A Brothers Murder

Anthony Tooke Turner English 80 September 2, 2012 â€Å"A Brother’s Murder† A Brother’s Murder† by Brent Staples is about two brothers that grew up together. Staples left his hometown for ten years to better himself. Staples later came to find out his brother was killed by his best friend over a girl. I understand why he made that decision because it was either he leave or end up dead. Brent Staples left his home to achieve success. In order for Staples to achieve success he felt like he needed to leave home.Staples didn’t want his past to affect who he was trying to become. As he said in the essay â€Å"I added a psychological dimension to the physical distance that I had already achieved I rarely visited my hometown† (Staples 361). Staples thought that if he could add this dimension to his life then he would be able to help his brother out. I understand why he wanted to block out his past. Some of the people I’ve hung out with did thi ngs I disagreed with.I had to lose connections with them to better myself. Staples wanted to leave his hometown to achieve success in his life. He wanted to better himself. I understand why Staples did what he did, it was either him staying at his hometown or he move to better himself to help his little brother. I can connect to this essay because I had to make sacrifices hanging out with the kids in the neighborhood to brighten my future. It is important to me because we seem to let our past affect our future.

Macroeconomics Final

Course name: Macroeconomics FINAL 1. The two large macroeconomies I selected are China and the United States. 2a. GDP and GDP growth rate Found on http://www. tradingeconomics. com/Economics/Interest-Rate. aspx? Symbol=CNY ChinaU. S. GDP per capita 2000-94934606 2001-102134518 2002-110634747 2003-120935318 2004-132336272 2005-145237050 2006-161237757 2007-181138138 2008-196338206 2009-NANA China U. S. GDP growth rate (avg) 2000- 7. 684. 15 2001- 7. 451. 08 2002- 8. 051. 83 2003- 9. 432. 48 2004- 9. 503. 58 2005- 10. 083. 08 2006- 10. 982. 65 2007- 12. 082. 13 2008- 9. 130. 43 2009- 7. 63-3. 55 2b. Exchange Rates used http://www. x-rates. com/cgi-bin/hlookup. cgi to find info US Dollar to Chinese Yuan 2000 -1 to 8. 2795 2001 -1 to 8. 2775 2002 -1 to 8. 2766 2003 -1 to 8. 28 2004 -1 to 8. 2767 2005 -1 to 8. 2765 2006 -1 to 8. 0702 2007 -1 to 7. 8051 2008 -1 to 7. 2946 2009 -1 to 6. 8295 2c. Inflation rates Found on http://www. tradingeconomics. com/Economics/Inflation-CPI. aspx? Symbol=USD CHINAUS JAN/DECJAN/DEC 2000- -0. 20/1. 502. 70/3. 40 2001- 1. 20/-0. 303. 70/1. 60 2002- -1. 00/-0. 401. 10/2. 40 2003- 0. 40/3. 202. 60/1. 90 2004- 3. 20/2. 402. 00/3. 30 2005- 1. 90/1. 603. 00/3. 40 2006- 1. 90/2. 04. 00/2. 50 2007- 2. 20/6. 502. 10/4. 10 2008- 7. 10/1. 204. 30/0. 10 2009- 1. 00/NA0. 00/NA 2d. Interest rate on short term government debt Found on http://www. treas. gov/offices/domestic-finance/debt-management/interest-rate/yield_historical_2000. shtml and http://www. tradingeconomics. com/Economics/Interest-Rate. aspx? Symbol=CNY China (JAN at 1 year on all)U. S. (JAN at 1 ye ar on all) 2000 – 5. 856. 09 2001 – 5. 855. 11 2002 – 5. 852. 28 2003 – 5. 311. 42 2004 – 5. 311. 31 2005 – 5. 582. 79 2006 – 5. 584. 38 2007 – 6. 125. 00 2008 – 7. 473. 17 2009 – 5. 310. 40 2e. Unemployment rate Found on http://www. radingeconomics. com/Economics/Unemployment-rate. aspx? Symbol=USD ChinaU. S. (MAR) on all 2000- NA4. 00 2001- NA4. 30 2002- 4. 30 (DEC)5. 70 2003- 4. 10 (MAR)5. 90 2004- 4. 30 (MAR)5. 80 2005- 4. 20 (MAR)5. 20 2006- 4. 20 (MAR)4. 70 2007- 4. 10 (MAR)4. 40 2008- 4. 00 (MAR)5. 10 2009- 4. 30 (MAR)8. 50 2f. Trade deficit Found on http://www. tradingeconomics. com/Economics/Current-Account. aspx? Symbol=USD ChinaU. S. 2000- 20519. 2-417. 4 2001- 22503. 9-398. 3 2002- 49051. 8-459. 2 2003-56995. 2-521. 5 2004- 76124. 5-631. 1 2005- 228081. 8-748. 7 2006-341448. 9-803. 6 2007-534691. 0-726. 6 2008-617825. -706. 1 2009-134459. 9-203. 2 3. Trends in each variable, What do they mean for econo mic conditions in each country? The trends shown in the GDP for China from 2000 to 2009 shows an increase from 949 to 1963, while the United States grows from 34,606 to 38,206. This shows that both countries are increasing which is good, and since the United States is already high, China will show more growth percentage also known as the catch-up effect. This is proven in the GDP growth rates calculated, where China holds a 7 to 12 percent increase, while he United States shows increases of 4 percent to decreases up to 3. 5 percent. Another fact proving China’s growth is their trade deficit. The trade deficit has remained positive and only gotten better over the years, while the United States has always had negative deficits. The exchange rate proves through the years that China is moving to an equilibrium with the United States dollar, but is still lower in the value of their yuan. Some of the credit for achieving this can be contributed to the fact that China maintains lowe r inflation rates than the United States. Other interesting facts is that China’s interest rates on short term debt remain stable while the United States was high in the early 2000s, low in the mid 2000s, and high in the late 2000s, until present at an all time low. China’s job unemployment rate also remains stable while the United States has recently risen quite a bit. 4. Analysis of strengths and weaknesses. My analysis of strengths shows that the United States overall per capita is wealthier than China. The United States currently has no inflation and interest rates are low. Another strength for the United States is that the value of a dollar is significantly higher than the value of a Chinese yuan. Strengths for China show that they are a trade powerhouse. China continues to grow and show improvements in their economy. They are currently undergoing the catch-up effect, and technologically they are advancing daily. Weaknesses show that the United States is struggling in 2009. Unemployment is on ongoing struggle with the economical lows we face. China is still per capita at a much lower GDP than the United States and still has quite a ways to go before their yuan is equal to a dollar. China also has much higher interest rates than the United States. 5. What conclusions can you draw from your analysis. My conclusion that I have drawn from this study is that for the United States, we are still doing well considering the economy today. Having a lower trade deficit than the average over the last ten years, keeping inflation out of the equation, and keeping a solid GDP is key when you are economically well off. My conclusion that I have drawn from this study for China is that they are a work in progress. China continues to grow in a positive direction on all the data I have collected. The per capita for China’s GDP has more than doubled in the past ten years, and the growth rate has been steadily increasing until recent years. The Chinese yuan continues to lower exchange rates. Though interest rates on short term government debt are higher than that of the United States, 2009 shows that it is at the lowest rate it has been in recent years. Unemployment for China has not risen, even with the economy suffering. Lastly for China, trade is continually growing, having risen over six times that of ten years ago! Overall China and the United States together have a lot of positive data to analyze. The United States main concerns over China are to keep unemployment low and trade deficits low as well. Also the United States needs to lower interest rates on short term government debt in order to grow. China’s main concerns should be to lower interest rates and inflation rates, while continuing to grow in GDP and lower exchange rates. Both countries are vital to the overall world economy. China is a leading exporter to the world. The United States is a leading importer to the world. Without trade and the rest of the world, China would have no one to buy their goods and the United States would have no one to buy from so cheaply.

Sound and Images, the Culture and the Role of Media

Due to the fast evolution of the technology in the society, there has been an increasing integration of sound and images in the media that people are exposed to. The film industry started only with moving images. Later on, as technology progressed, it became possible for sound to be integrated to it, making the experience of watching these movies more pleasurable. Naturally, the integration of sound and images also helps create a greater level of the believability of the movies that people watch. This means that people are able now to suspend their disbelief more easily and immerse themselves into the movies that they are watching. The message that images carry in this regard become more pronounced since they are able to manipulate sound as well. Given the joining of these disjointed features of film that may be generated in different times and in different locations, such an interaction of sound, space, and image reinforce the postmodernism ethos already affecting media, culture and the awareness of people around the world (Darley, 2000). The recent innovations in sound and image integration also give power to the visual digital culture being propagated among young people nowadays. A lot of media platform use this integration such as music videos, film, video games, and other platforms. With the changes in digital visual culture, there has been a change in the way that story, representation, and meaning are being presented to the audience. This is remarkably different from the way that traditional visual culture enhances the experience of audience (Darley, 2000). Audiences now are more critical of style, sensation and image performance. According to Frith, Goodwin, and Grossberg (1993), studying sound and image would require the serious student of mass communication to look into the nature of music television and the way it shapes perceptions among people young and old. Music videos, particularly, are making it possible for young people to redefine their styles and their views. Such approach would of course take a look at particular aspects of the development of young people’s personalities and views. In this kind of analysis, psychology and sociology come into the fore to analyze the impact of sound and image integration into the lives of those who adhere to this form of media. Modern video, with its integration of music and sound is now emerging as an important platform of mass media being analyzed by mass communication practitioners and theorists in the world today. The role of sound and image in this area of media production cannot be discounted. As such, these two platforms become carriers of meaning, which can be more easily understood by viewers and audiences alike (Cubitt, 1993). With sound and image, the practice of the imagination to recreate a place or a scene in the mind is no longer needed. In fact, since the setting, the actions in question, and the dialogues of the characters are played out as clearly as possible, little is left in the imagination as to how it could have occurred otherwise. With books in the form of novel and short stories, the viewers participate in the creation of virtual worlds in their minds. The way that the protagonist looks and how he speaks are all objects of imagination which he has to recreate based on the text that he reads. With image and sound, however, this is done away with. He just have to keep his eyes wide open and ears listening and he will understand what is being played out in the movies or shows that he is watching and enjoying. The emergence of video where sound and image interaction is already a given also has an important impact on how people make sense of themselves as members of the society and as individuals trying to make sense of their world. Through the movies and shows that they watch, new variables and ways of looking at things are being brought to the fore. Where will these mediations lead them? Do these mediations lead to a better understanding of their lives and their world? Or do they introduce new practices and views that undermine the prevalent understanding regarding their world and their environment (Cubitt, 1993). Through these videos also, there are cultural practices that are evolving. Such practices help artists and their audience find expressions for their passions and the way in which sound and image interact in creating cultural items. These movies and shows then carry cultural weight with them, which can fill the curiosity of students of mass communication for years to come. Conclusion People never imagined that image and sound can attain the heights that they have already achieved so far. There are still advancements along the way. Whatever forms of progress this will take, for sure, videography, and the way that sound, image, and motion interact with each other will challenge traditional perspectives in trying to understand mass media and the impact that it exerts on the development of the culture of society. These changes may be little but they are all significant. Reference Campbell, R., Martin, C. R., & Fabos, B. (Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Bedford: St. Martin’s Press. Cubitt, S. (1993). Videography: Video Media as Art and Culture. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Darley, A. (2000). Visual Digital Culture: Surface Play and Spectacle in New Media Genres. London: Routledge. Frith, S., Goodwin, A. & Grossberg, L. (1993). Sound and Vision: The Music Video Reader. London: Routledge. Â   Â   Â  

See below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

See below - Essay Example Such teams help individual members of the team better understand the project goals, and the team becomes capable of solving very challenging and complex problems that are well beyond the capability of the best employee working alone (Katzenbach and Smith 1994). The manager has to be ready to contribute to team-based activities in important ways and to feel free to voice their views without fear of creating unmanageable conflict. The main elements of management style involve high performance communication, time and performance management, good conflict resolution skills and situational decision-making. A high-performance team needs a situational leader able to respond effectively to changing conditions and conflict situations. The leader should have excellent communication skills and cultural knowledge. This systems view suggests that leaders can and do change high performance teams by mutually reinforcing and amplifying stimuli within their systems. Directing and coaching, supporting and delegating should be the core of diversity management and team building. The challenge for the leader is to be a source of comfort for high performance team members. Working with people from different social classes and racial groups, the leader should be perceptible and flexible, permissive and strong (Zweifel, 2003). His personal qualities and behavior should motivate employees to follow established rules and procedures, maintain mutual understanding and

ISMG 3000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

ISMG 3000 - Essay Example Debbi’s passionate zeal for baking and Randy’s business sense was complementary for starting a successful business. Hence, Debbi and Randy would seem to have reasonable future for each other. Debbi’s cookies were very much in demand amongst Randy’s clients which inspired Debbi to start an independent business of selling cookies. Debbi had confidence on her expertise in making mouth watering cookies which had always been very popular amongst her relatives. She was therefore able to convince her husband, Randy for starting a cookie business. Her main goal was to bake great cookies and make customers feel good. Thus, it was important for her to create an ambience of caring that would attract customers and provide them with quality cookies to make them feel good. On the other hand, Randy’s goal was to develop an enviable corporate structure with state of the art information technology that would help run the various operations smoothly. His goal was to exploit technology to optimize information flow within and across stores so that effective decision making could be based on informed choice. He strongly believed that machines must relieve people of mundane task and make them free to exploit their creativity in ways that would benefit the business like selling cookies directly to customers and giving personal touch. Debbi was in dilemma while opening her second store of Mrs. Fields’ Cookies. She loved baking cookies and strongly believed that personal involvement was an important part of running successful cookie business. She was afraid of delegating and thought that it might lower the quality of her cookies and most importantly, she would not be able to interact with her customers. Thus, the dilemma was genuine as she could not be in both the places at the same time. Her management style was fundamentally based on the simple principle that if one believes in something, one would be more convincing. Hence,

Security Assessment Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Security Assessment Report - Assignment Example Every one is seen with an access control ID card. Each of it has a unique face and name of the employee, name of the company and the person specific to the job. Any employee or site visitors who pass around in the authorized sections of the building are seen. This is not enough to avoid adjacent occupancies as the company shares a common ground from the neighboring company. Pedestrian traffic pattern is not appreciative though a preventive measure is suggested in the check list. Visitors parking and illumination is a matter of concern which needs proper demarcation and understanding from neighbors. In most of the cases the cases customer equally suffers with the company if any fire accident occurs. The company has faced severe fire hazard in the year 1999. Since then it has installed NICET certified designs of gadgets. Whose works is The company has a limitation to an extent as there aren’t proper policies set, there is no in-house fire brigade and there is no fire notification plan. These are being worked on and have confidence to come up with good solutions. This system usually enables identification of unfamiliar objects such as inventory items, employees, cards or labels that have entered without labels. This system is based on Anti-Collision algorithm which enables to read a large amount of tagged items at a single go. These gadgets are called UHF RFID readers which are compatible to Electronic Product Code open standards. The policies such as ex-employees information should be wiped off from the data base after two years from termination; expired bank loan’s details, partnership details which are no more followed are usually destructed from the data base but stored in a separate secret disk to retrieve if legal problems occur. Security providers like Armour security services are given this job to do the clean up and training if needed. The company is legally strong in its clearance of land issues, its employee rights, and

Engineering business functions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Engineering business functions - Assignment Example For instance, the purchases Department are directly linked to the plant processing company. It is the purchases department that works towards ensuring that the raw materials are available for processing in the plant. The purchased parts of the automobiles are processed to form the end products that are sold. Again, where there is a delay in the purchases, the output will reduce. At the same time, when there is a problem with the finance department, there will be reduced efficiency in the purchasing department that will eventually be reflected in the output in the organization. However, efficiency in the finance department will also lead to efficiency in other operations given other factors are always kept constant. Additionally, the production process relies heavily on other important factors. For instance, for effective production, the mechanical processes involved must all be efficient. The required expertise must always be availed to monitor the whole task otherwise that will occu r some errors. Moreover, if the sales department does not effectively execute their duties, then there will be overstocking that will otherwise result in losses in the organization and reduce the rate of production. The necessity of developing standards is essential. The success of any business lies in achieving the standard that can suit both the customer’s specifications and that of the company. However, determining these specific standards remains the main problem that any firm can ever meet.

Topic #2 Discuss the role of social medias influence (Twitter, Essay

Topic #2 Discuss the role of social medias influence (Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube) in the lives of children and young teens today - Essay Example Since the social media sites, such as Facebook or Tweeter, gained its significant popularity, much has been said about their potentially negative influence on people, and children and teens in particular as they are the most vulnerable. In this context, among the most disturbing has been the new phenomenon – cyberbullying, which is maintained online. According to the American Humane Association, approximately 42 percent of young Americans are bulled via Internet, but the overall amount of children and teenagers involved in bullying as either perpetrators or bystanders is much greater. ("American Humane Association") Obviously, the following negative experience can lead to the variety of adverse outcomes, such as depression, poor self-esteem, isolation, anxieties, sleep disorders, and even suicidal thoughts. Moreover, it was revealed that social media often plays a role in the development of narcissism among the young individuals. At present, communication via social media comprises of much more than texting and writing messages to a friend. In fact, a great amount of time online is spent on sharing photos, postings, and updates of statuses which are centered on self-promotion and self-glorification. (Stenovec) In this regard, networking becomes a means of crafting personal image in a way that would be appealing to others. The following can result in the growing ego-centrism, inadequate value of personal opinion, and decreased empathy. In addition, a fake image of self can make one confused about personal identity and lead to inappropriate self-perception. Apart from negative effects, social media is also associated with the list of positive influences of children and teenagers. Among the most crucial can be mentioned the rise of cultural and political awareness, which results from the fact of being constantly surrounded by various

President Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

President - Research Paper Example A number of events took place during the cold war both regionally and globally catalysing the formation and adoption of the Truman doctrine. Russia sponsored communism was on the rise and influencing the entire Europe. Hungary’s democratic government was overthrown by the communist party in 1947 attracting strong condemnation by President Truman. In 1948 again the communist party with the support of Russia used force to grab power in Czechoslovakia. The attempted Berlin blockade would have also significantly affected the course of events had it succeeded. The Russian threat became particularly significant in 1949 when Russia deployed its tool to influence the entire Europe. Russia also went on to explode its nuclear bomb nullifying America’s lead. The Korean escalated the tensions between the two rival super powers. It became apparent that to restore confidence in Europe, economic assistance, rearmament of West Germany and military aid were necessary measures. The Presi dent thus sought Congress’s approval of $ 400 million towards aiding turkey and Greece both in terms of military and economically (Merrill, 20006). The relationship between the United States and the USSR was unhealthy during the cold war. Russia’s aggression and expansion of its communist influence into Eastern Europe after the defeat of Germany was not taken well by the United States and other Western democracies. The US dominated the politics and economics of Western Europe and therefore was very threatened by Russia’s influence in the East. The two powers differed on ideology & politics and were competing for internal influence along the different lines. The competition lasted between 1947 and 1991 when the Soviet Union officially collapsed. The spreading communism ideology supported by Russia saw communist parties overthrow democratically elected governments in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Russia’s detonation of its first atomic weapon and its

Research problem that facing some student in the univ Paper

Problem that facing some student in the univ - Research Paper Example They have simplified complex problems and tasks, and with the advent of internet the computer technology has literally shrank the whole world into a global village. Loads of information is accessible to a wide number of people due to the computer technology. The field of education has also changed a lot due to the advent of computers. The whole educational system is now dependant on computers. Whether uploading one’s assignments or whether communicating to other fellow students, computers have enhanced the educational standards of the pupils. The knowledge that is now at student’s disposal is vast and this aids in learning of students. With the advent of computer technologies, there is no doubt that our lives have become comfortable, but this is only one side of the picture. The issues that the world is facing now due to computer technology are also significant. This technology has brought with itself great amount of troubles for the society. These troubles are increasingly making people think whether this technology has some real benefit or not. The educational sector is also facing technology related problems and these problems are increasing day by day. University campus is the main area that is affected by computer technologies. New and better equipment is at the disposal of the people that makes life faster and easier. But the same universities are now encountering with technology issues and especially computer related issues on campuses. The increasing use of computer has made our lives dependant on the technology and any interruption or breakdown of this technology can be very disturbing for the university staffs as well as the students. It is therefore very important for us to identify the problems students and university staff is facing and provide a solution that will make lives easier for them. This is the main aim of this research. But for that purpose it is very important to identify the computer related

Suggestion on New Information System to be used in Company like ERP Assignment

Suggestion on New Information System to be used in Company like ERP - Assignment Example An effective information system that integrates company operations across various departments and units can play a pivotal role in improving operational efficiency the effects of which are reflected in quality and customer loyalty (Sheldon). Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a business model that integrates all aspects of an organization facilitating a link between various departments, customers and suppliers. â€Å"ERP is a business model that involves all levels of the organization that allow organizations to link customers and top management decisions all the way through to execution in the supply-chain and the factory floor† (Sheldon 2). Hence ERP is a single software application that helps the management to keep tabs on all the processes and departments functioning within the organization. Core system architecture and benefits Bear Beverages can adopt a highly integrated ERP system that will enable the organization to integrate its processes, streamline the flow of in formation and resources for cost effective operations. The primary benefit of this application tool will be managing, controlling and monitoring supply chains, logistics, finances, customer service, production and marketing operations. The tool will enable managers across different units and departments to collaborate with other departments and access the updated information at the click of their mouse. ... Such an application can be highly effective in communicating information and sharing of data in a timely manner assisting the managers in getting a clear picture of the work status and taking decisions. The core information systems for this application tool will be based on existing operational requirements that take into account different dimensions of marketing, finance, production, and logistics departments. These can be identified as sales, customer relationship management, invoicing, raw material requisition, goods despatch and product research. The following diagram illustrates the ways in which the proposed ERP system can streamline operations in the company – Source: Grey Stone Business Solutions Inc (2009) Thus, the different components of the ERP system will be manufacturing resource planning (MRP), finance resource management (FRM), supply chain management (SCM), human resource management (HRM) and customer relationship management (CRM). The ERP system is a favored solution for all kinds of business models since it provides the management and owners with the flexibility of accessing relevant information and data from a single database. Supply chain information networking Supply and logistics form the key components that impact operational processes and manufacturing concerns. The ERP application tool will enable the inventory and logistics department to streamline material supply and demand variables automatically through the system. The manufacturing resource planning and supply chain management modules of the ERP system will enable the managers to find out materials requisitioned and view production requirements. Based on the updated information the suppliers will be contacted through the system for scheduled delivery. The

The time growing mostly cotton Essay Example for Free

The time growing mostly cotton Essay And has a very caring side to her. Cassie is the main character and the narrator of the story and we see how black people in the book lived like through her eyes. She is very loyal to her family and sticks up for Little Man when me is told off for stamping on his book. She gives the book back to Miz Crocker. I turned around. Miz Crocker I said I dont want my book either so little mad wouldnt think that he was the only one with the same feeling. Cassie is a rebellious girl and doesnt try to blend in with the crowd. She doesnt chant along with the others in the class. After the sabotage of the bus Cassie is very scared for the safety of her family if the whites found out that it was then that did it, through the we see how scared the blacks got when they had done something bad or wrong to the whites. Stacey is the oldest child of the family and is one of the most featured in the first four chapters. We learn a lot about his views on the world and his way of living. He is very honest above all else and despises cheating. He rejects T. J. s plea to help him get the questions on the big history test that was coming up see, if you were smart like me Stacey, youd use that old brain of yours to get the questions on the big test. Stacey doesnt even have to say a word for the answer to become known. Stacey cast a annoyed look at T. J. but didnt speak. Shows his determination not to cheat. But he does have a very bad temper and when T. J. frames him for cheating he goes down to the Wallaces and has a fight with him. He is very protective of his younger brothers and sister. And when they are splashed by the bus he works out a plan to sabotage the bus. He is independent minded and doesnt really care if he is told the latest gossip from T. J. Now this kind of information aint for the ears of you little kids so I shouldnt even tell yall Then dont said Stacey The Logans as a family have lots of values of which they all stand for which are, Honesty, Pride, Hardworking and Independent. The Wallaces are the local shop owners and they are the ones that lend the goods on credit. They share the typical white view of that time, that whites were better than blacks, and the Wallaces were one of the familys that took there own actions against the blacks, they were members in the Klu Klux Klan and they were responsible for the burnings of the berry men. For enjoyment the Wallaces like to laugh at the Blacks that go there to drink, smoke and dance and they really like it when whites fight amongst themselves. Harlan Granger is a very rich white land owner. His family used to own the plantations back when slavery was legal in the south. He is the main owner of the land around there and nearly all the sharecroppers worked on his land. He was the one who backed the credit at the Wallace store. He dreams of the time when he will have as much land as his family previously had. He pressures the Logans to sell their land to him. Jeremy is a white boy in the story, but unlike the rest of the whites in the book Jeremy wants to be friend with the Logan children but they reject him. He doesnt think of himself as better that the Logans and he never got the bus no matter what the weather was like. He takes allot of stick for trying to be friendly with the Logans. Mr Morrison is Mr Logans friend. They met on the railroads. Mr Morrison was sacked from his job on the rail roads and hadnt been able to get any work for months. So Mr Logan decided to hire him as a handy-man but he also hired him to help protect the family. He is a very big and strong man, the children refer to him when they first see him for the first time as big as a tree. When the Knight Riders come to the farm, he is standing in the field with a shotgun ready if they start any trouble. He also explains to Stacey after the fight with T. J.that he isnt going to tell mama about the fight but is going to let Stacey do it, this shows his trust in him. T. J Avery is Staceys best friend. But is starting to lose his way. He tries to cheat on the big history test and when then he is about to get caught he passes the notes to Stacey and Stacey gets caught. He often goes up to the Wallace store and always triesto get out of hard work by not being around. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mildred Taylor section.

Less Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement

Less Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement For decades, the only weapons law enforcement had at its disposal were lethal weapons and physical force using a wooden night stick or baton. New less harmful or less lethal weapons were needed due to the ever increasing violence in our communities and the demand for better crime control, especially after the widespread scrutiny of law enforcement after highly publicized use of force incidents such as the arrest of Rodney King in Los Angeles. Less lethal weapons are defined as weapons that are intended to incapacitate a subject without causing permanent injuries or death while also inflicting minimal damage on surrounding environments (Davison, 2009). They are often also known as non-lethal weapons, but this is a misnomer as no weapon can be completely non-lethal even when used properly and cautiously; moreover, any use of force by law enforcement can inherently involve a risk of death. The use of less lethal weapons can have physical and mental effects on the individual being subjected to them. There are numerous factors concerning the environment and the subject when choosing the type of less lethal weapon to deploy. Less lethal weapons use in law enforcement is vital as they frequently contend with subjects who have not yet committed a criminal act (as in the case of crowd control) or with mentally unstable subjects or those under the influence of an intoxicant. Officers must balance their use with what is accepted as reasonable force to avoid violating a subjects civil rights while, at the same time, satisfying the public that the least amount of force necessary was used. Many subjects use the judicial process to challenge the use of less lethal weapons. Some of the different categories of less lethal weapons available to law enforcement include: specialty impact munitions, distraction devices, chemical munitions, and conducted energy devices. Specialty Impact Munitions Specialty impact munitions (SIM) were used as early as the 1960s in American Law Enforcement. During this period, police used wooden baton rounds to quell riots and the first bean bag round was designed (BAE SIM, 2009). The use of specialty impact munitions are intended to cause pain (the lowest expected response) and sometimes sufficient blunt trauma to disorient or incapacitate a subject (the maximum desired effect) (BAE SIM, 2009). Low energy specialty impact munitions are used for pain compliance, while high energy specialty impact munitions are used for incapacitation. Some degree of injury is expected to occur as it is necessary to achieve compliance or a momentary degree of incapacitation. The intent with specialty impact munitions is to minimize the amount of injury that is painful. In most instances, bruising is the only injury, but abrasions, contusions, lacerations, and fractures have occurred. Specialty impact munitions can also have an immense mental effect on an individual often causing anxiety, fear, and/or panic. By pointing a firearm directly at a subject and firing a projectile, the subject may have the fear of actually having been shot by a firearm. The pain associated with the impact may reinforce this belief. Specialty impact weapons can also cause mental distraction in a subject as they cope with the physiological pain that the body feels and also the perceived danger. If the subject panics, however, it could lead to less control as their fear may lead to the fight or flight response. Specialty impact weapons include rubber balls, bean bags, foam batons, rubber batons, and wood batons which are usually encapsulated in either 12-gauge shotgun shells, 37mm rounds, 40mm rounds, or grenades (BAE SIM, 2009). Specialty impact munitions can be used in a variety of situations. Police uses include perimeter control, temporarily incapacitating barricaded subjects, and subduing emotionally disturbed subjects. Correctional uses include performing cell extractions in correctional or prison settings, quelling riots or crowd management, and regaining control of areas. There are several factors to consider when using specialty impact munitions including distance from the subject, impact areas, munitions selection, and delivery system. Long range engagements may affect the accuracy of the specialty impact munitions. Additionally, the energy of the specialty impact munitions will decrease over distance and a sufficient amount of energy may not be available to incapacitate the subject rendering it ineffective. While, close range engagements with a subject increase the potential for incapacitation, they also increase the risk for serious injury such as penetration wounds and broken bones. Distraction Devices Websters Dictionary defines distraction as the state in which the attention is called in different ways; confusion; perplexity and that which diverts attention (Distraction, n.d.). Distraction devices are a low explosive device that emit heat, light, and sound with the intent of distracting a potentially dangerous subject (BAE DD, 2009). They are also commonly called diversion devices, flash sound diversion devices, and referred to as a flashbang. Flashbangs were designed in a United Kingdom military facility in Porton Down as an experimental stun device called a stun grenade. They were first deployed in a 1977 hostage rescue mission in Mogadishu, Somalia. Law enforcement then became interested in them. However, the first distraction devices were inappropriate for law enforcement use due to several factors including: unreliable fuses, the long delay in detonation (friction type fuses had a 6-12 second delay), excessive noise level, metal fragmentation, and the cardboard containers became soft when exposed to moisture (BAE DD, 2009). Finally, a cost effective distraction device with container that was safe to ship and easy to handle was developed. The Los Angeles Police Department was the first department to explore the use of the flashbang in preparation for the 1984 Olympic Games (BAE DD, 2009). Distraction devices have both a psychological and a physiological effect on the subjects they are used on. A psychological or mental distraction is one that effects how a subject thinks and reacts based upon human instinct, the chemical makeup of his nervous system, and learned behavior (BAE DD, 2009). The most common psychological distraction is confusion or making someone think that something has, is currently, or is going to occur even though it is not the case (BAE DD, 2009). Another psychological distraction is the response to fear or their flight or fight response. Fear can cause trembling, sweating, dry mouth, and loss of fine motor control (bladder and bowel). No other less lethal weapon has the potential to impact all of the bodys five senses like the distraction devices (Stanley, 2008). Physiological or physical distractions are distractions that the body just cannot control because when exposed to the appropriate stimulus, the sensory organs of the body react. Physiological distractions have three dimensions: visual effects, auditory effects, and equilibrium effects. Exposure to intense light bleaches the retina and causes restriction of the pupil which, in turn, causes a subject to see white spots (much like the flash from a camera). A test conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety concluded that it could take up to two minutes for the pupil to return to normal size and ten to thirty minutes for restoration of normal vision (BAE DD, 2009). The sound of distraction devices can be as loud as 174.5 decibels. To put this in perspective, a lawnmower equals approximately 90 decibels; a chainsaw, 100 decibels; standing in front of rock concert speakers is equal to 120 decibels; and a gunshot or jet engine at 50 feet away is equal to 140 decibels (BAE DD, 2009). Distraction devices affect equilibrium by disturbing the fluid in the ear canals which affects the subjects balance. The advantage of physiological distraction is that it will work every time. The combination of effects: sound, light, the smell and taste of smoke, along with the pressure wave of energy striking the skin is enough to cause a sensory overload for anyone in the immediate proximity of the blast (Stanley, 2008). The disadvantages to physiological distractions are they require direct exposure and can vary in duration as sensory overload varies greatly from person to person and from device to device. Some subjects will show little or no effect, others may be merely disoriented, while still others can be frozen in pace for several seconds. The three primary effects of a distraction device are: heat, light, and sound. The heat effect is the least damaging of the three. The heat produced from the explosion of the distraction device has a short duration (50 milliseconds), but can exceed 2000 degrees centigrade (BAE DD, 2009). The heat and flame (thermal incendiary) effect is usually seen as a bright flash or fireball at the instant of the explosion. The light generated is very intense and short of duration (less than 50 milliseconds) (BAE DD, 2009). The explosion from a distraction device creates a blast pressure wave which is the almost instantaneous creation of a volume of gas forcing the existing gases of the surrounding area out and away from the blast at high speed. It is essentially a powerful sound wave. Distraction devices are available in two types: those that only produce sound and light (flashbangs) and those that also eject either projectiles or chemicals (projectile/chemical grenades) (Stanley, 2008). A flashbang is a thermal incendiary with a combustion capacity and fire potential. Its heat can exceed 2000 degrees centigrade but is short in duration. The light from a flashbang also has a short duration but is intensely bright at six to eight million candelas. As a comparison, a typical law enforcement flashlight produces approximately 30,000 candelas, while the light from a 35mm camera flash equals 50,000 candelas (BAE DD, 2009). The sound (blast pressure) from a flashbang can cause injury. A primary blast almost always affects air-filled structures such as the lungs, ears, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Secondary blast pressure occurs when the action of the blast pressure wave reflects off surrounding surfaces. Soft or porous surfaces absorb the wave and decrease its reflec tion while hard or flexible surfaces enhance the reflection (BAE DD, 2009). Distraction devices come in canister type, grenade (with rubber balls or pellets), and a 12-gauge cartridge (aerial diversion). The most common method of deployment is by hand. The officer properly grips and controls the device, then pulls the pin and deploys the device. A flashbang pole is used to deploy the device through a window. The least frequent method of deployment is launching or throwing as the officer cannot see where the device will initiate. This method is generally used outdoors as a crowd management tool. The hazards of deploying distraction devices include the presence of children and the elderly, fire, and smoke. Children may become hysterical and can young infants can suffer hearing damage as their auditory system is still developing. Elderly people often have health problems that may be aggravated by the exposure to the distraction device or they may be bedridden and need help becoming ambulatory. A fire extinguisher should always be present when a distraction device is utilized in case a fire erupts. Distraction devices emit smoke that creates tactical and health concerns as smoke may obscure the officers vision and by-products of flash powder are not healthy to breathe. Another potential hazard is secondary blast projectiles which can be created from the blast pressure. Rocks or other small objects on the ground easily become ballistic when a distraction device is thrown next to them. A flashbang pole deployed through a closed window can cause ballistic glass fragments. Flashbang court cases are not abundant. They are challenged more in criminal court than in civil court. Civil cases include personal injury, property damage, death, negligent supervision, deliberate indifference, or civil rights violations. The first court case concerning the use of distraction devices was Langford v. Gates, 43 Cal. 3d 21, 729 P.2d 822 (1987). Langford claimed use of the flashbang device violated her 4th, 5th, 9th, and 14th Amendment rights because its use against residences constituted unreasonable force. The court did not issue an injunction against their use, citing in their ruling that flashbangs were used in more than 25 cases since 1984 and they presented no more than minimal risk of injury (Langford v. Superior Ct., 1987). Therefore, their use could not be accounted unreasonable. In Garcia v. Texas, 829 S.W.2d 830 (1992), the defendant challenged his confession and his waiver of rights (BAE DD, 2009). He stated it was involuntary and violated his 5th Amendment because it was made after he was subjected to a forcible entry and a stun grenade. The Texas Court of Appeals upheld his conviction. In civil action, a Wisconsin prisoner received $49,000. in 2009 for the permanent harm he suffered after a flashbang grenade was thrown into his cell in an effort to subdue him (Foley, 2009). He experienced ringing in his ears for months afterward and now suffers from tinnitus. Chemical Munitions Chemical munitions, developed during World War I, that produce temporary effects of excessive tearing, closing of the eyes, and shortness of breath are commonly known as tear gas. Chemical munitions can be a good tool for law enforcement because when used correctly, they are effective, but their effects will dissipate quickly when a subject moves away from the contaminated area. There are five purposes in the deployment of chemical munitions, including to: disperse, dislodge, distract, disorient, and detect (BAE CM, 2009). Chemical munitions are a primary means of dispersing violent crowds and dislodging barricaded subjects, but can also be used to help detect a barricaded subjects location by forcing the subject to cough or make some other noise. When the chemical munitions fails to dislodge the barricaded subject, its continued application can tire the subject and potentially diminish his desire to fight or resist. Chemical munitions can also be used to visually impair subjects or limit their access where evidence (especially drugs) may be destroyed. Additionally, they can be utilized to mask the movement of specialized police tactical teams such as S.W.A.T. Protective masks that filter particulates and absorb gas vapors should be worn by law enforcement when some types of chemical munitions are utilized. The most common types of chemical munitions used by law enforcement are: Cloroacetophenone (CN), Orthoclorobenzalmalononitrile (CS), and Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) (BAE CM, 2009). Cloreacetophenone (CN) CN was invented by German chemist Carl Graebe in 1869 and was used for training soldiers in the use of their protective equipment (BAE CM, 2009). Studies of CN revealed that although it had mild effects, it could still incapacitate a subject for a short period of time (BAE CM, 2009). This made it a good weapon for use against rioting citizens and barricaded subjects. CN is lighter than CS, but five times more toxic; however, it has milder physiological effects relative to CS and OC (BAE CM, 2009). The physiological effects of CN include extreme tear production, voluntary closure of eyes, and mild stinging/burning of the eyes, mouth, throat, and nasal passages (BAE CM, 2009). Its psychological effects include some mental disorientation and confusion, as well as fear or panic due to the physiological effects. The reaction time for CN is usually one to three seconds, but often varies depending on the ambient temperature and the mental state and physical condition of the subject. After exposure, the effects should dissipate 5-15 minutes after the subject is removed from the contaminated area. Subjects under extreme influences of drugs and alcohol and mentally disturbed subjects are less likely to be troubled by the effects of CN. And animals that are exposed to CN suffer little, if at all (BAE CM, 2009). CN is used by law enforcement is aerosol sprays and chemical dispensing grenades. Orthoclorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) Law enforcement in the United States began using CS in 1965 as an aid to disperse crowds and subdue barricaded subjects (BAE CM, 2009). It is currently the most used riot control agent by law enforcement. CS is an irritant that causes a burning sensation to the moist areas of the skin, especially the eyes, mouth, throat, and nasal passages. The sensation is consistent with an instant sunburn (Stanley, 2008). Other physiological effects are excessive tear production and mucous discharge from the nose involuntary closure of the eyes, shortness of breath, feelings of suffocation, and sneezing and coughing. Psychologically, CS may cause disorientation and confusion. The subject may also experience anxiety, fear, and panic. The reaction time for CS is usually 3-7 seconds but can vary depending on the chemical composition of the CS and the mental and physical condition of the subject. The after-effects usually dissipate 5-15 minutes after the subject is removed from the contaminated area. CS is often blended with OC to increase its effectiveness. CN and CS are available in solid (pellets or powder) and liquid form. For pyrotechnic use, or when the chemical agent is vaporized and carried by smoke particulates through the atmosphere, a granulated raw agent of CN/CS is combined with a fuel mix and then pressed into various sized pellets (BAE CM, 2009). Powder is made with micro-pulverized forms of CN or CS mixed with Magnesium oxide and cabbosil (BAE CM. 2009). Munitions in the powder form are not pyrotechnic, making them ideal for indoor use. To convert CN or CS to a liquid form, it is pulverized into a very fine powder and then suspended within a liquid carrier (BAE CM, 2009). The most effective form of CN or CS is when it is mixed with a fuel mix and burned (pyrotechnic). The least effective form of carrier is a liquid as it tends to settle faster (BAE CM, 2009). CN or CN can be delivered by hand deployment up to 50 yards and with a launcher for deployment more than 50 yards from the police line (BAE CM, 2009). Chemical munitions can be delivered by expulsion or blast devices that eject chemical agents into the atmosphere using a detonator, blasting cap, primer and powder, or CO ² cartridges. Pyrotechnic is a delivery method where agents are released into the atmosphere by means of compressed slugs or pellets and a fuel mix that is then carried by smoke. Other delivery methods include fogging systems, aerosols, and liquids. Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Oleoresin capsicum is oil and a resin extracted from the cayenne pepper plant (Chan et al, 2001). The first commercial OC product for law enforcement was developed in 1974 in a Florida home (BAE OC, 2009). OC use was then adopted by FBI special agents in 1990. Later that year, a violent subject who had been sprayed with an oil-based OC spray containing isopropyl alcohol was unintentionally set on fire after a conducted energy weapon was also deployed. This led the development of a safer, water-based OC product. The California Department of Justice conducted a two-year study documenting the se and effectiveness of two distinctively different OC products (BAE OC, 2009). The study helped establish industry standards for selection criteria that are still in use today. OC is an inflammatory where the desired result is to affect the respiratory system. Approximately 85% of the subjects contaminated with OC will move seeking fresh air (BAE CM, 2009). OC comes in both powder and liquid forms and is designed to stay airborne as long as possible. OC powder and liquid munitions are not as persistent as CN and CS and, therefore, may not be as effective, but it is easier to decontaminate a subject and clean and area that has been exposed to OC munitions (BAE CM, 2009). OC is also considered to be safer and less toxic than CN and CS (Chan et al, 2001). The physiological effects of OC are a burning sensation of the upper respiratory system and exposed skin, inflammation of eyes and mucous membranes, and involuntary intermittent blinking or complete shutting of the eyes. The inflammation of the respiratory system causes a sensation of shortness of breath of feeling of suffocation which usually results in coughing. The psychological effects include anxiety, fear of the expected pain, and panic which may cause auditory exclusion where the subject doesnt respond to verbal commands (BAE OC, 2009). There is no standard reaction time for OC products because the reaction time relies on the subjects mental state, the humidity, and the temperature. OC can be delivered in a pepper fog, pepper spray, or pepper foam application. The pepper fog application has a range of 3-4 meters and is effective on single or multiple subjects. Less accuracy is needed due to its wider spray area. The disadvantage of the wider spray area is the potential for users and by-standers being affected by the spray. Its range and effectiveness can also be reduced by high winds. Pepper spray or direct stream has a range of 5-7 meters and its delivery is similar to the stream of a water pistol. There is less of a possibility of user and by-standers being affected by the spray when delivered in this form. It also has a longer range and is less affected by wind. The direct stream delivery has a narrower spray area and requires more accuracy. It is not as effective as a fog pattern on multiple subjects. The foam spray pattern has a range of 3-6 feet and is used in climate-controlled environments such as courtrooms, hospitals, schools, and jails. It has better surface cohesion, reduced cross contamination, and causes virtually no respiratory difficulties. However, it does have a very limited range. After exposure to OC, decontamination should encompass physiological as well as psychological effects. To provide physical relief, eyes should be flushed with water, exposed skin surfaces should be decontaminated, and the subject should be exposed to fresh air. For psychological effects, verbal rapport should be established with the subject and efforts should be made to calm and relax the subject (BAE OC, 2009). It can take from 15 minutes to one hour for the subject to recover from the effects of OC. Liquids are released when the launched projectile breaks apart upon hitting a hard surface, thus releasing the chemical munitions. There are many factors that should be considered before chemical munitions are deployed. Tactical considerations for outdoor deployment include: wind conditions, weather conditions, crowd make up, escape routes, terrain surfaces, fire hazards, sensitive structures nearby (hospitals, schools), and counter-measures present (gas masks). When the chemical munitions are deployed indoors, there are different factors to consider such as entry/exit points, whether the power/water is on or off, the presence of hazardous materials, the subjects location, the location of weapons, the medical condition of subjects, and the subjects access to counter-measures (gas masks, etc). Critics continue to claim that OC spray is not safe. A National Institute of Justice funded study of the safety and effectiveness of OC spray in three North Carolina jurisdictions concluded that the use of pepper spray contributed to only two of the 63 in-custody deaths with both of those involving people with asthma (NIJ, 2003). The other 61 deaths were caused by disease, drug use, positional asphyxiation, or a combination of these effects (NIJ, 2003). Another study by medical researchers at the University of California-San Diego found no evidence that the exposure to pepper spray alone did not pose a significant risk for positional asphyxiation (NIJ, 2003). They also recognized that the use of OC spray reduced the number of injuries to officers and suspects, as well as excessive use of force complaints against law enforcement (NIJ, 2003). Conducted Energy Devices (CED) Conducted energy devices (CED), or electronic control devices (ECD), affect the neuromuscular functions of the body. Their pulse mimics the electrical signals used within the body to communicate between the brain and the muscles. This stimulates the pulsed communication used within the nerves and interferes with communication to the muscles which causes the Central Nervous System to be overwhelmed resulting in uncontrollable muscle contractions and temporary immobility (Steverson, 2007). CEDs are available to law enforcement in many different forms including handheld devices, belts, and shields. Handheld devices Most handheld CEDs are more commonly known as Tasers, even though Tasers are a brand of CED manufactured by Taser International. The Taser was invented in the 1960s by Jack Cover, a lead scientist at American Aerospace working on the Apollo Moon Landing Project (Taser, 2009). The name, Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle (TASER) was derived from one of his favorite boyhood books (Taser, 2009). The handheld CED uses compressed nitrogen to discharge two electric darts or probes that remain connected to the cartridge on the gun by a thin high-voltage insulated wire. The probes deliver electricity in 5-second bursts. CEDs deliver a high voltage, low amperage shock. In order for the shock to be delivered, both probes must connect with the subject to complete the circuit. Although the probe deployments are more effective, the handheld CED also has a drive stun back up feature where it can be used without the cartridge as a stun gun. However, the drive stun does not usually result in incapacitation since it doesnt have a significant impact on the central nervous system (Taser, 2009). It is used as a more as a pain compliance technique. The handheld CEDs work well in enclosed environments and close quarters such as houses, jails, emergency rooms, and crowd control. Their cartridges have a range of 0-21 feet, 0-25 feet, and 0-35 feet (Taser, 2009). They have a good deterrent effect and unlike chemical munitions, decontamination is not a factor. The effectiveness of handheld CEDs can be limited by loose or thick clothing, low nerve or muscle mass on a subject, or wire breakage. Considerations must be made for increased deployment risk when activating handheld CEDs on subjects: in an elevated position (risk of falling), operating machinery, in flammable environments, in water (risk of drowning), obviously pregnant, and frail or infirmed. There are also problems with becoming too reliant on CEDs. Some agencies found that officers relied so heavily on handheld CED use to gain compliance from a subject that they bypassed non-violent conflict resolution techniques, such as negotiations; consequently, agency policies were revised on its use. One Northwest Florida agency does not allow the use of CEDs on subjects who merely refuse to comply (without physical resistance) with a verbal command. One feature developed on Taser CEDs is the anti-felon identification system that uses small confetti-like tags laden with the cartridge serial number in every cartridge. Once the Taser is deployed, the area is sprayed with the confetti-like tags leaving the cartridge serial number behind. Since there are too many to retrieve them all, this leaves a record of who the spent cartridge was registered to. To help prevent overuse and intentional abuse of the Taser, there is also a dataport that can be utilized to record the date and time of every trigger pull of the weapon. Opponents of CEDs have repeatedly claimed that they are responsible for many in-custody deaths. However, a study by the Department of Justice concluded that there is no conclusive medical evidenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that indicates a high risk of serious injury or death from the direct effects of CED exposure (DOJ, 2008). Furthermore, their reported link to deaths in subjects suffering from excited delirium, a syndrome characterized by agitation and psychosis, also has no foundation as those individuals are already unstable medically and at a high risk of mortality, even with medical intervention and the absence of CED deployment (DOJ, 2008). Belts Electronic stun belts became popular in 1994 when the Bureau of Prisons decided to use them in their medium and high-security lock-ups (Cusac, 1996). One brand of stun belt is the Remote Electronically Activated Control Technology (R.E.A.C.T.) belt manufactured by Stun-Tech, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio (Staples, 1997). Electronic stun belts that are strapped around a subjects waist are primarily used for prisoner escorts and transports. The stun belt is a 4-inch wide elastic band with two metal prongs powered by a battery that are positioned over the left kidney and activated by a remote control (Staples, 1997). Once activated, it sends a 50, 000 volt shock in 8-second bursts to the back muscles of the subject wearing the belt. Their use can be advantageous to law enforcement personnel as they can be activated remotely. The officer can be as far 300 feet away from the subject when manning the control (Cusac, 1996). Use of the stun belt in courtrooms settings has been shrouded in controversy. In Hawkins v. Comparet-Cassani, the stun belt was place on defendant Ronnie Hawkins after he was being difficult and acting up in the lock-up area of the courthouse (Hawkins v. Comparet-Cassani, 2001). Once in the courtroom, the defendant continued to act in a disruptive manner and made several statements out of order so the judge ordered the officers to activate the stun belt. The court concluded that mere placement of the belt on a detainee raises serious questions going to the merits of the 4th Amendment and 8th Amendment claims and also addressed that it had the potential to compromise an individuals ability to participate in his or her own defense (Hawkins v. Comparet-Cassini, 2001). In People v. Mar, 28 CAL.4th 1201 (2002) the California Supreme Court ordered a new trial after the defendant, James Allen Mar, was unwillingly required to wear a stun belt during his trial (Ofgang, 2002). The court ruled that because of the nature of the device and its effect once activated, requiring an unwilling defendant to wear a stun belt during trial may have significant psychological consequences that may impair his ability to assist with his counsel and therefore violated his 6th Amendment right to counsel (Ofgang, 2002). Shields An electronic stun shield generates an electric shock that is only delivered when a subject touches the shield after it has been activates. Convex type electronic shields are used for crowd management or riot control and concave type electronic shields are used for capturing a subject (Stanley, 2008). The convex shield is used to push subjects away, while the concave is used for pinning subjects preventing their movement (Staples, 2008). Conclusion In an effort to minimize the risk of death and serious injuries to officers and citizens and limit damage to the adjacent areas, law enforcement agencies have employed the use of less lethal weapons. Less lethal weapons are available in a variety of devices that cause distraction, pain compliance, and temporary immobility. Some are better suited for open areas or outdoor environment, while others work well in smaller, enclosed areas. The use of less lethal weapons can cause physiological and psychological effects of varying severity. These effects lead to their success at being effective. Although the use of less lethal weapons reduces injuries to subjects, it also increases scrutiny of law enforcement use of force and often the liability of court action. Less lethal weapons come in a variety of devices that

Freight Transport and Logistics Services

Freight Transport and Logistics Services Intermodal (rail) freight transport market assessment Coursework requirement Intermodal solutions are regularly promoted as a key way in which modal shift from road to rail can be achieved. As discussed in the class in Week 3, there is a range of different intermodal types used for rail movements, the key ones being ISO containers, swap bodies, piggyback and rolling road. You are required to conduct a strategic assessment of the current and future role of each of these types of intermodal operation within the European Union. This assessment should focus on intermodal freight transport which involves the use of rail and must include: INTRODUCTION Intermodal transport focus on freight system as a regular mode to promoted as a key way in which modal shift from road or rail can be achieved. There are four different intermodal types used for rail movements, the main ones being ISO containers, swap bodies, piggyback and rolling road. This report will be summarised of the general purpose of intermodal transport and the key characteristics for each intermodal type mentioned above. Second will be highlighting their relative strengths and weaknesses and identifying the typical markets for intermodal transport. Third, will be given a brief overview of the existing intermodal market in the European Union. Then, will create action plan containing for the short-term and long-term to develop European intermodal transport activity. Finally, some conclusions. THE PURPOSE OF INTERMODAL TRANSPORT The simple concept of Intermodal transport the goods are usually located in a container that is created to store various products and be moved with no effort from one point to another, (S. Brian, 2016, p.219). Intermodal transport on other hand refers to liking the two appropriate modes in conjunction to formulate an incorporate transport chain, designed to achieving operationally efficient, cost-effective and delivery of goods in an environmentally sustainable method from their point of origin to their ending, (D. Lowe, 2006, p.1). The loading unit, reliant on the method in used, may be a swap body, container, complete road vehicle or a separated articulated semi-trailer. The objective of these modes here is to transferred from one mode to another is an important aspect of the intermodal transportation, (D. Lowe, 2006, p.21). The purpose of transportation is to moving goods for short, medium or long distances in large quantities by road, rail and collecting or distribute, (Arnold, P ., Pierre et al, 2004, pp.255-270). CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INTERMODAL TRANSPORT Following those definitions of intermodal transport, the characteristic of the intermodal transport should be cited. First, all intermodal transport is not only a mode of transport, like trucks or railways are, but is an idea for establishing the logistics chain. As bundling is an important component of generating competent and effective transport chains, the character of intermodal transport permit this feature, (Joseph S. Szyliowicz et al, 2016, p.22) The intermodal transport method of transportation of goods and incorporated into standardised loadings, such as semi-trailers, ISO containers and/ or swap-bodies, between their dispatchers they are collected and receivers where they are delivered, which are situated on both end of a given freight transport access to the market. The dispatchers and receivers are typically large or small size but huddled logistics centres, warehouses freight terminal and or manufacture plants. The arrangement combines at minimum two transport modes, rail and road in this situation- whose vehicle fitting at the intermodal road and rail terminal, where they swap loading units, using transhipment services and equipment according to the process. The goods receivers can be in the warehouse and could be shippers or should stay for short time at the intermodal terminals, i.e. to be unloading from the incoming trucks and loading onto the outgoing characteristics of intermodal freight transport or Long Intermod al Freight Trains at the receive side, and vice versa, at the shipper side, (J., Milan., 2008). The road transport mode is the complement and challenging the alternative delivery loading units door-to-door principally by trucks, in most cases, without the middle transhipment and loading. Nevertheless, in some aspects, loading at depots along the route, as well as transfer the loading units by different vehicles, which suggests both their unloading and loading, can also take place, (J., Milan., 2008). STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ISO containers Strengths Weaknesses It is strong and resilient to carriers all heavy, tall or hard to load material such as vehicle, trucks, trains, etc. out of railway container transport Swap bodies Strengths Weaknesses It fit on the road train, and contribute a similar space as a conventional road train. Fits on a semi-trailer chassis. Offers the same interior space as a conventional semi-trailer used. Use for international transport in Europe. Short transposition over the road and port operation. Weak support legs. Source: Adapted from: (International Transport Forum, 2009, p.121) Piggyback Strengths Weaknesses Strong to transport vehicle, trailers and containers every way. Operation in diverse type of services including groupage, packing and track. Dependent with another trailer to be lifted on to a rail flatcars. Can transportation container with high volume, example larger ISO container, etc. Rolling road Strengths Weaknesses Ease and rapidly to loading and unloading the goods. Investment requires for the terminals. Geographical restriction access. The condition of different regions could not be the similar and not comparable. THE TYPICAL MARKETS FOR INTERMODAL TRANSPORT In Europe, intermodal transport has grown significantly; typically, with such operation as the French and German road-rail systems, which transportation ISO containers, swap bodies, piggyback and use Rolling road between ports and inland destination, (D. Lowe, 2006, p.12). The intermodal transport mode is efficient to use the unit-load system and proficient of transfer between road, rail and other transport modes, and which permits for the collection of loads by delivery without trans-shipment or repacking of the consignment itself. The normal loading unit take the form of any road-going semi-trailers conforming to standard dimension and designed to be piggybacked aboard rail waggons, or more habitually, swap bodies and shipping containers build to international ISO standards which are completely transposable between a diversity of road vehicle combinations, sea-going ships, rail waggons and river and canal barges. In all situations, the load remains complete and secure within the loading unit which is lifted or transferred by exclusive equipment into the hold of a ship, a canal barge, rail wagon and then back to a road vehicle at the end of the trunk-haul leg of the journey (D. Lowe, 2006, p.3). Such intermodal system offers greater flexibility for the client, who may be either the consignor or the beneficiary, by permitting the goods to be loaded or unloaded at customer premises in a conventional manner without changing the present practices applied to national or international. It also promises to see the freight securely packed and wrapped in an intermodal loading unit, the customer knows that it will not be bothered again until it delivers the goods its final destination it is the responsibility of a groupage load, (D. Lowe, 2006, p.3). The main benefits of unit-load intermodal transport are: Long journeys the cost is lower. In certain circumstances delivery time is fast, in particular, cases require to be assesse as individually process. A diminution in road congestion, a main advantageous factor in these modern time. Some dangerous products are safer for the transit. Overview of the existing Intermodal transport market in the European Union In general, the new intermodal operator are found in the northern part of Europe and particular in the lager market for hinterland transport of maritime containers related to the ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdan and Antwerp. The ports themselves have also demonstrated their interest in hinterland transport by rail. In the case of Germany, for instance, the port operator HHLA has bought 50 per cent of transfracht from DB. These initiatives all aim at cherry-picking EIT: they do not capture new market shares from road transport, but rathe existing intermodal services. P. (9) TitleJ. W. Konings (2008) The Future of Intermodal Freight Transport: Operations, Design and Policy, Transport Economics, Management and Policy Series, Editors-Hugo Priemus, Peter Nijkamp, Publisher-Edward Elgar Publishing, p. (9), 360 pages, [Online], https://books.google.co.uk/books, [Accessed 15/03/17] Because of growing freight traffic and an increasing imbalance in the use of the various transport modes and infrastructure, the transport system in the European Union is showing signs of inefficiency from a socio-economic point of view. Increasingly, freight transport appears as a source of environmental and social costs to its citizens. Intermodal freight transport provides transport for consolidated loads such as containers, swap-bodies and semi trailers by combining at least two modes (European Commisson, 2002). In Europe, intermodal freight transport has frequently been seen as a potentially strong competitor to road transportation and to be environmentally friendlier in many contexts.1 Its development to date, however, has not confirmed such expectations. For example, during 1990-1999, European intermodal freight transport grew steadily from an annual volume of about 119 to about 250 billion t-km2 with an increase in its market share volumes from about 5%-9%.3 This was mainly due to enhancement of operations in Trans-European corridors of 900-1000 km that carried about 10% of the tonnage. (J. Milan, 2007) Janic, M., 2007. Modelling the full costs of an intermodal and road freight transport network. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 12(1), pp.33-44 Overview of the existing Intermodal transport market in the European Union 2. A concise overview of the existing intermodal market in the European Union, including discussion of the key statistics relating to trends in activity. You must ensure that you focus on the most important information (20% of marks) intermodal transport market in the European Union, discussion of the key statistics relating to trends in activity. overview of the existing intermodal market in the European Union discussion of the key statistics relating to trends in activity the most important information Discussion of the key statistics relating to intermodal transport market activity in the European Union Development European Intermodal activity in 5 years and more than 5 years the opportunities and barriers relating to its implementation   Original action plan containing for 5 years and more than 5 years to develop European intermodal transport activity and assess the opportunities and barriers 3. An original action plan containing specific actions for the short-term (i.e. within 5 years) and long-term (i.e. more than 5 years) to develop European intermodal activity. For each action, you must justify the reason for its inclusion in the plan and assess the opportunities and barriers relating to its implementation. In developing the action plan, you should prioritise actions so as to gain maximum benefit in each time period (40% of marks) European intermodal activity with ISO containers, swap bodies, piggyback and Rolling road development in 5 years and more than 5 years plan opportunities and barriers Conclusion: The development of intermodal freight is regarded as a key way in which rail can achieve a greater share of the freight transport market, but the limitations of official datasets make it difficult to develop a strong appreciation of the characteristics of existing intermodal flows References: Arnold, P., Peeters, D. and Thomas, I., 2004. Modelling a rail/road intermodal transportation system. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 40(3), pp.255-270. David L. (2006), Intermodal Freight Transport, Publisher-Routledge, p.1,304 pages, [Online], https://books.google.co.uk/books, [Accessed,10/03/17]. European Conference of Ministers of Transport (1998) Report on the Current State of Combined Transport in Europe, Source OECD.: Transport, Publisher-OECD Publishing, p. (34), 168 pages, [Online], https://books.google.co.uk/books, [Accessed, 15/03/17] International Transport Forum (2009) Intermodal Transport National Peer Review: Turkey: National Peer Review: Turkey, Publisher-OECD Publishing, p.121, 196 pages, [Online], https://books.google.co.uk/books, [Accessed,14/03/17]. Joseph S. S., Luca Z., Genserik L.L. R., Dawna L. R., (2016), Multimodal Transport Security: Frameworks and Policy Applications in Freight and Passenger Transport, Publisher-Edward Elgar Publishing, (p.22), 328 pages, [Online], https://books.google.co.uk/books, [Accessed, 13/03/17]. Janic, M.., (2008) An assessment of the performance of the European long intermodal freight trains (LIFTS). Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 42(10), pp.1326-1339. Slack, B., (2016), Intermodal transportation, Sustainable Railway Futures: Issues and Challenges, Routledge, New York, pp.219-231.

The Truth in Art: Vincent Van Goghs Work of Art Essay -- heidegger,

Throughout his argument against aesthetics, Heidegger strongly states he believes in the true â€Å"work of art† and believes that this aesthetic approach goes against this. One artist that Heidegger particularly discusses is Vincent Van Gogh. He uses works of art by Van Gogh in order to give more power to his argument. Through works of art such as Van Gogh’s A Pair of Shoes, Heidegger makes his a distinction between artwork and things. In order to truly analyze the culture of another, he explains how it is essential for the viewer to question what is being depicted in the work and what the purpose may be. Heidegger describes art as a whole through the philosophies of existence and truth. To truly interpret Heidegger’s critic of aesthetics, it is important to know his opinions of true works of art. He has a strong view on the importance art had in history: â€Å"Art is history in the essential sense that it grounds history. Art lets truth originate. Art, founding preserving, is the spring that leaps to the truth of what is, in the work†(Heidegger 75). To give an anecdote to his argument, Heidegger brings up an ancient Greek temple. He explains that it is the temple that first brings everyone together. The temple unifies the community through hardships and times of happiness. The temple primarily provides to things their expression and to the people of the temple, their viewpoint about themselves as a whole. Heidegger believes that over time, the concept of human reality changes. He then explains that art shows this change and helps better explain this transformation of type and style. Great works of art have an impact on the human race during that time period: â€Å"†¦the bringing of work-being into movement and happening. This happens as pr... ...complexity. Instead of seeing just a simple pair of worn shoes, he sees the story of a peasant who works in the fields daily. Heidegger does this by looking past the simplicity and discovering the revelation of what the pair of shoes is in truth. In order to find the full truth, the viewer must picture him or herself in the painting. As it reveals these important truths, the work of art must furthermore rely on the painting’s substance and being that is outside of that particular work of art itself. In closing, just as Heidegger stated in his argument against aesthetics: â€Å"The art work opens up in its own way the Being of beings. The truth of beings happens in the work. In the artwork, the truth of what is has set itself to work. Art is truth setting itself to work†(38). Works Cited Heidegger, Martin. Poetry, Language, Thought. New York: Harper & Row, 1971. Print.

Stress Essay -- essays research papers

How to Deal With StressMany students go to school full time, and hold a part time job to earn money for school. Most students have about four classes, and each of the teacher’s of these classes gives an average of about an hour of homework each night; that averages out to four hours per night of homework, plus a part time job. School causes a lot of students stress because there are so many things to do, and so little time to do it. Stress is a normal part of everyone’s life; and is not a disease. It is not necessarily good or bad; however, reactions to stress can be harmful. Lack of time puts the stress on many students, and causes students to often procrastinate because they are constantly trying to meet deadlines and they don’t have the time to work on their assignments. Many students feel their grades are important; they need plenty of time to work on their work so they can do good. I can relate to them because if I get a low grade I get disgusted because I p ut a lot of time and effort in doing that assignment. But I think that a lot of the stress from school is caused, not only by the teachers, but also from the students to do well. Students put too much stress on themselves. A student just has to learn to manage their time well and just do as good as possible. Stress management involves the effort of that student to make emotional and physical changes. The degree of stress and the desire to make the changes will determine the level of change that will take place. If a student wants to change the amount of stress in their life, they have to be willing to work and manage their time properly, even if it means sacrificing hours from a job or a night out with friends to study for a test or write a paper. Many students feel an increase in stress and anxiety when writing a paper, meeting a deadline, or studying for an exam. This can cause twitching, trembling, muscle tension, headaches, sweating, irritability, fatigue, and even dry mouth (An xiety, Stress, and Tension). When talking about stress, there are many things that can influence a student. The five main topics that influence a student’s well being are attitude, physical well being, physical activity, support systems, and relaxation (World Book on Health, 235). Attitude: The attitude of a student can influence whether a situation or emotion is stressful or not. A student with a negative attitude will ... ...oolwork and go out with their friends. It is important that a student interacts with others because it boosts self-confidence and helps maintain social stability in their lives. Lastly, rule number five when dealing with stress is using relaxation techniques. There are many relaxation techniques such as: listening to music, daydreaming, sleeping, writing poetry and many others. Also a student dealing with stress should take time out of their schedule for personal interests and hobbies. Students need to take time from stressful situations and do what makes them happy and have fun. It is also good to take a mini vacation from time to time. This helps keep the stressful student’s mind off of things and allow them to retreat somewhere to think and relax. In conclusion, stress can be very harmful and have a lot of effects on a student’s body. Some stress is good, but a lot of it can be bad. The five ways a student can prevent and deal with stress can be very useful. The student dealing with stress just needs to relax and deal with their problems with ease, instead of making things hard on themselves. Things will fall into place; just have patients and life will be a lot less stressful.

Andrew Jackson :: Biography Biographies

Andrew Jackson There have been many arguments made about President Andrew Jackson. A war hero, standing tall and strong, he tried to represented the idea of reform in government and in the American ways. Jackson is often credited to be one of the United States’ greatest presidents, but there are many powerful reasons for doubting that claim. From the beginning, in 1824, Jackson has tried to do what is best for our nation, but evidence like the spoils system, Trail of Tears, and the Bank veto, has shown that in fact most of what he accomplished is now looked on as only causing problems for the Untied States as a whole. With the presidency of Jackson came the spoils system, which in theory is rewarding political supporters with public office. While this basic idea is â€Å" as old as politics,† (The American Pageant p.271) it is Jackson that extended the system to involve more of the common person. In theory, this would re-enforce loyalties as well as making it possible for politics to become a full-time career. Instead it made government positions more about the spoils than the responsibilities. The seventh president created the idea of â€Å"rotation in office.† Jackson was trying to make â€Å"clean sweeps† in the government, cleaning out the ex-president Adams and his â€Å"dishonest† supporters like Clay. In the end, he only dismissed one-fifth of the old corrupt government leaving nine thousand out of the original eleven thousand in office. His system not only didn’t succeed in cleaning the government but it was a demoralizing practice that reached a national scale. Citizens were discouraged from entering public service because of the insecurity now found in holding such positions. Jackson made the holding official positions in government a matter of what could this person do for Jackson’s presidency and not the question of what he could do for their country. Jackson’s system was inevitably accompanied by scandal. Men openly began to buy their government positions. â€Å"Illiterates, incompetents, and plain crooks were given positions of public trust,† (p.272) and officials were more interested in the spoils of the office rather than the duties. A perfect example of the corruption that Jackson brought to the government is Samuel Swartwout. He was awarded the high salaried post of collector of customs in New York. Nine years later he left the United States with more than a million dollars.

Six Challenges for Educational Technology

Six Challenges for Educational Technology Chris Dede George Mason University Many exciting applications of information technology in schools validate that new technology-based models of teaching and learning have the power to dramatically improve educational outcomes. As a result, many people are asking how to scale-up the scattered, successful â€Å"islands of innovation† instructional technology has empowered into universal improvements in schooling enabled by major shifts in standard educational practices.Undertaking â€Å"systemic reform† (sustained, large-scale, simultaneous innovation in curriculum; pedagogy; assessment; professional development; administration; incentives; and partnerships for learning among schools, businesses, homes, and community settings) requires policies and practices different than fostering pilot projects for small-scale educational improvement. Systemic reform involves moving from utilizing special, external resources to reconfiguring ex isting budgets in order to free up money for innovation.Without undercutting their power, change strategies effective when pioneered by leaders in educational innovation must be modified to be implemented by typical educators. Technology-based innovations offer special challenges and opportunities in this scalingup process. I believe that systemic reform is not possible without utilizing the full power of high performance computing and communications to enhance the reshaping of schools. Yet the cost of technology, its rapid evolution, and the special knowledge and skills required of its users pose substantial barriers to effective utilization.One way to frame these issues is to pose six questions that school boards, taxpayers, educators, business groups, politicians, and parents are asking about implementing large-scale, technology-based educational innovations. After each question, I’ll respond to the issues it raises. Collectively, these answers outline a strategy for scali ng-up, leveraging the power of technology while minimizing its intrinsic challenges. Question One: How can schools afford to purchase enough multimedia-capable, Internetconnected computers so that a classroom machine is always available for every two to three students?Giving all students continuous access to multimedia-capable, Internet-connected computers is currently quite fashionable. For politicians, the Internet in every classroom has become the modern equivalent of the promised â€Å"chicken in every pot. † Communities urge everyone to provide volunteer support for NetDays that wire the schools. Information technology vendors are offering special programs to encourage massive educational purchases. States are setting aside substantial amounts of money for building information infrastructures dedicated to instructional usage.Yet, as an educational technologist, I am more dismayed than delighted. Some of my nervousness about this initiative comes from the â€Å"First Gen eration† thinking about information technology that underlies these visions. Multimedia-capable, Internet-connected computers are seen by many as magical devices, â€Å"silver bullets† to solve the problems of schools. Teachers and 2 administrators who use new media are assumed to be automatically more effective than those who do not.Classroom computers are envisioned as a technology comparable to fire: just by sitting near these devices, students get a benefit from them, as knowledge and skills radiate from the monitors into their minds. Yet decades of experience with technological innovations based on First Generation thinking have demonstrated that this viewpoint is misguided. Classroom computers that are acquired as panaceas end up as doorstops. As discussed later, information technology is a costeffective investment only in the context of systemic reform.Unless other simultaneous innovations in pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, and school organization are coupled t o the usage of instructional technology, the time and effort expended on implementing these devices produces few improvements in educational outcomes—and reinforces many educators’ cynicism about fads based on magical machines. I feel additional concern about attempts to supply every student with continuous access to high performance computing and communications because of the likely cost of this massive investment.Depending on the assumptions made about the technological capabilities involved, estimates of the financial resources needed for such an information infrastructure vary (Coley, Cradler, & Engel, 1997). Extrapolating the most detailed cost model (McKinsey & Company, 1995) to one multimedia-capable, Internet-connected computer for every two to three students yields a price tag of about ninety-four billion dollars of initial investment and twenty-eight billion dollars per year in ongoing costs, a financial commitment that would drain schools of all discretionar y funding for at least a decade.For several reasons, this is an impractical approach for improving education. First, putting this money into computers-and-cables is too large an investment in just one part of the infrastructure improvements that many schools desperately need. Buildings are falling apart, furnishings are dilapidated, playgrounds need repair, asbestos must be removed†¦ otherwise, the machines themselves will cease to function as their context deteriorates.Also, substantial funding is needed for other types of innovations required to make instructional hardware effective, such as standards-based curricular materials for the WorldWide Web and alternative kinds of pedagogy based on partnerships between teachers and tools. (The McKinsey cost estimates do include some funding for content development and staff training, but in my judgment too little to enable effective technology integration and systemic reform. ) If most of the money goes into new media, little fundin g is available for the new messages and meanings that those devices could empower.Second, without substantial and extended professional development in the innovative models of teaching and learning that instructional technology makes affordable and sustainable, many educators will not use these devices to their full potential. â€Å"Second Generation† thinking in educational technology does not see computers as magic, but does make the mistake of focusing on automation as their fundamental purpose. Computers are envisioned as ways to empower â€Å"teaching by telling† and â€Å"learning by listening,† serving as a fire hose to spray information from the Internet into learners’ minds.However, even without educational technology, classrooms are already drowning in data, and an overcrowded curriculum puts students and teachers on the brink of intellectual indigestion. Adding additional information, even when coated with multimedia bells-and-whistles, is like ly to worsen rather than improve educational settings. Professional 3 development needs are more complex than increasing educators’ technical literacy (e. g. , training in how to use web browsers).The issue is building teachers’ knowledge and skills in alternative types of pedagogy and content, and such an increase in human capabilities requires substantial funding that will be unavailable if almost all resources are put into hardware. Third, the continuing costs of maintaining and upgrading a massive infusion of schoolbased technology would be prohibitive. High performance computing and communications requires high tech skills to keep operational and will become obsolete in five to seven years as information technology continues its rapid advance.Yet taxpayers now see computers as similar to blackboards: buy them once, and they are inexpensively in place for the lifetime of the school. School boards rapidly become restive at sizable yearly expenditures for technology maintenance and telecommunications usage—especially if, several months after installation, standardized test scores have not yet dramatically risen—and will become apoplectic if another $50B to replace obsolete equipment is required only a few years after an initial huge expenditure.For all these reasons, investing a huge sum in information infrastructures for schools is impractical and invites a later backlash against educational technology as yet another failed fad. I would go farther, however, and argue that we should not make such an investment even if the â€Å"technology fairy† were to leave $100B under our virtual pillows, no strings attached. Kids continuously working on machines with teachers wandering around coaching the confused is the wrong model for the classroom of the future; I wince when I see those types of vendor commercials.In that situation—just as in classrooms with no technology—too much instructional activity tends to center on presentation and motivation, building a foundation of ideas and skills as well as some context for why students should care. Yet this temporary interest and readiness to master curricular material rapidly fades when no time is left for reflection and application, as teachers and students move on to the next required topic in the overcrowded curriculum, desperately trying to meet all the standards and prepare for the test.Substantial research documents that helping students make sense out of something they have assimilated, but do not yet understand is crucial for inducing learning that is retained and generalized (Schank & Jona, 1991). Reflective discussion of shared experiences from multiple perspectives is essential in learners’ converting information into knowledge, as well as in students mastering the collaborative creation of meaning and purpose (Edelson, Pea, & Gomez, 1996).Some of these interpretative and expressive activities are enhanced by educational devices, bu t many are best conducted via face-to-face interaction, without the intervening filter and mask of computer-mediated communication (Brown & Campione, 1994). What if instead much of the presentation and motivation that is foundational for learning occurred outside of classroom settings, via information technologies part of home and workplace and community contexts? Students would arrive at school already imbued with some background and motivation, ripe for guided inquiry, ready for interpretation and collaborative construction of knowledge.People are spending lots of money on devices purchased for entertainment and information services: televisions, videotape players, computers, Web TV, videogames. Many of these technologies are astonishingly powerful and inexpensive; for example, the Nintendo 64 machine available now for a couple hundred dollars is the equivalent of a several hundred 4 thousand dollar graphics supercomputer a decade ago. What if these devices—many ubiquitous in rich and poor homes, urban and rural areas—were also utilized for educational purposes, even though not acquired for that reason?By off-loading from classroom settings some of the burden of presenting material and inducing motivation, learning activities that use the technology infrastructure outside of schools would reduce the amount of money needed for adequate levels of classroom-based technology. Such a strategy also enables teachers to focus on students’ interpretation and expressive articulation without feeling obligated to use technology in every step of the process. Such a model of â€Å"distributed learning† involves orchestrating educational activities among classrooms, workplaces, homes, and community settings (Dede, 1996).This pedagogical strategy models for students that learning is integral to all aspects of life—not just schooling— and that people adept at learning are fluent in using many types of information tools scattered thro ughout our everyday context. Such an educational approach also can build partnerships for learning between teachers and families; this is important because parental involvement is certainly one of the most powerful levers in increasing any student’s educational performance.In other words, unless â€Å"systemic reform† in education is conducted with one boundary of the system around the school and another boundary around the society, its affordability and sustainability are doubtful. As a bridge across these boundaries, new media can play a vital role in facilitating this bi-level approach to large-scale educational innovation. For example, videogame players are the only interactive devices widely available in poor households and provide a sophisticated, but inexpensive computational platform for learning—if we develop better content than the mindless follies of SuperMarioâ„ ¢ or the grim dystopias of Doomâ„ ¢.My research in virtual reality illustrates how multisensory, immersive virtual environments could leverage learning complex scientific concepts on computational platforms as commonplace as next decade’s videogames (http://www. virtual. gmu. edu). Districts can leverage their scarce resources for innovation, as well as implement more effective educational models, by utilizing information devices outside of classrooms to create learning environments that complement computers and communications in schools.To instead saturate schools with information technology is both very expensive and less educationally effective. Question Two: How can schools afford enough computers and telecommunications to sustain new models of teaching and learning? Educational improvement based on distributed learning—utilizing information technologies external to school settings to enable increased interpretive and expressive activities in classrooms—does not mean that schools won’t need substantial amounts of computers and commu nications.To empower project-based learning through guided inquiry, students must have access to sophisticated information devices in schools (Linn, 1997). Even if this is accomplished via notebook computers and wireless networks moved from class to class as required, with pupils also spending significant amounts of time learning without the aid of technology, districts must allocate more money to purchasing, maintaining, and upgrading computers and telecommunications than has been true historically. Where will educators find the funds for equipment, software, technical staff, ongoing telecommunications services, professional development—the myriad of costs associated with a sophisticated information infrastructure? In the past, this money has come largely from special external sources: grants, community donations, bond initiatives. To be sustainable over the long run, however, resources for technology must come from reallocating existing budgets by reducing other types of ex penditures.Of course, such shifts in financing are resisted by those groups whose resources are cut, and district administrators and school boards have been reluctant to take on the political challenges of changing how money is spent. An easy way to kill educational innovations is to declare that of course they will be implemented—as long as no existing activities must be curtailed to fund new approaches. Such an approach to institutional evolution is one reason why, if Rip Van Winkle awoke today, he would recognize almost nothing in modern society—except schools.Educational organizations are unique, however, in demanding that technology implementation accomplished via add-on funding. Every other type of societal institution (e. g. , factories, hospitals, retail outlets, banks) recognizes that the power of information devices stems in part from their ability to reconfigure employee roles and organizational functioning. These establishments use the power of technology t o alter their standard practices, so that the cost of computers and communications is funded by improvements in effectiveness within the organization, by doing more with less.If educators were to adopt this model—reallocating existing resources to fund technology implementation—what types of expenditures would drop so that existing funds could cover the costs of computers and communications? First, schools that have adopted the inquiry-based models of pedagogy find that outlays on textbooks and other types of standardized instructional materials decrease. While these materials are a smaller part of districts’ budgets than salaries or physical plants, nonetheless they cost a significant amount of money.When students collect their own data, draw down information across the Internet, and interact with a larger pool of experts than teachers and textbooks, fewer commercial presentational resources are required—especially if learners draw on topical data flowin g through information sources outside of schools. Moreover, covering a few concepts in depth rather than surveying many ideas superficially reduces the amount of prepackaged information educators must purchase.A second way to reconfigure existing financial resources is to reduce the staff involved in data entry operations. Educators are inundated with large amounts of recordkeeping functions, and one of the most debilitating aspects of this work is the continuous reentry of identical information on different forms. Businesses have saved substantial amounts of money by altering routine information processes so that data is only entered once, then automatically flows across the entire organization to each place in which it is needed.Were educators to adopt these already proven models for cost-efficient information management, the amount of time and staff required for data entry functions would decrease markedly, freeing funding for instruction-related uses of technology. Third, and on a more fundamental level, teaching is more efficient and effective with new types of technology-based curriculum and pedagogy. At present, substantial re-teaching of 6 knowledge and skills is required; presentational material flows into students’ minds, is retained just long enough to perform on a test, and then is forgotten.Class sizes are typically between twenty-five and forty—somewhat too large for effective project-based learning, yet small given that lectures work as well for several hundred students as for several dozen. The scheduling of class periods is too short, limiting teachers and students to fragmentary presentational and practice activities. Teachers all have comparable roles with similar pay structures—unlike other societal organizations, which have complementary staff roles with a mix of skill levels and salaries. Visions presented in the forthcoming 1998 ASCD Yearbook Dede & Palumbo, in press) depict how altered configurations of human resour ces, instructional modalities, and organizational structures could result in greater effectiveness for comparable costs—even with the acquisition of substantial school-based technology. This case is also made at greater length in Hunter & Goldberg (1995). In the commercial sector, too often these types of institutional shifts result in layoffs. However, because of the coming wave of retirements among educators, districts have a window of opportunity to accomplish structural changes without major adverse impacts on employees.Over the next decade, large numbers of â€Å"baby-boom† educators will leave the profession, and a staged process of organizational restructuring could occur in parallel with those retirements. Coordinating technology expenditures as an integral part of that larger framework for institutional evolution is vital in districts’ planning to afford computers and communications. Question Three: How can many educators disinterested or phobic about c omputers and communications be induced to adopt new technology-based models of teaching and learning?Thus far, most educators who use technology to implement the alternative types of pedagogy and curriculum are â€Å"pioneers†: people who see continuous change and growth as an integral part of their profession and who are willing to swim against the tide of conventional operating procedures—often at considerable personal cost. However, to achieve large-scale shifts in standard educational practices, many more teachers must alter their pedagogical approaches; and schools’ management, institutional structure, and relationship to the community must change in fundamental ways.This requires that â€Å"settlers† (people who appreciate stability and do not want heroic efforts to become an everyday requirement) must be convinced to make the leap to a different mode of professional activity—with the understanding that, once they have mastered these new appr oaches, their daily work will be sustainable without extraordinary exertion. How can a critical mass of educators in a district be induced simultaneously to make such a shift? Studies of innovation in other types of institutions indicate that successful change is always bottom-up, middle-out, and top-down.The driver for bottom-up innovation in a district is the children. Typically, students are joyful and committed when they are given the opportunity to learn by doing, to engage in collaborative construction of knowledge, and to experience mentoring relationships. That these types of instruction are accomplished via educational technology will excite some kids, while others will be indifferent—but all will appreciate the opportunity to move beyond learning by listening.Educators can draw enormous strength and purpose from watching the eager response of their students to classroom situations that use alternative forms of pedagogy. Often, teachers have shifted from pioneers to settlers 7 because they were worn down by the unceasing grind of motivating students to master uninteresting, fragmented topics; and administrators have undergone a similar loss of enthusiasm by being inundated with paperwork rather than serving as instructional coordinators. The professional commitment that kids’ enthusiasm can re-inspire is a powerful driver of bottom-up change.The source of middle-out change is a district’s pioneers. Many teachers entered the profession because they love students of a certain age and want to help them grow—or love their subject matter and want to share its beauty and richness. Often, these teachers feel alienated because the straightjacket of traditional instruction and school organization walls them away from meaningful relationships with their students and their subject. Similarly, many administrators want to serve as leaders and facilitators, but are forced by conventional managerial practices into being bureaucrats and bo sses.Middle-out change is empowered when educators who have given up hope of achieving their professional dreams see pioneer colleagues using technology to succeed in those goals—and realize that, if everyone made a similar commitment, no one would have to make continuous personal sacrifices to achieve this vision. The lever for top-down innovation is the community served by the district. Educators want respect—yet teaching has fallen from a revered professions to a much lower status.The relationship between educators and their community is seldom seen as a partnership; instead, teachers and administrators often feel isolated, forced to perform a difficult task with inadequate resources. Parents, the business sector, and taxpayers bitterly debate the purpose of schools and sometimes attempt to micro-manage their operation. In contrast, when homes, classrooms, workplaces and community settings are linked via new media to achieve distributed learning, much more positive interactions emerge between schools and society.Educators can move from isolation to collaboration with the community, from a position of low esteem to an respected role in orchestrating children’s learning across a spectrum of settings. This shift in status is a powerful driver for innovation. To activate these bottom-up, middle-out, and top-down forces for improvement, educators must take the lead in developing a shared vision for systemic reform, distributed learning, and sophisticated utilization of technology. Making such a commitment to large-scale educational innovation is not only the right thing to do, but is increasingly essential to educators’ professional integrity.In many ways, physicians working in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) face challenges similar to teachers and administrators working in today’s schools. These doctors are responsible for the well-being of their patients, but work within administrative structures that restrict their d ecision making capabilities, that are focused on saving money at least as much as on combating illness, and that do not provide the latest technology or much time and resources for professional development.Yet we expect those physicians to do whatever it takes—fight the system for what the patient needs, spend personal time mastering the latest medical advances and technologies—to help those whom they serve. To do otherwise would be malpractice, a betrayal of trust, a breach of ethics as a professional. Given advances in information technology that are reshaping the knowledge students need and the ways educators can help them learn, we need to accept a professional obligation—despite current institutional constraints—to do whatever it takes in changing traditional instructional practices so that a generation of children is truly prepared for the 21st century. Question Four: How do we prove to communities that new, technology-based models of teaching and l earning are better than current instructional approaches? Few communities are willing to take educational innovations â€Å"on faith. † Many people are uneasy about whether conventional instruction and traditional testing are developing and assessing the types of knowledge and skills children need for their future.However, most parents and taxpayers feel that the current system worked for them and do not want to substitute something radically different unless new methods are proven to be superior. What types of evidence can educators offer communities that innovative, technology-based models of teaching and learning are so much better—given what our society needs in the 21st century—that the substantial cost and effort of systemic reform is more than worth the trouble?Research documents that new, technology-based pedagogical strategies result in at least four kinds of improvements in educational outcomes. Some of these gains are easy to communicate to the commun ity; others are difficult—but together they constitute a body of evidence that can convince most people. These four types of improvements are listed below, in sequence from the most readily documented to the hardest to demonstrate. Increased learner motivation.Students are very excited when exposed to learning experiences that go beyond information assimilation and teaching-by-telling. Guided inquiry, project-based collaboration, and mentoring relationships all evoke increased learner motivation, manifested via readily observable indicators such as better attendance, higher concentration, and greater time on task. All of these not only correlate with increased educational performance, but also are in stark contrast to the attitudes parents and taxpayers formed about most of their schooling.Documenting to communities that students care about what they are learning and are working hard to achieve complex goals is not difficult, given the ubiquity of videotape players and camcor ders. Student-produced videos that show learners engaged and excited are intriguing to parents and taxpayers, who may not fully understand what is happening in the classroom, but are impressed by student behavior divergent from their own memories and likely to result in better learning outcomes.Too often, educators take little advantage of this easy way to open a dialogue about instructional improvement with the community. Advanced topics mastered. Whatever else they believe about the purposes of schooling, parents want their children to have a prosperous lifestyle and know that this necessitates mastering advanced concepts. In the 21st century, being a successful worker and an informed citizen will require the sophisticated knowledge delineated in the national curriculum standards, especially in the sciences and mathematics.Information technology can help students not only to learn these difficult concepts, but also to master the learning-how-to-learn skills needed to keep their ca pabilities current in a rapidly evolving economy. When shown that technologybased instructional strategies enable teaching sophisticated ideas not now part of the conventional curriculum, more complex than the items on current standardized tests, and harder than what they learned in school, taxpayers are impressed. 9 Students acting as experts do.Developing in learners the ability to use problem solving processes similar to those of experts is challenging, but provides powerful evidence that students are gaining the skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century. One of the most striking features of a classroom based on new instructional models is that learners are behaving as do teams of scientists, mathematicians, designers, or other kinds of expert problem solvers. Pupils’ activities in these learning environments mirror the analytic, interpretive, creative, and expressive uses of information tools increasingly characteristic of sophisticated workplace settings.When parents and taxpayers see students perform complex tasks and create intricate products, they are impressed by the similarity between the recent evolution of their own workplaces and the skills children are developing. Better outcomes on standardized tests. The most difficult type of evidence to provide for the superiority of new, technology-based instructional models is what communities first demand: higher scores on conventional measures of achievement.Standardized tests are designed to assess only a narrow range of knowledge, and the other three types of improvements just discussed fall largely outside the scope of what they measure. A major challenge for educational assessment is to develop methods that measure a wider range of skills than paper-and-pencil, multiple choice tests, without bogging educators down in complex, time-consuming, and potentially unreliable performance evaluations.Research shows that students’ outcomes on conventional achievement tests rise when tec hnology-based educational innovations are implemented, but this does not occur immediately, as teachers and learners must first master these new models of pedagogy. To succeed in systemic reform, educators must prepare communities for the fact that test scores will not instantly rise and that other, complementary types of improvements less easy to report quantitatively are better short-range measures of improvement.Overall, the single most effective means of convincing parents, the business community, and taxpayers that technology-based models of teaching are superior to conventional instructional approaches is to involve them in students’ education. Through distributed learning approaches that build partnerships between schools and society, communities have ample opportunities to observe the types of evidence discussed above, as well as to further enhance students’ educational outcomes. Question Five: How can educational technology increase equity rather than widen cu rrent gaps between â€Å"haves† and â€Å"have-nots? Implemented within a larger context of systemic reform, emerging information technologies can produce dramatic improvements in learning outcomes. But won’t such educational usage of computers and communications widen inequities in our society? However ample the access to technology students have in schools, learners differ greatly in the amount and sophistication of information devices in their homes and communities. Isn’t all this effort simply making education better for the â€Å"haves,† potentially worsening our society’s pathological gaps in income and power?Certainly, new media such as Web TV are dropping in price, and almost all homes have videogames, television, and videotape players—but won’t the rich always have more information devices of greater power than the poor, skewing the advantages of distributed learning and increasing inequality? 10 From an historical perspecti ve, innovative information technologies at first widen inequities within civilization, because initial access to the differential advantage they bring is restricted to the few who can afford the substantial expense of this increased power.As emerging media mature, drop in price, and are widely adopted, however, the ultimate impact of information technology is to make society more egalitarian. For example, the world of universal telephone service is a more equitable environment than was the world of messenger boys and telegraph offices. The challenge for current educational policy is to minimize the period during which the gap between haves and have-nots widens, rapidly moving to a maturity of usage and an universality of access that promotes increased equity.At present, most of society’s attempts to decrease the widened inequalities that new educational technologies could create are centered on access and literacy. In schools that serve disadvantaged and at-risk populations, extra efforts are made to increase the amount of computers and communications available. Similarly, educators and learners in have-not situations are given special training to ensure that they are literate in information tools, such as web browsers.To compensate for more home-based technology in affluent areas, many feel that our best strategy is providing teachers and students in low socioeconomic status areas with additional technology to â€Å"level the playing field† (Coley, Cradler, & Engel, 1997). While a good place to begin, this approach to educational equity is inadequate unless taken beyond access and literacy to also address issues of content and services. The on-line materials and types of assistance that learners and teachers can access must reflect the needs and interests of diverse and at-risk students.For example, I can take homeless people to the public library and show them how to use a web browser to download images of impressionist paintings at the Louvre, but this is not likely to motivate or impress them, since such a learning experience does not speak to their primary needs. Similarly, emerging graphical interfaces such as Microsoft Windowsâ„ ¢ enhance many users’ capabilities, but adversely affect learners with reduced eyesight who cannot effectively manipulate the visual features of these interfaces.The real issue in equity is empowerment—tailoring information technology to give dispossessed groups what they want. For example, I worked with a local team of politicians to explore the implications of information technology for improving public services. They were excited about using community-based information terminals to offer improved access to health care, welfare, education, and other social services for the immigrant and minority populations they served. However, when I began to describe how on-line communication tools could help these groups to increase their participation n voting and to form coalitions fo r political action, the elected representatives immediately lost interest. To truly achieve educational equity, working collaboratively with have-not populations is vital in developing content and services tailored to their needs and designed to build on their strengths and agendas. Otherwise, improving access and literacy will fall short of the success for all students essential to America’s prosperity in the 21st century. Question Six: If we use technology well, what should we expect as â€Å"typical† student performance? 1 If we were to implement systemic reform based on new strategies for learning through sophisticated technology, research suggests that â€Å"typical† students might do as well as â€Å"exemplary† learners do now. Our expectations for what pupils can accomplish are far too low, largely because standard educational processes are obsolete given the progression of information technology, insights into the nature of learning, and shifts in the educational outcomes society needs.In many ways, we live in the â€Å"Dark Ages† of schooling—restrained from making rapid advances toward increased instructional effectiveness by outmoded ideas, ritual, and tradition. Setting our sights higher and using better metrics to measure progress are vital to successful innovation. For example, many people are intrigued by results from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which show the United States well behind nations such as Singapore and Japan on math and science outcomes from a globally developed achievement test. Crusaders are implementing reforms to ensure that our students do much better on this test.However, our goal should not be to exceed the level of Singapore on an assessment instrument that, as described earlier, measures only a fraction of what students need to know for their future prosperity—and moreover incorporates a diluted definition of educational quality negotiated a cross many countries with very different populations and national goals. Others advocate using a standards-based curriculum as the touchstone for educational effectiveness, and reformers are centering state and national judgments of educational worth on this measure.Certainly, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards are a major improvement over the hodgepodge math curriculum before their inception, as are the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) standards and similar efforts in other fields. But our metric for whether students succeed should not simply be whether they learn the math mathematicians think is important, the science scientists feel is vital, and so on. Being a productive worker and citizen involves much more than having an adequate background in each field of knowledge.Integrating these concepts and skills and being a lifelong learner with the self-worth, discipline, and motivation to apply this knowledge is of paramount im portance—yet not captured by discipline-based standards alone. New forms of pedagogy are also no â€Å"philosopher’s stone† that can make golden each educational experience for every learner. Some argue that, if only all classrooms were based on constructivist learning or situated cognition or individualized tutoring or multimedia presentations or integrated learning systems or whatever pedagogical panacea, every student would succeed.However, learning is a very complex and idiosyncratic process that requires, for each pupil, a repertoire of many different types of instruction orchestrated together. In other words, no test, no curriculum, and no instructional strategy in itself can guarantee educational quality—even though our current approach to determining schools’ worth is based on these inadequate measures. Instead, we need new standards for a knowledge-based society that combine all these metrics for success and that are based on much higher l evels of â€Å"typical† student outcomes.Successful technology-based innovations have the common characteristic that learners exceed everyone’s expectations for what is possible. Second graders do fifth grade work; nine graders outscore twelfth grade students. What would those ninth graders be accomplishing if, 12 from kindergarten on, they had continuous access to our best tools, curriculum, and pedagogy? Would they be the equivalent of college sophomores? We are selling short a generation by expecting less and by orienting our curriculum, instruction, and tests accordingly.Conclusion My responses to the six questions above sketch a conceptual framework for thinking about the process of scaling-up from islands of innovation to widespread shifts in standard educational practices. These answers illustrate that technology-based systemic reform is hard in part because our ways of thinking about implementation are often flawed. Large-scale educational innovation will never be easy, but can be less difficult if we go beyond our implicit assumptions about learning, technology, equity, schooling, and society.Understanding the scaling-up process is vital for making strategies for change affordable, generalizable, and sustainable. References Brown, A. L. , & Campione, J. C. (1994). Guided discovery in a community of learners. In K. McGilly (Ed. ), Classroom lessons: Integrating cognitive theory and classroom practice (pp. 229-270). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Coley, R. J. , Cradler, J. , & Engel, P. K. (1997). Computers and classrooms: The status of technology in U. S. schools. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. Dede, C. , & Palumbo, D. (Eds). (in press). Learning with technology (the 1998 ASCD Yearbook).Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Dede, C. (1996). 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