The Cross-border Merger of Kraft and Cadbury Term Paper

The Cross-border Merger of Kraft and Cadbury - Term Paper Example An overview of the Kraft –Cadbury merger In February 2010, Cadbury gave in to Kraft’s US$ 19.7 billion takeover after a fierce battle lasting over 100 days. Kraft Foods US is a major confectionary maker. The British chocolate maker had earlier in 2009, rejected a US$ 16.4 billion hostile takeover bid from Kraft, stating that the value did not represent the intrinsic value of the Cadbury brand. Industry experts believe that the combined group is the number one in chocolate and confectionary segments, as well as the second in the high growth gum segment (Ralph & Olesseni, p.61). Cadbury had agreed for 840 pence per share which would give them a total valuation of $19 billion. Media reported that Cadbury slipped into US giant Kraft Foods and the British Prime Minister committed that the jobs in UK could be protected. It was estimated that Cadbury employees numbered more than 45000 worldwide. It was expected, Kraft Cadbury combined would generate large cost savings, enablin g Kraft to become a global market leader. The conglomeration would also generate annual sales of more than $ 50 billion. The market reaction was mixed especially from UK where the fear of job loss came up and cultural reaction was that the country’s honor namely Cadbury’s brand, had been given to US. Kraft Foods was one of the major US confectionery manufacturers with net revenue of $42 billion and operating in 150 countries as of 2008. It was founded 1903 as a cheese company by James L. Kraft (Funding Universe, 2002) and over the years established fine brands like Milka, Toblerone, Jacobs, Oscar Mayer and Oreo. Even though Kraft was able to capture US and European markets, it was the second largest food company in the world and Nestle, Switzerland continued to occupy the premier position with its brands firmly established not only in developed countries but also in developing countries. Nestle had reported a net profit of $9.55 billion with an annual turnover of $99 b illion in 2009. Next in the race for second position was Cadbury, UK with its popular brands like Dairy Milk bars, Roses chocolates, Trident gum and Halls cough drops, built over 150 years not only in UK and developed countries but also firmly established its presence in the developing countries like India, Mexico and Brazil for over 50 years. Cadbury’s revenues in 2008 stood at ?5.4billion. Kraft Foods US with an ambition to reach the top slot in the global confectionery market made a bid for $10 billion to acquire a 100% stake in Cadbury at the end of 2009. The bid was rejected outright as the market value of the share was more than ? 7 per share and Kraft Foods had to reconsider the valuation process of Cadbury and made a revised offer of around $ 19.6 billion in early 2010 over which the shareholders of Cadbury numbering over 90% consented to the acquisition. Evolution and Growth of Kraft Foods Kraft Foods Inc., the second largest food company in the world, had brands spr ead over five consumer sectors – snacks, beverages, cheese, grocery and convenient meals. Kraft Foods had strong presence worldwide and operated in150 countries as of 2008. The company had evolved from a cheese company, started by James L. Kraft in 1903. James L. Kraft had started his cheese business to relieve the grocers from travelling daily to procure cheese. The merger of Kraft – Phenix and National Dairy Products Corporation in 1930 led to the further growth of Kraft. New brands such as Miracle Whip salad dressing, Velveeta pasteurized process cheese spread, were launched and turned to be successful. Innovative advertising strategy followed by Kraft was another driving force for Kraft’s success. The company was renamed as Kraft Foods Company in 1945 and during the post war period Kraft Foods continued with its new product launches and innovative advertising. In spite of various restructuring activities, Kraft General Foods’ financial results were no t rosy. In early 1995, the three units, Kraft USA, General

Principles Of Teaching And Learning In Teaching Math Essay Example for Free

Principles Of Teaching And Learning In Teaching Math Essay Students learn mathematics through the experiences that teachers provide. Teachers must know and understand deeply the mathematics they are teaching and understand and be committed to their students as learners of mathematics and as human beings. There is no one right way to teach. Nevertheless, much is known about effective mathematics teaching. Selecting and using suitable curricular materials, using appropriate instructional tools and techniques to support learning, and pursuing continuous self-improvement are actions good teachers take every day. The teacher is responsible for creating an intellectual environment in the classroom where serious engagement in mathematical thinking is the norm. Effective teaching requires deciding what aspects of a task to highlight, how to organize and orchestrate the work of students, what questions to ask students having varied levels of expertise, and how to support students without taking over the process of thinking for them. Effective teaching requires continuing efforts to learn and improve. Teachers need to increase their knowledge about mathematics and pedagogy, learn from their students and colleagues, and engage in professional development and self-reflection. Collaborating with otherspairing an experienced teacher with a new teacher or forming a community of teachersto observe, analyze, and discuss teaching and students thinking is a powerful, yet neglected, form of professional development. Teachers need ample opportunities to engage in this kind of continual learning. The working lives of teachers must be structured to allow and support different models of professional development that benefit them and their students. Mathematics Principles and practice What can learning in mathematics enable children and young people to achieve? Mathematics is important in our everyday life, allowing us to make sense of the world around us and to manage our lives. Using mathematics enables us to model real-life situations and make connections and informed predictions. It equips us with the skills we need to interpret and analyse information,  simplify and solve problems, assess risk and make informed decisions. Mathematics plays an important role in areas such as science or technologies, and is vital to research and development in fields such as engineering, computing science, medicine and finance. Learning mathematics gives children and young people access to the wider curriculum and the opportunity to pursue further studies and interests. Because mathematics is rich and stimulating, it engages and fascinates learners of all ages, interests and abilities. Learning mathematics develops logical reasoning, analysis, problem-solving skills, creativity and the ability to think in abstract ways. It uses a universal language of numbers and symbols which allows us to communicate ideas in a concise, unambiguous and rigorous way. To face the challenges of the 21st century, each young person needs to have confidence in using mathematical skills, and Scotland needs both specialist mathematicians and a highly numerate population. Building the Curriculum 1 Mathematics equips us with many of the skills required for life, learning and work. Understanding the part that mathematics plays in almost all aspects of life is crucial. This reinforces the need for mathematics to play an integral part in lifelong learning and be appreciated for the richness it brings. How is the mathematics framework structured? Within the mathematics framework, some statements of experiences and outcomes are also identified as statements of experiences and outcomes in numeracy. These form an important part of the mathematics education of all children and young people as they include many of the numerical and analytical skills required by each of us to function effectively and successfully in everyday life. All teachers with a responsibility for the development of mathematics will be familiar with the role of numeracy within mathematics and with the means by which numeracy is developed across the range of learning  experiences. The numeracy subset of the mathematics experiences and outcomes is also published separately; further information can be found in the numeracy principles and practice paper. The mathematics experiences and outcomes are structured within three main organisers, each of which contains a number of subdivisions: Number, money and measure Estimation and rounding Number and number processes Multiples, factors and primes Powers and roots Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages Money Time Measurement Mathematics – its impact on the world, past, present and future Patterns and relationships Expressions and equations. Shape, position and movement Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects Angle, symmetry and transformation. Information handling Data and analysis Ideas of chance and uncertainty. The mathematics framework as a whole includes a strong emphasis on the important part mathematics has played, and will continue to play, in the advancement of society, and the relevance it has for daily life. A key feature of the mathematics framework is the development of algebraic thinking from an early stage. Research shows that the earlier algebraic thinking is introduced, the deeper the mathematical understanding will be  and the greater the confidence in using mathematics. Teachers will use the statements of experiences and outcomes in information handling to emphasise the interpretation of statistical information in the world around us and to emphasise the knowledge and skills required to take account of chance and uncertainty when making decisions. The level of achievement at the fourth level has been designed to approximate to that associated with SCQF level 4. What are the features of effective learning and teaching in mathematics? From the early stages onwards, children and young people should experience success in mathematics and develop the confidence to take risks, ask questions and explore alternative solutions without fear of being wrong. They will enjoy exploring and applying mathematical concepts to understand and solve problems, explaining their thinking and presenting their solutions to others in a variety of ways. At all stages, an emphasis on collaborative learning will encourage children to reason logically and creatively through discussion of mathematical ideas and concepts. Through their use of effective questioning and discussion, teachers will use misconceptions and wrong answers as opportunities to improve and deepen children’s understanding of mathematical concepts. The experiences and outcomes encourage learning and teaching approaches that challenge and stimulate children and young people and promote their enjoyment of mathematics. To achieve this, teachers will use a skilful mix of approaches, including:  planned active learning which provides opportunities to observe, explore, investigate, experiment, play, discuss and reflect modelling and scaffolding the development of mathematical thinking skills learning collaboratively and independently  opportunities for discussion, communication and explanation of thinking developing mental agility  using relevant contexts and experiences, familiar to young people making links across the curriculum to show how mathematical concepts are applied in a wide range of contexts, such as those provided by science and social studies using technology in appropriate and effective ways  building on the principles of Assessment is for Learning, ensuring that young people understand the purpose and relevanc e of what they are learning developing problem-solving capabilities and critical thinking skills. Mathematics is at its most powerful when the knowledge and understanding that have been developed are used to solve problems. Problem solving will be at the heart of all our learning and teaching. We should regularly encourage children and young people to explore different options: ‘what would happen if?’ is the fundamental question for teachers and learners to ask as mathematical thinking develops. How will we ensure progression within and through levels? As children and young people develop concepts within mathematics, these will need continual reinforcement and revisiting in order to maintain progression. Teachers can plan this development and progression through providing children and young people with more challenging contexts in which to use their skills. When the experience or outcome spans two levels within a line of development, this will be all the more important. One case in point would be the third level outcome on displaying information. The expectation is that young people will continue to use and refine the skills developed at second level to display charts, graphs and diagrams. The contexts should ensure progression and there are clear opportunities to use other curriculum areas when extending young people’s understanding. What are broad features of assessment in mathematics? (This section should be read alongside the advice for numeracy.) Assessment in mathematics will focus on children and young people’s abilities to work increasingly skilfully with numbers, data and mathematical concepts and processes and use them in a range of contexts. Teachers can gather evidence of progress as part of day-to-day learning about number, money and measurement, shape, position and movement and information handling. The use of specific assessment tasks will be important in assessing progress at key points of learning including transitions. From the early years through to the senior stages, children and young people will demonstrate progress in their skills in interpreting and analysing information, simplifying and solving problems, assessing risk and making informed choices. They will also show evidence of progress through their skills in collaborating and working independently as they observe, explore, experiment with and investigate mathematical problems. Approaches to assessment should identify the extent to which children and young people can apply their skills in their learning, in their daily lives and in preparing for the world of work. Progress will be seen as children and young people demonstrate their competence and confidence in applying mathematical concepts and skills. For example: Do they relish the challenge of number puzzles, patterns and relationships? Can they explain increasingly more abstract ideas of algebraic thinking? Can they successfully carry out mathematical processes and use their developing range of skills and attributes as set out in the experiences and outcomes? As they apply these to problems, can they draw on skills and concepts learned previously? As they tackle problems in unfamiliar contexts, can they confidently identify which skills and concepts are relevant to the problem? Can they then apply their skills accurately and then evaluate their solutions? Can they explain their thinking and demonstrate their understanding of 2D shapes and 3D objects? Can they evaluate data to make informed decisions? Are they developing the capacity to engage with and complete tasks and  assignments? Assessment should also link with other areas of the curriculum, within and outside the classroom, offering children and young people opportunities to develop and demonstrate their understanding of mathematics through social studies, technologies and science, and cultural and enterprise activities. How can I make connections within and beyond mathematics? Within mathematics there are rich opportunities for links among different concepts: a ready example is provided by investigations into area and perimeter which can involve estimation, patterns and relationships and a variety of numbers. When children and young people investigate number processes, there will be regular opportunities to develop mental strategies and mental agility. Teachers will make use of opportunities to develop algebraic thinking and introduce symbols, such as those opportunities afforded at early stages when reinforcing number bonds or later when investigating the sum of the angles in a triangle. There are many opportunities to develop mathematical concepts in all other areas of the curriculum. Patterns and symmetry are fundamental to art and music; time, money and measure regularly occur in modern languages, home economics, design technology and various aspects of health and wellbeing; graphs and charts are regularly used in science and social studies; scale and proportion can be developed within social studies; formulae are used in areas including health and wellbeing, technologies and sciences; while shape, position and movement can be developed in all areas of the curriculum. The Teaching Principle Effective mathematics teaching requires understanding what students know and need to learn and then challenging and supporting them to learn it well. Students learn mathematics through the experiences that teachers provide. Thus, students understanding of mathematics, their ability to  » use it to solve problems, and their confidence in, and disposition toward, mathematics are all shaped by the teaching they encounter in school. The improvement of  mathematics education for all students requires effective mathematics teaching in all classrooms. Teaching mathematics well is a complex endeavor, and there are no easy recipes for helping all students learn or for helping all teachers become effective. Nevertheless, much is known about effective mathematics teaching, and this knowledge should guide professional judgment and activity. To be effective, teachers must know and understand deeply the mathematics they are teaching and be able to draw on that knowledge with flexibility in the ir teaching tasks. They need to understand and be committed to their students as learners of mathematics and as human beings and be skillful in choosing from and using a variety of pedagogical and assessment strategies (National Commission on Teaching and Americas Future 1996). In addition, effective teaching requires reflection and continual efforts to seek improvement. Teachers must have frequent and ample opportunities and resources to enhance and refresh their knowledge. Effective teaching requires knowing and understanding mathematics, students as learners, and pedagogical strategies. Teachers need several different kinds of mathematical knowledge—knowledge about the whole domain; deep, flexible knowledge about curriculum goals and about the important ideas that are central to their grade level; knowledge about the challenges students are likely to encounter in learning these ideas; knowledge about how the ideas can be represented to teach them effectively; and knowledge about how students understanding can be assessed. This knowledge helps teachers make curricular judgments, respond to students questions, and look ahead to where concepts are leading and plan accordingly. Pedagogical knowledge, much of which is acquired and shaped through the practice of teaching, helps teachers understand how students learn mathematics, become facile with a range of different teaching techniques and instructional materials, and organize and manage the classroom. Teachers need to understand the big ideas of mathematics and be able to represent mathematics as a coherent and connected enterprise (Schifter 1999; Ma 1999). Their decisions and their actions in the classroom—all of which affect how well their students learn mathematics—should be based on this knowledge. This kind of knowledge is beyond what most teachers experience in standard preservice mathematics courses in the United States. For example, that fractions can be understood as parts of a whole, the quotient of two integers, or a number on a line is  important for mathematics teachers (Ball and Bass forthcoming). Such understanding might be characterized as profound understanding of fundamental mathematics (Ma 1999). Teachers also need to understand the different representations of an idea, the relative strengths and weaknesses of each, and how they are related to one another (Wilson, Shulman, and Richert 1987). They need to know the ideas with which students often have difficulty and ways to help bridge common misunderstandings.  » Effective mathematics teaching requires a serious commitment to the development of students understanding of mathematics. Because students learn by connecting new ideas to prior knowledge, teachers must understand what their students already know. Effective teachers know how to ask questions and plan lessons that reveal students prior knowledge; they can then design experiences and lessons that respond to, and build on, this knowledge. Teachers have different styles and strategies for helping students learn particular mathematical ideas, and there is no one right way to teach. However, effective teachers recognize that the decisions they make shape students mathematical dispositions and can create rich settings for learning. Selecting and using suitable curricular materials, using appropriate instructional tools and techniques, and engaging in reflective practice and continuous self-improvement are actions good teachers take every day. One of the complexities of mathematics teaching is that it must balance purposeful, planned classroom lessons with the ongoing decision making that inevitably occurs as teachers and students encounter unanticipated discoveries or difficulties that lead them into uncharted territory. Teaching mathematics well involves creating, enriching, maintaining, and adapting instruction to move toward mathematical goals, capture and sustain interest, and engage students in building mathematical understanding. Effective teaching requires a challenging and supportive classroom learning environment. Teachers make many choices each day about how the learning environment will be structured and what mathematics will be emphasized. These decisions determine, to a large extent, what students learn. Effective teaching conveys a belief that each student can and is expected to understand mathematics and that each will be supported in his or her efforts to accomplish this goal. Teachers establish and nurture an environment conducive to learning mathematics through the decisions they make, the conversations they orchestrate, and the  physical setting they create. Teachers actions are what encourage students to think, question, solve problems, and discuss their ideas, strategies, and solutions. The teacher is responsible for creating an intellectual environment where serious mathematical thinking is the norm. More than just a physical setting with desks, bulletin boards, and posters, the classroom en vironment communicates subtle messages about what is valued in learning and doing mathematics. Are students discussion and collaboration encouraged? Are students expected to justify their thinking? If students are to learn to make conjectures, experiment with various approaches to solving problems, construct mathematical arguments and respond to others arguments, then creating an environment that fosters these kinds of activities is essential. In effective teaching, worthwhile mathematical tasks are used to introduce important mathematical ideas and to engage and challenge students intellectually. Well-chosen tasks can pique students curiosity and draw them into mathematics. The tasks may be connected to the  » real-world experiences of students, or they may arise in contexts that are purely mathematical. Regardless of the context, worthwhile tasks should be intriguing, with a level of challenge that invites speculation and hard work. Such tasks often can be approached in more than one way, such as using an arithmetic counting approach, drawing a geometric diagram and enumerating possibilities, or using algebraic equations, which makes the tasks accessible to students with varied prior knowledge and experience. Worthwhile tasks alone are not sufficient for effective teaching. Teachers must also decide what aspects of a task to highlight, how to organize and orchestrate the work of the students, what questions to ask to challenge those with varied levels of expertise, and how to support students without taking over the process of thinking for them and thus eliminating the challenge. Opportunities to reflect on and refine instructional practice—during class and outside class, alone and with others—are crucial in the vision of school mathematics outlined in Principles and Standards. To improve their mathematics instruction, teachers must be able to analyze what they and their students are doing and consider how those actions are affecting students learning. Using a variety of strategies, teachers should monitor students capacity and inclination to analyze situations, frame and solve problems, and make sense of mathematical concepts and procedures. They  can use this information to assess their students progress and to appraise how well the mathematical tasks, student discourse, and classroom environment are interacting to foster students learning. They then use these appraisals to adapt their instruction. Reflection and analysis are often individual activities, but they can be greatly enhanced by teaming with an experienced and respected colleague, a new teacher, or a community of teachers. Collaborating with colleagues regularly to observe, analyze, and discuss teaching and students thinking or to do lesson study is a powerful, yet neglected, form of professional development in American schools (Stigler and Hiebert 1999). The work and time of teachers must be structured to allow and support professional development that will benefit them and their students.

Evidence Based Practice Impact Of Nurses Nursing Essay

Evidence Based Practice Impact Of Nurses Nursing Essay Evidence-based practice (EBP) is widely recognised within the role of nursing. Its implementation and purpose in the delivery of care is seen as an important driver for nursing practice and clinical outcomes (Cullen Adams 2010). It has been defined as the: conscientious integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patients values and needs in the delivery of high-quality, cost effective health care (Burns Grove. 2007, p.4). EBP provides opportunity for nurses to ensure that clinical interventions and decisions making processes are safe and suitable for every patient group and enabling effectiveness in patient advocacy (Parahoo, 2006). An important part of practice and nursing culture, EBP should not be seen as an extra aspect to daily workload. Knowledge-base gained from pre-registration educational programmes and clinical experience should be the basis for the development of EBP (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). Nurses critically reflect daily in clinical practice with the implementation and evaluation of care and it is important to understand that this forms the foundation in research for evidence. Quick reference for guidance does not necessarily need to be a lengthy process with accessibility to intranet and local policies, protocols and best practice statements. However, the self-recognition of base knowledge and skill should be continually developed (Parahoo, 2006). Nurses require time to strive fo r answers to clinical questions, expanding clinical expertise in locating research evidence. Using critique frameworks as suggested in Burns Grove (2007), articles should be critically appraised with time spent deciding how they might apply to clinical practice. By taking a rigorous approach to appraisal, making an informed decision about the reliability and validity of sources of evidence, nurses can really look the effects in clinical practice and how the evidence can be delivered (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). Nurses working in clinical settings should really think about dilemmas or problems that come up frequently in their clinical practice that they would like to know further research and evidence for. It is expected that registered nurses should be comfortable and competent with the components of EBP such as forming clinical questions, literature searching skills, including accessing appropriate literature and showing enthusiasm in its development. Nurses need to have good resources and support from employers through providing access to library facilities containing major on-line databases such as EBSCO; Cochrane library database; Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and the British Nursing Index (BNI). Through the use of databases, a comprehensive literature review should be conducted to generate understanding of what is known and not known about the particular clinical problem (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). The review can allow the nurse to decide whether adequate knowledge exists allowing for change in clinical practice or whether further research is required. From this initial thought may follow development of clinical question creating ethical consideration and understanding of beliefs and values of patients and colleagues. Nurses should being with searching highest level of evidence such as systematic reviews involving the compilation and ranking of evidence according to its methodological origin (Whiting. 2009). Systematic reviews summarise the results of high quality studies, often reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Described and the gold standard to research, they identify which interventions work, those which are not as effective and where further research should be carried out. In this way, bias is reduced and the effects of treatments studied are not overestimated. By using such evidence, time will be reduced in the need for critical appraisal (Whiting. 2009). It is important to note that as nurses move forward having more autonomy in decision making and its emphasis of patient centred care there still remains lack of appreciation in best evidence for patient response in emotional, psychological and holistic understanding and focus lies within scientific interventionism. Cleary-Holdforth Leufer (2008) criticise that the described highest level of evidence fails to acknowledge research based on patient experience and perception and aspect fundamental to nursing practice. This can be viewed in clinical guidelines developed by Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), derived from systematic reviews of scientific literature all guidelines have levels of evidence statements with the highest level of evidence being meta-analyses, systematic reviews or RCTs (SIGN 2010). 640 words To apply evidence into practice it is vital for nurses to have role models that respect EBP, rather than relying on clinical expertise alone (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). They must value ideas and effectively support the process if clinical questions arise. Role models need to be enthusiastic about EBP and having positive vision about the opportunities EBP can provide when integrated into day-to-day practice. Nurses need be able to view the benefits of applying best current evidence to their practice and therefore creating a positive motivation for EBP. At all levels, nurses need to be interested in using the EBP and adopt certain practices and attitudes. These include devotion, professional pride, positiveness, courage and willingness to carry out change and commitment to continuous learning (Cleary-Holdforth Leufer 2008). The nurse will not only see maturity in professional self but also development of personal achievement and identity. Decision makers and new found knowledge needs to not only be distributed but fully utilised and the nurse must ensure that colleagues receive, read, understand and appreciate the value of and actually utilise it in their own decision-making processes and, where appropriate, alter their behaviour. As with any clinical intervention, evaluation of its effectiveness is essential and nurses must discuss with colleagues and participants Further to this assignment will be appraisal and evaluation of two papers providing critique and discussion. Each will be assessed for the appropriateness for evidence-based practice. Gethin, G. Cowman, S. (2008) Manuka honey vs. hydrogel a prospective, open label, multicentre, randomised controlled trial to compare desloughing efficacy and healing outcomes in venous ulcers. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 18 (3) p.466-474. Gethin and Cowman (2008) clearly seek to measure the effective comparison of two healing agents on venous ulcers and use a quantitative paradigm with two views to methods of debridement, and indicate that an RCT was undertaken. In a quantitative research study there is focus measurement of the relationship between variables (Burns Grove, 2007). Being the area of interest in the study, the variables that change over time are subject to statistical analysis. A prospective design has been decided on and to the reader indicates a collection of variable data with one or more points in the future. Macnee (2008) adds that time is a defining factor in the design of a quantitative study. In this case the time points were at week 4 and week 12 from initial baseline. A reasonable amount of information has been provided in the design title and allows the reader to be aware of the approach used. It seems that the research hypothesis is best addressed by quantifiable approach being the appropriat e design methodology for investigation. Gethin and Cowman (2008), aimed to select adults presenting with venous leg ulcers having over 50 percent of the wound area covered in slough. Further to this, they followed substantial inclusion and exclusion criteria which was clearly stated and indicated in the research including tables that could be easily understood by the reader. There could however be potential problem with this as a more tightly controlled or restricted sample could lead to limitations to clinical meaningfulness (Parahoo, 2006). The researchers goal is to avoid bias which could potentially distort findings and making it difficult or impossible to interpret results (). There is inconsistency in the description of the members in the study that could indicate bias. The researchers use both the term subject, participant and patient and to the reader, this could be questioned as to how removed the researchers were from those in the sample (Macnee, 2008). Had sample been used consistently then the reader could inte rpret this as being a distance and impersonal approach. Reassuringly the researchers state that they removed themselves from selection process and used blinded randomisation by two persons independent of the study to eliminate personal bias. Blinding refers to the group allocation and the concealment from one or more individuals involved in the research process (Karanicolas, Farrokhyar Bhandari 2010). The larger the sample size in a quantitative study, the more likely the study will apply to clinical situations and aiming to make generalisations about the larger population based on findings (Parahoo, 2006). The study uses a sample size of 108 which seems small and perhaps is unlikely to produce results of statistical significance failing to disclose the actual effectiveness of the agent used. It may have been that Gethin and Cowman (2008) failed to get enough funding to support their study or an increase in sample size would have been too time consuming. Non-probability sampling was used with recruitment of subjects attending a clinic. This type of sampling limits the extent of generalisation of the results to the population outside the research (Burns Grove, 2007). Failure to enrol the predetermined number of subjects creates limitation and restricting what a reader may learn about the study. Further to this, Gethin and Cowman (2008) did not discuss During the data collection stage of the process, there are two important considerations: the potential impact on the reliability and validity of the study. Reliability refers to how reliable the data collection methods are, this is the extent to which the selected methods will collect the same data on repeated occasions. The more consistent this is, the more reliable the methods are (Macnee, 2008). Gethin and Cowman (2008) used local clinical investigators who took part in a pretrial inter-rater reliability (IRR) study determining the level of agreement between the three raters when assessing slough as a percentage within wound bed. As the assessment was split between three data collectors, the reader could query potential differences in subjective opinion in deciding the percentage of slough within the wound bed. Thus influencing the accuracy and consistency in measurement making the measure less reliable. Validity refers to the extent to which the methods used to collect and analyse the data accurately measures what the researchers intended it would measure (Macnee, 2008). They selected to use Visitrak Digital Planimetry a tool for wound measurement. Sugama et al. (2007) explores and concludes that this type for wound measurement device was a efficient reliable system applicable for use in clinical practice improving validity of the research. It must be noted however, that this is only valid if the users are fully competent in its use. An important methodology feature of RCTs is to minimise bias and maximise the validity of the results (Whiting 2009). Gethin and Cowman (2008) failed to blind participants and data collectors due to the obvious orange staining from the Manuka honey. For a reader this is a immense flaw in the research introducing bias. The data collected in quantitative research must either be numerical or converted to numerical data and entered into a database (Macnee, 2008). Gethin and Cowman (2008) selected to use a Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and further a statistician who was completely disconnected from the research in terms of collection and interaction with the subjects. This is a very positive aspect of the research and Gethin and Cowman (2008) failed to elaborate why participants pulled out from the study and a reader should be highly concerned as to what exactly happened to these subjects and question averse reactions to the chosen product. A nurse having found this during a literature review would suggest there are too many weaknesses in the research to apply this to clinical practice and decision making. A main concern is the safety of patients and I would decline to use this product until further research was carried out considering all the available evidence potentially utilising a systematic review approach. Until then, it would not influence decision making in relation to methods of debridement. This intervention applied in everyday clinical practice could potentially have adverse consequences that outweigh the potential benefits. The cost was not reported and it may be that the Manuka honey treatment is very expensive providing only small health benefits and failing to make good use of reso urces. It may have been beneficial for the researchers to provide a rough idea of the cost of producing one unit of benefit. An aspect fundamental to nursing practice is to incorporate understanding of the participants perspective about their experiences (Leufer Cleary-Holdforth 2009). This is not something that was not explored, had funding been available qualitative research, which will be explored in the next paper could have been incorporating using two design methods. 1305 words Hancock, H. C. Easen, P. R. (2006) The decision-making processes of nurses when extubating patients following cardiac surgery: An ethnographic study. International Journal of Nursing Studies. [Online] 43 (6) p.693-705.

Ben Franklin A Touch Of Genius :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ben Franklin was born the tenth son of a soap maker, Josiah Franklin. In all Josiah had 17 children amid two wives. When Ben was 15, his brother had started the third paper to hit Boston called The New England Courant. Ben really wanted to write for the paper but he knew that his older brother James would never let him do that being that he is only an apprentice. Therefore, Ben being the young intellect that he was, started printing letters and sliding them into his brothers printing shop at night. He wrote under the alias Silence Dogood, and provided criticism towards views of the world, and the rights and treatments of women. Sixteen letters had been published until Ben came out and told James that it was his mere apprentice brother writing these reader loved articles. James's friends thought Ben was quite gifted but this infuriated James to know that his brother was gaining widespread attention through his alias Silence Dogood. Not before long at all Bens older brother was not at good terms with the Puritan leading family the Mathers. The Mathers supported inoculation, and James along with most people believed that this inoculation was not for the good of the people, and in fact it worsened conditions. James was thrown into prison and Ben was left to run the paper while he was gone. When James returned, he showed his brother no thanks for continuing his business on a positive note. In fact, James â€Å"harassed his younger brother and administered beatings from time to time† (The First American, 18). Ben could not take this harsh treatment from his former mentor so he decided to flee to in 1723 to New York.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ben traveled by boat hoping to find work as a printer in New York but there was none, he continued his journey for work through New Jersey and ended up in Philadelphia where he found work as an apprentice printer for Samuel Keimer. Franklin’s skill as a writer put him at good terms with the Governor William Keith of Pennsylvania. After Bens brother-in-law showed the governor one of Bens letters the governor was stunned by his mastery of wordplay and sent out to meet this great writer. The governor wanted Ben to start his own printing company, but Ben’s father would not finance his print shop, so the Governor told Franklin that he would in fact finance the start of his printing company, after Ben journeys to London to setup business connections, and buy supplies for the company.

Plot

In this article, Goldstein attempts to describe the aspect of AIDS in Newfoundland. In order to sufficiently do so, she illustrates three main elements which relate to the expansion of the legend in the province; Cultural variability, localization and contemporary legend. The idea of doing this is to give the reader a general understanding of what stories were told In order to enhance the generation of these legends. Throughout the article, Goldstein provides examples of deferent versions of the AIDS legend. There are significant motifs used In these versions that distinguish he versions generated.There Is the coffin version In which the man usually lures the woman Into getting involved with him, and when she leaves to return home he hands her a box which has a coffin Inside with the message â€Å"welcome to the world of AIDS†. The lipstick version generally suggests the opposite; the woman lures the man Into getting Involved with her and In the morning the man will go to the bathroom with a message wrote on the mirror In lipstick â€Å"welcome to the world of AIDS†. The version chosen will reflect cultural assumptions and values, which Is what Is described as ultra variability.Goldstein provides facts that the coffin version is more prominent in Newfoundland than the lipstick version; 74% of random sample knew about the coffin legend versus the 26% that were aware of the lipstick legend. The original version may not have made sense to Nefariousness's, so it was altered to be understandable and meaningful. They often use mainlanders, which are the outsiders, as scapegoats. The Newfoundland version suggests an innocent, hardworking woman goes away on a trip, meets a man, falls in love and engages in sexual intercourse.If they engaged in sexual activity in Newfoundland and retrieved AIDS, the mainlanders would be blamed for the disperse because they are strangers. Newfoundland are good, mainlanders are bad. Newfoundland is safe, mainland is a threat . In part II of the article is where Cider's main points start. This is where he beings to outline his main points on murmuring. He begins with a definition on what murmuring is, in case the reader is unaware. If the reader is completely unaware of the aspect of murmuring, they would read Cider's first description and probably be totally confused. Loud banging at the Victims' kitchen door. † When seeing the word â€Å"victim† they may think there is some kind of illegal activity going to happen when they enter the house. â€Å"Loud banging† may constitute for an aggressive person or group. They both relate. In trying to avoid this conclusion, Sided quickly exemplifies the fact mummers are always lifelong neighbors and are never strangers even though they would appear to be. What happens when mummers enter the house? Sided continues to illustrate huge points that unfamiliar readers need to be aware of.Mummers do not enter households and â€Å"trash† the pla ce. They enter and dance around, have sociable drinks, eat food and Walt for the household to guess their Identity. There Is no Illegal occurrence that takes place during this activity and Slider makes this point very clear. The second point Sided makes Is the aspect of Scoffing. Upon reading this article, I was unfamiliar with what scoffing was. Sided makes a mall point regarding scoffing when he describes the term â€Å"scoff'. A scoff Is formerly known as a meal, usually one that consists of a large amount of food.Another efferent families, for which all the food is stolen or â€Å"bucked† which in Newfoundland means something a little different than stealing. Sided makes another huge point when he says that food is only taken from another family living in the same community and who is the same â€Å"social class† as the person taking the food. An individual who comes from a poor fisher family would not take from a wealthy family, and a wealthy individual would mos t certainly not take from a poor family. Sided also acknowledges the connection between murmuring and scoffing which is another age point made in this article.He notes that they lie at the intersection of different forms of alliances within and between families. These alliances can include sentiment and emotion, but also kinship or work and production. These activities basically hindered or helped social relations. In order to further illustrate the alliances, Sided goes in to talk about the organization of the village inshore fishery during the period when the family was the unit of work for the fishery, which is Part Ill of the article. In Part IV of the article, Sided describes the truck system and the tall al system.Due to reading the first article â€Å"In Between History and Tomorrow: Making and Breaking Everyday Life in Newfoundland. â€Å", I am very familiar with both of these systems, but he describes it because not all of the readers would have read that previous articl e. He thoroughly describes each system which is important so that the reader will know what these systems are and what they were used for. In Part V of the article, Sided illustrates the diminishing of the two customs (murmuring and scoffing).This is a major point because readers may understand why they haven't en familiar with either of them and it would be due to the fact that hardly anyone participates in them anymore. For example, I knew what murmuring was because it still occurs in my area but not very often. I was completely unaware of scoffing upon reading this article because it was not something that I was introduced to. It did not happen in my area and if it did, it would not go over well. These customs are diminishing and if we ask people in generations from now, they probably will not know what either one of these customs are.The last main point that Sided presents n this article is answering â€Å"Why do outpost Nefariousness's mum and scoff? † He answers by illu strating that customs do things. They are connected to people who participate in them. It becomes their social root for some people. The second answer that he illustrates is the connected between customs and culture. It is important for Sided to illustrate this because reader's may often times wonder while interpreting this article why people do the things that are being described.They may not realize it, but it is a true statement when people say it is part of you inheritance. Aside from the main points outlined in this article, which are relevant in understanding the article, I have generated a few questions based on a couple aspects that were discussed. 1. ) Why doesn't Sided talk more about the women during that era? He did mention in Part I that the mothers, wives, sisters and young children salted and dried the fish, preparing them for fall delivery to the merchant. He also mentioned them again during the explanation of kinship organization.The women were part of the shore cro wd, there were usually three or four needed, and they were not paid erectly (it depended on their father or brother's catch) Sided continues to describe how men interact during the off season, but what about the women? What do they do knows back then the women did all the cooking and cleaning). In my opinion, there is too much focus on the men, although it is proven they worked extremely hard and it is important to put emphasis on that, but it almost feels like women were minor in this article. 2. )Len the context of scoffing, how would people actually steal the goods?Sided gives a thorough description of scoffing, but fails to mention anything about owe the goods would be stolen, or bucked. Why didn't Sided expand on this context and provide an in-depth example? Would people wait until early hours in the morning? Would they do it in broad daylight? Would they go back numerous times in one scoff? Would they get someone else to do it for them Just in case they get caught? What do the y bring with them? Does anyone get really hurt or angry buy having their food stolen? Sided mentions that the individual(s) buck enough for it to hurt, but how hurt do they get?Do they seek revenge other than stealing back from them? A lot of answered questions came to me when reading about scoffing and it may be because I am so unfamiliar with the custom. I will definitely do more research into it because it seems very interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this article. I can relate to the murmuring where I am from. Although it is not a common thing, my family still sometimes go downstairs, dress up and come up dancing like mummers would. I really appreciated the point in the article when Sided referenced the â€Å"abundant Sunday dinner†. The traditional Sunday dinner is still a huge thing in my family.My grandmother faithfully cooks every Sunday, either for a small or big crowd. Cider's descriptions are very thorough and interesting to read, which is why this arti cle appealed to me more than the others. He covers most aspects that are needed in order for the reader to understand the points he is attempting to make. This is extremely important when trying to keep the reader interested and informed, and Sided productively does that. As a new reader of Cider's work I am impressed with his systematic descriptions and approach in his work and I look forward to reading more of his writing!

Sleep Apnea essays

Sleep Apnea essays Sleep Apnea is a serious potentially condition that is far more common than generally understood. Sleep Apnea is a sleeping disorder by brief Interruptions of breathing during sleep. There are two types of sleep apnea; central and obstructive. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common and occurs when air can't flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth although efforts to breathe continue. In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses orapnetic events? may be as high as 20 to 30 or more per hour. These breathing pauses are almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea, although not everyone who snores has this condition. Sleep apnea can also be characterized by choking sensations. The frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep often lead to early morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness. Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important because it may be associated with irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and a stroke. Sleep apnea occurs in all age groups and both sexes, but is more common in men. I may underdiagnosed in women and possibly young Americans. It has been estimated that as many as 18 million Americans have this disease, along with excessive daytime sleepiness. People most likely to have or develop sleep apnea include those who snore loudly and those who are overweight, or have high blood pressure, or have some, physical abnormality in the nose, throat, or other parts of the upper airway. Sleep apnea seems to run in some families, suggesting a possible genetic basis. Certain mechanical and structural problems in the airway cause the interruptions in breathing during sleep. In some people, apnea occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the openi ...

Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath

THE GRAPES OF WRATH The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930’s lived under. The novel tells of a family known as the Joads migration west to california through the great economic depression of the 1930’s. the Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possessions of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. One of the biggest problems faced is the fact that the great depression is in its prime. After reading this novel I was able to tell that the great depression is the main cause and sound basis for the novel. The government started playing a major role in agriculture during and after the Great Depression of the 1930’s. It acted primarily to restrict output in order to keep prices high. The growth of agricultural productivity depended on the accompanying industrial revolution that freedom stimulated. So then came new machines that revolutionized agriculture. Conversely, the industrial revolution depended on the availability of the manpower released by the agricultural revolution. One could say that the depression that started was like a catastrophe of unprecedented dimension for the United States. The nations dollar income was cut in half before the economy hit bottom in the 1933. The total output fell by a third, and unemployment reached 25 percent of the work force. The depression was something that hit other countries, and it brought lower output, higher unemployment, hunger and misery everywhere. Today we have jobs that are disappearing for good. Some are the result of normal changing of the economic cycle, but most recently it... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Essay On Hamlet Hamlet’s tragic flaw is his difficulty deciding when to act on what he knows what he most do and timing for his actions and inactions. These flaws not only ruin his plans for revenge but also contribute to his death. The king was dead of murder, betrayed from his own brother and Hamlet turned away from the incest of his mother. One would think that an act of revenge would be taken quickly while in-raged, instead Hamlet made his plans for revenge over a large amount of time, which reveals his weakness inaction. Hamlet was full of grand ideas and intentions but failed to act and to carry out his revenge, the fall of Claudius. Why did Hamlet choose, and it was a choice, not to take revenge on Claudius quickly and decisively? Hamlet had his own reasons for inaction; the strategy that he felt best suited his revenge. Hamlet was undoubtedly an unpredictable character, and throughout the play it seemed as though the thoughts of his mind came too quickly for the actions of his body to keep up with. Nearly all of Hamlet’s actions, with the exception of his outburst at Ophelia’s grave, were preplanned and precisely calculated. His inborn thought process delayed his revenge, and while Hamlet may have appeared inmourning with inaction, the wheels in his mind never stopped turning. Hamlet questioned everything, including the validity of his own father’s ghost, and this questioning slowed down Hamlet’s ability to take action. Hamlet may have thought too much for his own good at times; he wrestled with many ideas, thoughts, and feelings over the course of the play, delaying any real action until the time, in his eyes, was right. Hamlet was very much a perfectionist in revenge. He wanted everything to be perfect, and this caused him to take unusual and unique steps to gain his revenge on Claudius. Hamlet’s play within a play, a brilliant scheme in which he caught the conscience of the king, was a prime example of the ... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath THE GRAPES OF WRATH The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930’s lived under. The novel tells of a family known as the Joads migration west to california through the great economic depression of the 1930’s. the Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possessions of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. One of the biggest problems faced is the fact that the great depression is in its prime. After reading this novel I was able to tell that the great depression is the main cause and sound basis for the novel. The government started playing a major role in agriculture during and after the Great Depression of the 1930’s. It acted primarily to restrict output in order to keep prices high. The growth of agricultural productivity depended on the accompanying industrial revolution that freedom stimulated. So then came new machines that revolutionized agriculture. Conversely, the industrial revolution depended on the availability of the manpower released by the agricultural revolution. One could say that the depression that started was like a catastrophe of unprecedented dimension for the United States. The nations dollar income was cut in half before the economy hit bottom in the 1933. The total output fell by a third, and unemployment reached 25 percent of the work force. The depression was something that hit other countries, and it brought lower output, higher unemployment, hunger and misery everywhere. Today we have jobs that are disappearing for good. Some are the result of normal changing of the economic cycle, but most recently it... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Misfit to Madonna: Rose of Sharon’s Transformation When Rose of Sharon is first introduced in The Grapes of Wrath, we learn that she is expecting a child from her new husband, Connie Rivers. She is described as a mystical being whose primary concern is the well-being of her child, even at the almost ridiculously early stage of her pregnancy at the start of the novel. It is this concern that illustrates Rose of Sharon’s transformation from misfit to Madonna through the Joad’s journey. Rose of Sharon incessantly asks Ma Joad if â€Å"it’ll hurt the baby† throughout a majority of the novel, and adopts an attitude of superiority over others with her precious possession. She all but refuses to help the family pack the truck for California for fear of disturbing her fetus, even though she knows her help is needed. Her selfish antics and complaints are patiently absorbed by Ma, who tolerates her primarily because of her condition. Rose of Sharon knows that she is now an exception to the normal rules and exploits her position to its fullest potential. During the journey Rose of Sharon and Connie pass the time by dreaming of the idyllic life they will lead when they reach California. Connie says he will open a repair shop and buy a white house with a fence and an icebox and a car and a crib, all before the baby is born; all hopelessly idealistic and almost completely detached from reality. Every intention, though, is for the baby so that it may have a perfect life from the very moment it is born. In the face of hardships, Rose of Sharon comforts herself by remembering these dreamlike goals of her family and even reminds others of them, intending to lift the burden of reality. She does so when the sheriff threatens the roadside families to leave or be jailed. She tells Ma of Connie’s plans for California, which have nothing to do with the situation at that moment. This escape only proves to ultimately hurt Rose of Sharon and Connie; ... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath Life Before Man: Novel Summary and Research Plot Summary A) As Margaret Atwood’s Life Before Man begins, the reader is introduced to the initial characters Elizabeth, her husband Nate and their children Janet and Nancy. The reader is also familiarized with Chris, Elizabeth’s former lover who has just taken his own life. The novel begins in Toronto in 1976, ending in 1978. The main storyline, Elizabeth’s affair and the decay of her marriage, is also presented. B) Life Before Man ‘s inciting incident occurs as Elizabeth changes visibly with the suicide of her lover. Once a devoted wife and mother, she has abandoned cooking and cleaning, opting for hours spent in bed. She gives her husband and children little attention and even banishes Nate to a separate bedroom. She removes herself from reality, but allows no one to enter her world. Nate is forced to give up his career as a lawyer, as juggling both his and his wife’s former role becomes too challenging. C) The rising action revolves around the complicated affairs that result in the end of Elizabeth and Nate’s marriage. The rising action begins as Nate has an affair of his own, becoming involved with one of his wife’s coworkers, Lesje. Elizabeth then plots revenge, sleeping with William, a man also involved with Lesje. D) The crisis is observed at Christmas, when Elizabeth invites each of the adulterous characters to dinner. A confrontation is unexpectedly provoked as the guests indulge in an after dinner game of â€Å"survival†. In the playing the game, each character must reveal why he or she feels that he or she should remain on the lifeboat and not be thrown overboard. The game results in number of emotional confessions from its participants and Elizabeth, whose family has become threatened by the couple’s infidelities, contemplates suicide. E) The climax is then reached as Elizabeth asks Nate to move out. She feels their marriage has suffered enough and looks... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath In the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck brings to the reader a variety of diverse and greatly significant characters. However, the majority of each characters’ individuality happens to lie within what they symbolize in the nature of the Joad family and their acquaintances, which itself stands for the entire migrant population of the Great Depression era. One such character is that of Jim Casey, a former preacher and long-time friend of the Joads. In Steinbeck’s, The Grapes of Wrath, Jim Casey represents a latter-day Christ figure who longs to bring religious stability to the burgeon of migrant families facing West. Steinbeck manages to give Jim Casey the exact initials as the historical savior (J.C.), which allows the reader to latch onto this connection from the beginning. Yet, Casey’s relation to Christ â€Å"goes beyond such mere coincidences, and plays out rather in their similar plans of action† (Johnson 19). One of the many similarities between Casey and Christ is that Casey had also drifted out to the forests in order to "soul-search" and discover the answers to sometimes hidden questions. In this particular situation, Casey himself states the comparison of Christ’s and his actions while giving a grace at the Joad’s breakfast table, "...I been in the hills, thinkin’, almost you might say like Jesus went into the wilderness to think His way out of a mess of troubles." (Steinbeck 104) Casey further goes on during his rather rambling grace, "I got tired like Him...I got mixed up like Him...I went into the wilderness like Him, without no campin’ stuff." (Steinbeck 105) With Casey’s ... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath THE GRAPES OF WRATH The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930’s lived under. The novel tells of a family known as the Joads migration west to california through the great economic depression of the 1930’s. the Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possessions of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. One of the biggest problems faced is the fact that the great depression is in its prime. After reading this novel I was able to tell that the great depression is the main cause and sound basis for the novel. The government started playing a major role in agriculture during and after the Great Depression of the 1930’s. It acted primarily to restrict output in order to keep prices high. The growth of agricultural productivity depended on the accompanying industrial revolution that freedom stimulated. So then came new machines that revolutionized agriculture. Conversely, the industrial revolution depended on the availability of the manpower released by the agricultural revolution. One could say that the depression that started was like a catastrophe of unprecedented dimension for the United States. The nations dollar income was cut in half before the economy hit bottom in the 1933. The total output fell by a third, and unemployment reached 25 percent of the work force. The depression was something that hit other countries, and it brought lower output, higher unemployment, hunger and misery everywhere. Today we have jobs that are disappearing for good. Some are the result of normal changing of the economic cycle, but most recently it... Free Essays on Grapes Of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath By: John Steinback Throughout history, more than one great event has happened that captured the attention of onlookers, not only the onlookers of that time, but also onlookers that were yet to come. Textbooks captured these events, and they were preserved in the hearts of the people. However, some less recognized events that occurred throughout the times that were not brought to the attention of most. These depended on the exploits of the pioneers in writing to preserve these occurrences, so that the people of the future would remember. The Grapes of Wrath is such a book, in which a less known historic event that had a great impact on some people and was an important part of history was documented and preserved for the future to see. In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinback speaks of the ongoing tirade hovering over the never-ending cycle of unemployment, and the quest for stability, independence, and happiness. This book opens at the scene of the aftermath of a typical dust storm. It is apparent that these conditions are not by any means rare or unique, but rather common everyday scenes. The sand has settled, the male villagers are reviewing the damage, and their women and children sit quietly waiting for the men. The chapter is passive, and speaks of and to no one in particular, but rather to all people as a general whole. In the next chapter, the book begins a narrative of the Tom Joad, an ex-convict searching for his family after a four-year sentence. This narrative also takes place in Oklahoma. This alternating pattern between passive historical chapters that involve no direct action, and those of historical-fiction chapters, continues to alternate throughout the book, with the historical chapters extending in length from one to three chapters at a time, and the fictional chapters extending no longer than one chapter at a time. Steinback expressed the feelings of the different characters, the central the... Free Essays on Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck’s classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath follows the trials and tribulations of Tom Joad and his family, along with a supporting cast of characters which includes members of Tom’s family, as well as local people. When Tom is released from prison after serving four years for the crime of manslaughter, he begins to return to his family’s farm in the infamous â€Å"Dust Bowl†. Eventually, he meets another main character in this book, Jim Casy, who is a former preacher who seems to value the importance of human contact as something quite holy. Tom and Jim together travel to the Joad’s residence, only to learn that his family is at his Uncle John’s house. There they are planning the long trip to California in search of jobs with high wages, as is promised by the handbills posted all over the Oklahoma landscape California land-owners. It is there that they feel their fiduciary troubles will end. Unfortunately for the Joads, California does anything but solve their problems. Tom’s grandparents die en route, Tom’s younger sister, Rose of Sharon, is pregnant and thinks she might lose the baby, jobs become difficult to find, and all the camps are full of people in similar or worse situations. This new wave of immigrants into California angers the already overcrowded population. Jim Casey is arrested by the local law enforcement because of an argument between them and Tom for which he gets blamed. Eventually, the Joads’ find a government-run camp in which they pick fruit. The police attempt to stage a riot in order to justify breaking up the camp, but Tom helps the men diffuse the situation. After this, the Joads once again set out to find new work. Again, Tom meets up with Jim along the way, who has been released from prison. He is now working to unite the migrant farmworkers into a solidified front commonly known as a union. They are discovered by the police and Jim is shot and killed by one of them....

How to Determine Which Marketing Tools Are Best For Your Team

How to Determine Which Marketing Tools Are Best For Your Team Picture this. Youre at your desk. Suddenly you realize theres got to be a better, faster way to accomplish your marketing goals, whether that be with a keyword, social media scheduling, project management, or email marketing tool. So you turn to the almighty Google And youre flooded by thousands of options, you cant seem to make sense of where to start. There are offers for trials everywhere, coupled with insane amounts of advice and you havent even figured out exactly what your team needs let alone looking at how much this tool is vs another *Insert panic screaming here* Breathe, you got this. And if you dont, well, this blog post will help get you through. Youll learn how to: Prioritize your teams needs. Learn the criteria you need to make the best decision when it comes to finding a marketing tool for your team. Learn how to pitch your winning tool to your boss. Learn how to pitch your winning tool to your team. Before You Start Your Research Dont just start Googling. Trust me. Diving right into the research phase of your marketing tool selection process can quickly become overwhelming. Just look at the first page of results when you type marketing tool into Google. Dont even get me started on the ads that will surface on your Google searches as well. Youve got advice coming at you left and right, and while that is great, it doesnt necessarily give you the jumping off point you need to start making decisions about a potential tool. There is a way to fix this. Before you start your research, sit down and prioritize what your team needs in order to be successful. Before you start researching marketing tools, sit down prioritize what your team needs to beIts really that simple. By knowing what your team needs to fix a broken process, or automate it so it goes faster, youre able to walk into your search knowing what youre looking for. So how do you create that list? Open a document or download Marketing Tool template. Once you've downloaded the template, click the second tab at the bottom: Here's what you'll see next: Begin to write down and prioritize what you think your team would need to be successful. And now you're staring at a blinking cursor wondering what to write. Here are some prompts that may help you begin your list: What does your team need to accomplish in order to be successful? What does your team want to accomplish that they think will make them successful? What's currently broken in your marketing process that you think a tool could help fix? What does your current process look like? What does your dream marketing process look like? How would you like to see your process flow in a new tool? Where are your team members divided into silos? What does this tool need to accomplish to break down those silos? From the answers you write down, you can identify what qualities you are looking for in a marketing tool. List Your Top 10 Must-Have Criteria These are features that absolutely must be a part of the tool that you select. They are you non-negotiables. Your top ten list could include things like. Drag and drop calendar features Social analytics tool Task lists Being able to assign tasks to team members Team reports Email integrations Project management features like being able to group by content type Being able to add in all of your social channels Landing page integrations WordPress or other blogging software integrations Automated task reminders Comment section on projects Being able to group multiple pieces of content under one campaign Minimum or maximum number of users Price per user/social channel I could keep going with this list but I don't want to bore you. Your list may look a bit different from the one above and that's okay. Every marketing team is different, which means the end goals you have may be different then the end goals the team at has. Now you have your must have criteria. You can start searching NOW right? Not quite. Sorry, I promise, we're almost there. List Your Top Ten "Would Be Nice To Have" Criteria Why? Because you're going to be researching a lot of tools. Those nice-to-haves could be the determining factor between one tool and another. Your initial list could look something like this. Automated optimum posting times Due dates that move automatically when you move a project Completion bar that shows the progress on a project Internal comment or chat system within the app Mobile app for on the go editing Approval process that let's a manager know if content has been reviewed or not Pre-made printable progress reports Social Media competitor analysis Google Analytics, bit.ly and other integrations The ability to separate different clients or projects by calendar Again, your specific list will depend on what type of tool you're looking for. Recommended Reading: How to Be More Successful With the Right Content Marketing Tools Start Your Initial Research Phase Yes, we finally got to the research phase. But I'm not unleashing you on to Google just yet. There's a good reason I promise. How you research is just as important as what you research. How you research your marketing tools is just as important as what you research them for.Pick One Researcher From Your Marketing Team Having only one researcher pays off for a number of different reasons: We have innate nature to compete with one another.  If you have 10 people researching 10 different tools, you suddenly have ten people championing their favorite tool. Not only is that a lot of noise, you have each person competing to say that they were the ones that picked the new marketing tool. You only need one expert.  The person that is conducting your research knows exactly what your team needs. They in essence, become an expert in all things marketing tools, making it easier to make an informed decision. You don't want to waste the team's already limited time.  You know you're team is busy. Taking away an hour of 10 people's time on your team is 10 hours that could have been spent elsewhere. Taking away even 3 hours of one person's time is a much more manageable task.Your team is already loaded to the max. Don't stress them out more then necessary. Research Your Top Ten Tools Okay, open up your browser. You can finally start searching for your marketing tool. You're going to have a lot of options and that's ok. That's why we made your checklist. As you go through the endless pages of tools, document them in your top ten in your spreadsheet that you downloaded earlier. Get that done? Ok, let's keep going. Add up the totals in your spreadsheet and narrow them down to your top three. Look for tools that: Meet your must-have criteria Meet your budget Meet most if not all of your must have's Why three you ask? Understand the Psychology of Three First, Second, and Third. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yours, mine and ours. Lots of things come in threes. Why? Because repeating a message three times helps stop the internal noise and distractions going on around you. Having three similar tools that meet your expectations will help solidify, in your mind, what tool you need. Choosing new marketing tools? Here's why you should narrow your choices down to three:Make Your Final Decision So you've narrowed in down to your top three tools. Check your point system again. Did one edge out over the others? If so, there is your winner. That was easy, wasn't it? Recommended Reading: How to Influence Marketing Change Management [Backed By Science] How To Pitch Your Favorite Tool You did all that work and you finally have the results of all your labor. This is the tool  that you believe will revolutionize the way your marketing team works. Now you just have to convince your boss to believe that too. What if I told you I outlined your entire presentation for you? You can download the whole thing right now. However, if you want to take the time to build your own presentation here's some things that you're going to want to cover. What To Cover In Your Presentation For Your Boss Depending on what your boss wants to see in your presentation, your list may vary. However, if it was me, this is what I would cover. What brought on the need for the tool? What did I hope the team would gain by investing in a tool? What qualifications would I be measuring this tool against? How many tools did I initially research? What did I narrow my decision down to? What qualities put this tool over the top? Price point Is there a demo or trail period that we could do to see if the tool works? You convinced your boss. They gave you the green light to move forward. Now the task lies on you convincing your team that they need this tool.

Business Ethics and Ethical reasoning Coursework

Business Ethics and Ethical reasoning - Coursework Example The advantage of choosing justice over other methods is that it confirms the pay of all employees to one standard within the organization. Second, advantage is that it brings the employers to answer the unethical practice. 2. GlaxoSmithKline(GSK) has been providing money in different forms to organizations and individuals to promote its products through different channels. Some reports speculate that some of the activities have not been initiated by GSK management but by the sales team to increase commissions. The operations which were encouraged by GSK, however, are part of a scheme to make GSK products a household name. The more GSK products are prescribed and used as the only product; a consumer will psychologically demand only GSK products on a second or third visit. The Company may face fines and lawsuits from the government once it is established that the management was involved in the crime, which can result in discontinuation of production. The public as a result of lawsuits can stop trusting GSK products as any discontinuation can harm the public health at large. Leong, Christl. GlaxoSmithKline Under Investigation for Unethical Commercial Practices. 28 May 2014. 14 July 2014.

Art and Architecture of Africa-Pictures Assignment

Art and Architecture of Africa-Pictures - Assignment Example The function of the object: the masks were worn during ceremonies such as circumcision, initiation and funeral ceremonies. They were a sign of authority and were also worn by the Bwadi ya Kifwebe association which was a policing society that provided control and behavior in the community. The function of the object: these sculptures were made to complement the reliquary containers and were ancestral representations that were memorized and addressed in times of need through relics that were preserved in the attached container (Kowalski, pg12). The function of the object: the object was used in Mukudj dances that were commissioned by the community leaders in memory of a great person or the visit of an honorable individual in the community (Bingham, pg33). The function of the object: they were placed on the top of the baskets containing the bones of the ancestors to act as guardians of the bones and at the same time ward off the evil spirits (Dowling, pg50). Kowalski, Marek Arpad. Art and history: incidental notes on carvings of the Fang tribe in the collections of the National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw. Warsaw: National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw, 19751976.

The Middle Ages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Middle Ages - Essay Example According to (Bates,2009) â€Å"In thinking about the characteristics of a good society different people tend to emphasize different things that they consider to be important e.g. egalitarianism, personal freedom, moral values and spirituality†. Different political philosophers have different opinion about a good society. Political philosophers gives their idea based on their judgment and thinking and hence their ideas and concepts varies. However all political philosophers advocate an ideal society as one which is peaceful, prosperous and moral .Freedom of the people is also of great concern when it comes to an ideal society .The two political philosophers to be considered here are Martin Luther and Niccolo Machiavelli and their ideas and perception on a good society. Martin Luther is a professor, theologian and church reformer who believed ardently in God’s judgment and Human righteousness. Niccolo Machiavelli is a historian and diplomat from Italy and had a positive view on politics and human welfare. Martin Luther on Good Society Martin Luther was a person who had strong faith in God and was a monk whose teaching had profound impact on the society of his times. He was an advocate of love, peace, truth and Christian doctrines. He emphasized on virtue and suggested that good work must follow faith. He believed that a person should be good before he does any good act and a good person can only form a good society. His moral perception was that classical ethics of Christianity should be the basic fundamentals for an ideal society. Luther is of opinion that truth must be the foundation of a good society and not religion. As per (Voude, 2010pg.27)â€Å"Luther suggests that without truth, society founds no basis for government , no purpose in education and no standard for the passing along of the information†. Luther believed that Godlessness can lead to the destruction of a society. He demanded that faith and reason is essential element for t he well being of a person and a society. Luther explained that every member of a society should educate themselves through reading and writing to promote a society. Ignorance should not be an excuse or an option for anyone. He advocated that religion has a prominent role in the betterment of a society. Martin Luther believed in giving power to the people and allowing mass education for the upliftment of the society. He wanted the members of a society to be critical thinkers and active participants. According to him an ideal society should not be slave to the oppression by the wealthy and rich class. Niccolo Machiavelli on a Good Society Niccolo Machiavelli is a great philosopher and a political thinker Italy has ever seen. Machiavelli had a positive outlook on humanity but had a bad reputation as leader as Hitler and Mussolini followed him to acquire and power and position in the society. Machiavelli highly regarded for position and power in a society and believed not much on moral and ethics. He is supportive of war and explained many strategies to win a war. This shows that he is not a person who idealizes peace and harmony .He is a person who gives importance to passions and dominative power. Machiavelli was more concentrated on gaining power and authority by the means of war. He believed that evil actions can bring good results. He believed that the common men are of weak nature and require a strong ruler in order to remain in

A-Exploring the Influence of Modern Electronic Games Research Paper - 1

A-Exploring the Influence of Modern Electronic Games - Research Paper Example From my point of view, I think the most influential games include Final Fantasy, Mario Brothers, Grand Theft Auto and World of Warcraft.Video games are impacted by our culture through the promotion of family game night. This is done through the families having quality time for fun. Also, for educational purposes, learning which uses educational tools is encouraged. All types of academic disciplines are tested; reading skills, English skills and skills of mathematics (Favaro, 1982, p.19)). Moreover, video games are created basing on the reality of life. Therefore, through the gaming world, normal life activities like being rich, being a policeman, being a fighter among others are depicted. Lastly, through the growth and evolution of video gaming industry, there was growth for video games indicating that video games are positively impacted by our culture. For minimization of negative effects to our culture, I believe that gaming industry has to ensure that reduction of violent content and sexual content is adhered to. In my opinion, many games which are meant for mature people are viewed by children hence the need to minimize on sexual content and violence content video games. Several games have violence content and sexual content which affect the girl child and boy child in the society; the girl child is more affected than boy child through video games. Also, more family-friendly games should be aired thus encouraging many people to watch the video games. Lastly, producers should engage in minimizing negative effects of media and maximizing positive effects of media through the production of age-appropriate programs which are designed well (Griffiths, 1991a, p.312). The most controversial issue I have discovered is violence. Violence is portrayed as the most controversial issue in video games although other controversial issues exist such as that of Grand Theft Auto.  

Time for Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Time for Change - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that one of the superlative ways to alter the behavior of leaders is to evaluate it frequently with open, honest and unidentified opinion from co-workers. Doctors find this step problematic. They have been partied to be self-governing decision fabricators and to not question their or other doctors decision. To improve self-knowledge, they have to let go of this attitude and model a new receptiveness and candidness to effort. Devoid of such an attitude, they will have mammoth blind spots that inhibit them from seeing and replicating on their own conduct and will undergo substantial stress as they fail to comprehend how they add to the problem. According to the book, The New Leadership Challenges the  type of behavior being  emulated by nursing staff is  another  factor;  the  one  thing  ignored by  most  people is  the  ability  to make choices that  humans have.  In the light, therefore, the behavior being exemp lified should be in line with the nursing code of ethics, social and cultural morals (religion included), and an individual’s personal principles. It is possible for some employees to fail to learn or simply not to adhere to some rules because they are unethical, restraining in nature or they just do not have it in them to do well and follow rules.

Latin America and the World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Latin America and the World - Essay Example Urban development and immigration were at the increase due to the rise of agriculture and business development. Consequently, there was the emergence of the urban classes which opted to merge with the political movement (Leopoldo 102). In water for chocolate, the author starts in Mexico City where, the person named Tita introduces herself. It is the story of an active girl who had just celebrated her 15th birthday, to the occasion of her life when she was at the age of 39. In the foremost chapter, the author demonstrates the necessity of responsibility and responsibility, as it was the first contention that Tita faced. Tita was at a problem as her family required her to reject Pedro’s marriage proposal, since they required her to stay put in the house so that she could take care of her widowed mother always (Laura 76). This was like permission specified to her by the culture, which anticipated her to complete the duty of helping for her widowed mother. The issue of gender based unfairness portrayed in the Latin society in that century, as Tita’s mother denied her freedom to marry the man she always loved, Pedro. Another instance of gender inequality arises as we see Esperanza denied the opportunity t o join Alex brown, by her mother as she claims that institution must be followed to the latter. This harsh rule by Tita’s mother makes her start a secret love with Pedro since she knew that bearing children would be of support to her marriage in the prospect life, given that they would also cater for her as she grows older (Laura 2010). For now, in the house of the spirit, the author introduces Clara as a young girl, who at that time, was writing about her pet in her journal, which was enormous hound. The Del Valle families’ gathers at the church as they listen to the priest, who turns out to be over fervent in his discourse as he later curses Clara citing that the demons infatuated her.

A-Exploring the Influence of Modern Electronic Games Research Paper - 1

A-Exploring the Influence of Modern Electronic Games - Research Paper Example From my point of view, I think the most influential games include Final Fantasy, Mario Brothers, Grand Theft Auto and World of Warcraft.Video games are impacted by our culture through the promotion of family game night. This is done through the families having quality time for fun. Also, for educational purposes, learning which uses educational tools is encouraged. All types of academic disciplines are tested; reading skills, English skills and skills of mathematics (Favaro, 1982, p.19)). Moreover, video games are created basing on the reality of life. Therefore, through the gaming world, normal life activities like being rich, being a policeman, being a fighter among others are depicted. Lastly, through the growth and evolution of video gaming industry, there was growth for video games indicating that video games are positively impacted by our culture. For minimization of negative effects to our culture, I believe that gaming industry has to ensure that reduction of violent content and sexual content is adhered to. In my opinion, many games which are meant for mature people are viewed by children hence the need to minimize on sexual content and violence content video games. Several games have violence content and sexual content which affect the girl child and boy child in the society; the girl child is more affected than boy child through video games. Also, more family-friendly games should be aired thus encouraging many people to watch the video games. Lastly, producers should engage in minimizing negative effects of media and maximizing positive effects of media through the production of age-appropriate programs which are designed well (Griffiths, 1991a, p.312). The most controversial issue I have discovered is violence. Violence is portrayed as the most controversial issue in video games although other controversial issues exist such as that of Grand Theft Auto.  

Latin America and the World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Latin America and the World - Essay Example Urban development and immigration were at the increase due to the rise of agriculture and business development. Consequently, there was the emergence of the urban classes which opted to merge with the political movement (Leopoldo 102). In water for chocolate, the author starts in Mexico City where, the person named Tita introduces herself. It is the story of an active girl who had just celebrated her 15th birthday, to the occasion of her life when she was at the age of 39. In the foremost chapter, the author demonstrates the necessity of responsibility and responsibility, as it was the first contention that Tita faced. Tita was at a problem as her family required her to reject Pedro’s marriage proposal, since they required her to stay put in the house so that she could take care of her widowed mother always (Laura 76). This was like permission specified to her by the culture, which anticipated her to complete the duty of helping for her widowed mother. The issue of gender based unfairness portrayed in the Latin society in that century, as Tita’s mother denied her freedom to marry the man she always loved, Pedro. Another instance of gender inequality arises as we see Esperanza denied the opportunity t o join Alex brown, by her mother as she claims that institution must be followed to the latter. This harsh rule by Tita’s mother makes her start a secret love with Pedro since she knew that bearing children would be of support to her marriage in the prospect life, given that they would also cater for her as she grows older (Laura 2010). For now, in the house of the spirit, the author introduces Clara as a young girl, who at that time, was writing about her pet in her journal, which was enormous hound. The Del Valle families’ gathers at the church as they listen to the priest, who turns out to be over fervent in his discourse as he later curses Clara citing that the demons infatuated her.

Housewife in India and Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Housewife in India and Pakistan Essay In India different approaches to domestic responsibilities are found in the various ethnic groups. In a Hindu family, the head of the family is the Griha Swami (Lord of the House) and his wife is the Griha Swamini(Lady of the House). The Sanskrit words Grihast and Grihasta perhaps come closest to describing the entire gamut of activities and roles undertaken by the householder or housewife. Grih is the Sanskrit root for house or home; Grihasta and Grihast are derivatives of this root, as is Grihastya. The couple lives in the state called Grihastashram or family system and together they nurture the family and help its members (both young and old) through the travails of life. The woman who increments the family tree (bears children) and protects those children is described as the Grihalakshmi (the wealth of the house) and Grihashoba (the glory of the house). The elders of the family are known as Grihshreshta. The husband or wife may engage in countless other activities which may be social, religious, political or economic in nature for the ultimate welfare of the family and society. However, their unified status as joint householders is the nucleus from within which they operate in society. The status of a woman as a housewife anchors them in society and provides meaning to their activities within the social, religious, political and economic framework of their world. However, as India undergoes modernisation, many women are in employment, particularly in the larger cities such as Mumbai or Delhi, where most women will work. In Muslim families, use of the term housewife (or its equivalent) is uncommon, even though housewives are very common and stay-at-home husbands are extremely rare. Muslim society sets different expectations for the husband and wife, but respects their individuality.

The Geotechnical Engineering On Soil Engineering Essay

The Geotechnical Engineering On Soil Engineering Essay Many soils can prove problematic in geotechnical engineering since they can expand, collapse, undergo excessive settlement, have a distinct lack of strength or be corrosive. Thus different soils have different weaknesses and cause different problems this problems can range from a small crack in the wall to a sinkhole that destroys a town. During the viability analysis and planning stages of projects that involves infrastructure, it is important to identify problematic soils since this could save costs and/or redesign of the project later on. If it is noted before the project is started the project can be relocated or the soil adjusted to meet the projects demands. A portion of the Gautrain rail, approximately 16 km, from Pretoria to Centurion traverse on dolomitic grounds. Of this 16 km about 5.8 km of the rail were constructed on viaduct with the remaining portion directly on ground level. It is known that the construction on the problem soil dolomite is difficult. When a development is undertaken on dolomite it requires special investigations that are conducted by specialist in the investigation of dolomitic terrain. Developed areas such as Gauteng have high levels of urbanisation. The construction on dolomite in these areas poses a potential risk to the safety of many people and the structures in which they work and live. In this report the geology of dolomite, were it can be found, why the soil is considered problematic as well as the solutions and improvements that can be done to be able to build on dolomite will be discussed. 2. Location and distribution Detailed soil maps would be a first choice of information source in a civil construction project when information on the soil type is needed. But with the exception of certain metropolitan areas of the Western Cape and the Gauteng Provence, detailed soil maps are not often available (P Page-Green, 2008). A combination of aspects such as topography, climate and the soil pattern are the basic fundamentals of South African soil maps. There are two major dolomite occurrences in South Africa namely, in the Transvaal Sequence the Chuniespoort Group and in Griqualand west Sequence the Campbell Group (Wagener F von M, 1985). Soils that develop on dolomite have unique problems. These soils are best identified from standard geological maps. When constructing on dolomite it is crucial that the extent of the problem is identified well in advance thus the use of soil maps during construction is normally redundant. It is not always easy to detect dolomitic soils since it is not normally directly exposed to the surface. Roughly speaking about 25% of the Gauteng province, and parts of Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Northern Province are underlain by dolomite. These areas can be seen on the geological maps below were the blue parts are the dolomite.http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGUgF0OReutcRPt8uC2klISB-nMc-Adm_G0YlBqowa1WYU14FPZQhttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGUgF0OReutcRPt8uC2klISB-nMc-Adm_G0YlBqowa1WYU14FP ZQ Figure : Distribution of dolomite in Gauteng Figure : Distribution of dolomite in South Africa (Council for Geocience, 2008) On the map bellow it can be seen that the area between centurion and Pretoria were the rail of the Gautrain was constructed is underlain by dolomite. The band of dolomite surrounds the granitic dome of Johannesburg Figure : Geological map of the area surrounding the Gautrain site (Gautrain,2009) 3. Geology of Dolomite Ancient carbonate rocks contains predominantly two minerals namely calcite (CaCO3) or dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2).  A carbonate rock is known as limestone if it is dominated by calcite (more than 95% with less than 5% dolomite), when it is dominated by dolomite (the mineral) it is called dolomite (the rock) (Warren, 2000). When dolomite is in a rock formation it contains more than 90% dolomite with the remaining portion being calcite, detrital minerals and chert. Very few sedimentary dolomites are strictly stoichiometric, i.e. CaMg(CO3)2, and can be better represented as: Ca(1+x)Mg(1-x)(CO3)2, by encompassing the range from calcian to magnesian dolomites (Warren, 2000). Dolomite is one of the 8 major problem soils (Expansive, Dispersive, Collapsible, Saline, Acid sulphate containing material, Compressive, dolomitic, and soils prone to liquefaction) found in South Africa (P Page-Green, 2008). Dolomite which is a rock containing calcium-magnesium carbonates have a distinctive elephant skin texture when weathered by even slightly acidic water. Figure : Elephant skin weathering of dolomite (Council for Geocience, 2008) This weathering occurs when water takes up carbon dioxide from either the atmosphere or the soil to for a weak carbonic acid. It takes up the most carbon dioxide from the soil since it contains 90% more than the atmosfhere. Dolomite has a higher solubility that other rocks with the significant solution observed in months or years since the dissolution processes is slowly in slightly acidic water. Elephant skin weathering of Dolomite This process may be represented with the following chemistry equation: CaMg(CO3)2 + 2 H2CO3  Ã‚   à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã‚   Ca(HCO3)2 + Mg(HCO3)2 The dissolution process thus leads to the formation of underground caves and or cavities. After this weathering process has taken place the formation of Wad, a complex residual soil mantle occurs which then overlays the dolomite bedrock. The known characteristics for this weak Wad material are low density, highly erodible and highly compressible. These characteristics of the soil make it unsuitable for foundation building on top of it. Within this Wad layer very hard chert can be found ranging from 7mm to 1m in depth. This chert (silica) forms bands that are discontinuous and since it is found in the soft Wad it is unsuitable to support a foundation. Within the soil strata flouters or otherwise known as boulders of solid rock are present. These flouters are formed due to pinnacles that have either fallen or have been undermined. The floaters are surrounded by soil making construction on it hazardous since the size of the floater and the strength of the soil undelaying it is not known. The bedrock of dolomitic strata consists of a series of rock pinnacles. These pinnacles are normally between 10 20 m in length. In boreholes drilled just 10 m apart the bedrock depth can differ by 30m or more. The depth of the solid bedrock from ground level can vary from a few meters to depths that are greater than 100 meters. In the case of the Gautrain the solid bedrock was found 30 meters below the ground surface at some of the sites. It is not easy to determine where the bedrock is. Thus specialised drillings (inspection holes) need to be made to determine the location of the solid bedrock. These holes are drilled to ensure that a foundation is not build on a floater or on the hard chert layer. 4. Why the soil is problematic Two of the mayor problems associated with dolomite are the formation of sinkholes and dolines. 4.1 Sinkholes As the dolomite dissolute cavities form which leads to the formation of cracks in the form of an arch. These cracks get wider and longer as the soil is eroded and the cavities get bigger. When the underlying soil is triggered in the middle by a disturbing agent or the cavities get big enough a sinkhole is formed. With small sinkholes the cross-section resembles a bottleneck as soil falls through a cavity. Sinkholes can occurs suddenly or over time and forms a hole ranging in sizes. The sinkhole can be classified in terms of its size as proposed by Buttrick and Van Schalkwyk, as shown in the table below. Maximum diameter of surface manifestation (m) Terminology Small sinkhole 2 5 Medium-size sinkhole 5 15 Large sinkhole > 15 Very large sinkhole Table 1. Suggested classification of sinkholes in terms of size (Buttrick Van Schalkwyk, 1995) Figure : the formation of a sinkhole The formation of sinkholes can directly be linked to the changes in the water table. Almost all sinkhole formations are due to human activities. These activities include the dewatering due to mines, leaking utility services and abstraction of ground water. Sinkholes can be disastrous and can lead to loss of property or live as noted in the past. 4.2 Dolines Dolines can be described as an enclosed depression. Dolines form as a result of the compression of the dolomite residuum at certain depths. There are two main types of dolines namely dewatering type and saturation type. There is another type of doline that is referred to as a partially developed sinkhole which is caused by the erosion of the subsurface materials (Council for Geocience, 2008). Dewatering-type Doline A dewatering-type doline occurs gradually till it forms a large enclosed depression at the end of the process. The mechanism behind the formation of this type of doline can be summarised as follow: Within the dolomite rock profile there is a zone that is deeply weathered which is filled with potentially highly compressible material. A part of this material is usually submerged below the existing groundwater level. When the groundwater level falls rapidly the previously submerged and unconsolidated soil is exposed which results in a decrease of the pore water pressure. The thick layer of wad that is exposed by the lowered water table may cause excessive compression and rapid surface settlement. A dip otherwise known as a depression of the surface is caused by the settlement. Due to deferential movement surface tension cracks occur in the surrounding area. Surface Saturation-type Doline Surface saturation type dolines are usually less than 5m in diameter thus relatively small. The mechanism behind the formation of this type of doline can be summarised as follow: Occurs in situations where compressible dolomitic material underlay an area at relatively shallow depths with the ground water table either within or below the compressible material. Varying depths of the ground water table does not influence the ground surface movement. The materials at the surface are not saturated by the ground water table but due to for instance poor drainage or a leaking pipe services. The water penetrates the surface and continues till it reaches the low density material. The deeper low density materials settle into a denser state since it is saturated. This causes a surface depression due to the increasing load on the near surface materials. When the cause of the drenching is stopped the movement will rapidly decrease in general. The size of the depression is determined by the saturated profile underlying the area. The factors include the thickness, the depth the low density material is present, the configuration, and the extent of the saturation and also the location of the bedrock dolomite. Partly developed sinkholes When the subsurface erosion due to the ingress water is terminated it may also result in settlement of the surface which can appear to be similar to a doline. 5. Solutions and soil improvements when soil is present There are many ways to construct foundations to make it feasible to construct on dolomite. Some of these methods include: 5.1 Piles Piles are constructed out of circular concrete forms that are reinforced and socketed into the hard dolomitic bedrock. The construction of piled foundations into rock is not usually favoured in dolomitic or karst conditions. This is because of the serious installation constraints concerning the presence of the chert bands, rock floaters and also due to the nature of the bedrock that forms pinnacles. Where space is a constraining factor, for instance when there is a need to build close to roads or major services, it is considered to use pile to rock construction. (Gautrain,2009) 5.2 Raft Foundations Unlike piles that sits directly on the bedrock, raft foundations are basically large pad footings that floats in the soil mass. As discussed below the soil mas on which the raft is constructed are usually pre-treated to improve its density and strength by means of ground improvements. Another way is to pile the rafts itself by extending down to a more competent established horizon. There are different raft foundation options available that can be considered namely: Raft that spans between pinnacles with the possibility of concrete fillings between the pinnacles; When the bedrock is less than 15m below the ground and the voids and cavities are grouted to reduce occurrence of sinkholes, soil improvements can be done and the raft placed upon it; Or the raft can be placed on unimproved soil but still with the voids and the cavities grouted to reduce the occurrence of a sinkhole. Methods on how the soil can be improved: The conventional method by making use of mechanical roller compaction. Dynamic compaction can be done by making use of a crane to lift and drop purpose made steal pounders on the soil. Another method is preloading the soil with an additional load by making use of concrete blocks. This additional load almost the same as those that would be imposed by actual viaduct foundations. Usually about 1000 concrete blocks that are specially manufactured for this purpose and that individually weighs 10 tons are used. 5.3 Piled raft foundation The piled raft is a geotechnical composite construction consisting of the three elements piles, raft and soil which is mostly applied for the foundation of tall buildings in an increasing number. The foundation concept of piled rafts differs from traditional foundation design, where the loads are assumed to be carried either by the raft or by the piles, considering the safety factors in each case. The method used in this project was conducted by firstly pre-loading a 20m x 20m area, were the structure will be placed on, by using concrete blocks. Thereafter the substrata within the 20m x 20m column, that was constructed, are improved by grouting. This is done to reduce the existing voids and cavities present that can lead to sinkhole formations. After completing the grouting works, the piles are then installed within these grouted columns. Finally concrete raft also referred to as a pile cap were then casted over the newly constructed pile. (Gautrain,2009) 5.4 Solution used in the project and interesting facts Since the traffic could not be interrupted during the construction over the 14/Jean Avenue and N1/John Vorster Drive interchanges in Centurion innovative methods was used. After all the geological investigations were done and bedrock depth was determined the concrete shafts or piles where constructed. The shaft foundations were approximately 7 m in diameter and on some cases reached depths of 30 m deep. After the pier is finally secured the placement of the viaducts can start. There were made use of a cast-in-place method by constructing the viaducts form both directions. The sections are constructed so that the span of the viaducts will be post tensioned. To conduct this method a sophisticated hydraulically controlled concrete shutter was used. The viaducts were placed at an angle so that the rail segment crosses the intersection diagonally. This asked for innovative engineering as the pears needed to be shaped elliptically to be slender enough to fit in the confined space available but strong enough to support the superstructure of the viaducts. Since the design is that of an arch the mid-spans are shallower that the segments that rests on the piers this gives the viaducts a graceful curve. To ensure that high strength concrete was readily available batching plants were erected at each site. The length of the viaduct over the N14/Jean Avenue is 571.5m longa and has 6 spans of which the longest is 121m long. The length of the viaduct over the N1/John Vorster Drive is 502.75m long with 6 spans of which the longest is 109.8m in length. 6. Two landmarks caused by dolomite The destruction of dolomite is not all bad. It also provides tourist attractions such as the Cradle of human kind and the Sudwala Caves. On December 2 1999 The Cradle of Humankind which consists of several  strips of dolomite limestone caves and the Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and Environs, were declared a World Heritage Site. It contains the fossilised remains of prehistoric forms of animals, plants and most importantly, hominids. This declared area is 47 000 hectares and extends roughly between Oaktree, Hekpoort, Broederstroom and Lanseria in Gauteng. Most of the site is on dolomite which leads to two major consequences- the formation of caves and the formation of fossils. These dolomite caves started out as coral reefs growing in a worm shallow sea about 2.3 billion years ago. Currently there are over 200 caves in total on the site with a possibility for more to be discovered. The Sudwala Caves contain the largest dolomite chamber in the world namely the Owen Hall. The caves have a chamber which is a naturally formed amphitheatre of approximately 37m in height and 70m in diameter. The caves have a floor surface of 14,000 m2 over a distance of about 600m that are open to the public. The tallest stalagmite in the caves is about 11m in length. The water table fluctuated as a result to the changes in the topography and climate. This caused acidic water to seep through the cracks into the dolomite thus slowly but surely dissolved the dolomitic rock. As a result a series of underground chambers eventually formed were the dolomite have bean dissoluted and the rock carried away in solution by the water seeping out, or where it occasionally found an escape route and flowed away. Thus the Sudwala Caves was formed and it is believed that the caves are much larger and that some of the chambers are still to be discovered.