should still be at least partial control over the national economies to prevent negative side effects of globalization; therefore, mixed economy seems the most tenable

Moral distress Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Moral distress - Coursework Example Solving the morally distressing situation would demand asking about it to the relevant people such as the close family members and the hospital administration. After asking, affirm about the method and what it would entail in detail which would lead to the third model of assessing the situation by the hospital administration and the family members as well. Assessment would also be carried out by the patient herself. If all the parties come up with a unanimous positive response, I would move to the last stage of acting where the action to end her suffering would commence (The Ethics Work Group, 2004). The 4A’s model enables assessment of the risks and benefits involved in a morally distressing situation as well as enabling assessment of the situation by the external barriers causing the distress. This leads to taking the appropriate and though about action that would end the moral distress. The Ethics Work Group. (2004).The 4A’s to Rise above Moral Distress. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Retrieved from

Juvenile justice system- harsh punishments vs. lighter punishments Essay

Juvenile justice system- harsh punishments vs. lighter punishments - Essay Example There is also the lack of understanding among citizens on the social, political and economic perspectives that cause juvenile crime and the juvenile justice practice. Even though most people do not comprehend the vitality of the juvenile justice system, there have been strong discussions on the causes of crime by the youth and the possible ways of handling them (Champion, Merlo and Benekos 34). There are varied position held by the public concerning this issue, some hold the view that there measures should be put in place that will ensure such crimes are prevented and rehabilitate the young offender. Other members of the public call for the establishment of harsher punishment to the young criminals. They demand that youths who commit crimes be held accountable as adults (Elrod and Ryder 5). There has been a growing dilemma of youth gang violence in Central America. Youth violence is a great worry since it affects the country’s safety and the health of the public. However, some of the strategies put in place so as to address the problem are not successful. It has been noted that the approaches lead to the infringement of human rights hence leading to serious lawful challenges. Violent gangs have been reported to be taking part in injurious actions such as drug abuse. In addition, violent gangs take part in theft and robbery of properties of their neighbors. Juvenile justice systems have been established to ensure that cries committed by the youths are prevented from taking root in the society. Introduction Jane is a woman juvenile detention officer and Jack is a resident of New York, they hold the view that children who commit crime should be rehabilitated rather than punished and measures should be put in place to ensure that crimes involving the juveniles are prevented from occurring in the society. On the contrary, Kennedy is a law enforcement officer while Brian is resident of Los Angeles. They hold the view that the youth who engage in criminal activ ities should be given equal punishment the same as the punishment given to adults. Scenario The issue of juvenile justice system and the approach in which it should take, whether rehabilitative or punishment approach, and the best approach which should be adopted have dominated the public debate for several years now. It is evident that young people engage in serious criminal activities. However, most crimes committed by the young ones do not lead to serious injury or loss of property. The public has had to debate on the best way to approach the issue in order to correct the illegal behavior of the youths (Krisberg 3). There have also been concerns on the best approaches that can effectively help the youth in learning from their mistakes so as to enable them make right decisions concerning their lives now and in the future (Klein 55). Young children who commit crime constitute a diverse population. These young criminals vary depending on their psychological and biological factors as well as the social environment in which they live. However, their biological, social and psychological variation need to taken into account when considering which type of approach whether rehabilitative or be punished. Several states in the United States have placed the age limit to the juvenile justice system jurisdiction a t age 17. When the youths attain the age of 18 years, they are subject to the jurisdiction in the adult justice system. Further, some states have a lower age limit for admission to juvenile court. The age limit often varies from the age of 6 years to 10 years. In cases whereby a lower age limit exists, younger children with the age below the statutory specified age cannot be considered in the

Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies Essay - 3

Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies - Essay Example The company is well known for establishing product leadership in various grounds like skin care, house care etc. It employs almost 125000 employs and sells almost two hundred brands or more across the globe. Procter & Gamble has developed greater than 28 technical centers around the world (PG-Global, 2012). The company has included market research procedure for taking strategic decision while expanding its business in the market (Kotler, 2009; Silverstein, 1997). It has been successful in extending business operations extensively and achieved high revenue in this time period. The study will perform Procter & Gamble’s strategic analysis in the following manner: 1) Analyzing the business level strategy of the company. 2) Analyzing the corporate level strategy of the company. 3) Analyzing its competitive environment. 1) Analyze the business-level strategies for the corporation you chose to determine the business-level strategy you think is most important to the long-term success of the firm and whether or not you judge this to be a good choice. Justify your opinion. The SWOT analysis of Procter & Gamble will help in understanding its business level strategy (Graul, et al., 2006). It will help in realizing the alignment related to the organizational issues (Ansoff, 1965; Dickson, 2002; Valentin, 2001; Panagiotou, 2003). This will help to formulate different strategies for overcoming the threats and weaknesses (Porter, 1991). Strengths The company utilizes the economies of scale for reducing the production cost and offering competitive prices, for the products, to its customers. Procter & Gamble has high brand reputation among the customers because of the prolonged business operations in the industry. The company makes high investment in the research and development for developing quality products. Weaknesses The financial statement analysis of Procter & Gamble shows that the cash flow of the company is shrinking. Its domestic market is saturated due to the e xistence of a large number of competitors. The biggest competitor of Procter & Gamble i.e. Unilever is competing highly in the detergent segment because of which the company is being forced to maintain competitive pricing strategy. The company’s cost structure is increasing because of increasing operating structure. The company adopted retrenchment strategy in order to perform cost minimization. Opportunities There is huge scope or opportunity of the company to extend its product line by expansion of its portfolio in the beauty and health segment. The expansion of its product portfolio will help in increasing its market share as well as number of customers. Procter & Gamble has low market share in the developing countries like India, China, and Brazil etc. It has the opportunity to perform market penetration in these regions. Its domestic retail market has an increasing growth trend from past few years which provides opportunity to the company to cater the needs and demands o f the customers here. Threats In the developing market sector of the business operations of Procter & Gamble the local players are giving tough competition to the company and the developed market segment is being saturated gradually because of the existence and entry of large number of multinational companies. The cost associated with the value chain has increased gradually which has made it tough for the company to achieve economies of scale. Recommended Strategy for long term success Procter & Gamble

Evolution Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evolution Questions - Assignment Example When meiosis occurs, genes are segregated at random and events such as crossing over can occur, which causes increased genetic variation. In larger populations, the allelic combinations typically stay stable over time. However, in smaller populations, any type of variation or production of one gene over another due to chance can have a large change in the gene pool frequencies. The most useful way to think about this concept is in terms of the Hardy Weinberg Equation, which is a quadratic formula that calculates the genetic frequencies of the homozygous dominant, homozygous recessive, and heterozygous expressions. The Hardy Weinberg Equation uses the letters P and Q in order to addresses the alleles for a population with homozygous dominant being p2, homozygous recessive being q2, and heterozygous being pq. Normally, in a standard population and statistically valid population, the ratios would be the same. Like stated above there are multiple factors, which can then affect the ratio of these allelic frequencies. Some of the organisms may survive due to supremacy of the traits they expressed or the randomness of gamete formation may lead to an unproportional expression in traits. For example, lets consider a population which has allelic frequencies of p=0.3 and q=0.7. ... This is because a statistical change in allelic frequencies in a smaller population due to chance has a larger and more significant effect because the population, N, is smaller. Therefore, the effect size is larger. The reason that it is not as powerful in populations with a large N value is because it is thought that the chance of one allelic combination being produced over the other is negligible, therefore they cancel out which shows that there is no real resulting chance in the frequencies of the gene pool. DNA replication is a process, which is ongoing at every moment in every organism. It is important in order to ensure that the structure of the genetic code remains viable for reproduction, however the code becomes more disrupted every time that it is replicated. These mistakes are mutations, which occur in the replication of DNA can cause either desirable or undesirable traits to form. This is one of the basis in which evolution is thought to occur. Different types of mutation s have different effects on evolution. Replacement mutations are much lower than substitution mutations. These are thought to effect neutral genes, which remain structurally similar over time. Substitution mutations are thought to happen in genes that are dynamic and are quick changing in that this is the main mutation, which promotes the most genetic variation. Conservation biology is the field of biology that is directed specifically at understanding and protecting the biodiversity of the Earth. Understanding the role and relationship of species in their habitats and ecosystems does this. Specifically, Templeton was concerned with the human activity, which was having an affect on genetic variation of the collared lizards in the

Assessment Template Essay Example for Free

Assessment Template Essay A trainer of this Competency Unit must: †¢ have demonstrated competency under this Competency Unit †¢ have at least 2 years related experience in the Manufacturing Industry †¢ be certified competent in preparation, delivery and evaluation of training sessions or relevant National Trainer Competency Standards certification (ACTA) Assessor Requirements An assessor of this Competency Unit must: †¢ have demonstrated competency under this Competency Unit †¢ have at least 2 years related experience in the Manufacturing Industry †¢ be certified  competent in the conduct of competency-based assessments or relevant National Trainer Competency Standards certification (ACTA) Candidates Profile Description of candidates: Age group: 21 to 55 years old Education level: PSLE or equivalent Language: Chinese / Basic English Minimum ability of: †¢ Singapore Workplace Safety and Health requirements knowledge †¢ Follow written and oral work instructions †¢ Listen, read and write English at a proficiency level equivalent to Employability Skills system (ESS) Level 3 †¢ Manipulate numbers at a proficiency level equivalent to Employability Skills system (ESS). Level 3  Special needs of candidates As the candidates are expected to have a varying level of command of the English Language, it is expected that the assessor shall apply the principle of fairness without comprising the validity and reliability of the assessment especially during oral questioning where candidate’s comprehension of the questions may be impacted by the command of English. In this case, the assessor can paraphrase the questions in order to solicit a response from the candidate. Evidence Gathering Plan for Performance Statement. |Performance Statement |Assessment Criteria |Assessment | | |(Candidate is able to) | | | | |Method |Tools | |PS 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | Evidence Gathering Plan for Underpinning Knowledge |Underpinning Knowledge (UK) |Assessment Criteria |Assessment | | |(Candidate is able to) | | | | |Method |Tools | |UK 1 | | | | |UK 2 | | | | |UK 3 | | | | |UK 4 | | | | |UK 5 | | | | |UK 6 | | | | |UK 7 | | | | |UK 8 | | | | |UK 9 | | | | |UK 10 | | | | Assessment Specification for Practical Performance. |SPECIFICATIONS |GUIDELINES | |Duration |xx minutes | |Venue |Training Provider | |Set-up |Simulated condition / environment with the capacity for up to 15 candidates for conduct of | | |assessment and equipped with, but not limited to: | |Documents to be used |For Candidate – Practical Performance Assessment Paper | | | For Assessor – Practical Performance Assessment Paper (with answers) and Individual Assessment| | |and Checklist Summary record | |Pre-assessment instructions |Prepare the test materials, checklists, hand tools, measurement devices and equipment required| |(Assessor) |for work assignment. Place it at designated locations. | | |Instruct the candidates to retrieve test materials, checklists, hand tools measurement devices| | |and equipment from the designated locations. | |Pre-assessment instructions |Inform candidates the following before commencement of assessment: | |(Candidate) |Purpose of the assessment | | |Assessment duration | | |Performance statements expected | | |Method of assessment – Direct observation | | |Verification of candidate’s identity | | |Appeal procedures | | |Workplace Safety and Health requirements if any | | |Special needs if any | | |If candidates have no further questions or needs, assessment shall begin. | |Process |The work assignment consists of three tasks as follow: | | |Task 1: | | |Task 2: | | |It is suggested that assessors conduct the tasks sequentially starting with Task 1 and end | | |with Task 2 and use the Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record for Practical | | |Performance Record to rate the observations against the performance statements and criteria | | |Where assessor is not able to ascertain the competency during practical performance, this can | | |be supplemented by oral questioning | | | If candidate  does not demonstrate competence against any PS, the candidate should still be | | |allowed to complete the assessment. | | |The result of the assessment will be made known at the end of the test | |Recording Assessment Result: |Record findings and conclusions in Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record for | | |Practical Performance | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"C† column for â€Å"Competent† to indicate the outcome of the assessment for a| | |PS. | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"NYC† column for â€Å"Not Yet Competent† to indicate the outcome of the | | |assessment for a PS. | | |Record observations of competence | | |Record any questions asked and the given answers | | |Record reasons for â€Å"NYC† in the event the candidate intends to appeal and these will serve as | | |your supporting evidences. | | |Transfer your results to the Overall Assessment Summary Record | | |A candidate is deemed competent if â€Å"C† is ticked in all Assessment Criteria | | |If any Assessment Criteria is graded â€Å"NYC†, the candidate is deemed Not Yet Competent in the | | |Performance Statement and therefore in the assessment | |Feedback |Give feedback to candidate on the outcome and request for feedback. | | |Candidate is to sign on Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record for Practical | | |Performance Record at the end of the assessment. | | |In the case of â€Å"NYC†, candidate must be reminded of his / her right for appeal. In case where | | |candidate accepts the outcome of the assessment, the candidate will sign the Overall | | |Assessment Summary Record. If the candidate intends to appeal, the assessor will remind | | |candidate of the appeal process and the candidate does not sign the Assessment Record Summary. | Assessment Specification for Written Questions. |SPECIFICATIONS |GUIDELINES | |Duration |xx minutes | |Venue |Training Provider’s room | |Set-up |Chairs and tables for each Candidate | |Documents to be used |For Candidate – Written Assessment Paper | | |For Assessor Written Assessment Paper (with answers) and Individual Assessment | | |and Checklist Summary record | |Pre-assessment instructions (Assessor) |This section is to be conducted after the Practical Performance. | | |If the candidate is unable to clearly express his / her answer in writing, the | | |assessor can request the candidate to draw or demonstrate. The assessor must | | |indicate in the â€Å"Evidence† column of this method of answering the question | | |A variation in the answer may appear which is not 100% describing the given | | |answers. In this case, the assessor can use his or her own discretion to assess if | | |the answer meets the need of the question. Comments must be written in the | | |â€Å"Evidence† column. | | |All questions must be answered | | |Further questions for clarification must be noted down in the â€Å"Evidence† column as | | |well. | |Pre-assessment instructions (Candidate) |There are a total of xx written questions in this section. | | |In the event that you are unclear of the question, you may ask for any | | |clarification before proceeding to answer the question. You are allow to draw or | | |demonstrate if needed | | |If you have no further questions or needs, we shall begin. | |Process |Assessors are to use the Written Assessment Paper (with answers) to rate the | | |answers against the questions. | | |Where assessor is not able to ascertain the answers , this can be supplemented by | | |further oral questions | | |If candidate is not able to answer any question, the candidate should still be | | |allowed to complete the assessment. The unanswered question will be re-asked again | | |at the end of the final question. | | |The candidate must be given other means to express the answer where necessary. | | |The result of the assessment will be made known at the end of the test | |Recording Assessment Result: |Record findings and conclusions in the Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary | | |record | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"C† column for â€Å"Competent† to indicate the outcome of the | | |assessment for a UK. | | |Place a tick in the â€Å"NYC† column for â€Å"Not Yet Competent† to indicate the outcome of| | |the assessment for a UK. | | |Record answers given by candidate. | | |Record any additional questions and answers given. | | |Record reasons for â€Å"NYC† in the event the candidate intends to appeal and these | | |will serve as your supporting evidences. | | |Transfer your results from Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record to | | |the Overall Assessment Summary Record | | |A candidate is deemed competent if â€Å"C† is ticked in all Underpinning Knowledge | | |questions. | | |If any UK question is graded â€Å"NYC†, the candidate is deemed Not Yet Competent in | | |the Performance Statement and therefore in the assessment | |Feedback |Give feedback to candidate on the outcome and request for feedback. | | |Candidate is to sign on the Individual Assessment and Checklist Summary record and | | |Overall Assessment Summary Record at the end of the assessment. | | |In the case of â€Å"NYC†, candidate must be reminded of his / her right for appeal. In | | |case where candidate accepts the outcome of the assessment, the candidate will sign| | |the Assessment Summary record. If the candidate intends to appeal, the assessor | | |will remind candidate of the appeal process and the candidate does not sign the | | |Overall Assessment Record Summary. | Appeal Process A general practice carried out by assessors is to share the appeal process at the beginning of the assessment. It may give the candidate the assurance that if they fail the assessment, there is a procedure to handle that situation. However, if the candidate is very nervous from the moment he/she enters the room, it is important to assure the candidate that the purpose of the assessment is to assess his/her ability to demonstrate certain knowledge and skills, and to help calm him/her down. It would not be advisable to share the appeal process while conducting the assessment. It would just suggest to the candidate that he/she has failed some sections of the assessment and that may affect the performance of the remaining assessment. If sharing is done at the end of the assessment, it may be redundant especially when the candidate has shown competency according to the assessment criteria. However, if the candidate fails the assessment, he/she might be too emotional to listen to the appeal process. In summary, it is best to share the appeal process at the start of the assessment. Code of Practice for Assessors The National Council for Measurement in Education’s Code of Practice stipulates: 1. The differing needs and requirements of the person(s) being assessed, the local enterprise(s) and/or industry are identified and handled with sensitivity. 2. Potential forms of conflict of interest in the assessment processes and/or outcomes are identified and appropriate referrals are made, if necessary. 3. All forms of harassment are avoided throughout the planning, conduct, reviewing, and reporting of the assessment outcomes. 4. The rights of the candidate(s) are protected during and after the assessment. 5. Personal or interpersonal factors that are not relevant to the assessment of the competency must not influence the assessment outcomes. 6. The candidate(s) is made aware of the rights and processes of appeal 7. Evidence that is gathered during the assessment is verified for validity, reliability, authenticity, sufficiency and currency. 8. Assessment decisions are based on available evidence that can be produced and verified by another assessor. 9. Assessments are conducted within the boundaries of the assessment systems policies and procedures. 10. Formal agreement is obtained from both the candidate(s) and the assessor that the assessment was carried out in accordance with agreed procedures. 11. Assessment tools, systems and procedures are consistent with equal opportunity legislation. 12. The candidate (s) is informed of all assessment reporting processes prior to the assessment 13. The candidate(s) is informed of all known potential consequences of decisions arising from an assessment, prior to the assessment. 14. Confidentiality is maintained regarding assessment results 15. Results are only released with the written permission of the candidate(s) 16. The assessment results are used consistently with the purposes explained to the candidate 17. Self-assessments are periodically conducted to ensure current competencies against the assessment and Workplace Training Competency Standards 18. Professional development opportunities are identified and sought 19. Opportunities for networking amongst assessors are created and maintained 20. Opportunities are created for technical assistance in planning, conducting and reviewing assessment procedures and outcomes. Resources This section provides the reference materials needed to implement and conduct the assessment. Practical Performance Assessment Paper Instructions to Candidates: †¢ Check carefully to ensure you are sitting for the correct paper. †¢ You are required to complete and submit your work assignment within the time allocated to the Assessor for marking. If failure to do so will result in you been considered Not Yet Competent (NYC). Time allocated: xx minutes Task 1: xxx Instruction: 1. xxx Task 2: xxx Instruction: 2. xxx Written Assessment Paper Instructions to Candidates: †¢ There are a total of xx questions. †¢ The candidate shall answer all the questions in this section. †¢ Time allocated: xxmins List of Questions: 1. xx NAME OF APPROVED TRAINING ORGANISATION: |Candidate Name: |NRIC/FIN No. : | |Candidate Designation: |Company: | |Assessor Name: |Date of Assessment: | |Candidate Acknowledgement: |Tick (() | |1. I was given information about the assessment and I have completed the Self Assessment Checklist | | |2. The assessment’s purpose, process and duration were clearly explained | | |3. The assessor checked for my special needs | | |4. The appeal procedure was clearly explained | | |Candidate Signature: Date: | CHECKLIST FOR ASSESSORS |Did I †¦ |Tick (() if you | | |have done so | |Pre-Assessment Preparation | |Ensure the availability and safe working condition of assessment resources such as tools, equipment and materials. | | |Ensure the set-up of assessment site is in accordance with assessment plan and WSH guidelines. | | |Introduce myself in a friendly manner to the candidate. | | |Verify candidate’s identity via his identification documents. | | |Put the candidate at ease. | | |Encourage candidate to seek clarifications if in doubt. | | |Explain the purpose, context and duration of assessment to candidate. | | |Brief candidate on the assessment requirements and process, including clear instructions on the assessment to be | | |taken. | | |Establish the evidences that will be gathered during the assessment. | | |Check with candidate for any special needs. | | |Brief candidate on his rights and process of appeal to the assessment outcome. | | |During Assessment | |Use assessment plan and tools to carry out the conduct of assessment. | | |Use evidence gathered to decide if the relevant criteria are met and make assessment decision. | | |Comply with the Code of Practice (ACTA-CU6) for Assessors when conducting assessment and making assessment decisions. | | |Assess and record candidate’s competency for all assessment criteria (AC) promptly and accurately. | | |Record outcomes in summary record page. (Candidate is considered competent only when he/she is rated ‘C’ for all the | | |ACs. ) | | |Feedback results to candidate. | | |Sign on appropriate pages. | | |Ensure candidate sign on summary record. | | |Check and submit completed form to appropriate person in organization. | | Assessment Record – Practical Performance [Durations: xxmins] |Performance Statements | |Please tick (() |REMARKS | | |Assessment Criteria | | | | |(Candidate is able to) | | | | | |C |NYC | | |PS 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | | |Remarks: | | | | | | |Assessor Signature: | |Date: | | Assessment Record – Written / Oral Questions [Durations: xxmins] |Underpinning Knowledge|Question |Suggested Answers |Please tick (() |REMARKS | | | |(may include) | | | | | | |C |NYC | | | | | | |. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Remarks: | | | | | | |Assessor Signature: | |Date: | | Overall Assessment Summary Record Competency Unit : xxx Assessment Duration: x Hrs xx mins |APPROVED ASSESSMENT CENTRE: |xxx | |Candidate Name | |NRIC Number | | |(As in NRIC) | | | | |Performance Statements |Assessment|Overall |Date |Assessor Name |Assessor | | | |Method |Result | | |Signature | | | |Indicate |Indicate | | | | | | |C or NYC |C or NYC | | | | | |PS 2 | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | | | |. PP – Practical Performance WQ – Written Questions OQ – Oral Questioning Assessment Outcome: COMPETENT NOT YET COMPETENT Feedback on outcome: | | | | | | Assessor’s Signature: _________________ Date: __________________ Candidate’s Signature: ________________ Date: __________________ * Candidates would be certified with a Statements of Attainment (SOA) only when they have achieved 100% skills competency, as stipulated in the course, and score 80% and above in their post-test (if applicable). Pre-Assessment Information for Candidate. XXX is required to provide candidates with relevant pre-assessment information which include but are not limited to: 1. This assessment covers the following competency unit: †¢ xxx 2. The eligibility to sit for this assessment which include: †¢ Candidates should have at least 6 months of industrial working experience within the last 2 years from the date of application for assessment, or †¢ Candidates should had received training or on-the-job training or personal coaching on topics that are relevant to the selected competency elements of the competency unit 3. The purpose of this assessment is to assess candidate’s competency level in applying products’ assembly skills at operational level in their work places. 4. The assessment duration and methods for the competency unit must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. 5. For candidates intending to apply for certification under WDA’s Assessment Only Pathway (AOP) they should do a self-evaluation of their competency against the competency unit standards before registering for assessment. (see next Section) 6. The implication of the assessment results which include: †¢ Awarding candidate who passed the assessment sitting with Statement of Attainment (SOA) for the respective competent unit by Workforce Development Agency (WDA). †¢ Obtaining a pass in this assessment does not automatically qualify or imply that the candidate is a R1 pass holder. There are other criteria that to be fulfilled by the candidate as stipulated by Ministry of Manpower (MOM). 7. The disciplinary actions against cheating in the assessment or performing unsafe act despite repeated warning in the assessment must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. 8. Candidates have the same right of appeal as other candidates who are assessed under the learning pathway. The process of appealing must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. 9. The conditions of granting a deferred assessment on: †¢ Medical grounds – a medical report or certificate from registered medical practitioners †¢ Unexpected and exceptional grounds which may include (but are not limited to):  ­ accidents (sporting, motor vehicle, etc) where an injury is sustained  ­ bereavement. Unexpected and exceptional circumstances does not include where a candidate had mistaken the day, time or venue of assessment. The process of deferred assessment must be clearly explained and communicated to candidates. Self-Assessment Checklist for Candidate Instructions and Advice 1. This self-Assessment Checklist is designed to assess your competency in the area of xxx. 2. In this self evaluation, you are advised to reflect your current or past work experience where you have acquired the competency in the following good practices at the workplace in your area of responsibility. 3. Please answer all the questions truthfully, and to the best of your knowledge and ability, by putting a tick on either â€Å"YES† or â€Å"NO† column respectively. 4. If you answer â€Å"YES† to all the questions, it is likely you have acquired the required level of competency and ready to take the assessment. You may apply for a certification of your competency through the Assessment Only Pathway with ATOs. 5. You are encouraged to read the Assessment Only Pathway guide (which can be obtained from ATOs) thoroughly to find out more about the assessment for this competency unit before enrolling for the assessment of this module. 6. However, if you have not achieved the expected level of competency through this simple self evaluation, you are also advised to gain more experience, attend a relevant training program, or take on self development before enrolling for the certification. 7. Please note that this self evaluation checklist is not exhaustive. It is meant as a guide only. Please also note that the actual assessment under the AOP certification framework is much more rigorous, consisting of a written test on underpinning knowledge and a comprehensive competency based assessment (CBA) using various CBA methodologies. You must be able to demonstrate or provide evidence that you have acquired the various competency elements within the competency unit during the actual assessment. SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST xxx For each performance criterion, you should evaluate your knowledge, skills and attitude (KSA) described. If you have the KSA, put a tick (() on the â€Å"YES† column and if no or not sure tick the ‘NO† column. If you do not have the required KSA, write the details of the areas that are needed to learn. Competency Unit: xxx |Performance Statement |Self Evaluation Questionnaire |Your answer (Tick ()|Details of KSA that I | |(Requirements) |(Knowledge, Skills ,Attitude (KSA) I must be able | |don’t have yet | | |to show and tell during the assessment) | | | | | |YES |NO | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | |PS 2 |I know how to †¦ | | | | | | | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | |I know how to †¦ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |PS 4 | | | | | | | | | | | End of Self-Assessment [pic] ASSESSMENT RECORDS for Competency Unit: xxx Code: (TBA) Self-Assessment Checklist For Competency Unit:

Misuses of Statistics Essay Example for Free

Misuses of Statistics Essay While Statistics can also be misused in many ways such as using not representative samples, small sample size, ambiguous averages and dispersions, detached facts, implied connections, wrong and misleading graphs, wrong use of statistical techniques, serious violation of assumption behind the statistical techniques and faculty surveys, we should also realize that Statistical literacy is not a skill that is widely accepted as necessary in education. Therefore a lot of misuse of statistics is not intentional, just uninformed. But that does not mitigate its danger when misused because Statistical techniques are many times misused, to sell products that don’t work; to prove something that is not really true, to get the attention of public by evoking fear and shock. Statistics has numerous uses. It is difficult to find a field in which statistics is not used. Statistics plays integral part in many disciplines, and do not take reported relationships at their face value, especially if you cannot see a direct, causal link between them. There may be a common-sense reason why they are linked through a third, unreported variable or other intended or unintended connections. Going through exercises 1 through 10 on page 810, I decided to do exercise number 4. The question reads â€Å"In many ads for weigh loss products, under the product claim and in small print, the following statement is made: â€Å"These results are not typical.† What does this say about the product being advertised?† It is intriguing but rather serious when media plays with our emotion just to get our attention in whatever ways they can. Both print and electronic media have created a means of satisfying our emotional instabilities by coming up with advertisements that will capture our attentions. Weigh loss products and program are few of the many that have been bombarding the airwaves. Many at times I pondered when watching television or listening to radio commercial, whether these are really delivering what they are saying that can. I have deliberately changed my channels when I am watching television and a commercial come on the television. In this assignment, I am going to synthesized question number 4. I am going to keenly look the small prints that say â€Å"These results are not typical† What does this say about the product being advertised? I think there are two sides to this, one is the legal obligations that they will be face with if they fail what they promised, the other is nothing is typical. What works for you might not work for me. We are all different and unique in our own ways. We all have different method of losing weight. What might work for one person is not necessarily going to work for you, what you arent guaranteed is to lose what that that person lost in the ads. They are only giving us the best results they have gotten from their products and it does not mean that it might work for you or me. There is no 100% guarantee in this process. The next question that I am going to comment will be number 16. â€Å"Do you think that it is not important to give extra tutoring to students who are not failing?† To answer this question in a survey, you must understand what they are asking for. This is very confusion question. Double negative can be confusing, which might lead to an incorrect response. I think because each student is different, each should be given opportunity to explore whatever opportunity that is available to them to excel in their school work at their own pace, regardless of who they are in your class. As we have seen from above, ads might be exactly how they are presented to us. I think every ad should be research before venturing into it. This ads and the survey are known as detached statistic ads, which mean there was no comparison made. As we can see from the two different set, there were no comparisons in either one of them. Indeed, while Statistics can also be misused in many ways such as using not representative samples, small sample size, ambiguous averages and dispersions, detached facts, implied connections, wrong and misleading graphs, wrong use of statistical techniques, serious violation of assumption behind the statistical techniques and faculty surveys. Therefore a lot of misuse of statistics is not intentional, just uninformed. But that does not mitigate its danger when misused. Hence we should be very careful in our decision making process as what to believe it References Bluman, A. G. (2011). Mathematics in our world (1st ed. Ashford University Custom). United States: McGraw-Hill.

The Mid-Autumn Festival: History and Features

The Mid-Autumn Festival: History and Features Introduction The Mid-Autumn Festival also known as the Mooncake Festival or the Festival of Lanterns is one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals, celebrated by many Asian countries, like China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. This report is divided into three main sections. It will first look at the history and legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It will then focus on the celebration in Taiwan. Then there will be a conclusion in the last part. The information of this report is come from website such as online library, university journal, and online news. In this report I will use the information which is from online library, and university journal to explain the background as these information is more trustable. The information from online news is used to explain the celebration in Taiwan because it reflects what we do and the meaning for us nowadays. History and legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival The everyday life of ancient Chinese is closely related to nature. In thousands of natural substances, the moon was one of the most difficult things and amazing phenomena for Chinese to comprehend. (Siu, 1999) Ancient Chinese believes that the life of plants was provided by the moon since they found out that plants grew at night. (Siu, 1999) In addition people could not explain why the shape of the moon always varied therefore ancient Chinese associated the phenomena to the lives of people and animals. (Siu, 1999) The Mid-Autumn Festival is on the 15th of the 8th lunar month and the moon is at its brightest, roundest and it is the nearest to the earth on this date. In fact autumn is also the best time for harvesting and gathering all the family members together to celebrate the harvest and enjoy the view of the moon. (Tan, 2004) The festival probably started off as a post-autumn harvest celebration more than 2,000 years ago. The celebrations were devoted to giving thanks to the gods. It was during the reign of Emperor Tai Tsung of the Song Dynasty that the 15th day of the 8th moon was set as the Mid-Autumn Festival and praying to the moon became popular. Legends associated with the full moon were later attached to this festival.  (Tan, 2004) There are two legends associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival. One of them is Hou Yi and Chang-E and the other one is the rabbit on the moon. (Tan, 2004) The legend of Hou Yi and Chang-E is talking about that the earth was saved from scorching by an archer, Hou Yi who shot nine suns that originally circled the earth. (Tan, 2004) After Hou Yi saved the world he was rewarded the elixir of life so that he got the endless lifetime with the elixir, however he became so tyrannical that his wife, Chang-E stole the elixir and drank it to end Hou Yis life for the sufferers who were ruled by Hou Yi. (Tan, 2004) Chang-E found that she was on the moon after she drank the elixir and was escalated to status of Moon Goddess as she save the sufferers from Hou Yi. (Tan, 2004) This legend is believed to have been started during the Tang Dynasty (618 907 AD) although some believe it may have started earlier, tracing it to the rule of Emperor Yuan (2346 BC). (Tan, 2004) The other legend is about a rabb it and Buddha who had pretended himself as a hungry old man and asked three animals; a fox, a monkey, and a rabbit, getting some food for him. (Tan, 2004) Instead of bringing a fish or fruits, the rabbit jumped into the fire and offered itself as meat to Buddha. (Tan, 2004) The rabbit was resurrected and sent to the moon to be venerated by Buddha with appreciation. (Tan, 2004) Nowadays Chang-E and lord rabbit are traditional icons of the Mid-Autumn Festival as we can see a lot of advertisement of moon cake with these two icons which remind us these two legends. The Mid-Autumn Festival celebration in Taiwan In Taiwan, there are three biggest celebrations; the Chinese New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival which is also called Zhong Qiu Jie in Mandarin. (Yeo, 2012) The Mid-Autumn Festival was brought to Taiwan by the immigrants from China. (Wang, 2014) Many Western concepts that include barbecue were imported into Taiwan during the period of the Japanese colonization of Taiwan by the Japanese government. (Wang, 2014) After 1945 a lot of people moved into the city for jobs from the countryside. On the Mid-Autumn Festival barbecue becomes to be the best way for these migrants to make the new relationship between the migrants closer because barbecue is an activity that needs everyones cooperation from lighting a fire, preparing the meat, and barbecuing. (Wang, 2014) Even nowadays on the Mid-Autumn Festival, most Taiwanese will barbecue with their friends since it is easier to meet up with friends on this Taiwan-declared public holiday instead of at weekdays. (Yeo, 2 012) Besides mooncakes is also very important on the Mid-Autumn Festival. This traditional dessert is usually packed as gift boxes which contain not only mooncakes but also other pastries such asluo buo si bing (radish pastry) and gui yuan dan gao (longan cake) to up the warmth of the festival. (Yeo, 2012) Conclusion As one of the most important traditional festival in Chinese, the Mid-Autumn Festival is full of historical and cultural meaning. In addition it gives people a chance to meet up with friends and families to enjoy the beautiful view of the brightest moon and delicious barbecue and mooncakes in this busy society. The round image of the moon and its cultural meaning of reunion make us cherish the time of gathering. Even though not everyone can get together with their friends and families especially for those people who are working or studying in foreign countries, the Mid-Autumn Festival still reminds these people to send their friends and families a massage to show how they miss each other. Reference list Siu, K.W.M. (1999). Lanterns of the Mid-Autumn Festival: A Reflection of Hong Kong Cultural Change (pp. 67).Retrieved from Wiley Online Library. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0022-3840.1999.3302_67.x/abstract Tan, B. (2004). Mooncake Festival (Zhong Qiu Jie). Retrieved from National Library Board Singapore. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_804_2005-01-13.html Yeo, J. (2012, September 20). Traditional BBQ for Mid-Autumn Festival ? Yahoo Lifestyle. Retrieved from https://sg.style.yahoo.com/news/traditional-bbq-mid-autumn-festival-132534304.html Wang, C. (2014). The Barbecue in Moon Festival: Discussing the Social Change of Moon Festival Activities (pp.93-110). Retrieved from Chung Hsing Journal Humanities Edition. http://ir.lib.nchu.edu.tw/bitstream/11455/88022/1/85470-3.pdf

Goethes Magical Philosophy and Possession of Nature Essay -- Goethe

Goethe's Magical Philosophy and Possession of Nature After hearing comments from the class, and especially Professor, about Goethe's appropriation of nature I began to wonder about the argument I had presented in our presentation. I decided to do further research and found some interesting arguments that both supported and detracted from my original statement. Although I think Goethe's relationship to nature is undeniable, perhaps his "appropriation" of nature is less clear. I think the term "appropriation" is the cause of the problem in identifying his true relationship to nature. In our presentation we presented examples of the appropriation of nature through Romantic literature. The most direct example of this was in Anne's detailed description of English landscape gardening where nature was physically appropriated to create the picturesque. Here we can see the distinction between any concept of Goethe's appropriation of nature and the real and physical appropriation by English landscapers. The term appropriation denotes and connotes possession on the part of the appropriator. The question of possession therefore becomes central to an idea of Goethe's appropriation of nature. Indeed, the landowners of England commissioned landscape architects to transform their grounds into models of the picturesque and this process was demonstrative of an actual possession over the land. However, I find it difficult to reduce Goethe to materialism and believe that he would take a more engaged and emotional approach to nature. It is obvious that Goethe never actually appropriated any of nature, especially when compared with the English landscapers, but I'm not sure if this satisfies an understanding of his relationship to nature... ...n cooperation. It is also interesting how this problem expands into Goethe's Faust and Italian Journey and seems to be the basis of a greater theme in his literature. The question of Goethe's appropriation of nature could be whether he subscribes to a mechanical or magical philosophy in MacLennan's terms. Either master to nature or companion, Goethe's relationship with nature is dynamic and complex. Works Cited Brown, Jane K. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. http://worldroots.com/brigitte/goethe1.htm 19 Feb. 2005. Goethe, Johann. Italian Journey. London: Penguin Classics, 1962. MacLennan, Bruce. Introduction to 'Goethe, Faust, and Science' seminar. http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/Classes/UH348/Intro-IIC5.html 19 Feb. 2005. Seamon, David. "Goethe, Nature, and Phenomenology". http://www.arch.ksu.edu/seamon/book%20chapters/goethe_intro.htm 18 Feb. 2005.

Burmese Days Essay -- essays research papers

George Orwell’s novel Burmese Days is set in 1920’s Burma under British colonialism. It focuses on the imperialism of the British and its effects on the relationships between the British, the British and Indians, and between the Indians themselves. The novel concentrates on the town of Kyauktada in Upper Burma.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kyauktada is described as hot and sultry. It is a small town of about four thousand. The overwhelming majority of the inhabitants are Burmese, but there are also a hundred Indians, two Eurasians, sixty Chinese, and Seven Europeans. (Pg. 16) It is near the jungle and the Irrawaddy River. There are many trees and flowers, including honeysuckle. Though the English have jobs to perform much of their time is consumed with drinking whiskey in the Club, retreating from the “prickly'; heat, napping, and occasionally playing tennis or hunting. Though there is not much physical activity by the English, they do not complain about it. They do complain incessantly about the heat and about the possible acceptance of natives into their exclusively European Club.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Burmese Days the overwhelming majority of British held themselves superior to the Burmese. They feel that it is their duty to rule over the less intelligent “niggers'; of Burma. Through the description of the characteristics of both the British and Burmese, Orwell helps us understand the value system through which the British have come to the conclusion that they must rule over the Burmese. An example of such a description is that of Maxwell, them acting Divisional Forest Officer. Maxwell is depicted as a “fresh-coloured blond youth of not more than twenty-five or six – very young for the post he held.'; (Pg. 22) This description lends value to the light skinned and fair-haired British, though some, like Flory, have black hair. Maxwell is also very young for his post, giving the impression that he is intelligent. Mr. Lackersteen, the manger of a timber firm, though forty and slightly bloated, it described a “fine-looking'; with an ingenu ous face. (Pg. 20- 21) This description leads us to believe British are good looking and honest. Orwell offers us numerous descriptions of favorable characteristics of the British, but he clearly distinguishes “bad'; British from &am... ...sire to become a member of the Club is seriously discussed. However, U Po Kyin succeeds in his quest for the membership to the Club by ruining Flory’s relationship with Elizabeth, which results in Flory killing Flo, his dog, and committing suicide. The prestige that Dr. Veraswami had possessed died with Flory. This ruined Flory, making a membership in the Club impossible. Instead U Po Kyin was elected into the Club, and became and agreeable, yet largely absent, member. Any possibility for understanding between Englishmen and Indians dies with Flory. This is because no other Englishmen could see beyond the stereotype of Indians as conniving, lazy, uncivilized “niggers.'; Though Mr. Macgregor did not dislike the Indians he only found them pleasing when they had no freedoms. None of these opinions held by the Englishmen are conducive to a reciprocal, understanding relationship between the British and the Burmese. Even if the English had overcome these barriers, the natives held stereotypes of the British as power-hungry, mean, degrading, and naà ¯ve. The feelings of the natives toward the British would also need to be overcome if an understanding were to be reached.

Whaling in US compared to Japan Essay -- social issues

Whaling in US compared to Japan Did you know that in the last 50 years over two million whales have been killed? The United States views whaling very differently than Japan does. It is a complicated and controversial topic. Many people have opinions about whale hunting. However, everyone should know both sides of the whale hunting issues before they act on the issue. To start out I am going to tell you a little about whaling. The first whale hunters were in the prehistoric times. At first they would just kill and eat beached whales. That became such a habit that they started hunting them. Most whale hunters use harpoons, guns, lances, or bombs that blow up inside the whale. They use catcher boats, or kayaks. In 1925, whalers developed factory ships that could hold 12 catcher boats and a crew of about 400. These ships had radar under the boat that could detect where the whales were. These boats are what made it so easy to hunt whales. In 1931, the International Whaling Convention began. The major whaling countries formed the IWC to protect whales from being over hunted and to regulate the whaling industries. The main duty of the IWC is to keep under review and revise the measures laid down in the Schedule to Convention, which governs the conduct of whaling throughout the world. These measures provide for the protection of certain species; designate specified areas as whale sanctuaries; set limits on the numbers and size of whales which can be taken; have open and closed ... Whaling in US compared to Japan Essay -- social issues Whaling in US compared to Japan Did you know that in the last 50 years over two million whales have been killed? The United States views whaling very differently than Japan does. It is a complicated and controversial topic. Many people have opinions about whale hunting. However, everyone should know both sides of the whale hunting issues before they act on the issue. To start out I am going to tell you a little about whaling. The first whale hunters were in the prehistoric times. At first they would just kill and eat beached whales. That became such a habit that they started hunting them. Most whale hunters use harpoons, guns, lances, or bombs that blow up inside the whale. They use catcher boats, or kayaks. In 1925, whalers developed factory ships that could hold 12 catcher boats and a crew of about 400. These ships had radar under the boat that could detect where the whales were. These boats are what made it so easy to hunt whales. In 1931, the International Whaling Convention began. The major whaling countries formed the IWC to protect whales from being over hunted and to regulate the whaling industries. The main duty of the IWC is to keep under review and revise the measures laid down in the Schedule to Convention, which governs the conduct of whaling throughout the world. These measures provide for the protection of certain species; designate specified areas as whale sanctuaries; set limits on the numbers and size of whales which can be taken; have open and closed ...

How Changes in Communication and Technology Affected the Role of the Modern Diplomat

Introduction This brief aims to discuss how changes in communication and technology affected the role of the modern diplomat. A diplomat is one who is sent abroad to represent his own country to carry out diplomatic duties (Carta, 2012). Kopp and Gillespie (2011) gave a sardonic definition of a diplomat as â€Å"an honest man or woman who is sent to lie abroad to carry out certain tasks for the welfare of his/her country† (p. 3). This definition more or less shows the purpose of a diplomat’s work. Although written sardonically, the statement only conveys an atmosphere of suspicion that has always enveloped the diplomatic profession. The diplomat represents the interests of his own nation, seeking information that can provide an advantage to his government whilst being protected by international codes and regulations (Barker, 2011). In order to clarify how communication and technological changes have affected the role of the modern diplomat, this brief will first discuss how the diplomat carried out his duties in the past, followed by how these duties and roles have changed now with the advent of such changes. Overview of the Diplomat’s Role A diplomat has certain roles to perform. He must serve as a trained theologian; he must be able to quickly solve the most complex problems in correct dialectical shape, and must be a specialist in civil and canon law, amongst other relevant fields. He has several functions, such as negotiating serious and/or secret agreements, and some of these negotiations aim to prevent the occurrence of wars, while some others provoke such occurrence (Shaw, 2006). The diplomat is sent on a mission where he must represent the sending state and protect its interests in the receiving government. He reports what occurs in the receiving state and fosters friendly relations. Part of his role is to generate diplomatic documents. These documents engender the greatest amount of information about international relations (Jonsson and Hall, 2002). There are also customary functions that he must carry out with the receiving state (Aust, 2005), such as trade promotion cooperation, matters relating to economic, defence, cultural, and scientific concerns, and those relating to terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and other related issues. Diplomacy is the sort of thing that a nation cannot manage to lose; to the point that even the poorest country would make an effort to afford a modest diplomatic corps (Singh, 2002). Accordingly, when a diplomat pursues a consular function, this task is in keeping with the Vienna Consular Convention and does not forego his diplomatic immunities and privileges. This point is important to stress here since there are some overlapping functions that may take place between consular and diplomatic works, specifically in protecting one’s nationals, given that the consul has limited immunities and privileges compared to the diplomat (Aust, 2005). Performing consular work is part of the role of the diplomat, which is necessary to mention when considering changes in communication and technology. This is because such changes have in one way or another eased up the overlapping functions due to the speedier processes entailed in carrying them out. How changes in communication and technology affected the role of the modern diplomat The role of the modern diplomat has been greatly affected by changes in communication and technology. The rapid means of communication and transportation has diminished the importance of the modern diplomat. Prior to these developments, the diplomat was allowed considerable discretion in how he dealt with matters that arise on short notice. This is because of the lengthy time it took to communicate with his home government, given the limited available communication channels (Jonsson and Hall, 2002). With the absence of a previous position of his government, it was the diplomat who shaped policy; he was given enough leeway even in the implementation of policies developed in his country. In the past, the diplomat had the opportunity to avoid making decisions by doing nothing due to the slowness of events. During World War II, state leaders did not bother the diplomat (i.e. ambassador) for important things. They could not also telephone or correspond directly to one another (Singh, 2 002). The limitation posed by the then not-so-advanced technology has set this kind of environment. Today, the modern conditions characterised by speedy exchange of information paved the way for the disappearance of this opportunity (Batora, 2008). Through mobile devices, internet technology, and other similar devices, the modern diplomat can be instructed conveniently and rapidly on what position he is to take, what he is to say, etc. The advancement of technology has enabled the foreign office to direct and follow almost every detail of negotiations. In similar fashion, national leaders and foreign ministers have enabled themselves to communicate directly in as much as the diplomat is able to communicate to his home government as occasioned by advanced communication technologies. Early technological developments escorted the improvement in air travel, which affected the role of the diplomat. They would often see themselves shunted aside by the sorties that their bosses (presidents and prime ministers) performed in relation to improved air travel, where these chief executives coul d now afford to visit various foreign countries, including their diplomats’ own posts (Singh, 2002). If analysed carefully, one would surmise that the surge in communication and technology has in fact made the whole process of information sharing more rapid and convenient. This would affect the pace and speed in which the home country responds to certain information that reaches its hands. On a positive light, the diplomat is in fact aided by these information channels when relating new information to his government (Cornago, 2013). Members of the media, who in the past had difficulty accessing a foreign country due to limited air travel, have also in effect helped the diplomat in relating news stories that he may have set aside; thereby not putting all the burden of information dissemination on his shoulders. It is like providing the diplomat the opportunity to focus on more important details of his job, such as promoting friendly relations with other nations, performing negotiations, etc. Information dissemination would then become a limited area of his duties as the media enters into the scene in a very active fashion. In Gilboa’s (2000) article, changes in communication has affected the role of the diplomat in such a way that the media is now playing an important role in contemporary diplomacy, a role that it did not use to play prior to these changes. Officials and journalists often utilise the media extensively to promote negotiations. The media thus play an active part in contemporary diplomatic processes, which only the diplomat used to undertake prior to all those changes in communication and technology. As social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook continue to serve as a fresh source of information for political events, diplomats are being encouraged to use social media as a regular part of their jobs to participate directly in political discussions (Paris, 2013). If one wants the latest political news, he needs only to read blogs, follow Twitter, or watch YouTube (Cooper, et al., 2013). Gone are the days that a nation would wait for the diplomat to relate the official information about similar events. Hence, it may be inferred that the enhanced complexity of information flows in diplomatic processes, amongst others, has bridged geographic distances (Batora and Hocking, 2007). The effects of technology are greatly far-reaching so as to transform diplomacy, which is being reinvented gradually for the information age. Through available technology, diplomacy can enable physical presence in a virtual fashion (Batora, 2008). The United States and the UK have already taken this big stride to digital diplomacy. Those lagging behind are seen to lose influence over time albeit their engagement in private diplomatic communication. Canada lags far behind US and UK although it has recently displayed little interest in utilising social media in its diplomatic functions (Paris, 2013). There are more positive effects of changes in communication and technology in the role of the diplomat. With the advent of globalisation comes the so-called globalisation of international relations (Lawson, 2002), suggesting new important diplomatic functions due to an increasing awareness about the idea that global problems necessitate global solutions, thereby expanding the scope of the diplomat’s role from merely representing his country. It is worthy of note that globalisation will allow the diplomat to operate in the future at the bilateral and multilateral levels, and the advancing communications technology is seen to conveniently aid such operation by the diplomat (Copeland, 2009). With the aid of changes in communication technologies, diplomats have been transformed as ‘globalisation managers’ who are charged with managing the ‘global village’ (Lawson, 2002). The advancing communication technologies enable the diplomat to perform his duties s peedily, which can likewise permit him to respond to various issues right away, such as international terrorism, drug trafficking, and climate change, to name a few. The abounding information, which may be verifiable or not and can be readily accessed anytime and anywhere is marshaled by modern means of communication. The modern diplomat has now a genuine task of inspecting and analysing the content and credibility of all available data and opinions, putting these data in a broader and more profound political context. This can then provide a suitable guideline for decisions by the diplomat’s home country (Bolewski, 2007). It therefore proves to show that despite the information age in which the modern diplomat functions and in the midst of the available information, the diplomat’s task is to screen this information in terms of truthfulness and credibility. He must not use such information right away in his diplomatic decisions but must scrutinise them instead. Not only do changes in communication and technology expedite the diplomatic process, but they also provide the necessary information to the diplomat as well. It is therefore apparent that structural changes have taken place in the diplomatic environment due to technology and modern means of communication. The acknowledgement of the value of the media to his tasks is considered one of the ways in which changes in communication and technology have affected the role of the modern diplomat. Cooper et al. (2013) even claimed that today’s emphasis in diplomatic work is much more on interaction with the media and language ability, putting a decline to the written skills of the diplomat. Cooper et al. do not however mean this literally, but what they are pointing out is that the media have played an important role in the diplomatic process, to the point that the diplomat must consider interaction with them part of his routine. It must be noted that negotiations and diplomatic missions are two main areas of diplomacy which have been considerably influenced by technology. Virtual negotiations now take place amongst diplomats, in which they reach certain commitments and agreements electronically, such as through voice conversation, video conferencing, and exchange of emails and faxes. Virtual diplomatic missions and virtual Ministries of Foreign Affairs contribute to enhancing negotiators’ investigative power as they continuously search for information (Batora, 2008). This setting is helpful for diplomats who are engaged in other processes or events and can save themselves so much time and trouble travelling. It also allows poor countries to save much money in travelling since e-negotiations are cost effective. Thus, a diplomat can participate in multiple negotiations and other events that occur simultaneously in geographically dispersed locations (Grech, 2006). On a separate note, this can bring certain risks, such as lack of face-to-face interpersonal relations with fellow diplomats, increased participation expectancy by citizens, susceptibility to attacks, misreading of information, loss of credibility, lack of identity verification in online presence, and delicate maintenance (Grech, 2006). These threats are brought by the online nature of virtual diplomatic missions. The injection of communication technologies in diplomacy has corresponding negative repercussions such as those mentioned because virtual diplomatic missions cannot trade the culture delivered by a physical relationship in an embassy or consulate. Since human factor is of high value to diplomacy, changes in technology will not change the importance placed by the diplomat on personal contacts, feedback mechanisms, and human experience, which all characterise diplomatic procedures (Aneek, 2010). In a virtual diplomatic setting, the diplomat is in fact deprived of developing relationships with fellow diplomats and the citizens, and such deprivation could be unfavourable to certain diplomatic functions such as developing bilateral relations and negotiations. Since interpersonal relations are lacking in virtual diplomacy, it would be difficult to verify identity in this fashion and illegitimate users may exploit this service, leading to adverse results. Increased vulnerability to attacks therefore puts the virtual diplomacy in a detrimental situation. Added complexity is thus required since special care must be warranted to ensure clearness and ease of understanding of site navigation . On a similar note, delicate maintenance of mission websites is essential, which a subject specialist must ensure. This subject specialist must be a diplomat also since only a diplomat has the best understanding of the nature and context of information (Grech, 2006). There is also a threat to misinterpret information available in diplomatic mission websites because of the text-based nature of information, which can cause confusion than when such information is presented on a face-to-face basis where diplomats can have an open discussion and active deliberation (Grech, 2006). Conclusion This paper tackles the role of the modern diplomat alongside changes in communication and technology. The diplomat is sent by the home government to a receiving government for purposes of performing certain duties in behalf of the home country. Diplomacy is a process that every nation must carry out in its international relations activities. In the past, a diplomat was tasked to relate news and information in the country where he was posted, and such information can aid his own government in designing certain decisions. This has changed now however; first, due to availability of air travel, and second, because of the prevalence of communication technologies that can enable speedier transmission of information. The modern diplomat no longer holds the banner of bringing news stories and information to his own country since he is outdone by the media in this department. However, he is not involved in a rat race with the media; instead, his daily activities include interacting with the media who aid him in conveying necessary information to the home government and to the world. In the past, he did not incorporate the media to his daily activities. Globalisation, a phenomenon aided by advances in communication technologies, affects the way the modern diplomat performs his role. Alongside ease in communication and information, his role is now seen to expand bilaterally and multilaterally as he faces global issues in his task to manage the global village. The threats posed by changes in communication and technology in the role of the modern diplomat and his adoption of virtual diplomacy are increased participation expectancy by citizens, susceptibility to attacks, misreading of information, loss of credibility, lack of identity verification in online presence, and delicate maintenance. References Aneek, C. (2010). International Relations Today: Concepts and Applications. New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley Pvt. Ltd. Aust, SA. (2005). Handbook of International Law. UK: Cambridge University Press. Barker, J. C. (2011). The Protection of Diplomatic Personnel. England: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Batora, J. (2008). Foreign Ministries and the Information Revolution: Going VirtualBoston: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. Batora, J. and Hocking, B. (2007). Bilateral Diplomacy in the European Union: Towards ‘Post-Modern’ PatternsECPR/SGIR 6th Pan-European Conference: Turin 12-15 September. Bolewski, W. (2007). Diplomacy and International Law in Globalized Relations. New York: Springer. Carta, C. (2012). The European Union Diplomatic Service: Ideas, Preferences and Identities. Oxon: Routledge. Cooper, A. F., Heine, J., and Thakur, R. (2013). The Oxford Handbook of Modern Diplomacy. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Copeland, D. (2009). Guerilla Diplomacy: Rethinking International Relations. US: Lynne Rienner Publishing. Cornago, N. (2013). Plural Diplomacies: Normative Predicaments and Functional Imperatives. The Netherlands: Koniklije Brill NV, Leiden. Gilboa, E. (2000). Mass Communication and Diplomacy: A Theoretical Framework. Communication Theory, 10 (3), 275-309. Grech, O. M. (2006). Virtual Diplomacy: Diplomacy of the Digital Age [Published Dissertation]. Malta: Faculty of Arts, University of Malta. Jonsson, C. and Hall, M. (2002) .Communication: An Essential Aspect of Diplomacy. 43rd Annual ISA Convention, New Orleans, LA, March 23-27. Kopp, H. W. and Gillespie, C. A. (2011). Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the US Foreign Service. US: Georgetown University Press. Lawson, S. (2002). The New Agenda for International Relations. Cambridge, UK: The Polity Press. Paris, R. (2013). The Digital Diplomacy Revolution: Why Canada is Lagging BehindRetrieved on March 19, 2014 from http://opencanada.org/features/the-think-tank/essays/the-digital-diplomacy-revolution/ Shaw, J. (2006). The Ambassador: Inside the Life of a Working Diplomat. Virginia: Capital Books, Inc. Singh, N. N. (2002). Diplomacy for the 21st Century. New Delhi: Naurang Rai for Mittal Publications.

Lake: Ocean and Lakes

A lake is a personate of relatively still weewee supply of considerable size, localized in a flush toilet, that is surrounded by land by from a river, stream, or other miscell whatever of moving pissing that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes atomic number 18 inland and not part of the naval and therefore argon distinct from lagoons, and argon bombasticr and deeper thanponds. 12 Lakes hindquarters be contrasted with rivers or streams, which ar usu eachy flowing. However most lakes atomic number 18 cater and drained by rivers and streams. Natural lakes are generally base in hilly neighborhoods, rift z one(a)s, and areas with ongoing glaciation.Other lakes are found in endorheic basins or along the courses of ripen rivers. In roughly(prenominal) move of the solid ground there are many lakes because of pell-mell drain patterns left everyplace from the destruction Ice Age. All lakes are flitting over geological time scales, as they will slowly con cern in with sediments or spill out of the basin intercepting them. Many lakes are artificial and are constructed for industrial or agricultural use, for hydro-electric causality generation or domestic pee supply, or for aesthetic or unpaid purposes. Lake, large, inland body of fresh or saltinessy standing peeing.Lakes are high-flown from bodies of water much(prenominal) as bays and gulfs, and some seas, that devour an interchange with the maritime and are subject to tides. Lake basins are anatomyed by many geologic processes, such as buckling of stratified rock into large folds, teddy of large masses of rock by faults (see Fault), and blocking of valleys by landslides. Lakes also form by glaciation. Glaciers carve out large basins by scooping up bedrock and redistributing detached material. Many of the lakes of North America organise this itinerary, including the Great Lakes and New Yorks Finger Lakes.The showtime of lake water is atmospheric precipitation that rea ches the lake right away and by means of springs, brooks, and rivers. Lakes form and mellow over the course of varying lengths of geologic time (see Chronology). They may evaporate, as the temper becomes more arid, or they may fill up with sediment, leaving a slow or swamp in their place. In arid regions where precipitation is slight and desiccation with child(p), lake levels rise and fall with the seasons and sometimes prohibitionist up for long periods. In lakes where evaporation prevents the water from overflowing the basin rims, substances fade out in the water become concentrated.The fade away matter, brought by tributary streams, varies in piece of writing with the nature of the rocks in the local drainage system. The primary mineral constituent of salt lakes is common salt bitter lakes contain sulfates alkali lakes contain carbonates borax lakes contain borates and some lakes contain combinations of these substances. Lakes form at all altitudes and are distributed doneout the domainly concern. Almost half of the adult males lakes are in Canada. Lakes are large in high latitudes, particularly in tidy sum regions subjected to glacial action.Many lakes are historic commercially as sources of minerals and fish, as fare arteries, and as vacation resorts. The largest lakes in the reality include the Caspian sea, Lake Superior, and Lake Victoria. The Dead Sea is the worlds net lake, 408 m (1,340 ft) below sea level. The Caspian, the worlds largest lake, covers an area of 370,998 sq km (143,243 sq mi). Lake Baikal is the deepest freshwater lake in the world, with a maximum OCEAN An ocean (from quaint Greek (Okeanos) the gentleman Ocean of neoclassic antiquity1) is a body of saline water that composes much of a artificial satelliteshydrosphere.On Earth, an ocean is one or all of the major characters of the planets populace Ocean which are, in descending line of battle of area, the peaceful,Atlantic, Indian, conspiracyern (Antarc tic), and Arctic Oceans. 34 The word sea is often used interchangeably with ocean in American English but, strictly speaking, a sea is a body of saline water (generally a division of the World Ocean) that land partly or fully encloses. 5 Earth is the only planet that is know to have an ocean (or any large amounts of open liquid water).Saline water covers roughly 72% of the planets surface (3.6108 km2) and is customarily divided into some(prenominal) whiz oceans and smaller seas, with the ocean covering virtually 71% of the Earths surface. 6The ocean contains 97% of the Earths water, and oceanographers have stated that only 5% of the World Ocean has been explored. 6 The total volume is approximately 1. 3 billion cubic kilometres (310 jillion cu mi)7 with an average profundity of 3,682 metres (12,080 ft). 8 The ocean principally comprises Earths hydrosphere and therefore is integral toall known life, forms part of the carbon cycle, and influences climate and weatherpatterns.It is the home ground of 230,000 known species, although much of the oceans prudences remain unexplored, and over two one thousand thousand marine species are estimated to exist. 9 The origin of Earths oceans remains unknown oceans are believed to have formed in the infernal period and may have been the neural impulse for theemergence of life. Extraterrestrial oceans may be peaceful of water or other elements andcompounds. The only corroborate large stable bodies of noncitizen surface liquids are the lakes of Titan, although there is tell apart for the existence of oceans elsewhere in the solar System.Early in their geologic histories, deflower andVenus are theorized to have had large water oceans. The Mars ocean hypothesissuggests that around a deuce-ace of the surface of Mars was once cover by water, and a runaway greenhouse effect may have boiled away the global ocean of Venus. Compounds such as salts and ammonia dissolved in water lower its freezing point, so that wat er might exist in large quantities in extraterrestrial environments as brine or convecting ice.Unconfirmed oceans are speculated at a lower place the surface of many dwarf planets and raw(a) satellites notably, the ocean of Europa is believed to have over in two ways the water volume of Earth. The Solar Systems tout giant planets are also believed to birth liquid atmosphericlayers of yet to be confirmed compositions. Oceans may also exist on exoplanetsand exomoons, including surface oceans of liquid water deep down a circumstellar habitable zone. Ocean planets are a hypothetical type of planet with a surface completely cover with liquid.Ocean and Oceanography, great body of salt water comprising all the oceans and seas that cover nearly tierce-fourths of the surface of the earth, and the scientific study of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the so-called world ocean. The major goals of oceanography are to understand the geologic and geochemical processes ob scure in the evolution and alteration of the ocean and its basin, to evaluate the interaction of the ocean and the halo so that greater knowledge of climatic variations can be attained, and to describe how the biological productivity in the sea is controlled.The world ocean covers 71 percent of the earths surface, or roughly 361 million sq km (140 million sq mi). Its average depth is 5,000 m (16,000 ft), and its total volume is nigh 1,347,000,000 cu km (322,300,000 cu mi). The three major subdivisions of the world ocean are the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean, which are conventionally spring by the Continental masses (see Continent). The two minor subdivisions of the world ocean are the Southern Ocean, bounded by the Antarctic Circumpolar afoot(predicate) to the north and Antarctica to the south, and the Arctic Ocean, almost inland except among Greenland and Europe.From the shorelines of the continents a subaquatic part of the Continental mass, called the continental shelf, extends sea ward an average distance of 75 km (43 mi) it varies in width from nearly zero to 1,500 km (930 mi). The shelf gives way abruptly at a depth of about 200 m (660 ft) to a steeper zone known as the continental tip, which descends about 3,500 m (12,000 ft). The continental rise, a gradually sloping zone of sediment that is considered part of the ocean bottom, extends about 600 km (370 mi) from the base of the continental slope to the flat abyssal plains of the deep-ocean floor.In the central parts of the oceans are the midocean ridgepoles, which are extensive mountain chains with inner troughs that are heavily intersected by cracks, called fracture zones. The ridges are sections of a continuous system that winds for 60,000 km (40,000 mi) through all the oceans. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge extends from the Norse Sea through the volcanic islands of Iceland and the Azores to the South Atlantic, where it is equidistant from the African and South American c oasts.The ridge continues into the Indian Ocean, with a disunite that reaches into the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, then passes between Australia and Antarctica and into the eastern South Pacific. The East Pacific Rise extends north to the Gulf of calcium Easter Island and the Galapagos are volcanic islands that are part of this submarine mountain chain. The ridge system seems to merge into the continents in several areas, such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of California, and such areas are regions of great geologic activity, characterized by volcanoes, or earthquakes and faults (see seism Fault Volcano).