Study Of Demographic Profile Of The Respondents Accounting Essay

In this chapter, consequence is obtained through the informations aggregation method from 300 questionnaires. The informations obtained from questionnaires are analyzed and computed by utilizing the Statistical Package societal Science ( SPSS ) package. Tables and charts will be exhibited to show the consequences in an apprehensible mode. This chapter started off with the descriptive analysis of the respondent demographic profile and cardinal inclinations measuring of concepts. Next, scale measuring is to supply the consequences of dependability trial. This is followed by the illative analysis with the Pearson correlativity coefficient analysis and multiple additive arrested development analysis. Last is to reason this chapter.4.1 Descriptive Analysis4.1.1 Demographic Profile of the RespondentsTable 4.1: Gender of RespondentsGenderFrequency Percentage Valid Percentage Accumulative Percentage Valid Male 105 51.7 51.7 51.7 Female 98 48.3 48.3 100.0 Entire 203 100.0 100.0 Beginning: Developed for the research In the Table 4.1 above, it showed the frequence and per centum of gender of 203 respondents. There were a sum of 105 male respondents ( 51.7 % ) and a sum of 98 female respondents ( 48.3 % ) . Table 4.2: The Age Group of RespondentsAgeFrequency Percentage Valid Percentage Accumulative Percentage Valid Under 21 old ages 5 2.5 2.5 2.5 21-30 old ages 67 33.0 33.0 35.5 31-40 old ages 54 26.6 26.6 62.1 41-50 old ages 31 15.3 15.3 77.3 51 old ages & A ; above 46 22.7 22.7 100.0 Entire 203 100.0 100.0 Beginning: Developed for the research Table 4.2 presented the frequence and per centum of the age group of respondents. 5 respondents ( 2.5 % ) were under 21 old ages old, 67 respondents ( 33.0 % ) were 21 to 30 old ages old, 54 respondents ( 26.6 % ) were 31 to 40 old ages old, 31 respondents ( 15.3 % ) were 41 to 50 old ages old and 46 respondents ( 22.7 % ) were 51 old ages old and above. Table 4.3: The Marital Status of RespondentsMarital StatusFrequency Percentage Valid Percentage Accumulative Percentage Valid Single 73 36.0 36.0 36.0 Married 130 64.0 64.0 100.0 Entire 203 100.0 100.0 Beginning: Developed for the research The Table 4.3 indicated the frequence and per centum of the matrimonial position of respondents. The bulk of the respondents were married which represented 64.0 % that is about 130 people out of 203 respondents. Besides that, 73 respondents ( 36.0 % ) were still individual. Table 4.4: The Education Level of RespondentsEducation DegreeFrequency Percentage Valid Percentage Accumulative Percentage Valid Primary instruction 8 3.9 3.9 3.9 Secondary instruction 77 37.9 37.9 41.9 Certificate / Diploma 80 39.4 39.4 81.3 Bachelor ‘s grade 33 16.3 16.3 97.5 Master ‘s grade 5 2.5 2.5 100.0 Entire 203 100.0 100.0 Beginning: Developed for the research From the Table 4.4, it showed the frequence and per centum of the instruction degree of respondents. From the information above, bulk of 80 respondents held a certification or sheepskin ( 39.4 % ) . The 2nd and 3rd largest groups were 77 respondents who had completed the secondary instruction ( 37.9 % ) and 33 respondents who held a unmarried man grade ( 16.3 % ) . Last, the respondents who had completed the primary instruction and which is a maestro grade holders were 8 people ( 3.9 % ) and 5 people ( 2.5 % ) severally. Table 4.5: The Working Period of RespondentsWorking Time periodFrequency Percentage Valid Percentage Accumulative Percentage Valid Less than 1 twelvemonth 23 11.3 11.3 11.3 1-5 old ages 63 31.0 31.0 42.4 6-10 old ages 48 23.6 23.6 66.0 11-15 old ages 25 12.3 12.3 78.3 16-20 old ages 19 9.4 9.4 87.7 Above 20 old ages 25 12.3 12.3 100.0 Entire 203 100.0 100.0 Beginning: Developed for the research The Table 4.5 represented the frequence and per centum of the on the job period of respondents. The respondents were divided into six classs. 23 respondents worked as an insurance agent for less than one twelvemonth ( 11.3 % ) , 63 respondents worked for 1 to 5 old ages ( 31.0 % ) , 48 respondents worked for 6 to 10 old ages ( 23.6 % ) , 25 respondents worked for 11 to 15 old ages ( 12.3 % ) , 19 respondents worked for 16 to 20 old ages ( 9.4 % ) and 25 respondents worked as an insurance agent above 20 old ages ( 12.3 % ) .4.1.2 Cardinal Tendencies Measurement of Constructs4.1.2.1 Commission PayTable 4.6: Cardinal Inclinations Measurement for Commission Pay No. Statement Mean Standard Deviation CP1 I think the committee wage is a really of import incentive for me. 4.3448 0.75078 CP2 I am motivated by committee wage to seek my best attempts in work. 4.2562 0.73350 CP3 My occupation public presentation determine the extra committee wage when achieve higher mark. 4.2808 0.81141 CP4 I will retain the occupation because I am satisfied with the committee wage. 4.0985 0.85025 CP5 I work hard is to acquire a better committee wage in this occupation. 4.3005 0.78561 Beginning: Developed for the research Table 4.6 illustrated the cardinal inclinations measurings of committee wage. Mentioning to the tabular array above, most respondents agreed to the CP1 with average value of 4.3448. The 2nd highest was CP5 with average value of 4.3005. The 3rd and 4th highest were CP3 and CP2 which had the average value of 4.2808 and 4.2562 severally. The lowest average value was CP4 which was 4.0985. From the tabular array above, CP4 had highest standard divergence value which was 0.85025. The 2nd and 3rd highest standard divergence value was CP3 and CP5 which had 0.81141 and 0.78561 severally. The 4th highest standard divergence was CP1 with the value of 0.75078. The lowest standard divergence value was 0.73350 by CP2.4.1.2.2 Job SecurityTable 4.7: Cardinal Inclinations Measurement for Job Security No. Statement Mean Standard Deviation JSM1 I think occupation security is another of import incentive for me. 4.1232 0.68188 JSM2 I am motivated by the good occupation security in current occupation. 3.9852 0.74779 JSM3 I feel my current occupation is unafraid, dependable and lasting. 3.9951 0.82951 JSM4 My occupation public presentation is influenced by the occupation security. 4.0000 0.79603 JSM5 I work hard is because I ‘m afraid to loss this stable occupation. 3.7143 1.00845 Beginning: Developed for the research The Table 4.7 illustrated the cardinal inclinations measurings of occupation security. The consequence from the tabular array above, JSM1 had the highest average value of 4.1232. The 2nd highest average value was JSM4 which was 4.000. The 3rd highest was JSM3 with the average value of 3.9951 which was followed by JSM2 which had a average value of 3.9852. The JSM5 had the lowest average value of 3.7143. Harmonizing to the Table 4.7, the JSM5 had the highest standard divergence value of 1.00845. The 2nd highest standard divergence value was JSM3 which was 0.82951. The 3rd highest was JSM4 with the standard divergence value of 0.79603 which was followed by JSM2 which had a standard divergence value of 0.74779. The lowest standard divergence value was JSM1 which was merely 0.68188.4.1.2.3 Opportunities for Advancement and DevelopmentTable 4.8: Cardinal Inclinations Measurement for Opportunities for Advancement and Development No. Statement Mean Standard Deviation AD1 I think the chances for promotion and development is another of import incentive for me. 4.1034 0.79238 AD2 I am motivated by chances for promotion and development in current occupation. 4.0443 0.75321 AD3 I have more chances for promotion and development in current occupation if I retain the occupation for longer period of clip. 4.0936 0.78734 AD4 I have more chances to direct for preparation, learn accomplishment and developing myself in current occupation. 4.1084 0.81330 AD5 I work hard is to acquire more chances for promotion and development in this occupation. 4.1675 0.74563 Beginning: Developed for the research Table 4.8 illustrated the cardinal inclinations measurings of chances for promotion and development. In the term of average value, AD5 had the highest mean of 4.1675. Second, it is followed by AD4 of 4.1084, AD1 of 4.1034 and AD3 of 4.0936. The AD2 had the lowest average value of 4.0443. From the Table 4.8, the AD4 had the highest standard divergence value of 0.81330. Second, it is followed by AD1 with the standard divergence value of 0.79238, AD3 with the standard divergence value of 0.78734 and AD2 with the standard divergence value of 0.75321. The lowest standard divergence value was 0.74563 by AD5.4.1.2.4 Work ItselfTable 4.9: Cardinal Inclinations Measurement for Work Itself No. Statement Mean Standard Deviation W1 I have more independent when I ‘m working. 4.1724 0.78654 W2 I have more assurance to accomplish the mark of the occupation. 4.2217 0.75461 W3 I am willing to work hard with current occupation. 4.2069 0.72886 W4 I am non willing to alter another occupation even if I get other occupation in elsewhere. 3.8227 0.98909 W5 I think my ability can execute good in current occupation. 4.1527 0.75211 W6 I am proud to work with current occupation. 4.2020 0.77944 Beginning: Developed for the research The Table 4.9 above, it illustrated the cardinal inclinations measurings of work itself. Based on the tabular array, W2 had the highest average value of 4.2217. The 2nd highest was W3 that had 4.2069 of average value. The 3rd highest was the W6 that had 4.2020 of mean value which was followed by, the W1 and W5 which had the average value of 4.1724 and 4.1527 severally. The W4 had the lowest average value was 3.8227. In the tabular array above, the highest standard divergence value was 0.98909 by the W4. The 2nd highest standard divergence value was W1 which was 0.78654. The 3rd highest standard divergence value was the W6 that had 0.77944 which was followed by, the W2 and W5 which had the standard divergence value of 0.75461 and 0.75211 severally. The lowest standard divergence value was W3 which was 0.72886.4.1.2.5 Job SatisfactionTable 4.10: Cardinal Inclinations Measurement for Job Satisfaction No. Statement Mean Standard Deviation JS1 In general I am satisfied with my occupation. 4.1330 0.74265 JS2 I am satisfied with the flexibleness of the on the job hours in current occupation. 4.3054 0.68601 JS3 I am satisfied with the committee wage strategy in current occupation. 4.0394 0.78250 JS4 I will retain the occupation because I am satisfied with the occupation security. 4.0148 0.74779 JS5 I am satisfied with the accomplishment in current occupation. 4.0591 0.78125 JS6 I am happy with the manner my co-workers and higher-ups treat me. 4.0936 0.79982 JS7 I am truly enjoyed with my occupation. 4.2266 0.81925 Beginning: Developed for the research Harmonizing to Table 4.10, it illustrated the cardinal inclinations measurings of occupation satisfaction. Based on the tabular array, most respondents agreed to the JS2 with average value of 4.3054. The 2nd highest was JS7 that had 4.2266 of average value. The 3rd and 4th highest average value was JS1 and JS6 which is 4.1330 and 4.0936 severally. The 5th highest was JS5 with the average value of 4.0591 which was followed by JS3 which had a average value of 4.0394. The lowest average value was the JS4 which was merely 4.0148. In the term of standard divergence value, JS7 had the highest standard divergence of 0.81925. Following, it is followed by JS6 of 0.79982, JS3 of 0.78250, JS5 of 0.78125 and JS4 of 0.74779. The two lowest standard divergence values were JS1 of 0.74265 and JS2 of 0.68601.4.2 Scale Measurement4.2.1 Internal Reliability TestTable 4.11: Reliability Statistic Variable Cronbach ‘s Alpha N of Items CP 0.881 5 JSM 0.805 5 Ad 0.911 5 Tungsten 0.899 6 Joule 0.901 7 Beginning: Developed for the research The dependability trial is test the consistence and truth of the IVs and DV which the credence degree of cronbach ‘s alpha more than 0.70. Based on the Table 4.11, the highest cronbach ‘s alpha is chances for promotion and development standing at 0.911. The 2nd highest is occupation satisfaction which the cronbach ‘s alpha is 0.901 followed by committee wage and work itself which the cronbach ‘s alpha are 0.899 and 0.881. The lowest cronbach ‘s alpha is occupation security standing at 0.805. From the consequence, overall the cronbach ‘s alpha for all variable are more than 0.70. Therefore, the questionnaire in this research is dependability and consistence.4.2.2 Normality TestThe trial of normalcy, histogram with normal curve, P-P secret plan and spread secret plan diagram are being used to demo the normal distribution of informations. Table 4.12: Trials of Normality Kolmogorov-Smirnova Shapiro-Wilk Statistic df Sig. Statistic df Sig. Standardized Residual .055 203 .200* .988 203 .091 a. Lilliefors Significance Correction * . This is a lower edge of the true significance. Beginning: Developed for the research This research uses 203 study questionnaires which the sample size is more than 50. Therefore, Kolmogorov-Smirnov ‘s trial is usage for proving the normalcy as it is used to analyze larger sample size ( n & gt ; 50 ) . Based on the Table 4.12, the important value of Kolmogorov-Smirnov ‘s trial is equal to 0.200, which is more than 0.05. Thence, as the normalcy premise is achieved, the informations can be assumed to be usually distributed. Besides, based on the Appendix G, the histogram with normal distribution curve of trade name trueness demoing a sensible bell-shaped and therefore the informations can be assumed to be usually distributed. In add-on, from the Appendix F, the normal chance secret plan of trade name prevarications near to the fanciful heterosexual line which is lifting from the lower-left corner to the upper right corner and demo an upward incline of the graph. This can connote that the informations can be assumed to be usually distributed.4.2.3 Multicollinearity TestBased on the Table 4.14, the correlativity coefficient between IVs were 0.581 for CP and JSM, 0.496 for CP and AD, 0.528 for CP and W, 0.604 for JSM and AD, 0.612 for JSM and W, and 0.657 for AD and W. Therefore, these correlativity coefficients are high between IVs but there is no multicollinearity job since they are all less than 0.8 in this research ( Field, 2005 ) . Furthermore, harmonizing to Table 4.13 the tolerance and VIF value for CP ( 0.606 1.650 ) , JSM ( 0.493 2.029 ) , AD ( .497 2.013 ) and W ( .478 2.094 ) are more than 0.1 and less than 10 severally in the multicollinearity statistics. Hence, multicollinearity job do non show in this research ( Hair et al. , 1992 ) . Table 4.13: Multicollinearity Model Collinearity Statisticss Tolerance VIF CP_Average .606 1.650 JSM_Average .493 2.029 AD_Average .497 2.013 W_Average .478 2.094 Beginning: Developed for the research4.3 Inferential Analysis4.3.1 Pearson ‘s Correlation AnalysisTable 4.14: Pearson ‘s Correlation Analysis CP JSM Ad Tungsten Joule Commsion Pay ( CP ) 1 Job Security ( JSM ) .581** 1 Opportunities for Advancement and Development ( AD ) .496** .604** 1 Work Itself ( W ) .528** .612** .657** 1 Job Satisfaction ( JS ) .557** .659** .674** .836** 1 ** . Correlation is important at the 0.01 degree ( 2-tailed ) . Beginning: Developed for the research By implementing Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Table 4.14 illustrates the consequences of the correlativity analysis of the four independent variables ( CP, JSM, AD and W ) and one dependant variable ( JS ) . The consequence from Table 4.14 shows that p-value of committee wage is 0.000 which is less than the significance value 0.01 degree ( 2-tailed ) and the R value is 0.557. Therefore, the analysis consequence concludes that committee wage is moderate positive correlated with occupation satisfaction. For occupation security variable, the p-value is 0.000 which is lower than the significance value 0.01 degree ( 2-tailed ) and the R value is 0.659 which indicates there is moderate positive relationship between occupation security and occupation satisfaction. In the Table 4.14, the p-value of chances for promotion and development is 0.000 ( P & lt ; 0.01 ) and the R value is 0.674. Hence, the chance for promotion and development is moderate positive correlated with occupation satisfaction. As shown in the Table 4.14, the p-value of work itself is 0.00 which is lower than the significance value 0.01 degree ( 2-tailed ) and the R value is 0.836. As a consequence, the work itself has high positive relationship with occupation satisfaction.4.3.2 Multiple Regression AnalysisTable 4.15: Multiple Regression Analysis Independent Variables Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t-value Sig. Bacillus Beta Changeless .350 2.069 .040 Commission Pay .069 .074 1.610 .109 Job Security .158 .160 3.154 .002 Opportunities for Advancement and Development .130 .143 2.834 .005 Work Itself .562 .605 11.724 .000 R2 .748 Adjusted R2 .743 F 147.264** Beginning: Developed for the research From table 4.15 above, shows that the correlativity coefficient, R= 0.864, means that there is a positive correlativity between the four independent variables and dependent variable. The value of R Square is 0.748 which indicates that 74.8 % of the discrepancy in the dependant variable ( occupation satisfaction ) is explained by the 4 independent variables ( committee wage, occupation security, chances for promotion and development, and work itself ) . However, it is still leaves 25.2 % of occupation satisfaction is explained by other factors in this survey. Furthermore, harmonizing to table above, p-value ( Sig. 0.000 ) is less than alpha value 0.05, therefore, the F- statistic which equals to 147.204 is important. That mean this theoretical account is a good form for the relation between the residuary and forecasters. Therefore, the independent variables ( committee wage, occupation security, chances for promotion and development, and work itself ) are significantly explicating the discrepancy in the occupation satisfaction among insurance agents. Since the p-value is less than 0.05 and is in the cull part which H0 is rejected. Harmonizing to Table 4.15, occupation security ( p=0.002 ) , chances for promotion and development ( p= 0.005 ) , work itself ( p & lt ; 0.001 ) are important to foretell the dependant variable ( occupation satisfaction ) in this survey because their p-values ( Sig. ) are less than alpha value 0.05. From the multiple arrested development analysis, occupation security, chances for promotion and development and work itself are the of import motive factors that affect the occupation satisfaction among insurance agents in Malaysia. Among these IVs, work itself is the strongest determiner. However, the independent variable ( committee wage ) is non significantly foretelling the dependant variable ( occupation satisfaction ) . This is because committee wage ( p=0.109 ) is more than the alpha value 0.05. Therefore, a multiple additive arrested development is formed by utilizing the information from the column headed â€Å" B † shown in the tabular array 4.15 above. The arrested development equation is as below: Job satisfaction = 0.350 + 0.069 committee wage + 0.158 occupation security + 0.130 chances for promotion and development + 0.562 work itself4.4 DecisionThree independent variables ( occupation security, chances for promotion and development and work itself ) for this research are found to hold important relationship with the independent variable ( occupation satisfaction ) . However, the independent variable ( committee wage ) is non important relationship with the dependant variable ( occupation satisfaction ) . Consequences of the analysis and back uping grounds for the consequences are being discussed in the undermentioned chapter.

Continuing Academic Success Essay

It is a big step for someone who has been out of school for so long, to have the courage to begin the journey of higher education. Personally, it took me several years of contemplating if going back to school was the right move for me. I postponed it until I realized this was the only way I could provide my family with the life I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve came to realize that even though this will be a very challenging 4 years of my life, I will persevere as long as I keep my eyes on the price and stay motivated. There are many components to ensure success in my educational and career endeavors; such as, personal responsibility, use of the resources provided by the University, and have self-awareness. I’m sure to succeed as long as I apply myself and take advantage of the resources that are designed to assist in my academic life, subsequently into my professional life. It takes personal responsibility to succeed in any aspect of your life but it’s especia lly so in your educational path. It is up to you, to abide by the school rules and to complete the course work with integrity. You have to hold yourself accountable for your actions and thrive to be a better person. This is especially true in the online school environment as there’s no set time for class, it is up to the student to make time for class work as well as setting up study time. Time-management is an essential tool which will help make a student’s school experience a productive one because you will have time to digest the information being provided to you instead of rushing to get the work done just for the sake of getting it done. Making a schedule and abiding to it is your personal choice and if you want to succeed, you will have to master the skill of time-management and ask for your support systems help when needed. To succeed in school you need to have academic integrity. Academic integrity has a big influence in your academic success  as plagiarism has drastic consequences and can result in expulsion. Academic integrity shows your knowledge of the topic at hand, which is the goal in higher education. To understand some complex topics you might need more time and you need to schedule study time accordingly. Having strong personal responsibility is part of your everyday life as a student and it’s vital to academic success. Setting goals is a good way to stay motivated and work for a specific result within a certain amount of time. Having goals will help you map out the path you will be taking and the steps on how to get there. For effective goal setting, think of the things and/or experiences you want to have by a specific year or age. â€Å"Goal setting requires assessment and problem-solving skills as well as application and organization.† (Rader, 2005). As stated by Rader, goal-setting requires a lot of different skills and it is important to master them to achieve success in life. What has held me from returning was the college-level writing and the huge amount of research I will have to do. By the time I earn my Bachelor’s Degree, I want to be comfortable with the writing process and have confidence in my researching skills. This is one of the reasons I went bac k to school, for ones and for all get rid of the anxiety and fear of writing college-level papers. Setting goals in all aspects of your life will assist in keeping you accountable of your own actions. For example, once I’ve earned my degree I want to work for a hotel, in a large hotel chain, where I could be a part of the management team, preferably in the customer relations, customer service, or event planning departments. Another key tool for academic success is self-awareness. Periodically is it beneficial to do some self-exploration and get in touch with your basic ethical values. In essence every decision we make is made from a set of ethics we follow. A set of strong ethics is valuable in both your personal and professional life. I live by a set codes that keep me honest, fair and accountable of my own actions. Having a strong set of ethics prepares you with the tools you need to be a critical thinker and make proper decisions. Being aware of how you learn best is important as you want to use your time effectively and use platforms in which you know you will retain the information better. It is important to be able to reflect on our life and find ways of fixing what i s not working effective. Learning is not just academic but also personal. Critical thinking is one of the main objectives in higher education. A critical thinker analyzes all  options and makes an argument based on facts. To be a critical thinker you have to be able to look at different points of view openly and explore them as possibilities. You also have to able to think logically and analyze the information and find evidence to back it up. When all information is collected and analyzed, a critical thinker could create an argument with confidence. To become a better critical thinker I will work on mastering Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy of learning which states that for maximize learning we need to master this 6 levels of thinking: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. When I’m studying and going through course work I will keep this 3 levels in mind and will practice each level. The goal is to think all the way to level 6 which is creating an idea from the information learned. Mastering critical thinking will make the writing process easier and less chaotic. â€Å"The writing process is how you show your understanding of the course information and form your own opinion and are able to find supporting research for your ideas†(Kellogg, 2007). Personally the writing process is very intimidating and has stopped me for reaching my full potentials. Doing research here will give me a piece of mind that the information found here is factual and correct. Research papers will be a bit easier. Writing is the preferred communication by educational institution and the professional world. It is important when writing to be aware of grammar mistakes and also plagiarism. Being able to write a cohesive paper or extended text will take you further and is necessary for your academic success. University of Phoenix wants their students to success and has made available amazing resources to ensure that students are well equipped with the tools that will help them move forward towards their goals. The University Library will be the most useful tool for when doing research. Doing research here will give me a piece of mind that the information found is factual and correct. Research papers will be a bit easier to write. The Center of Writing Exc ellence has everything you need to be able to perfect your writing skills which will make the writing process simpler. The Life Resource Center is helpful when you have personal issues you need to work on from time-management to career and life coaching.When I need to focus on my future after school I could rely on the Phoenix Career Service where I could research job markets and also set up a career plan. Taking advantage of these all the resources the University has  to offer will ensure I don’t feel alone in this journey. It takes your full commitment to achieve continuing academic success. It’s a challenging adventure but a well worth one. The benefits of being able to become a life learner will open up your mind and it will provide a sense of drive. We are in charge of our own future and it important to try to achieve excellence. No one is responsible for my well-being but I, and I will do everything possible to succeed. References Lasley, T. (2010). Bloom’s taxonomy. In T. Hunt, J. Carper, T. Lasley, & C. Raisch (Eds.), Encyclopedia of educational reform and dissent. (pp. 107-110). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/10.4135/9781412957403.n5 Rader, L. A. (2005). Goal Setting for Students and Teachers: Six steps to success. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/196863407?accuntid=458 References Kellogg, R. T., & Raulerson, Bascom A., I.,II. (2007). Improving the writing skills of college students. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (Pre-2011), 14(2), 237-42. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/204931203?accountid=458 Lasley, T. (2010). Bloom’s taxonomy. In T. Hunt, J. Carper, T. Lasley, & C. Raisch (Eds.), Encyclopedia of educational reform and dissent. (pp. 107-110). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/10.4135/9781412957403.n5 Rader, L. A. (2005). Goal Setting for Students and Teachers: Six steps to success. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/196863407?accuntid=458

Why is money supply not under the tight control of central banks Essay - 2

Why is money supply not under the tight control of central banks - Essay Example spite this clear relationship between money supply and banks, there are other factors that influence the control of national and international money supply and take away the full control of banks; these include personal account holders, foreign investors and various businesses and corporations. Ancient Babylonian records dating from the 18th century BC show that a rudimentary form of banking was established at that time (Leick 161). Although these early storehouses could not necessarily equate with modern banks, they did serve the purpose of storage of wealth in the form of grain, gold and other valuables. From these immense storehouses, people chose to lend and borrow based on agreements made on a person-to-person basis. Financial relationships such as these expanded in the following centuries and we can see evidence of basic banking centres from the Greeks, the Egyptians and Romans. As banking progressed, the idea of storing wealth became more complicated as people tried to decide of fair ways of paying back loans on various items (Smith 4). Seeds, which could reproduce and therefore become worth more in the end, would require an equal repayment that included interest; this was an idea that quickly took hold and has helped to define modern banking (Heichelheim 56). After the Roman Empire lost its power, banking actually became a derelict practise in most of Europe until centuries later. When it was revived in later years, banking gained the addition of one factor that would revolutionise it: hard currency (Butler et al 27). Currency became redeemable for actual products when prior to its advent, financial exchanges were completed with the end product already in hand (for example, gold exchanged for a certain amount of grain, or grain for eggs). Currency became the primary source of finance instead of a mere representation of ‘true’ finance; based on currency, interest rates and the need for people to store their wealth away safely, banks were

Compare and Contrast Liberal and Realist Views of International Law Essay

Compare and Contrast Liberal and Realist Views of International Law - Essay Example This view led to creation of international law which provides a framework that guide international relationship. International relations theories address various concerns of countries. This paper intends to compare and contrast realist and liberalist views of international law. Political realists argue in favor of their nation in terms of its security, social reconstructions, and moral concern while political liberalists argue in favor of international cooperation (Claude & Weston, 2006:122). Security concern is a factor that affects national interests and international interests. It is apparent that political stability of a nation depends on the security measures in place. An instant of insecurity drag political gains and economic endeavors of a country. However, debate on security drags both realists and liberalists into explaining their views to international laws. Realists believe that a state has to strive to achieve state security through all possible means (Claude & Weston, 20 06:126). For instance, during the 9/11 bombing realists gave their response to international terrorism by arguing that the state should refocus on probable sources of its insecurity and that the state should handle non-state actors who are violent as proxies for national interest (Portmann, 2010:70). In this view, high state organs believed that non-state sponsors had a role in creating the infamous attack. In response to the attack, the realists focused their security actions to states they perceived as rogues i.e. nations that supported the actions of the insurgent groups (Portmann, 2010:69). Realists felt the threat posed by these countries and decided to wage war on terrorism in these countries. This justified the move made by United States to wage war on Iraq and Afghanistan. Liberalist contrasts the realist view of international law by favoring the interest of non-state actors (D’Aspremont, 2011:6). It is evident that liberals endow non-state players with agency and aut onomy. For instance, liberals believe that distribution of power does not only remain at state level, but also embeds it to entities such as NGO and international institutions (D’Aspremont, 2011:12). Liberals have taken a centre stage role in advocating for independent groups as forces that need recognition in the international politics. At the international scene, liberals argue that power is a multidimensional tool in which emphasis should be on soft power in addition to economic and military power. This argument makes the liberalist support international activities in contrasts to the interests of the realists. The use of soft power intends to eliminate conflicts, which drag international politics. For instance, the adoption of dialogue as a means of seeking a lasting solution to conflicts is a manifestation of using soft power in brokering interest of various countries. In the international politics, recognition of political realism is a concept of interest vested in term s of power (Neack, 2003:77). The motive behind each state behavior is power, which is either military power or potential power (assets). The means used by states to seek power vary because some states are weak while others are strong. However, power change from time to time. For instance, French military power dominated continent Europe in the early 1800s, but shifted in 1814 following the defeat of French military (Neack, 2003:78). Largely, realist perspective looks at state as

Developing Career Prospects Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Developing Career Prospects - Assignment Example Additionally, through the Chapter on management process, roles, behavior and skills has made me to identify the skills that managers should have. These include personal, social, technical and political skills among others. Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) entails the process that people pass through as they perceive the world and make decision. The theory, which indicates the existence of two dichotomous pairs of cognitive functions, was of great assistance to me (Emmons, 1996). In terms of rational function, my thinking and feeling towards life challenges were positively enhanced. I felt that with determination and confidence I was able to handle any challenge that comes on my way. On its part, irrational function aroused my sensation and intuition towards my duties. As a student or an employee, one should be able to identify areas that they are effective as well as areas that they are weak. In this way, one is able to identify the areas that they need assistance. My competence in the area of business was based on the skills that I gained in the course of my school work as well as the assistance I received from the instructors. Through the skills, I was able to receive a positive outcome that included strong positive relationship with my customers (Schneider and Alderfer, 1973). However, my inability to balance intuition with rational judgment was a negative perception that affected my outcome. I address this by thinking strategically and go beyond the obvious, gathers complex data, to get to the heart of the issues One’s values are important since they are source of motivation and they greatly make one to be identified by the values. My main value is working hard. I like to achieve my goals through working hard, remaining confident and be focused at my goals (Ibarra, 2003). Additionally, I value learning how to master new tasks by adopting high self efficacy. In this way, I am in a position to educate others on various issues thus our

Tchaikovsky and Women in Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Tchaikovsky and Women in Art - Essay Example This ballet is a fairy tale story. The music accompanied within this ballet is believed to be one of Tchaikovsky’s best creations as it is a combination of Russian and western music influences, while the subject matter is that of poetry in motion (Kisselgoff 1). Enthusiasm and warmth were the motivations behind writing the piece. In addition, sleeping beauty has been the second most popular ballet of the imperial production and has been performed 200 times in 10 years. Art during the 18th and 19th century had no room for female painter. During that period, professional recognition and art education remained unequal and separate to that of their male counterparts. It was not until the subsequent half of the 19th century that women artists made significant progress, especially in France and in turn, art schools opened up their doors to women. While in the United States women, artists gradually became noticeable by way of winning awards (nmwa 1). They began to take part in exhibitions, and started teaching. In addition, they also began to travel overseas while their works acted as conduits for printmaking, new styles of painting and photography. Tchaikovsky is one of the most treasured composers in history. A master artisan of orchestration and melody, his composition was astonishing and his musical styles ranged from concertos to ballet scores and symphonies, and he was able to write and portray detailed moods and feelings. His works were legendary. He surely was the greatest master of classical ballet. Tchaikovsky achieved huge popularity with a broad audience, mainly through his emotional

Introduction to Management -- Economics, Finance and Management Assignment

Introduction to Management -- Economics, Finance and Management - Assignment Example One of the stakeholders of the firm may be its customers who can significantly be involved in the stakeholder’s conflict. This may be due to the fact that the customers may not be willing to purchase the products of the firm due to various reasons including firm’s reputation for providing environment friendly products etc. This may be an strong point of conflict between the firm and its most important stakeholders. Government can be another important stakeholder in this business because Government has the overall responsibility of ensuring that firms are meeting the exact criteria as laid down by the law. Further, it can also be at conflict with other stakeholders because Government often take unilateral decisions which may adversely affect other set of stakeholders. As such government takes such actions very wisely in order to avoid direct conflict with other set of stakeholders. Every commercial organization has the sole purpose of achieving higher value for its shareholders. As such it is important that it must earn profit and maximize it to the fullest advantage of the shareholders. Profit maximization therefore is a term which is used to indicate that the firm’s value is what it should have been rather than what it is now. Profit satisficing on the other hand is the firm’s pursuit to earn satisfactory profits rather than maximum profits. This can be due to the fact that a firm might have some other objectives to pursue rather than the profit maximization. Such objectives can included maximization of market value etc. it is also important to note that the notion of profit satisficing differs from firm to firm and each management or firm may pursue the aim in different manner. From the given facts in the essay study it seems that the firm is a profit satisficer as its objectives and actions indicate that it is attempting to increase the profitability to a reasonable level. It is important to note that the profit

It is an article for my experimental economy class to summary Essay - 1

It is an article for my experimental economy class to summary - Essay Example Economists and none-economists students were selected for the study. The study was done in form of an experiment that required decision making within a period of about 30 minutes. It required the division of $10 in multiples of $0.50 between two people; a proposer and a responder. The proposer was to propose the division and the responder to decide if the division was acceptable or not. From the study conducted by Carter John and Irons Michael it is noted that economists generally accept less from others and keep more to themselves as compared to the none-economists. When another variable that helps to identify freshman economists and freshman non- economists was added, the freshman economists were still found to hold to the perspective of accepting less from others and keeping more. Therefore economists are born and not man-made. A third variable was also added to differentiate between the senior economists and the senior none-economists. This was meant to bring out any effects on the behavior of the economists as a result of learning economics. There were no clear learning effects realized from the experiment. Therefore, learning does not change the behavior of economists. The freshman economist and the senior economist all held the same perspective: They accept less and keep more to themselves (Carter and Irons 173). It was also realized that the choice of economics major students to major in economics was strongly related to their behavior. It was also found out that the economists were not only skilled in self interest calculation as facilitated by their deductive reasoning needed to recognize and decide on opportunities for economic gain. Economists are better at the type of thought processes that are related to rationality. They were able to give good figure of what a responder should accept and what a proposer should propose so as to maximize their monetary wealth keeping in mind that their partners

Software Requirements Specification Essay Example for Free

Software Requirements Specification Essay 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose Online Shopping Software main purpose is to provide customers with the possibility to perform online purchases on products already on store. Customers are identified properly and are able to perform online transactions using three kind of methods: either using credit card or banking documents, but also through PayPal account. Online Customers are divided on two categories upon user account types: basic and business. Basic accounts beside other attributes contain a specific one named Fidelity which deals with the number of years the user has been joining the online shop. On the other hand is business plan which is characterized uniquely by the Volume attribute that is the total amount of transactions performed within the online shop. The customer is able to operate throughout the system after properly authenticated. He is able to create a cart and add products to it or delete them as well. Then he decides whether he might go on with the checkout operation and complete the purchase. Once the user decided upon the plan to use: basic or business, he is given the alternatives to pay through the previously mentioned methods accordingly. Once the purchase is confirmed by the customer and admitted by shop commission, customer details come into use in order to define the shipping address and other supplementary information. Customer is given the possibility to view and print some information regarding his activity on the shop. For instance he can print the number of purchases completed by him from eh beginning of the current year. He can print the status of previously performed purchases and decide whether to cancel or not a specific purchase if it is still in â€Å"Not available† status. During the process of product selection and addition to cart specifying correspond quantity the system automatically checks if the product is available within the quantity or not. In case of negative response the system generates a request to the product supplier. Stated in short terms this is the overall situation on hand. 1.2 Document Conventions Specific terminology is used throughout the specification of the system. User Profile: stands for the profile of the customer (person) opened in the software. One person can have multiple profiles using different emails. A profile can be linked to none or one account type. Person: defines an real person who has an identity defined by class attributes. A person can have multiple profiles and consequently multiple accounts. For instance a person can have a basic and a business account. Account: defines an entity that enables the user to operate throughout the system and perform purchases. It is the super class of two other classes respectively: Basic and Business which extend the super class. Payment: defines an entity that enables an account to perform a payment transaction using one of alternative methods. Purchase: defines an entity that encapsulates a purchase object. A purchase is specified by a unique number and status thus using the Status class. Cart: stands for a container that holds selected products during the session and is included by a purchase. Cart Products: as the name itself defines an entity that makes possible operations of addition, deletion, and selection of products in and from the cart. Bank Transfer: stands for a payment method when using a basic plan. Credit Card: stands for a payment method using a credit card when using a basic plan. PayPal: defines a payment method when using business plan. In this case it includes a PayPal service using a previously configured PayPal account. 1.3 Intended Audience and Reading Suggestions The system is worth using by an audience that is interested on buying online products and benefit from facilities offered in such a case. Facilities are: saving time, saving money by selecting the best offer, comfort circumstances, safety of money transactions etc 1.4 Project Scope The scope of this project is to design and develop a system that is necessary to shops when they need to operate online, sell products online. The shop can keep an electronic history of all purchases and transactions. This gives more control over the operations that the company offers. The system can be adapted to a range of shops from simple small ones to big markets. A shop can outsource the function of shipping to another external company or can handle it itself. Project scope also includes financial transactions that call for other third party services like PayPal. Project scope from customer perspective, limits the range of customers to only those who have internet connation on some form and have a bank account in hand. The aim of this project is to promote an efficient, user-friendly, time-fashionable, safe way for customers to bye and receive products without being physically at a shop thus using virtual money. 2. UML Diagrams 2.1 Use Case Diagrams Online Shop from user perspective use case Description: This use case provides the viewpoint for the whole process from user perspective. Customer sees only the necessary functions that the system must define. Actors: Online Customer Preconditions: Customer must have a bank account. Base Case: 1. Customer must log in and authenticate 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Customer must choose the type of purchase to perform Customer can view and select products Customer can perform a purchase Customer can cancel a purchase He can view additional information regarding the purchase Alternative Flows None Post conditions: Customer performs transactions based on defined accounts. Additional Info/Issues: None View Products Use Case Description: View products use case describes the whole operations a user can perform on a product currently on the store. It also describes an exceptional case when a product is not available on the quantity required. Preconditions: Customer must login and authenticate firstly Base Case: 1. Customer can view the products 2. he can select the products 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. he can add the products to cart he can define quantities on ordered products system checks whether the quantity is satisfied or not system responds to client with approving the purchase system generates an automatic order to products supplier Alternative Flows None Post conditions: Customer performs transactions based on defined accounts. Additional Info/Issues: None Make Purchase Use Case Description: This use case defines the cycle when customer makes a purchase. When deciding to perform a purchase the customer proceeds to the checkout operation and then to the payment method and according verifications. Preconditions: Customer must confirm the final form of the cart and products already in. Base Case: 1. Customer must complete with the cart 2. he is taken to the checkout step 3. he is forwarded to a payment method based on the purchase type that he decided beforehand. Alternative Flows The customer may cancel the purchase when it is in â€Å"Not Available yet† status. Post conditions: Customer performs transactions based on defined account. Additional Info/Issues: Includes third party accounts like PayPal or supporting bank documents. Payment Use Case Description: Payment use case deals with the cycle of performing a payment through on of the methods mentioned. Preconditions: Customer must authenticate and decide upon the type of purchase to commit. Base Case: 1. Customer decides on the type of method to pay using either credit card or providing bank documents in case of basic type of purchase. 2. he decides upon PayPal method to pay if he decides on business purchase type. 3. each of the methods forward the user to the corresponding sites where he can enter credit card info, or upload a document or confirm a PayPal account. Alternative Flows None Post conditions: Customer performs transactions based on defined account. Additional Info/Issues: Includes third party accounts like PayPal or supporting bank documents.

The Development of the Irish Social Policy Essay Example for Free

The Development of the Irish Social Policy Essay Social policies are widely embraced by countries to support their cause for economic development. This is considered vital in the progress of the country because it concerns itself with the interventions that concerns living conditions of the people and other factors that promote human welfare. It is described as public policy and practice in the areas of health care, human services, criminal justice, inequality, education, and labor† (Webber, 1969). European countries have been instrumental in making necessary social policies that promotes equality and access to opportunities to its people. In fact, it is stated in the Law of the European Union, particularly in the Social Chapter, to promote the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation. As compared to the social policies in the United States and Canada that focuses on morality issues, European social policies take into consideration access to different arrays of factors that affect social conditions: health care, housing, pension and many others. However, social policy itself has experienced much change through the years. This made possible by the different calls of development through generations. Much story can be seen in the evolution of social policy in Ireland. Like any abovementioned causes of social policy, Ireland has also responded on the call of providing human welfare to its population. The development of social policy in Ireland has been much affected by its own development in history. The turn of social policy has been mostly attributed on the shift of Ireland to a Free State and Republic status after major economic downturns in the 1920s. The remnants of the civil war have brought about high unemployment in the country. Maura Adshead mentioned in her book, the Roman Catholic Church was a catalyst in controlling the social policy issues that time. It employed a very conservative approach, mostly focusing on morality issues. At the same time, the Church has control over the provision of social services like schools and hospitals. But much has even changed in Ireland’s social policy from the time it declared to be a republic in 1949 till it sought admission to the European Union community in the 1960s. Much economic restructuring has been focused on the economy. One of the major turns in social policy is the introduction of free secondary education in 1968. As the Irish economy continues to recuperate with the help of investments from the European Union, Ireland then began to embrace more liberal social policies, like legalizing divorce. It has drawn criticism from the dominant Roman Catholic Church. Despite the liberal move to social policies, one of the considered distinct turns of social policy in Ireland was the inclusion of partnerships in the strategy of social policy. As social exclusions has been a pressing problem in the European countries, including Ireland, local partnerships with public, private and community organizations has been strengthened to combat problems of poverty and unemployment. Earlier, the concept of poverty was a financial responsibility of people. Frederick Powell states in his book, The Politics of Social Policy, if a certain population is on the state of poverty, they are branded to be â€Å"socially or economically useless†. But much has changed when the concept of partnerships in social policies has emerged. It has given a multi-dimensional view, on poverty for example. Poverty now is perceived as both subjective and objective. Individuals, families and groups in the population can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities and have the living conditions and amenities which are customary, or at least widely encouraged or approved, in the societies to which they belong (Townsend, 1979). However, this perception is not only limited to poverty. Social exclusion may also be applied to the lack of access to social services that are vital to the human welfare. During the time that Ireland separated to the United Kingdom, the theme was into survival rather providing the social services that are needed by the people. This is brought about the lack of funds to institute services like health care and insurance. However, the first â€Å"beneficiaries† of the social provisions were the retired or unemployed workers. The Old Age Pension Act of 1908 and the National Insurance Act of 1911 gave minimal amount to social protection, however it all focused only on the monetary aspect of poverty (Stokes, 2009). Progressing on its republic state, Ireland began to explore on other social services like health and maternal care. However, almost of these provisions became ill-fated because of some opposition to the views of the Church. For instance, Keeley Stokes also mentioned in her paper that the Mother and Child Service of 1950 has not been successful in providing free maternal health care for mothers and children of 16 years and above because the Church perceived this as a pathway to abortion and birth control rights. The rest of other social policy provisions have been a reason for political opportunities as well, so the development of these interventions became incremental. Towards the 20th century, when poverty before was believed to be a factor of ineptitude in the part of the people, the Irish social policy has geared itself to be promoting to a holistic and responsible citizenship. Ireland’s inclusion to the European Union made it reflect on understanding the real score of poverty. Institutionalizing the solution of poverty was gone, rather incorporating a broader perspective in solving it was the new strategy. This meant focusing on health care and equal opportunities for all. Poverty was not only mainly monetary, but it involves other different supporting factors. At present, health care is a public entity in Ireland, in which people are entitled to all child health and maternity services for free. The major drawback of the social policy in Ireland is on the issue of equality. Most of the criticisms underlie on the high level of unemployment in Ireland. Income determination has been still a root of inequality. The people with their own interests will still dominate most of the problems of unemployment (O’Donnell, 1997). Nevertheless, under the social partnership structure, Ireland’s social policy must overcome the politics surrounding it so it can better deliver social provisions to its people. Bibliography Adshead, M. , Tonge, J. (2009). Politics in Ireland: Convergence and Divergence in a Two-Polity Island (Comparative Government and Politics). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ODonnell, R. (1993). Ireland and Europe: Challenges for a New Century (Policy research). New York: Economic Social Research Institute. Powell, F. (1992). The Politics of Irish Social Policy 1600-1900. New York: The Edwin Mellen Press. Stokes, K. W. , (2009, April 2) A Historical Analysis of Social Policy in Ireland: Punctuated Equilibrium and the Role of Ideas. Retrieved from http://www. allacademic. com/meta/p362730_index. html. Townsend, P. (1979). Poverty in the United Kingdom: A Survey of Household Resources and Standards of Living. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Webber, M. M. (1969). The social context for transport policy. Washington: U. S. G. P. O.

Bone Conduction Technology Impact

Bone Conduction Technology Impact Gabrielle Lau Erin Topping The worlds sounds can be perceived acoustically and as vibrations. Acoustic transmission, also known as air conduction, is sound that travels through the external ear. Through bone conduction, sound waves are transmitted to the inner ear by the cranial bones without traveling through the air in the ear canal (Oticon Medical). Audiologists take advantage of these two principles when creating hearing aids for the deaf and hearing impaired. Traditional acoustic air conduction hearing aids treat and amplify noise appropriately to the user through the ear canals. Unlike air conduction, bone conduction involves bypassing the ear and resting on the bony prominence of the skin. Vibrations travel through the bones and into the cochlea where sound, including acoustic, is interpreted. Despite air conduction succeeding bone conduction in the hearing aid industry, bone conduction technology offers many potential uses and enhanced safety. Inventions such as bone conduction sunglasses and headphone s allow users to immerse themselves in music without muting environmental sounds. Their ears would be open to hearing car horns and hollers, thus preventing many injuries and deaths that were initially caused by earphones blocking surrounding sound (Hsu, University of Maryland). Moreover, scientific studies have also supported the concept, that bone conduction technology causes less damage to the ears than ear buds (Monks, The Audiology Foundation of America). Bone conduction oriented hearing, as compared to air conduction oriented hearing, is a form of sound transmission that has greater potential for a wider variety of uses. Air conduction oriented hearing is the standard sound transmission of the anatomy of ears. Sound travels through the ear canal, and next translated into vibrations by the eardrum. These vibrations then transmit through three tiny bones called the anvil, hammer, and stirrup in the middle ear which amplifies the sound. Lastly, the sound enters the cochlea lined with fluid and thousands of tiny hair cells that will transform the sound vibrations into electrical signals for the brain to interpret. Acoustic hearing aids have technologically advanced tremendously with each aid handling miniscule microphones, processors, and receivers (Townsley). Sound is picked up through the microphone then processed into the specific hearing range of the user. For example, an air conduction hearing aid would pick up sound and strengthen high or low pitched noises to fit the hearing of the patient. Air conduction hearing aids benefit individuals suffering from cochlear damage, where the hair cells that st imulate hearing certain frequencies to the auditory nerve have deteriorated. Bone conduction oriented hearing involves bypassing the external ear and transmitting sound via the bones of the human body, preferably the skull. There are two types of bone conducting hearing aids, bone conduction bands and bone anchored hearing aids. Unlike bone conduction bands, bone anchored hearing aids involve penetrating the skin by surgically implanting a titanium abutment to the mastoid (Oticon Medical). A microphone sound processor latches to this implant in order to directly transmit sound as vibrations to the skull (Townsley). Bone conduction bands consist of a microphone, processor, and elastic band. These two mechanical components latch to the band that is worn around the patients head. The bone conduction hearing aid provides a solution to those with profound hearing loss with sensorineural damage, single-sided deafness, or atresia, a birth defect where individuals are born without an ear canal. This option of hearing has gained most recognition from its ability to he lp the common condition, single-sided deafness. Individuals who suffer such, have an impaired ability to detect the direction of sounds and to separate background noise to make sense of speech (Townsley). To avoid feelings of social isolation and exclusion from this, patients use specifically bone conduction hearing aids to regain consciousness of the position of sound and its source. Moreover, bone conduction hearing aids are used during hearing tests to uncover whether a patient suffers external or sensorineural ear damage (Townsley). The use of air conduction is constant for those with normal hearing. Individuals with unobstructed external ear pathways and normal sensorineural function will automatically hear all sounds acoustically. Air conduction technology encompasses all appliances that allow individuals to hear sound. These include hearing aids, speakers, headphones, speaker implanted into cars and computers, etc. A magnitude of technology utilizes air conduction sound transmission, but the functional purpose of creating sound has not since presented any different potential uses. Though bone conduction technology has been around for centuries, modern developments have shown the magnitude of its use. Ludwig Van Beethoven, born in the late 1700s, utilized sound bite principles to compose music after he threw a temper tantrum, fell over, and stood up to realize he had lost all hearing. By biting on a special rod attached to the soundboard on a piano that he could bite, Beethoven allowed musical vibrations to transfer to his jaw to increase his perception of the sound.(Ealy 143) Bone conduction technology has since advanced as a safety precaution for secret military operations and daily activities. British Aeorspace Systems constructed bone conduction inspired helmets allowing soldiers to hear comms over the loudest battlefield noises and bone phones, ear pieces to use for silent communication (Wood). The documented navy SEAL raid that killed Osama Bin Laden stated the vitality of bone phones for that mission (Owen). The fundamentals of the bone phones have shift ed to also accomodate citizens. In a study conducted by the University of Maryland, it concluded that 70% of all transportation accidents involving earphones led to death. The creation of bone conduction headphones henceforth came about. To promote situational awareness, users can listen to music through a headpiece that firmly sits transducers in front of the ear, on the cheekbones. Hollers and honks from surrounding cars will be heard by the user because their natural hearing sense is no longer depleted by an ear phone. Moreover, certain cell phone companies have begun to develop a bone conduction microphone. For busy men and women who must take calls on the go, but struggle to make their responses apparent and environment non-apparent to their recipient, this speaker will directly pick up the vibrations of their voice simply by resting on their head and transferring it to the phone to process and link to the recipient end. These products have been manufactured into articles of cl othing that can be worn on the head such as baseball caps and glasses. These developments prove that bone conduction technology is advancing into uses beyond the hearing impaired. Additionally bone conduction has been utilized as a marketing gimmick. In the summer of 2015, a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in South Africa hoped to increase its relevance through creating a modern indoor entertainment system. With the growing number of unsigned musical artists and the fact that KFC was not a record label, the fast food chain decided to create record tables (Chase and Brandt). They took advantage of bone conduction principles by engineering tables where customers would place their elbows on the table and cup their hands on their ears to get a musical treat (Chase and Brandt). This high-tech addition yielded outstanding results in business increased the average dwell time of the customer in store and widespread social media hype about the innovation as well as overwhelmingly positive feedback about the experience (Chase and Brandt). Bone conduction has created a new form of advertisement in an exciting and interactive way that it has been introduced into the public t ransportation systems in Munich and North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2013 Sky Go, a mobile streaming service, enhanced the glass windows of trains to transmit messages through bone conduction to passengers who lay their head on the window. This glass emits high frequencies that the brain processes into words heard by no one else on the train except for those who also have laid their head on the window. Information on weather, music, and advertisements transmitted into the commuters heads. Despite a Sky Go representative, Susanne Keyzers, claiming passengers were surprised but enjoyed this new form of advertising, on camera reactions prove that bone conduction may not be the best fit for transit advertisements. Several passengers looked shocked then angry for not being able to shut their eyes for nap while leaning against a window (Dicker). Though bone conduction has introduced an entirely new dimension to the world of advertisement, manufacturers must recognize the line between voluntary interaction and invasion of privacy. For its invasive characteristics, the talking window has opened an aspect of marketing known as guerilla advertising. Outside of practical and marketing use, bone conduction technology has also made strides in the recreational and comfort fields. Aquatic sportswear companies such as FINIS Incorporated have developed underwater headphones, dubbed the Neptune headphones, through the use of bone conduction principles. This recent innovation mimics the way whales and dolphins communicate underwater (Smith) by transferring sound as vibrations from an mp3 player to small pieces latched over the cheekbones. The music plays as if inside the users head, giving this new headphone a surreal (Smith) reputation. Another company that hoped to take advantage of bone conductions potentials uses was Google. In 2013, Google created its first Google Glass prototype, a glasses gadget that could provide information to its user instantly by being closer to the human senses (Warr). Essentially computer glasses, these gadgets included a bone conduction speaker to transfer information to the user regarding camera use, inter net information, map directions, or music. Due to its still continuing development, the Google Glass has never been sold to the public. The head Glass coordinator, Tony Fadell, spoken out that several versions of Google Glass are being made for different situations. Currently, an Enterprise Edition exists which aimed at businesses in healthcare, manufacturing, and energy industries. And beyond that, bone conduction has become a player in the comfort industry. Integrated Listening Systems built a Dreampad bone conduction pillow in 2014 (Kooser). The Dreampad consisted of several bone conduction speakers fitted into all sort of pillows to help sing users into a pleasant slumber. Their target audiences encompassed those diagnosed with insomnia and those who wish to listen to music or audiobooks to sleep while their bed buddy may prefer complete silence. By using a very subtle sound bone conduction based approach, the Dreampad soothed people to sleep. The expanse of bone conduction tech nology from underwater workouts to inducing sleep, highlight its many uses as compared to air conduction technology. Not only does bone conduction offer a new take on leisure items, it also has become a vital part of entertainment experiences for the deaf community. Recently, the world famous DJ Martin Garrix and the soda brand 7Up teamed up to create a Concert for the Deaf. In cooperation with Fake Love, Martin Garrix and 7UP created a concert for the deaf that utilized a variety of tactile experiments and features to give participants the experience of feeling their music (Meadow). The project involved the construction of numerous vibrating speaker cones and padded flooring, revolving around bone conduction principles, so that the deaf attendees would be able to interact and physically feel the music around them. Visuals were paired to water experiments that the music itself brought to life, creating a completely seamless and encompassing audio and visual experience(Meadow). The designers of this concert created plexi-glass boxes with a thin base level of water. Attached to the bottom, were light s and vibrating speaker cones that vibrated the water at different frequencies. These vibrations accompanied the visual projections and ultimately the beats played by Martin Garrix. Some attendees were also fitted with Subpac-like backpack systems that conveyed bass throughout the body (Meadow). The project thoroughly utilized bone conduction principles in order to gear a musical concert to an all-deaf audience. Though the vibrations could not be perceived as sound because of the audiences complete auditory deafness, the vibrations could be picked up by the bones of the human body in rhythms recognizable to the brain. And the results succeeded expectations. People of all ages who had never heard a sound in their entire lives or for many years enjoyed a night of electronic music and dancing to beats that literally flowed through their bodies. Bone conduction technology can create new inventions, but it can also be a fundamental principle in creating life experiences that yield lastin g amounts of joy and happiness. Some may argue that although bone conduction technology offers a spectrum of uses, its quality does not permit it to reach full potential. Many online reviews of bone conduction inspired works such as Google Glass or the Dreampad are negative. Users usually feel dissatisfied with the vibrational sound being muffled and unclear, and for certain developments, users find them physically unappealing. A recent popular review on the Dreampad gave credit for its impressive technology but derailed it for its limited application (Lovejoy). It also detailed the false sense of the Dreampads efficacy by discussing its limited research. The Dreampad advertising site claimed to have had performed a study with Columbia University. However, the study in its entirety included twenty-nine people with only ten actually using the Dreampad pillow. Additionally, Lovejoy noted that the bone conduction music was almost painful to listen to and that the given podcasts were both muffled and quiet even at maxi mum volume. But, this demonstrates only one heavily studied and documented opinion. For the Google Glass, a plethora of complaints and criticisms arose. Initially this invention held highly regard, being named one of TIME magazines Best Inventions of the Year as well as receiving an astounding number of pages in several popular magazines, being referenced in popular television shows, and even premiering on the runway for New York Fashion Week. But within a year it began its descent into infamy. Its initial exclusivity made it far more desirable and idealized in society. Once technology reviewers got a hold of a pair and both tested and deconstructed it, Google Glass met its downfall. Major criticisms revolved around the weak bone conduction sound system, abysmal battery life, its plague of cyber-bugs, and limited use (Bilton). Google Glass recording abilities made it banned from bars, movie theaters, and casinos. Despite bone conduction technologies good intentions to thrust humanit y into the possibilities of the future, its overall quality has kept it from truly progressing. Clearly, bone conduction offers a great variety of uses. However, it is not necessarily the better option compared to air conduction both in quality and health. As stated earlier, bone conduction inventions have faced excessive criticism concerning the sound quality and whether or not it is effectively portraying sound to those with hearing disabilities. A common misconception, is that bone conduction is a less risky form of headphone and therefore healthier. Headphones that are bone conduction oriented will pass sound through the skull and straight to the bones of the middle ear to the cochlea. Likewise, sound that is transferred through air conduction will pass through the ear canal, ear drum, middle ear bones, and the cochlea. Either way, both still put the hair cells of the cochlea at risk when playing loud music. Listening repeatedly to loud volumes will lead to damage of the cochlea no matter what kind of hearing technology. Air conduction and bone conduction principles have led to a vast amount of advancements in many aspects of life; innovations in hearing, traffic safety, the work place, and even personal comfort. The limits of acoustic sound application stem from the primary purpose of giving off sound for those of normal hearing. As compared to bone conduction, air conduction does not offer as many potential uses or variety of applications. Through the developments of bone conduction headphones, military helmets, glasses, tables, and even pillows one can truly see the possibilities of bone conduction. And beyond tangible objects, bone conduction has played a role in ensuring the safety of pedestrians and bikers and creating impactful memories of hearing and feeling music. Although there are currently many shortcomings, I believe that bone conduction technology has the promise of making countless technological advances in the future. Bone conduction oriented hearing, as compared to air conduction ori ented hearing, is a form of sound transmission that has greater potential for a wider variety of uses. Bone conduction technology has massively expanded in its uses. Now reaching far beyond the hearing aid market it was originally intended for; headphones that help ensure safety, and pillows that play silent music to help the user fall asleep. It has greatly transcended the cell phone company market by offering new ways to add clarity and efficiency to calls. Bone conduction has even reached the battle field, by being implemented into military helmets. Soldiers can now clearly receive and understand orders from their commander over the blasting sounds of cannons, guns, tanks, or aircrafts. It has also become greatly useful in secret operations. By having a slim bone conduction piece attached to the arm, agents are able to communicate silently in the most physically unobvious way: without any headpiece or audible sound. And after defense, bone conduction has been monumental in helping the deaf hear. In a recent concert and commercial put on by 7 Up Soda, the public was able to see how bone conduction speakers and platforms were able to transmit sound to deaf individuals so that they may enjoy a full on visual and physical musical experience. But despite its success and high regard by society, it does have its own shortcomings. Users of bone conduction products have found much fault in its quality as well as its overall efficiency. Reviews on the Google Glass and Dreampad yielded not the most gentle remarks. Critics also point out the use of bone conduction as guerilla advertisement, specifically in the talking window campaign in western Europe. Its invasion of privacy and improper application by Skygo have somewhat downscaled the popularity of bone conduction. However, seeing the amount of things it can do and accomplish, the multiple inventions made, I have believe that the future of bone conduction technology is promising. The potential uses bone conduction technology has are boundless, and I believe will be vital in the development of future inventions and dis coveries. Works Cited Bilton, Nick. Why Google Glass Broke. The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 Feb. 2015. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Chase, Pete, and Adam Brandt. Sound Bite Interactive Record Table. Best Ads on TV. YUM Brands. 20 July 2015. Web. 01 Feb. 2017. Dicker, Ron. Train Window Ads Vibrate Into Ear Via Bone Conduction As You Lay Head Against Glass (VIDEO). The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 03 July 2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Ealy, George Thomas. Of Ear Trumpets and a Resonance Plate: Early Hearing Aids and Beethovens Hearing Perception, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Spring, 1994), pp. 262-273, University of California Press. 27 Nov. 2011. Print. 01 Feb. 2017. Greer, Ray. Bone Conduction Headphones: Safety and What to Know. Best of Life Magazine Co. 16 Feb. 2016, pp. 15-20. 01 Feb. 2017. Hsu, Christine. Serious Injuries and Deaths Caused by Headphones Have Tripled Since 2004. Injury Prevention (2012): n. pag. Medical Daily. University of Maryland, 17 Jan. 2012. Web. 01 Feb. 2017. Kooser, Amanda. I Let a Bone-conduction Pillow Sing Me to Sleep. CNET. N.p., 25 Nov. 2014. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Lovejoy, Ben. Review: Dreampad, the Bluetooth Pillow Speaker with Impressive Tech but Limited Application.9 to 5 Mac. 13 Jan. 2017. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Meadow, Matthew. Martin Garrix Proves He Has A Heart Of Gold In Emotionally Charged New Video. Your EDM. LLC, 18 Mar. 2016. Web. 09 Mar. 2017. Monks, Kieron. Bone Conduction: Get Used to the Voices in Your Head. CNN. Cable News Network. 29 May 2014. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Oticon Medical .How Bone Conduction Hearing Systems Work. How Bone Conduction Works. Oticon Medical, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Owen, Mark, and Kevin Maurer. No Easy Day: The Autobiography of a Navy SEAL: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden. NY, NY: Dutton Penguin. 2012. Print. 01 Feb. 2017. Smith, Jennifer. Incredible Underwater Headphones That Transmit Music to Swimmers Ears by Vibrating Sound through Their Cheekbones . Daily Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Townsley, Christopher. Professional Audiologist Interview. Personal interview. 30 Jan. 2017. Warr, Philippa. Google Glass to Use Bone Vibration Instead of Traditional Headphones.WIRED UK. WIRED UK, 23 May 2016. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Wood, Anthony. Army Helmets Could Soon Feature Bone Conduction Comms. New Atlas Latest News. Shutterstock. 10 Sept. 2015. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.

Synesthesia :: Biology Medical Medicine Research

In the mornings, my cat often takes up a post on my chest. His presence is heralded by a chirpy meow and four quarter-sized points of pressure where his feet make contact; as he relaxes, he settles into a loud, rhythmic purr, and the pressure of his 16 pounds is more evenly distributed across my ventral torso. If I'm slow to open my eyes, he reaches out a paw and gently pricks my face with his claws †¹ enough to make an impression but not do real damage. When I do open my eyes, I see the triangles of his ears, the dense, velvety blackness of his fur and the sheen of his nose; his yellow irises are thin rings around his dilated pupils in the dim, early light. Suppose I experienced all of those sensations up to the point of opening my eyes †¹ the pressure of my cat's weight and the pricks of his claws, his meowing and his purr †¹ and then I opened my eyes to the absence of any visual evidence of a cat. I'd be confused and disoriented, and if the tactile and auditory stimuli continued, probably panicky. A fundamental reworking of how I understand the world would be necessary to account for an invisible cat. Now suppose that the next time I heard guitar music, I failed to perceive a soft brushing sensation around my ankles. It would not bother me a bit. But for Carol Crane, a guitar that didn't affect her ankles might provoke the same sort of confusion and anxiety an invisible cat would induce in me. To Crane, the ankle-brushing sensation has always been an integral part of guitar music, just as violins always act upon her face and trumpets on the back of her neck. Crane has a rare condition called synesthesia, in which a stimulus usually perceived in one sensory modality produces a sensation in one or more other sensory modalities. (1). Synesthesia has many forms †¹ synesthetes may taste shapes or feel odors, for instance, or perceive alphanumeric characters in particular colors. Synesthetic perceptions are involuntary and are reliably triggered by the phenomena that induce them. They are also consistent over time for a given synesthete; that is, a true synesthete for whom the musical note E produces a percept of red triangles on a field of yellow will invariably experience that sound that way.

Antigone :: essays research papers

The debate over who is the tragic hero in Antigone continue on to this day. The belief that Antigone is the hero is a strong one. There are many critics who believe, however, that Creon, the Ruler of Thebes, is the true protagonist. I have made my own judgments also, based on what I have researched of this work by Sophocles. Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic hero of the play bearing her name. She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies in doing what is right. She buries her brother without worrying what might happen to her. She "Takes into consideration death and the reality that may be beyond death" (Hathorn 59). Those who do believe that Antigone was meant to be the true tragic hero argue against others who believe that Creon deserves that honor. They say that the Gods were against Creon, and that he did not truly love his country. "His patriotism is to narrow and negative and his conception of justice is too exclusive... to be dignified by the name of love for the state" (Hathorn 59). These arguments, and many others, make many people believe the Antigone is the rightful protagonist. Many critics argue that Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. They say that his noble quality is his caring for Antigone and Ismene when thier father was persecuted. Those who stand behind Creon also argue that Antigone never had a true epiphany, a key element in being a tragic hero. Creon, on the other hand, realized his mistake when Teiresias made his prophecy. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead because of his ignorance, which is a punishment worse than death. My opinion on this debate is that Antigone is the tragic hero. She tries to help her brother without worrying about what will happen to her. She says, "I intend to give my brother burial. I'll be glad to die in the attempt, -if it's a crime, then it's a crime that God commands" (Sophocles 4). She was also punished for doing what was right. Her epiphany came, hidden from the audience, before she hung herself. Creon's "nobleness" of taking in young Antigone and Ismene is overshadowed by his egotistical nature. He will not allow justice to come about simply because he wants to protect his image. He says, "If she gets away with this behavior, call me a woman and call her a man" (Sophocles 13). These elements prove that Antigone is the tragic hero. Creon, understanding his ignorance may lead one to believe that he

An essay on dwarfism, telling the causes, symptoms, and treatments Essay

Dwarfism is a genetic abnormality, that results in short stature. Most people consider dwarfism to be an adult height of four feet ten inches and under. Someone can develop dwarfism from different genetic, and other conditions. It is estimated that between one in every 14,000, and one in every 27,00 people are born with dwarfism each year. There are many different conditions that cause dwarfism. Some of these conditions are a bone disorder called skeletal dysplasias. The skeletal dysplasias are separated into two different groups, Short-trunk, and Short-limbed. More than 500 different skeletal dysplasias have been discovered. The most common skeletal dysplasia is called achondroplasia, and occurs in one in every 20,000 births in the us, and affects about 80% of all people with dwarfism. Dwarfism occurs in all ethnic group. Any two average size parents can have a child with dwarfism. Most causes are genetic, resulting from a spontaneous mutation, or can be inherited from the parents. In a mutation a single normal gene in a chromosome suddenly mutates, which results in the specific condition. The mutations occur during pregnancy, and is the most common reason that two parents of average size can have a child with dwarfism. When dwarfism is inherited both parents have a recessive gene that produces a dwarfism causing condition, and both pass it on to the child, the child will have that condition. Symptoms that occur in most types of dwarfism are short stature, and shorter limbs, like arms, legs and fingers. These are the most recognizable. Others may include an increased risk of ear infection, and hearing loss, increased head size, a prominent forehead, apnea, which is a stop in breathing, while asleep, small ribcage, a curved and twisted spine, difficulty bending, and straightening elbows, being double jointed, and a delay in motor skills, such as sitting upright, crawling, walking, standing, a crowded jaw, and waddling when walking. The curving, and twisting of the spine, along with the loint problems may result in early arthritis. These symptoms occur in most types of dwarfism, but in some cases it does not. Although dwarfism may be detected with prenatal testing, most cases are not identified until after birth, by X-rays, and the child’s appearance. The is  no known way to correct the results of dwarfism, but some examples of treatments are joint, and hip-replacement surgery, which relieve the pain in joints by reducing the pressure, of the unbalanced weight. Another treatment is limb lengthening. In this process bones are cut, and pins are inserted between them, making them longer. Limb lengthening is a very long painful, and complicated surgery, that may take more than two years to complete. The different conditions, caused by dwarfism vary from person to person, and most people with dwarfism carry out normal lives.

Supporting Babies

Emotional Soft teddy's Helps to comfort babies when they are sad Intellectual painting Helps children feel different textures and materials. It allows them to use their imagination to create pictures. Language Reading books Helps babies learn new words, sounds and socialism with people. Please remember a baby is Birth to 15 months old How a babies individual needs and interests can be supported through play. Babies play can be supported by giving the right equipment and activities for their age group. E. G. Hand/finger painting, building blocks, play mats, colorful picture books, rattles and nursery rhymes.Talk to the babies about their activities colors of pictures, shapes, textures and ask questions (even if they not understand) to show them that you're interested. Give babies eye contact to show them you are responding to them. Join in and talk to them. Encourage babies to say familiar words, listen to different sounds, explore different things and support their needs. Some babies may need more support than others due to a disability. Praise is very important because it helps their self-esteem and confidence.Play mats and mobiles which are great for children to reach out to and play with the toys there. Encourage babies to explore with different toys by putting interesting things beside them e. G. Soft materials, toys with lights and sounds, crinkle paper so they can feel different textures. Sing nursery rhythms to babies so they can copy the actions and facial expressions. Provide activities such as hand/sponge painting, playing with balls, building blocks and baby walkers. It stimulates creativity and imagination.These activities are good for developing their fine/gross motor skills and learning other new skills e. G. colors, textures, counting and helping babies to learn to walk. With any activity your baby does join in with them, talk to them, make it interesting and fun and always praise them. Babies learn by exploring with their hands, feet and mouth. They bang, throw, drop, shake and put items in their mouths. Babies are very alert, they follow adults with their eyes and head. Talk to babies about family members and names of family so they can recognize words and who family members are.Provide colorful books with lots of pictures and touchy-feely books this gives babies tactile experiences which leads to brain development. Point and talk about the pictures in the books. Ask them questions about the book e. G. What color is the sky. Get them involved let them turn pages of the book. Make Sure you give the baby lots of praise and encouragement. La engage Babies enjoy finding their nose, eyes or tummy as part as a naming game. You can place mirrors to see their own reflection and talk with them about what they see. Babies express their feelings and needs by crying, gurgling and babbling.When babies try to say words repeat it back to the baby and encourage them to say more. Singing nursery rhymes with babies is a great help for them to recognize words, learn new words and actions. This helps them to develop their language skills. Use sounds in play e. G. Brim for a car. Also use actions to support your words e. G. Waving your hand when you say bye bye. Give the baby praise by clapping and using facial expressions. Give he baby your full attention as this gives them confidence to talk more and communicate with others and they feel happy and proud they have learnt something new.Babies are just starting to learn to recognize and manage their feelings. Babies experience a wide range of emotions such as affection, frustration, fear and sadness. Babies have tantrums when they are tired we can help to control their emotional expressions by giving the baby a teddy bear or another comfort object when upset so the baby can calm down. Listening and comforting babies to their needs helps the babies feel secure. The baby miles and giggles when they want more of something or turn their heads shut their eyes when they want l ess of something.Social Babies are aware of others. They build good relationships with people that are close to them. By giving your baby lots of love and attending to their needs you establish a bond with your baby, which allows them to grow in a comfortable, confident and socially healthy atmosphere. Encourage babies to interact with others put out activities that other babies can get involved in e. G. Ball pool, sand and water and painting this helps babies build their confidence and self-esteem to play with others..

Why Do Whales Beach Themselves

The Scientific American article â€Å"Why do whales beach themselves? † published on June 1, 2009, bring the polemic and controversial reasons about the phenomenon observed in the last years when more than Fifty-five false killer whales were stranded on a South African beach over the weekend. The scientists still do not fully understand why mass stranding happen, and if we should be worried about this event. Whales are the largest marine mammals in the world — the smallest species weigh in at several tons. When whales beach themselves, they can die simply from the crushing weight of their own bodies or from overheating due to their blubber, which is needed for insulation in cold ocean waters. Stranding are of several types, said Susan Parks, a research associate in the Environmental Acoustics program in the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State. Individual stranding often are caused by isolated incidents such as sickness, injury, or old age Said Parks, â€Å"Entanglement in fishing gear is one of the leading causes of mortality for marine mammals, many of which wash up on shore dead or injured. The tide carries these whales into shallow water, depositing them on the beach. Then there are multiple-species stranding, explained Parks. â€Å"This occurs when different species of marine mammals beach themselves at the same time and place, suggesting that they all died from the same cause,† she said. Scientists have been researching possible causes of this phenomenon. One explanation involves the whale â€Å"pod† social structure. For instance, whales that travel in pods use a â€Å"strength in numbers† survival strategy, but this can backfire when the dominant whale runs aground. According to Parks, â€Å"The rest of the pod may follow a disoriented or sick whale onto shore. † Another theory is that pods may venture too close to the beach when hunting prey or evading predators and become trapped by low tides. Weather also may play a part in beaching. Explained Parks, â€Å"In 1998, there was a major stranding on the West Coast of the United States where many different species, particularly sea lions, starved to death. † This mass stranding, she added, was thought to be caused by El Nino's effects on sea-water surface temperatures. Many marine mammals depend on plankton and kelp that thrive in cool, nutrient-rich waters. In the case of sea lions, when food is scarce, the adults wean pups earlier and leave them behind while they hunt for fish in colder waters further offshore. These young seals are often the ones that become stranded. Some theories about beaching suggest that defects in a whale's navigation system may be the cause. According to Parks, â€Å"The problem with these theories is that we don't know exactly how whales navigate. † Some species travel vast distances every year and find their way back to where they started. Right whales, for example, travel more than a thousand miles from the Gulf of Maine to the coastal waters of Florida and Georgia to give birth, and then swim back to northern waters. Said Parks, it is known that some whales use echolocation to identify objects in their environment but â€Å"it is unclear whether these species need to rely on it for navigation. † Some researchers have proposed that whales navigate by using passive listening to hear waves crashing against the coast or steer themselves via undersea topography or the angle of the sun. However, as interjected Parks, â€Å"the distance that animals can see is often very limited in the ocean, and isn't thought to be a useful for long-distance navigation. † Another navigation theory proposed recently is that whales have a bio-magnetic sense, which allows them to sense magnetic fields in the earth's crust. â€Å"This would be similar to how homing pigeons orient themselves,† explained Parks. Whales following magnetic field lines could beach themselves in areas where the field lines intersect with the coast. A study in the UK by Margaret Klinowska found a correlation between local magnetic field lines and sites where whales were stranded alive,† added Parks. However, more research is needed to solidify the connection. Several multiple-species stranding have occurred following military use of mid-frequency sonar, sparking public outcry. â€Å"One reason for the level of concern about these incidents is that they involved the rarely seen beaked whales,† explained Parks. â€Å"These whales were found beached five, sometimes 10 at a time. The problem with the sonar theory,† she added, â€Å"is that we still don't fully understand the cause and effect mechanism of how sonar might affect whales or why it might affect beaked whales in particular. † For many years, professor Chris Parsons has been tracking the patterns of mass whale stranding around the world. In his most recent paper, â€Å"Navy Sonar and Cetaceans: Just how much does the gun need to smoke before we act? † Parsons and his co-authors bring together all of the major whale and dolphin stranding in the past eight years and discuss the different kinds of species that have been affected worldwide. They also strongly argue for stricter environmental policies related to this issue. â€Å"Generally, if there is a large whale stranding, there is a military exercise in the area,† says Parsons. â€Å"Sonar is killing more whales than we know about. † Parsons is a national delegate for the International Whaling Commission’s scientific and conservation committees and on the board of directors of the marine section of the Society for Conservation Biology. He has been involved in whale and dolphin research for more than a decade and has conducted projects in South Africa, India, China and the Caribbean as well as the United Kingdom. Research into the cause of stranding is ongoing, noted Parks. Meanwhile, many coastal areas have rescue groups to find and rehabilitate these stranded mammals and to release them back into the wild. When the rehab patient weighs in at more than 40 tons, which can be a whale of a job. As the article stand, statistically, we are only able to determine the cause of a stranding in about 50 percent of all cases worldwide. In some cases, it is obvious, like a ship strike leaving an animal in poor condition. In the northeastern United States, pneumonia is a common cause of stranding. We see other diseases and trauma, such as shark attack on whales or dolphins or attacks by members of the same species. Poisonous â€Å"red tides† will also affect marine mammals. Some stranding have been speculated to be related to anomalies in the magnetic field, or from parasitic worms in the brain affecting co-ordination and balance, to whales being trapped as they follow prey inshore. There are other possible causes: Predators such as orcas or sharks may force the marine mammals inshore. In a 1993 pilot whale stranding at Golden Bay, orcas were seen patrolling outside the spit. The whales might have sought sanctuary in shallow waters because of the threat. Deep-water toothed whales with strong social bonds become stranded in a group more frequently than other species. If an individual is sick, or old and dying, the rest of the herd will come to its aid, even if they endanger themselves by venturing too close inshore. These are species that are unusual, that are beautiful, and important for the ecology of our seas. If there is an activity humans are doing precipitating these stranding we need to know about it—we need to make decisions about pollutants, shipping noise and sonar. Are we in some way contributing to declining health of critical populations, like the northern right whale? is asking the author of the article himself. More articles in the newspapers like the â€Å"Nearly 200 whales stranded on Australian beach† published on 03/01/09 in USA TODAY, or the statistics found in New Zealand where almost 9,000 whales and dolphins were stranded between 1978 and 2004 give us the idea of how serious this phenomena became . The concern is that only about a quarter of them were saved for all the whales in New Zealand. Species included Grey’s beaked whale, the Pygmy sperm whale, the sperm whale, the long-finned pilot whale, and the false killer whale (which is actually a dolphin). All the article and scientists are giving vague explanation about those events, but nobody found with certitude way the whales are stranding, which give us the uncertainty if we know well our ecosystem and its functions, and how we can avoid those tragedies.