Assignment †Distributed Computing Essay

The CTO is still impressed with your work. He just came back from a technology exposition where he heard about computer clusters. All he knows is that they are the big thing for businesses and he wants to explore the technology. Write a five page research essay explaining computer clustering, benefits, challenges, and potential applications. Essay should focus on one type of clustering application (file server, database, load balancing, web hosting, data processing) and detail the use potential setup (high availability or load balancing), type (COTS vs. blade clusters) and network connectivity. Requirements: Essay should be five pages of content presenting an explanation of computer clustering, benefits, challenges, and potential applications. Minimum concepts to cover and explain in the essay are: clusters, high availability, load balancing, COTS vs. blade clusters, network connectivity for computers in a cluster. Paper should conform to the APA style and hence will be longer because, of course, you will include a title page, abstract, table of contents, and a references page in addition to the actual content pages required Written Assignment requirements: Written work should be free of spelling, grammar, and APA errors. Points deducted from the grade for each writing, spelling, or grammar error are at your instructor’s discretion. Assignment Requirements/ Grading Rubric 1. Demonstrated college-level communication through the composition of original materials in Standard American English 2. Examined the concept of clusters and provided well documented explanation 3. Examined and explained the use of clusters to provide high availability and load balancing 4. Examined computer clustering benefits, challenges, and potential applications 5. Demonstrated good understanding of the technologies and provided good arguments and explanations to back up assertions and points

Providing Value Proposition to Customers: A Case Analysis on McDonald’s Essay

They have amazing story of their own organization relative with the organizational learning they have really gained insight from their history which later on made a lot of contribution for what now is MacDonald’s I would like to elaborate their story with two divisions and one of them Is early history and another after 90’s history. Early History When the MacDonald’s family back in 1930s around 90 years back they moved from Manchester to Hollywood where two brothers one is Richard and another is Maurice McDonalds started working. Еheir fathers had a â€Å"Air drome† McDonalds brothers realized that the most of their selling was for hamburgers, they closed down with a careful investigation so that they can open with a new starting and in a bigger way they started with the simple menu of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, shakes and more So they renamed their restaurant to the new name with McDonalds. After some time they realized one new thing that there was the time they need a new building for their restaurant so that they could improve more and make their goals achieve. The main two goals for them were efficiency and more catching appearance. Architects were chosen for the new ambience and new improvements. So being very careful new improvements were made for the appearance and for the betterment of the McDonalds. Mid History of McDonalds Company actual history was started from 1940 as two brothers Richard and Maurice opened up in the big phase of McDonalds as a restaurant with 20 menus. But the name was McDonald’s McDonalds hamburger as hamburgers were the most famous on their restaurant. As their revenue started increasing and they almost reached to $3500000 till mid 50’s. By then Raymond Kroc shows his interest on developing franchise of McDonalds and shows keen interest on making a chain restaurant so he registered McDonalds as a incorporation. so, in 1955 he became founder of McDonalds and changed the name so the new name and he current name of McDonalds came from that long way.. McDonalds Corporation. So, Kroc was the pioneer for the chain American restaurant for the fast food. Today McDonalds has become world’s largest fast food industry only in California they serve 47 million customers daily. It has managed to become one of the most prestigious values in all over the country. It got VRIO that is value, Ratio, and opportunities. Recent history So very recently from 2010, McDonalds has resigned its website and everything to a sleeker along with the certain changes made to the organization they also have introduced new way of approaching customers that is new advertising material to its website, they have unveil new pictures for restaurant ads, TV commercials, print advertising and online they all consists of real and 3d pictures of their products and services, by looking at that that looks so yummy and mouth watering. They also have make an announcement that the new the world biggest McDonalds restaurant will be built in London Olympics site. Changes made to turn the company As from their staring to till the current phase they have made so much of decisions that has taken the McDonalds to this new phase and I would like to show with the bullet points that how it the changes made to the company. McDonalds ?Firstly at their starting period it was more restaurants in a bus with different menus and lists of products. ? When they did a analysis they found out that the hamburgers were the most sold items so, the brothers decided to change the restaurant plans according to the need of the customers that they have introduced hamburgers, cheese burgers, apple pie, French fries with their core competencies product. ?When the restaurant was a big hit and widely accepted by customers now Raymond Kroc entered with new vision of changing that into the fast food chain and he owned with making McDonalds incorporation and making franchise and food chain were developed all over the America. As a change of this it has now become world’s largest fast food chain with employee of 18000 and more. ?Not changing the main product competencies of the McDonalds they have made other changed in marketing advertising and the environment care. ?With the change in market when they entered into the Indian markets they introduced maharaja burger which made them a big hit in India and they could captivate that market with their good brand name. McDonald’s customer centric plan and principals to win for the future are: The idea of customer centric has been credited to Peter ducker as he was the one to see the customer centric view and need to adopt those for the organization. † since the customer is central management understands that the organization must have a complete understanding of the customer needs and wants they must continuously develop various ways of tracking changes to the need of the customer. So, in overall I understood that the product must always satisfy customers needs and wants through their offerings. The seven principals of customer plan are as follows: McDonalds Drive sustained momentum So diversifying the products is the main theme of this, for example including kids dress, toys and other interactive video for the kids as they are doing it to diversify certain portion of risk and hence to minimize loss in order to successfully run the business. Generating broad based growth business Broad based growth simply for the McDonalds means going global, as they have been reached to 115 countries that is the best example we could have in different countries in different places but with the same name standardization and quality. McDonalds have expanded themselves to all over the world; this was their one of the strategy in order to prosper their organization. It had created huge impact on the profitability. Going beyond the borders as their strategy. Emphasis on 5P’s The five P’s that are people, place, product, price and promotion and making it all together so that the right mix would form for the McDonalds this I view as a focus strategy to the target customers. they have been creating products for the customers and as per customers needs and wants understanding customers which is also depth of customer centric plan. we can take an example of Indian market where beef is not allowed and McDonalds for the first time in their history they have introduced Maharaja burger which is a big success in Indian markets so, taking care of the customers through this 5 P’s. Stay sharply focused on here and now As we see the market is so dynamic and volatile the change is so fast and irrestable there are many organizations which were swept away by the market structure and the change in McDonalds technology so being focused and try knowing how and now are the points to be focused for the organization. Run day to day operations with maximum efficiency and productivity Operational excellence is the final key term for this, excel on what you do so that there will be no room for the competitors and take away your pie. As to captivate the market share organization needs to operate with their maximum efficiency it includes utilizing all their pr, marketing, advertising human skills, experience and even expert solutions to maximize the growth. The right people and process are intent on prospect Right people means human skills ensuing that the right candidate for the right jobs are handled down in order to have good labor relations and maximum efficiency so that the future would be secured. Skilled human will give organization certain outputs that are not even used for today even for the future the result is always positive if the human skills are competent enough to fight with the situation. Develop new innovations Organization In order to be competent and excel the market they must always be innovative and show the new approaches to meet the customer’s requirement. They must be innovative and creativity in order to exploit the opportunities that is in the market. Organizations must took innovations as the first tool to reach the customers and if threat is seen they must back out as soon as possible in order to minimize loss. Adding new product lines and certain changes in the product would be the example for the McDonalds to develop new innovations. McDonalds As for McDonalds as they have always viewed their customer as a treasure and no matter what they have always pays value to the customers knowing customers current needs Current product needs Looking to the problems of the customers through holistic approach I mean what actually the customer is wanting and what do they want is the organization question for example one customer wanting mobile phone with wireless charger could be his need and how the mobile company will address his problems is the secondary question. So what are current product needs for the customer and what actually does the customer wants. Future needs What are their future needs and wants what could be the expectations of the customers if he she buys a mobile phone then what could be the future expectation are the future needs of the customer. So it’s all about forecasting the future needs and wants of the customers it is gained through market research. Where the main aim of the customer centric is the organization where the learning and improvement are in the continuous format. They actually learn from their customers and respond in those manner resources, products and services are well utilized in order to gain the competitive advantage from them. It is well managed according to the strategies and goals of the organization and meeting them with the customers’ needs. So customer centric is the view from the customers need and the need is only the driving force for all the organization decision making. The main aim is to create the value of customer the value driven strategy. So until and McDonalds unless any company gives value to their customers there won’t be any progress made to the organization and there won’t be profitable return.

Tun Dr Mahathir

This is a Malay name; the name â€Å"Mohamad† is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, â€Å"Mahathir†. Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad (pronounced [ma? hatir bin mo? hamat? ]; born July 10, 1925) is a retired Malaysian political figure. He was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia. [1] During his term in office, he was credited for engineering Malaysia's rapid modernisation. 2] Mahathir is also known for his criticisms towards western and developed countries. [3] During his administration, he was considered to be one of Asia's most influential leaders. [4] Mahathir is also noted in the Western world as an outspoken critic of Western-style globalization. [5] Mahathir was born in Alor Setar, Kedah,[6] the youngest of nine children[7] of a schoolteacher and a housewife. His father, Mohamad Iskandar, was of Indian origin, being the son of a Malayalee Muslim (who migrated from Kerala) and a Malay mother, while Mahathir's own mother, Wan Tampawan, was Malay. 8] During World War II, he sold pisang goreng (banana fritters) and other snacks to supplement his family income during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Mahathir attended a Malay vernacular school before continuing his education at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Star. Mahathir then attended the King Edward VII Medical College (the predecessor of present-day National University of Singapore) in Singapore, where he edited a medical student magazine called The Cauldron; he also contributed to the The Straits Times newspaper pseudonymously under the nickname â€Å"Che Det†. Mahathir was also President of the Muslim Society in the college. [9] Upon graduation in 1953, Mahathir joined the then Malayan government service as a medical officer. He married Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali—a fellow doctor and former classmate in college—on 5 August 1956, and left government service in 1957 to set up his own private practice in Alor Star. Mahathir thrived in private practice, and allowed him to own by 1959 a Pontiac Catalina and employ an ethnic Chinese chauffeur (at the time, almost all chauffeurs in Malaysia were Malays, owing to the economic dominance of the ethnic Chinese). 10] Some critics have suggested this foreshadowed a later hallmark of Mahathir's politics, which focused on the â€Å"cultivation of such emblems of power†. [11] From his marriage with Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali, they have seven children,[12] four sons and three daughters: Marina Mahathir, Mirzan Mahathir, Melinda Mahathir, Mokhzani Mahathir, Mukhriz Mahathir, Ma izura Mahathir and Mazhar Mahathir. [13] Both Mukhriz and Mokhzani [14] are involved in business as well as in politics while their eldest daughter Marina is a prominent local writer and AIDS activist. [15]

Argument Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Argument Research - Essay Example Children facing such problems will have major health issues later in their life. It is high time that the country design some methods, which will help in reducing hunger (Kanatt, Chander & Sharma 2010, p. 219). The country should invest mostly on agriculture and protect the interest of farmers and any other businessperson dealing with agricultural produce. It will help in reducing hunger within the country and other countries abroad. When US invest on agricultural produce to the extent that the hunger in the country has reduced, the surplus of the agricultural produce can be exported to other countries. However, the exported products will help in reducing hunger abroad. The country should implement methods like preventing land grabbing, producing les biofuel, blocking speculators, support farmers, reduce poverty, target infant nutrition, roll out biotech, and educate farmers on agriculture. As the country implements these methods as a target to reduce hunger, farmers will be motivated to continue producing and even expanding to large scale. It is because through some of these methods; the government and other organizations will protect small-scale farmers. Various studies and researches ha ve been conducted with the aim of reducing hunger in US. Kantor study of 1997 recommended the protection of the environment and saved money. In addition, the study recommended that the government should collaborate with food recovery organizations who are feeding the hungry. Land grabbing is a major problem, which will affect food supply in the future. Many people and organizations are acquiring large tracts of land, which they will use as allotments. The grabbed land will be a beneficial to a few individuals while majority of the citizens are suffering due to hunger. The country should intervene and prevent land grabbing because it is becoming a threat to the country as well as the citizens. The major challenge in preventing land

The Cater Administration and the Evolution of American Nuclear Essay

The Cater Administration and the Evolution of American Nuclear Non-profileration Policy - Essay Example t nuclear power cannot be used in our time, but these people overlook the fact that some marginalized countries already have nuclear technologies, and their nuclear potential is constantly increasing. Furthermore, it is considered that such countries as Iran and Northern Korea are developing their own nuclear programs. The aim of the Carter administration’s non-proliferation measures was to decrease the whole amount of nuclear weapons in the world and to control possible proliferation. Michael J. Martinez in his article The Carter Administration and the Evolution of American Nonproliferation Policy, 1977-1981 has analyzed the main features of Carter’s non-proliferation policy. This paper will briefly explain America’s nuclear non-proliferation policy from 1945-1977; it will also discuss the Carter’s ability to influence the policy process, as well as positive and negative results of Carter’s non-proliferation policy. 2. â€Å"Non-proliferation policy† refers to foreign policy measures directed at reducing world nuclear weapons through international treaties between states possessing nuclear technology or trying to have it. American nuclear non-proliferation policy from 1945 until 1977 has greatly changed. These changes were dictated by unstable foreign policy situations which were evident in the constant tension between the United States with its European allies and the Soviet Union. After World War II, former Anti-Hitler Coalition allies frequently disagreed and constantly confronted each other, which resulted in the Cold War. After World War II and in the beginning of the Cold War, U.S. efforts were directed toward stopping proliferation and halting the development of nuclear programs of the Soviet Union and its Socialist allies. American nuclear policy also was concentrated on assisting U.S. allies to develop defensive nuclear capabilities in Western Europe. Nuclear bomb testing by Fra nce changed the U.S. strategy pursued strict non-proliferation

Using Graphic Organizers to Teach Reading Comprehension Essay

Using Graphic Organizers to Teach Reading Comprehension - Essay Example In addition, there is an assumption that in reading that all text have structures (Jiang & Grabe, 2007, p.34). And at the same time, â€Å"students in most class rooms are at different mental levels† (McMackin & Witherell(a), 2003, p. 11). In this regard, Hughes, Maccini, & Gagnon, (2003) argue that students at the upper-elementary, secondary and intermediate grades receive less individual attention than in primary grades. As a result, these new expectations and demands give more challenges in the process of learning and comprehension. And the required skills to comprehend become more challenging particularly for students with Learning disabilities (LD). And this becomes more challenging when a class does not represent a one particular type of students rather it is occupied with the students having different understanding abilities, comprehension power and retention. A class of students represents diversity and this diversity provides more challenging time for teachers who are expected to identify each student’s learning level and the teacher is expected to provide the targeted instruction (McMackin & Witherell(b), 2005). Additionally, with the passage of time as students progress, reading and comprehension increasingly incorporates expository text; from which the students are required to learn and comprehend. However, learning through expository is not easy a task for many students rather they are challenged with the reading assignments such as fiction (Kim et al., 2004). For instance, the material of expository text is of more informative nature and most of the time it is included by unfamiliar technical vocabulary terms and expressions. And these terms and expressions considerably differ from those expressions and terms that students had read in their primary classes. In addition, such text material is not organized properly rather poorly. This puts more pressure on students to use some additional complex cognitive tasks with an aim of comprehe nding the expository material (Lapp, Flood, Ranck-Buhr, 1995). With this added pressure from expository material, students face pressures and retention capabilities are directly hit or they become more exhausted; putting more psychological pressure to ensure learning the context of expository material. Additionally, some authors on the topic, suggest that there is a strong reason to believe that the students would under perform or may not be able to comprehend the context and material inside the expository text, for that purpose, they put forward their assertion that much of the expository material is filled with the huge amount of information. And this piece of information is not limited nor in its context, nor in its implications. Aggregately, there can be no boundary to determine the extent of expository material given a particular subject or topic. As a result, the students do not perform as they are expected to. Constantly, they under-perform and their aggregate graph of learni ng does not seem to be moving upward rather downward. In this regard, more innovations have been made in order to assist those students who are less equipped to face or manage the challenges of the expository material. Different learning strategies have been developed to assist students with LD (Dexter & Hughes, 2011). They need explicit content enhancements to assist in verbal (e.g. text or lecture) comprehension and graphic organizers (GOs) have often been recommended as an instructional devise to assist these students in understanding increasingly abstract

Housing Pre and Post Recession Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Housing Pre and Post Recession - Lab Report Example From figure 1, we see that the data starts off from the middle of a recession in 1982. It lasted only till the 4th quarter of the year. The percentage of GDP growth since then rose sharply until the 2nd quarter of 1982 and then started gradually moderating. The ensuing period was characterized by some volatility until the 1st quarter of 1991 from where the GDP growth dipped sharply and the second recession initiated. This recession also lasted only for two quarters. The decade of the 1990s marked a steady climb in the GDP growth rate and signs of the next recession were observed only in the first quarter of 2000 since when it started decreasing rapidly. This third recession lasted from the 1st quarter of 2001 to the last quarter of the same year. There was a small climb in terms of GDP growth since then until 2007. From the last quarter of 2007 the recent recession set in and it lasted for seven quarters making it the longest recession in the time horizon under consideration. Figure 1 Housing Starts Turning to the Housing markets, we start by looking at housing starts in Figure 2. Interestingly, apart from a steady dip a few quarters ahead of the current recession, inter-temporal movements in housing starts have been moderately stable. The recessions do not seem to have affected housing starts to any considerable extents and we find only small dips in the first two recessions. Strangely during the third recession, we find that housing starts actually increased. However, it can also be seen from the graph that housing starts exhibit a marked decline from around the 3rd quarter of 2005 onwards well into the recent recession. Figure 2 Average real housing prices The next housing market indicator considered is the real average housing price. As can be seen from figure 3, housing prices exhibit smooth but evident cyclical movements. Comparing these movements with figure 1 reveals that in terms of trends the housing price movements particularly in the latter half of the time horizon match those of the real GDP growth although real GDP volatility is considerably higher. The peaks and the troughs in the average housing price time plots are clearly distinguishable and there are substantially lesser reversals making the series a lot smoother. Although resemblances in trend are not so clear in the quarters before 2000, since then the GDP growth and housing prices seem to follow very similar patterns. Figure 3 Months’ supply Finally, in figure 4 below, we look at movements in months’ supply of housing across the duration considered. In between the first two recessions here, the series seems to have been substantially volatile though stably so, around a mean of 2. Thereon, the movements of the series have been relatively less volatile. Figure 4 We see from the figure that months’ supply has declined in periods subsequent to the 1st, 2nd and 4th recessions. After the 1982 recession, housing supply exhibits a small decline in the ge neral trend although it as mentioned earlier fluctuated around an average. A more pronounced decline in the series occurred following the 2nd recession in 1991. The strong declining trend during this phase continued on through the onset of the third recession. There was a surge in early 2005 reflecting what we know now as the gradually forming housing bubble. The series attained its maximum halfway into the fourth recession. The housing supply series seems to reflect a lagged

The rise of mass society in the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The rise of mass society in the U.S - Essay Example The mass society led to prosperity and a system of government, which weakened the tradition societal tie. The first two decades of the 20th century was the time of intense and rapid changes that stretched to the capacity of imagination. This is because of increased technology advancement; contributing to varied developments in the arts and many other aspects. Thus, the essay focuses on the major developments that took place due to modernity in the first two decades of the 20th century. The mass society led to major developments in varied aspects including arts and cultural aspects. The science and technologies grew rapidly in pervasiveness, scale and time; thus transformed the natural world into created human control; for instance, many artists started implementing unique artifacts including unique interior and exterior of the buildings, renaissance paintings and many others. The technology that comprised this new era included computer technology that enabled the society to make vari ed changes through interaction process. For instance, the Internet and social media services enabled the societies to culturally interact and learn one another’s cultural behaviors through a common sharing of language; thus creating a global village. 2Duiker and Jackson (2011, 86) argue that the two decades of 20th century saw their tasks through making sense of the great transformation and understanding the new culture and societies being created. Modernity refers to the Enlightenment period and movement from traditional to modern era, which is linked to the increased capitalism in the society. The term modernity in the Enlighten era reflected varied changes that took place including new construction of buildings, new way of painting artifacts including sculptures and many others. Modernity reflected the new wave from the traditional aspects to new era, which is associated with movement in arts, cultural movements and other varied transformations to western society. 3Radclif f (2004, 92) argues that modernity in the 20th century reflects new movements and transformation of varied things from traditional to current ones. The term can be coined with westernization to include changes and progression era from traditional to current due to influence from the westerners. Additionally, modernity is viewed from cultural changes in social, political and economic structures. However, scholars focus this term from a far perspective to include changes in modern science, arts and many other aspects. Modernity demands deeper and more radical changes in order to create a better world. According to 4Rosati (2013, 56) and Scott, modernity takes place through rapid rationalization, which is linked to actions of mankind to create resourceful order of means to meet their demanding desires. Therefore, modernity in the 20th century period took into consideration significant changes in the society such as new political power, social changes and economic changes. This was aide d by industrialization period that was rampart due to increased technological advancement; thus, innovation became the primary fact of life. Realism became principal in literature in the U.S during the earlier 20th century. Realism attempts to present things the way they are; hence, it tries to reveal the truth of things. For instance in art, realism approach was manifested in numerous ways; thus, it was mostly used to describe certain art objects. The term implies a

Design in Modern Art (painting from Paula and Leonard Granoff Gallerie Essay - 15

Design in Modern Art (painting from Paula and Leonard Granoff Galleries) - Essay Example The sculpture painting is placed in [Please provide the room that you obtained it from]. There are other fashion sculptures placed around it such as shoes. There is also a glass cupboard with other ornaments in it. There is a wooden table made of a board that holds them (Rosenfeld, & Daniel, 54). It has been displayed upright with human portrait used to depict how it appears when it has been used. The room which it has been placed is well lit with ceiling lights illuminating enough light to the objects. The display is very appropriate since it gives the viewer the direct message of what it is and has the theme of modernism in it. The display is very good since the portrait that has been used also suggest the gender type that the artwork is made for. The time period of this object is of the twentieth century since most of the clothing displayed is widely used in the present. The artist has used modern techniques in bringing out the sculpture; the artist has presented the fashionable trends in the twentieth century and displayed contemporary artwork. The artist is a modernist; everything that has been used in the sculpture is modern. The artwork symbolizes modern fashion styles that are widely used in the twentieth century. The artwork also symbolizes change that has seen old fashion dressed being wiped out with trendy ones like the one portrayed. The artwork has a theme of religious meaning; in this context, it has touched on fashion styles that are widely used by Christians. One traditional aspect that has been considered is the color black; meanwhile, the patterns and the materials used are both modern. The fashion can be used in both social and official ceremonial events. The artist inspires and it brings a feeling that success comes through hard work and determination. The choice about this object reveals that art has been given the first priority and understanding how to succeed is may be learnt from past

The adventure of the speckled band Essay Example for Free

The adventure of the speckled band Essay These stories, whilst written in the 19 century, still seem very relevant today. In this age where terrorism is a constant threat, it is easy to believe that we are the first generation to experience these fears. However, these stories give us an excellent reminder that we are not the first, and that these threats have been with us for many years; they have also been well documented and explored. Before reading these stories, I believed that these stories would be very remote, as the 19th century setting would be too early for me to easily relate too. However, as I read the stories, I started to realise that they were very relevant indeed. It was very easy to relate the poison of the swamp adder in Conan Doyles, Adventure of the speckled band, to ricin, which we are so aware of today due to the finding of the poison in London. Both poisons would also not normally show up on an autopsy, but a few milligrams of it could still kill many men. I also spotted very quickly the similarities in HG Wells, The stolen Bacillus, to the possibility of Biological attacks on many cities, such as the possibility of attacks on major cities with airborne spores, like anthrax. Whilst, in the story, it turns out that the visitor, as he is referred to, has not taken the deadly cholera bacillus, I found the vivid description of how the disease would, go hither and thithertake the husband from the wife, the child from its mother, absolutely terrifying, simply because of the sheer detail in which it is described. The personification which is used to help describe the pestilence also helps make the disease more terrifying, as if it is made to seem like a person is doing these terrible deeds, it can do so calculatingly and even more evilly. This personification is very well illustrated in the way that the bacteriologist constantly refers to the cholera as, he, in his rhetoric. We are also told how, he would creep through the streets, picking out and punishing a house. These very human characteristics show that the bacterium should be feared, as a person rather than a micro-organism. An issue which I feel is related to that of terrorism, and which is mentioned in Wells novel is that of immigration. There is a growing concern about letting people into our country, partly due to the fear of terrorism. This can, unfortunately, greatly promote racism against people of an Arabic origin. Whilst the immigrant becoming a criminal in this story is not of Arabic origin, he is clearly not a native to the British isles:  Certainly the man was not a Teutonic type, nor a common Latin one. This not only shows the problem of immigrants turning to crime, but also that of discrimination against them. Whilst it could be argued that no discrimination occurred, as the Bacteriologist let him into his lab, I feel that as it is only after, musing on the ethnology of his visitor, that he started to panic, as he did not trust foreigners. This illustrates that immigration and discrimination against immigrants was as much a problem in the 19th century as it is today. Another issue that is very relevant to the 21st century is that of womens rights. Whilst the spice girls, and other girl power related groups were formed in the 20th century, many girls raised listening to the spice girls will soon be adults with a significant say in our society, such as the right to vote. We have also seen many court cases in the past few years relating to sexism and unfair dismissal cases. However, I believe that these issues are brushed upon even this early in these stories, which, considering the time they were written in, is somewhat impressive. For example, the womens suffrage movements only appeared in the early 1900s, so these books evidently show that both authors were somewhat ahead of their time. The issue of sexism is clearly raised in Wells novel when the bacteriologist is running down the street and his wife is chasing him in a dog-cart. The off-duty dog-cart drivers see this and are evidently very aware that she is female, as they say that, Shes a following him. Usually the other way round. This shows that the woman could never be seen as a person, at least not by the common taxi drivers, who are shown to be common by their dialect; she was simply something to be chased. I think that the fact that Minnie is also following the bacteriologist simply to give him his hat is significant, as it shows that she is solely concerned about her husband, and therefore her image. This seems to show that she has nothing important to do and has no job. Women are therefore presented as somewhat inferior, at least to the 21st century reader, as this may have been the norm in the 19th century. This sexism is also shown in, The adventures of the speckled band, as women are simply expected to marry as a matter of course, and have to ask their fathers for permission to do so. This shows that women were seen to be reliant on men in order to survive. I also believe that it is relevant that Helen has no job in this story; she simply survives using money from her stepfather and mother. She also clearly has nothing else to do but look pretty and marry. This sexism is clearly something that the 21st century reader can identify with, and can also help the reader not becoming alienated from the 19th century setting.  Domestic violence is another thing which is still as relevant today as it was over 100 years ago. Domestic violence is shown in Conan Doyles story when Helen is beaten by her stepfather. As Holmes says in the story, she has been cruelly used, when he notices a hand mark on her wrist. As domestic violence is, clearly, an issue which still effects us today, I believe that this is certainly an issue relevant to the 21st century.

Research into the history of klinefelters syndrome

Research into the history of klinefelters syndrome Many chromosomal abnormalities occur early in development and involve the sex chromosomes. Klinefelters Syndrome falls directly into this category. Klinefelters Syndrome is a genetic condition affecting the male population. The following information observes who discovered Klinefelters Syndrome and when it was first diagnosed. The etiology or genetic and environmental factors of the condition are discussed as well as complete description of the disability and the clear diagnostic criteria. The affects of Klinefelters Syndrome are more recognized in adulthood, when it is typically diagnosed. Many Klinefelters patients live out their entire lives without ever knowing they have the condition. Upon conclusion, there should be an adequate amount of information that will give you, the reader, valuable knowledge into the diagnosis and treatment of Klinefelters Syndrome. History Klinefelters Syndrome was first diagnosed in 1942 at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston Massachusetts (Schoenstadt, 2006). Dr. Harry Klinefelter was completing his fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital when he was assigned to work with Dr. Fuller Albright, also known as the father of endocrinology (Bock, 1993; Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006). Dr. Klinefelter came to examine nine adult men that had a common set of symptoms during the course of his fellowship (Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006). Dr. Klinefelter organized a case study that involved these nine men and their similarities and was encouraged by Dr. Albright to lead the study (Klinefelter Synrome, 2006). The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology was published in November of 1942 with the completed case study of these nine mens similar qualities, which Dr. Klinefelter identified as Klinefelters Syndrome (Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006). The report written by Dr. Klinefelter on these men described them as having testicular dysgenesis, elevated urinary gonadotropins, eunuchoidism, azoospermia, and gynecomastia, all of which have an effect on the underdeveloped size of the testes, the lack of the amount of testosterone produced by the testes, and infertility (Schoenstadt, 2006; Visootsak Graham, 2006). These adult males also exhibit enlarged breast and sparse facial hair (Schoenstadt, 2006). Two groups found out fourteen years after Dr. Klinefelters original description of the syndrome, that the buccal mucosal cells contained an extra chromatin mass or that the cells were chromatin positive (Klinefelter, 1966). Although the patients were described as having a positive female sex chromatin, Dr. Klinefelter states that the patients are phenotypic males and should never be considered otherwise (Klinefelter, 1996). Fourteen years after Dr. Klinefelter first diagnosed Klinefelters Syndrome, another case study was performed to further understand the characteristics that define the condition (Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006). In 1956, Dr. Joe Hin Tjio and Dr. Albert Lavan took the research further to determine the factors that made those men with Klinefelters Syndrome dissimilar from normal adult males through genetic research (Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006; Schoenstadt, 2006). With the advanced experimental methodology available, Dr. Joe Hin Tjio and Dr. Albert Lavan found that humans had 23 pairs of chromosomes, confirming 46 chromosomes, which prior to this time there was thought to be 48 chromosomes (Bock, 1993; Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006). This clarification by Dr. Tjio and Dr. Lavan is the basic foundation for modern cytogenetics, the study of chromosomes and diseases originating from numerical or structural abnormalities in chromosomes (Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006). Dr. Tjio and Dr. Lavan discovered that men with symptoms of Klinefelters Syndrome had an extra sex chromosome that created the chromosomal arrangement of XXY, which is distinct to the normal male chromosomal arrangement of XY (Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006; Schoenstadt, 2006,). Klinefelter Syndrome was still believed to be an endocrine disorder of unknown etiology at this time (Visootsak Graham, 2006). In 1959, just three years after Dr. Tjio and Dr. Lavan made their historical discoveries, an English researcher by the name of Dr. Patricia Jacobs and her associate Dr. J. A. Strong published a study supplementing earlier studies (Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006; Noble, 2003). Dr. Jacobs and Dr. Strong found the link between the endocrinal disease and the extra X sex chromosome (Noble, 2003). Dr. Jacobs linked forty-seven chromosomes in Klinefelters Syndrome males and determined it to be the X chromosome, which she considered an aneuploidy defined as an unusual number of chromosomes and labeled 47, XXY (Bock, 1993; Klinefelter Syndrome, 2006; Schoenstadt, 2006). The 1970s brought forth a larger examination of males born with Klinefelters Syndrome (Bock, 1993). During this time doctors began screening newborn male babies for the extra chromosome (Bock, 1993; Visootsak Graham, 2006). The most significant of the studies done at this time was sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) whom examined over forty thousand infants for this extra chromosome (Bock, 1993; Visootsak Graham, 2006). This study was important for the reason that most studies done prior to the 1970s were biased and primarily done on adult males in mental institutions and the penal system (Visootsak Graham, 2006). At this time is when the prevalence of Klinefelters Syndrome was noticed as frequently as one in five hundred to one in one thousand male newborns (Bock, 1993; Visootsak Graham, 2006). Also observed in this study was the reduction in speech and language abilities as well as decreased reading and spelling achievement (Bock, 1993; Visootsak Graham, 2006). Along with these disabilities, Klinefelters patients are characterized by an increased tendency towards fertility, endocrinal, and psychiatric disorders (Noble, 2003). This study demonstrated that most but not all of these males born with the extra chromosome will have these characteristics, and many demonstrate varying degrees of the characteristics (Bock, 1993; Visootsak Graham, 2006). Based on this research it has been found that the extra X chromosome that causes Klinefelters Syndrome is very common, however, the symptoms and characteristics that are most recognizable are quit uncommon (B ock, 1993). Most males are not diagnosed as having Klinefelters Syndrome until they reach adulthood, and many that have the syndrome are never diagnosed as having this chromosomal defect at all (Bock, 1993). One pediatrician at the University of Colorado Medical School in Denver and the director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) during the major screening research referred to these newborn males as not having Klinefelters Syndrome because of the possibility that the characteristics may not develop into a syndrome (Bock, 1993; Visootsak Graham, 2006). Etiology and Genetic Factors Every normal human cell has 46 chromosomes that are made up of 23 pairs (Stewart, 2007). Of these 23 pairs, there are 22 that are exactly the same in both males and females called autosomes (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2010). The 23rd pair of sex chromosomes is what makes males and females different in that the male will have only one X and Y chromosome whereas the female will have two copies of the X chromosome (Stewart, 2007; U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2010). During the formation of the egg and the sperm, or gametes, the chromosomes are halved through a process called meiosis (Stewart, 2007; The Dorsey, 2009). Cells that carry a single chromosome such as the X or Y chromosome are called haploid cells (The Dorsey, 2009). When the egg and sperm join carrying 23 chromosomes each they create the fertile egg, or zygote, which has two haploid sets of chromosomes (The Dorsey, 2009). Therefore, the baby receives two copies of each chromosome, 46 total chromosomes, just like the parents (Stewart, 2007). The extra X in Klinefelter Syndrome is caused from either nondisjunction or anaphase lag. Nondisjunction occurs when the chromosome pairs do not separate as they are intended in the meiosis I or meiosis II stage (Pineyard Zipf, 2003; Stewart, 2007). When this happens there may be a chromosome pair with 24 chromosomes instead of the 23 chromosomes (Stewart, 2007). If this chromosome pair of 24 joins with an egg or sperm with 23 chromosomes then it results in a karotype with 47 chromosomes (Stewart, 2007). In this case there will be three copies of chromosomes rather than the usual two copies of chromosomes (Stewart, 2007). The sperm or egg may donate the extra X chromosome at conception causing a chromosomal abnormality (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008; Stewart, 2007). This forms the XXY chromosomal formation, which is diagnosed as Klinefelters Syndrome. At least half of 47, XXY conceptions are spontaneously aborted (Pineyard Zipf, 2003). The chromosomal abnormality is random and not known to be caused by any environmental factors (Genetic Science Learning Center, 2010; Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008; National Institute of Health, 2007). This anomaly happens entirely by chance and is unrelated to family history prior to the male childs birth (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008). This is to say that the male embryos likelihood of being born with Klinefelters Syndrome is not increased or decreased by what the parent does or does not do (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008). Klinefelters Syndrome is not affected by race (Chen, 2010). This is a completely random occurrence of the sex chromosomes not successfully separating during the formation of the egg or the sperm (Genetic Science Learning Center, 2010). Once this occurs the extra chromosome is then copied into every cell of the embryo (Genetics Science Learning Center, 2008). There are extremely rare cases when there may be three or four extra X chromosomes in all copies of the cells known as 48,XXXY or 49, XXXXY (Stewart, 2007). The 49, XXXXY mosaic is also known as Fraccaros Syndrome and is the most rare form of Klinefelters Syndrome (Duenas et al., 2007). This rare chromosomal abnormality results in more exaggerated features of Klinefelters Syndrome (Stewart, 2007). There are instances where an extra X chromosome is found in only some of the cells (Stewart, 2007). This can be found as two different chromosomal patterns (Stewart, 2007). One pattern occurs when some cells have 46 chromosomes and some have 47 chromosomes (Stewart, 2007). The other pattern is called the mosaic XXY syndrome, or chromosomal mosaicism, and affects approximately six percent of these cases, with the most rare cases being the 48, XXXY or the 49, XXXXY, or other arrangements of X chromosomes (Stewart, 2007). The mosaic XXY syndrome occurs only after conception from a mistake in cell division (Stewart, 2007). Anaphase lag is a result of a gamete lacking a sex chromosome (Klinefelter, 1966). When this chromosome lags it is not incorporated into the new cell during the mitosis stage (Kinefelter, 1996). Anaphase lag is thought to be a reason for the mosaic variations of Klinefelters Syndrome (Klinefelter, 1966). Although the chromosomal abnormality of 49, XXXXY is considered to be a variant form of Klinefelters Syndrome, it appears to have a very independent, distinct phenotype (Duenas et al., 2007). Males that show the 49, XXXXY chromosomal structure have much more severe clinical features than that of a Klinefelters Syndrome male (Duenas et al., 2007). This is the most rare of the Klinefelters Syndrome variants and has been reported in over one hundred cases with the frequency being approximately 1 in 85,000 newborn males (Duenas et al., 2007). There have been reports of an even more extreme variant of Klinefelters Syndrome mosaic in newborn males (Duenas et al., 2007). This variant is a 47, XXY/48, XXXY/49, XXXXY mosaicism and has only been reported in three cases according to a researcher in Mexico (Duenas et al., 2007). This means that the male newborn would have the whole spectrum of XY variations. Another variant that affects only males is the 46, XX chromosomal variation (Bock, 1993). This condition occurs when individuals have two X chromosomes in each cell, but are male in appearance. These individuals have male external geniltalia. These individuals also have small, undescended testes possibly along with an urethra opening on the underside of the penis. A small amount of 46, XX Males have external geniltalia that dont clearly resemble either male or female genitalia. These individuals are typically raised male. Phenotypically, there are three groups of these sex-reversed individuals. The first group includes phenotypically normal XX Males, the second group includes the males with genital ambiguities, and the third group is the true hermaphrodites (Bock, 1993). Description of Characteristics or Traits Klinefelters Syndrome has only one constant physical description and that is the small testicular size (Visootsak Graham, 2003). Boys with Klinefelters Syndrome have variable phenotypic characteristics with no obvious facial dysmorphology (Visootsak Graham, 2003). The presence of gynconemastia, or enlarged breast, and other findings of eunuchoid body habits and sparse body hair vary (Visootsak Graham, 2003). Eunuchoid or eunuchoidism is defined as an abnormal condition in males, characterized by underdeveloped reproductive organs with some female characteristics, such as a higher voice or the lack of facial and body hair that results in the lack of male sex hormones (Eunuchoidism, n.d.). Gonadotropins are produced by glands, such as the pituitary, and can result in sparse body hair when not produced adequately (Gonadotropin, 2010). The medical dictionary states that eunuchoidism is marked by a deficiency of sexual development with the persistence of prepubertal characteristics, and often has the presence of characteristics that are typical of the opposite sex (Eunuchoidism, n.d.). Another likely characteristic is azoospermia (Schoenstadt, 2006; Visootsak Graham, 2006). Azoospermia is defined as having little or no sperm count (Azoospermia, 2010). Testicular dysgenesis, or gonadal dysgenesis, is another characteristic of Klinefelters Syndrome (Schoenstadt, 2006; Visootsak Graham, 2006). Testicular dysgenesis is considered a reproductive system developmental disorder that causes a progressive loss of primordial germ cells, or cells that create gametes, in the developing gonads of an embryo (Gonadal dysgenesis, 2010). This gonadal dysgenesis can lead to the extremely hypoplastic, or underdeveloped, and disfunctioning gonads mainly composed of fibrous tissues (Gonadal dysgenesis, 2010). Most infants and children with the 47, XXXY chromosomal abnormalities go through normal growth stages. It is not until puberty that the Klinefelters Syndrome characteristics or traits become more prevalent and noticeable (Visootsak Graham, 2003). There is a significant increase in height between the ages of five and eight (Visootsak Graham, 2003). Another characteristic of Klinefelters Syndrome is the elongated length of arms and legs (Klinefelter, 1966). There is a decrease in androgen production that causes the secondary sexual characteristics to not fully develop (Visootsak Graham, 2003). An androgen is any substance such as androsterone or testosterone that supports male characteristics (Androgen, n.d.). Typically Klinefelters males are infertile (Visootsak Graham, 2003). However, there have been cases of impregnation without the assistance of medical technology (Visootsak Graham, 2003). Autoimmune diseases such as juvenile arthritis can also be present in Klinefelters adolescents. Whereas boys with Klinefelters Syndrome are generally tall with long limbs and remain thin until puberty, they tend to suffer from obesity latter in life. Neurocognitive effects of Klinefelters Syndrome may be more subtle than that of the physical stigmata. Klinefelters males have been found to have relative deficits on verbal IQ subtests and have verbal IQ scores around 20 points lower than those of unaffected siblings. There are also deficits in articulation, word finding, phonemic processing, verbal memory, language comprehension, oral expression problems, as well as linguistic processing speed. It seems that the speech/language problems and some motor deficits are most common in Klinefelters males that have an extra X chromosome. Ninety-two percent of individuals with Klinefelters Syndrome confirm difficulty learning to read. Seventy percent had reading achievement discrepancies or absolute reading deficits on standardized testing. A group of boys with mental retardation and suspicion of fragile X were subject to a genetic screening and the results showed that eight of these boys had Klinefelters Syndrome. Most of the more extreme verbal, visuospatial, and motor skills, such as found in mental retardation and fragile X syndrome are typically spa red. However, some boys with Klinefelters Syndrome suffer from poor manual dexterity and are commonly found to be clumsy and below average in sports (Wodrich Tarbox, 2008). There are many different factors that may underlie linguistic and reading problems. One possibility is a dysfunction of the left hemisphere that may be related to diminished gray matter or a lack of hemispheric asymmetry, or both. It is also possible that executive and frontal deficits may be a cause (Wodrich Tarbox). There is evidence that language is a fundamental issue for Klinefelters children and this can result in further scholastic issues. This problem seems to manifest as dyslexia as defined by poor reading in the setting of normal intelligence. Klinefelters males have also been observed to have difficulties with arithmetical functions. The deficits in auditory processing and verbal memory are the two key cognitive processes that underlie these difficulties. These deficits are also true for normal chromosomal children with dyslexia. The findings are supportive of the concept that defects in frontal systems seem to be caused by a language-based, left frontal-systems problem (Geschwind Dykens, 2004). Adult Klinefelters males have reported to have difficulties with mental flexibility (Wodrich Dykens, 2004). Even with these studies, it should be noted that not all adults that have Klinefelters Syndrome show these classic patterns of verbal deficits that are observed in children (Geschwind Dykens, 2004). However, these findings are not appropriate for all Klinefelters males, many of which complete high school and move on to post-secondary education successfully (Wodrich Tarbox, 2008). Two characteristics that has been falsely associated with Klinefelters males in the past, is sociopathy and criminal behavior. There is, contrary to this belief, fewer psychiatric problems reported among these individuals. However, there are commonly traits of introversion, unassertiveness, and a paucity or lack of ambition. There are also possible traits of impulsivity and social inappropriateness (Wodrich Tarbox, 2008). A Reiss Profile of Fundamental Goals measurement was used to assess the degrees of which Klinefelters males were motivated in 15 domains (Geschwind Dykens, 2004). The Reiss Profile generates a profile that is based on the motivational sensitivities across the domains of aversive sensations, citizenship, family, curiosity, honor, independence, food, order, physical exercise, rejection, power, sex, social contact, vengeance, and social prestige. The Reiss Profile is a well-established psychometric measure that is being used more and more to assess people with and without mental retardation (Geschwind Dykes, 2004). The results suggested that the Klinefelters male group was not particularly motivated by the need for social prestige, independence, or the desire to seek vengeance. This group was also not motivated to avoid physical pain. The general motivator for all the Klinefelters males in this group was curiosity. There were no age effects to this study (Geschwind Dykes, 2004). Characteristics in Adulthood There is a persistent deficiency of androgen in adulthood that can result in the loss of libido, decreased muscle bulk and tone, decreased bone density, a propensity for thromboembolism (an obstruction in a vein or artery from a blood clot), and an increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular and diabetic complications. A common characteristic for Klinefelters adults is gynecomastia (Wattendorf Muenke, 2005). Gynecomastia involves the risk of developing breast carcinoma. There is 200 times more of a risk for Klinefelters males to develop breast carcinoma than other karyotypically normal individuals. This may be a result of the estradiol (the prominant sex hormone in females) to testosterone ratio being so much higher that karyotypically normal men. Another possibility is that it is caused by the increase of peripheral conversion of testosterone to estradiol (Visootsak Graham, 2006). There are different views as to whether Klinefelters adult males are more aggressive or have a greater chance of psychological issues depending on the resource. One study describes the differences as relative to individual testosterone levels and the age at which they received the diagnosis (Morris, Jackson, Hancock, 2009). Equally, there is an impact from the way the diagnosis is reacted to by the Klinefelters male, the family, and friends or peers. The seven major themes that emerged from this study were the diagnosis, the testosterone treatments, health care problems, appearance, self-identity, relationships, and school and education. Of the Klinefelters adults studied, 60 % reported clinical levels of anxiety and 34% had clinical levels of depression. The results of this study show that a prolonged lack of testosterone can have far reaching negative effects on the Klinefelters adult (Morris, Jackson, Hancock, 2009). The historical studies show a disturbingly increased risk for psychiatric disturbance, criminality, and mental retardation. However, these results are outdated and extremely questionable given the initial examinations were given to institutionalized populations (Chen, 2010). Differential Diagnosis Classic Klinefelters Syndrome, 47, XXY, cases make up approximately 80-90% of all Klinefelters diagnosis. There are approximately 6-10% of these cases that are mosaics, which are the cells with 46, XY/47, XXY; 46, XY/48, XXXY; and 47, XXXY/48, XXXY (Chen, 2010; Visootsak Graham, 2003; Visootsak Graham, 2006). In 5% of the cases there are two X chromosomes without a Y chromosome or 46, XX (Visootsak Graham, 2006). The other cases were karyotypes 48, XXXY, 48, XXYY, 49, XXXXY, and 49, XXXYY (Visootsak Graham, 2003). Approximately 1% of these cases are due to a structurally abnormal X with a normal X and Y chromosome described as kayotypes 47, X,i(Xq)Y and 47, X,del(X)Y (Chen, 2010). Klinefelters Syndrome variants occur much less frequently than the classic 47, XXY chromosomal abnormality (Bock, 1993; Visootsak Graham, 2006). Klinefelter variant 48, XXXY is characterized by being average or tall stature with ocular hyperterlorism, which are widely spaced or deep set eyes; flat nasal bridge; curving of the fifth finger, or clinodactyly. Other characteristics are small penis and testicles with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, which is the absence or decrease in function of the male testes. Theses individuals intelligence quotients range from 40-60. Variant 48, XXYY is characterized by having a tall stature, an eunuchoid habitus with long legs, sparse body hair, small testicles and penis, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and gynecomastia. These individuals intelligence quotients range from 60-80. Males with variant 49, XXXXY are severely affected. They have smaller than average head circumference also known as microcephaly, short stature with ocular hypertelorism, flat nasal bridge, and upslanting palpebral fissures. Cleft palates are present along with small geniltalia and a heart defect known as patent ductus arteriosus. These individuals intelligence quotients range from 20-60. (Visootsak and Graham, 2003). Klinefelters Syndrome 47, XXY, has no major physical signs, which explains why it may go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed throughout an individuals life. Also with no physical signs, it is truly only diagnosed when genetic testing occurs for a variety of unrelated reasons. Klinefelters Syndrome may be diagnosed prenatally or during early childhood, as an adolescent during puberty, or as an adult when there are recognized fertility problems (Bock, 1993). Klinefelters Syndrome can be diagnosed prenatally through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (Bock, 1993). These tests are normally done if the pregnant woman is older than 35, if there is a family history of genetic defects, or when other medical indications exist (Bock, 1993). A pediatrician may suspect a male child as having Klinefelters Syndrome if there are delays in learning to talk or difficulties in reading and writing as well as physical abnormalities during adolescence (Bock, 1993). Treatments and Interventions All hope is not lost when it comes to the treatment and interventions of the undesirable traits and characteristics that males diagnosed with Klinefelters Syndrome may display or develop. It is recommended that Klinefelters males have a comprehensive neurodevelopmental evaluation as soon as they have been diagnosed. A multidisciplinary developmental evaluation can determine the appropriate treatments during infancy and early childhood. These treatments may include physical therapy, infant simulation programs, and speech therapy (Wattendorf, 2005). If the language difficulties are detected in childhood, then there is more of a possibility for intervention. The language barriers that Klinefelters males may have to cope with can not only affect their academics, it can obstruct their building of social relationships and learning social skills necessary for these relationships. Here is where the Klinefelters child could benefit from a social skills training program. In a social skills training program, the Klinefelters child will be able to practice talking and listening, observing childrens making friends processes, sharing of information, attitudes, and beliefs. This will also assist them in proper classroom behavior and playground behavior. Language disabilities and barriers can prevent Klinefelters males from fitting in socially, so this kind of intervention and assistance can benefit the child greatly. Hearing can be an issue if frequent ear infections occur. Hearing test and screens should be done to ensure that a hearing impairment is not a part of the language difficulties. If the Klinefelters child is not communicating effectively with single words by the ages of 18 to 24 months, then consultation with a speech and language pathologist will be very beneficial (Klinefelter Syndrome Information, 2002). Teachers should be informed of the difficulties that a Klinefelters child may be dealing with in the classroom. A teacher may consider the Klinefelters child to be lazy and daydreaming and a teacher may even forget the child is even in the room. This can result in the Klinefelters child falling behind and eventually being held back a grade. Under the Public Law 94-142, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, adopted by Congress in 1975, all children with disabilities have a right to a free, and appropriate public education (Klinefelter Syndrome Information, 2002). Once the Klinefelters male reaches puberty there is usually an inability to produce a normal amount of testosterone. This along with hypogonadism can result in impaired bone mineral density and skeletal muscle development. Also associated with testosterone deficiency is a decrease in libido and energy (Wattendorf Muenke, 2005). Androgen therapy or Testosterone Treatment should begin by time the Klinefelters male reaches middle school, approximately 12 to 14 years of age, based on the level of pubertal development (Klinefelter Syndrome Information, 2002; Wattendorf Muenke, 2005). Testosterone Treatment will ultimately increase the muscle size and strength, as well as, promoting the growth of body and facial hair. It must be noted that Testosterone Treatments can also bring on psychological changes. It is important to adequately inform the parent(s) and the child of these changes so that they can make the most informed decision (Klinefelter Syndrome Information, 2002). There are diff erent ways to receive Testosterone Treatment and that is through injections, transdermal (patches, gels, or creams), orally, or implantation. The kind of testosterone injection will depend mainly on the dosage used and the country in which you receive the injections. Some injectable testosterone esters are Testosterone enanthate, Testosterone cypionate, Sustanon, Testosterone propionate, Testosterone phenylpropionate, Omnadren, and Aqueous testosterone suspension. Types of transdermal patches are Androderm and Testosterone TTS. Two different kinds of testosterone gels and creams are Androgel, and Testim. A few oral supplements include Methyltestosterone and Testosterone undecanoate. The last form of Testosterone Treatment is the Subcutaneous testosterone pellet, which is delivered by implanting a pellet of pure, crystalline testosterone under the skin of the buttocks or abdomen (Testosterone Types and Delivery, n.d.). Adult males with Klinefelters Syndrome usually develop gynecomastia which predisposes men to breast cancer. Therefore, it is important that Klinefelters males do monthly breast examinations. If gynecomastia causes psychological or physical problems, then possible treatment would be cosmetic surgery to remove the breast tissue (Wattendorf Muenke, 2005). Swerdlow et. al (2005) stated that men with Klinefelter Syndrome have elevated risks of several cancers. Prostate cancer, along with breast cancer was more prevalent. Men with Klinefelter Syndrome are also at a substantially higher risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and possibly lung cancer. Breast cancer risk is higher in 47, XXY mosaics. Adult males may face possible infertility issues due to the lack of testosterone production, but if diagnosed early on, this can be minimized and they will be able to reproduce without outside assistance. Summary Klinefelter Syndrome is one of the more recently discovered medical syndromes. Klinefelter Syndrome is not one that causes major dysfunctions and is usually only discovered during genetic testing for infertility or during prenatal testing due to maternal age or prior genetic issues within the family. Because Klinefelter Syndrome has not had a lot of research until the last few years, there is no federal funding set aside for this syndrome. Families with sons that are found to be affected by it have no real support system that is knowledgeable of this syndrome and have to research on their own and create resources to fit their situation as none are available in most areas.

Comparing Thomas Paines Common Sense and Thomas Jeffersons Declaratio

Comparing Thomas Paine's Common Sense and Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence In Thomas Paine's Common Sense, there are some similarities and differences in the tone as compared to Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Paine's approach to his work contrasts that of Jefferson's. However, they still use the same basic techniques to making their feelings known, which include examining the problem, giving reasons for why it is a problem, and offering their opinion on the solution. Jefferson's and Paine's difference in their tone is evident when examining who they are addressing the documents to, the overall layout of their documents, and the relative importance of the documents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thomas Paine constructs Common Sense as an editorial on the subject of the relationship between the Colonies and Great Britain. Through the paper, he hopes to educate his fellow Americans about this subject. In his introduction, he says he feels that there is 'a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong'; which 'gives it a superficial appearance of being right'; (693). He is alluding to the relationship, also calling it a 'violent abuse of power'; (693). This choice of words is similar to those of Jefferson, who asserts that the king had established an 'absolute tyranny'; over the states. Both men set an immediate understanding about their feelings towards the rule of Great Britain over the States. However, where Common Sense seems to be an opinionated essay, Thomas Jefferson writes somewhat of a call to battle. Paine generally seems to be alerting his readers to the fact that there is more going on than they are aware of. Jefferson, on the other hand, begins his d eclaration by stating, 'When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another'; (715). Unlike Paine, this seems to presuppose that readers are aware of the plight of the nation, and Jefferson is announcing that the time has come to take a stand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main part of Common Sense contrasts in concept with the majority of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson takes a rather rough approach to his writing style, deciding to introduce his ideas in the beginning few paragraphs, then proceeding to list his grievances in the bulk of the piece. Paine however, presents his ideas in more of a persuasive ... ...es breakaway from Great Britain. Both men had to know of the significance of their documents, so this was another factor on their tone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, Jefferson and Paine show some similar views and intentions in their respective documents. Both writers argue that the new States would be better off without the ties to Great Britain, and both offer very valid points as to why this should occur. However, the differences can be seen in the writing styles and overall tone of the work. Paine becomes more of a salesman, trying to sell his readers to his thoughts on the government of Great Britain, though not completely becoming a force on the matter. Jefferson maintains a very up-front approach, simply overwhelming his readers with numerous examples and energetic voice, concluding with the 'final word' on the matter. However much the style differs, though, the two documents were equally compelling and served to motivate a nation into fighting for their independence. Bibliography: Jefferson, Thomas. "The Declaration of Independence." 1776 Paine, Thomas. "Common Sense." Electronic Library of Primary Sources: The Americans. CD-ROM. McDougal Littell. Evanston, IL: 1999.

nucor case :: essays research papers

Nucor Corporation is constantly faced with obstacles and competition to overcome. This steel-making company whose name was formally adopted in 1972, has since been on a journey to join the ranks of the worlds leading steel companies. Although this is a highly profitable industry with a U.S. market of $94.9 billion, it is highly competitive and presents many bariers to entry. Three elements of competition in this particular industry include, 1.) Technology 2) Changes in cost and efficiencies and 3) globalization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advances in technology can dramatically alter an industry’s landscape, making it possible to produce products at lower costs and opening up whole new industry frontiers. The management at Nucor believed they could use new technology to their advantage and make bolts as cheaply as foreign producers. The traditional integrated steel mills were outdated and inefficient compared to new electric minimills. Nucor embraced this new technology to produce steel. They became known for constructing state-of-the-art facilities at the lowest possible costs and for investing aggressively in plant modernization and efficiency improvements. New technology enabled minimills to triple their output in the 1990's. The new technology of twin shell electric arc furnaces helped minimills increase production, lower costs, and take additional market shares. Nucor’s use of advanced, efficient technologies enabled it to stay afloat when other companies could not. This use of t echnology also enables Nucor to lower many of the costs of maintaining environmental standards. With technological improvements to the plants and the production process, steel companies can better compete with each other. Because there is no real differentiation between products in the steel industry, companies will have to rely on technological innovation to profit in this industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As stated above, there is no real differentiation in products in this industry. Therefore steel companies have to be able to produce high quality products at low cost to compete. By improving production efficiencies and cost management, they will be a more profitable company. Nucor constantly spent money researching new ways to improve the production processes and keep up with the emerging markets. Nucor was known for constructing state-of-the-art facilities at the lowest cost and investing in plant modernizing and efficiency. At the Darlington plant the manger there developed a system where less time and less capital investment were required. This helped keep the fuel usage down and this was the only mill in the United States that was doing this.

The Natural Essay example -- essays research papers

The Natural The Natural written by Bernard Malamud was a very well written book. I really am not a big fan of baseball but I did enjoy this novel. This book is about never giving up no matter how bad the situations gets. Roy Hobbs wanted to be the best baseball player that ever lived, who broke all the records, and when he went walking down the street he wanted people to say, â€Å"Hey that’s Roy Hobbs,the greatest player of all times.† He would have been excellent and could have played baseball for many years, but someone didn’t want that. He was shot and it injured him terribly. Hobbs finally made it back and was found by a scout and was sent to play for the worst team in the league. I like how Hobbs never gives up. He goes up against the corrupters, the seducers, and the glory destroyers. No one wanted to let Hobbs play because he was old, they thought he should be at the age to retire not to just begin. This book goes to show that you can do anything if you set your mind to it and if you want it bad enough. Hobbs proved everyone wrong. He was worst possible thing happened, he met a girl. He started getting distracted and it a effected his game. Hobbs let a woman mess with his head. When Hobbs would go up to bat, he usually hit a home run but when he met this woman, he started striking out. I guess you could say that she was bad luck. Well, he eventually made is mind get cleared and was back to his old self. Another reason why I liked this novel is because it kind of gives a l...

Race And Ethnic Relations In Global Perspective Essay

When I did my research on Hmong people in unit six I found their history and culture to be very interesting, that is why I choose the conflict of the Hmong people and the Vietnam War to do this project on. Before getting into the exact conflict and the harm that the war caused many Hmong people I am going to write about the Hmong culture. http://www. historyguy. com/hmong_rebellion_in_laos. html#. UYxyE6JnG8g The Hmong are ethnically different from the Vietnamese, Cambodians and Lowland Lao. They lived in the mountains between Laos and Vietnam. They were considered less â€Å"civilized† than the other ethnic groups mentioned. They were considered to be Semi-Nomadic because they practiced the slash-and-burn as their way of getting food. Before the French came and made Indochina a Colony the Hmong were persecuted for their way of life, after that they were left alone and not bothered by the other groups. During the Indochina War (1946-1954) the Hmong people supported the French because they protected them. When the French pulled out they left the Hmong people to survive on their own, little did they know that this would not be the last time this would happen to them. In the early 1960’s JFK sent in the Special Forces (Green Berets) to South Vietnam. They landed right by the Hmong villages. Right after they landed, the American soldiers started to recruit the young men in the villages to help them fight the North Vietnamese. They agreed to do this not because they had love for the South Vietnamese, but because they thought that the United States would be a good replacement for protection since the French had left them with no protection. The United States also recruited young Hmong men who lived in Laos to form a â€Å"Secret Army†. The Hmong people were dedicated to help the United States in the war and would do whatever it took to have the United States protection from the communist North Vietnamese. Little did they know but that protection wouldn’t be there for long and they would be left to face the enemy on their own. Before the United States recruited the men of Hmong, they were a neutral party in Vietnam. In 1973 the United States soldiers were ordered to pull out of the Vietnam War and left the Hmong with no protection. When the communist won the war in 1975 they ordered the Hmong people, women and children include, to come down from the mountains. They wanted to be able to monitor what the Hmong’s were doing. I guess they probably did this to make sure that they were no longer a threat to them. Most of the Hmong people refused to come down from the hills. When the Hmong refused to come down the communist started dropping Soviet supplied toxic agents on the villages from the air, this was called â€Å"Yellow Rain†. The yellow rain wiped out whole villages including men, women and children. In 1975 the Hmong people fled to refugee camps in Thailand to escape the horror and torture that they would have to suffer from the Lao Communist Government. In late 1975 they began arriving to the United States from the refugee camps. In the early 1990’s the refugee camps were forced to close and the people who had not fled to the United States were forced to go to non-un camps. Many of them tried to become Thai citizens but that entailed getting large sums of money from relatives. Most of those refugees could not obtain citizenship because their relatives did not even have enough money to take care of their direct families. In 2006 the Thai government made the remaining Hmong people relocate to a more isolated area in Thailand, many of them are deprived access to join their families in the United States. They are basically left to fend for themselves and fear for their lives every day. If they would never have been asked to join the United States in the fight in Vietnam, they would still be living like they always did before. They were not an enemy to anyone until they trusted the United States and later that trust was broken. The Hmong people who now live in the United States have what we would call a better life. In my opinion if we would have never disturbed them and their lives during the war they would have never known a different way of life. They would probably be happy just the way they were, with no enemies to mess with them and have never have lost most of their people in the war. It is our fault that they ever had this conflict.

Response to Stuart Keisman’s Reflection Essay

I agree with what Stuart wrote about people using unique methods when they speak. Everybody does have their own, individual way of speaking, and this results from people’s personal character, combined with the environment that they were raised in. I have noticed this myself, but it also seems that people speak in different manners when they are around various people. The same person can sound like, or give others the impression of, a completely different person depending on how they speak in different environments. This particularly affects shy people. Around people that a shy person does not know very well, he or she may be reserved, but when in comfortable settings, he or she may be much more outgoing and talkative. This is also when people, such as myself, choose to use slang words or speak in familiar ways, but around strangers, people generally tend to speak in more formal manners. Stuart did a great job summarizing how most people operate when speaking. I do the same things that he described. In my own experience, I have basic ways of talking, but they are different when I am around different people. I find myself able to joke around with friends, where it would be hard for me, and make me uncomfortable to do the same with strangers or new acquaintances. In my life I have also noticed that people seem to form opinions about my character base on my word choice, just like people do about Stuart has when he refrains from using bad words. Also, when I joke around with people who do not have a good sense of humor, I find it harder to communicate or connect with them. If I were going to apply Stuart’s ideas to my teaching, I would emphasize the different word choices that people use when they are in particular settings. I think it is amazing that people may seem like different people when they are in school, or church, but they are their usual, relaxed self when in they are in familiar company. Identifying how people verbally react to particular settings is a great way to understand how individuals think and it provides insight to their character. Response to Jodi Arbus’ Reflection I agree with Jodi that particular regions of various countries have individual dialects. People in the Midwestern states speak very differently from people in the south, or northeast. Sometimes the accents are so strong that it is hard to understand what people from other parts of the country are even saying. But dialect, or accent, seems to result not at all from the personal character or word choice of someone, but from the environment he or she was raised in. People are able to adapt, and accents or dialects are examples of our adaptation, because we blend in with them. When we move to a new place, eventually most of us will lose our own accents and adopt the one of our new home. I do not know whether or not Jodi is right about male and female speech, as people of both sexes seem to have unrestricted speech characteristics based on their gender. In my own experience, I have noticed that my own accent separates me from certain people, and gives me something in common with other Mexican Americans. As English is my second language, I have a noticeable accent, and it lets people identify certain things about me. This accent also allows people to know things about how, and what community, I was raised in. Jodi also talked about the difference between male and female speech. I am not sure if I have noticed any differences other than that males usually use more slang and a more relaxed form of speech when in comfortable settings. I have also noticed the differences in formality that people use in certain areas. In the areas where I grew up, people often address each other in familiar tones, but when speaking to people from other areas, we are more formal. In the south, Jodi notices a key feature that people use when speaking: they are often very formal and courteous, even to people who are somewhat familiar. This is interesting, because in my experience, I have noticed that many people do not even address strangers in ways that are very formal or customary. But I have noticed that this is different in other areas. I would use what Jodi wrote in my teachings by emphasizing accents or dialects that people use. These are important ways of understanding the characters of individuals, and determining what is a result of people’s character, instead of a result of the environment they were raised in. Also, it would be important to teach the differences in language from certain regions. Not only are the accents different, but the formality may be different as well. In the south, where people address one another in more formal ways, and say ‘ma’am’ and â€Å"sir† more often , it is important to know the ways that people speak to know how to be inoffensive. So I would teach the differences in speech of certain regions, as that would help outsiders to seem friendly and polite when visiting. Understanding lingual characteristics in certain areas, and the differences from place to place will help people to communicate in friendly manners with people who are unfamiliar.

Wolf and Moose Predator Prey Relationship in Isle Royal

Service director Stephen Matter inspected the Island, deeming it fit for a national park. In a report on the field study of the potential for Isle Royals as a national park, Adolph Muriel wrote: â€Å"To administer Isle Royals as a wilderness area, It Is Important to secure a personnel which has a feeling for wilderness and an understanding of wilderness values; otherwise the desire to be doing something to the areas will be hard to curb. The administrators should be told that their success and achievements will be measured, not by projects accomplished, but by projects sidetracked.In the management of a wilderness area, we must somehow depart from the 20th century tempo of activity†¦ † In 1931 President Hoover signed the bill, making Isle Royals a national park, although formal dedication was delayed until August of 1946 due to World War II. Isle Royals National Park would become a natural laboratory to study the predator prey relationship between wolves and moose. The p ark Is free of roads, development and hunting. These conditions created a rare opportunity to research the moose and wolves Inhabiting the Island, In a nearly untouched environment.Wolves not originally native to Isle Royals, migrated on an ice bridge between Thunder Bay, Ontario and the island in 1949. Moose had come to the island some 50 years before by swimming through the icy Lake Superior. There was concern among the National Park Service that the wild wolf population would get out of hand. Robert Line, for the National Park Service, became the first naturalist for Isle Royals and began a study on wolves in 1956. Linen's study focused on how many wolves inhabited Isle Royals and how their activities might affect the moose population.Linen's letter and reports based on his study revealed that wolves were indeed not a threat to people and subsequently helped establish a policy through the National Park Service that would support the existence of an unmanaged wolf population. In 1 958 Outward Allen and his graduate student Dave Minch met Line when they first visited Isle Royals when they began a 10-year study to evaluate the role of the wolf with funds from the National Geographic Society and the United States Forest Service. Line would also become a huge supporter both morally and financially. Historically wolves have been systematically hunted, trapped and poisoned byAmericans and Europeans. The United States government via the United States Biological Survey was involved in a wolf eradication program for years. Humans have been fearful and loathe of wolves and have almost completely stamped them out of the ecosystem. Outward Allen writes â€Å"The wolf doesn't live in the forest; he infests it. You don't Just kill a predator; you execute him. You don't hunt him for sport; you track him down in a crusade for moral reform. † The goals of the project were and are; wolf predation patterns, wolf behavior and ecology and moose population dynamics.Studies of wolf predation patterns have accentuated the age and sex of the moose killed, other prey species, effect of snow depth and hunting success. Hierarchy in the packs, breeding, territoriality and relationships with other neoprene species has also been detected. Moose field observations included age and sex ratios, population size, productivity, habitat relationships, food habits and mortality factors. Without predators for nearly 50 years, the moose population thrived. Their diets consist of much of the vegetation on the island and did not have ample competition from other herbivores.The wolves began to be seen as a worthy component that could help control the overly large moose population. The base for research was initially out of the Winding Ranger Station; Flights were made everyday to observe the natural habitat of wolves and moose. Aerial observation became the prime method of research for both of the species. In 1975 Allen decided to retire and handed the project over to on e of his last Ph. D. Students, Roll Peterson. At this time the headquarters were also moved to Michigan Technological University in Houghton, also the mainland headquarters for the park.The wolf population grew from one alpha female and two male wolves that migrated on the ice bridge. For years the population grew steadily and hunted moose on the island, helping control the population. The wolves' primary diet on the island is beaver, moose and hare. An interesting connection between wolves and ravens was also observed which is uncommon in other carnivores. Even in folklore the relationship between wolves and ravens has been recorded, where the wolf goes the raven will follow. Ravens scavenge wolves' prey, sometimes leading wolves to a circus to tough for the raven's beak to penetrate.Ravens can steal up to one-third of the circus leading to Just one reason as to why wolves hunt in packs- to minimize the portion of the circus lost to ravens. Wolves and ravens have also been seen pla ying together. In 1980 the wolf population grew to 50, an all time high. During this same time the moose also appeared to be much healthier than before. Just nine years later, in 1989 the wolf population fell drastically to only 12 members. It is not entirely clear as to why this decline happened but there are a couple of suspects. There was a ovoviviparous outbreak among dogs and wolves in the mainland of Michigan.Dogs are not allowed on the park but are occasionally brought over illegally by boaters. The disease is primarily transmitted through oral-nasal contact and can even be spread by feces on hikers boots. There has also been a concern for genetic diversity, because the entire wolf population is derived from one alpha female, the wolves may be loosing 10-15% moose lived without predation for nearly 50 years their population soared. When the wolves arrived the moose population and vegetation on the island became much healthier. Yet their population soared once again. Through A llen, Minch andPeterson research it still has not become totally clear as to why the populations shift so drastically. The main reasons appear to be because of climactic factors, tick outbreaks and food shortages. Although there are fluctuations in the moose population of Isle Royals it stays at a steady pace and has no sign of dying out. As of 2014 there are only nine wolves left on the island. Due to inbreeding and the ovoviviparous the wolf population has grown weak and has begun to die off. The ice bridge that once formed regularly between Thunder Bay, Ontario and the island does to form as often as it used to due to rising temperatures in the region.Now the question is being asked if scientists should intervene and introduce new wolves to create stronger genetic variation. On April 9th, the National Park Service stated it would not take any immediate actions to bring new wolves to Isle Royals. Opinions vary as to what should be done; some believe intervention would corrupt the study and others think wolves should be reintroduced to the island. Roll Peterson, the head scientist studying Isle Royals insists that letting Mother Nature take her course old imply that Mother Nature is intact, but, â€Å"we have been cutting her fingers off for a long time. Most likely there will be no intervention and the pack will go extinct for scientific purposes and then the National Park Service may reintroduce wolves to Isle Royals. This would be a unique experience for scientific observation and give insight to what populations around the world are headed for. Outward Allen described the study as â€Å"one of those continuous searches into the unknown that has no foreseeable end. † The long-term wolf/moose research at Isle Royals has provided unique and one of a kind opportunity for science. It has provided an important insight to the unpredictability of ecosystems.Long-term research is a vital component of understanding long-term processes that could help secure our long- term existence and the well being of the planet. To avoid disturbance the park is legally closed by the National Park Service between November 1st and April 1 5th, it is also zoned for visitor use and about 50% of the island is closed to camping. Isle Royals has been in countless news stories and has received wide support from the public. At one time the island was seen as America's greatest moose refuge and now attracts attention because of the wolves.This study has also massively changed the public opinion on wolves in general; people widely support the reintroduction of wolves into parks such as Yellowstone. Wolves are a part of the ecosystem as much as moose or any other animal, they are not villains. Isle Royals is a prime example of wilderness values. The island provides a rare opportunity to observe biodiversity and its impact on ecological balance. Isle Royals maybe more so than other wilderness areas is kept as untouched by man as can be in order not to disturb t he wolves and moose.

Emerging Technology and Its Implications Essay

With the increasing attention being accorded to climate change in the mainstream media these days, there is also an increased attention being given to technological solutions to assist in combating the problem. While such solutions are admirable in that they go above and beyond the usual calls for recycling and the purchase of ‘green’ products – which have been proven to be of trivial impact upon the large scale flaws in systems of production and consumption that characterize industrial modernity – not all of them should embraced uncritically. It is only by subjecting every proposal to save the planet to scrutiny that we can determine a truly sustainable future. One of the ideas that has been receiving increasing currency in environmentalist discussions are large scale planetary ‘technofixes’ collectively referred to as geo-engineering or planetary engineering. These include mirrors in space designed to reflect excess amount of sunlight, artificial trees designed to suck carbon out of the atmosphere, and managed release of sulfates into the atmosphere, and many, many other epic plans to manipulate the ecological fabric of our planet.   Here’s the rub: The term geo engineering is a rather questionable one, as it implies that it has the same kind of empirical or mathematical certainty as engineering when it doesn’t. It smoothens over many of the bumps and curves that characterize our problems and demand creative solutions. In effect, planetary salvation becomes as easy as building a tunnel into a hill or a bridge across a river, when in fact our collective understanding of the systemic impacts is far less than the geo engineering promoters would have us believe. One might as well call it ‘planetary experimentation.’ While the potential benefits proposed are of an epic magnitude, this magnitude would also apply to the potential consequences. Take for example a proposal to suck carbon dioxide into the planet’s oceans by seeding it with iron deposits. Many, including the Scientific Steering Committee of the Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) have observed that this has the potential to worsen ocean acidification and lead to catastrophic results for marine ecology: â€Å"The oceans are complex, dynamic, unpredictable and already vulnerable †¦ We need   [to] build their resilience, not undermine it [not] quick fixes to this global problem that may [cause far more long-term harm] than good.† (Gjerde) Additionally, the historical track record of large scale intervention in the name of environmental concern has never been very good to begin with, asserts Alex Steffen of Worldchanging: â€Å"From damming rivers to fighting forest fires to eliminating pests †¦ efforts have †¦ in hindsight [been] so overrun with unintended consequences as to become full-blown disasters, often †¦ worse than the original problems †¦. [And the] cost of errors [increase] with the magnitude of the attempted solution.† (Steffen) Geo engineering is essentially a ‘silver bullet’ solution, one which reduces the political will to creatively retrofit our present lifestyles in such a manner as to be sustainable and environmentally sound, while still being able to enjoy the luxuries of post-industrial advancements. In essence, the tools for a greener world are already here and their downsides are negligible in the face of overwhelming benefits both environmental and societal. In any case, discussion over geo engineering merely provides a distraction from mustering the political will necessary to effect true change. It provides climate change skeptics a justification for political indifference to redressing our present way of life: Why opt for better designed cities, fuel efficient vehicles and profound infrastructural rethinking when we can merely ‘erase’ the effects of our problematic systems? One’s stance on geo engineering is not a question of whether you are a techno utopian or a complete Luddite. However, there is a major distinction to be made between technology that is transparent in agenda, collaborative in nature, and egalitarian in application as well as easy to remedy and technology that is centralized, expensive and difficult to reverse. Between â€Å"Star Wars† –   a missile defense system saddled with so much corruption that does nothing to provide for homeland security – and nuclear power – a promise of perpetual source of energy whose failures wreaked massive consequences – we ought to regard geo engineering with suspicion: dangerous until proven safe. Geo engineering is unnecessary. â€Å"Fixing† the planet in such a manner is turning a blind eye to the way we live: it shows a lack of innovation and political courage that is necessary to the bright green future.   Works Cited Stiles, Lori. â€Å"Space Sunshade Might Be Feasible In Global Warming Emergency.† NASA Earth Observatory. 3 November 2006. Retrieved July 8, 2008 from: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/2006/2006110323537.html Bentley, Molly. â€Å"Guns and sunshades to rescue climate.† BBC News. 2 March 2006. Retrieved July 8, 2008 from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4762720.stm Gjerde, Kristina. â€Å"Hold back the geo-engineering tide.† BBC News. 11 December 2007. Retrieved July 8, 2008 from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7133619.stm Romm, Joseph. â€Å"Rule three of offsets: No geo-engineering.† Grist Magazine Online. 27 July 2007. Retrieved July 8, 2008 from:   http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/7/27/144848/844