Pax Romana. Read up on it in your textbook and then write a three-four Research Paper

Pax Romana. Read up on it in your textbook and then write a three-four page on those emperors who you think were good ( an - Research Paper Example They made possible the prosperous trades by which Roman civilization acquired rich imports of Chinese, Persian rugs, Arabian perfumes, Phoenician purple dyes, Indonesian spices, as well as Greek porcelains and Indian fabrics. As such, during the reign of Roman Emperor Trajan (A.D. 53 – A.D. 117), a Spanish military commander, there had been rigorous efforts to construct useful buildings for Romans. Among his great achievements besides facilitating extensive projects on building public structures, Trajan is additionally recognized for his policies on social welfare and conquests in the east. Because of him, Rome would stand in pride even in modern times due to Trajan’s Forum, Trajan’s Market, and Trajan’s Column which were all erected upon implementation of his successful program. Similarly, the rule of Roman Emperor Hadrian (76 A.D. - 138 A.D.)  brought wealth and security for the empire the time he eradicated the territorial expansion of Rome and fortif ied Roman boundaries upon construction of several â€Å"Walls of Hadrian†. ... Apparently, Trajan and Hadrian did make salutary emperors of Rome based on the aforementioned accomplishments from which I can perceive how they took care of the entire citizenry by focusing on provisions and works that improved the empire and strengthened healthy socio-political relations among people who looked up to leaders whose ideals were far from corrupt and selfish inclinations. Together with the other three good emperors namely – Nerva, Antonius Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, they had been able to establish a kind of government that consisted of officials who advanced people’s interests and worked for the empire with large sense of integrity and heart. To this extent, I must highly commend Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 161 – A.D. 180) for all the good vibes felt by the empire out of his exceeding humble goodness. His wonderful character trait basically demonstrated the capacity to share imperial powers like the treatment he gave to Lucius Aurelius Veru s and his predecessor Antonius Pius whose wishes were granted after his regime. Marcus Aurelius is such a remarkable emperor for bearing not just the knowledge of good leadership but even of refined intellect since he was widely known and acclaimed for being a writer and philosopher of the Stoic school of thought. As a philosopher-king of his time, he authored exemplary works such as the â€Å"Meditations† along with the writings which manifested wisdom of truth and beauty of reason. At this point, I could quite imagine how the needs of each citizen were sincerely taken care of by the rule of such an emperor who, by his nature, respected and employed moral virtues of philosophy

Sustainability of Singapore as a Sports Tourism Hub Essay Example for Free

Sustainability of Singapore as a Sports Tourism Hub Essay 1.Introduction 1.1.Purpose To present an overview of the latest sporting developments in Singapore and evaluate Singapore’s sustainability in enhancing Singapore’s position as a sports tourism hub in Asia. 1.2.Objectives -Discuss the recent infrastructures constructed for Singapore’s sporting industry -Identify recent initiatives by the Singapore Sports Council -Highlight key inaugural sporting events held recently -Discuss the advantages of having Singapore as a sports tourism hub -Discuss limitations faced in the long run and some measures being taken -Determine Singapore’s sustainability in the long run 1.3.Definition 1.3.1.Sports Tourism (Higham, 2004) All forms of active and passive involvement in sporting activity, participated in casually or in an organized way for non-commercial or business/ commercial reasons, that necessitate travel away from the home and work locality. 1.3.2.Sustainable Tourism (Higham, 2004) Tourism which is in a form which can be maintained its viability in an area for an indefinite period of time. 1.4.Overview of Sports in Singapore Singapore’s position in the regional sporting arena has been an area of consistent improvements over the years. The outstanding performance from our aspiring young athletes during the Asian Youth Games in 2009, clinching a 4th on the medal tally further proved Singapore’s prowess in sports in this region. With several state-of-the-art sports facilities and structures being constructed in the region, Singapore has been keeping itself up to date with the sports in the region and providing venues for such activities. The upcoming major summer games, Youth Olympic Games 2010 (YOG 2010) will be  held in Singapore as well, with examples of infrastructural and government support examined in the report. 1.5.Method of Investigation This report is an assessment of research gathered through magazines, official and government websites, annual reports, news articles and books on sports tourism till 9th February 2010. An email correspondence had also been established with Ms Rachel Chan, a staff of HiVelocity who are the organisers for local events like Sundown Marathon, Aviva Ironman 70.3 and Men’s Health Urbanathlon. 2.Local Sports Tourism 2.1.Latest Infrastructure Developments 2.1.1.Tampines Bike Trail Constructed in 2007, the 60-hectare trail will be used for BMX and Mountain Bike (MTB) during the Youth Olympic Games. It has been recently upgraded to make it more technically challenging. Since then, it has hosted several regional MTB events like the Phat Tyre Sunday Mountain Bike Race, Bike Asia 100 and the Eneloop Mountain Bike Carnival. 2.1.2.Singapore Turf Club (STC) At its new location next to Kranji MRT Station, the STC is an exemplary architectural centrepiece of a racecourse, with a roof structure inspired by a horse in motion. It houses several grandstands with exclusive and unobstructed viewing for public, privileged cardholders and invited guests. With a range of FB, viewing galleries and event rooms, the STC is capable of holding large scale equestrian events. 2.1.3.Marina Reservoir The Marina Reservoir, opened in Nov 1 2008, was part of Singapore’s plan in diversifying its water supply by recycling waste water and desalinating sea-water. Being the largest reservoir, it is able to host a variety of water sports including rowing and canoe-kayaking with the Gardens by the Bay; a new park next to the reservoir providing an excellent vantage point. 2.2.Recent Initiatives SSC has recently launched a nationwide movement called â€Å"Let’s Play†. It encourages all Singaporeans to be involved in sports in all ways, emphasizing on increasing the ease of involving oneself in sports through playing, cheering or volunteering. The SSC had also launched collaborated with the URA to construct more public parks, park connectors, open communal areas and exercise corners to encourage exercise locally. The implementation of the Dual-Use Scheme, which opens school fields to the public and the opening of Singapore’s largest integrated complex in Jurong West with sports facilities and instructional courses complete with retail and food outlets are also part of SSC’s efforts to go all out in making citizens live healthily. The establishment of an online lifestyle interactive portal; singaporesports.sg on 6th May 2008 aims to entertain, inform and educates. With a calendar of sporting events, forums, blogs, news on the local and international sports scene, volunteering opportunities as well as a membership system to enjoy discounts and offers at partner establishments. 2.3.Sporting Events 2.3.1.Asian Youth Games The inaugural Asian Youth Games was held in Singapore between 29 June 2009 and 7 July 2009. It has attracted about 1,300 top juniors, aged 14-17 from 45 National Olympic Councils competing in 9 sports with the aims to build good relations within the Asian community. 1,100 participants were housed in the Games Village at Swissotel The Stamford which is centrally located. Organised by Singapore Sports Council and Ministry of Education, there is indeed strong funding and support from the government for this event. The event venues for the 9 sports have also been selectively chosen for their standards. However, the Games were impended by the cloud of the H1N1 influenza which had infected members of the Hong Kong and Philippines football team. Stringent measures were taken by the Olympic Council Asia to  ensure early identification and isolation. 2.3.2.Aviva Ironman Triathlon 70.3 The Ironman triathlon was founded in 1978, with the half-ironman distance of 70.3 miles introduced in 2006. The Singapore version was formed in 2007 which was also a qualifying event for the Foster Grant Ironman World Championships in Clearwater Florida USA. This was an incentive for elite and aspiring elites to come to compete in this race. Since then, several veteran and uprising world champions have been featured in Singapore’s version. In the recent 2009 series, 45% of the 1,500 participants were foreigners with high spending power as proven by the race fees of about $375 per registration. 2.3.3.Men’s Health Urbanathlon (MHU) On the 31st January 2010, 1,500 participants gathered at Marina Square for the inaugural Singapore edition of MHU which saw participants completing 8 obstacles over a distance of 12.5km. First held in Chicago and in Britain, the novelty of this race emphasises on the one of a kind obstacles in an urban setting. 19% of the participants were foreigners. 3.Singapore as a Sports hub 3.1.Advantages 3.1.1.Increased arrivals The direct beneficiaries of this effect include airlines, hotels, food and beverage establishments, tour agencies and the organisers of the race itself. In addition to this, the accompanying families of participants generate revenue through shopping and spending leisure time at tourist attractions. Overseas sponsors and media representatives are also invited to grace the event with their presence and more money would be spent attending to their comfort and enjoyment. Maintenance and repairs of equipment are in demand, with foreigners more willing to spend on purchasing of spare parts and quick fixes. 3.1.2.Increase direct media presence and popularity During major events like the Youth Olympic Games 2010 and Formula 1 Grand Prix, there would be increased media coverage and international focus. Live or replayed telecasts would show emphasis on the race in progress, with the skyline and background infrastructure gaining attention apart from the race. During the 2008 F1 Grand Prix, the line up in the circuit park included entertainment from Zouk DJs, Bob Marley’s Wailers, Dim Sum Dollies and the Coyote Ugly girls, accompanied by established FB food stalls. Trees around the circuit park were used as part of a visual art project called Humanature. All these were done to maximise spectator experience, in turn projecting Singapore in a positive light on the world stage, with the skyscrapers of the city in the background, and eye catching structures like the Esplanade standing out. All these would invigorate the viewers’ senses whether watching overseas or on site and might increase interest to visit Singapore to see these attractions. 3.2.Limitations 3.2.1.Land Scarcity Scarcity of land and other resources has been a constant challenge faced by Singapore. Therefore Singapore has always placed emphasis on sustainable development and land-use. Ways of optimising the use of natural resources include sourcing for alternative usages for materials or facilities. An example of the land with multiple uses would be the International Convention Centre at Suntec City Singapore. This multi-purpose indoor convention and exhibition centre has hosted the many huge events and meetings. It would also be used for several sports like boxing, fencing, handball, judo, taekwondo and wrestling during the Youth Olympic Games. However, the challenge would be maximising the potential of land space for multiple land-use in the future, to enhance the potential for larger events to take place in Singapore. 3.2.2.Lack of manpower Volunteers, performers, cheerleaders, referees are some of the essential roles needed to be filled for a sporting event on a big scale to be successful. In Singapore, the Ministry of Education is supporting schools to change curriculum times or test schedules during the Youth Olympic Games. A twinning programme has also been created to pair schools up with the different countries participating in the Games, to learn more about the country and hosting them when they arrive. These activities and initiatives would definitely ease the organisers’ job in integrating the overseas participants into the community and give students a chance of making new friends and learning about different cultures. Students would also be encouraged to volunteer themselves in the event and be excited of being part of it. 3.2.3.Global Financial Crisis The recent economy crisis had caught the world by surprise and resulted in the weakening of economies, Singapore was affected as well. However, good corporate governance and foresightedness had led to the quick rebound of the economy. However as construction costs had surged during the crisis, SSC’s plan of building a sports hub by 2010 to 2015. As such, Singapore is unable to host the 2013 Southeast Asian Games as initially planned. 3.3.Sustainability Sports tourism has been identified as a fast growing industry, with new sports and games being created and flourishing over the recent years. With its current collection of world class sporting venues, Singapore is indeed suitable for hosting large sporting events, logistically and socially providing support. The government has been supportive throughout the organisation of sporting events, with the Mr Teo Ser Luck, Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports being particularly involved in events like Asian Youth Games and Youth YOG 2010. He has been a part of several initiatives, like the collaboration with ITE to provide customised volunteer training for YOG  2010, the MindChamps Youth Athlete 3- Days Programme sponsored by Singapore Sports Council for the 100 local athletes at $2,800 per student. Sponsorship has been very successful for the Youth Olympic Games 2010, with Samsung recently announcing its sponsorship of 5,000 smart phones for athletes and officials. With 21 domestic sponsors and 9 international sponsors as of 6th Feb 2010, Singapore has proven its reliability and capability and gained the sponsors trust. More importantly, Singapore has been able to foresee challenges faced ahead and plan for its future. The Urban Redevelopment Authority has successfully planned for the use of the city as a circuit for the Formula 1 Grand Prix race track. This feat would not be possible without dedicated research and continuous improvement after each year. Since then, the track has been used for events like Run Singapore 2009 and the upcoming Chingay Parade Singapore 2010. The Marina Reservoir has further proven URA†s capability and commitment to sustainable development. With the construction of the barrage, the Marina Reservoir is now the 15th water catchment area and the largest thus far. Not only will Singapore be less reliant on other countries for water, more activities like dragon boating and power boating previously unsuitable could now be conducted there. However, the Singapore Sports Council has not fulfilled some of its promises made, like the construction of the Sports Hub and Changi Race Track , initially scheduled to be completed, had been delayed due to rising construction costs and lack of finance. This inconsistency on the government’s part had led to losing the chance of hosting the 2013 SEA Games. As the sporting scene evolves with speciality and novelty events like the Aviva Ironman 70.3 and Men’s Health Urbanathlon, space and support has to be given to encourage organisers to increase its capacity. The past 3 editions of Aviva Ironman 70.3 had their registrations capped at 1,500 and a full participation for all years, with 45% of participants being foreigners in the 2009 edition. More locations has been added to the list, with the approval of more road closures like the East Coast Parkway Expressway and the Ayer Rajah Expressway during the cycling leg of Aviva Ironman 70.3 in 2008 and the usage of the urban setting in the city for the Urbanathlon. 4.Conclusion Singapore, strategically located within South-East Asia and surrounded by sea, has established a good reputation as being easily accessible and suitable for business dealings and trade. With a high standard of living and a socially responsible government, Singapore has managed to remain competitive through changing times and braved though health threats and economic crisis. The government has been keeping the nation increasingly involved in sporting events and keeping the infrastructure in Singapore suited to the needs of specific sports and with multiple uses. The recent events hosted in Singapore include the F1 Grand Prix, Asian Youth Games 2009, Singapore Marathon and Aviva Ironman 70.3. Each successful event held in Singapore, the publicity and exposure to the global stage would propel Singapore as the destination to be for sports, business and leisure. Singapore’s position would be enhanced as a tourism hub, with world class athletes gathering for major events as well, attracting supporters from different countries. This would definitely enhance Singapore as a tourism destination with multiple offerings, with sports tourism adding on to the long list of available options. The sustainability of Singapore’s sports tourism has thus far been successful with the efforts from the government and public sector, with various ministries working hand in hand through health threats and compromising with school’s schedules to make the students available during the YOG period. With the continuous effort and improved consistency of relevant agencies, sports tourism would be a potential market which would flourish in the near future.

Evaluating The Waste Water Treatment Processes Environmental Sciences Essay

Evaluating The Waste Water Treatment Processes Environmental Sciences Essay Domestic wastewater treatment or sewage treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff (effluents) and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants. Its objective is to produce an environmentally-safe fluid waste stream (or treated effluent) and a solid waste (or treated sludge) suitable for disposal or reuse (usually as farm fertilizer). Using advanced technology it is now possible to re-use sewage effluent for drinking water, although Singapore is the only country to implement such technology on a production scale in its production of NEWater. 1.2 ORIGIN OF WASTE WATER Sewage is created by residential, institutional, and commercial and industrial establishments and includes household waste liquid from toilets, baths, showers, kitchens, sinks and so forth that is disposed of via sewers. In many areas, sewage also includes liquid waste from industry and commerce. The separation and draining of household waste into greywater and blackwater is becoming more common in the developed world, with greywater being permitted to be used for watering plants or recycled for flushing toilets. Sewage may include stormwater runoff. Sewerage systems capable of handling stormwater are known as combined systems. Combined sewer systems are usually avoided now because precipitation causes widely varying flows reducing sewage treatment plant efficiency. Combined sewers require much larger, more expensive, treatment facilities than sanitary sewers. Heavy storm runoff may overwhelm the sewage treatment system, causing a spill or overflow. Sanitary sewers are typically much smaller than combined sewers, and they are not designed to transport stormwater. Backups of raw sewage can occur if excessive Infiltration/Inflow is allowed into a sanitary sewer system. Modern sewered developments tend to be provided with separate storm drain systems for rainwater. As rainfall travels over roofs and the ground, it may pick up various contaminants including soil particles and other sediment, heavy metals, organic compounds, animal waste, and oil and grease. (See urban runoff.) Some jurisdictions require stormwater to receive some level of treatment before being discharged directly into waterways. Examples of treatment processes used for stormwater include retention basins, wetlands, buried vaults with various kinds of media filters, and vortex separators (to remove coarse solids). CHAPTER TWO 2.1 OVERVIEW OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES Sewage can be treated close to where it is created, a decentralised system, (in septic tanks, biofilters or aerobic treatment systems), or be collected and transported via a network of pipes and pump stations to a municipal treatment plant, a centralised system, (see sewerage and pipes and infrastructure). Sewage collection and treatment is typically subject to local, state and federal regulations and standards. Industrial sources of wastewater often require specialized treatment processes as shown in the diagram below: Process Flow Diagram for a typical treatment plant via Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands (SFCW) Sewage treatment generally involves three stages, called primary, secondary and tertiary treatment. Primary treatment consists of temporarily holding the sewage in a quiescent basin where heavy solids can settle to the bottom while oil, grease and lighter solids float to the surface. The settled and floating materials are removed and the remaining liquid may be discharged or subjected to secondary treatment. Secondary treatment removes dissolved and suspended biological matter. Secondary treatment is typically performed by indigenous, water-borne micro-organisms in a managed habitat. Secondary treatment may require a separation process to remove the micro-organisms from the treated water prior to discharge or tertiary treatment. Tertiary treatment is sometimes defined as anything more than primary and secondary treatment in order to allow rejection into a highly sensitive or fragile ecosystem (estuaries, low-flow rivers, coral reefs etc.). Treated water is sometimes disinfected chemically or physically (for example, by lagoons and microfiltration) prior to discharge into a stream, river, bay, lagoon or wetland, or it can be used for the irrigation of a golf course, green way or park. If it is sufficiently clean, it can also be used for groundwater recharge or agricultural purposes. 2.2 PRE-TREATMENT Pre-treatment removes materials that can be easily collected from the raw waste water before they damage or clog the pumps and skimmers of primary treatment clarifiers (trash, tree limbs, leaves, etc.). SCREENING The influent sewage water is screened to remove all large objects like cans, rags, sticks, plastic packets etc. carried in the sewage stream. This is most commonly done with an automated mechanically raked bar screen in modern plants serving large populations, whilst in smaller or less modern plants a manually cleaned screen may be used. The raking action of a mechanical bar screen is typically paced according to the accumulation on the bar screens and/or flow rate. The solids are collected and later disposed in a landfill or incinerated. Bar screens or mesh screens of varying sizes may be used to optimize solids removal. If gross solids are not removed they become entrained in pipes and moving parts of the treatment plant and can cause substantial damage and inefficiency in the process. GRIT REMOVAL Pre-treatment may include a sand or grit channel or chamber where the velocity of the incoming wastewater is adjusted to allow the settlement of sand, grit, stones, and broken glass. These particles are removed because they may damage pumps and other equipment. For small sanitary sewer systems, the grit chambers may not be necessary, but grit removal is desirable at larger plants. FAT AND GREASE REMOVAL In some larger plants, fat and grease is removed by passing the sewage through a small tank where skimmers collect the fat floating on the surface. Air blowers in the base of the tank may also be used to help recover the fat as a froth. In most plants however, fat and grease removal takes place in the primary settlement tank using mechanical surface skimmers. 2.3 PRIMARY TREATMENT In the primary sedimentation stage, sewage flows through large tanks, commonly called primary clarifiers or primary sedimentation tanks. The tanks are used to settle sludge while grease and oils rise to the surface and are skimmed off. Primary settling tanks are usually equipped with mechanically driven scrapers that continually drive the collected sludge towards a hopper in the base of the tank where it is pumped to sludge treatment facilities. Grease and oil from the floating material can sometimes be recovered for saponification. The dimensions of the tank should be designed to effect removal of a high percentage of the floatables and sludge. A typical sedimentation tank may remove from 60 to 65 percent of suspended solids, and from 30 to 35 percent of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) from the sewage. 2.4 SECONDARY TREATMENT Secondary treatment is designed to substantially degrade the biological content of the sewage which are derived from human waste, food waste, soaps and detergent. The majority of municipal plants treat the settled sewage liquor using aerobic biological processes. To be effective, the biota require both oxygen and food to live. The bacteria and protozoa consume biodegradable soluble organic contaminants (e.g. sugars, fats, organic short-chain carbon molecules, etc.) and bind much of the less soluble fractions into floc. Secondary treatment systems are classified as fixed-film or suspended-growth systems. Fixed-film or attached growth systems include trickling filters and rotating biological contactors, where the biomass grows on media and the sewage passes over its surface. Suspended-growth systems include activated sludge, where the biomass is mixed with the sewage and can be operated in a smaller space than fixed-film systems that treat the same amount of water. However, fixed-film systems are more able to cope with drastic changes in the amount of biological material and can provide higher removal rates for organic material and suspended solids than suspended growth systems.[6]:11-13 Roughing filters are intended to treat particularly strong or variable organic loads, typically industrial, to allow them to then be treated by conventional secondary treatment processes. Characteristics include filters filled with media to which wastewater is applied. They are designed to allow high hydraulic loading and a high level of aeration. On larger installations, air is forced through the media using blowers. The resultant wastewater is usually within the normal range for conventional treatment processes. A generalized, schematic diagram of an activated sludge process. A filter removes a small percentage of the suspended organic matter, while the majority of the organic matter undergoes a change of character, only due to the biological oxidation and nitrification taking place in the filter. With this aerobic oxidation and nitrification, the organic solids are converted into coagulated suspended mass, which is heavier and bulkier, and can settle to the bottom of a tank. The effluent of the filter is therefore passed through a sedimentation tank, called a secondary clarifier, secondary settling tank or humus tank. ACTIVATED SLUDGE In general, activated sludge plants encompass a variety of mechanisms and processes that use dissolved oxygen to promote the growth of biological floc that substantially removes organic material. The process traps particulate material and can, under ideal conditions, convert ammonia to nitrite and nitrate and ultimately to nitrogen gas. SURFACE-AERATED BASINS (LAGOONS) Many small municipal sewage systems in the United States (1 million gal./day or less) use aerated lagoons. Most biological oxidation processes for treating industrial wastewaters have in common the use of oxygen (or air) and microbial action. Surface-aerated basins achieve 80 to 90 percent removal of BOD with retention times of 1 to 10 days. The basins may range in depth from 1.5 to 5.0 metres and use motor-driven aerators floating on the surface of the wastewater. In an aerated basin system, the aerators provide two functions: they transfer air into the basins required by the biological oxidation reactions, and they provide the mixing required for dispersing the air and for contacting the reactants (that is, oxygen, wastewater and microbes). Typically, the floating surface aerators are rated to deliver the amount of air equivalent to 1.8 to 2.7  kg O2/kW ·h. However, they do not provide as good mixing as is normally achieved in activated sludge systems and therefore aerated basins do not achieve the same performance level as activated sludge units. Biological oxidation processes are sensitive to temperature and, between 0  °C and 40  °C, the rate of biological reactions increase with temperature. Most surface aerated vessels operate at between 4  °C and 32  °C. CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS Constructed wetlands (can either be surface flow or subsurface flow, horizontal or vertical flow), include engineered reedbeds and belong to the family of phytorestoration and ecotechnologies; they provide a high degree of biological improvement and depending on design, act as a primary, secondary and sometimes tertiary treatment, also see phytoremediation. One example is a small reedbed used to clean the drainage from the elephants enclosure at Chester Zoo in England; numerous CWs are used to recycle the water of the city of Honfleur in France and numerous other towns in Europe, the US, Asia and Australia. They are known to be highly productive systems as they copy natural wetlands, called the Kidneys of the earth for their fundamental recycling capacity of the hydrological cycle in the biosphere. Robust and reliable, their treatment capacities improve as time go by, at the opposite of conventional treatment plants whose machinery age with time. They are being increasingly used, alt hough adequate and experienced design are more fundamental than for other systems and space limitation may impede their use. FILTER BEDS (OXIDIZING BEDS) In older plants and those receiving variable loadings, trickling filter beds are used where the settled sewage liquor is spread onto the surface of a bed made up of coke (carbonized coal), limestone chips or specially fabricated plastic media. Such media must have large surface areas to support the biofilms that form. The liquor is typically distributed through perforated spray arms. The distributed liquor trickles through the bed and is collected in drains at the base. These drains also provide a source of air which percolates up through the bed, keeping it aerobic. Biological films of bacteria, protozoa and fungi form on the medias surfaces and eat or otherwise reduce the organic content. This biofilm is often grazed by insect larvae, snails, and worms which help maintain an optimal thickness. Overloading of beds increases the thickness of the film leading to clogging of the filter media and ponding on the surface. SOIL BIO-TECHNOLOGY A new process called Soil Bio-Technology (SBT) developed at IIT Bombay has shown tremendous improvements in process efficiency enabling total water reuse, due to extremely low operating power requirements of less than 50 joules per kg of treated water. Typically SBT systems can achieve chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels less than 10  mg/L from sewage input of COD 400  mg/L. SBT plants exhibit high reductions in COD values and bacterial counts as a result of the very high microbial densities available in the media. Unlike conventional treatment plants, SBT plants produce insignificant amounts of sludge, precluding the need for sludge disposal areas that are required by other technologies. BIOLOGICAL AERATED FILTERS Biological Aerated (or Anoxic) Filter (BAF) or Biofilters combine filtration with biological carbon reduction, nitrification or denitrification. BAF usually includes a reactor filled with a filter media. The media is either in suspension or supported by a gravel layer at the foot of the filter. The dual purpose of this media is to support highly active biomass that is attached to it and to filter suspended solids. Carbon reduction and ammonia conversion occurs in aerobic mode and sometime achieved in a single reactor while nitrate conversion occurs in anoxic mode. BAF is operated either in upflow or downflow configuration depending on design specified by manufacturer. Schematic diagram of a typical rotating biological contactor (RBC). The treated effluent clarifier/settler is not included in the diagram. ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTORS Rotating biological contactors (RBCs) are mechanical secondary treatment systems, which are robust and capable of withstanding surges in organic load. RBCs were first installed in Germany in 1960 and have since been developed and refined into a reliable operating unit. The rotating disks support the growth of bacteria and micro-organisms present in the sewage, which break down and stabilise organic pollutants. To be successful, micro-organisms need both oxygen to live and food to grow. Oxygen is obtained from the atmosphere as the disks rotate. As the micro-organisms grow, they build up on the media until they are sloughed off due to shear forces provided by the rotating discs in the sewage. Effluent from the RBC is then passed through final clarifiers where the micro-organisms in suspension settle as a sludge. The sludge is withdrawn from the clarifier for further treatment. A functionally similar biological filtering system has become popular as part of home aquarium filtration and purification. The aquarium water is drawn up out of the tank and then cascaded over a freely spinning corrugated fiber-mesh wheel before passing through a media filter and back into the aquarium. The spinning mesh wheel develops a biofilm coating of microorganisms that feed on the suspended wastes in the aquarium water and are also exposed to the atmosphere as the wheel rotates. This is especially good at removing waste . MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS Membrane bioreactors (MBR) combine activated sludge treatment with a membrane liquid-solid separation process. The membrane component uses low pressure microfiltration or ultra filtration membranes and eliminates the need for clarification and tertiary filtration. The membranes are typically immersed in the aeration tank; however, some applications utilize a separate membrane tank. One of the key benefits of an MBR system is that it effectively overcomes the limitations associated with poor settling of sludge in conventional activated sludge (CAS) processes. The technology permits bioreactor operation with considerably higher mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration than CAS systems, which are limited by sludge settling. The process is typically operated at MLSS in the range of 8,000-12,000  mg/L, while CAS are operated in the range of 2,000-3,000  mg/L. The elevated biomass concentration in the MBR process allows for very effective removal of both soluble and particula te biodegradable materials at higher loading rates. Thus increased sludge retention times, usually exceeding 15 days, ensure complete nitrification even in extremely cold weather. SECONDARY SEDIMENTATION The final step in the secondary treatment stage is to settle out the biological floc or filter material through a secondary clarifier and to produce sewage water containing low levels of organic material and suspended matter. TERTIARY TREATMENT The purpose of tertiary treatment is to provide a final treatment stage to raise the effluent quality before it is discharged to the receiving environment (sea, river, lake, ground, etc.). More than one tertiary treatment process may be used at any treatment plant. If disinfection is practiced, it is always the final process. It is also called effluent polishing. FILTRATION Sand filtration removes much of the residual suspended matter. Filtration over activated carbon, also called carbon adsorption, removes residual toxins. LAGOONING Lagooning provides settlement and further biological improvement through storage in large man-made ponds or lagoons. These lagoons are highly aerobic and colonization by native macrophytes, especially reeds, is often encouraged. Small filter feeding invertebrates such as Daphnia and species of Rotifera greatly assist in treatment by removing fine particulates. NUTRIENT REMOVAL Wastewater may contain high levels of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus. Excessive release to the environment can lead to a build up of nutrients, called eutrophication, which can in turn encourage the overgrowth of weeds, algae, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). This may cause an algal bloom, a rapid growth in the population of algae. The algae numbers are unsustainable and eventually most of them die. The decomposition of the algae by bacteria uses up so much of oxygen in the water that most or all of the animals die, which creates more organic matter for the bacteria to decompose. In addition to causing deoxygenation, some algal species produce toxins that contaminate drinking water supplies. Different treatment processes are required to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. NITROGEN REMOVAL The removal of nitrogen is effected through the biological oxidation of nitrogen from ammonia to nitrate (nitrification), followed by denitrification, the reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas is released to the atmosphere and thus removed from the water. Nitrification itself is a two-step aerobic process, each step facilitated by a different type of bacteria. The oxidation of ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO2à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢) is most often facilitated by Nitrosomonas spp. (nitroso referring to the formation of a nitroso functional group). Nitrite oxidation to nitrate (NO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢), though traditionally believed to be facilitated by Nitrobacter spp. (nitro referring the formation of a nitro functional group), is now known to be facilitated in the environment almost exclusively by Nitrospira spp. Denitrification requires anoxic conditions to encourage the appropriate biological communities to form. It is facilitated by a wide diversity of bacteria. Sand filters, lagooning and reed beds can all be used to reduce nitrogen, but the activated sludge process (if designed well) can do the job the most easily. Since denitrification is the reduction of nitrate to dinitrogen gas, an electron donor is needed. This can be, depending on the wastewater, organic matter (from faeces), sulfide, or an added donor like methanol. PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL Phosphorus removal is important as it is a limiting nutrient for algae growth in many fresh water systems. (For a description of the negative effects of algae, see Nutrient removal). It is also particularly important for water reuse systems where high phosphorus concentrations may lead to fouling of downstream equipment such as reverse osmosis. Phosphorus can be removed biologically in a process called enhanced biological phosphorus removal. In this process, specific bacteria, called polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs), are selectively enriched and accumulate large quantities of phosphorus within their cells (up to 20 percent of their mass). When the biomass enriched in these bacteria is separated from the treated water, these biosolids have a high fertilizer value. Phosphorus removal can also be achieved by chemical precipitation, usually with salts of iron (e.g. ferric chloride), aluminum (e.g. alum), or lime. This may lead to excessive sludge production as hydroxides precipitates and the added chemicals can be expensive. Chemical phosphorus removal requires significantly smaller equipment footprint than biological removal, is easier to operate and is often more reliable than biological phosphorus removal  . Another method for phosphorus removal is to use granular laterite. Once removed, phosphorus, in the form of a phosphate-rich sludge, may be stored in a land fill or resold for use in fertilizer. DISINFECTION The purpose of disinfection in the treatment of waste water is to substantially reduce the number of microorganisms in the water to be discharged back into the environment. The effectiveness of disinfection depends on the quality of the water being treated (e.g., cloudiness, pH, etc.), the type of disinfection being used, the disinfectant dosage (concentration and time), and other environmental variables. Cloudy water will be treated less successfully, since solid matter can shield organisms, especially from ultraviolet light or if contact times are low. Generally, short contact times, low doses and high flows all militate against effective disinfection. Common methods of disinfection include ozone, chlorine, ultraviolet light, or sodium hypochlorite. Chloramine, which is used for drinking water, is not used in waste water treatment because of its persistence. Chlorination remains the most common form of waste water disinfection in North America due to its low cost and long-term history of effectiveness. One disadvantage is that chlorination of residual organic material can generate chlorinated-organic compounds that may be carcinogenic or harmful to the environment. Residual chlorine or chloramines may also be capable of chlorinating organic material in the natural aquatic environment. Further, because residual chlorine is toxic to aquatic species, the treated effluent must also be chemically dechlorinated, adding to the complexity and cost of treatment. Ultraviolet (UV) light can be used instead of chlorine, iodine, or other chemicals. Because no chemicals are used, the treated water has no adverse effect on organisms that later consume it, as may be the case with other methods. UV radiation causes damage to the genetic structure of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, making them incapable of reproduction. The key disadvantages of UV disinfection are the need for frequent lamp maintenance and replacement and the need for a highly treated effluent to ensure that the target microorganisms are not shielded from the UV radiation (i.e., any solids present in the treated effluent may protect microorganisms from the UV light). In the United Kingdom, UV light is becoming the most common means of disinfection because of the concerns about the impacts of chlorine in chlorinating residual organics in the wastewater and in chlorinating organics in the receiving water. Some sewage treatment systems in Canada and the US also use UV light for their effluent water disinfection. Ozone (O3) is generated by passing oxygen (O2) through a high voltage potential resulting in a third oxygen atom becoming attached and forming O3. Ozone is very unstable and reactive and oxidizes most organic material it comes in contact with, thereby destroying many pathogenic microorganisms. Ozone is considered to be safer than chlorine because, unlike chlorine which has to be stored on site (highly poisonous in the event of an accidental release), ozone is generated onsite as needed. Ozonation also produces fewer disinfection by-products than chlorination. A disadvantage of ozone disinfection is the high cost of the ozone generation equipment and the requirements for special operators. ODOUR CONTROL Odours emitted by sewage treatment are typically an indication of an anaerobic or septic condition. Early stages of processing will tend to produce smelly gases, with hydrogen sulfide being most common in generating complaints. Large process plants in urban areas will often treat the odours with carbon reactors, a contact media with bio-slimes, small doses of chlorine, or circulating fluids to biologically capture and metabolize the obnoxious gases. Other methods of odour control exist, including addition of iron salts, hydrogen peroxide, calcium nitrate, etc. to manage hydrogen sulfide levels. PACKAGE PLANTS AND BATCH REACTORS To use less space, treat difficult waste and intermittent flows, a number of designs of hybrid treatment plants have been produced. Such plants often combine at least two stages of the three main treatment stages into one combined stage. In the UK, where a large number of wastewater treatment plants serve small populations, package plants are a viable alternative to building a large structure for each process stage. In the US, package plants are typically used in rural areas, highway rest stops and trailer parks. One type of system that combines secondary treatment and settlement is the sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Typically, activated sludge is mixed with raw incoming sewage, and then mixed and aerated. The settled sludge is run off and re-aerated before a proportion is returned to the headworks. SBR plants are now being deployed in many parts of the world. The disadvantage of the SBR process is that it requires a precise control of timing, mixing and aeration. This precision is typically achieved with computer controls linked to sensors. Such a complex, fragile system is unsuited to places where controls may be unreliable, poorly maintained, or where the power supply may be intermittent. Extended aeration package plants use separate basins for aeration and settling, and are somewhat larger than SBR plants with reduced timing sensitivity. Package plants may be referred to as high charged or low charged. This refers to the way the biological load is processed. In high charged systems, the biological stage is presented with a high organic load and the combined floc and organic material is then oxygenated for a few hours before being charged again with a new load. In the low charged system the biological stage contains a low organic load and is combined with flocculate for longer times. SLUDGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL The sludges accumulated in a wastewater treatment process must be treated and disposed of in a safe and effective manner. The purpose of digestion is to reduce the amount of organic matter and the number of disease-causing microorganisms present in the solids. The most common treatment options include anaerobic digestion, aerobic digestion, and composting. Incineration is also used albeit to a much lesser degree. Sludge treatment depends on the amount of solids generated and other site-specific conditions. Composting is most often applied to small-scale plants with aerobic digestion for mid sized operations, and anaerobic digestion for the larger-scale operations. ANAEROBIC DIGESTION Anaerobic digestion is a bacterial process that is carried out in the absence of oxygen. The process can either be thermophilic digestion, in which sludge is fermented in tanks at a temperature of 55 °C, or mesophilic, at a temperature of around 36 °C. Though allowing shorter retention time (and thus smaller tanks), thermophilic digestion is more expensive in terms of energy consumption for heating the sludge. Anaerobic digestion is the most common (mesophilic) treatment of domestic sewage in septic tanks, which normally retain the sewage from one day to two days, reducing the BOD by about 35 to 40 percent. This reduction can be increased with a combination of anaerobic and aerobic treatment by installing Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs) in the septic tank. One major feature of anaerobic digestion is the production of biogas (with the most useful component being methane), which can be used in generators for electricity production and/or in boilers for heating purposes. AEROBIC DIGESTION Aerobic digestion is a bacterial process occurring in the presence of oxygen. Under aerobic conditions, bacteria rapidly consume organic matter and convert it into carbon dioxide. The operating costs used to be characteristically much greater for aerobic digestion because of the energy used by the blowers, pumps and motors needed to add oxygen to the process. Aerobic digestion can also be achieved by using diffuser systems or jet aerators to oxidize the sludge. COMPOSTING Composting is also an aerobic process that involves mixing the sludge with sources of carbon such as sawdust, straw or wood chips. In the presence of oxygen, bacteria digest both the wastewater solids and the added carbon source and, in doing so, produce a large amount of heat. INCINERATION Incineration of sludge is less common because of air emissions concerns and the supplemental fuel (typically natural gases or fuel oil) required to burn the low calorific value sludge and vaporize residual water. Stepped multiple hearth incinerators with high residence time and fluidized bed incinerators are the most common systems used to combust wastewater sludge. Co-firing in municipal waste-to-energy plants is occasionally done, this option being less expensive assuming the facilities already exist for solid waste and there is no need for auxiliary fuel. CHAPTER THREE TERTIARY TREATMENT 3.1 SLUDGE DISPOSAL When a liquid sludge is produced, further treatment may be required to make it suitable for final disposal. Typically, sludges are thickened (dewatered) to reduce the volumes transported off-site for disposal. There is no process which completely eliminates the need to dispose of biosolids. There is, however, an additional step some cities are taking to superheat sludge and convert it into small pelletized granules that are high in nitrogen and other organic materials. In N

The Incomparable Evil in Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Othello essays

The Incomparable Evil in Shakespeare's Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚   Shakespeare?s tragic drama Othello disturbs audiences because of the intense, diabolical evil involved in the plot development. Let?s explore the evil in the play, especially in the character of Iago.    In his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, A. C. Bradley gives an in-depth analysis of the brand of evil which the ancient personifies:    Iago stands supreme among Shakespeare?s evil characters because the greatest intensity and subtlety of imagination have gone to his making, and because he illustrates in the most perfect combination the two facts concerning evil which seem to have impressed Shakespeare most. The first of these is the fact that perfectly sane people exist in whom fellow-feeling of any kind is so weak that an almost absolute egoism becomes possible to them, and with it those hard vices ? such as ingratitude and cruelty ? which to Shakespeare were far the worst. The second is that such evil is compatible, and even appears to ally itself easily, with exceptional powers of will and intellect. (216)    H. S. Wilson in his book of literary criticism, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, addresses the character of the general?s ancient:    With such a man everything is food for his malice. There is no appeasing him. His ego feeds upon the misfortunes he contrives for others, and what he feeds on only makes him hungrier. He is proof   against pity and remorse alike, as his last interview with Desdemona and his sullen defiance of his captors at the end only too painfully show us. In short, he is the demi-devil that Othello finally calls him, half a devil and half a man; yet the littleness in each of his components is... ...s Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wayne, Valerie. ?Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.? The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. ?The Engaging Qualities of Othello.? Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.   

Analysis of STC-Houston’s website

STC Houstan’s website totally conforms to the principles of effective communication. It is a delight to navigate this website because of its rich content and perfect graphics. The first page is soothing to the eyes, which facilitates in communicating the key points in a clutter free manner to the target audience. All the links are well accessible. The links are designed just as the home page. All the links give detailed information for e. g. he link that leads to the Email list gives a detailed account of how to communicate, to whom to contact regarding a specific issue, where not to contact etc. In most of the websites the facilities like subscribe, send email, reply to mail set message viewing options, unsubscribe, help etc. are just listed and it is left upon the net surfer to interpret what needs to be done or discover where all these lead to on their own. Contrary to this practice the website of STC gives detailed description of the above-mentioned actions in an era when all these are taken for granted. Though the readers understand the literal meaning of the above mentioned actions, a guide on that particular organization’s way of working in the form of guidelines of these actions help the audience in understanding the organization in a better way. There is no doubt about the professional appearance of the website. However no one can escape the simplicity with which the professionalism has been put forward. Even the events page is very comprehensively written giving no scope of confusion to the audience. The latest information has been presented with accuracy giving an impression of how well updated the website is. Though all the information is well described there is full scope of conciseness of information. Nowhere does the presented information look boring or repetitive. The information is presented with full honesty and clarity. All the details for e. g. the venue where the events are going to take place are well laid out with a special link to the map of the location and the driving directions. The website proves to be a good mouthpiece of the organization as it gives an impression of how sincerely managed the organization is. The layout of the website is such that a person in a hurry would also be able to get a clear bird’s eye view of the total information that is being communicated within a few minutes. There is no need to search for particular information, rather all information looks to be there for the audience. All the types of links have been clearly demarcated making the navigation of the website extremely easy. Even a new navigator would feel at ease with the website. It gives a feel that one has been using it for a long time, as one does not have to try hard to reach to the link of one’s choice. The effective way in which all the information is presented, gives an impression that this website can be a benchmark of how a good website should be designed. The purpose of communication is to present information in an easy to understand manner. Communication of any online information should be like gathering information in a face-to-face situation. In a face-to-face situation there is no scope of confusion and it is also easy to measure the honesty of the presented information through the tone in which it is being presented. The STC Houston’s website has achieved total success because of its excellent content and graphics in making its communication effective enough to compete with this mode of communication.

Barriers Essays - Educational Psychology, Learning, Problem Solving

Barriers Essays - Educational Psychology, Learning, Problem Solving There are many things that can be considered barriers to your critical thinking. Things like the media, your family and friends, classmates, or any social interaction that could potentially influence the way you think. For me personally I find it very difficult to block out opinions and influences from my family. They are the center of most of the things I do so therefore I feel like my decision about things need to be based on that. I would like to work harder at telling my family how I feel, but then conduct the research and studying I need to get all the facts. If and then I will make my decisions but not a fraction sooner. I need to explain to my family why and what I am doing so I can help them grow and understand the importance of critical thinking. I believe if they understand why I am trying to change my way of thinking it will be easier for them to adjust to. I also think one of my big barriers to critical thinking is the time crunch. I would rather just take the time to make my decision based off things I think I already know. If I take all the time I need to research a subject I know I would get a better understanding and deeper meaning but I have things to do. I feel like I need to prioritize the thinking process in my everyday life so it doesnt feel like a burden but something I just do because I need to. I need to do everything I can to incorporate critical thinking in my life so I dont feel like it is time consuming but rather a part of my day.

Fraternities and Sororities and Fraternity Essay Essay Example

Fraternities and Sororities and Fraternity Essay Essay Example Fraternities and Sororities and Fraternity Essay Essay Fraternities and Sororities and Fraternity Essay Essay When we hear the word â€Å"frat† it comes to our head that it’s a group of people that making something in possible and bad influence for the pupils like us. All the things around that may destruct our surveies. And we are all familiar to this because it is widely known for different name of groups of people who are organized it. And we are besides cognizant to the consequence of it due to the intelligence about what happened to the member of this group that is being abused. And some are died because they can non last to what they are making. And this is normally happen in different schools that have a large population of pupil merely like universities. Because the frat members can non easy notice if they were involve. due to many pupils in that topographic point. Not merely like in the school which has fewer Numberss of pupils is really noticeable when there is a fraternity. The word fraternity came from the Latin word â€Å"frater† which means â€Å"brotherâ €  otherwise is a brotherhood. though the term sometimes connotes a distinguishable or formal organisation and a secret society. A fraternity is a male-only association with members who are linked by common involvements of some signifier or another. . : Peoples who wish to fall in typically take part in activities which take topographic point over the class of a hebdomad at the start of a semester. Since most colleges with a fraternity system have multiple fraternities. these events normally take topographic point during the same hebdomad at all fraternities. leting people to research all their options. This period is known as â€Å"rush week† . After first-come-first-serve hebdomad. current members of the fraternity decide which members should be voted in. Traditionally. new pledges participate in an induction ceremonial which has historically been accompanied by hazing challenges. Due to concerns about the hazards of hazing challenges which involve unsafe activities and imbibing. many colleges have explicitly banned hazing in the involvement of pupil safety. Some colleges have besides cracked down on fraternity parties in response to ailments from other pupils and the environing community. Membership in a fraternity can confabulate many advantages. It is non uncommon for fraternities to keep living quarters and private nines which are merely unfastened to their members. Particular scholarships may be available. and fraternity rank can be used for networking which will be valuable subsequently in life. Many people besides enjoy the brotherhood which comes with fraternity rank. From Internet ( researches ) The old apprehension was that it was typical for a fraternity to be all-men group while sorority was all-women group. However. there is such thing as a sister sorority or a brother fraternity. While in theory they are separate organisations. but in pattern they are one. They believe in the same rules. They pattern the same tradition and they have the same mission. vision and methods of work. As such. there is a good ground to unite the fraternity and sorority to unite the organisations. However. long clip ago. there were already fraternities who accepted female members who were extremely qualified to the criterions of the fraternity. This happened in I?AE at Central Mindanao University. Musuan Bukidon. Philippines in 1966. This resulted to a mixed-sex organisation. Then in the ulterior old ages. there were unifying of the brother-sister organisations. But in some instances. the sorority is absorbed by the fraternity instead than merged. therefore retaining the name of the latter. The re are patterns in the fraternity/sororities that merely the members are privileged of take parting and/or basking them. These patterns are traditions that the organisations are keeping which are by and large symbolic in nature but are closely guarded with exclusivity. In add-on to the naming of brod or sis. there are the watchwords. vocals. special/exclusive handshakings. tattoos. slogan. usage of badge or pin. frat spine. or even a frat whistling. colourss. flag. flowers. or seal. It has a slogan to show the ideals of the fraternity or sorority. They are really important to the organisation. They remind them of their pledge of commitment to the brethren. Some Greek-letter organisations have acquired juridical personality to conform to local legal law. This had widened the positions of the organisations to prosecute and/or participate in some public enterprises necessitating licenses and/or licences. For illustration. Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity â€Å"Philippines† is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Registration No. CN200429554. In a simple linguistic communication one joins a fraternity/sorority because he/she believes it is good for him/her. and he/she likes to be one of its members. Virtually. common sense will state us that we would merely voluntarily fall in an organisation if it is good to us. And if we do non like the members of that organisation we would non besides voluntarily fall in. more so if new entrants would endure in the procedure of fall ining like induction and hazing. The North-American Inter fraternity Council ( NAIFC ) as posted in the cyberspace suggested to see some of the ways Greek life can positively act upon your college calling and the remainder of your life. The first manner is to be successful in life which means desiring to make good academically. to graduate on clip and happen a good occupation. and to hold wise mans and friends to assist me develop as a pupil and as a individual. This is possible because fraternities/sororities stress academic excellence and many alumnas members can assist occupation arrangement. The 2nd manner where your life can be influenced positively harmonizing to NAIFC is to be a better individual. This means desiring to be a leader. to work efficaciously and to face inappropriate behaviour. to larn to interact socially. and to be a responsible individual among other things. The 3rd manner is to organize womb-to-tomb friendly relationship. This means desiring to happen a close-knit of friends assisting one another with common values and involvement. When I started college in 1962 I was a lone wolf. even introvert. and had neer been involved in extra-curricular activities. Then I joined a fraternity in 1966. and I became a campus figure. The 4th manner where your life can be influenced positively harmonizing to NAIFC is to hold fun in college. This means desiring to take part in campus events. to hold emphasis alleviating activities. and run into new people making new things. Before I joined a fraternity. pupil life was truly deadening. All surveies without drama. I was good in faculty members but really hapless in political relations. I was really hapless in leading and human dealingss. After I joined a fraternity I became the president of two major campus organisations. the News Editor of the school organ. the Editor-in-Chief of the Annual Yearbook. and was appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Internal and External Information of the Executive Branch of the Student Body Organization. In add-on to the predating study of NAIFC. Cesar Gonzales. a Daily Titan Staff Writer in his article posted at the Internet on December 11. 2009 corroborated the same by stating that. Being in a fraternity builds friendly relationship and character. Rightly said ; in fact this is a familiar statement one will hear when person is asked why he/she joined a fraternity or sorority. But his thought that one joined a fraternity to acquire the full college experience and to hold merriment and run into new people to be able to populate the college life needs farther account. I rather agree with the thought but I have some reserves. In fact the members that I met for the first clip became my brothers and sisters ; non merely friends. But fraternity work is non all for merriment. It is possible that Greek-letter organisations vary in aims. mission. vision. and methods of work. But I’m certain that many fraternities/sororities consider rank a lifetime committedness of constructing a wholesome household characterized by love and integrity. Loving is non ever for merriment. Most frequently than non. it is denying oneself in order to execute service. Loving person is accepting a duty. Anyway. one time you’re a member of a fraternity/sorority. you are expected to take part in many events like meetings. conferences. seminars and other clip devouring committednesss. And there are of these organisations that conduct group surveies and reappraisal for term scrutiny. Of class there are fun-related activities like parties. field daies. jaunts or athleticss. But ever the intent is acquiring to cognize you. In some ways. being a fraternity or sorority member is more like of taking a lifestyle than merely for leisure. To be a good member one has to be willing and available for these events. But many people have the incorrect impression that fraternity or sorority life is all about partying. So unluckily. negative stereotypes about fraternity/sorority life are abundant and fellow pupils. even friends will judge you cruelly because of your rank. This is hence a existent challenge to Greek-letter organisations to turn out otherwise. There are fraternities/sororities that academic accomplishment among other things is a serious concern. Their attitudes towards analyzing and run intoing high pedant records are really positive. So. when you have this sort of fraternity/sorority. the feeling that fall ining these organisations would eat up your clip and consequence to the disregard of your surveies is non at all a sweeping statement. In fact most fraternities/sororities I knew require that those who would come in plighting must hold no neglecting classs. The advantages of fall ining a fraternity or sorority was besides emphasized by Harlan Cohen in his article Greek Life posted on September 24. 2007 that there are chances for leading one time you join this sort of organisation. He said that so much of Grecian life is about accomplishment and leading and the pupils who make up the largest per centum of leaders on campuses are Greeks. I agree with all of these. I will unwrap latter that all of the establishing members of my fraternity occupied top ranking elected and appointed places in the pupil organic structure organisation and were leaders in civic and societal organisations in the campus. But Cohen on the other manus besides enumerated the disadvantages in fall ining a fraternity/sorority. One is clip committedness that competes with survey clip that the student’s classs may endure. This contradicts to the aim of academic excellence of a fraternity/sorority. Cohen farther said that another disadvantage of fall ining a fraternity/sorority is money. indicating out that there can be an atrocious batch of incidental disbursals. Actually. this is non true to all fraternities. In my fraternity and sister sorority. our fiscal duty was merely one peso per hebdomad. Then. Cohen besides said that there is besides that danger of exposing oneself to enticements of sex and intoxicant. This is possible. but the truth is deficiency of morality and indulging to frailties can go on to anybody ; member or non member to these organisations. It depends on the individual. Possibly bad company. or hapless household upbringing. or deficiency of supplications can be one of the causes. But it is non by and large correct to impute the bad luck to the fraternity or sorority. Coming to college is one of the major life alterations that your boy or girl will travel through. Joining a fraternity or sorority chapter will assist do the passage easier. Developing womb-to-tomb friendly relationships with the members in their chapter helps do the campus seem smaller. For many members. these chapters become a place off from place. In add-on to the brotherhood/sisterhood. every chapter is dedicated to heightening leading. scholarship. and philanthropy/community service. These ideals form the foundation of the fraternity and sorority experience. and are upheld within a civilization of support and growing through academic support plans. leading preparation and hands-on experience. educational workshops. societal events and undertakings for community service and philanthropic gift. In my instance I co-founded Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity-Philippines to set up support system among technology pupils in order to complete the class on clip and base on balls successfully the Board Examination. In add-on to our concern for high academic public presentation. we besides wanted to larn leading in campus organisations and other extra-curricular activities. And since I didn’t like the patterns of the bing fraternity in the campus. we decided to organize a new fraternity that will transport out our beliefs. inspirations and ideals. So the issue of disbursals. clip for analyzing. alcohol addiction. or even acquiring involve with the opposite sex were neer a concern in the organisation. It was earlier mentioned that rank to these organisations is lifetime. Hence. after graduation the alumnas members carry with them the rights and benefits of rank. That’s why in her article posted in the website October 16. 2006 entitled Grecian Life: Advantages. Naomi Rockler Gladen said that â€Å"When you’re looking for a occupation a few old ages from now. your accomplishment set frequently is non every bit of import as your connexions. This is unfortunate. but it’s a world. Grecian rank is a great manner to link with people. both in your pledge category and through members who have graduated and joined the on the job universe. I know of a esteemed private corporation in Manila. Philippines that is owned by a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon where all the employees ; supervisors and rank-and-files belong to the same fraternity.

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The medias role in Watergate essays In the American Democracy it is vital for our right to freedom of press to be put into full throttle. Without the press, the society would be clueless and blind of Washington's dealings and business. The press informs the public, for better or worse, about what really goes on in Washington. But during the Watergate Scandal, the press coverage of the scandal demonstrated some of the best and the worst aspects of the way the American press covers the presidency. Richard Nixon despised the press. From the days when he was Vice President and Governor, he had no trust for the press. Even when he used the press for his advantage to expose, what he believed to be, Communist influences in America, he feared the press. Though Nixon had won the endorsement of many newspapers during the 1960 Presidential Campaign, Nixon still thought ill of the press and believed them to be unfair to him. Nixon became even more bitter in 1962 after he lost the election to be governor of California. Nixon bitterly claimed that they wouldn't have Richard Nixon to "kick around anymore". He had retired from politics but that was short lived as he became president in 1968, but even then, Nixon remained careful of the press, fearful that they would leak and expose secrets. He was so scared that he had tapped prominent Washington reporters and official's telephones that he feared would leak information. Within days after the Watergate break in, there were reason to believe that the burglars had connections with the White House highest powers. Despite the sensational revelations, many of the press lost interest in the story very quickly. Most the press accepted the claim of the White House Press Secretary that the incident was "third-rate burglary". Though the Washington Post covered the story, the Post was not thrilled with the story at first. They assigned ...

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Marketing and operations plan - Assignment Example In approaching the course of studying the market successfully, the research into the market will entail engaging both secondary and primary sources of data. The secondary approach entails covering the publications on the industry that reflect the factors influencing the market. Additionally, the primary sources entail conducting individual research to collect data on the market. However, primary data is expensive to achieve, as such, this section will rely extensively on the secondary data on the market. The primary sources engaged include sample interviews and questionnaires on the niche of the business to get firsthand expectation of the market, for successful planning. The US fast foods industry is on the rise, with high density of businesses offering food services including bakery options. The total market is vast, entailing a population of about 500,000 people at the local town setting where the first venture will be located (Giovannucci, Barham & Pirog, 2010). Additionally, the business expects to expand significantly and own a share of the national market in bakery options. Thus, we expect to own at least 6% of the market share as we launch and grow accordingly to about 15% to remain equally competitive. The market has a high demand for bakery products, considering the high consumption of the products. the consumer preferences for bakery products remains high for low sugar content products, considering recent developments requiring he regulation of sugar content in products due to increasing cases of obesity (MÃ ¶ller, 2006). Nonetheless, the business will engage all legal measures to establish its product and grow accordingly as there is a n otable potential of capitalizing on the local market size accordingly. The aspect of high capital costs, training skills and marketing and consumer acceptance may prove challenging to the business entry. Nonetheless, as a

Biometrics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Biometrics - Term Paper Example 3). The biometric facial recognition process The process of facial recognition occurs in five steps. The first step involves capturing the image. The image can either be a scan of a previously captured image or a photograph that has been captured live by the use of a digital video camera. Videos are also possible sources of facial images. The second step involves searching for the location of the face within the image. This process involves using the mouth and two eyes positioned in the shape of an oval. In the third stage, the face is removed from the rest of the image. To do this, various optional methods are available. When the face has been extracted it is now known as a template whose characteristic data is in a reduced form. The fourth stage involves the comparison of the already obtained templates with other pre-recorded faces on a database. The fifth and final stage is a declaration of matches based on the strength of the scores generated from the comparison (Woodward et al. 8) Security of biometric facial recognition Despite the many benefits associated with the use of this technology there are also some risks pertaining to its use. Like any other technology requiring the use of the internet for data transmission, privacy is a major concern. The social media sites are the major areas where privacy of the images generated through this technology may be used inappropriately leading to violation of user’s privacy rights. The biometric data may also reach the wrong people leading to problems such as identity theft or online stalking (Iowa State University 1). Application of biometric facial recognition Access control Facial recognition has been used to deny access to unauthorized persons to restricted locations or systems. It can be used to control entry into computer systems in place of a user password whereby the computers are provided with an inbuilt camera with the capability to identify faces. The technology has been used to control access to r estricted documents as well as authorization to carry out certain transactions. A good example is the use of face verification in cheque-cashing kiosks. Automatic Teller Machines are also fitted with cameras for the purpose of authentication. Financial institutions such as banks also use this technology for the purpose of access control (Senior and Bolle 108). Identification In combination with human identification and demographics, face recognition has found application in enrollment of applicants whereby it has been used to prevent double or multiple enrolment by use of different identities. It is also used in the process of issuing licenses and other legal documents to avoid the problem of people having multiple identities. Surveillance Video surveillance footages of certain occurrences such as crime have been used as sources of the images which can be analyzed through face recognition to identify individuals involved. Live images of face recognition surveillance have been used t o identify interesting persons within a group (Senior and Bolle 109). Pervasive computing The passive nature of face recogniti

Paraphrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Paraphrase - Essay Example The hospital must maintain social relationship with the society through increased motivation between patients and the system’s connotation as well as being apprehensive to the entire community it serves. Organizations often change their management strategies, when this happens, the affected organizations must adapt new working environment. Before initiating these changes, the management must ensure it has effective back up plans to the changes in order to evade challenges that might lead to collapse of the entire organization. Moreover, it is vital for the management to examine the magnitude of effects that the intended changes are likely to cause to the organization. Therefore, the organization needs to implement these changes gradually. For instance, implementation of new software requires adept communication to the hospital and effectively to all the departments to be affected by the plan. Proper aims and objectives for the change must be communicated to the employees. The incongruence Points must to be identified and plans for alignment made (Wenderoth, 2008). Finally, proper training should be offered to the employees who are to use the software need. This must be done to ensur e that they can operate these new systems effectively and efficiently. The training of the employees must follow an organized scheduled as in the Table 4 below. A quarterly evaluation on the post implementation review of the project should be carried out on project’s plans. This ensures that a proper evaluation on general effects of the installation of the software on the working environment of the hospital is determined. Such evaluations ensure that the software attained the intended organizational effectiveness thereby raising its standard. Therefore, the Progress in attainment these objectives should also be monitored. The Post Implementation Review (PIR) is an effective project evaluation plan that may be applied in this project evaluation. The software evaluation

Personal Ethics Development Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Ethics Development Paper - Essay Example The procedural dimension of ethical leadership includes problem-solving and decision-making techniques within the circle of ethics. For example, ethical leadership demands that the leaders, before putting their decisions into action, inform and discuss them with the parties which are going to be affected by their decisions. This means that the concerned parties are being given due respect and importance. The substantive aspect of ethical leadership includes knowledge, strong standards and courage to follow ethical directions despite strong opposition. I believe that if the ethical leadership is successful, proficient and brilliant, then the results are more fruitful than expected. The success of an organization depends largely on value-based actions and deeds. I know that if I work according to my values and encounter a manufacturing fault in any product of my company, then I will surely tell the client about the flaw without hiding the reality. I will discuss the issue with the workforce and the customer to let them know that I sincerely wish to correct the problem without deceiving the customer. I will tell the customer that he will be delivered perfect product after the problem has been solved. This promotes trust between the organization and the customer which attracts more clientele. Moreover, I believe in taking care of the workforce so as to maintain a healthy environment within the organization. As a personal example, since the day I became the HR manager in Human-Care.org, I keep track of having the salaries paid in time with no delay, consider paying rewards and bonuses to the employers, listen to the workers’ problems and try to eliminate them. This keeps them working at high efficiency rates. I believe that the ethical leader will make pacts with business partners keeping in view what they want and respecting their decisions. This trust between

Muh.3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Muh.3 - Essay Example ST scans that use IV contrast have a lot of risks associated with them. For instance, if barium extravagates, severe inflammation can result. Other potential hazards include pneumonia and burning in the stomach. Alarm Hazards. This is essentially due to excess of equipment in the hospital. There is a huge variety of equipment in this hospital. This includes patient monitoring, ventilator, dialysis units and much other equipment Cross contamination due to Flexible Endoscopes. Endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure which has set hospital care to a new trend. It is minimally invasive and has revolutionalized diagnostic measures in most modern hospitals. Medical personnel and patients are at a major risk. Patients are primarily at risk because of their unduly exposure to infectious diseases. This is due to failure and negligence of sterilization and cleaning procedures. A re-processing protocol should be made and implemented at the same time. It must be ensure that such a model specific protocol exists for every endoscopy model in the hospital. It must also be ensured that automated endoscope preprocessors are compatible with the disinfecting agents employed. The staff must ensure that the maintenance schedule is also followed and other carelessness should be avoided. Surgical fires. Janie Mc Call who is aged 65 years passed away in a flash fire while conducting a routine surgery in an operating room in September 2005. The incident took place at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion III. Surgeons, patients, staff, workers and nurses are at a potential major risk. It is estimated that at least 550-650 surgical fires take place every year. This makes it as dangerous and as frequent as other surgical mishaps for instance wrong-site surgery. The members of surgical team should be well aware of all the components and phenomenon associated with surgical fires such as oxidizers, ignition

The cost an organization would pay to start and operate an on-site day Essay

The cost an organization would pay to start and operate an on-site day care center for it's employees - Essay Example $75.00 $180 Kindergarten $99.27 $57.52 $135 School Age $58.22 $38.00 $75 Weekly cost of childcare centers in Kirkland Average Minimum Maximum Infant $181.77 $139.59 $234.70 Toddler $141.63 $98.94 $215.83 Preschool $117.29 $92.04 $176.02 Kindergarten $100.02 $46.02 $150.00 School Age $68.38 $40.00 $84.21 Likewise, Hittle (2006) listed below the list that must be addressed in order to operate a Daycare Center: 1. Set Up Equipment Furnishings Supplies Pre-operational leasing payments Damage deposit Business accounts deposit Renovations Licensing requirements Start up loan Licenses & Permits 2. Staff Costs Health Insurance Employee absences; sick leave, vacation, professional days substitutes Taxes Payroll service (optional, but well worth the money) Accountant (to help set up your record keeping system) *Rule of Thumb: add 15% to base salaries 3. Operating Costs Rent Garbage removal Recycling removal Utility bills Maintenance & Repairs Insurance Supplies Equipment Food Phone Fire alarm system LaFratta (2006) presented the following table for costing or estimate of costs: Sources and Application of Funding Sources: New Debt: Loan $ 82,980 Equipment 20,000 Investment from (name) $ 5,000 Total $107,980 Applications: Retro fit of building $ 68,219 Equipment 15,000 Start Up costs 14,761 . 5,000 Total $107,980 Mcmillin (1996) cited the Susquehanna Child Care Center as one successful although still experiencing a lot of difficulties and challenges as a joint effort between community and university in setting up a daycare center to address needs of university staff, as well as others interested. Conclusion: The actual operating cost of a daycare center for an organization is very much dependent on a lot of things... Bringing together people who are willing to propagate support, change, and explore possibilities that make the on-site daycare center an on-going growth and discovery project. A successful one could as well be a recruitment tool and could generate positive publicity. Given the above, it is now easier to present costs that are of necessary consideration in starting up a day care center. Cost definitely is dependent on the available resources, location whether city or rural area, competition (if ever), facilities, services, special features, availability, among other variations that directly alter actual costs. Mcmillin (1996) cited the Susquehanna Child Care Center as one successful although still experiencing a lot of difficulties and challenges as a joint effort between community and university in setting up a daycare center to address needs of university staff, as well as others interested. The actual operating cost of a daycare center for an organization is very much dependent on a lot of things and this paper could only cite examples as varying actual costs are considered. With the listings above as a guide, a planner or provider may make and research his or her own location's actual costs in order to get the exact or near exact data. Outsourcing to other local providers maybe a good option for an organization considering that setting up is in its

Personal Ethics Development Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Ethics Development Paper - Essay Example The procedural dimension of ethical leadership includes problem-solving and decision-making techniques within the circle of ethics. For example, ethical leadership demands that the leaders, before putting their decisions into action, inform and discuss them with the parties which are going to be affected by their decisions. This means that the concerned parties are being given due respect and importance. The substantive aspect of ethical leadership includes knowledge, strong standards and courage to follow ethical directions despite strong opposition. I believe that if the ethical leadership is successful, proficient and brilliant, then the results are more fruitful than expected. The success of an organization depends largely on value-based actions and deeds. I know that if I work according to my values and encounter a manufacturing fault in any product of my company, then I will surely tell the client about the flaw without hiding the reality. I will discuss the issue with the workforce and the customer to let them know that I sincerely wish to correct the problem without deceiving the customer. I will tell the customer that he will be delivered perfect product after the problem has been solved. This promotes trust between the organization and the customer which attracts more clientele. Moreover, I believe in taking care of the workforce so as to maintain a healthy environment within the organization. As a personal example, since the day I became the HR manager in Human-Care.org, I keep track of having the salaries paid in time with no delay, consider paying rewards and bonuses to the employers, listen to the workers’ problems and try to eliminate them. This keeps them working at high efficiency rates. I believe that the ethical leader will make pacts with business partners keeping in view what they want and respecting their decisions. This trust between

The cost an organization would pay to start and operate an on-site day Essay

The cost an organization would pay to start and operate an on-site day care center for it's employees - Essay Example $75.00 $180 Kindergarten $99.27 $57.52 $135 School Age $58.22 $38.00 $75 Weekly cost of childcare centers in Kirkland Average Minimum Maximum Infant $181.77 $139.59 $234.70 Toddler $141.63 $98.94 $215.83 Preschool $117.29 $92.04 $176.02 Kindergarten $100.02 $46.02 $150.00 School Age $68.38 $40.00 $84.21 Likewise, Hittle (2006) listed below the list that must be addressed in order to operate a Daycare Center: 1. Set Up Equipment Furnishings Supplies Pre-operational leasing payments Damage deposit Business accounts deposit Renovations Licensing requirements Start up loan Licenses & Permits 2. Staff Costs Health Insurance Employee absences; sick leave, vacation, professional days substitutes Taxes Payroll service (optional, but well worth the money) Accountant (to help set up your record keeping system) *Rule of Thumb: add 15% to base salaries 3. Operating Costs Rent Garbage removal Recycling removal Utility bills Maintenance & Repairs Insurance Supplies Equipment Food Phone Fire alarm system LaFratta (2006) presented the following table for costing or estimate of costs: Sources and Application of Funding Sources: New Debt: Loan $ 82,980 Equipment 20,000 Investment from (name) $ 5,000 Total $107,980 Applications: Retro fit of building $ 68,219 Equipment 15,000 Start Up costs 14,761 . 5,000 Total $107,980 Mcmillin (1996) cited the Susquehanna Child Care Center as one successful although still experiencing a lot of difficulties and challenges as a joint effort between community and university in setting up a daycare center to address needs of university staff, as well as others interested. Conclusion: The actual operating cost of a daycare center for an organization is very much dependent on a lot of things... Bringing together people who are willing to propagate support, change, and explore possibilities that make the on-site daycare center an on-going growth and discovery project. A successful one could as well be a recruitment tool and could generate positive publicity. Given the above, it is now easier to present costs that are of necessary consideration in starting up a day care center. Cost definitely is dependent on the available resources, location whether city or rural area, competition (if ever), facilities, services, special features, availability, among other variations that directly alter actual costs. Mcmillin (1996) cited the Susquehanna Child Care Center as one successful although still experiencing a lot of difficulties and challenges as a joint effort between community and university in setting up a daycare center to address needs of university staff, as well as others interested. The actual operating cost of a daycare center for an organization is very much dependent on a lot of things and this paper could only cite examples as varying actual costs are considered. With the listings above as a guide, a planner or provider may make and research his or her own location's actual costs in order to get the exact or near exact data. Outsourcing to other local providers maybe a good option for an organization considering that setting up is in its

Personal Reflection Essay Example for Free

Personal Reflection Essay This reflection will discuss personal diffidence and how it has influenced my academic studies, including my practice within placement settings. Gibbs reflective cycle (Gibbs, 1998) has been utilised as it illustrates a clear structure for the process of reflection. To conclude this reflection will draw together the themes which have emerged and highlight a clear action for future learning that will be used in order to enhance my future practice. Within my previous occupation as a health care assistant I was subject to workplace bulling which was allowed to continue for an extensive period of time due to ineffective management of the situation. Vartia (2001, p. 68) suggests that one of the consequences for the targets of workplace bulling is a feeling of low self confidence. This is indeed true of myself; although this occurred prior to commencement of university, I perceive that I am diffident stemming from this experience. This diffidence has influenced my academic studies and my practice upon placement. Feelings: I feel that I find it challenging to settle down within new groups of people. Whilst on placement I feel it takes a significant amount of time to work within my fullest capacity within the team. Spouse (2008, p. 21) state that entering a new placement area can be a daunting experience; suggesting this may be because you are joining a team of strangers who already know each other. However I feel that my previous experience has heightened my apprehension and indeed Bach and Grant (2009) suggest past experience contributes to our attitudes and values and affects what we notice about other peoples behaviour and how we interpret it. Therefore I may unintentionally be vigilant for behaviour that represents past experience. I feel I become emotive when conflict arises both upon placement and within the university environment; therefore I have a tendency to avoid sources of conflict. Furthermore; although I am aware of the need to challenge poor practice witnessed and have done so within the past; it is something that I find particularly challenging and uncomfortable to deal with. I find it uncomfortable to challenge people because I perceive this as a negative source of conflict. I am somewhat afraid of the reactions this may evoke and the impact this could have on my working relationships within the team I am placed. Within my academic studies in the university learning environment specifically; this diffidence has manifested as an apprehension of speaking within groups. This is especially apparent when it is required to perform group presentations. Although my one to one communication and communication within familiar groups is of good quality, communication within unfamiliar groups can be hindered by this diffidence. I am concerned that if allowed to continue; diffidence could be detrimental to my future practice as a nurse. Hagbaghery et (2004) qualitative research findings suggest that nurses perceive competence and self confidence as the most important personal factors influencing nurses clinical decision making, therefore in order to enhance my future practice I feel that it is imperative that I overcome this. Evaluation: Upon evaluation of these feelings I perceive I have progressed and gained confidence thus far, however there is still margin for improvement. I feel that upon a recent eight week placement period whereby I moved across four placement settings; I had an abundance of practice within adapting and participating within new teams. Although I felt that transition across four settings somewhat hindered myself working to my fullest capacity; the positive aspect of this was that it facilitated gain in self confidence. Nash, Lemcke and Sacre (2008) suggest that initially when encountering a new workplace culture trying to be accepted within this new culture can be uncomforting and lead to feelings of inadequacy; however by the end of this eight week period I feel I gained a significant amount of self confidence and I felt confident with my ability to integrate into new teams effectively. Communication is the interaction with people and is at the core of nursing according to McCabe and Timmins (2006, p. 4), therefore I acknowledge that in order to work to my fullest capacity within the nursing profession it is imperative I overcome this apprehension of speaking within groups and performing presentations. I have reflected upon previous experiences within university; contrasting performing our first group presentation to a recent group presentation experience. I perceive a vast improvement however again there is still margin for improvement and gain in confidence. Brankenbridge and Blows (2008, p. 216) have highlighted that there are different ways in which you can challenge, constructive and destructive. Constructive challenges highlight alternatives and leave the person with something of which they can reflect upon, build upon and change. Destructive challenges are delivered in an unskilful fashion leaving the person who has been challenged feeling put down and bad and potentially could be a source of conflict and negative feeling. This is why in the past I have perceived challenging people in practice as a negative action, possibly due to lacking differentiation between destructive and constructive criticism. Analysis: Although I perceive myself as diffident upon analysis I am unaware of how others may perceive my self. According to Barber, McLaughlin and Wood (2009, p. 76) The Johari Window; Luft and Ingham (1955) can show us aspects of ourselves that we believe is how others perceive us, however they further suggest that these aspects may only be a small part of our ‘personality’ as a whole and not necessarily how others perceive ourselves. Which means although I perceive myself as diffident; others may not necessarily perceive my self in this manner and it is essentially necessary that I develop further self awareness. Barber, McLaughlin and Wood (2009, p. 76) perceive development of self awareness as crucial in highlighting how we view and respond to others and in turn how they view and respond to us. The National Health Service (NHS) Modernisation Agency Leadership Centre (2005) have corroborated this view by suggesting self awareness can assist with understanding ones own emotions and the impact of one’s behaviour on others. Therefore one of the many benefits of self awareness for myself may be understanding my colleagues, learning to relax, identifying my strengths and weaknesses and indentifying my own learning needs, Burnard (1997). I perceive assertiveness of which Siviter (2008, p. 116) defines as respecting the rights and feelings of others whilst standing up for yourself and your own rights as a necessary skill which will further facilitate a gain in self confidence. In order to be assertive it is necessary to possess the ability to express your feelings in a direct, open, honest and appropriate manner. Breckenbridge and Blows (2008, p. 217) further suggest that assertive communication is the key to successful relationships for patients, family, nurses and colleagues alike; therefore further development of my assertive communication skills will enhance my future practice and communication with staff, family and patients alike. Development of assertive communication skills may aid when and if the need arises in future practice to challenge colleague’s actions or the actions of people in general. Indeed Breckenridge and Blows (2008, p. 17) suggest assertiveness is a key feature within effective challenging and therefore is an essential skill of which is required to be developed. Assertiveness aids conveyance of important messages and helps individuals stand up for the rights of themselves and others; one example of such being advocacy. Advocacy is reflected within The code in full (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2008) who state that nurses must act as an advocate for those within their care. Therefore learning to be assertive is not a choice, it is a must if I am to live up to what is expected of me within my role as a student and future nurse. Conclusion and Action Plan: The challenge for the future is that I totally overcome this diffidence. I envisage being able to achieve by developing self awareness. I could develop self awareness by using a tool such as The Johari Window. Academically the challenge is to overcome apprehension regarding communication with unfamiliar groups of colleagues. I anticipate achieving this by taking more time to consider what I am going to before I begin and being prepared for situations where I am required to speak. With regard to performing presentations I will be prepared and rehearse what I am going to say in advance.