Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Bollywood Phillums essays

Bollywood Phillums essays If the quality of Bollywood movies hitting the screens all over India these days isn't reason enough to feel disillusioned, the kind of bloopers they are full of, which are conveniently overlooked, are enough to make you pull your hair out in frustration. If scantily-dressed women dancing on snow-clad mountain tops and Sunny Deol fighting the entire Pakistani army one-handedly in Gadar aren't unrealistic enough, the sheer absent-mindedness of the people behind these movies is reflected in films in which wannabe-rock stars are seen playing electric guitars which, miraculously, make music without being connected to any source of electricity. Although that doesnt seem like a big deal and may be passed off as a mere technical error, it's enough to make your average heavy metal fan react indignantly. The fact remains that an electric guitar, when played like an acoustic guitar, makes no sound. Since it does not take an extraordinarily sharp or intellectual mind to interpret and analyze the non-existent intricacies of the love triangles most of these movies revolve around, the typical Hindi movie draws in masses to the movie theatres. The lack of diversity, when it comes to the storyline of most Bollywood movies has blinded the audiences to such an extent that it seems to have become impossible for them to distinguish between overacting or hamming, and acting with class. A pitiful movie, like Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Mohabbatein, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham becoming blockbusters is living proof of the fact. After watching the trailers of 16 Hindi films doing their rounds on the idiot box, and after analysis which was purely mathematical in nature (!), the lack of originality among just the NAMES of these movies was not only evident, but also worrying. Movies with 4 to 6 words in their titles seem to be the latest rage, constituting 56.25% of the movies, and those with 3 words in their title ranking seco ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

7 Tips to Surviving the First Year as a New School Principal

7 Tips to Surviving the First Year as a New School Principal The first year as a new principal at a school is a daunting challenge.  Everyone is trying to figure you out, testing your mettle, and attempting to make a good impression.  As a principal, you want to find a balance in making changes, building relationships, and figuring out what everyone is already doing well.  It takes a keen sense of observation and a significant investment of your time.  Even veteran principals taking over at a new school should not come in expecting things to be the same as they were at their previous school. There are so many variables from school to school that most of the first year will be a feeling out process. The following seven tips can help guide you through that critical first year as a new school principal. 7 Tips For Surviving the First Year As a New School Principal Understand your superintendents expectations. It is impossible to be an effective school principal at any point if you and the superintendent are not on the same page. It is essential that you always understand what their expectations are. The superintendent is your direct boss. What they say goes, even if you do not entirely agree with them. Having a strong working relationship with your superintendent can only help you be a successful principal.Create a plan of attack. You will be overwhelmed! There is no way around it. Although you might think you know how much there is to do, there is much more than you could have possibly imagined. The only way to sift through all the tasks that it takes to get ready and get through your first year is to sit down and create a plan of what you are going to do. Prioritizing is essential. Create a checklist of all the things you need to do and set a time table of when they need to be completed. Take advantage of the time you have when no students a re around because once they factor into the equation, the likely hood of a schedule working is highly unlikely. Be organized. Organization is key. There is no way you can be an effective principal if you do not have exceptional organization skills. There are so much many facets of the job that you can create confusion not only with yourself but with those you are supposed to be leading if you are not organized. Being unorganized creates chaos and chaos in a school setting especially from a person in a position of leadership can only lead to disaster.Get to know your teaching faculty. This one can make or break you as a principal. You do not have to be every teachers best friend, but it is critical that you earn their respect. Take the time to get to know each of them personally, find out what they expect from you, and let them know your expectations early. Build a solid foundation for a solid working relationship early and most importantly back your teachers unless it is impossible not to.Get to know your support staff. These are the people behind the scenes who do not get enough credit but es sentially run the school. The administrative assistants, maintenance, custodians, and cafeteria personnel often know more about what is going on with the school than anyone else. They are also the people whom you rely on to make sure the daily operations run smooth. Spend time getting to know them. Their resourcefulness can be invaluable. Introduce yourself to community members, parents, and students. This goes without saying, but the relationships you build with the patrons of your school will be beneficial. Making a favorable first impression will lay the groundwork for you to build on those relationships. Being a principal is all about the relationships you have with people. Just like with your teachers, it is essential to gain the communities respect. Perception is reality, and a principal that is not respected is an ineffective principal.Learn about community and district traditions. Every school and community are different. They have different standards, traditions, and expectations. Change a long-standing event such as the Christmas program and you will get patrons knocking down your door. Instead of creating additional problems for yourself embrace these traditions. If it does become necessary at some point to make a change, then create a committee of parents, community members, and students. Explain your side to the committee and let them decide so that the decision does not fall squarely on your shoulders.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Rocking Horse Winner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Rocking Horse Winner - Essay Example The author has presented the theme of materialism and the negativities associated with the obsession for the attainment of materialistic satisfaction and how it leaves a negative impact on the life of an individual. The Rocking Horse is the story of a family which is living is discontentment despite of the fact that they are financially sound and have enough resources for the running of their family. Hester is particularly the character who is the most obsessed with money and her dissatisfaction and want for more money affects the entire family. The author has tried to explain how materialism fails to fulfill the emotional needs of the human beings and love and emotions are of great importance for a family. Lawrence explains this point by narrating the way in which the family lives and how their needs are not fulfilled despite of the increased money that comes home. He begins by explaining that Hester was a good looking woman who had beautiful children. He explained, â€Å"They live d in a pleasant house, with a garden, and they had discreet servants, and felt themselves superior to anyone in the neighborhood.† With these words, the author tries to express the fact that they had all the necessities which are needed for leading a healthy and happy life but the family was not leading a content life. Lawrence has then tried to explain the dissatisfaction that existed in the house and he has expressed the lack of love and emotions in the family. He has explained the basis for this discontentment which was mainly due to the greed on the part of the mother who wanted more money for the house. The children were not loved by her and she was also aware of this that she could not truly become attached to her children for some reason. There was always an aura of anxiousness in the house which was felt by all the family members in the form of whispers. All the members could hear the house whispering the lines, â€Å"There must be more money! There must be more money!† (Lawrence) These whispers best explain the main theme of the story that there was such an extreme desire for wealth in the house that the people living in the house could always feel this need around them in the form of whispers. This lack of love greatly disturbed Hester’s son who always wanted to be loved by her mother. He wanted to gain her attention which can clearly be seen when he converses with her about luck and tries to explain to her that he is lucky. Hester is blinded by her materialistic wants and she does not pay much heed to the innocent talks of the young boy. The young boy needs affection and care from his mother and this drives him to opt for betting on horse races at such an early age. Not only this, he discovers that if he rides a rocking horse, it assists him in knowing the winner of the race. He keeps on riding this horse frantically without caring about his health for the happiness and fulfillment of his mother’s worldly needs and in doing so he loses his life. The story further stresses upon the shortcomings of materialism and presenting that it not the most ideal way of living life by explaining the gloominess which still persists despite of money flowing into the house. This is narrated by the author when he explains how the mother is not happy to receive t housand pounds as her gift but she rather demands that she should

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Air pollution in china Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Air pollution in china - Essay Example Indeed, the poor air quality threatens the power of the Chinese Communist Party which derives its authority from its social contract for providing better quality life to the people. The increase in both indoor and outdoor air pollution in China due to rapid industrialization, urbanization and economic growth adversely affects its people’s healthy, ecology and economy, thus the adoption of critical measures to curb the problem. The contributing factor to China’s air pollution is its rapid economic growth, urbanization and industrialization. He, Huo, and Zhang observe the proportion of China’s urban to total population grew from 18% to 31% between 1978 and 1999, this being three times the world’s average during the same period (398). The use of coal as a source of energy has been the main source of anthropogenic air pollution. Even so, Zhang and Smith observe that 60% of the population still lives in rural areas (848). This population uses biomass, which mainly includes crop residues and wood, in simple stoves. Thus, while the urban population heavily depends on coal for energy, the rural population depends on biomass. As such, China faces the problem of both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Despite the improvement in environmental protection requirements that have improved China’s air quality in the past decade as observed by Liu et al., the issue still remains a critical chall enge (281). SO2 and total suspended particulates, TSP, still remain ten times more concentrated in China’s air than recommended by the World Health Organization. Thus, it would be beneficial to understand the sources of this. The indoor air pollution in China is attributed to the rural population’s reliance on biomass as the source of household energy. Zhang and Smith observe that 80% of the energy that the rural households consumed in 2003 was from biomass, that is mainly wood and crop residues

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Trident Submarine Case Study Essay Example for Free

Trident Submarine Case Study Essay In the fall of 1971, as President Nixon was attempting to convince The Soviet Union to include submarines and ballistic missiles in the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), the US Navy was planning on introducing a new class of submarines called the Trident. The Trident submarines were to succeed the Polaris submarines, which was developed in the 1950s. The Trident submarines were not only physically larger than the Polaris submarines, they also possessed revolutionary propulsion components and weaponry. If the US could successfully launch the Trident program, Nixon felt it would generate progress in SALT by demonstrating the United States’ commitment to strategic submarines and missiles. However, if the Trident program was unable to deliver, Nixon would consider revamping the Polaris class, which could halt the Trident program indefinitely. In response to Nixon’s focus on the United States’ submarine capabilities, the Navy declared that they could assemble a Trident submarine just as quickly as building a Polaris. These bold claims introduced additional pressure on the people behind the Trident program, as the estimated build time had now been reduced. The updated time frame also shifted the discussion to the type of contract the Navy would use when dealing with contractors on the Trident. Instead of designing the contract to distribute risk equally and promote easy management, the Navy now needed a contract that would guarantee delivery of the first submarine within six years and would include strict controls over the project. The contract discussion quickly turned into a debate between the supporters for cost-reimbursement and fixed price contracts. A fixed price contract holds the contractor responsible for delivering a product that meets all of the performance specifications for an agreed price. A cost-reimbursement contract means that a contractor attempts to meet the customer’s performance, time, and cost requirements and will be reimbursed for the cost of the project. Both fixed-cost and cost-reimbursement contracts can be crafted in multiple forms. However, the Navy traditionally used fixed-cost contracts for products with known build times and little development effort. Cost-reimbursement contracts were typically used in first time development projects, where the time and costs could not be accurately estimated. The Navy has a history of using cost-reimbursement contracts on the first or lead ship and then using a fixed-cost contract for any additional ships. While the rationale behind using a cost-reimbursement contract on the lead ship in a class is understandable, I believe the Navy would benefit more from a fixed-cost contract in this situation. More specifically, by taking into account the shortened time frame, strict management requirements, and the desire to protect the government’s interests, I believe the Navy should use a Fixed Price Incentive (FPI) contract. A FPI contract establishes a final contract price that includes a target cost plus a profit adjustment. FPI contracts can use a formula to calculate the final cost allowing for an adjustment in profit if the cost and schedule changes. An FPI contract also contains a negative fee feature, which can be applied to adjust the profit of the contractor if the final cost or schedule exceeds the target cost or schedule. I believe the FPI is applicable because there is not enough information to set a firm target cost for the work, but there is enough information to establish initial target cost, initial target profit, and an initial profit adjustment formula. Moving forward after the lead ship is developed, the Navy can negotiate a firm-fixed-price contract when the actual cost is better defined. However, the fact remains that the Trident submarine is a new ship, and the shipbuilders could be faced with unrealized production challenges, such as mirror welds, which could slow down the build time and increase labor costs. These types of unexpected costs are the basis for the cost-reimbursement contract approach and remain a risk within every fixed cost contract. Fixed cost contracts also run the risk of reducing the quality of work in favor of remaining under budget. Considering the risks associated with a fixed-cost contract, I still believe that a fixed-cost contract in this situation will be more successful. It will allow the Navy to strictly enforce the contract, which will appease Admiral Rockover and bolster confidence in the House and Senate. The incentive portion of the contract is intended to ensure that the shipbuilders devote adequate time and resources to the Trident project as it directly impacts their profits. I also believe that risk associated with high development related costs is reduced by having the propulsion and weapons delivered to the shipbuilders as government furnished equipment (GFE), which are prefabricated systems that just require installation. The shipbuilders are experts in building submarines, so while the Trident ships will be larger the real development costs have already been experienced when creating the GFEs, so unexpected spikes in cost should be avoided.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Is Google Making Us Stupid?, by Nicholas Carr Essay -- internet, techn

The internet is our conduit for accessing a wide variety of information. In his article, â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid,† Nicholas Carr discusses how the use of the internet affects our thought process in being unable to focus on books or longer pieces of writing. The author feels that â€Å"someone, or something, has been tinkering with [his] brain† over the past few years (Carr 731). While he was easily able to delve into books and longer articles, Carr noticed a change in his research techniques after starting to use the internet. He found that his â€Å"concentration often [started] to drift after two or three pages† and it was a struggle to go back to the text (Carr 732). His assertion is that the neural circuits in his brain have changed as a result of surfing endlessly on the internet doing research. He supports this statement by explaining how his fellow writers have had similar experiences in being unable to maintain their concentrations. In analyzing Carr’s argument, I disagree that the internet is slowly degrading our capacity for deep reading and thinking, thereby making us dumber. The Web and Google, indeed, are making us smarter by allowing us access to information through a rapid exchange of ideas and promoting the creativity and individualization of learning. With one easy click on the search button, Google grants entry to a reservoir of information for our use. Carr acknowledges that the internet â€Å"has been a godsend to [him] as a writer† because of the ease of finding information rapidly (Carr 732). Before, he would spend days searching through lengthy articles for the same material. Thus, web-browsing proves that not only is the internet useful for finding relevant information, but it is a time-saving tool. In today’s gener... ... access to it from various forms of media. Instead of demolishing our ability to read and learn, the internet aids us by giving us rapid information that would otherwise take days of research through books to attain. Therefore, the internet should not be viewed as the cause for our lack of intelligence, but rather the reason for our vast knowledge. Technology has revolutionized our learning and will continue to serve as the prime tool in our education. Works Cited Carr, Nicholas. â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid?† The Atlantic.com. July/August 2008. 15 November 2013. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/200807/google Wright, Sandra, April Fugett, and France Caputa. â€Å"Using E-Readers and Internet Resources To Support Comprehension.† Journal of Educational Technology and Society 16.1 (2013): 367- 379. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

About Type 2 Diabetes Essay

Around 2.6 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes. About nine in 10 of these people have type 2 diabetes. It usually affects people over the age of 40, but can develop at any age. People of African-Caribbean or South Asian origin are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. It usually affects them earlier in life, from about the age of 25. Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common, particularly in children. Type 2 diabetes develops when your body can’t produce enough insulin or if your body doesn’t respond to insulin as it should. Insulin regulates the level of glucose in your blood. Glucose is a simple form of sugar found in foods and sugary drinks. It’s absorbed by your body as a natural part of digestion and is carried around your body in your blood. When glucose reaches your body tissues, such as muscle cells, it’s absorbed and converted into energy. Insulin is secreted into your blood by your pancreas, which is a gland located behind your stomach. If your cells don’t respond properly to insulin, it can cause glucose to build up in your blood. This is called insulin resistance. If this happens, your pancreas needs to produce more and more insulin to overcome the resistance and control your blood glucose levels. Types of diabetes There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. There are about two million people in the UK who have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the common form, affecting nine out of every 10 people with diabetes. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes Many people with type 2 diabetes have no obvious symptoms. It’s often discovered during a routine medical check-up with your GP.If you do have symptoms of type 2 diabetes, you may: †¢pass more urine than usual See more: My Writing Process Essay †¢be constantly thirsty †¢have unexplained weight loss †¢be extremely tired †¢have blurred vision †¢have itchy skin around your genitals or get regular infections, such as thrush †¢notice that wounds such as cuts heal slowly If you have any of these symptoms, see your GP. nitially, some people find they don’t have any symptoms. So if you think you may be at risk of type 2 diabetes, speak to your GP about having a screening blood test.  Complications of type 2 diabetes If type 2 diabetes isn’t diagnosed or controlled properly, you can develop blood glucose levels that are either too high (hyperglycaemia) or too low (hypoglycaemia). Hyperglycaemia If type 2 diabetes is poorly controlled or you get an infection, glucose can build up in your blood and rise to high levels. This can cause you to: †¢be thirsty †¢pass urine excessively †¢have blurred vision †¢feel tired Very rarely, if you become dehydrated and your blood glucose rises to very high levels, you can develop a condition called hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state. This can cause you to become drowsy and potentially unconscious. Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state is a medical emergency and needs to be treated in hospital. In the long-term, uncontrolled high blood glucose levels can increase your risk of: †¢kidney failure †¢blindness †¢nerve damage †¢heart disease †¢stroke Hypoglycaemia Sometimes, if your medication is too strong or you miss a meal, your blood glucose levels can become too low (hypoglycaemia). This only happens if you’re taking certain medicines such as gliclazide (or others of the same type), repaglinide or insulin (of any type). If your blood glucose is low, you may go pale, feel sweaty and become confused. If you develop hypoglycaemia, it’s important to eat or drink something containing glucose, for example fruit juice or some sweets. Causes of type 2 diabetes There are several risk factors that make you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, including if you: †¢are overweight or obese – in particular, if you’re an ‘apple shape’ with lots of fat around your abdomen (tummy) †¢have a close family member with the condition †¢are of African-Caribbean or South-Asian origin †¢are over 40 – your risk increases with age †¢have high blood pressure or have had a heart attack or stroke †¢don’t exercise regularly †¢have severe mental health problems †¢are a woman and have polycystic ovary syndrome and are overweight †¢are a woman and have had diabetes that developed during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) If you have a condition such as impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glycaemia, this means the level of glucose in your blood is naturally higher than normal and you’re more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes Your GP will ask about your symptoms and examine you. He or she may also ask about your medical history. You may need to have some of the following tests. †¢Urine test. You will need to give a sample to be tested for glucose. †¢Fasting blood glucose test. You will have a sample of blood taken from your arm to test for glucose. You will need to fast overnight before having this test. You may have this with a glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) test. HbA1C is a protein that is produced when you have high blood glucose levels over a long period of time. †¢Glucose tolerance test. This may be needed if your fasting blood glucose test is borderline. It measures how your blood glucose level changes over time after you have a sugary drink. You will need to fast overnight before having this test. Treatment of type 2 diabetes There isn’t a cure for type 2 diabetes but it can be controlled. Some people can control their condition with lifestyle changes alone. Others need to take medicines or use insulin injections. Self-help By making the following lifestyle changes, you can help control your blood glucose levels. †¢Eat a healthy balanced diet with regular meals, three times a day. Include carbohydrates, such as pasta or potatoes in each meal. †¢Aim to do 150 minutes of moderate exercise over a week in bouts of 10 minutes or more. This will help you to stay a healthy weight and control your blood glucose levels. †¢Only drink alcohol in moderation and stick within the recommended limits. †¢If you smoke, give up. Smoking is unhealthy for everyone, but it’s especially important to stop if you have diabetes because you already have an increased risk of developing circulatory problems and cardiovascular  disease. Oral medicines If lifestyle changes alone don’t keep your blood glucose levels under control, you may be prescribed medicines. Some examples are listed below. †¢Metformin works by reducing the amount of glucose that gets released into your bloodstream from your liver. It also improves the way glucose is used by your muscles. †¢Gliclazide, glipizide, glimepiride and tolbutamide help your pancreas to produce more insulin. †¢Repaglinide and nateglinide also help your pancreas to produce more insulin, but work more quickly and last for a shorter time. †¢Acarbose lowers your blood glucose by slowing down the rate at which some carbohydrates are absorbed by your body. †¢Pioglitazone reduces your body’s resistance to insulin. †¢Sitagliptin, saxagliptin and vildagliptin help your body to produce more insulin at mealtimes. These medicines are usually taken between one and three times a day. Injections You may be prescribed other medicines such as exenatide or liraglutide. These medicines are given by injection and work by helping your body to make more insulin when it’s needed. They can also reduce your appetite and help you lose weight. If lifestyle changes and medicines can’t keep your blood glucose levels under control, you may need to have insulin injections as well as, or instead of, tablets. You will usually inject yourself with insulin once or twice a day, using either a small needle or a pen-type syringe with replaceable cartridges. There are several different types of insulin that work at different rates and for different lengths of time. Ask your GP for advice on which type is best for you. If you have insulin injections, you will need to monitor your blood glucose levels with a home test kit. This involves taking a pinprick of blood from your finger and putting a drop on a testing strip. A meter will read the result automatically. Your GP or diabetes specialist nurse will show you how to monitor your blood glucose levels and tell you how often you need to check it. Monitoring your blood glucose level You may also need to have your levels of HbA1C tested at least twice a year. The test is done by taking blood from a vein in your arm or sometimes a drop of blood from a fingerprick. It’s used to see how well you’re controlling your blood sugar  levels.