Operations Management for the Construction of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Term Paper

Operations Management for the Construction of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital - Term Paper Example It has been found that this inefficiency can be attributable to the architects and contracting engineers who are responsible for the development of the construction plan including the type and quantity of materials to be used, the number of construction workers to be employed, and the duration of the project. Nevertheless, in many construction projects where quality has always been deliberately overlooked such that contractors make use of cheaper materials in order to earn more than to erect a high-quality facility, there is dire need to revamp the entire operations management in that the cause of this kind of unscrupulous approach may be detrimental to those who will use the facility at the end of the day. This paper will look at the case of the construction of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital and the kind of operations management needed to complete it economically while ensuring productivity and efficiency. In particular, this paper will talk about an important tool in operations management: Economics and Diseconomies of Scale†, which aims to contribute to solving problems involved in the construction phase of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital. ... Spreading the fixed costs, reducing construction cost, cutting cost of purchased materials, etc In the case of the construction of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital, economies of scale can be a great tool in order to spread the fixed costs (Dixit and Baldick 8). When purchasing materials for the construction, the contractors can take advantage of buying construction materials in bulk or in large quantities such that the fixed cost per one kind of construction material will be distributed to the number of it that has to be purchased; the higher the quantity, the lower the cost for each material would be because for suppliers, the initial set up capital would just be the same regardless of the quantity of the material they have to produce; what these suppliers will have is a marginal extra cost. This is one of many reasons for company mergers or takeovers. Implementing this concept in the construction of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital, it would be just as certain that the construction cost will be reduced. Obviously, as contractors obtain a good deal in construction materials by taking more quantity at a significantly lower cost would bend the â€Å"extra† budget more on perhaps improvisation of the facility or for the operating cost of the hospital once it becomes operational. Also, when variable cost is cut down, it automatically reduces the entire construction cost considering that the costs of the purchased materials are also cut back. Diseconomies of Scale Purchasing in large quantities does not always entail efficiency. There are cases wherein economies of scale no longer work for a construction operation such that instead of a sustained decrease in fixed cost with

Discuss ways in which Dickinson explores Essay Example for Free

Discuss ways in which Dickinson explores Essay The sense of the abstract covers a wide varity of ideas such as imagery and language. In ‘Going to Him! Happy letter’ Emily Dickinson explores these ideas of the abstract theme through her use of language. The sense of the abstract is explored through Dickinson’s method of thinking (unlike many of the people in the 1800’s) she was ahead of her time, writing about modern ideas in the 1800’s. Her poems never have a straight forward meaning, this is the abstract, concealing the meaning in her poems and thinking outside of the box. The abstract object in the poem also known as ‘494’ is the letter, which is referred to throughout the poem. Stanza one opens with ‘Going to Him! Happy letter! ’, immediately we see privacy in Dickinson’s poem, by using ‘Him’ we are left in the dark since we do not know who ‘Him’ is. This indicates that the poem is about a mysterious figure that she may or may not have feeling for. This creates obscurity around the abstract subject of the letter. The use of capitalizing ‘Him’ emphasizes the importance of this person, but still keeps the mystery alive, building up expectations. We know that the poem is about a letter; by including an exclamation mark after the word ‘letter! ’ makes it seem joyful, due to the context that it is in. However, the use of the exclamation marks also gives the feeling that the letter is being instructed to be happy; Emily Dickinson needs the letter to be cheerful when it is received in order for her true feeling to be realized. The exclamation marks can also be used in other contexts giving other feelings, such as, ‘Cautious! ’ by including this exclamation mark; the letter is made to seem vigilant. The imagery presented by the use of language adds to the sense of the abstract. In stanza one ‘Left the verb and the pronoun out’ shows how Emily Dickinson wants to say things to this mysterious person, but she is not giving away her true feelings and emotions or she is having trouble doing so. This relates to Emily Dickinson’s personal character, we know she was an extremely private woman who enjoyed her own company rather than others, which explains why she is having such difficulties showing her feelings. Throughout the poem there is repetition of the word, ‘Tell Him-‘followed by a dash, this indicates that Dickinson is building up expectations as well as anticipation. The word ‘Tell Him’ is also instructing the letter, assuring her message is received and understood. This links to the main idea in the poem, of being your own critic. Dickinson is constantly judging her own work, assuring that it can be the best it can be, so that when the letter is received, the message is given in the correct context. The use of dashes during the poem is indicating that Dickinson’s though process was changing a great pace, when reading the poem it seems as if the main idea drifts, which is the same as thoughts drifting in and out of our minds as we think. By using dashes when reading the poem the imagery is brought to life, because, the poem moves fast by changing topic, an example of the changing topic is, ‘But – if he ask where you are hid’. This also masks Dickinson’s true feelings towards this mysterious man, since we can never get her precise emotions. The sense of the abstract is enhanced by the personification of the letter, since the letter is the abstract idea. The poem is about Dickinson writing about the process of writing a letter, and by giving the letter feelings, brings to life the abstract idea. The letter is made to feel sleepy, a human sensation, shown by, ‘Any you – got sleepy’, which explains how as the letter progresses, it like a human becomes tired due to the amount of work it is having to do. The letter is again personified in stanza one, Dickinson expresses how she wishes the paper she is writing on had eyes, so that, it could see what she wants to say rather than she writes it, this is shown by the use of, ‘eyes in your pages’. The letter is personified throughout the poem adapting a personality; the amount of detail Dickinson includes in her letter brings to life the letter. This makes the poem seen as if there is a conversation between two separate people, (Emily Dickinson and the letter) Dickinson is asking whether her letter is good or not. The sense of the abstract is explored through what Emily Dickinson is trying to say. The letter is Dickinson’s feelings and thoughts. By writing a letter to a possible lover shows how difficult it can be to admit ones true mind-set and emotions. This is shows in stanza two when Dickinson explains that the letter was hard and different for her to write, ‘it wasn’t a Practiced Writer’. Since she does not write her emotions on paper, she believes that when the man reads her letter, her emotions will not be acknowledged in the way that she desires. The abstract theme is explored around the idea of the letter. This is through Dickinson’s method of attempting to write it in the correct context assuring it is received in the exact way she means it to be sent. The poem has modern day issues faced within it, such as, when writing an e-mail we hit the same problems, for example how will the recipient interpret the message? And will the message be taken in the wrong way? This is what the poems underlying meaning is about, sending a message (in this case a letter), and when writing it, thinking about how the message is received.

AIDS :: AIDS Essays

AIDS is the final, life-threatening stage of the infection with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiecy syndrome. The name refers to the fact that HIV severely damages the patient’s disease-fighting immune system. Cases of AIDS were first identified in 1981 in the United States, but scientists have traced cases to as early as 1959. Millions of AIDS cases have been diagnosed worldwide. HIV can be present in the body for 2 to 12 years without producing any outward signs of illness, yet there are definite symptoms. Infection with HIV appears to be lifelong in all that become infected. People infected with HIV eventually develop symptoms that also may be caused by other, less serious conditions. However, with HIV, these symptoms are prolonged and much more severe. They include enlarged lymph glands, tiredness, fever, loss of appetite and weight, diarrhea, yeast infections, and night sweats. HIV is commonly connected with a "wasting syndrome," which results in substantial weight loss, a general decline in health, and, in some cases, death. The virus also infects the nervous system. There, HIV may cause dementia, which is a condition characterized by sensory, thinking, and/or memory disorders. HIV infection of the brain may cause movement or coordination problems. HIV’s disruption of the immune system makes infected people susceptible to illnesses that are not normally serious. These diseases are called opportunistic illnesses because they take advantage of the damaged immune system. With the onset of several of these illnesses, an infected person is considered to have AIDS Researchers have identified three ways in which HIV is transmitted: sexual intercourse, direct contact with infected blood, and transmission from and infected mother to her fetus. The most common way of becoming infected in through sexual contact. In the United States, sexual transmission has occurred mainly among homosexual and bisexual men, but it is becoming more frequent among heterosexual men and women. HIV is transmitted through all forms of sexual intercourse, including genital, anal, and oral sex. Treatments have been developed, but cures for HIV and AIDS have not yet been found.

Political Culture Essay

Political culture is how many people define who they are and how they vote. The factors that can contribute to a regions political culture, define how the people in that region see themselves. Texas for example see themselves, for the most part, as a proud, tough, freedom loving people, who like their independence and their firearms. The political culture in Texas is geared toward traditionalistic and individualism, both wanting the government to stay out of the way, and also not to do much. The conservative roots in Texas are shown in Texas’s adoption as an amendment to the constitution establishing marriage as between a man and a woman. Texans also do not like the government to do much, it is for this reasons that the Texas senate is not in session except for 140 days, every other year. The state constitution, establishes that almost every office in the state is up for election. This unique effect of Texas political culture means that school boards are elected, judges are elected, and even our executive branch has been split up into seven different pieces, not just a Governor. The power of the executive was split due to the abuses of the governor put in place after the civil war Edmund J Davis. Davis’s administration was very centralized, giving the governor most of the power in the state. His abuse of this power led to the early Texas constitutional framers decisions to reduce the power of the office, and to put checks and balances on the offices. This is another of the unique effects that the Texas political culture has, the checks and balances they put in was to require public votes on amendments to the constitution. This has led to the primary issue with the political culture in Texas, voter apathy. Texas voters get to vote on so many things, that by the time the reach the end they are tired, and many people just turn to vote straight ticket voting, when the vote at all. This makes change in Texas politics very hard, if your current party is in favor, like the current Republican Party. Many people see Texas as a state that has deep republican roots. The vast majority of Texan governors have been Democrats; Texas has only been a republican state for the last fifteen years, the state has leaned more to the conservative side of politics, providing fertile ground for the Tea Party movement. Governor Rick Perry and the Tea Party have gained a lot of publicity in Texas. However with the shift towards urbanization, people tend to vote Democratic. The inclusion of the Latino population, the poorer areas of the state, and a population which is growing ever more progressive, is shifting the political culture of Texas. This can be seen as the major urban areas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio voted for the Democratic Party in the last presidential election.

Ideals and Values for 12th Century Medieval Aristocrats

Chrà ©tien de Troyes’ Lancelot: The Knight of the Cart, told a tale of a mighty knight. It has the air, to us, of fable. It was of fabrication as two cults of the time, courtly love and honor, dominated the story. These cults were parts of a set of medieval aristocratic ideals and values. Within this set, the cults had supportive notions of hospitality, oaths, service, and military prowess. Courtly love pushed the tale into existence when Lancelot stepped onto the cart and courtly love pushed the tale to completion with the death of Meleagant at the hands of Lancelot. Lancelot put into motion these actions. Lancelot’s love for Queen Guinevere bound him to honorable displays of his devotion to her.Chrà ©tien’s tale began with Meleagant’s appearance at King Arthur’s court at Camelot. He informed King Arthur that :â€Å"†¦King,If you have a single knightIn this court of yours you can trustTo take your queen to the woods,Where I’ll be goi ng when I’m finishedHere, then I’ll agreeTo let him have those prisonersI’ve got in my dungeons, providedHe can defeat me in battle,It being understoodThat possession of your queen is the prizeFor victory.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (lines 69-80).Those at court did not immediately secure the return of the Queen. She was gone. Chrà ©tien soon related how a knight (Lancelot) jumped into a cart driven by a dwarf. Those having committed criminal or despicable acts occupied such a cart in those days. Lancelot entered the cart since the dwarf promised to later reveal the whereabouts of the Queen. Chrà ©tian noted :†¦and the knightFollowed along behindFor several steps, not climbingRight up. But his hesitant shameWas wrong. †¦(360-364).This delay on the part of Lancelot came back to thwart his efforts when he had gotten the release of the Queen from her captor. She said :â€Å"Indeed? Didn’t the cartShame you the least little bit?You must have hesitated,For you lingered a good two steps.And that, you see, was my soleReason for ignoring your presence.†Ã‚   (4491-4496).This rigidity characterized the cult of honor as exemplified by Lancelot’s actions. If an affair of honor came about, then the knight must perform in the honorable way. Yet there were levels of honor as when Meleagant, described as a pitiless brave fool, subscribed to a higher honor of battling Lancelot at King Arthur’s court in a year’s time and agreed to forgo combat at an earlier time (3886-3895).Chrà ©tien saw that honor in service to love ignored common sense and reason. Reason did not include in its realm the working of the heart. Love had its way. For love’s commands, even shame endured. Deep in reflection, Lancelot had no defense against love. He did completely forget himself. An opponent challenged Lancelot three times before crossing a stream. The opponent struck Lancelot with Lancelot still in love’s command. The opponent ha d unfairly struck him. Lancelot wanted to avenge this disturbance of his revery (891-893). Outside revery he was in a fair enough way but his one and only heart he entrusted to some one else such that he was constrained in a special manner (1231-1248).   He found the Queen’s comb. It had strands of her hair and he was ecstatic:Touching them a hundred thousandTimes, caressing with his eves,His lips, his forehead, his face.And all of it brings him happiness,Fills him with the richest delight;He presses it into his breast,Slips it between his shirtAnd his heart – worth more than a wagon-Load of emeralds or diamonds, (1470-1478).Later, in traversing the sword bridge, the blade cut so as to maim him but the suffering was sweet since love led him on and relieved his pain (3115-3122). Still later a distraught Lancelot, thinking that the Queen is dead, attempted to kill himself by hanging himself from his saddle by means of his belt (4264-4268).Honor had its greatest demands made upon it by love but it spanned also military activity for which the knights were constantly prepared. In this preparation, a generous hospitality aided them that mostly included horses (284-289), beds (458-463), and food. For the first two, they had a choice. The mistress of a house offered Lancelot the house and the mistress of the house (938-949).Thus prepared, their military valor was a pledge, an oath, which they must uphold. A knight could be in the grip of another knight and not fight correctly; so the second knight asked to release the first knight. Then the second knight could recover his military equipment and they could then fight in the approved manner (839-852). The more honor gained in combat, the better. Accompanying a damsel involved an unspoken oath and was a very serious business since the knight was then responsible for her.A challenging knight could assault her with impunity if a challenging knight defeated the escorting knight (1304-1322). Mercy could be gr anted for the about to be vanquished but this usually entailed an oath be taken. The one who granted mercy redeemed this oath to their benefit. If one had an oath to carry out, then could not do it, there could be shame of a great dimension when another knight did the deed (4013-4019). Knights sometimes honored a pledge, for honor’s sake, even though it seemed not in the best interests of most of those involved as when Kay sought to have the Queen accompany him into the forest where a knight awaited :The king was upset, but his wordHad been given, and he could not revoke it,No matter how angry and sorrowfulIt made him (which was easy to see).The queen, too, was deeplyDispleased, and the whole palaceDenounced Kay’s pride and presumptionIn making such a demand. (179-186).Again, it could be a combatant who would not continue the fight if pledged by his lady to cease. Then the other knight must not force a continuance then and there by striking the one who no longer lifts a weapon. Meleagant, for example, struck Lancelot.   The Queen had requested Lancelot to stop fighting:  The king came hurrying downFrom the tower, to stop him. StraightTo the field of battle he went,Speaking these words to his son:â€Å"What’s this? You think it’s fineTo go on fighting, afterHe’s stopped? You act like a savage!† (3824-3831).The truth of the matter is that Lancelot only appeared to give up. In truth he was doing what his lady had requested of him. Later her captors said she was lying about bloodied sheets (4788-4798). This was a most grievous charge and so combat was called for. Holy relics came out and, on their knees, the parties involved did swear. Truth in other matters was another preoccupation of the aristocrats that Chrà ©tien wrote about. There were standards of truth against which the knights and others could measure their conduct. To seek death in ignorance was the action of a fool.   A fool too was one who does not truly humble oneself. A fool never lost his folly. Those nobles, not fools, did not need to seek praise to enhance their deeds and self praise did not increase one’s esteem. The madness of a fool had no cure:â€Å"Who do you think believes you?†Said the king. â€Å"All these peopleCan tell for themselves what’s trueAnd False. We know you’re lying.† (3841-3844).Far from the fool was the man as lover who was always obedient and gladly did his lover’s bidding in short order. He knew much about love and included in this knowledge was that honor done for love entailed no shame. Should something greatly go amiss, he would not fear death. Death desired those who were afraid of it (4283-4284).Before death there were dwarfs. Lancelot encountered two dwarfs in the tale. Neither one was up to any good. The first, described as a â€Å"Low-born and disgusting† dwarf (353) did lead Lancelot astray. The dwarf lied as to knowing the Queen’s whereab outs but did convince Lancelot to enter the cart. The other dwarf encountered Lancelot on Lancelot’s approach to the water bridge. The dwarf promised to take Lancelot to a special place (5081-5084). This dwarf also lied.No one said anything about what happened to the dwarfs. Presumably, they received a suitable fate for their unbecoming behavior. Perhaps death found them soon enough without their heads. It seemed that beheading was the surefire way to ensure that the one on their way out did indeed depart. Lancelot did battle with an enemy and after having vanquished him, a woman wants the opponent’s head. Lancelot obliges :One swing of the sword, the headWas off, and it and the bodyFell to the ground. And the girlWas happy†¦.(2927-2930).The headless one wronged her. Lancelot had already showed mercy to the opponent. Then again the opponent had pleaded for mercy. Then too the opponent had been most impertinent with Lancelot. So the upshot of this battle was the da msel was pleased and the opponent lost his head.Another beheading occurred at the end of the tale. Meleagant reflected on how it was that Lancelot had made his way to Camelot. Meleagant had thought he had locked Lancelot in a tower from which there could be no escape. He realized that he was a victim of trickery. He was ready for something worse than great shame and humiliation (6967-6969).   In his battle with Lancelot he lost his right arm. He felt badly since he then could not strike Lancelot. Then he was smashed in the face by Lancelot. Three teeth are broken in his mouth. His state enraged him to the extent he could not speak and so did not seek mercy. Lancelot cut off his head. It was finished :And let me assure you, no oneWho was there, watching the battle,Felt the slightest pity.The king and his courtiers and ladiesWere fairly jumping for joy (7099-7103). Works CitedChrà ©tien de Troyes. Lancelot: The Knight of the Cart. Trans. Burton Raffel. New Haven & London: Yale Univ ersity Press ,1997.

10 Grammar and Punctuation Rules to Always Remember - Freewrite Store

10 Grammar and Punctuation Rules to Always Remember - Freewrite Store The English language, cobbled together over centuries from Germanic, Scandinavian, Latin, French and Greek sources, is a minefield of confusing (and often contradictory) rules. So it’s no wonder that writers frequently struggle with the correct use of words and punctuation. However, most readers will agree that writing littered with errors comes across as sloppy and unprofessional, damaging their trust in the message and the author. To help you improve your writing, here’s a list of some of the most common mistakes that writers make, and tips on how to avoid them.   1. Apostrophes Apostrophes have two main uses – in contractions and to show possession. They’re quite different, so we’ll cover each one separately. Contractions: A contraction is where you take two words and combine them, missing out a letter or two along the way. Should not = shouldn’tI have = I’veWe will = we’ll Generally, wherever the missing letters are, that’s where the apostrophe goes. You can also apply this rule if you’re writing dialogue where someone cuts off the beginning or end of a word, like ‘ello, or nothin’. Possessives: A possessive apostrophe is used to show ownership. It’s done by placing ‘s after the noun. I am walking Pete’s dog this morning.I need to buy a gift for my sister’s birthday.The children’s bus was late again. Things get slightly more confusing, however, if the noun already ends in an s. In this case, you need to consider how you would say it out loud. If you would add an es sound to the end of the word, then you write it with ‘sat the end. I was summoned to the boss’s office.The bus’s tire was completely flat.Dennis’s parties were legendary. However, if you wouldn’t add an es sound to the end of the word, then a lone apostrophe is appropriate. I am walking my parents’ dog this morning.The kids’ hamster had five babies.The Hastings’ roses are magnificent this year. When not to apostrophize Don’t forget that apostrophes have no place in ordinary plural nouns, like bananas, toys, or megabytes. An apostrophe in an ordinary plural is sometimes called a â€Å"greengrocer’s apostrophe† because it could often be found on signs in fruit and vegetable shops. Apostrophes also don’t need to be used in dates or acronyms. I was born in the 1970s.Nobody uses CDs anymore. The exception is if you’re omitting letters or numbers or using the apostrophe possessively. The ‘80s produced some amazing music.Landing a probe on Mars was one of NASA’s greatest achievements. You also never use an apostrophe in a possessive pronoun. Theybecomes theirsHerbecomes hersItbecomes its 2. Semicolons Much confusion surrounds the use of the semicolon, but it’s actually quite simple to utilize. It only has two functions. The first is to join two related clauses in a sentence. There are three conditions of use: both parts of the sentence must be able to stand alone, they need to relate to each other somehow, and they need to be of equal weight. For example: I love Hawaiian pizza; the pineapple tastes amazing.I burned my tongue on the pizza; the pineapple was too hot. If you put a coordinating conjunction between the two clauses (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), then you would replace the semicolon with a comma. The other use of a semicolon is when you’ve got a long sentence, and you’re listing groups of items. To prevent reader confusion, you can use a semicolon between each group. For example: My son needs a lot of things for his first day of school: pens, pencils and markers; exercise books, writing pads and binders; and erasers, paperclips and a calculator. 3. Oxford Commas The Oxford comma (aka serial comma or Harvard comma) is the comma that occurs before the and in a list. The second comma in the list below is the Oxford comma. I like pizza, cake, and chocolate. For such a small piece of punctuation, it has generated a lot of debate. Many style guides now prescribe that the Oxford comma should be omitted. At the same time, it has a lot of very vocal fans who insist it should be retained. If you don’t have a set style to follow, there’s no definitive rule beyond being consistent with whichever method you choose to follow. Most of the time, taking out the Oxford comma has no detrimental effect on the structure of a sentence. However, there are occasions where omitting the Oxford comma leads to ambiguity and, in those cases, it should always be used. For example, here’s a real-life quote: Amongst those interviewed were Merle Haggard’s two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall. Without the final comma, the sentence appears to suggest that Merle Haggard was married to both Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall. The use of an Oxford comma would have made it obvious that this was a list of four separate interviewees. So, if you have no set style guide to follow, the choice to deploy the Oxford comma rests with you – but if you prefer not to use it, make sure its omission doesn’t change the meaning of your sentence. Next, let’s look at commonly mixed-up words. Most of these are words that sound the same but have different applications. 4. Your/you’re Your = it belongs to you. Your library book is overdue. You’re = the shortened version of ‘you are’. You’re welcome. When in doubt: Try replacing the word with you are. If it doesn’t fit, then use your. 5. There/they’re/their There = a place. Put it over there. They’re = the shortened version of ‘they are’. They’re going to be late. Their = belongs to them. The couple enjoyed their pizza. 6. To/too To is a preposition with many meanings, including â€Å"towards† and â€Å"until†. Let’s walk to the bus. It should get here at five minutes to midday.Too is an adverb that means â€Å"also† or â€Å"very†. I want to catch the bus, too, but I am too tired to walk there. 7. Who’s/whose Who’s = the shortened version of â€Å"who is†. Who’s that? Whose = belonging to who? Whose bag is this? When in doubt: Try replacing the word with who is. If it doesn’t fit, use whose. 8. It’s/its It’s = the shortened version of it is. It’s a beautiful day. Its = belonging to it The cat swished its tail. When in doubt: Try replacing the word with it is. If it doesn’t fit, use its. 9. Less/fewer Both less and fewer mean the same thing, but they are not interchangeable. There’s a fairly simple way to work out which one you should be using. Less is for situations when you’re using words that don’t normally have a plural, aren’t made plural by adding an s,and cannot be counted. Examples of this include water, rain, and traffic. There was less water in the bath than I expected.I had hoped for less rain today.If more people caught the bus, there would be less traffic. Lessis also used when referring to numbers, either on their own or in measurements of time, distance or weight. The bus will arrive in less than five minutes.It is less than a mile away.The pizza recipe uses less than 12oz of flour. On the other hand, fewer is used for items that can be counted or made plural by adding an s, like cats, jobs, and roses. There are fewer cats in the neighborhood since the dog moved in.The rise in automation means there are fewer jobs available.This summer we have fewer roses in our garden. When in doubt: See if you can add a number to the word. You can’t say â€Å"there is five traffic,† so you would use less. You can say â€Å"there are three pizzas,† so you would use fewer. 10. Everyday/every day People tend to write this as one word. However, that changes the meaning. Everyday = common, usual. I’m wearing my everyday clothes. Every day = each day. The Queen doesn’t wear a tiara every day. When in doubt: Replace everyday with each day. If the meaning of the sentence remains intact, then you need to write everyday as two separate words. Given the complexity of the English language, there are exceptions to most of these rules. However, the ones we’ve outlined here will apply to most instances where you need to use these punctuation marks and words.  Are there any writing mistakes we've left out that drive you nuts?   Let us know in the comments section below!  Ã‚      About the author: Claire Wilkins is a freelance copywriter and editor from New Zealand. She loves to write about travel, health, home, and proper punctuation. After a career in financial services spanning almost three decades, Claire left the corporate world behind to start Unmistakable - her writing and editing business. She creates website copy, blogs, and newsletters for creative agencies and small businesses, and  specialises  in polishing existing content until it shines. In her spare time, Claire enjoys cloud-spotting, singing in the car and editing video.

God Bless America! The 8 Weirdest College Majors in the US

God Bless America! The 8 Weirdest College Majors in the US God Bless America! The 8 Weirdest College Majors in the US America has a long tradition as the land of the free and home of the brave. Does this include the freedom to study whatever you darn well like? And the bravery to dedicate yourself to a college course that will confuse your friends and family? You bet it does! To prove it, we’ve found seven of the weirdest college majors currently available in the USA, as well as another that (sadly) is even more unique. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Booze Studies! If you want to make your own beer, you could always study for a degree in Fermentation Sciences from the Appalachian State University. More into wine than beer? Try Cornell University’s Viticulture and Enology degree instead! 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Masters of Packaging For more than sixty years, Michigan State University has â€Å"been a leader in teaching, research and outreach focused on packaging containers, materials, their functionality and improvement.† We never knew so much thought went into packaging, but we’ll definitely remember next time we can’t get a pickle jar open. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Decision Sciences Unable to pick your major? Why not try a course in Decision Sciences? It’s not actually designed to help you make decisions, but it does cover statistics, information systems and operation management, so it sounds quite useful. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Become a Professional Adventurer! Ok, so a degree in Adventure Education won’t make you an adventurer in the same way Indiana Jones is an adventurer, but it’s definitely a start. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Truth is Out There†¦ Meet my PhD project Do people look at you funny when you say you’ve dedicated your life to discovering aliens? They might take you more seriously if you introduce yourself as a qualified astrobiologist! 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shoeing Horses Horses across the country are glad that farriers are trained professionals, as no one would want to have strips of metal nailed to their feet by an amateur. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mortuary Science If you find busy office environments a little stressful, you might enjoy the peace and solitude of the mortuary instead (as long as you don’t mind all the dead bodies). 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enigmatology According to its inventor, enigmatology is the study of puzzles. Why haven’t you heard of it until now? Because only one person has ever earned a degree in enigmatology: Will Shortz, who designed his own major program at Indiana University in 1974. This makes Will Shortz the world’s only college-accredited â€Å"puzzle master,† which sounds a bit like the name of a crossword-based superhero. For this reason alone, we salute him.

SAT Subject Test Dates 2015 - 2016 How to Choose

SAT Subject Test Dates 2015 - 2016 How to Choose SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re planning on applying to highly selective colleges, you may be required to take two or three SAT Subject Tests. Subject Tests are offered almost as many times throughout the year as the regular SAT. In this article, I’ll go through the dates and registration deadlines and give you lists of the subjects that are offered on each date. SAT Subject Test Dates: 2015-16 SAT Subject Tests are offered on five of the six regular SAT test dates coming up during this school year (the regular SAT test date in March will not offer SAT Subject Tests).Here are the dates and registration deadlines: SAT Subject Test Date Normal Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline November 7, 2015 October 9, 2015 October 27, 2015 December 5, 2015 November 5, 2015 November 23, 2015 January 23, 2016 December 28, 2015 January 12, 2016 May 7, 2016 April 8, 2016 April 26, 2016 June 4, 2016 May 5, 2016 May 25, 2016 Keep in mind that not all subject tests are offered on each of these dates.This chart lists all the SAT Subject Tests and whether they will be offered on each of the five test dates during this school year.The most popular tests, like Biology and Math 1 and 2, are offered on all dates. Subject Test Nov. 7, 2015 Dec. 5, 2015 Jan. 23, 2016 May 7, 2016 Jun. 4, 2016 Biology E/M âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Chemistry âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Physics âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Math 1 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Math 2 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Literature âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ US History âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ World History âÅ"“ âÅ"“ French âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ German âÅ"“ Spanish âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Modern Hebrew âÅ"“ Italian âÅ"“ Latin âÅ"“ âÅ"“ French with Listening âÅ"“ German with Listening âÅ"“ Spanish with Listening âÅ"“ Chinese with Listening âÅ"“ Japanese with Listening âÅ"“ Korean with Listening âÅ"“ Here's another table with a different organization that may make it easier for you to see which tests are offered on each date. I only included the subject tests that are offered on some dates but not all. Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics, Math 1, Math 2, Literature and US History are offered on all test dates, so they are not included in this chart: Test Date World History French German Spanish Modern Hebrew Italian Latin Nov. 7, 2015 Dec. 5, 2015 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Jan. 23, 2016 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ May 7, 2016 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Jun. 4, 2016 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Test Date French with Listening German with Listening Spanish with Listening Chinese with Listening Japanese with Listening Korean with Listening Nov. 7, 2015 âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ âÅ"“ Dec. 5, 2015 Jan. 23, 2016 May 7, 2016 Jun. 4, 2016 Which Test Date Should You Choose? If you know you have to take subject tests, it’s important to plan strategically.You should make sure that you take your subject tests on a date that doesn’t conflict with other major commitments.Plan on taking subject tests at a much earlier or later date than the regular SAT so that you have time to study for both and don’t end up with low scores on either. May and June are usually good SAT subject test datesbecause they’re at the end of the school year, so you will be at your maximum level of knowledge for the subjects (assuming you took the relevant class this year). Rememberthat you don’t have to wait until your junior year to take subject tests.If you take a class sophomore year that directly pertains to one of the subject tests, you can go ahead and take the test at the end of that school year.Taking subject tests while the material is still fresh in your mind is the best way to avoid long hours of studying.Some tests, like many of the language tests, are not offered in the spring, so make sure you verify that you can take your chosen test on the date that interests you. You should also note that you can take up to three subject tests on one test date (although only one listening subject test is allowed per test date).Each subject test is an hour long, so even if you take three tests in one day you won’t spend as much time at the test center as you would for the regular SAT. You may not need to take three tests; the number depends on the requirements of the colleges where you plan on applying. Most selective schools only require students to take two subject tests.If you're taking two subject tests on one test date, you should try to choose them wisely so that they pair well together. For example, if you need to take Math 2 and math is a tough subject for you, you should choose a second subject test in an area where you feel more comfortable so you can balance out your stress levels. Don't go too far down Stress Street or you won't be able to get back to Relaxation Road. Relaxation Road: the name of my debut ambient chill album. What's Next? Are you wondering what scores you should aim for on SAT Subject Tests? Learn more about what a good score might mean for you. You may have heard that some SAT Subject Tests are easier than others. Find out which tests are the easiest and why. If you're worried about time pressure on subject tests, check out this article that describes the length and format of each test and how you can overcome issues with time. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

Labour Law in Canada Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Labour Law in Canada - Research Paper Example Therefore labour rights, derive their basis from the international bill of rights. The right to work, to free choice of employment and to just and favourable conditions are fundamental human rights. The relationship between an employer and an employee is referred as labour relations, which is also a contract. In such contracts each party undertakes to perform certain obligations, with the employees’ biggest obligation being to provide labour while the employer provides payment for the service rendered. Employment relationships normally contain several terms and conditions which are the rights and duties both the employer and their employees have agreed upon, thus the employer cannot impose terms and conditions on employees without their approval or their union’s approval. Terms are regulated by law and are also negotiated between the parties through a process called collective bargaining which eventually arrives at an agreeable collective bargaining agreement. Collective bargaining agreements are contracts resulting from the process of collective bargaining between unions and employers, for the purposes of regulating the procedures that will be adopted by the union and the employer and determining the terms and conditions under which workers will work.2 Terms and conditions in which the union can negotiate on behalf of its members include: f) Machinery for negotiations or consultation, and other procedure and matters relating to recognition of the trade union by the employer to represent workers in such negotiations or consultation or in carrying out such procedures. In Canada strikes or lockouts are not permitted under the labour relations code during the term of a collective agreement and the union cannot therefore declare or authorize a strike; however they could be allowed if they serve as a means of resolving a

The Milgram Experiment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Milgram Experiment - Research Paper Example This research paper will concentrate on discussing the Milgram experiment, the method used in this experiment and the results of the experiment. Literature review Most people would answer no, when ordered by a person in authority to deliver an electrical shock of 400-volts to another person, but Stanley Milgram conducted obedience experiments that showed results which were surprising. Experiments like this offer a disturbing and powerful look in the power of obedience and authority. Shortly after the trial of Adolph Eichmann had begun who was a World War II criminal Milgram started his experiments. Adolph Eichmann’s defense roused Milgram’s interest when he said he was following instructions when he ordered millions of Jews to be killed. "Could it be true that Eichmann and his were just following orders accomplices during the Holocaust? Could we call them all accomplices?" (Milgram, 1974); this is the question Milgram posed in his book Obedience to Authority. The Milgra m Experiment method The Milgram experiment involved 40 participants who were men who were recruited in for exchange for $4.50 due to their participation. In this experiment, Milgram had to develop a shock generator that was intimidating. This shock generator had shock levels that started at 30-volts and had an increment of 15-volt up to 450-volts. Switches had terms labeled slight shock, moderate shock, severe shock and finally two switches that were labeled XXX. Each of the participants took the role of a teacher delivering a shock to a student each time there was a production of an incorrect answer. Participants in this case thought that they delivered ideal shocks to the respective student, while actually the student in the experiment was pretending to get a shock. The participant heard the learner plead for a release or complain of a heart condition as the experiment progressed. After reaching the 300-volts level, the learner had a demand to be released and banged on the wall. T he learner refused to answer and remained silent, refusing to answer more questions. Milgram, who was the experimenter, then gave instructions to the participant to deliver another shock when there is silence treating silence as a response that is incorrect. Most of these participants asked Milgram whether to continue delivering these shocks. Then Milgram issued a series of commands to determine what the participant would follow his orders. Milgram first commanded the participant to continue delivering shocks; he then commanded them that the experiment required that they continue delivering shocks. He then commanded them that it was essential that they continued delivering these shocks. Finally, he commanded them that they had no other choice but to continue delivering those shocks. In his book Obedience to Authority Milgram quotes that social psychology reveals a lesson that not what kind of person a man is, but the kind of a situation in which he can be, that determine the action of a person, (Milgram, 1974). Milgram Experiment results The measure of obedience was determined by the levels of shock that participants were willing to subject to the learner. Milgram once posed a question to a group of students at Yale University as to how far they thought most participants were willing to go. The prediction was that not more than 3 percent of the participan

UN Sanction within Iraq post-gulf storm war, how they affected the Research Proposal

UN Sanction within Iraq post-gulf storm war, how they affected the people and how they provided perhaps breeding ground for terrorist ideology - Research Proposal Example The period in the history of Kuwait in which the country was a part of Basra’s Ottoman ‘vilayet’ was also being followed by the gulf war of 1990/ 1991. A series of political events led to the stage of the war that was fought between the contrived coalition forces of the United States of America and the military troops of the then ruling leader Saddam Hussein. The frontiers of the countries of Kuwait, Saudi Arab and Iraq were decided in the conference of Uqair in the year 1922 by the then high commissioner of the British controlled Indian Army, Sir Percy Cox, for the city of Mesopotamia. The commissioner resolved the constituents of the frontiers of the country, cutting through different series of ridiculous claims and arguments that seemed to be almost impossible for the period. This event was one of the contributors to prepare the stage for the Gulf war. Finally in the year 1930 the high commissioner of the British army in Baghdad passed the judgment of the encouragement of the absorption of Kuwait into the geographical boundary of Iraq gradually by the government of Britain. According to the British government and their representatives the sacrifice of a small and expandable state of Kuwait would not be a huge concern if there had been an existing demand by the struggle of powers of the then period. Kuwait depicted as an ‘oil well’ was being maintained by the United Nations serving as the proxy for the western world. The colonialism policy of the British government along with the imperialism strategy of the United States of America proved to be economic, provided the accommodation were mutually congenial for both, and for the protection of the hegemony of the western world in the fulfillment of the interest of democratic freedom over the natur al oil reserve of the Gulf countries. They were being buttressed by the feudalistic policies of the other regional countries. Previously the government of the United States of America was indifferent regarding Iraq’s conflict with Kuwait, evidence from the period of late nineties or the period of the beginning of the year 1991 showed the strategies of the American government were in favor of war against Iraq. The United States of America provided a positive signal to Iraq, for the invasion of Kuwait by the later. However they emphasized on the lack of commitment from their part in the supply of troops to back the invasion of Kuwait. There were quick moves on the part of the government of United States on the economical, military and political fronts during the period of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq though no serious opposition was provided by United States on the country’s invasion. The result was too threatening for the government of Iraq. Saddam Hussein was named t he ‘new Hitler’ and ridiculed in Britain, apart from the United States and elsewhere. This led to the introduction of economic sanctions that were comprehensive under the auspices of the United Nations. (Simons, 1–3: Schmid, 3) This invasion of Kuwait by Iraq resulted in the providence of a sanction by the Security Council of United Nations, which imposed tremendous impact on the economy of the country and more devastatingly on the lives of the countrymen.   United Nation Sanction on Iraq   During the period of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq under the governmental leadership of Saddam Hussein the sanctions were mainly applied by the United Nations to pressurize the government of Iraq, which would act as an indirect force to make them leave. The sanctions mainly and predominantly focused on

Health Care Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Health Care Administration - Essay Example The current reform efforts in health professions education also focus on instructing members of the health care profession to work in interdisciplinary teams. This entails collaboration and integration of services and expertise in order â€Å"to ensure that care is continuous and reliable† (Peterson, 2003). Employing evidence-based practice, according to IOM, involves integration of best evidence and researches with clinical practice in order achieve optimum care for the patient. This encourages various health care students and professionals â€Å"to participate in learning and research activities to the extent feasible† (Peterson, 2003). The IOM also discussed that health professions education integrate quality improvement practices into health care practice. This involves having to identify the different errors and dangers in care, understanding safety design principles, â€Å"continually understand[ing] and measure[ing] quality of care in terms of structure, process , and outcomes in relation to patient and community needs†(Peterson, 2003). Finally, according to the IOM, members of the health care profession should be instructed on the use of informatics. This will help ease communication, easily manage data and information, and mitigate errors in the practice. The past 50 years in American history have yielded various changes in the health care practice. The cost of healthcare and the increase in health care allocation by the government and various investors have given birth to various improvements and innovations in the rehabilitation and care of patients. These new technology and new medical practices however have yielded various issues on quality and effectiveness of health care. The 1990s have produced various studies and reports revealing that advances in medical practice have not improved the quality of health care services for Americans. Medical errors

Security Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Security Intelligence - Essay Example The powerful intelligence agency of United States, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was "created in order to encourage competitive analysis within the intelligence community and to ensure that policy makers did not tailor intelligence to suit their interests."2 An intelligence agency's function is to offer an international clandestine capability to endorse and protect economic well-being of a nation and to protect from internal turmoil. Historians have only recently begun to investigate the role of intelligence and intelligence services in the formation and implementation of political, military, and economic policies which enrich, in many cases change, our understanding of personalities, events and decision making process.3 An analysis of the history of intelligence agencies reveals that there were many instances of involvement in democratic infringement activities. In the words of John McDermott "the CIA, which insisted that the US engage itself in a major way in Vietnam in spite o f the coolness of the State Department and considerable opposition in the Pentagon"4 is a fine example of repressive activities of intelligence agencies that misguided government to engage in a futile exercise in Vietnam. It is necessary to put check and balance on intelligence agencies for successful existence of democratic nations and also to archive records of regression to have a clear picture to future generation. Instruments of repression: The specifically created instruments of repressive institutions include 1) intelligence services; 2) paramilitary bodies; 3) special tribunals; 4) concentration camps; 5) special prisons; and 6) psychiatric centres for re-education. After Second World War the repressive institutions, over the period of 1974-1994, includes Brazil, Chile, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe. "Among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, which had been within the orbit of the Soviet Union since the Second World War, in a world divided by the Cold War, there began a process, starting in Poland, which would culminate in the 1990s with the total collapse of the existing political structures, the most symbolic element of this process was the fall of the Berlin Wall and the German re-unification. In parallel with these European developments, another unstoppable process of demolition of repressive political regimes began in Latin Amer ica to discard conservative military dictatorships. African continent also saw the end after a period of prolonged struggle."5The documents of repression are part of the patrimony of the people. They must be preserved in their integrity, serving as a memento of intolerance, racism, and political totalitarianism. Analysing the documents of primary repressive institutions reveals the political violence perpetrated on the people and the process of transition to democracy and necessity to exercise individual rights: amnesty, indemnity, pensions, and general civil rights in the new political situation. Records available with police or intelligence agencies will help evaluate an individual's personal, family or

Health Care Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Health Care Administration - Essay Example The current reform efforts in health professions education also focus on instructing members of the health care profession to work in interdisciplinary teams. This entails collaboration and integration of services and expertise in order â€Å"to ensure that care is continuous and reliable† (Peterson, 2003). Employing evidence-based practice, according to IOM, involves integration of best evidence and researches with clinical practice in order achieve optimum care for the patient. This encourages various health care students and professionals â€Å"to participate in learning and research activities to the extent feasible† (Peterson, 2003). The IOM also discussed that health professions education integrate quality improvement practices into health care practice. This involves having to identify the different errors and dangers in care, understanding safety design principles, â€Å"continually understand[ing] and measure[ing] quality of care in terms of structure, process , and outcomes in relation to patient and community needs†(Peterson, 2003). Finally, according to the IOM, members of the health care profession should be instructed on the use of informatics. This will help ease communication, easily manage data and information, and mitigate errors in the practice. The past 50 years in American history have yielded various changes in the health care practice. The cost of healthcare and the increase in health care allocation by the government and various investors have given birth to various improvements and innovations in the rehabilitation and care of patients. These new technology and new medical practices however have yielded various issues on quality and effectiveness of health care. The 1990s have produced various studies and reports revealing that advances in medical practice have not improved the quality of health care services for Americans. Medical errors

A critical book review 5 to 8 page paper (approximately 250 words per Research

A critical book review 5 to 8 page (approximately 250 words per page) - Research Paper Example They are Western Eastern Orthodox, Latin American, Islamic, Japanese, Chinese, Hindu and African. Samuel P. Huntington, was foreign policy aide to President Clinton, in addition to being a political scientist at Harvard University. Whenever one country interferes in other nations affairs, the cultural factor surfaces predominantly. He clearly visualizes the growing momentum in this direction. He is specific when he writes, â€Å" In the post- Cold War world, flags count and so do other symbols of cultural identity; including crosses, crescents, and even head coverings, because culture counts, and cultural identity is what is most meaningful to most people. People are discovering new but often old identities and marching under new but often old flags which lead to wars with new but often old enemies.†(20) How to meet the increasing threat of violence arising from renewed conflicts between countries and cultures that rely on traditions on religious faith and dogma? Huntingtons thesis is provocative in the sense that he gives a go the the traditional views that world is bipolar or the collection of states. He classifies them as a set of seven or eight cultural â€Å"civilizations†. Conflict will arise on account of identity of civilizations. Thus he has divided the world, without the actual geographical division! Along with this startling innovative concept, he raises some vital issues. He categorically states that modernization is not tantamount to westernization; links economic progress with the revival of religion; ethnic nationalism scores over ideology in the post-war politics, according to him. The lack of leading "core states" hampers the growth of Latin America and the world of Islam. Huntingtons views on Islam are hardcore. He points out that Muslim countries are involved in many inter-group violence as compared to

Characterization in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Macbeth” Essay Example for Free

Characterization in William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet† and â€Å"Macbeth† Essay William Shakespeare is regarded by many as one, if not the greatest writer of all time. It is interesting to note that his success is due to his tragedies. â€Å"Hamlet† and â€Å"Macbeth† are two of his best known work. Both titles deal with the tragedy of aristocratic people. Though, it appears that Shakespeare is fond of representing only one part of the society, he is actually talking about a very human flaw. Through the characters of his protagonists Hamlet and Macbeth, Shakespeare is suggesting that the real tragedy is found within one’s self. Initially, Shakespeare had characterized Macbeth as a brave warrior. The wounded captain tells the audience that Macbeth was wounded in the battlefield, suggesting that he had fought bravely. But as the plot progresses, the audience discovers that he is less admirable. This is immediately noticeable when Macbeth had met the witches. The witches told them that Macbeth would be the thane of Cawdor. Although, Macbeth says he does not want to think of the prophecy because the thane of Cawdor is still alive, he seems to ponder on the thought, â€Å"the thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in Borrow’d robes?† There is a hint of irony in Macbeth words. It is like he wants to be thane of Cawdor but says he does not. Aside from mere false modesty, the audience would learn that Macbeth harbors within himself some self-doubt. If it was not for Lady Macbeth, Macbeth could have not done anything that he is certain he wants to do. On the other hand, Hamlet seems to be a more flawed character than Macbeth. He is constantly thinking about how to kill Claudius and exact revenge for his father. However, when he got his first chance to kill Claudius, he made a pass on the chance to do so. When Hamlet caught Claudius in prayer, he did not kill Claudius be cause he thought his father’s murderer might go to heaven. Perhaps a helpful quote to use is the famous â€Å"to be or not to be? † That line is a succinct description for Hamlet as he always contradicts himself. Shakespeare’s talent for being able to describe the complexity of the human brain, had made his works classics. Shakespeare seems to be more fond of the flaws of the thought process rather than physical flaws. That is in opposition to earlier works by other authors such as Oedipus Rex, where the protagonist has a deformed foot. Shakespeare’s protagonists are most of the time described as well-to-do. Both Hamlet and Macbeth are even admirable in the initial portions of their respective stories. But Shakespeare reveals that their flaws is on how they think. With Hamlet and Macbeth always contradicting themselves, a tragic conclusion seems inevitable. But their real tragedy is not because one would go insane and the other would be mortally wounded. Hamlet and Macbeth’s tragedy is that they themselves are the antagonists to their respective goals.

Changes in Marriage Equality Laws

Changes in Marriage Equality Laws Compare and contrast how your views of a traditional nuclear family, cohabitation and sexuality might differ from those of your parents. The ever changing world as we know it has led to differences in lifestyles and contemporary views towards how families should be run in modern society but the core values of family life still remain the same. Families are still mediums whereby people can enjoy security, companionship and a refuge from an often harsh and uncaring world. Structures of families have changed along with society in general but the traditional nuclear family of mother, father and children still remains an ideal. Many variations of the traditional nuclear family have arisen in the years since world war 2 that have changed the current generations views to that of our parents and grandparents generations. In previous generations the mother was expected to look after the household and not partake in paid employment while the father was considered the bread winner and sole source of income for the family. This perception of the nuclear family has changed vastly due to major changes in social structure, education, the feminist movement etc. These forces have changed how we view the modern family along with the increase in cohabitation, decline in marriage, rise in divorce rates and the prolonged postponement of union formation. Single-sex marriages, single-parent families, cohabitation and single living have increased in regularity. Increases in the rate of divorce has lead to a growth in the popularity of cohabitation whereby more couples live with each other before marriage, somewhat as a testing period, and couples are marrying later in life. Marriage has become less relevant in our generation compared to the golden age of marriage during the 50s and 60s where marriage was an important institution in society. Changes in laws such as those concerning same-sex marriage have led to this attitude. In the last two decades there has been a dramatic increase in cohabitation in the US. Between 1970 and 1994, the number of unmarried couples living together rose from about 500,000 to almost 3.7 million. Between 1965-74 just 11% of marriages were preceded by cohabitation whereas between 1980-84 44% of all marriages involved at least one spouse who had cohabited (1). Cohabitation has been prevalent in previous generations where couples were unable to marry due to the fact that they werent able to afford marriage or were not lawfully able to marry. Couples also believe that it is easier to end a cohabiting relationship than it is to end a marriage. For one tenth of cohabiters, cohabitation is a long term relationship which does not lead to marriage (1). In the space of a couple of decades cohabitation has nearly replaced marriage as the regular choice of a first union. In France, a massive rise in cohabitation occurred between 1965 and 1995 when the proportion of couples starting their union by cohabitation increased from 10% to 90% (2). During the 1990s marriage was still the superior marker for first union entry in the south of Europe whereas in juxtaposition most western and northern European countries and the United States cohabitation had surpassed marriage as the preamble for first partnership. The mean age for which people enter marriage has increased for many reasons. The prolonging of many transitions to adult life(finishing education, leaving the parental household, starting a first job) along with the rise in young adults entering unions without marriage has added to the mean age. Nowadays marriage is no longer seen as the singularly appropriate avenue for childbearing. People who decide to have a child do not feel rushed into marriage and being pregnant is not seen as a determinant for marriage. This attitude can be compared to those of prior generations where pregnancy before marriage was frowned upon and unmarried cohabitation did not last very long due to social pressure. In our parents generations the normal route of marriage followed by childbearing has been steadily replaced by a number of different pathways: in some countries, the sequence of cohabitation followed by marriage and then childbearing has become the most common path, while in other societies, cohabitation first followed by first or second birth and then marriage has become the most popular pattern and an increasing number of couples with children opt to not marry at all (3). In the United States the number of children born to parents who cohabitate nearly doubled between 1984 and 1994, growing from 6% to 11% (4). In recent times marriage instability has increased, this along with less-stable living arrangements have led to an increase in the numbers of single parent families and a high frequency of single motherhood across Europe. In Europe a substantial percentage of children are exposed to living with a single parent before reaching the age of 15. The total exposure ranged from 11-18 percent in Southern Europe (Italy and Spain), Belgium, Poland, and Slovenia; to 39-41 percent in Austria, Germany, and Latvia; and, outside of Europe, to a very high level of 52 percent in the United States (these figures are period life table estimates based on the FFS data). In agreement with the evidence provided by the census data in Table 6 above, the authors argue that, while the pace of family change has varied across countries, the shift of childrearing from married parents to single mothers is universal in Western societies, and has been proceeding faster than the shift to cohabiting parents and stepfa milies (5). In our parents and grandparents generations there was a fundamental belief that marital union should be between a man and a woman. Same sex couples were shunned and granted none of the rights that were enjoyed my heterosexual couples. Throughout the world same sex couples and those in support of equal rights for same sex couples have campaigned for what they feel are basic human rights that should apply to everyone; the right to have their relationship recognised lawfully and the right to marry. Homosexuality has gradually become decriminalised since the 60s in most countries but is still criminal in some countries run by religious laws. Pressure from these groups seeking equality for same sex couples and recognition of their union along with the increase in cohabitation has led to law reforms that allow these couples to achieve a specific legal status when the register their partnerships. Although same sex couples are gaining momentum in their continuous battles to secure recognition there are still pockets of resistance and intolerance. The introduction of civil partnership to the United Kingdom has granted same sex couples more rights including employment, pension and inheritance related rights. This increase in rights is a stark contrast compared to the limited rights allocated to same sex couples in our parents and grandparents times. References Cohabitation: A Snapshot by Hilda Rodriguez, 1998 Cohabitation is here to stay by Touleman, 1997 Children born outside marriage in France and their parents: recognitions and legitimations since 1965 by Munoz-PÃÆ'Â ©rez, F., and F. Prioux, 2000 Larry Bumpass, 2002 Shifting childrearing to single mothers. Results from 17 Western countries by Heuveline, P., J. M. Timberlake, and F. F. Furstenberg, Jr., 2003

Schizophrenia and the Brain Essay -- Mental Health, Diseases

Over the last few decades Schizophrenia has become embedded in mainstream vernacular as any behavior or emotional response that is out of touch with reality. However even with its popularity heightened through movies and headline news stories, schizophrenia is still one of the most enigmatic and least understood disorders of the brain. With current research focused on the role of neurobiology and functioning on a cellular level, investigative analysis has merited new innovations towards its source, however a single organic cause for the disorder still eludes scientists. Although the foundation of the affliction is still unknown, its effects are well documented and over the next few pages will show the changes in the brain as the disease develops, and how those alterations impact the rest of the body and alter various other functions throughout the viscera. The term Schizophrenia was first coined in 1911 by Swiss psychiatrist Dr. Eugen Bleuler and translates from the original Greek as schizo (split) and phrene (mind), making a literal translation of split-mind, in reference to the disjointed thinking of those with the disease (Johnstone, 1994). Although the term was first used in the early twentieth century, according to scholars a ‘madness’ was described in The Ebers Papyrus, a collection of ancient Egyptian medical papers dating back to 1550 BC, which accurately depicts some of schizophrenia’s symptoms (Johnstone, 1994). With its possible documentation over three millennia ago and its symptoms documented in a myriad of medical journals throughout history, the disorder itself is very rare. Those who are at the highest risk of manifestation are offspring whose parents are both schizophrenic, although even at this rate the risk o... ...hrenia is unique disorder that affects the brain in many ways, yet manifests itself differently from person to person. As there is no tangible rubric for how the disorder will impact the person, it can be a difficult illness to treat. Its effects on the brain, from enlarged ventricles to a decline in dendrite spines, shows the major impact the illness can have on living a normal life. Although the disorder afflicts just over fifty-eight million people worldwide it is still devastating to those who are affected and while the medical community makes leaps and bounds in understanding the disease, a cure is still far from the horizon. With psychology grant money from universities being invested predominantly in neuropsychology, perhaps sometime in the near future scientists will be able to fully understand this illness and find a successful and permanent cure for it.

Concepts And Definitions Of Disability Essay

The contemporary conception of disability proposed in the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) views disability as an umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. Disability is the interaction between individuals with a health condition (e.g. cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or depression) and personal and environmental factors (e.g. negative attitudes, inaccessible transportation, or limited social supports). Long ago there was great confusion over the meaning of terms such as impairment, handicap, or disability. Then, in 1980, the WHO provided great service by offering a clear way of thinking about it all in a little book called â€Å"International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps†. All these terms refer to the consequences of disease, but consider the consequences at different levels. The disease produces some form of pathology, and then the individual may become aware of th is: they experience symptoms. Later, the performance or behaviour of the person may be affected, and because of this the person may suffer consequences such as being unable to work. In this general scenario, Impairment was defined as â€Å"any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function.† Impairment is a deviation from normal organ function; it may be visible or invisible (screening tests generally seek to identify impairments). Disability was defined as â€Å"any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.† Impairment does not necessarily lead to a disability, for the impairment may be corrected. I am, for example, wearing eye glasses, but do not perceive that any disability arises from my impaired vision. A disability refers to the function of the individual (rather than of an organ, as with impairment). In turn, Handicap was defined as â€Å"a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, and social and cultural factors) for that individual.† Handicap considers the person’s participation in their social context. For example, if there is a wheel-chair access ramp at work, a disabled person may not be handicapped in coming to work there. Here are some examples: Impairment – Speech production; Disability – Speaking clearly enough to be understood; Handicap – Communication I – Hearing; D – Understanding; H – Communication I – Vision; D – Seeing; H – Orientation I – Motor control, balance, joint stiffness; D – Dressing, feeding, walking; H – Independence, mobility I – Affective, cognitive limitations; D – Behaving, interacting, supporting; H – Social interaction, reasonableness Here is a diagram that suggests possible parallels between the impairment, disability & handicap triad, and the disease, illness and sickness triad. (The squiggly arrows are intended to indicate a rough correspondence) â€Å"Patients do not come to their physicians to find out what ICD code they have, they come to get help for what is bothering them.† A Positive Perspective? Quality of Life and the International Classification of Function The focus on disability takes a somewhat negative approach to health, perhaps not unreasonable since doctors are supposed to cure diseases. But starting in the 1980s clinicians began to set goals to achieve when the disease could not be cured, beyong merely controlling symptoms. The notion of Quality of Life gained prominence as a way to emphasize a positive perspective on health – health as a capacity to function and to live, even if the patient has a chronic condition. A central aim of care was to enhance the quality of the patient’s function, and hence their ability to life as normal a life as possible, even if the disorder could not be cured. This notion was a further extension of handicap, covering maintenance of normal function, but adding psychological well-being and, if possible, positive feelings of engagement. Measurements of quality of life extend the disability focus beyond the ability to perform â€Å"activities of daily living† to include a broad range of functioning (work, home, play) and also the person’s feelings of satisfaction and well-being. This is necessarily a qualitative and subjective concept, judged by the patient in terms of the extent to which they are able to do the things they wish to do. In this medical context, quality of life is distinct from wealth or possessions, and to amke this clear you may see the term â€Å"health-related quality of life.† Reflecting these evolving ideas, the WHO revised its  Impairment, Disability and Handicap triad in 2001, re-naming it the International Classification of Function (ICF). This classification system provides codes for the complete range of functional states; codes cover body structures and functions, impairments, activities and participation in society. The ICF also considers contextual factors that may influence activity levels, so function is viewed as an interaction between health conditions (a disease or injury) and the context in which the person lives (both physical environment and cultural norms relevant to the disease). It establishes a common language for describing functional states that can be used in comparing across diseases and countries. The ICF therefore uses positive language, so that â€Å"activity† and â€Å"participation† replace â€Å"disability† and â€Å"handicap.† The ICF is described on the WHO web site. Impairment, Disability and Handicap Sheena L. Carter, Ph.D. The words â€Å"impairment,† â€Å"disability,† and â€Å"handicap,† are often used interchangeably. They have very different meanings, however. The differences in meaning are important for understanding the effects of neurological injury on development. The most commonly cited definitions are those provided by the World Health Organization (1980) in The International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps: Impairment: any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function. Disability: any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. Handicap: a disadvantage for a given individual that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal As traditionally used, impairment refers to a problem with a structure or  organ of the body; disability is a functional limitation with regard to a particular activity; and handicap refers to a disadvantage in filling a role in life relative to a peer group. Examples to illustrate the differences among the terms â€Å"impairment,† â€Å"disability,† and â€Å"handicap.† 1. CP example: David is a 4-yr.-old who has a form of cerebral palsy (CP) called spastic diplegia. David’s CP causes his legs to be stiff, tight, and difficult to move. He cannot stand or walk. Impairment: The inability to move the legs easily at the joints and inability to bear weight on the feet is an impairment. Without orthotics and surgery to release abnormally contracted muscles, David’s level of impairment may increase as imbalanced muscle contraction over a period of time can cause hip dislocation and deformed bone growth. No treatment may be currently available to lessen David’s impairment. Disability: David’s inability to walk is a disability. His level of disability can be improved with physical therapy and special equipment. For example, if he learns to use a walker, with braces, his level of disability will improve considerably. Handicap: David’s cerebral palsy is handicapping to the extent that it prevents him from fulfilling a normal role at home, in preschool, and in the community. His level of handicap has been only very mild in the early years as he has been well-supported to be able to play with other children, interact normally with family members and participate fully in family and community activities. As he gets older, his handicap will increase where certain sports and physical activities are considered â€Å"normal† activities for children of the same age. He has little handicap in his preschool classroom, though he needs some assistance to move about the classroom and from one activity to another outside the classroom. Appropriate services and equipment can reduce the extent to which cerebral palsy prevents David from fulfilling a normal role in the home, school and community as he grows. 2. LD example: Cindy is an 8-year-old who has extreme difficulty with reading (severe dyslexia). She has good vision and hearing and scores well on tests of intelligence. She went to an excellent preschool and several different special reading programs have been tried since early in kindergarten. Impairment: While no brain injury or malformation has been identified, some impairment is presumed to exist in how Cindy’s brain puts together visual and auditory information. The impairment may be inability to associate sounds with symbols, for example. Disability: In Cindy’s case, the inability to read is a disability. The disability can probably be improved by trying different teaching methods and using those that seem most effective with Cindy. If the impairment can be explained, it may be possible to dramatically improve the disability by using a method of teaching that does not require skills that are impaired (That is, if the difficulty involves learning sounds for letters, a sight-reading approach can improve her level of disability). Handicap: Cindy already experiences a handicap as compared with other children in her class at school, and she may fail third grade. Her condition will become more handicapping as she gets older if an effective approach is not found to improve her reading or to teach her to compensate for her reading difficulties. Even if the level of disability stays severe (that is, she never learns to read well), this will be less handicapping if she learns to tape lectures and â€Å"read† books on audiotapes. Using such approaches, even in elementary school, can prevent her reading disability from interfering with her progress in other academic areas (increasing her handicap). Gale Encyclopedia of Education: History of Special Education Top Home > Library > History, Politics & Society > Education Encyclopedia Special education, as its name suggests, is a specialized branch of education. Claiming lineage to such persons as Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard (1775 – 1838), the physician who â€Å"tamed† the â€Å"wild boy of Aveyron,† and Anne Sullivan Macy (1866 – 1936), the teacher who â€Å"worked miracles† with Helen Keller, special educators teach those students who have physical, cognitive, language, learning, sensory, and/or emotional abilities that deviate from those of the general population. Special educators provide instruction specifically tailored to meet individualized needs, making education available to students who otherwise would have limited access to education. In 2001, special education in the United States was serving over five million students. Although federally mandated special education is relatively new in the United States, students with disabilities have been present in every era and in every society. Historical records have consistently documented the most severe disabilities – those that transcend task and setting. Itard’s description of the wild boy of Aveyron documents a variety of behaviors consistent with both mental retardation and behavioral disorders. Nineteenth-century reports of deviant behavior describe conditions that could easily be interpreted as severe mental retardation, autism, or schizophrenia. Milder forms of disability became apparent only after the advent of universal public education. When literacy became a goal for all children, teachers began observing disabilities specific to task and setting – that is, less severe disabilities. After decades of research and legislation, special education now provides services to students with varying degrees and forms of disabilities, including mental retardation, emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, speech-language (communication) disabilities, impaired hearing and deafness, low vision and blindness, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, and severe and multiple disabilities. Development of the Field of Special Education At its inception in the early nineteenth century, leaders of social change set out to cure many ills of society. Physicians and clergy, including Itard, Edouard O. Seguin (1812 – 1880), Samuel Gridley Howe (1801 – 1876), and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (1787 – 1851), wanted to ameliorate the neglectful, often abusive treatment of individuals with disabilities. A rich  literature describes the treatment provided to individuals with disabilities in the 1800s: They were often confined in jails and almshouses without decent food, clothing, personal hygiene, and exercise. During much of the nineteenth century, and early in the twentieth, professionals believed individuals with disabilities were best treated in residential facilities in rural environments. Advocates of these institutions argued that environmental conditions such as urban poverty and vices induced behavioral problems. Reformers such as Dorothea Dix (1802 – 1887) prevailed upon state governments to provide funds for bigger and more specialized institutions. These facilities focused more on a particular disability, such as mental retardation, then known as â€Å"feeble-mindedness† or â€Å"idiocy†; mental illness, then labeled â€Å"insanity† or â€Å"madness†; sensory impairment such as deafness or blindness; and behavioral disorders such as criminality and juvenile delinquency. Children who were judged to be delinquent or aggressive, but not insane, were sent to houses ofrefuge or reform schools, whereas children and adults judged to be â€Å"mad† were admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Dix and her followers believed that institutionalization of individuals with disabilities would end their abuse (confinement without treatment in jails and poorhouses) and provide effective treatment. Moral treatment was the dominant approach of the early nineteenth century in psychiatric hospitals, the aim being cure. Moral treatment employed methods analogous to today’s occupational therapy, systematic instruction, and positive reinforcement. Evidence suggests this approach was humane and effective in some cases, but the treatment was generally abandoned by the late nineteenth century, due largely to the failure of moral therapists to train others in their techniques and the rise of the belief that mental illness was always a result of brain disease. By the e nd of the nineteenth century, pessimism about cure and emphasis on physiological causes led to a change in orientation that would later bring about the â€Å"warehouse-like† institutions that have become a symbol for abuse and neglect of society’s most vulnerable citizens. The practice of moral treatment was replaced by the belief that most disabilities were incurable. This led to keeping individuals with disabilities ininstitutions both for their own protection and for the betterment of society. Although the transformation took many years, by the end of the nineteenth century the size of institutions had increased so  dramatically that the goal of rehabilitation was no longer possible. Institutions became instruments for permanent segregation. Many special education professionals became critics of institutions. Howe, one of the first to argue for in stitutions for people with disabilities, began advocating placing out residents into families. Unfortunately this practice became a logistical and pragmatic problem before it could become a viable alternative to institutionalization. At the close of the nineteenth century, state governments established juvenile courts and social welfare programs, including foster homes, for children and adolescents. The child study movement became prominent in the early twentieth century. Using the approach pioneered by G. Stanley Hall (1844 – 1924; considered the founder of child psychology), researchers attempted to study child development scientifically in relation to education and in so doing established a place for psychology within public schools. In 1931, the Bradley Home, the first psychiatric hospital for children in the United States, was established in East Providence, Rhode Island. The treatment offered in this hospital, as well as most of the other hospitals of the early twentieth century, was psychodynamic. Psychodynamic ideas fanned interest in the diagnosis and classification of disabili ties. In 1951 the first institution for research on exceptional children opened at the University of Illinois and began what was to become the newest focus of the field of special education: the slow learner and, eventually, what we know today as learning disability. The Development of Special Education in Institutions and Schools Although Itard failed to normalize Victor, the wild boy of Averyon, he did produce dramatic changes in Victor’s behavior through education. Modern special education practices can be traced to Itard, and his work marks the beginning of widespread attempts to instruct students with disabilities. In 1817 the first special education school in the United States, the American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb (now called the American School for the Deaf), was established in Hartford, Connecticut, by Gallaudet. By the middle of the nineteenth century, special educational programs were being provided in many asylums. Education was a prominent part of moral therapy. By the close of the nineteenth century, special classes within regular public schools had been launched in major cities. These special classes were initially established for immigrant students who were  not proficient in English a nd students who had mild mental retardation or behavioral disorders. Descriptions of these children included terms such as steamer children, backward, truant, and incorrigible. Procedures for identifying â€Å"defectives† were included in the World’s Fair of 1904. By the 1920s special classes for students judged unsuitable for regular classes had become common in major cities. In 1840 Rhode Island passed a law mandating compulsory education for children, but not all states had compulsory education until 1918. With compulsory schooling and the swelling tide of anti-institution sentiment in the twentieth century, many children with disabilities were moved out of institutional settings and into public schools. However, by the mid-twentieth century children with disabilities were still often excluded from public schools and kept at home if not institutionalized. In order to respond to the new population of students with special needs entering schools, school officials created still more special classes in public schools. The number of specia l classes and complementary support services (assistance given to teachers in managing behavior and learning problems) increased dramatically after World War II. During the early 1900s there was also an increased attention to mental health and a consequent interest in establishing child guidance clinics. By 1930 child guidance clinics and counseling services were relatively common features of major cities, and by 1950 special education had become an identifiable part of urban public education in nearly every school district. By 1960 special educators were instructing their students in a continuum of settings that included hospital schools for those with the most severe disabilities, specialized day schools for students with severe disabilities who were able to live at home, and special classes in regular public schools for students whose disabilities could be managed in small groups. During this period special educators also began to take on the role of consultant, assisting other teachers in instructing students with disabilities. Thus, by 1970 the field of special education was offering a variety of educational placements to students with varying disabilities and needs; however, public schools were not yet required to educate all students regardless of their disabilities. During the middle decades of the twentieth century, instruction of children with disabilities often was based on process training – which involves attempts to improve children’s academic  performance by teaching them cognitive or motor processes, such as perceptualmotor skills, visual memory, auditory memory, or auditory-vocal processing. These are ancient ideas that found twentieth-century proponents. Process training enthusiasts taught children various perceptual skills (e.g., identifying different sounds or objects by touch) or perceptual motor skills (e.g., balancing) with the notion that fluency in these skills would generalize to reading, writing, arithmetic, and other basic academic tasks. After many years of research, however, such training was shown not to be effective in improving academic skills. Many of these same ideas were recycled in the late twentieth century as learning styles, multiple intelligences, and other notions that the underlying process of learning varies with gender, ethnicity, or other physiological differences. None of these theories has found much support in reliable research, although direct instruction, mnemonic (memory) devices, and a few other instructional strategies have been supported reliably by research. The History of Legislation in Special Education Although many contend that special education was born with the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) in 1975, it is clear that special educators were beginning to respond to the needs of children with disabilities in public schools nearly a century earlier. It is also clear that EAHCA did not spring from a vacuum. This landmark law naturally evolved from events in both special education and the larger society and came about in large part due to the work of grass roots organizations composed of both parents and professionals. These groups dated back to the 1870s, when the American Association of Instructors of the Blind and the American Association on Mental Deficiency (the latter is now the American Association on Mental Retardation) were formed. In 1922 the Council for Exceptional Children, now the major professional organization of special educators, was organized. In the 1930s and 1940s parent groups began to band together on a national level. These groups worked to make changes in their own communities and, consequently, set the stage for changes on a national level. Two of the most influential parent advocacy groups were the National Association for Retarded Citizens (now ARC/USA), organized in 1950, and the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, organized in 1963. Throughout the first  half of the twentieth century, advocacy groups were securing local ordinances that would protect and serve individuals with disabilities in their communities. For example, in 1930, in Peoria, Illinois, the first white cane ordinance gave individuals with blindness the right-of-way when crossing the street. By mid-century all states had legislation providing for education of students with disabilities. However, legislation was still noncompulsory. In the late 1950s federal money was allocated for educating children with disabilities and for the training of special educators. Thus the federal government became formally involved in research and in training special education professionals, but limited its involvement to these functions until the 1970s. In 1971, this support was reinforced and extended to the state level when the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) filed a class action suit against their Commonwealth. This suit, resolved by consent agreement, specified that all children age six through twenty-one were to be provided free public education in the least restrictive alternative (LRA, which would later become the least restrictive environment [LRE] clause in EAHCA). In 1973 the Rehabilitation Act prohibited discriminatory practices in programs receiving federal financial assistance but imposed no affirmative obligations with respect to special education. In 1975 the legal action begun under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations resulted in EAHCA, which was signed into law by President Gerald Ford. EAHCA reached full implementation in 1977 and required school districts to provide free and appropriate education to all of their students with disabilities. In return for federal funding, each state was to ensure that students with disabilities received non-discriminatory testing, evaluation, and placement; the right to due process; education in the least restrictive environment; and a fre e and appropriate education. The centerpiece of this public law (known since 1990 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA) was, and is, a free appropriate public education (FAPE). To ensure FAPE, the law mandated that each student receiving special education receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Under EAHCA, students with identified disabilities were to receive FAPE and an IEP that included relevant instructional goals and objectives, specifications as to length of school year, determination of the most appropriate educational placement, and descriptions of criteria to be used  in evaluation and measurement. The IEP was designed to ensure that all students with disabilities received educational programs specific to their â€Å"unique† needs. Thus, the education of students with disabilities became federally controlled. In the 1982 case of Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified the level of services to be afforded students with special needs and ruled that special education services need only provide some â€Å"educational benefit† to students – public schools were not required to maximize the educational progress of students with disabilities. In so doing the Supreme Court further defined what was meant by a free and appropriate education. In 1990 EAHCA was amended to include a change to person-first language, replacing the term handicapped student with student with disabilities. The 1990 amendments also added new classification categories for students with autism and traumatic brain injury and transition plans within IEPs for students age fourteen or older. In 1997, IDEA was reauthorized under President Clinton and amended to require the inclusion of students with disabilities in statewide and districtwide assessments, measurable IEP goals and objectives, and functional behavioral assessment and behavior intervention plans for students with emotional or behavioral needs. Because IDEA is amended and reauthorized every few years, it is impossible to predict the future of this law. It is possible that it will be repealed or altered dramatically by a future Congress. The special education story, both past and future, can be written in many different ways.