Sample Quality Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sample Quality - Article Example It lowers the cost of carrying out a research, enables faster collection of data, improves the quality of the data, and ensures homogeneity and accuracy of results. This paper will analyze sample quality in the listed articles. In doing this, paper will seek to define the population in each case and quote the sampling method used. It will also explain the choice of the sample and state who participated in the study. It will equally seek to qualify the research to other populations. In deducing, the sampling method used, it will be necessary to define the various sampling methods that we have. Random sampling involves the random selection of sample from the population. In cluster sampling, selection of samples is in clusters close to each other like households in the same estate. Quota sampling involves selection of samples nonrandom according to a fixed quota. Snowball sampling involves the identifying of samples that meet the criteria for inclusion in a study. Purposive sampling involves sampling with a  purpose  in mind.  Availability sampling involves using just the available samples (Trochim Web). In the article by Scott et.al, the population was all Canadian elderly patients with anxiety disorders and clinically significant anxiety symptoms. Quota sampling method selected a sample of 36,984 adults aged 55 years and above who participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2008. The selection of the people in the sample was because they suitably represented the target population.  The actual participants in the study were 12,792 individuals, living in Canada (Scott et.al 792). The researchers cannot generalize it to other populations because the analysis focused on adults aged 55 years and above which are usually the minority in any society. In the Yang et.al study, population was all adolescents 6 months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. Quota sampling selected a sample of 2,463 middle schools and grade 10 students. Their selection was

Hydropower plants Essay Example for Free

Hydropower plants Essay Introduction In this paper I’m going to investigate the characteristics features of the hydropower as one of the potential alternative key energy source. I will discuss advantages and disadvantages of hydropower plans and compare them with the traditional means of energy production. I will also discuss the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the hydropower plants and investigate their application on the example of the hydropower plants in China and Argentina. I will also touch the topic of legal regulation of the hydropower plants construction and operation. Notion of Hydropower 1. 1. Definition of hydroelectricity The main focus of this paper is hydroelectricity, which can be briefly defined as electricity produced by hydropower. This is a quite potential source of electricity in the contemporary world, which now provides round 715,000 MWe, which constitute about 19% of world electricity . I’m mainly concerned with the advantages and disadvantages of the hydroelectricity, which are the main factors determining the future development of this source of energy. First, let us determine the main advantages of hydroelectricity. 1. 2. Historic facts about the oldest hydropower stations Hydropower can be considered as one of the oldest and one of the most powerful and perspective means of electric power generation. Among the most famous oldest hydro-electric power stations the following can be listed: Cragside, located in Rothbury, England, which was constructed in 1870, Appleton, situated in Wisconsin, USA built in 1882, Niagara Falls in New York completed in 1895, Duck Reach, located in Launceston, Tasmania, operating since 1895, Decew Falls 1, situated in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, which began its work in 1898 . 1. 3. Advantages of hydroelectricity This first aspect to be discussed in this section is the connection between hydroelectricity and economics. Among the main advantages of hydroelectricity is that it eliminates of the cost of fuel. Thus, the cost of the operation of hydroelectric plants is quite low if compared with other means of electricity production. This is particularly important now when the price of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas or coal constantly grows. Hydropower plants do not require the use of fuel . The other economic value of the hydroelectric plants is that they tend to operate much longer than fuel-fired plants. Thus, the usual operation time of the hydroelectric plants is 50 or even up to 100 years ago. Besides, hydroelectric power plants involve fewer personnel due to the fact that they are highly automated. This leads to the reduction of the expenses associated with the high labor cost . Construction of the hydropower plant is particularly justified in the places where a dam has multiple purposes. For example, it was estimated that the construction costs of the Three Gorges Dam will be covered by the electricity sold in just 5 7 years of full generation . The other possible economic benefit of hydroelectric plants is that they can create other activities. For example, well-considered hydroelectric schemes can create picturesque water sports, which draw attention of tourists and become the additional source of revenue. Quite many countries resort to the use of reservoirs for fish farming . Besides, some dams can be used for many purposes. Thus, dams used primarily for irrigation may also serve the source of the constant water supply, which is beneficial for fish farming. The other positive moment of large hydro dams is their ability to control floods. Thus, they are beneficial for the people living downstream of the project. In some cases dams are proved to improve transportation through creation of large reservoirs and elimination of rapids . Further, I would like to discuss the connection between the operation of the hydropower plants and greenhouse gas emissions. On the one hand there is no obvious emission of the carbon dioxide from the hydropower station due to the fact that is doesn’t use fossil fuel, which eliminates this gas in the process of burning. To be fair enough it should be mentioned that still some amount of carbon dioxide, which is eliminated in the process of construction of the hydropower plant, but this is quite unessential amount if compared with the fossil-fuel electricity generation . Still hydropower plants cannot be counted completely safe to the environment and further I will discuss the possible sources of emissions and threats. 1. 4. Disadvantages of hydroelectricity First possible threat of the hydropower plant is that it can have a disruptive effect on the aquatic ecosystems. There are several examples of such harmful influence. Thus, dams at the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America are proven to be the main cause of the reduction of the population of salmon due to the fact that these dams serve a barrier on the salmon way to the spawning grounds upstream. Even construction of fish ladders in salmon habitat seems not to improve the situation . Dams also prevent salmon to migrate to the sea as the fish has to pass through numerous turbines on its way. One of the possible ways out of this situation is the transportation of smolt downstream with the help of by barges. There are still many researches, which focus on the elimination of the harmful effect of the hydropower plants on the aquatic life . The other negative influence of the hydropower plants is their ability to change the downstream river environment. Hydropower plants can have a disruptive effect on the river beds and even lead to the loss of riverbanks due to fact that water exiting a turbine for the most part has a very little suspended sediment. As an example we can view the influence of Glen Canyon Dam, which is proven to contribute to the erosion of sand bars of the Grand Canyon through constant cyclic flow variation . Hydropower plant can also affect the surrounding aquatic live through changing the usual amount of dissolved oxygen in the river. Other possible threats may be attributed to the lower temperature of water exiting from turbines. This can be fatal to some aquatic faunal species. One of the most disruptive effects can be produced by the hydropower projects, which make use of the canals in order to divert a river at a shallower level to increase the head of the scheme. Sometimes this may lead to the complete change of the flow of the river and drying of the old riverbed, like in case of the Tekapo and Pukaki Rivers . However, it should be mentioned that dams of the hydropower plants can affect not only aquatic life. They can also produce a harmful effect on birds. As the possible example of this I can name the influence of dams of the Platte River in Nebraska on the Piping Plover and Sandhill Crane, which are now seriously endangered . As it was discussed above hydropower plants do not typically serve a main contributor of the greenhouse effect. However, it should be mentioned that sometimes reservoirs of hydropower plants particularly in tropical regions may be a source of methane and carbon dioxide emission. This happens because of the decay of the plant material, which involves the creation of methane, one of the main producers of the greenhouse effect. A research conducted by the World Commission on Dams, showed that in cases when the reservoir is large in comparison with the generating capacity of the plant and when there was no prior clearing of the forests, methane emission may be even higher than that of the oil-fired thermal generation plant . However, it should be mentioned that this is true only for the tropical climate. In moderate climate conditions of Canada and Northern Europe the emission of greenhouse gas is not essential and typically constitutes not more than 2 to 8 % of emissions of conventional thermal generation. Numerous contemporary researches focus on the mitigation of the forest decay effect through underwater logging operation . One more disadvantage of hydropower plants operating on large dams is associated with the relocation of the population living on the areas, where the reservoirs are constructed. Although for the most part people get compensation for this forceful relocation, no one can actually estimate spiritual and moral damage caused to the people, who have to leave the places, where their ancestors lived. In extreme cases unwise planning may lead to the loss of the valuable cultural and historic sites as this happened during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China, the Clyde Dam in New Zealand and the Il? su Dam in Southeastern Turkey . Finally, I’d like to discuss one of the most serious potential threats of the hydropower plants operating on large dams. Although quite rare, dam failures can be considered very dangerous and can be compared with the natural disasters. Let us only take a look at the case of the Banqiao Dam failure in China, with caused the death of 171,000 people. Millions of people became homeless. Large dams can be viewed as a weak point in war times as they quite often become a target of enemy bombardment, sabotage and terrorist actions . Besides it should be mentioned that construction of the dam should be carefully considered from the geological point of view. Otherwise it can possibly lead to such disasters as the one happened in case of the Vajont Dam in Italy in 1963, which lead to deaths of 2000 people . Hydroelectric power is one of the oldest and one of the most popular sources of energy, which is considered to have a great future. This is partially due to the fact that it is viewed as a source of renewable energy and it is very valuable in the places with an adequate water source. The main advantage of the hydropower plants is that they give relatively cheap electricity without any visible threat to environment such as waste byproducts and air emissions. Furthermore, hydropower plants are considered as an alternative to other electric plans due to the fact that its product – water – is not consumed in the process of electricity production and is subjected to reuse, which is not possible in many other electricity production processes such as ones using for example fossil fuels . On the other side hydropower has not only positive sides. Among its disadvantages many researchers list negative impact of the hydropower plants on the surrounding area. Hydropower plants operate on the reservoir, which are quite often artificially-made by flooding valleys. Quite often this process involves flooding of places, which used to have towns, farmland or places of interests. Besides, new reservoirs tend to destroy the natural habitats of aquatic life and fish places . But on the other side the same reservoirs create the new conditions, which can be a new habitat for a new aquatic life. Other possible threat is that hydropower operations using run-of-the-river dams are sure to impede the natural process if fish mitigation. This is particularly dangerous to salmon. One of the possible examples of this is problems of Pacific salmon mitigation created by the numerous large dams in the Columbia River Basin . Because of all this concerns the United States do not make emphasis on the hydropower as its main source of electricity production even due to the fact that its natural resources are quite favorable for its development. Thus, we can see that only some 2,400 of the 80,000 dams in the country are used for production of hydroelectric power. Authorities claim that construction of a new hydroelectric power plant is quit costly, but the main fact is that such construction needs much water and land, which could be used for other purposes . Besides, development of the hydropower plants in the USA is impeded by the raising environmental concerns of the public. However, this doesn’t mean that the USA will completely refuse to use hydropower as the possible source of energy. Among the possible future trends, named by the U. S. Geological Survey is the development of the small-scale hydropower plants, which can be used by single communities to generate electricity . 1. 5. Hydropower in comparison with other methods of power generation In order to realize the strengths and weaknesses of the hydropower it is very valuable to compare it with other methods of power generation. As compared with fossil-fuel generated power plants, hydroelectricity eliminates the flue gas emissions. These emissions include such environmental dangerous components as dust, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and mercury . In comparison with the nuclear power plants, hydroelectric plants are not that powerful. However, they do not present such danger to people and do not serve the source of the nuclear waste. Besides, hydroelectric plants produce electric power with the help of water, which is a renewable energy source, in contrast with uranium . Hydroelectric power plans are also seem an advantage if compared with wind farms. This is mainly due to the fact that they are more reliable and predictable. Wind is a natural factor, which can be subjected to changes, while hydropower plants with a storage reservoir are completely reliable and able to generate power when needed even in case of low water level and rainfalls. Besides, unlike wind farms hydroelectric plants are more easily operated and regulated corresponding to changes in power demand . On the other hand hydropower plants have also some disadvantages if compared with other ways of power production. Thus, we can see that construction of fossil-fueled combustion turbines does not require any specific preliminary studies, while in order to construct an environmentally-friendly hydroelectric plant researchers should carefully conduct site, hydrological studies, and environmental and social impact assessment. In the majority of cases these studies require deep analysis of data up to 50 years old . One more disadvantage of the hydropower plants is their dependence on the level of water. Thus, in case of low rainfall or snowmelt generation of hydroelectricity can be significantly lower. However, as it was mentioned before there exist numerous ways to ensure sufficient power production even in low water years . 1. 6. Hydroelectric power production in the world In order to realize the capacity and the potential of hydroelectric power plants, let’s compare the data of the following table, representing the characteristics of hydroelectric power production in the countries with the most hydro-electric capacity. Country Annual Hydroelectric Energy Production(TWh) Installed Capacity (GW) Load Factor Peoples Republic of China [8] 416. 7 128. 57 0. 37 Canada 350. 3 68. 974 0. 59 Brazil 349. 9 69. 080 0. 56 USA 291. 2 79. 511 0. 42 Russia 157. 1 45. 000 0. 42 Norway 119. 8 27. 528 0. 49 India 112. 4 33. 600 0. 43 Japan 95. 0 27. 229 0. 37 Sweden 61. 8 France 61. 5 25. 335 0. 25 Sources: BP Annual Report, 2006.

Reality in Fenimore Coopers The Pioneers :: Cooper Pioneers Essays

Reality in Fenimore Cooper's The Pioneers Looking back on the mountain-view that was described as the main character's of Fenimore Cooper's The Pioneers caught sight of Templeton, their hometown, in the distance, Elizabeth, the primary female character, "felt as if all the loveliness of the mountain-view had vanished like the fancies of a dream" (59). While it may be true that during the moments that Elizabeth looked down on the scene, the scene was her reality, this reality was not an accurate portrayal of the town itself†¹the point of Elizabeth's comment. For both Elizabeth and the reader (through Cooper) in the mountain-view the reality of objects was forgotten because no detail was available from the distance at which the party stood. Once the reality was forgotten each of the objects took on qualities not implicit in the object itself. That is, the objects and the scene were idealized. Both Cooper and Elizabeth, then, seemed to take part in the "action of inventing imaginary states of things," the Oxford English D ictionary's definition for fiction. The most significant precursor to this fictive account is the change in scale of that occurs. Before the description of the mountain-view commenced Cooper tells of the horses pulling the parties sleigh: "The horses soon reached a point, where they seemed to know by instinct that the journey was nearly ended, and, bearing in the bits, as they nodded their heads, they rapidly drew the sleigh over the level land." The details of the horses movements explain the senses of the riders and the reality of the situation. Sleighs viewed during the description of the mountain-view, however, are no more than "a few dark and moving spots." This change in scale obscures all details in the objects being observed. A moment later the "habitations of man" are also called "spots of white . . . amidst the forest." Even when closer scrutiny is given to less distant "habitations," only the color is mentioned. In this scene few details of the objects that comprise the scene are given, instead the objects t hemselves are the details. There is nothing in this lack of details that is fictional, or inventive in itself. But once the details are gone Cooper is not tied down by actual elements of the objects when giving them further meaning. Cooper's primary method of ascribing further meaning to the objects is through anthropomorphism. A tree

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Five

The sun was way too bright. Bonnie shielded her eyes with one hand and glanced anxiously around as she walked across the quad toward the bookstore. It had taken her a long time to fal asleep after getting back to their room the night before. What if some crazy person was stalking the campus? It's broad daylight, she told herself. There are people everywhere. I have nothing to be afraid of. But bad things could happen during the day, too. Girls got lured into cars by horrible men, or hit over the head and taken to dark places. Monsters didn't just lurk in the night. After al , she knew several vampires who strol ed around during the day al the time. Damon and Stefan didn't scare her, not anymore, but there were other daytime monsters. I just want to feel safe for once, she thought wistful y. She was coming up on the area the police had been searching the night before, stil blocked off with yel ow tape. Students were standing nearby in groups of two or three, talking in low voices. Bonnie spied a reddish-brown stain across the path that she thought might be blood, and she walked faster as she passed it. There was a rustling in the bushes. Bonnie sped up even more, picturing a wild-eyed attacker hiding in the undergrowth, and glanced around nervously. No one was looking in her direction. Would they help her if she screamed? She risked another look back at the bush – should she just take off running? – and stopped, embarrassed by the furious thumping of her heart. A cute little squirrel hopped hesitantly from under the branches. It sniffed the air, then dashed across the path and up a tree behind the police tape. â€Å"Honestly, Bonnie McCul ough, you're a moron,† Bonnie muttered to herself. A guy passing her in the other direction overheard her and snickered, making Bonnie blush furiously. By the time she got to the bookstore, she'd gotten her blushing under control. Having the typical redhead's complexion was a pain – everything she felt was broadcast by the flush or paleness of her skin. With any luck, though, she'd be able to handle a simple trip to buy books without humiliating herself. Bonnie had started getting acquainted with the bookstore when she'd had her shopping spree yesterday, but she hadn't real y investigated the book side of the store. Today, though, she had the book list for the classes she'd registered for, and she needed to stock up for some serious studying. She'd never been a huge fan of school, but maybe col ege would be different. With a resolute squaring of her shoulders, she turned determinedly away from the shiny stuff and toward the textbooks. The book lists were awful y long, though. She found the fat Intro to Psychology textbook with a sense of satisfaction: this would definitely give her the terminology to diagnose her friends. The freshman English seminar she was assigned to covered a slew of novels, so she wandered through the fiction section, pul ing The Red and the Black, Oliver Twist, and The Age of Innocence off the shelves as she passed. She rounded a corner in search of the rest of the Ws, intent on adding To the Lighthouse to her growing stack of books, and froze. Zander. Beautiful, beautiful Zander was draped graceful y next to a bookshelf, his white-blond head bent over a book. He hadn't seen her yet, so Bonnie immediately ducked back into the previous aisle. She leaned against the wal , breathing hard. She could feel her cheeks heating up again, that awful tel tale blush. Careful y, she peeked back around the corner. He hadn't noticed her; he was stil reading intently. He was wearing a gray T-shirt today, and his soft-looking hair curled a bit at the nape of his neck. His face looked sort of sad with those gorgeous blue eyes hidden beneath his long lashes and no sign of that fabulous smile. There were dark shadows under his eyes. Bonnie's first instinct was to sneak away. She could wait and find the Virginia Woolf book tomorrow; it wasn't like she was going to read it today. She real y didn't want Zander to think she was stalking him. It would be better if he saw her somewhere, when she wasn't paying attention. If he approached her, she'd know he was interested. After al , maybe he wasn't interested in Bonnie. He'd been kind of flirtatious when he'd run into her, but he'd nearly knocked her down. What if he was just being friendly? What if he didn't even remember Bonnie? Nope, better to take off this time and wait til she was better prepared. She wasn't even wearing eyeliner, for heaven's sake. Making up her mind, Bonnie turned firmly away. But, on the other hand†¦ Bonnie hesitated. There'd been a connection between them, hadn't there? She'd felt something when her eyes met his. And he'd smiled at her like he was real y seeing her, past the fluff and fluster. And what about the resolution she'd made the day before, walking to her dorm from this very same bookstore? If she was going to become a terrific, confident, stepping-out-of-the-shadows kind of person, she couldn't run away every time she saw a boy she liked. Bonnie had always admired the way that Elena managed to get what she wanted. Elena just went after it and nothing got in her way. When Stefan had first come to Fel ‘s Church, he hadn't wanted anything to do with Elena, certainly not to fal into her arms and start some kind of amazing eternal romance. But Elena hadn't cared. She was going to have Stefan, even if it kil ed her. And, Well, it had kil ed her, hadn't it? Bonnie shivered. Bonnie shook her head a little. The point was, if you wanted to find love, you couldn't be afraid of trying, could you? She stuck her chin determinedly into the air. At least she wasn't blushing anymore. Her cheeks were so cold, she was probably as white as a snowwoman, but she definitely wasn't blushing. So that was something. Before she could change her mind again, she walked quickly around the corner back into the aisle where Zander stood reading. â€Å"Hi!† she said, her voice squeaking a tiny bit. â€Å"Zander!† He looked up, and that amazing, beautiful smile spread across his face. â€Å"Bonnie!† he said enthusiastical y. â€Å"Hey, I'm real y glad to see you. I was thinking about you earlier.† â€Å"You were?† Bonnie asked, and immediately wanted to kick herself at how overly enthusiastic she sounded. â€Å"Yeah,† he said softly. â€Å"I was.† His sky-blue eyes held hers. â€Å"I was wishing I'd gotten your phone number.† â€Å"You were?† Bonnie asked again, and this time didn't even worry about how she sounded. â€Å"Sure,† he said. He scuffed his feet against the carpet, like he was a little nervous, and a warmth blossomed inside Bonnie. He was nervous talking to her! â€Å"I was thinking,† Zander went on, â€Å"maybe we could do something sometime. I mean, if you wanted to.† â€Å"Oh,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I mean, yes! I would want to. If you did.† Zander smiled again, and it was as if their little corner of the fiction section was lit up with a glowing light. Bonnie had to keep herself from staggering backward, he was so gorgeous. â€Å"How about this weekend?† Zander asked, and Bonnie, feeling suddenly as light and buoyant as though she could float up into the air, smiled back. Meredith stepped her left foot behind her and raised her right heel, moving into a back stance as she brought her hands up sharply, fists together, in a blocking move. Then she slid her foot sideways into a front stance and punched forward with the fist of her left hand. She loved running through a taekwondo form. Each movement was choreographed, and the only thing to do was to practice over and over until the whole form flowed in a model of precision, grace, and control. Taekwondo forms were perfectible, and Meredith enjoyed perfection. The most glorious thing about them was that once she knew her forms so Wellthat they were as natural as breathing, she could be ready for anything. In a fight, she would be able to sense what her opponent's next move would be and counter with a block or a kick or a punch without even thinking. She turned swiftly, blocked high with her right hand and low with her left. It was the preparation, Meredith knew. If she was so prepared that her body could sense what move she needed to make without her brain having to get involved, then she would be able to truly protect herself and everyone else around her. A few weeks ago, when she and her friends had been under attack from the phantom and she'd sprained her ankle, only Stefan had been left with Power enough to defend Fel ‘s Church. Stefan, a vampire. Meredith's lips tightened as she automatical y kicked forward with her right foot, slid into a tiger stance, and blocked with her left hand. She liked Stefan, and she trusted him, she real y did, but stil †¦ She could picture generation upon generation of Sulezes rol ing over in their graves, cursing her, if they knew that she had left herself and her friends so vulnerable, with only a vampire between themselves and danger. Vampires were the enemy. Not Stefan, of course. She knew, despite al her training, that she could put her faith in Stefan. Damon, on the other hand†¦ However useful Damon had been in a couple of battles, however reasonably pleasant and, frankly, out-of-character he had behaved for the last few weeks, Meredith couldn't bring herself to trust him. But if she trained hard, if she perfected herself as a warrior, Meredith wouldn't have to. She moved into a right front stance and, sharp and clean, punched forward with her right hand. â€Å"Nice punch,† said a voice behind her. Meredith turned to see a short-haired African American girl leaning against the door of the practice room, watching her. â€Å"Thanks,† said Meredith, surprised. The girl strol ed into the room. â€Å"What are you,† she asked, â€Å"a black belt?† â€Å"Yes,† Meredith said, and couldn't help adding proudly, â€Å"in taekwondo and karate.† â€Å"Hmm,† the girl said, her eyes sparkling. â€Å"I do taekwondo and aikido myself. My name's Samantha. I've been looking for a sparring partner. Interested?† Despite the casualness of her tone, Samantha was bouncing eagerly on the bal s of her feet, a mischievous smile flickering at the corners of her mouth, and Meredith's eyes narrowed. â€Å"Sure,† she said, her attitude light. â€Å"Show me what you've got.† Samantha's smile broadened. She kicked off her shoes and stepped onto the practice mat next to Meredith. They faced off, assessing each other. She was a head shorter than Meredith, thin, but wiry and sleekly muscled, and she moved as graceful y as a cat. The anticipation in the girl's eyes betrayed Samantha's belief that Meredith would be easy to beat. She was thinking that Meredith was one of those trainees who was al form and technique with no real fighting instinct. Meredith knew that kind of fighter Well, had met them often enough in competitions. If that was what Samantha thought of Meredith, she was in for a surprise. â€Å"Ready?† Samantha asked. At Meredith's nod, she immediately launched a punch while bringing the opposite-side foot around in an attempt to sweep Meredith off her feet. Meredith reacted instinctively, blocking the blow, dodging the foot, then sweeping a kick of her own, which Samantha avoided, grinning with simple pleasure. They exchanged a few more blows and kicks, and, against her wil , Meredith was impressed. This girl was fast, faster than most of the fighters Meredith had faced before, even at the black-belt level, and much stronger than she looked. She was too cocky, though, an aggressive fighter instead of a defensive one; the way she'd hurried to strike the first blow showed that. Meredith could use that cockiness against her. Samantha shifted her weight, and Meredith slid in below her defenses, giving a fast spin heel kick that hit Samantha firmly on the upper thigh. She staggered a bit, and Meredith moved out of range quickly. Samantha's face changed immediately. She was getting angry now, Meredith could tel , and that, too, was a weakness. She was frowning, her lips tight, while Meredith kept her own face purposeful y blank. Samantha's fists and feet were moving quickly, but she lost some accuracy as she sped up. Meredith pretended to fal back under the assault, feinting to keep her opponent off-balance, al owing herself to be backed toward a corner while stil blocking Samantha's blows. When she was almost cornered, she jammed her arm against Samantha's fist, stopping her before she could ful y extend her blow, and swept a foot under hers. Samantha tripped, caught by Meredith's low kick, and fel heavily to the mat. She lay there and just stared up at Meredith for a moment, face stunned, while Meredith hovered over her, suddenly uncertain. Had she hurt Samantha? Was the girl going to be angry and storm off? Then Samantha's face blossomed into a wide, glowing smile. â€Å"That was awesome!† she said. â€Å"Can you show me that move?†

Nagel, Chisholm, and Locke †Metaphysics of the Mind Essay

It is very difficult to attribute characteristics to a mind when we know it does not actually exist in the physical realm. Though, personal identity has been connected to the mind. However, it is tricky to determine what exactly comprises one’s personal identity. Although it is a difficult concept to grasp, philosophers such as Nagel and Chisholm attempt to construct their own position on the characteristics of the mind. By comparing Nagel and Chisholm’s positions on personal identity, it is evident that identity is a development of both body and mind. Nagel shows that we cannot properly identify a mind, and if this is the case then it is impossible to attribute personal identity to a mind. In turn, he attacks the idea that personal identity can be defined in terms of physical attributes. Chisholm shows that although things are constantly changing, they still remain the same. He argues that it is the mind that holds our identity, regardless of physical alteration. In my view, the physicalist perspective of identity is the most logical when contrasted to the mentalist argument simply due to the fact that we do have a self-identity, and Nagel does not attempt to define what it is. Locke’s argument finds a middle ground between Nagel and Chisholm as he argues for a conscious and bodily continuity of the mind. In order to identify the mind-body problem and argue that identity is a development of the mind, Nagel’s position must be analyzed. Firstly, when addressing the mind-body problem, Nagel states that one cannot explain the mind body relationship through logic, functions, or intentions. He argues that these states can be ascribed to robots that may indeed behave like people, however robots do not experience anything, and it is experience that influences the mind (436). Nagel’s bat analogy helps solidify his position on experience which is that no one can experience the same thing as another. He claims that; â€Å"even to form a conception of what it is Kristen Biduk 6949215 like to be a bat†¦one must take up the bat’s point of view† (442). Meaning, one must have the same thinking patterns as the other which Nagel argues is impossible. He argues that it is our consciousness which provides the mind-body problem. Although one can relate to what it is like to be a bat, it is impossible to fully comprehend it because in order to become a bat, conscious-ness must be forgotten. For that reason, one cannot know that others have a mind, but one can perceive that they do. Chisholm opens his argument with providing an analysis of the Ship of Theseus and explains that identity is transitive, meaning that it is always changing. Similarly, he uses the example of the river and how although it is the same exact river, it is given different identities based on geographical location. The identity of the river is changing. Based on his view of alteration, Chisholm suggests three possibilities for alteration and identity. Firstly, we can deny the transitivity of identity, but he proves this to be a problem. His second suggestion is that nothing alters, but this too proves to be problematic. For example, if one was to cross the border of the United States of America and the border patrol officer asked if he was the same as the person in the photo, he would say no. Because, when that photo was taken he had certain characteristics, and now, x amount of years later he has different characteristics, and is therefore a different person. Clearly this is an issue. Thirdly, he analyzes Butler’s position on the misuse of the word ‘is’ in that, for example; there exists something at a certain place (P) at a certain time (t) that is identical with same thing at a different place (Q) at a different time (t1). By saying identical, he means they exist in together, however it is mathematically impossible. He concludes that such things are entia per alio (made of). Entia per alio is something that exists because a Kristen Biduk 6949215 mind makes it up. For example, a pencil is entia per alio because without a mind, it is simply an object. The mind makes the pencil an object for writing. Without a mind giving meaning to something, that something has no identity. In regards to self-identity, I find it difficult to agree with the mentalist perspective. Nagel’s writing, â€Å"What is it like to be a Bat? † does not provide sufficient insight to the development of self and self-identity. He bases his writing solely based on defining the mind. It is true to say that we cannot properly identify a mind. How can we as a whole, understand something we do not actually know exists? We can assume it exists but it provides no understanding. Based on this belief, Nagel concludes that because we cannot properly identify a mind, we cannot connect personal identity to a mind. But where can we find our personal identity? He claims that our identity does not lie within our physical attributes which leaves identity suspending in the air. The mentalist perspective is limiting in the sense that it does not take in to account outside variables that can impact one’s identity. We are not born with an identity and I feel as though Nagel’s position is implying that we are. Additionally, our identity is developed from our consciousness, and we do not become conscious of ourselves at infancy. We develop our self-identity through time and it is consistently changing. Chisholm is much more realistic when it comes to defining personal identity. We cannot assume that our identity is purely based on our minds, for our minds are influenced by our physicality. In turn, our physicality is influenced by society. We identify with ourselves based on what others think of us. For example, if someone weighs three hundred pounds, they may identify themselves as unhealthy because that is what society has told them. Similarly, if that three hundred pound person lost weight and now weighed one hundred and thirty pounds, that Kristen Biduk 6949215 person may identify themselves as healthy. If they used diet and exercise as a method to lose the weight, they may identify as athletic. This proves that personal identity is indeed transitive. It will always be in a constant state of change depending on the influences around them. We have identity because others around us have provided us with our identity. One could argue then that if one was to lose only ten pounds then identity will not change because the change is only slight. If we analyze the Ship of Theseus once more, Chisholm argues that slight changes still have an impact on our identity because our identity is always changing. By using the problem of Theseus’s ship however, it gives us ideas of identity for inanimate objects. One could argue that it is not relatable to beings with consciousness however I would have to disagree. Our consciousness, or our memories are what hold our self-identity. If we lose an arm or leg, we are still the same person because our minds still hold our memory. While the mentalist perspective does not take into account physical impressions, and the physicalist perspective lacks some insight on our own consciousness, Locke provides an explanation that touches on both sides. Locke argues for a conscious continuity and not a bodily one. He begins with clarifying that all minds have a common structure wherein there are two qualities within our identity: primary and secondary. The primary quality consists of consciousness. I can identify with myself because I am conscious of my own existence. The secondary qualities consist of qualities that are changing, such as hair length or weight. He insists that our primary qualities are what provide us with identity however he agrees that secondary qualities must be analyzed. Our secondary qualities are always changing while our primary qualities are static. Without the secondary qualities, our identity would not change, Kristen Biduk 6949215 which Chisholm proved. In comparison to both Nagel and Chisholm, Locke’s argument holds the truest because he takes into account both perspectives and develops the most logical understanding of identity. Additionally, Locke states that there is a first and third person perspective on identity. The first person identity is what one makes of himself. The third person helps confirm one’s identity. Both of these together help form one’s true personal identity. For one without outside influences has nothing to base their identity on. For example, if one was to look at cases of people raised in isolation, it will be seen that they have no sense of reality or identity. They were left to their own thoughts with no outside stimulation. When they leave their isolated prisons, they rediscover their identity by identifying with their outside influences. In conclusion, it is almost impossible to justify the mind/body problem. Both Nagel and Chisholm’s perspectives on identity are fairly vague and both lack a deeper understanding of the mind. I truly believe that it is the mind that holds our identity. However an identity is highly structured by its outside influences. Without a body or without society, one would have no identity. Some can argue that there can be a mind without a body, but it just doesn’t make rational sense. If hypothetically, one was to have their mind switched into a different body, he would still identify as himself. For it is our mind that holds our identity, however our mind is within a body.

129 Great Examples of Community Service Projects

129 Great Examples of Community Service Projects SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you interested in performing community service? Do you want examples of service projects you can do?Community service is a great way to help others and improve your community, and it can also help you gain skills and experience to include on your resume and college applications. Read on for dozens of community service ideas to help you get started volunteering. What Is Community Service? Community service is work done by a person or group of people that benefits others. It is often done near the area where you live, so your own community reaps the benefits of your work.You do not get paid to perform community service, but volunteer your time.Community service can help many different groups of people: children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, even animals and the environment.Community service is often organized through a local group, such as a place of worship, school, or non-profit organization, or you can start your own community service projects. Community service can even involve raising funds by donating used goods or selling used good like clothing. Many people participate in community service because they enjoy helping others and improving their community. Some students are required to do community service in order to graduate high school or to receive certain honors. Some adults are also ordered by a judge to complete a certain number of community service hours. Why Should You Participate in Community Service? There are numerous benefits to participating in community service, both for yourself and others. Below are some of the most important benefits of volunteering: Gives you a way to help others Helps improve your community Can help strengthen your resume and college applications Can be a way to meet new friends Often results in personal growth Gives you a way to gain work experience and learn more about certain jobs How Should You Use This List? This list of over one hundred community service examples is organized by category, so if you're particularly interested in working with, say, children or animals, you can easily find community service activities more related to your interests. In order to use this list most effectively, read through it and make note of any community service ideas that match your interests and that you may want to participate in. Some considerations to keep in mind are: Who would you like to help? Isthere a specific group of people or cause you are passionate about? Look for projects that relate to your passion and interests. You may also just want to perform particular community service activities that allow you to do hobbies you enjoy, like baking or acting, and that's fine too. Do you want a community service activity that is reoccurring or a one-time event? Perhaps you don't have enough time to regularly devote to community service.In that case, it may be better to look for opportunities that only occur once or sporadically, such as planning special events or helping build a house. What kind of impact do you want to have? Some people prefer to participate in community service activities that have a quantifiable impact, for example, activities where you know the specific number of kids you tutored, dollars you raised, or cans of food you collected. This is in contrast to activities that don't have such clear numbers, such as creating a garden or serving asa volunteer lifeguard. Some people prefer quantifiable activities because they feel they look stronger on college applications, or because they simply enjoy knowing their exact impact on the community. What skills would you like to gain? Many community service activities can help you gain skills. These skills can range from teaching to medicine to construction and more. If there is a particular skill you'd like to learn for future classes, jobs, or just out of personal interest, you may want to see if there is a community service activity that helps you learn that skill. Want to build the best possible college application, including extracurriculars? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. List of Community Service Examples Below I've listed over 100 community service ideas to get you started with brainstorming. General Ideas Donate or raise money for your local Red Cross Organize a community blood drive Send cards to soldiers serving overseas For your next birthday, ask for charitable donations instead of gifts Hold a bake sale for your favorite charity Read books or letters to a person who is visually impaired Organize a wheelchair basketball team Participate in a charity race Organize an event or parade for Memorial Day Volunteer to help at a charity auction Participate in National Youth Service Day in April Contact a tree farm about donating Christmas trees to nursing homes, hospitals, or to families who can’t afford to buy their own Collect unused makeup and perfume to donate to a center for abused women Help register people to vote Organize a car wash and donate the profits to charity Help deliver meals and gifts to patients at a local hospital Write articles / give speeches advocating financial literarcy. First you should learn about the topics themselves, like calculating housing costs, or understanding personal loans, and then give presentations on these topics. Helping Children and Schools Tutor children during or after school Donate stuffed animals to children in hospitals Organize games and activities for children in hospitals or who are visiting hospitalized relatives Knit or crochet baby blankets to be donated to hospitals or homeless shelters Collect baby clothes and supplies to donate to new parents Organize a Special Olympics event for children and teenagers Sponsor a bike-a-thon and give away bike safety gear, like helmets and knee pads, as prizes Collect used sports equipment to donate to families and after-school programs Volunteer at a summer camp for children who have lost a parent Sponsor a child living in a foreign country, either on your own or as part of a group Coach a youth sports team Put on performances for children in hospitals Give free music lessons to schoolchildren Become a volunteer teen crisis counselor Organize a summer reading program to encourage kids to read Organize an Easter egg hunt for neighborhood children Create a new game for children to play Organize events to help new students make friends Babysit children during a PTA meeting Organize a reading hour for children at a local school or library Donate used children’s books to a school library Work with the local health department to set up an immunization day or clinic to immunize children against childhood diseases Volunteer to help with Vacation Bible School or other religious camps Helping Senior Citizens Read to residents at a nursing home Deliver groceries and meals to elderly neighbors Teach computer skills to the elderly Drive seniors to doctor appointments Mow an elderly neighbor’s lawn Host a bingo night for nursing home residents Host a holiday meal for senior citizens Make birthday cards for the elderly Donate and decorate a Christmas tree at a nursing home Organize a family day for residents of a retirement home and relatives to play games together Ask residents of a retirement home to tell you about their lives Pick up medicine for an elderly neighbor Perform a concert or play at a senior center Help elderly neighbors clean their homes and organize their belongings Rake leaves, shovel snow, or wash windows for a senior citizen Deliver cookies to a homebound senior citizen Want to build the best possible college application, including extracurriculars? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Helping Animals and the Environment Take care of cats and dogs at an animal shelter Clean up a local park Raise money to provide a bulletproof vest for a police dog Plant a tree for Arbor Day Place a bird feeder and bird fountain in your backyard Start a butterfly garden in your community Sponsor a recycling contest Grow flowers in your backyard then give bouquets to hospital patients or people who are housebound Help create a new walking trail at a nature center or park Update the signs along a nature trail Adopt an acre of rainforest Help train service dogs Participate in the cleanup of a local river, pond, or lake Foster animals that shelters don’t have space for Organize a spay and neuter your pet program Care for a neighbor’s pet while they are away Sponsor an animal at your local zoo Train your pet to be a therapy animal and bring it to hospitals or nursing homes Build and set up a bird house Organize a carpool to reduce car emissions Campaign for more bike lanes in your town Volunteer at a nature camp and teach kids about the environment Test the water quality of a lake or river near you Plant native flowers or plants along highways Helping the Hungry and/or Homeless Build a house with Habitat for Humanity Donate your old clothes Volunteer at a soup kitchen Donate old eyeglasses to an organization that collects that and distributes them to people in need Donate non-perishable food to a food bank Donate blankets to a homeless shelter Host a Thanksgiving dinner for people who may not be able to afford their own Offer to babysit or nanny for a family in need Make â€Å"care kits† with shampoo, toothbrushes, combs, etc. to donate to homeless shelters Prepare a home-cooked meal for the residents of a nearby homeless shelter Collect grocery coupons to give to a local food bank Help repair or paint a local homeless shelter Donate art supplies to kids in a homeless shelter Help organize and sort donations at a homeless shelter Babysit children while their parents look for jobs Become a Big Buddy for children at a homeless shelter Take homeless children on outings Bake a batch of cookies or loaf of bread and deliver it to a soup kitchen Build flower boxes for Habitat for Humanity houses Organize a winter clothes drive to collect coats, hats, scarves, and gloves to be donated Make first aid kits for homeless shelters Reducing Crime and Promoting Safety Volunteer at a police station or firehouse Become a certified lifeguard and volunteer at a local pool or beach Paint over graffiti in your neighborhood Organize a self-defense workshop Organize a drug-free campaign Sponsor a drug-free post-prom event Start or join a neighborhood watch program Create and distribute a list of hotlines for people who might need help Teach a home-alone safety class for children Create a TV or radio public service announcement against drug and alcohol use Become CPR certified Volunteer as a crossing guard for an elementary school Promoting Community Enhancement Paint park benches Donate used books to your local library Become a tour guide at your local museum Repaint community fences Plant flowers in bare public areas Organize a campaign to raise money to buy and install new playground equipment for a park Participate in or help organize a community parade Clean up vacant lot Produce a neighborhood newspaper Campaign for more lighting along poorly lit streets Create a newcomers group in your neighborhood to help welcome new families Petition your town leaders to build more drinking fountains and public restrooms Volunteer to clean up trash at a community event Adopt a local highway or road and clean up trash along it Help fix or raise funds to repair a run-down playground Clean up after a natural disaster Next Steps Now that you know what your options are for community service, you can take the following steps to start getting involved: 1. Look over your interests:Which activities seem most appealing to you? Were they mostly in one particular category, like children or the environment? If so, that's a good starting place for choosing specific organizations to contact. 2. Figure out how much time you can devote to community service: Are you available for two hours every week? Are you not free on a regular basis but can volunteer for an entire weekend now and then? Think about transportation as well and how you'll be able to get to different locations. Knowing this information will help you choose which community service projects to pursue, and it's helpful information for volunteer coordinators to know. 3.Do some research to see what projects you can do in your community: Check at your school, place of worship, or town hall for more information on volunteering. You can also contact the place where you’d like to perform your community service, such as a particular animal shelter or nursing home, and ask if they take volunteers. 4.Start volunteering!This list ranges from small projects that you can complete on your own in a few hours, to much larger projects that will take more time and people. If you find a project you can start on your own, do it! If you want to do a project where you’ll need more resources or people, check around your community to see if a similar program already exists that you can join. If not, don’t be afraid to start your own! Many organizations welcome new volunteers and community service projects. Additional Information Considering doing volunteer work in another country? Read our guide on volunteer abroad programs and learn whether or not you should participate in one. Are you in college or will be starting soon? Extracurriculars are one of the best parts of college! Check out our guide to learn which extracurricular activities you should consider in college. Did you know that you can use your community service work to help pay for college? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to win community service scholarships. Struggling to write about extracurriculars on your college application?Check out our in-depth guide to crafting a compelling narrative about your extracurriculars. Read it for free now:

Discursive Essay †Footballers Do Not Deserve The High Salaries They Command

Discursive Essay – Footballers Do Not Deserve The High Salaries They Command Free Online Research Papers Discursive Essay Footballers Do Not Deserve The High Salaries They Command Many people think that footballers are paid too much money for doing too little effort. However, this can be argued because they are people who have dedicated their entire life to this sport and therefore they should be rewarded. This leads us to the question: Do footballers deserve high salaries? Firstly, some famous footballers are paid huge amounts of money such as Ronaldo who are paid millions of euros every year. This makes us feel that it is unreasonable that there are so many people dying of famine in the world and these people are given so much money for performing an insignificant effort. It even make us feel irritated to know how these football players waste their money in wants that are of no use such as Etoo, (a famous football player in Football Club Barcelona, colloquially said by the Spanish people â€Å"Barsa†) who possesses about fifteen expensive cars. A lot of money is needed for many purposes: for example for the aid of starving people in the less economically developed countries or in the building of more hospitals for our own health and security. Secondly, people argue that there are other professions that provide far much more for the population that footballers do and that they are poorly paid in comparison. They should be paid more. Other people even think that what they are paid would be justified if they performed better in the actual matches. Many people say that one goal in a ninety-minute match or a draw implies an awful quality performance. On the other hand, the opinion of the spectators is that these players have dedicated their full lives to their job which involves harsh training and the maintenance of physical fitness through intense daily training so he has to be under the pressure of their trainer who requires them to be completely fit and train strictly. Furthermore, apart from the pressure exerted from their instructor, they are under the pressure of the audience. They have always to play correctly and not make any mistake so that the media and the public will not criticize them. A single error would represent a possible end of the career of that player. In addition to this, we have to consider the fact that the age of retirement for a professional football player is of about 30-40 years (depending of the physical state of the player) which means that this person relies on the money he has gained in his short lifetime as a professional footballer therefore football players need the money for the future so they can sustain themselves and their future generations. Finally, the football business is private, no public money pays for the bills so why should we care about how much are the players paid? It is a sport that is enjoyed by millions of people and it is known everywhere so it is maybe true that these players are worth the money, that their talent deserves this money. In conclusion, my opinion is that footballers don’t perform such a simple, undemanding and effortless job, they dedicate their lives to this sport so that the people can enjoy it and it is quite complex for them to maintain their physical strength and fitness to survive ninety minutes running. They also are under a lot of pressure from their instructors, media and the whole audience. However, I do consider that the sum of money they are paid is quite over exaggerated, it is too much and even if it is not that easy to become a professional player, the effort is not worth millions of euros and I believe that some of these money should be for other purposes such as stopping the famine and starvation in the world. So footballers should be compensated for their effort but with so much money. Research Papers on Discursive Essay - Footballers Do Not Deserve The High Salaries They CommandTrailblazing by Eric AndersonThe Hockey GameThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationTwilight of the UAWHip-Hop is ArtResearch Process Part OneLifes What IfsMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in Capital19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era