Living Home vs Living Away Home

Have you ever think on living away home? Or you prefer to live at home with your family? A lot of people, mainly students, have this question in mind. But to answer it is better to made a balance between what you will find living away and what you have living at home; but it is a difficult task because you will find a lot of differences and similarities in both situations. One obvious difference is food. Food is a minimal basis to have into consideration in our life.At home, well, you will probably were with your parent's so they know where they can buy the cheaper and better food; whereas, if you live on your own away from home, you don ‘t anyone who could go to buy food at the right place or even, to advise you where to go to buy. In home you can also have your parent's who cook instead of you and they also are the ones paying the food; on the contrary, living away meaner to learn how to cook and to pay your groceries. Other areas of difference between live at home and living away home involves money and rent.When you are at your parent's' house don t have to centered in saving big sums of money because the only things in what you are going to spend your money on is in your yens because you don ‘t have to pay any rent or any kind of expenses: you don ‘t have to pay community expenses, trash service, health insurance†¦ Because these expenses are in charge of your parent's; in comparison, living away on your own you have to pay a rent and all kind of living expenses such as community charges, health insurance, social security expenses, and all of this sort of expenses for which you must to save a big sum of money to pay them.Another important difference is the state of freedom. At home you are always bound to the rules that your parent's established and they, most of the time, are going to pay attention to you trying to know what you are doing, telling you how things must be doing under their rules because you are under the same roof as t hem; therefore, living away from home you can established your own rules and can do mostly anything you want to do.In spite of these differences, these two apparently opposite situations share several important experiences. Living at home and living away from home are alike in their comparability when you arrive after a day working or even studying and need a nap or even to relax yourself seeing the TV, reading, listening to music, gaming†¦ People and meet with your friends to go to the cinema or going shopping. Also, you will have shops around your home that let you buy things you need.Living at home can be compared to living away from home in the possibility of paving a room of your own where you can relax, study or stay with your friends seeing films, playing some game or chatting. There is not such a huge rift between living at home and living away from home, both situations has its good things and its bad things. Probably people think that it is more secured living at home because it is a place that they know and don ‘t want to risk themselves going to a place that can be good or bad for them. But there is no much difference between the two situations.

The Big Daddy of Social Learning

JB Garcia California Polytechnic State University Associated with Albert Bandura's work in the 1960s, social learning theory explains how people learn new behaviors, values, and attitudes. While mostly related to early development in children, social learning theory occurs at times when most people don't even realize that it is happening. There are many examples that could have been chosen to show the social learning theory but I believe there are none best than the movie Big Daddy. The premise of the movie is based on this young boy Julian McGrath (Dylan and Cole Sprouse) who is left in the care of his father after his mother passes away. When his father, Kevin Gerrity (John Stewart), could not take care of him because he is out of the country, Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) decides to raise the boy on his own. By dissecting key scenes in Big Daddy, it is easy to tell that this movie is a perfect example of social learning theory because of the many scenes that show Sonny trying to teach Julian who to live in both a non-traditional method and a firm parenting method with easily identifiable cognitive responses from Julian. What is the Social Learning Theory?Before beginning to dissect scenes from the movie it is important to establish a clear understanding of the social learning theory. The social learning theory  is a theory of  learning  and  social behavior, which states that new behaviors can be acquired by observing and imitating others. A popular example would be young children mimicking their older siblings around the house and striving to be exactly like that older sibling. The key tenets of social learning theory are that learning is not purely behavioral but is actually a cognitive process that takes places in a social setting. This means that by simply observing their current situation and surroundings someone is able to pickup on things and is able understand based on what they are seeing. Social learning also requires attention to the object or person being observed, remembering or retention the observed behavior, the ability to replicate the behavior, and a motivation to act the same way. For example, that same child might see a sibling receive a reward for good behavior in a public setting and imitate the sibling in the hope of getting a reward, too. Modeling is also a key part of the social learning theory because it allows learning to occur without any noticeable change in behavior. Being able to extract information from observations and make decisions based on the performance of the behavior such as a child seeing a sibling behave poorly and get away with it and try to replicate that behavior thinking that they will not get in trouble either. It is important to the person observing the behaviors is not a passive recipient of the information and that other factors can all influences the observer such as cognition, environment and reinforced behavior. Four Phases of Social LearningOne of the major focus for the social learning theory and arguably the entire basis relies on the premise that the observer is able to pay attention for a short amount of time and has enough awareness of their surrounding to understand what is happening. How the observer perceives and understands the events in their surroundings is directly effected by their perceptual abilities, cognitive abilities and the characteristics of the events themselves. In this way, social factors contribute to attention and the prestige of different models affects the relevance and functional value of observation and therefore affects attention. In order to reproduce an observed behavior, observers must be able to remember features of the behavior. Again, this process is influenced by observer characteristics (cognitive capabilities, cognitive rehearsal) and event characteristics. Bandura describes that the visual and verbal aspects of cognitive learning as the most important parts in terms of the retention process. The reproduction aspect of the social learning theory is the most difficult because the observer needs to have the ability and cognitive skill to perform the actions that they are seeing. In some cases in which behaviors are modeled after self-observation, an observer requires some form of effective feedback in order to enhance their cognitive abilities and improve their performance based on their models. All of these aspects lead up to the decision of the observer to replicate the observed behavior. The motivation to reproduce a behavior or action is dependent on the observers understanding of the expectations and understanding of the consequences that come with replicating the action. Environment and other social factors can also consequently affect the decision to reproduce behaviors. These are the four phases of the social learning theory that must occur for it to be effective. Limitations of the Social Learning Theory With a heavy emphasis on how the observers environment affects them and directs their learning, this theory is weak when it comes to the observer's own actions. Putting the focus on how setting influences behavior places more weight on the people and community that the observer is part of, and not enough weight on how the observer handles and processes new information. It neglects the observer's accountability and may go too far in stating that society directs how the individual behaves and acts. Unlike stage models of the observer's development, social learning theory doesn't hinge upon a distinct progression of learning and growth that is chronological or age dependent. The view of this theory as neglecting to consider the observer's development, across all of the domains, is a potential weakness. Although not every observer's matures at an identical rate, some of the standard milestones and markers may still occur regardless of the environmental setting.Breaking Down Big DaddyBig Daddy is a story of a young boy, Julian, and a man, Sonny Koufax, who has taken on the role of being the Julian's father. Julian is only five years old as if a very reserved child. That coupled with the fact that Sonny doesn't want to be the one in charge of him leads to Sonny giving Julian complete freedom as a part of his parental approach. In the scenes we see in the video, Sonny drops a stick on a path so that when people in rollerblades are coming down the path they will hit the stick and fall. Once Julian sees this he immediately finds the action to be funny and repeats this action with a group of people rollerblading through cones causing someone to fall and triggering positive reinforcement from Sonny. It's clear that Julian able to pay attention and replicate the action of putting the stick down because he chooses to do this on his own in separate scene. Julian's motivation to replicate this action derived from the sense of enjoyment and happiness he experienced the first time he saw it with Sonny. His actions are then reinforced when Sonny applauds and says, â€Å"That's my boy!† (Big Daddy 1999).In another scene we see in the clip is when Julian is struggling to use the bathroom and Sonny encourages him to pee in public on the door. Although afraid at first, Julian observes Sonny pee on the door and believes that this is socially acceptable. We see later in the film that Julian has been replicating and actively replicates this behavior as he begins to pee into a plant in his classroom while Sonny is speaking to his teacher about his poor hygiene and scholastic shortcomings. If it weren't for Sonny showing him to pee on the door earlier in the movie Julian most likely wouldn't have reproduced this behavior. There are some positive displays of the social learning theory in this clip as well. Julian is struggling to tie his shoes for a little and Sonny takes initiative and shows Julian how to tie his shoes properly using the â€Å"Loop and Swoop† method. The evidence that Julian was paying attention and was able to reproduce this behavior comes later in the film when Sonny is speaking to the social worker and Julian ecstatically runs up to Sonny saying, â€Å"Look I did it! Loop, swoop and pull!† (Big Daddy 1999). This shows the cognitive ability of Julian in that even though he was only shown how to tie his shoes once early in the film that even down the road he was able to replicate it and do it on his own. The Big PictureThe social learning theory is important because it should make people more aware of how their actions can influence the people around them. People tend to forget how easy it is for children to pick up on things that see or hear which are main aspects of the film Big Daddy; so using the knowledge of the social learning theory should enable parents to become more aware of what they are doing around their young children. Big Daddy is a perfect example of what children are capable of learning in the short amount of time and minimum exposure to certain behaviors. As children they may not be fully aware of every single repercussion that comes from their actions but only that the action can lead to a smile or a laugh or even a tear. Social learning theory should be used as a teaching point for young parents and even older sibling to provide their youth with proper examples of how society functions and help them make their own decisions about what is right and what is wrong. Reference SheetBandura, Albert (1963).  Social learning and personality development. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.Bandura, Albert (1971).  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Social Learning Theory†Ã‚  (PDF).General Learning Corporation. Retrieved  25 December  2013.Big Daddy (1999). (n.d.). Retrieved February 09, 2018, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0142342/Latimer, S. (Director). (2015, January 15).Social Learning Big Daddy[Video file]. Retrieved February 4, 2018, from HYPERLINK â€Å"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhe6p3Xkzt0† https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhe6p3Xkzt0Loop, E. (n.d.).Social Learning Theory Strengths & Weaknesses. Retrieved February 09, 2018, from http://classroom.synonym.com/social-learning-theory-strengths-weaknesses-6592126.html

Ethical Boundaries and Practices Essay

Follow the directions below to write a paper of 1,500-1,750 words on counselor ethical boundaries and practices. For this paper, write from the perspective that you are a professional counselor in the field. Provide a thoughtful response to each of the following three sections, including specific, concrete examples to illustrate your ideas. Use the section headings provided below to separate each section of your paper. Your final deliverable should be one cohesive paper addressing all three sections along with an introduction and conclusion. Section 1: Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships Part A – Decision-Making Model and Counseling Examples How would you determine if a boundary-crossing or dual relationship is ethical and appropriate? What criteria would you consider when making your decision? Present examples of how you would apply this criteria to at least four counseling situations in which you believe the dual relationship issues are complex and ambiguous. One of your examples should address the issues of physical attraction between clients and counselors. Part B-Ethical Issues and Dimensions In addition, examine these issues in terms of former clients. Address the following: Do the ethical issues (and your opinion about appropriateness) change, depending on how long after the termination of therapy a dual relationship is initiated? What are the key ethical dimensions that might change, after the termination of therapy? Present an example of a situation that you believe would constitute a boundary violation with a current client but might be acceptable with a former client. Section 2: Professional Collaboration in Counseling Part A – Working with a Multidisciplinary Team Explain why counselors frequently collaborate with other stakeholders regarding a client’s care in order to maintain professional and ethical boundaries and practices. For example, professional counselors frequently work with clients with addiction issues. Addiction counselors may work with  clients who also have a co-occurring disorder. The specific roles of each of these counselors are well defined; straying into an area outside your scope of practice is unethical. How would you work independently as a counselor within your scope of practice as well as collaboratively with other mental health professionals to ensure quality client care? What is the role of a counselor in a multidisciplinary team? Part B –Relationships with Supervisors and Colleagues Describe the ethical issues involved in the supervisor-counselor relationship. How is this relationship similar to the counselor-client relationship? How is it different? Outline a series of criteria and describe how you would integrate the criteria into an ethical decision-making model to respond to issues of incompetence and/or unethical conduct by fellow counselors. Section 3: Development of Your Thinking about Ethics Clearly describe what you consider to be the most important developments in your thinking about ethical practice that have occurred during this course. This may include areas in which you have clarified your views and beliefs, modified your thinking on a given issue, gained new insights, or acquired a new perspective. It may include issues whose complexity you now appreciate more fully or difficult issues that you now understand you must grapple with, as a counselor. What have you most learned about yourself and/or about what constitutes becoming an ethical practitioner and how has your thinking about ethics and legal issues changed? Be sure that you include specific examples to illustrate general statements.

Critical Account on Ethical Practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Account on Ethical Practice - Assignment Example Ideas expressed in the light of theory of Consequentialism, which is also known as consequence-based-ethics, declare the point that the rightness or wrongness of any particular action on the basis of ethics depends on the nature of consequence of that particular action (Froehlich 2004). In much simpler words, â€Å"whenever we are faced with a choice, the best and the most just decision is the one that results in the most good or greatest benefit for most people† (Strike 2009, p.8). Darren’s teacher’s choice of not intervening at the time when Darren and Phillip were fighting was correct because as a consequence of her choice Darren and Phillip somehow resolved their matter by themselves and ended up working on their assigned task. If the teacher would have interrupted the possible consequences for this act could have been mostly negative. Likewise, the entire class would have got disturbed, the students might have reacted to Phillip’s and Darren’s actions and as a result the whole classroom would have portrayed the picture of chaos and panic. So comparatively teacher did the right thing, which produced good consequence. In addition, teacher stored any trouble for later because her silence didn’t encourage any of the children to bully other mates but rather taught them the rule of tit for tat. As if one would be disturbing the other by any means he will in turn get the same disturbance sooner or later (Schon 2011; Atherton 2011). In addition, based on deontological view of ethics, obviously Darren’s teacher’s act parallel to what duty-based ethics actually are. As her behavior of staying quite and observing the fight among her students was the most dutiful attitude. She let her students decide what can be done in the situation like this. Also, there are two sorts of knowledge: convergent, and divergent. The gist of these two types of knowledge is that a teacher not just needs to be accurate and perfect guardian all the time but rather he should give opportunities to students to understand the actions of life by themselves. Israel and Hay (2006) are of the view that issues related to issues are highly common and they are surely becoming complex in nature to understand and deal with.  

Decision Making Process Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 89

Decision Making Process - Case Study Example They are, therefore, forced to react negatively to all other future events that seem to centralize the controls even further. They then assume the negative reaction to most of such attempts when anything becomes controversial in the District. To support my conclusion here, we find that, in the case study, almost all principals spoke in opposition to what the business administrator recommended. By saying that through the elimination of the funds, the District want to have another way of centralizing administration, they mean that the District has had other ways earlier, and this is just another such ways. It, therefore, shows that they are now trying not to allow the district continue centralizing the controls anymore. The principals also comment that every time they try to turn around, things become centralized in the district. It means, therefore, that, they already have no trust in the district administration and will most of the time not agree with any of their steps to centralize controls. When administrative functions are divided into organizational divisions, it becomes easy for the administration to have a clear control over the two divisions distinctively. First, there is a division of labor manifested, therefore, only specialized professionals in a given division are selected to work there to provide good results (Shivendu & Dasgupta, 2012) (page #2 lines #1-4). Therefore, while dividing the administrative functions into organizations, one is simply dividing the work to be done within those small divisions or departments. The work and responsibilities that will be assigned to individuals or departments will be based on the professional qualification as well as the experience of the workforce in that department. The divisions also cluster jobs into units, hence making it easy for control, monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Zara Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zara - Case Study Example The company has created a niche in the global retail industry through its aggressive and carefully planned out business model. The unique points of their business model that has helped them grow in relatively short time are primarily two folds. One, their turn around time that is as aggressive as it can be; where in, Zara believes in staying with the trend and comes up with entirely new chain of clothing style with in two weeks of time. They have always maintained and encouraged employees to come with clothes that are trendy and can attract customers for a certain amount of duration before going in for a complete revamp as soon as the trend is out of fashion. Secondly, its Just-In time inventory system, where it believes in having just the required amount of clothing stock. This not only helps them keeping the cost low, but also come up with entirely new style of clothing inspired from customers’ feedback in rather quick time.   The company spends almost a negligible amount in advertising as the Zara management has always maintained that what’s important is to give the customers that they want rather than force them to buy what you have. This principle has been the backbone of the Zara retails and has been the major point of success. Before launching their business in any new region, the management does a careful planning about the outlet positioning. Zara stores invariably are situated in main commercial areas and usually attract shoppers with its attractive and trendy display of stylish clothes. At the point of billing, customer service staff take extensive feedback from customers to identify the needs and the expectations of customers, this information is strictly followed while deciding on newer products. Surveys and customer feedback also allows Zara management to keep the prices competitive and within the range that the customers are happy to pay for and yet ensuring profits for the company. Th e large scale volume of business also allows Zara to

Appreciative Inquiry of David Cooperrider Essay - 2

Appreciative Inquiry of David Cooperrider - Essay Example The questions asked are affirmative in nature and it focuses on the topic valuable to the people who are involved and directed at topics and issues for the success of the organization. This inquiry identifies â€Å"the area† where the organization needs to change. The change can be of different types which are as follows:   When an organization has to adapt to external factors, it may go through a major strategic change. Strategic organizational changes are usually quite transformative in nature as they include major adjustments and complete upheavals of the present way the organization operates.   People changes can be of large-scale or incremental. Large-scale people changes include replacement of the top executives with new employees in order to change the entire organization’s culture. Smaller-scale or incremental people changes include sending of management workers to team-building workshops and classes. These changes can be planned or unplanned, which may impact the employee’s attitudes towards work, behaviors of the individual and their performances.   Process changes define to be an attempt to improve the overall workflow efficiency and productivity of the organization. Organizations implementing these types of changes are highly successful when the new innovative process is applied to employee groups and the outcome of the new process work (Sharma, 2008).   In Silkeborg Council (Denmark) the problem in every department was absenteeism. The average number of working days that are lost over the first six months of 2001 was 9.25. One of the departments in which absenteeism was very high was the elderly care department. At this stage, the employees and the employers are inquired about the reason for absenteeism and then they are informed about the type of change which should be undertaken by them.   

Marketing project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Marketing project - Essay Example For this very reason the government and the customers are encouraging the investment of public and private sector into the sector; they are encouraging more of private investment because it is believed that they would provide with better quality of services. The system of nursing home started in 1980s and with time and has progressed over the years; more investment during 1990s and it is believed that by 2011 the government would have invested $123 Billion into the sector. The quality of the services is under question; there are few areas that do not provide the expected level of facilities and much important needs to be given on them. The customers need the facility but at the same time they would prefer such nursing homes that would give them the standard they are looking for at a reasonable cost. Because there is high demand for the services that is why any new investment would find itself good customers and at an stage of investment; Guardian Care will be a good investment for the people of China as well as for the company if they focus on the existing lack of facilities and services and provide the same and bridge the

The Business Cycle & Policy Response in France Coursework

The Business Cycle & Policy Response in France - Coursework Example In 2000, France growth was close to 3%, its unemployment fell twice, and when compared to Europe it was a 1.5-percentage decline for France versus 0.7-percentage in Europe. The introduction of the single currency marked the period of strong growth. From this, we conclude that, in the last twenty years, it is evident that the periods of falling unemployment always coincided with periods of strong economic growths (French Ministry of youth affairs, 2007:4). A fall in a country's GDP relates to contraction in the economy, when the country does not show any improvement in the GDP it may result in an economy recession. Reasons may be due to inflation, or massive unemployment in the country, a rise in the GDP conforms to an expansion, stability of a country s currency, a peak relates to a continuous rise in the country’s GDP (Trading Economics.com, 2005:4). All forces of supply and demand affect business cycle. The availability of capital does boost a healthy expansion a rise in the price of assets at this point leads to inflation, the stock market then rectifies this by creating fear and contraction(About.com, 2001:1). A rise in GDP signals an expansion in the business cycle whereas a fall in the GDP signals a contraction. Reports show that the GDP of France expanded 1.6%in the second quarter of 2011. Historically France annual GDP growth was1.9% its highest observed in 1988 at 4.9%, a record low was -3.90% in march 2009. Judging the country's  state  at this point of the cycle, it will be  right  to  say  France’s economy is in  contraction.  We look at France in 2009, where its GDP shrank by 1.2% in the first quarter, however, this  was counteracted  by a 3% in the third quarter, another  fall  was recorded  1.5% in the final quarter.  The  recession  observed when we experienced two quarters of negative growth. In 2008 president, Nicholas Sarkozy gave a speech in Toulon he thought that there was the need to rethink the  entire  world’s financial system in  connection  to the economic crisis that the world faced. The president stated that what France was facing at that time was an economic recession and that it was a long-term problem. According to the latest  data  the French economy contracted, a 0.3% in the 2nd quarter in the year 2008, from the  previous  data economists concluded that the two quarters recorded negative growths. These data raised fears of a further recession in the economy.  This recession resulted in the rise in unemployment and a  struggle  in households to try to beat the recession (France 24, 2008:1). We  further  look at the  fiscal  policy and how it functions in stabilizing the  economic  fluctuation. How this is a  solution  to the recession problem?  According to Weil,  fiscal  policy involves utilising of government

Plant Exploration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plant Exploration - Essay Example Forests, rich in plant life, are spread across Kenya. Some plants in Kenya are used to make refreshment drinks. Plants such as tea and coffee undergo manufacturing and the end product is used to prepare drinks that are often taken in the morning hours. About eighty percent of the Kenyan population wakes up to a cup of tea or coffee every morning. This is due to its cheapness and exudes health benefits. Tea and coffee consumers have grown exponentially for the past few years. Tea and coffee drinks preparation is easy and can be done at the comfort of your home. Fruit juices are also consumed in Kenya. Avocados, oranges, mangoes among others are squeezed to produce a very sweet juice. The tree tomato fruits are used in making salad. The types of juices and salads depend on the consumer taste and most of them are readily available. Some alcoholic drinks are made from plants. Fermentation of plant fruits yield a sweet and alcoholic drink that is consumed by the locals. Each tribe in Keny a has its own type of alcoholic drink. In coastal areas, for example, the locals use the coconut plant to make an alcoholic drink. (www.ktda.com) The building and construction industry in Kenya is aided by plants. Timber is common in the building industry. In rural areas they use trees to build their houses while in urban centres they are used as pillars or roofing materials. Trees are also used in construction of makeshift business premises. Hardwood trees are cut and shaped to manufacture beautiful sculptures by the locals. The baobab tree is used to make durable furniture. Kenya harbours various craftsmen who use plants to make beautiful items such as wall frames. In Kenya, however, deforestation is highly controlled by the government in order to protect plant life. Kenyans also use plants to construct transportation means. Carts and wheelbarrows are wooden and are convenient because they can carry all sorts of luggage. Some communities in Kenya use shrines as sacred places. Thes e shrines are built by placing leaves and trees in strategic positions where people go to communicate with their Deity. In a nutshell, the building and construction industry cannot survive in Kenya without plant life.( Daily Nation Newspaper) Plants are also used for medicinal purposes in Kenya. The idea of treating patients using herbal plants was coined from the forefathers. Herbalists exist in Kenya up to this day. Traditional medicine which comprised of specific plants is still considered in treating diseases. Aloe Vera is an example of a plant used for medicinal purpose. In Kenya, manufactured drugs are expensive depending on the ailment and people turn to plants for their recovery. Herbalists grind and crush different types of leaves from specific plants into a concoction. The concoction then is used in treating headaches, stomach aches, heartburn and other pains. Plants such as Khat are also believed to aid in dieting because they suppress hunger pangs. Leaves from specific p lants treat snake bites in the Kikuyu and Kamba community. Rural health planning in Kenya appreciates medicinal plants for they are readily available and cheap. (www.overlandingafrica.com/kenya/?) Kenyans use plants to relieve hunger pangs each and every day. There are common types of foods across the country although some of them originate from specific communities. Kikuyus enjoy a mixture

AN INVESTIGATION OF IT INVESTMENTS IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED Essay

AN INVESTIGATION OF IT INVESTMENTS IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES - Essay Example The primary research will include a short survey which will contain basic questions on the use and adoption of IT in the business. An area of the UK will be chosen for this survey, preferably an area where the author resides to reduce the costs associated with travel and to increase survey response. No personal information will be made public and participants will be notified of this. The author will use online and library resources to obtain a list of SMEs in the selected area. As a result of the methodology, the research will largely be descriptive as it will be collecting information from surveys (Creswell 2003). The research will also be explanatory because the author will attempt to provide an explanation between IT investment and productivity in SMEs (Creswell 2003). This also means that the research will be largely qualitative. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered to benefit the economies they serve, as they create employment and attract investment into certain areas. However, due to their size they are not able to always access and enjoy the advantages of much larger companies. For instance, large enterprises often have direct access to international and local capital markets, as they can afford the transaction costs (Enterprise Development Agency 1998). This suggests that SMEs are confined to regional markets which does not fully maximise their potential. Larger enterprises are also able to market their products and services across national boundaries whereas SMEs will be restricted to national and/or regional boundaries (Enterprise Development Agency 1998). If one considers the characteristics of SMEs, one will find that most of these enterprises are relatively small and have high operational costs which may prevent them from expanding into larger, more successful enterprises. Howeve r, there have been concerns that SMEs may not expand at a favourable rate due to their lack

Christmas past Essay Example for Free

Christmas past Essay Ebenezer Scrooge is a tightfisted miser who has only one purpose in life, to extort as much money and profit he can from anything and everything. As with all things, too much of one thing is bad for you; Scrooges miserly ways are catching up with him. His cheap ways have not brought him any friends, quite the contrary; they have brought him derision and scorn. He was thought of as a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, selfish, covetous old sinner! As we can see, he wasnt a very pleasant person, but that is to be expected of people who work around money all their lives. Money became more than a possession to Scrooge, all his coins were his little children. He kept them safe in their strongboxes. To give away but one petty coin, would have been asking Scrooge to give away part of his soul. He was greedy and crooked to the bone. He was a cold heartless man No warmth could warm No wind that blew was bitter than he. Scrooge hated the idea that on Christmas day his workers were allowed the day off and Scrooge still had to pay their wages. A poor excuse for picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December. Scrooge dislikes people who try and raise money to help the poor, when the charity workers tell Scrooge some poor people would rather die than work in a workhouse Scrooge replies. If they would rather die They had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. This quote shows that Scrooge doesnt care about other people apart from himself. He doesnt care that other people are worse off than he is and he doesnt care if they die. If I could work my will Every idiot who goes about with merry Christmas should be boiled with his own pudding. This is a quote from Scrooge before the ghosts visit him. It shows that Scrooge doesnt like Christmas and doesnt like other people enjoying themselves at Christmas. Scrooge wasnt just miserable and bad tempered at Christmas; he was like that all year round. These famous lines were uttered by Scrooge on Christmas Eve, 7 years to the day, of his old partner, Jacob Marleys death. Then as Scrooge was about to enter his marvelously slum-like mansion, he looked at his doorknocker, and nearly fainted dead away with fright. Scrooge saw in the knocker not a knocker, but Marleys face. Bad omens breed ill times to come, and this was most definitely a bad omen. As Scrooge looked fixedly at this phenomenon, it was a knocker again. Scrooge just thought it was the dark playing with his mind. Darkness was cheap and Scrooge liked it. When Scrooge sat down by the small fire the cellar floor blew open with a booming sound, still Scrooge wouldnt believe anything strange was happening. Its still humbug I wont believe it. When the ghost of Marley appears before Scrooge he still doesnt accept what hes seeing. The ghost asks Scrooge Why do you doubt your senses? Scrooge replies, Because a little thing effects them theres more of gravy than of grave about you. Marleys ghost explains to Scrooge that he is forced to travel around the world; he sees people suffering and cant do anything to help them. Marleys ghost explains to Scrooge that he is forced to do this in death because of the way he was in life. Marley tells Scrooge that his punishment after life will be even greater because Scrooge was just as bad as Marley and has had an extra seven years of life to do bad things. Marley told Scrooge that unless he changes his ways he will be punished. He tells Scrooge that three spirits will visit him. Expect the first tomorrow when the bell tolls one. The ghost of Christmas past was a strange figure. Its hair hung about its neck and was white as if with age. Its arms were very long and muscular. It had a lustrous belt around its waist and was holding a branch of fresh green holy in its hand. You are one of those whos passion made this cap, and force me through whole trains of years. The ghost said to Scrooge. Meaning because of people like Scrooge the ghost has to visit them. The ghost of Christmas past took Scrooge to the place where he grew up. They saw travelers; Scrooge knew and named every one of them. Why did his cold eye glisten Why did his heart leap as they went past. The ghost then took Scrooge to his old school; he was the only child left there. All the other children had gone back home to their families for Christmas. The ghost then took Scrooge to a house were a young Scrooge was reading a book by a weak fire. Some actors visited young Scrooge and performed a play for him. Scrooge remembered how lonely he was and how happy the actors made him feel. There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night.

Advantages And Disadvantages Relying On Field Notes English Language Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Relying On Field Notes English Language Essay At the first step of this assessment I have to answer what the advantages and disadvantages are of relying solely on field notes, in comparison with producing a transcription of an audio or video recording. During the second half of the twentieth century, there was a huge growth in the amount of educational research and the emergence of a substantial methodological literature on how best to pursue it. The educational research became quite diverse, not only in the topics examined but also in the methodological and theoretical approaches that are used. Perhaps not surprisingly, disagreement is closely associated with such diversity, and there are even differences of opinion over what is and is not research, and what is and is not educational research(E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 63). Field notes or transcription of an audio or video recording are characteristics of reflective practice and of what is often referred to as action research. Nevertheless, a great deal of educat ional enquiry is carried out as a separate task from educational practice, even when it is designed to inform practice directly. In this matter, the researchers may not be educational practitioners themselves, although they frequently are (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 63). Concerning the range of strategies that can be used to pursue educational research it is a wide range of issues such as laboratory and classroom experiments, large-scale surveys of the behaviour, attitude, etc. The results of the research, i.e. the data may be the product of direct observation on the part of the researcher or it may be produced by others, and can take a variety of forms, such as answering questionnaires by ticking in boxes on interview or observational schedules, numbers as recorded in published statistics, text from published or unpublished documents or from field notes written by the researcher during the course of observations or interviews, audio-or video-recordings and transcripts of these(Research Methods in Education, Handbook, p.26). A common way of conceptualizing this diversity is the distinction between quantitative and qualitative approaches and it is necessary, however, to emphasize that it is a very crude distinction and one that is potentially misleading. The most obvious distinction between the two sorts of research is that the former deals with numbers whereas the latter does not or does to a minor degree. Going back to the main point of the question I have to deal with the qualitative research since field notes or audio video recording are within this category. As interview transcripts are made and field notes of observation compiled the researcher continuously examines the data, by highlighting certain points in the text or making comments in the margins. The important points are identified by the researcher noting contradictions and inconsistencies, comparisons and contrasts with other data and so on. At this point the researcher is not just collecting data, but thinking about it and interacting with it. Much of these first attempts at speculative analysis will probably be discarded, but some ideas will no doubt take shape as data collection and analysis proceed. Much of this early activity may appear chaotic and uncoordinated, but such `chaos is a prolific seed-bed for ideas (Research Methods in Education, Handbook, p. 68). However, sometimes, because of the pressure of time, the notes the researcher makes may be little more than a scribbled comment, or a one-word `indicator particularly as the research goes on, one might write longer notes or memos or summarize parts of data that go together and that could be one of the disadvantages for the field notes. On the other hand, by writing the notes down, the researcher has the advantage of memorising better the outcome of the interview. Concerning though the audio video recording as it used to happen in the past, qualitative researchers relied primarily on written field notes as a source of data. However today, they use audio or video recorders, although they often supplement these recordings with field notes in order to provide additional information that may not be evident in the recordings which is one of its disadvantages. In addition, this might include such things as the layout of the setting, what happened before the recording began, talk that was too quiet to be picked up by the microphone, who was speaking to whom, non-verbal behaviour of various kinds, and behaviour that may be obscured on the video recording. Generally speaking, the aim when writing field notes is to provide as detailed and accurate an account as possible of the nature of a setting, and of what was said and done while the observation was being carried out (E891 Educational Enquiry, Media Guide, p. 8). Another advantage of the audio video recording is the opportunity the researcher has to play over and over the interview and clarify more what he hears. In contrast, by audio video interview, the interviewee loses his own privacy since an interview is more or less a confession. (824 words) Question 2 During the second half of the twentieth century, educational research has moved away from the use of the quantitative method and the associated reliance on positivist ideas about methodology, and towards various kinds of post-positivist approach although neither quantitative research nor the influence of positivism disappeared completely. Educational research came increasingly reliant on relatively unstructured forms of data, such as audio and video recordings, open-ended field notes, and published or unpublished documents even using material from the internet. This data was analysed in ways that did not rely on quantitative method, being designed instead to produce accounts that are similar in basic character to those written, for example, by historians (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 81). As a result, qualitative researchers work mainly with relatively unstructured data which is not framed in terms of analytic categories at the point of data collection. Researchers are using observational data produced in the form of open-ended field notes describing what is observed in plain and concrete language, and/or through audio or video recordings which are then transcribed. In addition researchers may use data from relatively unstructured interviews in other words, those that do not involve asking a set of pre-specified questions, or offering informants a choice from pre specified answers. Instead, for the most part, their aim is to encourage informants to talk in their own terms about matters that may be relevant to the research. Once again, the data is recorded by means of field notes, and/or more usually by audio recording and transcription (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 104). Moreover, observation as a source of data uses most kinds of documents, observation requires the researcher to record the data by means of field notes, audio or video recording. Whenever electronic recordings are used, these usually must be transcribed, which in a sense are time-consuming activities that must be carried out before the even more time consuming activity of analysis starts. Very often observation in qualitative research uses audio or video recording which usually provides a more accurate and detailed record than the use of field notes. However, these techniques still do not record everything. For example audio recordings omit nonverbal behaviour that may be very significant in understanding what is being expressed. On the other hand, camera angle will make some things visible and others obscure or out of focus. Furthermore, both audio and video recordings need to be transcribed, and errors can be introduced here. Even transcription involves inference (Ochs, 1979, p.2). The researchers have to be very careful when interviewing people and collecting data. In other words, they reject the idea that interview data can be used either as a window into the minds of informants or as a source of information about the social worlds in which they live. At this second part of my assignment the question which is needed to be answered is what would be lost by relying on audio recording rather than a video recording. Up to now, I have tried to analyse the usage of the audio video recording by the researchers and pick point advantages and disadvantages of this method. There is a need for more time to be consumed when we do the transcription of an audio instead of a video recording due to the fact that we can only listen to the audio instead of listening and watching a video recording. In addition, with the audio recording we lose important non-verbal and contextual information. Unless we are familiar with the speakers we may also find it difficult to distinguish between different voices. Wherever possible, supplement audio-recordings with field-notes or a diary providing contextual information. Moreover, audio recordings omit nonverbal behaviour that may be very significant in understanding. What is happening while a researcher is asking someone something that could be seen in the video recording is easier to be interpreted. Laughter or coughing could be very important on the ground of what it is said but is missing from the audio recording since both need to be transcribed and errors can be introduced here easier with audio recording since transc ription involves inference. Moreover, the usage of the audio recording may mislead the researcher since he only has the voice and not a picture of the interviewee. However it is more intimidating to video record an interviewer and it goes without saying that permission should be sought before any audio or video recording. (736 words) Question 3 Coming to the third part of the assignment, I have to point out the advantages and disadvantages of the structured interviewing. Structured interview falls into the educational research. According to Stenhouse A research tradition which is accessible to teachers and which feeds teaching must be created if education is to be significantly improved.(An introduction to Curriculum Research and Development, 1975, p.165). Furthermore, David Tripps words are very significant as he mentioned the importance of the educational research by saying that there is no doubt if educational research seeks to improve practice it needs to be grounded in educational events and not in academic theories (Critical Incidents in Teaching, 1993, p. 152). From my own experience, this is very important to me, since I recognised the fact that I had been very successful in the classroom while being ignorant of what academics considered knowledge essential to teaching. I actually became aware of the difference betw een knowledge of academics and knowledge of teachers after I had taken educational lessons in pedagogy as part of the compulsory pre service course so that I could continue teaching. Additionally, improving teaching is by grounding in educational research in realities of teachers everyday experience. We are all familiar with interviews from everyday life which basically the interview is an interactional format that consists of an interchange between one or more people by asking questions and a person (or a number of people) answering them. An interview can be distinguished from a test or an oral examination in that the aim is for the person questioned to provide information or opinions, while the interviewer does not usually make any explicit evaluation of the answers beyond what might be required for the sake of politeness (E891 Educational Enquiry, Media Guide, p. 10). Even though interviews are described in broad terms, we also recognise when an interview is taking place and it is also important to understand the considerable variation in their character. This is not just about differences in purpose but even research interviews may vary considerably in a number of ways. As it was mentioned before, it is possible to interview one or more persons simultaneously thus marking the distinction between individual and group interviews. Another significant difference concerns where an interview takes place on whose territory, for example. In structured interviews characteristic of survey research, interviewers in general, reveal as little as less possible about themselves, in contrast of what can be read from their appearance and behaviour. However, this is the case during the formal part of the interview; there is more to be disclosed in informal interchanges before or after the interview. However, in qualitative interviews, with their more unstructured format, it is common for interviewers to provide more information about themselves. In addition, some commentators have argued that they are obliged to do this, as part of an appropriate reciprocity that ought to operate between researcher and researched (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 234). Another fact that the researcher should take into consideration when he or she is preparing a structured interview is the design of the interview. To avoid mistakes piloting is very necessary. Observation schedules and the way the researcher records observations also ne ed to be reliable, since it needs to mean the same to others as it does to you. You need to make sure that you negotiate with each other to arrive at mutually agreed definitions of the behaviours and situations you want to concentrate on. As Coolican points out: We know that each persons view of a situation is unique and that our perceptions can be biased by innumerable factors. An untrained observer might readily evaluate behaviour which the researcher wants reported as objectively as possible. Where the trained observer reports a hard blow, the novice might describe this as `vicious' (Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, 1990, p.63). Coming back to my working experience, as an assistant head master, I experience structured and semi structured interviews almost every day. Being with young students from 15 to 18 years of age as educators we are in constant discussion with them. While I was studying for the structured interview my mind always goes back on the first days of each year for the first year students in school. Every assistant head master normally is responsible for at least 25 first year students; as a result, I always have freshmen at school that I have to interview them so I can have a brief idea about them. The interview is developed as a structured one and many questions could be answered by either answering yes or no or by filling in with a few words. The most important for me is to drain as more useful information as possible. Furthermore, based on the given participants answers to my questions, I have to determine not only the students personal problems, hobbies and interests but also oral fluency, vocabulary strengths, and general communication skills. This assessment target, which in a sense is not part of the structured interview it is a tool which I have to develop so that I can comment at the end of the interview for myself. As it is obvious, the interviewees are often nervous and sometimes are shy. I usually put a lot of effort to get as more as possible from the interviewee and this sometimes becomes more and more difficult for me. As Mcnamara mentioned the interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participants experiences and the interviewer can pursue in-depth information around the topic but it is also useful as follow-up to certain respondents to questionnaires, e.g., to further investigate their responses. (General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews, 1999, p. 12). Whenever I come to the end of the interview, a lot of thoughts go through my head. The fact that I learn more about my students could become an advantage or a disadvantage for me or any interviewer. However, this part should stay with me or any other interviewer and I should explore more strengths or weaknesses of this method. As a starting point for the advantages of an interview I should mention the fact that all participants are getting equal chances to answer on the same questions and present themselves as best as possible since all the questions are set up in such a way to give them the opportunity. Face-to-face structured interviews are quicker to conduct and they give better opportunity to assess the interviewees meaning and interpretation of the questions. They also help to identify any confusion that might come up from the so asked question or answer, more easily and efficiently. In addition, they allow the chance to present material to interviewees and get their reactions. Furthermore, face-to-face structured interviews are generally better than mail questionnaires with interviewees with unknown educational skills that may not be clarify for the questions asked. They are also helpful when sensitive information is looked for since interviewers normally can establish a trust with the interviewee and they are able to drain answers to questions that the interviewee may otherwise be negative to answer or to answer truthfully. In addition, where less is known about the way in which interviewees think about an issue or about the range of possible answers to a question, structured interviews has the chance for interviewers to ask additional questions, if needed to get reasonable answers. Moreover interviewees are asked the same questions in the same way. This makes it easy to repeat (replicate) the interview. In other words, this type of research method is easy to standardise and provides a reliable source of quantitative data. On the other hand, there are also disadvantages from the structured interview such as the associated one with obtaining data from tests, questionnaires and structured interviews. These methods are often aimed at capturing dispositions, such as respondents abilities, attitudes or tendencies to act in particular ways. However, peoples responses to particular questions or test items on particular occasions within the research context may be different from what they would typically say or do in other circumstances. In other words, their responses may be generated by particularities of the research context, and may not apply more generally. Even where the responses are the product of a disposition, researchers will not know exactly under what conditions this disposition is acted on (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 148). However, interviews also develop the dynamic for an interviewer to intentionally or unintentionally influence results and violate consistency in measurement. The survey interviewees are very sensitive to cues given by the interviewers verbal and non-verbal behavior. As well, an interviewer has the opportunity to ask further questions or give clarifications and may undountefully influence the expected answers. Although they are faster to conduct than mail questionnaire surveys, face-to-face interviews are costly due to the amount of staff time required to conduct interviews and to the cost of travel. Coming to my interviews, I am, however, generally able to make fairly accurate judgments about students background and abilities. In most cases, I also get feedback as interviewer. Many participants said they found my tone of voice and my encouraging approach very helpful. That kind of feedback certainly helped me as the interviewer. (1540 words) Coolican, H. (1990) Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, London, Hobber and Stoughton. E891 Educational Enquiry, Media Guide, (2007), The Open University. E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, (2007), The Open University. McNamara, C., (1999), PhD. General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews, Minnesota. Ochs, E. (1979) Transcriptions as theory in Ochs, E. (ed.) Developmental Pragmatics, New York, Academic Press. Research Methods in Education, Handbook, (2003), The Open University. Stenhouse, L.(1975) An introduction to Curriculum Research and Development, London, Heinemann. Tripp, D. (1993) Critical Incidents in Teaching, London, Routledge.

Current Air Quality Trend In Malaysia

Current Air Quality Trend In Malaysia Dimitriou and Christidou (2007) mentions air pollution is one of the most pressing global environmental problems that threaten the wellbeing of living organisms, leading to a loss of biodiversity or disrupting the function of the environment as a system. Air pollution occurs as a consequence of natural processes as well as human activity (anthropogenic). Examples of natural causes of air pollution include volcanic eruptions, forest fires and windblown dust. Anthropogenic air pollution from sources like motor vehicles and industries continues to be a serious harm to human health and welfare is more likely, namely the more densely populated urban areas. The health effects of air pollution have been reported in research studies over the past 30 years. These effects include respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases, changes in lung function, and death. Colls (1997) reported particles in the atmosphere primary or secondary, solid or liquid. They come into the atmosphere, and leave it again by a wide variety of routes. Particulate matter is characterized by its physical and chemical properties Nader (1975). In addition, particle size and particle composition are characteristic that play a significant role in the assessment of health effect. In response to this information, regulatory agencies with a mandate to protect public health must now consider how to implement monitoring networks that will allow measuring the particulate matter concentration. In recent years, a increasing of number of monitoring system for particulate matter (PM) are available and are wide ranging in type, cost, flexibility and accuracy. According to Kingham et al. (2006), accurate and reliable monitoring of PM aerosol in the respirable size fraction ( In 2001, Chung et al pointed about traditional monitoring networks (Continuous Aerosol Mass Monitor, Integrating Nephelometer, Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance) for airborne particulate matter. A small number of past studies have evaluated the tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) and a series of manual gravimetric methods (Allen et al., 1997, Ayers, 2004, Cyrys et al., 2001, Hauck et al., 2004, Williams et al., 2000) but fewer still have compared other commercial monitors (Baldauf et al., 2001, Chung et al., 2001, Heal et al., 2000, Monn, 2001, Salter and Parsons, 1999). CURRENT AIR QUALITY TREND IN MALAYSIA There are 52 National Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) in Malaysia, function to monitor continuously 5 major pollutants, namely Particulate Matter (PM10), Ozone (O3), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO). For the northern region of Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Perak), the overall air quality levelwas lies between good to moderate. However, there are curtain places (Tanjung Malim, Alor Star and Sungai Petani) recorded unhealthy level of the day especially in the mid of the day till late afternoon due to high concentration of ground level ozone (O3). In tanjung Malim, one unhealthy day was recorded due to high level of particulate matter (PM10) Air Pollutant Index (API) system were used in reporting the air quality status in Malaysia. The API compute from the monitoring of Ground level Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Particulate Matter of less than 10 microns in size (PM10). Air quality status can be categorized in five main level (good, moderate, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous as in Table 1.1. Table 1.1 Malaysia : Air Pollution Index (API) (Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2011, DoE) API Air Quality Status DoE in Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2011 highlights the annual average of PM10 was 43m3 , but was slightly increased compared to 2010 (39m3 ). However, for both year (2010 and 2011) value still below the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines value (50m3 ). The trend of the annual average levels of PM10 concentration in the ambient air between 1999 and 2011 complied with the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines as shown in Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2 shows the trend based on land use categories (Urban, Sub Urban, Background and Rural). MONITORING METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS The underway monitoring of airborne particulate matter in the ambient atmosphere is mainly for determination of the mass of the particle. The methods used for monitoring of concentration of PM can differ and are very dependent upon the aim of monitoring, sites, monitoring problem and resource that available during monitoring period. Usually, monitoring is to determine the concentration of total suspended particulate (TSP) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) have become outdated with the awareness that PM effects varies depending on sizes of the particle. QUARG (1996) pointed that the latest method of monitoring (gravimetric and direct reading method) are designed to determine the concentration of particle in the different sizes (PM10 and PM2.5). Table 1.2 displays the examples of the instrument for PM10 monitoring and the detection methods. Table 1.2 Examples of instruments used in PM monitoring Instrument Principle of detection Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM) The beta ray sources used in BAM are 14C. Directly measured the particle based on relationship between beta ray attenuation to particle mass. Depends on the near exponential decrease in the total number of beta particle transmitted through a thin sample as the density increase (William et al., 1993) The gravimetric method that only the mass of particle can be affect the detector not by the size of distribution, physical size, shape or either by chemical composition (Chow et al., 1996) Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM) Tapered hollowed channel will act as a gateway where the particles are collected on a filter. For minimum thermal expansion that occurred at the tapered channel, the sample area is maintained at 50 °C. Thermal expansion may affect the oscillation frequency and might be reduce the total amount of particle bound water. DustTrak 8520 Hands carry instrument and highly portable direct reading monitor. Using light scattering laser to detect the particles. Particles scattered the light which is from laser diode drawn through a constant stream. Liu et al., (2002) mentions the amount of light scatter find out the particles mass concentration. PROBLEM STATEMENT In Malaysia, PM10 monitoring was conducted by Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (ASMA). Md Yusof et al (2010) lists two instruments used for monitoring are high volume sampler (HVS) and beta attenuation monitor (BAM). BAM is the standard instrument used by Department of Environment (DoE) to measure particulate matter in 51 monitoring station in Malaysia. Air quality of these new areas cannot be monitored and observed due to the lack of monitoring stations of air quality. To develop these new monitoring stations, definitely it will be costly and need good maintenances. Additionally, air quality at the rural areas also cannot be monitored. Therefore, a new alternative instrument such as Direct Reading Monitors (DRM) will enable air pollutants to be monitored more comprehensively. Even though DoE has set up their monitoring station, the number of monitoring stations is limited. With the use of simple instruments and cost effective, the air quality in areas without monitoring stations can be monitored and assessed. For this study, direct reading monitor (DRM) was used to monitor PM10 concentration at selected stations. However, PM10 concentration recorded using DRM and BAM was different. This is due to different detection method between both instruments (DRM used laser and BAM used beta ray) and response time for DRM was set to one minutes, while BAM records hourly PM10. In addition, the mobile factor that is owned by DRM is also affecting the reading. Therefore, an appropriate coefficient needed to make sure the reading obtained from the DRM is the same as the reading derived from the BAM. OBJECTIVES The objective of this project is:- To estimate coefficient that relates DRM and BAM by using regression techniques. To investigate the best coefficient based on performance indicator. To determine the influence of meteorology on PM10 concentration. SCOPE OF STUDY In Malaysia, Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM) is the standard instrument used by DoE to measure particulate matter in 52 monitoring stations. This instrument automatically measures and records hourly particulate mass concentration in ambient air. It uses beta ray attenuation to calculate collected particle mass concentration units of  µg/m ³. For this study, Direct Reading Monitor (DRM) was used to monitor PM10 concentration at Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) conducted by Alam Sekitar Malaysia (ASMA). The station selected for this research is Prai and Seberang Jaya. Both stations are situated in the north part of Peninsular Malaysia. They are many researches comparing the mass concentration results of the BAM and gravimetric methods. Salminen and Karlsson (2003) reported the agreement between PM10 concentration measured by BAM and gravimetric method. PM10 concentration recorded by the DRM was compared with data monitored using BAM provided by DoE. Three method of linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between the DRM and BAM monitoring record which is method of ratio, method of quartile and method of quantile. Performance indicators were used to evaluate the goodness of fit for the ratio,quartile and quantile method to determine which method is the best. THESIS OUTLINE This thesis has a five important parts and brief outlines of this thesis follows. Chapter one gives an introduction about air quality monitoring in Malaysia, sources of air pollution in Malaysia. This thesis also stated the problem statement, objectives, scope of study and concludes with thesis outline. Chapter 2 discussed about the literature review of the research area (particulate matter 10, measurement for PM10), and also review that determines to what extent the issues or research part has been investigated. From this chapter, a good view and knowledge about research area can be undertaken. Chapter 3 describes the methodologies that have been used in this research. The area of study, setting and sitting of instrument, monitoring of PM10 using DRM and BAM, and method to analyzing the monitoring records also discussed in this chapter. Chapter 4 presents the result from data analysis in the form of graphical techniques and table, for all three methods, performance indicator and meteorological effect with the discussion. Chapter 5 gives a general discussion of this research. The comparison of three methods was discussed and to determine which method is the best using performance indicator. This chapter also discussed the best conclusions of this research and listed of recommendations for future research. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION Sherman (2003) defined air pollution as the presence of undesirable levels of physical or chemical impurities. Many organization such as the World Health Organization (WHO, 1999) recognized particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone(O3), lead (Pb) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), as classical pollutants presenting a hazard to sensitive populations. Air pollution now becomes an increasing source of environmental degradation in the developing nations of East Asia (Alles, 2009). The air pollution in Malaysia has not reached a critical level as in other metropolitan areas in Asia, like Jakarta or Manila. (Malaysian German Technical Cooperation, 2000). However; even outside extreme haze periods, pollution levels increased despite tight regulations and this is added by the increase in the number of vehicle, distance travelled and growth in industrial production. Air quality in Malaysia is a major concern as the nation forged ahead to become an industrialized nation by the year 2020. The Malaysian Air Pollution Index (API) is obtained from the measurement of PM10 and several toxic gases such as SO2, CO, NO2, and O3. The air quality status in Malaysia is determined accordingly to API which indicates the level of pollution in the atmosphere. The API system of Malaysia closely follows the Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) system of the United States of America. According to Department of Environment, based on the Air Pollutant Index (API), the overall air quality for Malaysia in 2010 was between good to moderate levels most of the time. The overall number of good air quality days increased in 2010 (63 percent of the time) compared to that in 2009 (56 percent of the time) while remaining 36 percent at moderate level and one percent at unhealthy level. However, peatland fires resulting in transboundary air pollution that occurred in the Southern Asean region in the month of October resulted in a short spell of haze episode in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia (DoE, 2009 DoE, 2010) DoE also reported that the overall air quality of the northern region of the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Perak), was between good to moderate most of the time. However, Tanjung Malim and Tasek recorded four unhealthy days and one unhealthy day, respectively. The pollutants of concerned were ground level Ozone (O3) and PM10. 2.2 AIR QUALITY MONITORING IN MALAYSIA In order to ascertain the quality of the environment in Malaysia, the Department of Environment (DoE) regularly monitor the air quality. The air quality monitoring, which involves measurements of total suspended particulates, atmospheric lead and dust fallout, are conducted at 52 monitoring stations (Figure 2.1 and 2.2) categorised as industrial, urban and sub urban areas (DoE, 2010). In addition to the 52 stations in the National Continuous Air Quality Monitoring Network, manual air quality monitoring stations using High Volume Samplers were also established at 14 different sites for measuring total suspended particulates, particulate matter (PM10) and heavy metals such as lead. A continuous automatic monitor which gives instantaneous measurements of gaseous pollutants such as CO, SO2, oxides of nitrogen and ozone, as well as suspended particulate matter and total hydrocarbon used as the monitoring equipments by the DoE to assess air quality (Abdullah, 1995). The air quality status is reported in terms of Air Pollutant Index (API). The air pollutants used in computing the API are ground level ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter of less than 10 microns in size (PM10). The API is categorized as good, moderate, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous. 2.3 SOURCERS OF PM10 The US EPA defines particulate matter (PM) as a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. PM can be in sizes or colors large or dark enough to be observed or it can be so small that an electron microscope is required to distinguish it. According to Fierro (2000), coarse particles (PM10) have an aerodynamic diameter between 2.5 µm and 10 µm. They are formed by mechanical disruption (e.g. crushing, grinding, abrasion of surfaces), evaporation of sprays, and suspension of dust. PM10 particles are small enough to be inhaled and accumulate in the respiratory system (Colls, 1997). Particulate matter can come from many sources. Generally, any activity which involves burning of materials or any dust generating activities are sources of PM. Some sources are natural, such as volcanoes and water mist (Bates, 1995). PM is introduced to the air through both natural and human causes (Harrisonu Yin, 2000). PM from specific sources typically follow short term and long term (seasonal) trends (Yatin et al. 2000). For example, space heating generates more combustion related PM emissions during the cold seasons while, at the same time, snow cover can inhibit PM emissions from the soil. Quality of Urban Air Review Group (1996), published the report in which they describe that primary particles are those directly emitted to the atmosphere from sources such as road traffic, coal burning, industry, windblown soil and dust and sea spray. On the other hand, secondary particles are particles formed within the atmosphere by chemical reaction or condensation of gases, and the major contributors are sulphate and nitrate salts formed from the oxidation of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides respectively. The primary sources of PM in Malaysia, are motor vehicles diesel trucks, industrial emissions, agricultural, slash and yard waste burning, and even exhaust from lawn mowers and boats (Department of Environment, Malaysia, 2010). PM concentrations tend to be especially high in area with greater population density, nearby industries or agriculture, or where local topography or weather conditions contribute to air stagnation. 2.3.1 Traffic Vehicular particle emissions are the result of a great many processes, an example combustion products from fuel and oil, wear products from brake linings, tyres, bearings, car body and road material, and the resuspension of road and soil dust (Laschober et al. 2004). Traffic is an effective source of both fine and coarse mode primary particles, condensable organic gases, and a major source of nitrogen oxides that then form secondary nitrate aerosols. Particles of condensed carbonaceous material are emitted mainly by diesel vehicles and poorly maintained petrol vehicles (Vardoulakis et al. 2003). Diesel exhaust particles have been shown to display a multimodal size distribution (Kerminen et al. 1997) and are mainly carbonaceous agglomerates below 100 nm in diameter, whereas particles emitted by gasoline vehicles are also mainly carbonaceous agglomerates but considerably smaller, ranging from 10 to 80 nm (Morawska and Zhang 2002). Particulate matter originating from traffic can be pres ent at elevated concentrations especially during high traffic density and poor dispersion conditions, e.g. in street canyons, which can lead to high human exposures to traffic-related pollutants (Vardoulakis et al. 2003). Identification of traffic related particulate matter in source apportionment studies has become difficult due to phasing out of Pb as an additive to gasoline. Elements that have often been associated with vehicular emissions include Cu, Zn, Pb, Br, Fe, Ca and Ba (Huang et al. 1994, Cadle et al. 1997, Kemp 2002, Morawska and Zhang 2002, Sternbeck et al., 2002). Emissions of many metallic elements from vehicular sources are mainly due to non exhaust emissions, examples from the wearing of tyres, brakes and other parts of vehicles (Sternbeck et al. 2002, Adachi and Tainosho 2004, Laschober et al. 2004, Lough et al. 2005). In addition to road traffic, emissions from the main and auxiliary engines of ships can be a significant source of particulate matter and associated elements such as V and Ni (Lyyrà ¤nen et al. 1999) at certain locations (Ohlstrà ¶m et al. 2000, Colvile et al. 2001, Isakson et al. 2001). 2.3.2 Stationary sources The most significant stationary combustion sources include energy production facilities such as municipal power plants, waste incineration, and residential combustion. Several industrial processes, such as iron and steel production, also involve combustion of fossil fuels or biomass for generating power and heat needed for the process. Most of these sources are considered point sources, although smaller and more widespread sources such as residential combustion could also be considered as an area source. Physical and chemical characteristics of the particles emitted from these source categories depends on the combustion process itself, and the type of fuel burnt (solid, liquid, or gas). Combustion processes and properties of particulate matter emitted from these sources have been comprehensively reviewed by Morawska and Zhang (2002). The major industrial processes include factories processing metals and chemicals, materials handling, construction and mining. Particulate matter from t hese sources are partly released as fugitive emissions, which are not collected and released in a controlled manner, but emitted from a variety of points and areas connected to a process (Seinfeld and Pandis 1998). Chemical and physical properties of fugitive emissions depend on the processes by which they are emitted. Since the bulk of most trace metals are nowadays emitted from industrial processes, their concentrations are spatially heterogeneous and subsequently, their measurement is quite sensitive in terms of location; however, the reported concentrations of trace metals in major cities demonstrate rather similar levels of trace metals (Harrison and Yin 2000). PM10 CHARACTERISTIC. PM is characterized by its physical, chemical and optical properties. The quality of air that we breathe in every second determine by the amount of particulate matter in it. These particulate matters measure by their particles size. Those with the particles size less than 10 micron (PM10) is used to monitor the air quality which in turn is related to the health problems of the workers or public at large (Alias et al., 2007). The most important characteristic of particulate matter (PM) is the particle size. This property has the greatest impact on the behavior of particulate matter in control equipment, the atmosphere, and the respiratory tract. Particles of importance in air pollution control span a broad size range from extremely small (0.01 micrometer) to more than 1,000 micrometers (US EPA, 2010). As a frame of reference, a human hair has a diameter of approximately 50 micrometers. The suspended particles vary in size, composition and origin. It is convenient to classify particles by their aerodynamic properties because, (a) these properties govern the transport and removal of particles from the air, (b) they also govern their deposition within the respiratory system and (c) they are associated with the chemical composition and sources of particles (WHO, 2003). 2.4.1 Physical Characteristic The physical attributes of airborne particulates include mass concentration and size distribution. the size is from a few nanometers (nm) to ten of micrometers ( µm) in diameter. Size is the single most important determinant of the properties of particles and it has implications on formation, physical and chemical properties, transformation, transport, and removal of particles from the atmosphere. Ambient levels of mass concentration are measured in micrograms per cubic meter (ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3), size attributes are usually measured in aerodynamic diameter. Particulate matter (PM) exceeding 2.5 microns (ÃŽÂ ¼m) in aerodynamic diameter is generally defined as coarse particles, while particles smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) are called fine particles (World Bank Group, 1998). Particles of any substances that are less than 10 or 2.5 micrometres diameter. Particles in this size range make up a large proportion of dust that can be drawn deep into the lungs. Larger particles tend to be tr apped in the nose, mouth or throat. The concentration and other characteristics of suspended particulate matter are determined by the presence and activity of sources. Once formed, particles change their size and composition by condensation or evaporation, by coagulating with other particles or by chemical reactions (Seinfeld and Pandis 1998). Pohjola et al., (2000), found that meteorological factors such as wind speed and direction, temperature, amount of precipitation, and the height of the atmospheric boundary layer, are most important in governing the concentration variations of particulate matter. The highest PM concentrations are often reported during stable meteorological conditions such as inversion with low wind speeds (Pohjola et al. 2004). Also the physical and chemical processes affecting the particles are regulated to a great extent by meteorological factors. 2.4.2 Chemical Characteristic The chemical composition of the particulate matter is also important. The chemical composition of PM is highly variable due to pollution sources, chemical reactions in the atmosphere, long-range transport effects and meteorological conditions. Absorption and heterogeneous nucleation of vapor phase pollutants onto existing particles can create toxic particulate matter (US EPA, 2010). The chemical properties vary depending on sources of particles. It is important to note that particulates are not one particular chemical substance but a classification of particles by size rather then chemical properties.The acid component of particulate matter, and most of its mutagenic activity, are generally contained in fine particles, although some coarse acid droplets are also present in fog. Particles interact with various substances in the air to form organic or inorganic chemical compounds. The most common combinations of fine particles are those with sulphates (World Bank Group, 1998). The rela tive abundance of the major chemical components, termed as bulk chemical composition and also about trace element and strong acid contents was reviewed in the studies of Harrison and Jones (1995) and Harrison and Yin (2000). In addition to the bulk composition, Harrison and Yin (2000) also discussed trace element and strong acid contents. In the United States, sulphate ions account for about 40% of fine particulates and may also be present in concentrations exceeding 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 (US EPA, 1982). 2.5 PARTICULATE MATTER HEALTH EFFECT There are a very limited number of studies that relate air pollution to its health impact in Malaysia. The lack of data gathering for environmental epidemiological analysis makes it difficult to estimate the health impact of air pollution (Afroz et al., 2003). Whilst epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated adverse effects of particulate matter exposure on human health, the mechanism of effect is currently unclear (Harrisonu Yin, 2000). The US Environmental Protection Agencys 1996 Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter reviewed the physiologic, toxicology, and epidemiologic studies related to the inhalation, deposition and health effects of PM exposures (US EPA, 1997). Some research has identified several plausible biological mechanisms for both the initial pulmonary injury and the consequent systemic effects (Neas, 1999). The respiratory system is the major route of entry for airborne particulates. The deposition of particulates in different parts of the human respiratory system depends on particle size, shape, density, and individual breathing patterns (mouth or nose breathing) (World Bank Group, 1998). In adults, PM exposure was associated with increased incidence of respiratory symptoms, transient decrements in pulmonary function levels, and the onset of chronic pulmonary disease in adults (Neas, 1999). Seaton (1995), has identified several plausible biological mechanisms for both the initial pulmonary injury and the consequent systemic effects following PM exposure and the initial pulmonary injury may be related to one or more properties of PM and its constituents including physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the path physiology of PM induced health effects. The most obvious mechanism involves the reduction in pulmonary function in response to the pulmonary inflammation. In the hypoxia hypothesis, the susceptible population consists of individuals with severe respiratory disease whose pulmonary reserve capacity is already near the minimum compatible with life. Exposure to PM further lowers their pulmonary function le vels and results in emergency hospitalization and death (Neas, 1999) Children are especially susceptible to particulate matter pollution for several reasons, their respiratory systems are still developing, they breathe more air (and air pollution) per pound of body weight than adults and theyre more likely to be active outdoors. Older adults are also more likely to be affected by particulate matter pollution, possibly because they are more likely to have chronic heart or lung diseases than younger people. In addition, people who have heart or lung disease, such as congestive heart failure, angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or asthma, are likely to experience health effects earlier and at lower particulate matter pollution levels than healthy people (American Lung Association, 1996). The capacity of particulate matter to produce adverse health effects in humans depends on its deposition in the respiratory tract. Particle size, shape, and density affect deposition rates. The most important characteristics influencing the deposition of particles in the respiratory system are size and aerodynamic properties. In Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (MAAQG), the level of PM10 concentrations are, 150 micrograms per cubic meter ( µg/m3) for 24 hour and 50 micrograms per cubic meter ( µg/m3) for the annual (Department of Environment, Malaysia, 2010). Some tiny pieces of particulate matter, PM10, are small enough to pass from our lungs to our bloodstream. PM can alter the bodys defense systems against foreign materials, damage lung tissues, aggravate existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and can lead to cancer. In some cases, PM exposure can even lead to premature death. Adverse health effects have been associated with exposures to PM over both short periods (such as a day) and longer periods (a year or more). The people who are most at risk are people with asthma, influenza, lung, heart, or cardiovascular disease, the elderly, and children. The human immune system developed in a time and environment where dust was made of large particles. Humans have developed a means of protecting themselves against these large particles. Particles larger than 10 microns generally get caught in the nose and throat, never making it as far as the lungs. Unfortunately, more recent human activity has created many particles that are much s maller, which can make it past our natural defenses, and can enter our systems (Fierro, 2000). The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Most concerned about particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller because those are the particles that generally pass through the throat and nose and enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects. EPA groups particle pollution into two categories: Inhalable coarse particles, such as those found near roadways and dusty industries, are larger than 2.5 micrometers and smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter. Fine particles, such as those found in smoke and haze, are 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller. These particles can be directly emitted from sources such as forest fires, or they can form when gases emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles react in the air. (U.S Environmental Protection Agency). 2.6 MEASUREMENT FOR PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10) 2.6.1 Reference Method The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated a handful of instruments as Federal Reference o

Tornado Essay -- Natural Disasters Weather

A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of two hundred and fifty miles per hour or more. Damage paths can be more than one mile wide and fifty miles long. In an average year, eight hundred tornadoes are reported nationwide, resulting in eighty deaths and over one thousand five hundred injuries. In the body of my essay, I will tell you about types of tornadoes, where tornadoes come from, where and when tornadoes occur, the damage they inflict, variations of tornadoes, and how to detect tornadoes. There are many types of tornadoes. The average tornado is usually split up into categories based on the strength of the tornado. Most tornadoes, about sixty nine percent 69%, are considered weak, which means they usually last between one minute and ten minutes, have winds less than one hundred and ten miles per hour, and the percent of deaths that occur during these is less than five percent. Strong tornadoes, about twenty nine percent 29%, may last about twenty minutes, have winds between one hundred and ten and two hundred and five miles per hour, and the percent of deaths that are found are about thirty percent of all tornado deaths. The last category for tornadoes is violent ones. With these comes winds greater than two hundred and five miles per hour, they can last about an hour, and have seventy percent of all deaths from tornadoes. Another type of tornado is known as a waterspout. This is a weak tornado that forms over warm water. They are most common along the Gulf Coast and southeastern states. In the western United States, they occur with cold late fall or late winter storms, during a time when you least expect it to develop. They occasionally move inland becoming tornadoes that can cause a great deal of damage and many injuries. Most tornadoes evolve from energy. Tornadoes come from the energy released in a thunderstorm. As powerful as they are, tornadoes account for only a tiny fraction of the energy in a thunderstorm. What makes them dangerous is that their energy is concentrated in a small area, perhaps only a hundred yards across. Not all tornadoes are the same, of course, and science does not yet completely understand how part of a thunderstorm's energy sometimes gets focused into something as small as a tornad... ...ms using all the information they can obtain from weather maps, modern weather radar’s, storm spotters, monitoring power line breaks, and so on. These are all important tornado facts and reasons of why this phenomenon occurs. Tornadoes are natural disasters that we can not do anything about, we just have to learn to live with them and be smart about how we approach them. There is no preventing a tornado from occurring so we must merely take all the precautions so we will be safe. Bibliography: Rosenfeld, Jeffrey O.; Eye of the Storm: Inside the World's Deadliest Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Blizzards; HarperCollins Trade Sales Dept, January 1999 Robinson, Andrew,; Earth Shock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes and Other Forces of Nature; Themes & Hudson Ltd., September 1993 Tufty, Barbara; 1001 Questions Answered about Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Other Natural Air Disasters; Dover Publications, Incorporated, August 1987 Verkaik, Arjen; Under the Whirlwind; Whirlwind Books, March 1998 Miller, Norman; "How A Whirlwind Works"; Geographical Magazine, June 1999 Compton's Encyclopedia Online; www.comptons.com SKYWARN Online; www.skywarn.org

Metafiction and JM Coetzees Foe Essay -- Foe

Metafiction and JM Coetzee's Foe    Is writing not a fine thing, Friday? Are you not filled with joy to know that you will live forever, after a manner? (Susan Barton, Foe, 58) Of the many literary conventions used to describe JM Coetzee's Foe, one of the more commonly written about is metafiction. Since about 1970, the term metafiction has been used widely to discuss works of post-modern fiction and has been the source of heated debate on whether its employ marks the death or the rebirth of the novel. A dominant theme in post-modern fiction, the term "metafiction" has been defined by literary critics in multiple ways. John Barth offers perhaps the most simplified definition: metafiction is "a novel that imitates a novel rather than the real world." Patricia Waugh extends our understanding to add that it is "fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws attention to itself as an artifact to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality." According to these definitions, metafiction concerns itself not with the creation of a new narra...

The Horse Dealer?s Daughter :: essays research papers

In D.H. Lawrence’s â€Å"The Horse Dealer’s Daughter,† Mabel â€Å"did not share the same life as her brothers †(195). Mabel Pervin was not close to her brothers, because there were personal and physical separations. Mabel was a plain, uninteresting woman. She seldom showed emotion on her face. In fact her face usually remained impassive and unchanged. Her brothers could be described as three handsome and well-spoken men. Mabel was independent, having taken care of the house for ten years without a servant. Even though they depended upon her, they seemed to have control over her. The Pervin brothers â€Å"did not care about anything† (195). They were poised and felt secure about themselves. Her brothers felt superior to her. â€Å"They had talked at her and round her for so many years, that she hardly heard them at all† (196). She would either give a neutral response to her brothers, or remain quiet when they talked to her. Instead of giving her encouragement, they teased her. This treatment could have led to her insecurity. They would tease her about becoming a maid or about her â€Å"bulldog† face. Her brothers were full of energy and very talkative. Mabel also seemed to be alone in the world. Unlike her brothers who had many companions, she had had no friends of her own sex. Sometimes it seemed that Mabel wanted to escape her life. One place Mabel felt secure and immune from the world was at her mother’s grave. â€Å"There she always felt secure, as if no one could see her† (200). Mabel was extremely devoted to her deceased parents, especially her mother. She was mindless and persistent. At the graveside, she had many different feelings. She seemed to be coming nearer to her own glorification. Also she would become remote and intent. She seemed to feel contact with the world that mother had lived.

Social Effects of Alzheimer’s

â€Å"What Are the Social Effects of Alzheimer’s Disease? † The growing epidemic of Alzheimer’s Disease plagues more than 4 million people nationwide, according to the National Institute for Aging. The social and financial costs associated with Alzheimer’s Disease are on the rise with no relief in sight. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), is the most common form of Dementia. It is an irreversible disease that destroys the brain over a period of time. AD is equivalent to child development in reverse. Scientists have found that AD patients share the abnormal processing and degradation of the beta-amyloid precursor protein. Scientists have noted that there are 2 changes in the brain cells. That is plaque and tangles. Plaques are made up of a sticky protein called beta amyloid, which builds up into small, sticky clumps in the cortex of the brain, intermingled with the functioning nerve cells. Tangles are made up of tau molecules, which normally form tiny tubes that support the structure of the brain cell. In Alzheimer’s patients, the molecules change shape so that the tubes collapse, causing the cell to shrink and die. It is still unknown how these changes occur. Alois Alzheimer first identified this disease in 1907. Generally, a person can develop this disease anywhere from 2 to 20 years after the first warning signs appear. Both men and women can become effected by AD. The older person is more likely to have it than the younger person. Rare inherited forms of AD such as Familal AD, can develop in individuals as early as their 30's and 40's. Most people develop it between the ages of 65 and 75 years old. AD has no single cause, but in the last 15 years, scientists have found several risk factors that increase one’s likelihood in developing the disease. One of the main risk factors is increasing age. According to the Multi-Institutional Research in Alzheimer’s Genetic Epidemiology (MIRAGE) project based at Boston University School of Medicine shows that at all ages a women’s risk of the disease is somewhat higher than men’s. Scientists also believe genetic predisposition plays a role to some degree. Based upon the MIRAGE project’s findings, it was found that people who’s both parents had AD had 1. 5 times the risk of people with just one affected parent and 5 times the risk of people with 2 unaffected parents. It was also found that most people with one affected parent do not develop AD themselves. Scientists have also found that genetic mutations on chromosomes 1, 14, 12 and 21greatly increase the risk of this disease in some families. Specifically chromosome 21 cause AD in people with down syndrome. A gene on chromosomes 12 and 19 play a significant role in late on-set AD, the most common type of AD. Scientists believe that ethnicity and environmental   factors play a role in the development in this disease. It has also been founded that high fat/low fiber diets have been linked to increase the risk of AD, as well as strokes, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. It is believed that regular, moderate exercise also helps to prevent AD too. In 1998, AD researchers Erasmus University in Rotterdam found that women smokers are 2 times as likely to develop AD and men who smoke have 6 times the risk. More research is needed, as there is still no clear answer to the cause of this disease. There are 7 stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. The first stage is when the patient is cognitively normal. This is when there are no complaints or indication of any memory problems. The second stage is when the patient is very mild and cognitive deficit. In this stage, there is forgetfulness of new names or where they put things such as glasses or keys. The third stage is when the patient has a mild cognitive decline. This is when there is trouble remembering the names of objects and material they just read. The fourth stage is when the patient has a moderate cognitive decline. This is when the patient gets lost going to familiar places and having difficulty counting and recognizing familiar people. The fifth stage is when the patient has a moderately severe cognitive decline. This is when the patient has early dementia. It is when the patient needs assistance to survive. They forget their address, phone number and where they are. The sixth stage is when the patient has a severe cognitive decline. This is when the patient has middle dementia. In this stage, they forget relatives names but not their own. They have no idea of where they are or what the date is. They seem nervous and paranoid and usually lash out. Other times they are peaceful. They also lose bladder and bowel control. Finally, in the seventh stage, the patient has a very severe cognitive decline. It is the final stage of dementia. They later cannot feed themselves, and eventually lose the ability to walk and talk. The 10 Warnings signs generally associated with AD are: memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation with regard to time and place, poor or decreased judgment, problems with abstract thinking, misplacing things, hanges in mood or behavior, changes in personality and loss of initiative. A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease with 100% accuracy requires an examination of the brain tissue. This is typically done with an autopsy after a person dies. An autopsy of a person with Alzheimer’s shows their brains literally tangled and deteriorated. Although a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s is very accurate wit hout autopsy with a complete physical examination of the patient. The diagnosis of AD is through a process of elimination after all possible causes of the symptoms are ruled out. Early diagnosis of this horrible disease is very important, as it will give time to the patient to make plans for the care of themselves and their finances. There are no cures for AD. Only 5 prescription drugs to treat AD have been approved by the FDA. Unfortunately, none of these drugs stops the disease itself, but it slows down the process for a limited time and helps control some of the behavioral symptoms. There is no way of preventing AD. There is some indication that antioxidants such as Vitamin E and some anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen may reduce the risk of starting it. It is believed that approximately 2-4 million Americans have AD. More than 70% of Alzheimer’s sufferers live in their own home and the average out of pocket cost is $12,500 a year. For Alzheimer’s patients in residential care centers or nursing homes, the average cost is $42,000-$70,000 per person per year depending upon where they live. The average cost of Alzheimer’s care from diagnosis until death is $174,000. AD is very costly. Most assistant living facilities are self-financed. Unfortunately, most people cannot afford it. V. A. benefits maybe an option for veterans. Medicare pays for up to 150 days of nursing home care, but AD does not qualify because there is no possibility of rehabilitation. Medicaid is a federal program administered by individual states that pay for long term care. Unfortunately, there are many restrictions and depending upon the state and or the stage of AD, the sufferer is in dictates whether or not they qualify for such a benefit. That is why this is a health crisis facing our nation. The government must be willing to provide more money towards research, and until a cure is found the restrictions of Medicaid must be reorganized to aid those in need.