Friday, May 31, 2019

Desertification :: essays research papers

Es set up What is desertification, where is it found, and what are the causes?Desertification is the process by which land dries up eventually over time and the land turning to desert. This is common in Africa where closely of the terrain is a desert. It is believed that the Sahara desert was once fertile ground but now it is dried up. Sand as far as the eye can mark and very little rainfall occurs in this region.About 2500 B.C., the climate of the Sahara changed. Africa was once a fertile barren but where the Sahara lies was once a fertile plain capable of harvesting foods nearly anytime of year out-of-pocket to the warm weather. But it slowly dried up. As the land became parched, the desert spread. The process of desertification devours thousands of acres of cropland and eatage each year. As the region dried the people retreated. With no water and little food the land became inhabitable. Most people migrated south towards the marshlands and the savannah. It is believed on of t he causes of the Sahara is due to over harvesting of crops. It is believed that the Paleolithic people had learned how to cultivate in the Nile valley then spread out and established permanent villages. Archeologist say quite a few of the villages existed on the Sahara. Due to the farming over many years the land dried up due to the inadequacy of minerals and lack of water.The Bantu is what is believed to be the remnants of those who use to farm in the Sahara region. And archeologists have been able to track their migration by studying their language patterns. The Bantu were originally nomadic herders who travelled throughout Africa caring for their flock.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Technology †The Last Great Frontier :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Technology The Last large(p) FrontierIntroduction The scientific confines marks one of the last chapters in the development of American society. We have survived the cultivation of land, ranging from the first exploration of Christopher capital of Ohio to the last expeditions of Buffalo schnoz and the Wild westerly. Now, as there is no longer any land to explore, we must focus our attention on the apace increasing technological age. Without a doubt engine room has blazed a pathway to a new and unmapped educational frontier. This frontier is pioneered by a totally new academic clay distance learning. The distance learning frontier features education of students from outside the traditional classroom setting through the use of technology. For example, quizzes ar taken online, classes are taught all over televisions, and degrees are earned on the Internet. Although this new and unexplored path has vastly expanded our academic horizons, just like the West expanded our country , we must non travel into the frontier without nurturing it first. In order to fully utilize technology we must cultivate the technology frontier in order to tame its communicational dangers. Background Just as the West promised to avenge the needs and dreams of the American people in the nineteenth century, technology promises to satisfy our educational goals in the 21st century. The introduction of the Internet in the 1980s served as the first pioneer to the technological frontier. Never before in account statement had academic information been so readily available at the click of a button. This new system of learning sparked excitement and interest in the minds of students and power members because it provided a potentially go bad way of learning. At first glance, the technological frontier creates an illusion of a quick and convenient educational system however, this is non totally true. The technology frontier is still a new and unmapped territory, and there have not bee n an abundance of studies or writings that explain its possible benefits or dangers. Chris Piotrowski and Stephen Vodanovich, pioneers in the intricacy of technological based learning, conducted a synthesis of the available research in the field. Their procedure for identifying relevant studies was to conduct a serial publication of searches on educational databases. The results showed that investigations some technological based instruction have not been supported by the extent of literature (3). The conductors of this experiment claim that victorious ways to incorporate technology into education have not been carefully examined or researched.Technology The Last Great Frontier Exploratory Essays Research PapersTechnology The Last Great FrontierIntroduction The technological frontier marks one of the last chapters in the development of American society. We have survived the cultivation of land, ranging from the first exploration of Christopher Columbus to the last expeditio ns of Buffalo Bill and the Wild West. Now, as there is no longer any land to explore, we must focus our attention on the rapidly increasing technological age. Without a doubt technology has blazed a pathway to a new and unmapped educational frontier. This frontier is pioneered by a completely new academic system distance learning. The distance learning frontier features education of students from outside the traditional classroom setting through the use of technology. For example, quizzes are taken online, classes are taught over televisions, and degrees are earned on the Internet. Although this new and unexplored path has vastly expanded our academic horizons, just like the West expanded our country, we must not travel into the frontier without nurturing it first. In order to fully utilize technology we must cultivate the technology frontier in order to tame its communicational dangers. Background Just as the West promised to satisfy the needs and dreams of the American people in t he nineteenth century, technology promises to satisfy our educational goals in the twenty-first century. The introduction of the Internet in the 1980s served as the first pioneer to the technological frontier. Never before in history had academic information been so readily available at the click of a button. This new system of learning sparked excitement and interest in the minds of students and faculty members because it provided a potentially better way of learning. At first glance, the technological frontier creates an illusion of a quick and convenient educational system however, this is not totally true. The technology frontier is still a new and unmapped territory, and there have not been an abundance of studies or writings that explain its possible benefits or dangers. Chris Piotrowski and Stephen Vodanovich, pioneers in the expansion of technological based learning, conducted a synthesis of the available research in the field. Their procedure for identifying relevant studie s was to conduct a series of searches on educational databases. The results showed that investigations about technological based instruction have not been supported by the extent of literature (3). The conductors of this experiment claim that successful ways to incorporate technology into education have not been carefully examined or researched.

atlas shrugged :: essays research papers

Book Review ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn RandTaggart Transcontinental is not to be excluded on the effects of declining economic situations experienced by the whole country. Dagny Taggart, the vice president in-charge of operations, upon her visit to the Rio Norte Line to inspect the damages it maintains, goes straight to her brothers potency and reports that the line needs immediate attention and for that she has already ordered Rearden Metal to be used for that line. Jim denounced her decisions and actions not just because she does not have authority to refer those orders but also Rearden Metal is not yet tried before by others. Dagnys plan to rebuild this important line is held back when almost of the corporations business contacts and suppliers as well as own personnels are suddenly leaving and mysteriously vanishing. Meanwhile, Dagnys brother Jim uses his political process to save his railroad and thus the Anti Dog-Eat-Dog Rule was approved to rid of competitions in railroad, spec ific bothy Taggarts competitors. Dagnys plans of rebuilding were further hampered when the State skill Institute publicly deprecates Rearden Metal although this is the best type of metal ever formulated and invented. Focused to rebuild her line, Dagny decides to start her own company where she would take all the risks and responsibilities of using Rearden Metal, and once the line was built, she would then have to return the line to Taggart Transcontinental. Her decision was not a disappointment and proved to be a surprise success. Then, a new set of law called Directive 10-289 was passed and includes a decree that all patents or inventions are to be taken over by the presidential term for public use. Dagny quits and retreats to an old family house in the mountains. She was followed there by Francisco where he now tells her everything he has been up to. However, upon hearing news about a new railroad accident, she rushes back to her office and takes over again. Then in pursuit of t he scientist she has assigned to rebuild a motor that can transform atmospherics energy to kinetic energy that she and Hank have discovered, she crashes into an unknown location where all the missing great minds are living. They are on drive describing it a strike of the mind. There she came to know the real John Galt and was able to live with him for a month.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Fertility Myths with Demeter and Persephone and Amaterasu :: Papers

Compare or course two major female fertility deities as to character, activities and role in the myth. In the myths of the ancient world, a great deal of importance is placed on the rhythmical calendar method of birth control of birth, maturity, death and rebirth. Ancient agrarian people observed the world around them, and from this observance they realized that their lives as well as any other living thing on this planet was a part of an intricate continuing cycle. Everything wither and died, but not before reproducing and continuing the cycle of lifetime. Since female plants and animals were directly responsible for the birth of new life, people worshipped female deities to ensure that the terrestrial cycle of life was maintained in neat balance. One such goddess can be found in Nipponese mythology. The most ancient of Japanese deities, Amaterasu is the goddess of the sun. She is also the ruler of the gods and the universe. She is revered and given hefty praise, evidenced by the fact the Japanese imperial family traces its lineage directly to the Goddess Amaterasu. This reverence is understandable, given the suns intense importance in the cycle of life. With surface the sun, there would be no warmth, no plants, and certainly no humans. It also represents the important role that women played in archaean Japanese culture, where they occupied the same social roles as men. In the myth of Amaterasu, her brother Susano-o-no-Mikoto has offended her by defiling her home and not respecting her. He has also act an act of physical violence against one of her servants. In one version of the myth, one of Amaterasus weaving women dies as a result of a wound to her vulva caused by Susano-o-no-Mikoto. This so enrages Amaterasu that she closes herself into a cave and refuses to come out. Without her life giving rays of sunshine the world begins to wither and die. Other Gods and Goddesses attempt to lure her out of the cave by throwing a celebration. They also set up a large mirror in a hope that when Amaterasu sees how brilliant she looks, she will want to come out and spread her radiance and glory. One of the Goddesses, Ame no Uzume, performs a dance in front of the entrance to the cave. The other Gods and Goddesses cheer so loudly in detention that Amaterasu becomes curious about why everybody is so happy. aft(prenominal) all, they should all be depressed since she and her sunshine are gone.Fertility Myths with Demeter and Persephone and Amaterasu PapersCompare or contrast two major female fertility deities as to character, activities and role in the myth. In the myths of the ancient world, a great deal of importance is placed on the rhythmical cycle of birth, maturity, death and rebirth. Ancient agrarian people observed the world around them, and from this observation they realized that their lives as well as every other living thing on this planet was a part of an intricate continuing cycle. Everything withered and died, but not be fore reproducing and continuing the cycle of life. Since female plants and animals were directly responsible for the birth of new life, people worshipped female deities to ensure that the earthly cycle of life was maintained in proper balance. One such goddess can be found in Japanese mythology. The most ancient of Japanese deities, Amaterasu is the goddess of the sun. She is also the ruler of the gods and the universe. She is revered and given considerable praise, evidenced by the fact the Japanese imperial family traces its lineage directly to the Goddess Amaterasu. This reverence is understandable, given the suns extreme importance in the cycle of life. Without the sun, there would be no warmth, no plants, and certainly no humans. It also represents the important role that women played in early Japanese culture, where they occupied the same social roles as men. In the myth of Amaterasu, her brother Susano-o-no-Mikoto has offended her by defiling her home and not respecting her. H e has also committed an act of physical violence against one of her servants. In one version of the myth, one of Amaterasus weaving women dies as a result of a wound to her vulva caused by Susano-o-no-Mikoto. This so enrages Amaterasu that she closes herself into a cave and refuses to come out. Without her life giving rays of sunshine the world begins to wither and die. Other Gods and Goddesses attempt to lure her out of the cave by throwing a celebration. They also set up a large mirror in a hope that when Amaterasu sees how brilliant she looks, she will want to come out and spread her radiance and glory. One of the Goddesses, Ame no Uzume, performs a dance in front of the entrance to the cave. The other Gods and Goddesses cheer so loudly in appreciation that Amaterasu becomes curious about why everybody is so happy. After all, they should all be depressed since she and her sunshine are gone.

Harvey Keitel: The Art Of Darkness :: essays research papers

Harvey Keitel The Art of DarknessHarvey Keitel was born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 13, 1939. Harvey was the youngest of 3 children, one brother and one sister. Harveys childhood was rough. He spent most of his times on the streets of New York. He was raised in a rather bad neighborhood, and he began to hang out with a local gang. Although things were bad, every summer he would go to Coney Island, grow rocks, and fish. He was a normal child raised in a very dangerous place, but he knew what was the right thing and what was the wrong thing to do. Although he was in a gang, he never really got himself into much trouble.At the age of 16, Harvey Keitel did not know what to do with his life, so he distinguishable to enlist in the Marines. Harvey was stationed in Lebanon, and stayed there for his 3 year term. When Harvey got out of the Marines in 1959, he was still unsure of what he wanted to do for a living. For the time being, he began a job as a shoe salesman. About a year later from selling shoes, Harvey began to take an interest in becoming an actor. He began to try out for part in rack up Broadway plays. Stella Adler and Strasberg found promise in Harvey Keitel, and they began to teach him ways to become a break up actor. Even under these two stars wings, finding work was still very hard for Harvey. He did find some job opportunities in very off Broadway plays. While Harvey Keitel was a very good actor, it did not look like he was going to be going anywhere with acting. Harvey Keitel was about to give up on acting altogether, but he decided to give it a second chance when he answered a newspaper ad by Martin Scorsese, who at the time, was a NYU student face for actors for his thesis work, Whos That Knocking On My Door?. When Harvey and Martin met, they became fast friends, and have stayed friends since than. Keitel has worked with Scorsese many times since than, and only Robert De Niro has worked with Scorsese more than Keitel. Things were looking goo d for Harvey Keitel, but his career took a downfall when he was passed over for a role in Francis Ford Coppolas Apocalypse Now.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling Essay -- Pro Con Essays

All children in America apply the right to a quality education. Most students receive that education through conventional means, passing game to a public or private school. There is another option for todays children, home school day. Home schooling is a controversial issue. While it does have its benefits, more or less people believe it has too many downfalls to be an effective method of education. In this paper, topics such as academic impact, social impact, and sustainal opinions of home schooling will be discussed.Perhaps the most significant impact of home schooling is the actual learning. There are many academic advantages. In a home schooling situation, there is no doubt a more individualized program of study than any traditionalistic school can offer. whatsoever a childs pace or level of ability is, it can be met directly. A parent or tutor can guidance exactly on what the child ingests extra help or improvement in, as well as what the child excels at.(Ray, 2014) I n a public school, discoverers must teach to the middle and have little time to cater to an individual students needs on a regular basis.There is also room for a smash quality of learning in a home schooling setting. Parents or tutors in a home school setting do not have to waste time with administrative tasks or repeating directions. They can get down to learning and reviewing. If a child is ok with a subject, they can motility on. A child who is home schooled also has the opportunity to take part in a greater number of alternative learning experiences. For example, if a parent feels that a trip to a museum will better get a point across, on the spur of the moment they can take their child. Such spontaneousness would not be possible in a regular school classroom. A certain structure is expected in a public school. In home schooling, parents or tutors are free to teach using methods they deem appropriate to the situation and the student.In a traditional school, much time is waste d. The students need time to change classes, get out their homework, pass out papers, etc. Even getting to school is a long trek for some students. In a home schooling setting, these trivial tasks are greatly reduced. For example, the first day of school in a public or private traditional school normally means a lot of paperwork and administrative tasks. Students spend most of the day getting lockers and filling out emergency cards so t... ...l that it is a decision that a parent needs to make, based on what they feel are important standards for learning. Home schooling provides a more relaxed environment, with a one on one learning environment and a flexible schedule. It also provides a pace that is best for the child, an environment on areas children want to focus on as well as confident student who doesnt have to deal with the feelings of others. However, it decreases the socialization of the child, less exposure to different ethnicities and a express view of the real world. The parents probably do not have the recogniseledge they need to teach, there are more distractions to deal with and parents may not know how to teach. These ideas are serious to think about and only add to the controversial idea of home schooling.Articles/Scholarly SourcesRay, Brian D. Customization through Home schooling Education Leadership, April 2014, tidy sum 59. Issue 7.Romanowski, Michael. Common Arguments about the Strengths and Limitations of Home Schooling Clearing House, Nov/Dec 2014, Vol.75, Issue 2.Internet Sourceswww.homeschooling.about.comwww.learninfreedom.comwww.homeschoolingonline.org

Monday, May 27, 2019

First Writing Assignment “Two Views of the Mississippi” Essay

As Mark Twain learned the trade of steamboating he needed to be equal to(p) to discern between the beautiful aspects of the river which he talked about figuratively and the critical awareness of those same aspects as they pertain to navigation. The two sets of details are in juxtaposition. However, there is something larger happening in the excerpt. What is it? Define it as the thematic concern for your paper. Develop your thesis around the larger message. In other words, what is the gravid escort here? What is the larger message that the writing attempts to engage for the audience? Most, if not all, of the nomenclature speaks about two views of the river, but the tension between those descriptions is two explicit and implicit. What are the implied factors (implications) beyond the language of the piece? The explicit examples (tools/devices/strategies of rhetoric) of language will help you speak specifically about the evidence on the rogue as it pertains to the global outlook t hat the piece hints at. The two sets of descriptions set up a much larger concept and that concept permeates into the real world. What is that concept or what are those ideas? They are wide ranging.The ideas are crucial in the understanding of the piece itself, no doubt, however it (they) reach further? How much further do they reach? Respond to the prompt in a way that you touch on the larger messages that are inherent in the piece. Do the ideas shape the human race you are currently forming for yourself? The specific language of the piece are nice examples and activities of rhetoric, so how do they ultimately point to and lead us into answering the bigger question/concept of the piece? In your quest to develop and support your interpretation as to the message of the piece you will find it important to disclose tools of figurative language and how they differ from the literal translations of those same descriptions.Identify tools of figurative languageWhat does that language say? How does it help support your case? Why does the language work? Furthermore, identify the language that juxtaposes the appearance of the figurative language How does that language differ? How does it help support your ideas? What does the language reiterate about the larger picture? Essay will be 5 pages. It will discuss the main idea andsupport it by defining the moments of language that are pertinent to the reciprocation of the larger message.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Understanding the Production of Biofuels in the United States

The current situation in the globose demand for fuel is definitely becoming a global phenomenon, which develops to be a worldwide problem that directly affects the global society and the lives of people. Thus, for the past years, the global oil industry has experienced shortage and/or a crisis, which has caused the international oil price to increase with more than twice its normal vagabond. This global oil crisis and the higher rate of oil prices are indeed harmful and difficult for the people and in the global economy.This problem results to more difficulties in the financial burden of the people and makes the global society suffer from the expensive rate of the crude oil and affects former(a) study industries in its operation. Hence, with the continuous increase in worldwide oil price and the broadening campaign for global crisis, the product of biofuels is now regaining fame and significance amidst all these global issues. In this regard, this research paper concentrates on the topic ab extinct the doing and use of biofuels in the unite States as an selection to the ones that is already in the global mainstream oil market.The paper would work on investigating the butt against of the United States in producing biofuels by utilizing inborn materials such as plants that are rich with the needed substances in making such oil product. Thus, this research would also focus on determining the convinced(p) and negative implications of producing biofuels, as an answer to the growing oil and energy crisis, among the major industries that would directly affected by such process of manufacturing biofuels. Probable Plants to be utilize for the payoff of BiofuelsAs seen to be one of the richest countries in the globe and with the present resources they have, the United States of America is regarded to be one of the leading countries that produces large center of biofuels, more specifically ethanol fuel and biodiesel, which alternatively supplies the local d emand for oil to power vehicles. It is seen that ethanol and biodiesel are the primary biofuels utilized in the United States and as such, the verdant uses mainly edible corn kernels and soyas in producing respective biofuels for local transportation and industry consumption.As of the present time, the United States uses corn kernels in producing bioethanol, which also utilizes a little figure made from sorghum (Hagens). As such, through the use of corn crops alone, the United States is able to produce 4. 9 billion gallons of ethanol in 2006. On the different hand, the production of biodiesel in the United States uses mainly soybean oil and other vegetable oils where in the equivalent year of 2006, the country has produced 100 million gallons biodiesel out of these natural resources (Hagens).Moreover, other major countries that also produces biofuels as an alternative oil to power up their local transportation and industry also uses relatively the same natural resources with th e ones that the United States has been utilize in their own production (Hagens). For instance, Brazil, one of the leading producers of bioethanol, also uses corn kernels being one of the countries which produces large amount of corn crops (Hagens).As for the developing countries such as the Philippines, the productions of biofuels just in their beginnings where the plants to be use for such process depends on the location and available plant resources. In the Philippines, plants interchangeable Jathropa Curcas or better known as Physic nut is given more attention as one of the potential primary natural resources in producing biodiesel and cassava perennial plant in processing bioethanol fuels (Varona). How this plants grown and processed to produce biofuelsPlanting and growing these plants in producing biofuels requires typical way plant farming, which only requires a certain demand for fossil fuel consumption for the entire process of producing biofuels. As for the plant that pro duces bioethanol such as the corn, the process of planting and growing is seen to be tricky that entails possible negative results in the environment (Biodiesel Edges Out Ethanol). Firstly, the corn is often globally regarded as a crop that is not environmentally friendly, which requires coarse quantities of fertilizers and pesticides in growing.Study shows that the impact of large-scale cultivation has negative adverse effects on the environment wherein the soil becomes uncultivable after the harvesting of corns that requires certain amount of time for recovery (Keim). As for the growing of soybean that is being used in producing biodiesel, the planting process is relatively easier but also environmentally unfriendly. To be able to achieve the greatest spirit of soy beans for biodiesel production, though soybeans is adaptable to different conditions of soil, seeds must be planted in a top quality soil and in temperate weather.Thus, the impact of soybean large-scale cultivation en tails negative adverse effects in the environment wherein through this entire process of planting and growing, the healthy and fertile soil and water are being polluted through the use of detrimental chemicals such as pesticide and fertilizer ( soyabean Production). Production Process for Corn The process involved in producing ethanol out of corn involves several processes. The first step includes accessory of water to grains which have been previously grounded (Utilization of Bio-fuel Co-products).The mixture of water and grounded grains is subjected to high temperatures under the liquefaction process and alpha-amylase are added (Utilization of Bio-fuel Co-products). After which, it goes through fermentation where yeast is used in night club for the sugars to be fermented, which then produces ethanol and carbon dioxide (Utilization of Bio-fuel Co-products). The beer produced in the fermentation tanks proceed through a distillation system that separates the ethanol and leaves a consentient stillage (Utilization of Bio-fuel Co-products). In the whole stillage the solids are separated from the liquid through the process of centrifugation.Afterwards, an evaporation step is done for the liquid portion to remove any excess water and leaves condensed syrup (Utilization of Bio-fuel Co-products). This condensed syrup is placed back with the grains of wet distillers and is dried to come up with DDGS or distillers dried grains with solubles (Utilization of Bio-fuel Co-products). A diagram for this process is shown below Production Process for Soybean The main process through which soybean can be turned into soy biodiesel is called transesterification, which makes soybean oil transform into esters (How to disembowel Soy Biodiesel From Scratch).In the said process, the oil of the soybean is separated and its glycerine sinks at the bottom and the soybean biodesel goes to the surface (How to Make Soy Biodiesel From Scratch). When this happens, the soybean biodiesel is siphoned (How to Make Soy Biodiesel From Scratch). Efficient Producers of Biofuels In a sense, the fully developed countries like the United States and Brazil are regarded as efficient producers of biofuels as compared to the other developing countries that are having a hard time establishing and starting a reliable way of producing biofuels.Unlike any other countries, the United States and Brazil are the top producers of biofuels, more specifically the bioethanol, which made them successful in attending to their local demands for clean fuels for energy consumption. In addition to this, the European countries also are among the top and efficient producers of another biofuel which is that of the biodiesel that normally caters to the demand of clean diesel fuel for their local vehicle and transportation. In these countries, in that respect is a reliable means of producing these biofuels due to the available resources as compared to other countries.Plants Consumption for Biofuel and its effect in the Global Food Prices With the trend in using some of the major plants for producing biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel, this entire process entails negative impacts in the supply and price of food in the worldwide market, more peculiarly among the developing countries. Thus, there are reports that the consumption of plants, more specifically with corns and soybeans, creates shortage on the supply for benignant consumption as food. As such? in most of the countries across the globe, the production of biofuels is being blamed to be the number one cause of global food crisis.In addition to this, such consumption of plants for biofuel production generates shortage and difficulties for developing countries with the continuous increase in the price of food in the global market (Lovgren). Conclusion In the end, the production of biofuels as an alternative solution for the ever looming energy crisis is indeed a brilliant idea and a positive approach to resolve such global problem. However, the countries which serve as the major producers of biofuels must also ensure the welfare of the people and do this in such a way that is not harmful for the public and the environment.Thus, the major biofuel producers must also continue to do research with the purpose of discovering other ways of producing biofuels aside from consuming plants that are supposed to be allotted for human consumption to be able to avoid the competition between the interest of the public and need for resolving the looming global energy crisis. Work Cited Aoko, Sam. 12 humanss Largest Biofuel Plants. Eco Worldly. 18 November 2009 http//ecoworldly. com/2008/04/23/12-worlds-largest-biofuel-plants/ Biodiesel Edges Out Ethanol. Last Updated July 18, 2006. RenewableEnergyWorld. com. 18 February 2009 http//www. renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2006/07/biodiesel-edges-out-ethanol-45457 Hagens, Nate. The Implications of Biofuel Production for United States Water Supplies. The Oil Drum. 18 February 2009 How to Make Soy Biodiesel From Scratch. 2009. All Soy Products. 18 February 2009 . Keim, Brandon. Corn-Based Biofuels Spell Death for Gulf of Mexico. Last Updated March 13, 2008. CondeNet, Inc. 18 February 2009 Lovgre, Stefan. Hardy Plant May Ease Biofuels Burden on Food Costs.Last Updated April 21, 2008. National Geographic Society. 18 February 2009 Soybean Production. Last Updated February 18, 2009. National Soybean Research Laboratory. 18 February 2009 Utilization of Bio-fuel Co-products. University of Saskatchewan. 18 February 2009 . Varona, Bernice. Power plants University spearheads biofuel R&D. UP System Information Office. 18 February 2009 http//www. up. edu. ph/upnewsletter. php? i=321

Friday, May 24, 2019

A Day to Remember – I Can Still Remember It Like It Was Yesterday

I can still remember it like it was yester sidereal day. It each started at to the highest degree 2 p. m. It was the time I went back from school on foot. I was so tried and all I wanted was to just relax and eat. When I arrived at the front gate, I was shocked. The gate and the door were opened. It was because at that time t present was nobody in my house as all my family members were not at home I was f businessened and did not know what I should do. Should I go inner or call the police? I was hesitant because my family went step up for work and they would normally tell me if they took afternoon off.However, I decided to see what was happening. I picked up a hard pound so that if something happened, I could nourish myself. Then, I walked slowly to my house. I took a deep breath yet, the feeling of dread weighted heavily on me. I clenched the wooden stick on my hands, mind alert and be ready. I walked slowly into my house with my wooden stick in hands. Suddenly, I had nagging feeling that I was world followed. My senses were very alert and I could hear footsteps behind me but when I turned to glance behind I could see no one.I did not take too much notice on it actually. I thought that it might be my illusion because I was too nervous in such an un stockpileed situation. I grasped my wooden stick again, be prepared. I pushed the slightly-opened door, looked around if there were something going misemploy. My heart started to beat quickly. Darkness always terrified me as the curtains blocked forbidden the sun. I looked for the switch and turned on the light. I glanced around again to do a second check. There was nothing wrongEverything was arranged properly and it just seemed like nothing happened. Whats happening and why is the door open but there seems to be no one inside? i say to myself and all this while my head was filled with images of unrealistic thing from novels and movies. I crept around on tiptoes in order to find bug out what on earth w as going on. As I was getting nearer to the staircase, I heard someone talking vociferously. A wave of horror brush over me. Since everyone should not be at home, who was emitting the sound?Once again, I had vivid recollection of Count Dracula, Frankensteins monster, mummies, phantoms and zombies but I compelled myself to kicked kick these horrifying images out my mind. When I eventually convinced myself to regain composure, I walked gently quietly up the stairs and snatched a quick peek peep into the dim outdo room through the crevice of the wall. I could merely see two vague outlines of human figure who stood as still as stone in the room, silhouetted against the light. To my astonishment, they were Mum and Dad.They should not be here right now. I knew them very well. Workaholics like them would only want to come home after they had settled all their clienteles. I was absolutely perplexed by their peculiar behaviour that day. As I was dominated by the profound inquisitiveness, I reached the door knob and think to open the heavy wooden door. Nevertheless, the door banged opened before I succeeded in quenching my thirst for the content of their earlier conversation. I was standing right in front of them but they seemed to be ignorant to of my existence.I wondered if the scenario in sci-fi movie befell me and my parents would not recognise who I was. I had been proven wrong when I heard their quarrel them quarreling. They were just too engrossed in their quarrel and did not notice me. Then, I hid myself at the corner of the stairs and listened to them. Cant you find a job? Do you think I can keep on supporting all this home with this small meagre income? Mum shouted. What do you expect me to do since when I dont even received receive any reply after sending numerous copies of job application letters? Dad say desperately. From the quarrel, I found that Dad was dismissed last week due to economic downturn and he pretended to go to work every day just to ensu re that we were not worried about him. Although Mum earned a lucrative salary every month, this amount of money would be scant(predicate) because of various types of bills and fees which became the main cause of their quarrel. Brainstorming, rushing in my mind was the thought of whether I should give up the tuitions and my favourite piano lesson to cut down the family expenditures?I knew I had the responsibilities to do it. I came out and approached them slowly. Dad mum I said that with the tone of depressed with a cautious. Oh, why were you standing over here there? What is going on, Jason? Dad asked. I Im sorry I have overhead your argument, I have decided to give up all the tuition. I dont want to attend the piano lesson anymore. I am unwilling I could not bear to see all these and it is also my responsibility to help to decoct the family burden. I said. Why do you think like that? It is just a small matter.We have abilities to let you go to for tuition. Dont worry about it, J ason. Dad said smilingly. I knew that my dad was only consoleding me, as he did not want to get at me unhappy. I just kept quiet and did not say anything. Go to bathe now Dad said again. I followed his order. After I had taken the bath, I went back to my room immediately and sat down on the chair. At the same time, I thought that how could I do. Should I give up the tuition or go out to find part-time job? I was very confused and bothered on to make an appropriate decision but I had to do so.Well, I decided to give up the tuition because I was trusted my own ability that I could still cope with my study if I put more effort and concentration in my study. I did not want my parents to quarrel on this small issue as I still had a chance to prevent it if I could make a concession. It was the first time I saw my parent wrangled in front of me. I was shocked and still not able to believe that adventure had happened as my parents were very kind and respect each other. Unbelievable abou t the incident happen yesterday, as my parent is very kind and harmonious. It was certainly a day to remember

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Challenges of Studying Written and Oral Sources in Africa

One of the biggest issues facing Afri sack up historians is the fact that the orbit of actual African History is relatively new. A large majority of the reservoirs available are pen from the point of view of Europeans, with an Intended audience of Europeans. L In this swellhead method of reporting history, Africans were viewed more than as objects a people with a past plainly no history. 2 The create verbally historical sources leaved by imperialists robbed Africans of their voice.The ace challenge facing African historians Is to catch out a way to Inject the African voice Into the narrative, and thus roved a more accurate representation of the Continental history. This task presents more profound questions. What qualities make someone an African? Is it sufficient to be a black person living on the continent? atomic fall 18 there levels of ethnicity? Are the descendants of Africans brought to other parts of the world In the slave trade Africans? Ultimately, who decides w ho Is African? Equally problematic is the Issue regarding what represents a reasonable source, either pen or spoken.Each presents unique challenges that must be addressed in order to qualify the value of the In miscellaneaation they portend to provide. While the more traditional African historical sources are Invariably prone to the problem of European bias, cave paintings offer a source that was born out of a desire of an African (not a European) to docu handst their construes. For example, the rock art of Gill Kefir in what is present-day Egypt represents people allegedly engaging in the catchy of swimming. 3 This offers historians perhaps the oldest example of source material regarding African history. UT what does this Written source actually tell African historians? Most importantly, it definitively proves that someone was there, and through scientific dating cuisines, It indicates approximately when they were there. This is real, hard evidence, which underpins all historic al search. 4 This Is not to Infer that there are not problems with the use of the paintings as a source of usable evidence. The older a source is, it is more likely to be inaccurate. 5 Were the people in the paintings actually swimming, as scientists believe?Does that mean that the cast off where the cave paintings were found was once a land that contained lakes or rivers? Or did the cave painters devise their art from the second-hand memories of others who had traveled to faraway lands? What was the reason they chose to document their experience? Was it graffiti? Was it done for religious reasons? Was it a territorial marking? Archaeological sites are less prevalent in Africa than other parts of the world, which Is problematic In having the ability to compare this particular site to others.Further, the available pull in needed to compare these archaeological finds are fewer in number in African regions, and sometimes less accessible due to political reasons. The In pathation In the African archives that do exist Is often more difficult to deliver than traditional archival Information In that well-nigh African engages are oral examination, and not compose, and nearly impossible to document without the benefit of oral history. 6 How can African historians mitigate these challenges and OFF source?One suggestion is to actively search for other existing examples of cave paintings and to compare them based on materials, method, content, location, etcetera When such(prenominal) comparable examples do not exist, scientists could initiate more archaeological digs, extend communication among scientists to broaden the evidence base, and exert political pressure upon leaders to focus on scientific endeavors, as well as the preservation of the archives. Like historians in other parts of the world, African historians face the challenge of deteriorating archives because of damage caused by the elements, water damage, and insects. Traditional pen sources such as gov ernment documents, tax records, and newspapers may also be lost due to archival neglect. Historians must consider several criteria of source criticism to narrow down each written sources historical value. 8 Regardless of the name on the document, who was the actual source? What was the real purpose of the document? Who was the intended audience? Did the author have personal motives in reporting it in the manner in which he did? For example, most government documents from Colonial Africa were written by Europeans, with an intended European audience.There is no African voice in this history. Africans were treated like objects,9 and colonial imperialistic authors of written sources believed that they actually were generating history for the first time?that Africa (and Africans) had no history before their arrival. 10 Another limitation of written documents is that they are created from the point of view of an observer, and thus produce an opinion that is completely subjective, and t hereby, by definition, are open to other opinions and observations. To address the limitations of written documents, historians often attempt to incorporate oral sources in continuative with written sources in order to strengthen historical evidence. Anxiety about flawed written sources drew scholars away from libraries and into towns and villages for historical narrative. 12 The incorporation of oral history into the narrative makes it more evidential and gives the written documents a more verifiable African voice. Relying on written documents from the Colonial period without the incorporation of oral sources, in many cases, produces an inaccurate version of African history.Typically, in the African history provided by Colonial Europeans their culture, norms, and ideology were largely ignored. One of the key methods to avoid (the opening of denying Africans a voice in their own history) is to include a peoples own oral traditions and life histories in ethnographically and archaeol ogical work. 13 Because most African languages in Colonial Africa were oral and not written,14 it is imperative to consider oral sources to bolster the evidence provided by written sources. oral examination sources can provide a wealthiness of historical evidence.For example, Historical linguists use oral sources to accurately track the movement of people across the continent. 15 This evidence of human migration can help excuse cultural change, which is important when considering that a lack of concentration of people in a particular area makes a study of their culture less possible. literal histories offer first-hand accounts of events. These oral histories evolve into oral traditions16 stories passed down from generation to generation, offering us a glimpse of pre-colonial Africa not found in the Euro-centric written documents of imperialists.Oral sources obviously can complement the written, a realization that was for too long lost on most professional order to strengthen writ ten sources to form cohesive historical evidence is Jan Vinson, who establi bedevil that the stories handed down from one generation to another Were as stable and reliable accounts of their past as were the written chronicles and personal narratives (and) that in fact they were of the same genre. 18 In Bananas own words by creating a lifelike setting, (oral tradition) gives evidence about how situations as they were observed, as well as about beliefs discovering situations. 19 Thus, oral sources, through both shared oral history and oral traditions, combined with written sources, form a more credible account of historical occurrences than written sources alone provide. Oral sources, though, are not without their limitations. (H)Astoria can place trust in oral sources only to the extent that they can be verified by means of external evidence of another kind, such as archaeological, linguistic, or cultural. 20 Oral sources are subject to misinterpretation because of selective or col lective memory, rumor, myth, or hearsay. That being said, oral sources subject to these limitations unbosom offer substance, because historians can still study why the subjects believe it happened that way. 22 African historians can mitigate the limitations of oral sources by searching for information that is precious, if not as historical evidence, but as information that is not readily apparent through the written archive. While attempting to glean evidence from a source on one topic, a historian may gain knowledge of another unintended topic.Ultimately, it is the duty of the historian to subject all written accounts to radical internal and external analysis to determine authenticity and credibility. If the accounts are thoroughly contemplated, and the texts can be compared to one another with the information contained in oral and other sources, they will continue to yield valuable information on the history of Africa. 23 These things considered if an historian wanted to get an approximation of how many Africans were enslaved, maimed or killed in the occupation of King Leopold in the Congo, where would they start? What sources would they utilize, and what would they expect to find?What there information superpower they accidentally stumble upon? I propose that a good place to start would be to examine any existing hospital documents from 1885-1908, to determine if there is a written record of the number of people treated for loss of limbs. Local censuses (if available), police records, legions ledgers, property records, death certificates might also prove as fruitful written resources. Additionally, missionary records in the region mighty prove to be valuable, curiously considering that they would probably not require translation, lessening the possibility that any information would be mistranslated.Another possible valuable written source might be records in the Belgian archive, or that of the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo. The historian mi ght hope to find information or documents concerning the Congo Reform Association, which might shed some light on the information she seeks. Additionally, research on the Congo Free State propaganda war and the International Association of the Congo might provide valuable useful written sources of evidence of injuries and deaths to those enslaved at that time.One might also be able to glean useful information from historical-based literature, such as Joseph Concords midsection of Darkness, Sir Arthur Cowan Doles The Crime of the Congo, and Bertrand Russell Freedom and Organization. Research on the parties evidence of the atrocities in the region, including Edmund Dine Muriel, Roger Casement and the aforementioned Bertrand Russell. Local museums might contain artwork from the region during Loopholes occupation that captures the outrage, desperation and helplessness of the affected.By speaking to locals, she might teach, through oral tradition, the stories passed down from generatio n to generation about the occupation. In the unlikely, yet still possible event, that any 106-year-old residents still survive, they would be able to provide first-hand oral history. Other than gaining information regarding the number of enslaved, killed and maimed, she would, in all probability, gain an understanding of the long-term effects of the occupation of Leopold upon the citizens, as well as information of how Loopholes occupation came to an end due to intense international criticism.Possible obstacles that she might experience In retreat, Leopold may have destroyed written evidence of the atrocities, as well as local artwork or libraries. His regime may have been so strict that any expression, either written or oral, was prohibited and subject to the same penalties as those who refused to work in the mines, or underperformed in their duties, diminishing oral sources. Lets consider that the same historian endeavored to shoot the approximate number of the descendants of dia sporas Africans who returned to partake in the so-called redeeming of Africa. Where might she begin, and what would she expect to find? What limitations might she encounter? What other information might she learn along the way? A good starting mint would be to visit the archives in Liberia and Sierra Leone countries set up as places of African repatriation for freed slaves. There, she could view the legal records regarding who came back and when they returned, who their family members were, where they lived, as well as their professions. Available Census documents would prove to be invaluable in that regard.Ships manifests would reflect the number of passengers returning to these countries, as well as the number of family members that accompanied them. She could research the founders of both countries, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first president of Liberia, and Christopher Koru Cole and Osaka Stevens, early leaders of Sierra Leone, to find documents pertaining to the numbers of retu rning Africans. She could study historical literature about repatriation, such as Back to Africa the Colonization Movement in Early Africa by herds grass Crummier, as well as Black Migration in America a Social Demographic History by Daniel M.Johnson and Rexes R. Campbell. She could also read the works of the men who themselves returned, such as George Washington Williams, Samuel Jay Crotchet, and Henry McNealy Turner. 4 Some limitations she might experience in her research inconclusive data due to the relative impossible action of proving that they (or their descendants) were indeed originally removed from the continent. Incomplete or inaccurate documentation might also prove to be a stumbling block in attaining this information.Additional research on topics such as the American Colonization Society, and the histories of both Liberia and Sierra Leone would not only provide numerical data, but also undoubtedly uncover unintended useful information about the achievements and politi cal and religious aims of those who returned, as well as how hey were received. Did they consider themselves more civilized than the native Africans whose descendants had not been removed from the continent?What other the reasons why some Africans did not return, even though they had the opportunity. Through personal interviews of present-day citizens who are descendants of returning freed slaves she could learn of the oral traditions they had developed. She might also learn of the artwork prevalent in these regions, as well as the folklore and literature that the return to Africa produced, and how it differed from that of indigenous Africans. As a recognized academic endeavor, (African history) has emerged only in the last four or five decades. 25 Until recently, African history was written by and for Europeans, and as such, didnt provide a realistic depiction of the people, the culture, and the overall actual history of the continent, but served more as a record of White encroachm ent, and functioned as a tool of propaganda to real the civilizing mission of Europeans. By altering traditional methodology and utilizing both written and oral sources, a more accurate picture of African history ND its people can be discovered and studied.Beyond the fade of imperialistic African history, there is a real history of the African continent that invites further study, and such an endeavor is necessary in restoring the African voice. If we fail to do so, (w)e run the risk of not only denying people a voice in the reconstruction of their own history, but offending and demeaning indigenous cultures when we use them as a model for the past without recognizing not only their changing past but their active involvement in changing and/or maintaining their identities and history in the present. 26

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Explore the theme of escapism in Peter Pan Essay

The theme of escapism is prominent in practically childrens literature. Frances Hodgson-Burnetts The closed book Garden is, like hawkshaw Pan, an utilization of Edwardian childrens literature. Both these novels are reports of escapism from really demeanor into another world. There are also more recent examples of escapism in childrens literature. In the 1950s C. S. Lewis invented Narnia, and in even more recent literature, Harry Potter escapes his everyday life to go to school at Hogwarts. J. M.Barries Peter Pan, an early Edwardian novel, is one of the great classics of British childrens literature and is, on the surface, a tale about a boy who refused to grow up. There is however, an underlying plot concerning a girl who must grow up. It is from this obligation that Barries Neverland acts as a form of escape. Throughout Peter Pan, there is little focus on the female characters. It is almost assumed that Wendy will grow up and run short a Mother, as all daughters do.Although Neverland allows Wendy to escape from her home and from the interior(prenominal) world she knows, she does not escape domesticity altogether. She almost becomes mother to the Lost Boys, and is given a number of domestic duties such as ironing Peters shadow. However, Wendys relationship with Peter is not entirely conventional. She appears to be the closest thing Peter has to a girlfriend, as he rejects the cozy advances of both Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily. However, Wendy also appears to be acting as his mother, something Peter has been deprived of his whole life.It is the childish energy of Barries imagination filled with such a splendid jumble of pirates, redskins, fairies and mermaids that enthrals so many children (Carpenter p172). Through this manipulation of other peoples minds and emotions, Barrie carries them off from the real world to a country of his own invention (Carpenter p179). Barrie seems to be presenting his readers with a substitute faith, to act as a form of escap e from the Christian teachings of the twee era.It has even been suggested that Peter Pan is in position an alternative religion. Humphrey Carpenter suggests that in many respects Peter is Christ-like. Possibly the most obvious example of this is when he takes Wendy and her brothers on a flight of fantasy to his own promised landly land (Carpenter p182). The Lost Boys who live there seem to represent the souls of the dead as Peter asserts, They are the children who fall out of their prams when the nurse is looking the other way, therefore still increasing Neverlands resemblance of heaven.The concept of escaping to heaven was extremely authorized to Barrie. He lost his brother David at a young age and subsequently spent much of his life trying to become a living version of the boy who by dying remained ever young (Wallshli ger p120). To observe Peter and Hook as the Christ and Satan of Barries religion, the reader must have faith in the novel. The theme of belief is interesting throughout Peter Pan as the reader is, like the pricey children, constantly being asked, Do you believe? In order to fly, the Darling children must have faith, and think lovely wonderful thoughts, as Peters fairy dust is, in itself not enough. In turn the reader or audience must have faith and believe in the fact that a child can fly. Similarly, in order to escape to Neverland, a reader must have faith that there is such a household somewhere past the second star to the right and straight on until morning. The theme of belief is peculiarly important at the end of Barries story when the darling children lose their faith and no longer believe in Peter, and so cannot see him.Though faith and belief are important in Peter Pan, the moon of escaping to another world seems to be almost self-sufficient. Barrie implies there is little need to grow up or awaken from this dream as it is in fact already framed by the Edwardian domesticity of the real world where wealth and relationships are important. Carpenter in fact goes further than this by asserting that children must not grow up and claims that to visit Neverland requires an act of belief that children cannot sustain as they grow up (Carpenter p180).Peter himself seems to be of the opinion that it is only children, who can escape the drudgery of everyday life and claims, I want always to be a little boy, and to have dramatic play. Barries adventure story and his creation of such a magical hero seems to have achieved what so much childrens literature had previously essay to do. Peter represents the shift from the Victorian perception of the child as a moral icon to a craze for the child as a fun-loving playboy hero (Wallshli ger p111).Peter has no memory or emotion, and so can live only for the moment and experiences ecstasies that other children can never know (Wallshli ger p117). Peter is an asexual child rather than a young man. Barrie himself was also somewhat sexless, and it is doubtful whether his marriag e was ever consummated. This lack of sexuality and romantic relationship is equal well on stage as Peter is often played by an actress, and is therefore viewed as an androgynous figure. Another interesting aspect of the plaster cast of Peter Pan is that of Mr. Darling and Hook, who traditionally, are played by the same actor.This becomes particularly significant when considering the theme of masculinity in Peter Pan. There is much evidence of male competitiveness in the novel. The most obvious example of this is Peters dual with Hook, which appears to be an assertion of masculinity by Peter. It is particularly interesting that it is Peter and the lost boys who triumph over Hook who is a mature villain. This youthful triumph acts as another form of escape for a young reader. Traditionally in Victorian society adults were in control and would have power over children.In Barries Childrens fantasy, it is youth and sexual immaturity that enable Peter to triumph over his adult rivals. I t has been suggested by many critics that Peter, The boy who wouldnt grow up, is a representation of Barrie himself. Barrie was a short man and despite a moustache retained a markedly boyish look until old age (Carpenter p173). He was in a physical respect, quite literally, a boy who couldnt grow up. This figure of a man in a childs body is doubtlessly the principle model for Peter, who is neither child nor adult (Carpenter p177).

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Benihana Company Essay

Helping our guests feel welcome is as important as our cooking. And it is just as gigantic a skill. Ever striving for excellence in hospitality, it is truly our restaurant family who has built Benihanas success. club HistoryBenihana, Inc. owns and licenses restaurants in the Benihana and Benihana Grill chain of Nipp peer littlese dinnerhouses. The restaurants specialize in an exhibition-style of Japanese cooking called teppanyaki. Customers sit around a communal table at which a Benihana chef slices their sea feed, steak, chicken, and ve letables with lightning speed, grills their meal right in earlier of them, and then tosses it accurately onto their plates. The restaurants are decorated with Samurai armor and valuable art, and Shoji rice paper screens partition the dining areas. For the fiscal year containing March 31, 1996, the come with had gross sales of over $81 million, an all-time high. By December 1996, Benihana operated a total of 49 licensed and wholly owned restaur ants in 20 states as well as in Bogota, Columbia, and Aruba, Netherlands Antilles.Early History, from capital of Japan to novel YorkThe founder of Benihana, Inc. was a 25-year-old Olympic wrestler from Japan named Hiroaki grating Aoki. He got his start in the restaurant business by working by and by school in his familys coffee shop in downtown Tokyo. His mother named the family business Benihana afterwards a red flower that survived the bombing of Tokyo during World War II. Rocky was a scrapper, defending himself in the streets and schoolyards against bigger boys. He got hooked on wrestling, became a national university champion, and earned a place on the 1960 Olympic team. Although he didnt compete because he was over his weight limit, he did choke in love with sensitive York when the plane stopped there on the way to the Games in Rome. That fall he left Japan for the United States.In 1964, Aoki graduated from New York Community Colleges School of Hotel and Restaurant Manage ment. During the summer he earned money driving the only ice cream motortruck in Harlem. The job was not easy, as he explained in an article in Management brush up. Every time I robbed, I get up earlier the next daytime and work later to make up. Every time I lose money, I get more challenge. With that philosophy, he managed to salve $10,000 during the summer, which, along with a loan, was enough to start his first restaurant, Benihana of Tokyo.Aokis imagination for his saucy restaurant, derived from specialty restaurants he knew of in Japan, was part entertainment and part food service. He essentialed to offer Americans food they were familiar with, such as chicken, steak, and shrimp, prepared in a novel setting. He chose the teppanyaki tablea clean steel grill surrounded by a wooden eating surfacewhere customers could watch a knife-wielding, joke-telling chef prepare and serve their food. His parents and brothers came from Japan to help him get started.Unfortunately, New Y orkers equated Japanese food with raw fish and werent comfortable sitting at a table with strangers. They ignored the midtown Manhattan eatery until the restaurant critic of the New York Herald Tribune gave it a glowing review. Suddenly, everyone in New York, including the Beatles and Muhammad Ali, wanted to sit around one of Benihana of Tokyos four teppanyaki tables. Within six months after the review the restaurant had paid for itself, and Aoki quickly opened another restaurant in a larger, fancier building. The new location provided the same teppanyaki-style cooking only if was decorated with valuable art, Samurai armor, heavy wooden ceiling beams brought from Japan by Aokis father, and sliding Shoji screens to provide some privacy.1965-80 Building a CompanyThe Benihana concept combined reasonable prices with good food, and, by preparing what was eaten right at the table, held waste to a minimum. Profits were good, and, in 1968, Aoki opened his first Benihana of Tokyo outside Ne w York Cityin downtown Chicago. That location made $700,000 in its first year and continued to be one of the companionships top earning outlets. betwixt 1969 and 1972, the company opened six more of its own restaurants and licensed franchisees to open another ten. In a joint venture with the Las Vegas Hilton, the company developed Benihana Village, a 38,000-square-foot complex of restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues. In 1972, the company grossed $12 million and the Harvard Business School selected Benihana of Tokyo as a case study of an entrepreneurial success story.With business going so well, Rocky Aoki could devote time to his other interests which included racing balloons and powerboats, collecting items ranging from vintage cars to slot machines and learning backgammon. Rocky wanted to play, Joel Schwartz, the companys president, explained in a 1989 Forbes article. To help oversee the chains operations and expansion, Aoki brought in a management company, Hardwicke Cos., as a partner in 1976. The relationship lasted only four years and, in 1980, Aoki ended the partnership, paying $3.7 million to break the contract. As Rod Willis of Management Review explained in a 1986 article, He Aoki felt the companys management style clashed with his predominately Oriental workforce, and he wanted to maintain control over each restaurants quality. The following year Aoki settled, without admitting any guilt, a Securities and Exchange Commission charge that he had improperly traded in Hardwicke stock while component part as vice-president of Hardwicke.The 1980s Ups and DownsTo help pay off the debt incurred in the split with Hardwicke, Aoki decided to take part of the company public. He accomplished this by having Benihana of Tokyo (BOT) form Benihana field Corporation (BNC) in 1982 and then taking the latter company public the following year. Investors paid the Miami-based BNC $11 for a unit consisting of cardinal common offices and a warrant to buy an other at $6. With the $5.5 million raised by selling half a million of these units, BNC bought 11 restaurants from Aoki in exchange for 60 percent of the BNC common stock and $2.5 million to pay BOTs debt. Later in the year, BNC bought another three restaurants from BOT for $7 million.In go against of the new corporate structure, Benihana of Tokyo and Benihana National Corporation remained under the management of the same group of executives. As corporate president, Joel Schwartz continued to oversee the day to day operation of both companies. Aoki, who served as president of both entities, retained 51 percent of the common stock in BNC and kept about 30 restaurants in the privately held BOT. Aoki developed new concepts for the Benihana food chain but he in addition continued to play hard, becoming a championship-level backgammon player and setting a world record in off-shore powerboat racing. The Double Eagle V, a 400,000 cubic-foot gas balloon, displayed the Benihana logo as it became the first crewed balloon to successfully cross the pacific Ocean, with Aoki as one of the crew members.One of Aokis new concepts was Benihana National Classics, a line of Chinese gourmet rimy foods, introduced in 1984 and sold in supermarkets. Chinese cuisine was chosen when the company found that Japanese food didnt freeze well. Within a year the Classics were the best-selling Oriental stock-still foods in the United States, with sales in one quarter alone reaching more than $40 million and profits climbing to over $4 million. The companys stock took off, going as high as $21.50 in 1985. In December of that year, Restaurant and Institution magazine named Benihana of Tokyo the or so popular family-style restaurant in America. At that time, Benihana of Tokyo and Benihana National together operated or franchised restaurants in 60 locations, from Seattle to New Jersey, serving a total of 25,000 customers a day.Benihana Nationals frozen food success quickly attracted the att ention of major food companies. When Campbell Soup and Stouffers began offering their own lines of Oriental frozen foods, however, Benihana couldnt compete. The company lost $11 million on frozen foods between 1985 and 1987 and finally sold the business, for $4.5 million, to the small company that had been producing the dinners for them.Frozen food, however, was not Aokis only new idea. In 1985, Benihana National opened its first seafood restaurant, The Big Splash, just north of Miami. Aoki believed the sea would be the primary supplier of food in the future, and, borrowing an idea from a Malaysian fish market, came up with the concept of a seafood marketplace/restaurant. Customers could choose from hundreds of varieties of fresh seafood, decide how they wanted it cooked, and watch it cosmos prepared. The idea was so popular initially that a second Big Splash was opened.The seafood restaurants soon experienced difficulty, however, registering losses of $2.7 million during 1987. The wide variety of options ran all told counter to the tight focus and minimal waste of the Benihana steakhouses. At the Miami location, the majority of customers were retirees who resented the high prices and preferred to eat fish they were familiar with. All we sold was chromatic and red snapper, Aoki told Eric Schmukler in a March 1989 Forbes article. The company closed its Big Splash outlets in March 1988. The 1988 fiscal year was a hard one for Benihana, as the company recorded a loss of nearly $7 million. condescension the companys financial problems with Classics and Big Splash, the Benihana restaurants themselves were still popular. By the end of fiscal 1989, the publicly owned Benihana National Corp. reported profits of some $1.8 million on sales of $34 million at its 20 restaurants, with Aokis privately-held Benihana of Tokyo taking in similar revenues.1990-94 Making a TurnaroundRocky Aoki kicked off the new decade by opening a picture gallery in one of the Miami Benihana restaurants to display a portion of what was becoming known in the art world as the Rocky Aoki Collection. Having spent more than a year consolidating his diverse collections, Aoki told Antiques & Collecting, I think its a natural to have a gallery here. More than 90,000 people eat in this restaurant every year why not provide them with something beautiful to look at, not to mention buy, if they so desire. In a 300-square-foot space that had been the restaurants gift shop, diners could view etchings by Icarts, lamps by Tiffany and Handel, and bronzes by Remington.The publicity about Aokis collection helped generate business for the restaurant, and overall company revenues continued to grow. Profits, however, were slight than a million dollars a year, and BNC stock fell below $1 a share. Angry at the situation, some shareholders sued. As Marilyn Alva reported in a 1992 Restaurant Business article, the shareholders claimed Aoki and his management team were in a conflict of interest by managing the two companies. The complainants further maintained that Benihana management had misappropriated the assets of Benihana National Corporation, passing them through Benihana of Tokyo for their personal benefit. The shareholders, however, were ultimately unsuccessful in trying to take control of the company away from Aoki.Meanwhile, Benihana management took advantage of a health-conscious American publics growing interest in Japanese food and entertainment. With the tag line, We have been the restaurant of the 90s since the 60s, Aoki and Schwartz instituted a major advertising run stressing the fact that Benihana had always offered healthful food. Soon afterwards, in 1993, the Atlanta Benihana of Tokyo restaurant added an 18-seat sushi bar and 35-seat Karaoke dining room to draw more customers on weekday nights. Despite the higher labor and food personifys associated with sushi, the company reported an increase in beverage sales, and a lot of sampling of the $.99 sushi pieces by people time lag to eat at the traditional teppanyaki tables.Learning from its experience a decade earlier, in 1994 Benihana National Corp. decided to get into the frozen food business again. This time, however, by entering into a licensing agreement with Campbell Soup Co., the company hooked up with a major marketer rather than trying to compete with the big names. The new product was a line of frozen stir-fry kits featuring the Benihana trademark.The dinners served six people and sold for about $8.00. As Peter McMullin, an analyst with Southeast Research Partners, told Florida Review.Net, This time the strategy makes sense because it is linking with a high profile food company to help strengthen the distribution side and offsetting the razor-thin margins of retail by manufacturing with a low represent producer like Campbell. By the end of the fiscal year, revenues were over $70 million, with profits up 41 percent to $2.4 million.1995 and Beyond A New CompanyAt the beg inning of 1995, Benihana National announced it would buy Aokis 21 Benihana of Tokyo restaurants on the U.S. mainland, along with the U.S. rights to the Benihana trademark, for about $6.15 million. On May 16, a freshly created subsidiary, Benihana Inc., acquired the BOT restaurants and, through a merger, simultaneously acquired Benihana National. BNC shareholders received one share in the new holding company for each of their shares of Benihana National. Aoki continued to serve as chairman of the new company and Schwartz as president.Benihana Inc. now owned or licensed the 43 Benihana restaurants in the continental United States along with a franchise in Honolulu. It also had the rights to develop or license Benihana restaurants in Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. Aoki kept private his Benihana of Tokyo restaurants in Hawaii, Britain, and Thailand.During 1995, the new company took several(prenominal) steps to attract more customers. Benihana introduced weekend lu ncheon service and, following the success in Atlanta, opened sushi bars in seven locations. The company also instituted a national Karaoke contest for its patrons. In the fall, the company opened its first smaller format unit, called the Benihana Grill, in Sacramento. At 3,800 square feet, the Grill format was less than half the size of the traditional Benihana, and enabled the company to open units in smaller locations, particularly in urban areas. Schwartz had been refining this format since 1989 as an alternative to the companys more common free-standing, special use restaurant buildings. The Benihana Grill was designed to accommodate 10 to 12 teppanyaki tables, compared to the 18 tables in the typical Benihana. analyst Peter McMullin remarked, Initial indications are encouraging even before the grand opening. With the lower capital costs of approximately $500,000 versus a stand-alone restaurant cost of $2 million, this could become an enormous growth vehicle for Benihana.The ne w hours and offerings helped increase guest counts in existing restaurants by 8.7 percent and same store sales by an average of 7.7 percent for fiscal 1996. This rise, plus the addition of the Benihana of Tokyo restaurants and the new Benihana Grill, resulted in annual revenues of over $81 million.Benihanas growth came generally from increased traffic in its existing restaurants, and the company continued to support that strategy. Early in 1996, in an effort to gain a larger share of the ethnic market, the company launched Spanish-language television advertisements in Miami and Los Angeles. In May, Benihana kicked off a two-year, $5 million ad campaign, focusing on the entertainment value of teppanyaki cooking. We want to bring the Benihana name to a different audience, company president Joel Schwartz told Nations Restaurant News in a May 6, 1996 article. The ads show that Benihana is a place the entire family can come to and have a good timea place they will see the chef perform a nd flip shrimp. single(a) restaurants also developed innovative marketing techniques. A visit and meal at the Benihana in Bethesda, Maryland, for example, is one of the activities in the countys social studies curriculum for third base graders learning about Japan.The company did not depend entirely on its existing restaurants for growth. During 1996, it also signed leases for several more Benihana Grills and expanded its franchise operations, including restaurants in Bogota, Columbia, and Aruba, Netherlands Antilles. Benihanas track record of steady growth in same store sales, rising customer count, and profitability appeared to be continuing into the late nineties as revenues for the first half of fiscal 1997 were up over eight percent from the year before.Further ReadingAlva, Marilyn, Very Rocky Business Aoki surround by Shareholder Suits, Restaurant Business, February 10, 1992. Benihana Buying Founder Aokis Units, Nations Restaurant News, January 16, 1995, p. 14. Benihana Pr ofits Rise 67% for First Nine Months of pecuniary 95, Nations Restaurant News, February 12, 1996, p. 12. Benihana Testing Stir-Fry Kits, Supermarket News, October 17, 1994, p. 28.

Monday, May 20, 2019

Power and Communication Essay

voice communication difference has been prevalent in society for thousands of years. This has been something that happens in every civilization and will not retain now. Language discrimination is unfair treatment of an individual by the way that they compose themselves in a verbal matter. What I mean by this is to treat someone unjust because of f practiceors such as accents, style size, or just that they speak a incompatible phrase. This happens a lot to tourists who dont realise how to speak proper English in the United States. I assimilate lived in the United States my self-coloured life and I piss witnessed multiple accounts of this.There are multiple situations in which language discrimination occurs. Situations include work, school, vacation spots, and in the general public. The workplace is supposed to be free of any suit of discrimination but it is not. People are discriminated against if they speak different or even remotely act differently than what we experienc e inside the walls of our community. School kids are picked on by other kids if they are a different nationality, this being because they speak different languages and are trying to learn the English language. Tourists on vacation trying to enjoy their stay are constantly pressed with the fact that next to nobody near them knows their native language providing a barrier of communication. The general public tends to look down on a person if they have a speech impediment or an accent even if they are pacify natives of the United States. They are made to look alike(p) tourists in a nation of their own.Some examples of language discrimination I have observed come mainly within my own community. I have witnessed people from work picking on other individuals because they are a different nationality such as Hispanic. Some Hispanics are Ameri washstand-Hispanic being born in the United States. They are typically not discriminated against like the full blood Hispanics are. Thisis because they have not grown up in such a socialisation before and are trying to adapt. The same thing would happen to me if I was traveling to a different country. I would be looked at as an outsider as soon as I pass my mouth.There are many identity labels that contribute to discrimination. Labels such as Working class or Black are just a few of them. These are a form of discrimination in themself. Labels are a way to grade someone in the wrong way. They may be workings class but may not want to be considered as that. They may want to be known as rich or powerful. Or may find it an insult because they have to work to make a living. Black is also a common term used to identify some African-Americans. This is discrimination because one individual is not better than the next. This may be degrading to anyone who is categorise under any sort of label.I do not believe that discrimination in communication is ethical because I feel as if it is a nonverbal or verbal form of abuse. It can be de grading at times and can cause a person to be awkward in their own community. Regardless if I agree with discrimination or not, it will still gallop to happen even long after Im gone.

While There Is Much Hype About International Sporting Events Like the Fifa World Cup, Such Events in Fact Have Limited Value. Do You Agree

at one time people are the like to do sport. Not matter adult, children, man and woman also likes to do sports. Even if the work is very busy, or a lot of remedial classes also take the destitute time to do sports. This is our hit the hay of sport. Since ancient times, people are like sports. because people love sport, they gradually formed a large-scale movement. Nowadays, there are two sports competition in the arena largest. It is Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. These multinational unobjectionable will give numerous advantages to a country.Hold transnational sporting events like the FIFA World Cup will be complete many advantages for a country. It will be interpose mend growth of economy who are harmonize international sporting, then create more(prenominal) job, maturation the kin of other countries, and increase the image of a country. The first advantage of holding international sporting events is it creates more job opportunities for to the country. Internation al sporting events need many sports centers, athlete phalanxels, hotels, car parks, restaurants, and others. So, human resources are needful to build the building.People are also needed to work in the construction field, restaurant, and service. The country has army the international sporting must invite many workers to complete the competition. For example, hotels need many workers to service the tourist, restaurants need many waiter and chefs to service the tourist and to cook many delicious foods, transportation need many drivers like taxis, bus, private drivers, and others. Furthermore, human resources also need the guide to introduction their country. Hold the international sporting arse become increase the relationship of other countries.It crapper exchange players to show their talent. They uphold their countries players and then promote their culture. NBA is the example, it make many teams to invite many countrys players come to their country. So that female genitals increase many people know their country. Then their country will increase the economic and crates more jobs to their commonwealth. Similarly, they can organize a competition near the international sporting. For example, FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games, Formula 1, Europe Cup, and others sports.After the competition, the swarm country will enjoy many benefits from this competition. It can meliorate the economy growth of their country. Then it can lead to many business deals from all the world. This is because many other countries get to are know about this their countrys economy. So other countries are confident to do business with the host country. Then they countries can form good relationships in business. Likewise, they also can easily make transactions. For example china is a big developing country. It just hosted the Olympic Games in 2008.Now it is a popular country in the world. At the same time, it is also a big brother in Asia for business. Moreover, the advantage of holdin g international sporting is improved growth of economy. After which country was hosted the international sporting. There can improve the property at the time. For example, many tourists come to your country travel must change the currency. Multi-national currency may come in to your country. After that, the currency in your country will be growth up at the time. IN 2008 China, after it was finished hosted the Olympic Games.After that, it improved growth of economy at the moment. Then, many tourists come to China for tourism. So, many tourists need change the currency after that just can use. In conclusion, the hold international sporting can enjoy many advantages. Otherwise, host international sporting may improve growth of economy and increase the image of a country. In future, many countries must try to host the international sporting. So, many countries just can increase the relationship of others country. Finally, there are many advantages of host international sporting events.

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Minimizing High School Dropouts: Social Perspective Essay

The invention of this research paper was to record and analyze disciples experiences with can extinct of heights cultivate within a genial perspective. Discussing the stories of senior gamy crop acquit forbiddens provided valuable tuition associate to the root causes of dropout manners in a mixer entice context. This information could be used to develop programs designed to increase neighborly influence in checks, families, and communities, which can contri besidese to a decrease in dropout behaviors. high domesticate dropouts are at a new record high in society today, it has been preserve that every second there is a high tutor scholar dropping out equaling close to 1000 students a month throughout the USA. What association should be observed the most to avoid high dropout rates? Who does the high crop dropout crisis affect the most? These are just close to of the questions we as parents, teachers, administrators, presidency officials, etc need to re eit hery ask ourselves. Because this hearty fuss is only going to keep growing if we as a nation do not start taking the proper steps to improve our educate systems and communities.Graduation rates are one of the most troubling concerns, especially in the ninth grade. Meanwhile, the federal official government has invested millions of dollars in researching at risk drop out students, which estimated in 2001 to over half a million students leaving before commencement exercise. Unfortunately, this increase in the dropout rate has occurred at a snip when there seems such a large emphasis on getting a college degree, much less a high inform diploma and existence able to compete in a global man (Neild, Balfanz, & Herzog, 2007).The ninth grade students accumulate the highest behavioral issues as well as poor grades, because it is the first time for many students having to earn passing grades in their core courses or even be responsible for their experience actions. Researchers have s tarted their target area with the ninth graders because this is a make or break stage in the students schoolhouse years (Smith, Akos, Lim, & Wiley, 2008).With high school graduation requirements increasing throughout the states both involving the ninth grade and the transition from middle school to high school , a lot of data went into viewing the sizeableness of the ninth grade year (Cooney, & Bottoms, 2002). Possible help tactics to ease the transition to high school included developing freshman academics and emphasis on students both before and after ninth grade, which could encourage freshman success and possibly reduce high school dropout rates (Fulk, 2003).Challenging high school graduation requirements during the ninth grade year are only one of the many issues that many students face. With this being my 2nd year as an Administrator in high school, I am the individual that works closely to the ninth grade class developing transition skills from middle school to high schoo l. And aboveboard at this level of high school they are the most challenging because they are still playful, immature, and wish the importance of high school. So employing programs throughout their whole 9th grade year could help develop them into stronger students as well as individuals.Fulk (2003) mentioned high schools developing freshman academics so this way they are challenging them not making the transition complicating but strengthening them academically. High schools implementing this program could be a great subject unless these students need to be motivated and strengthened mentally before expecting them to achieve the highest level of purity academically. Because this situation is so publicized the school systems need to gather (etc charter schools, public schools, private schools) to implement social psychological theories to these schools so this issue can start changing.But realistically, the schools can get onboard however if the parents do not drive this into their children it can be quite difficult to change their attitudes on their academic achievement. I would like to see more after school programs focusing on attitude margin and academic achievement. Socially, we as a nation need to address this social issue and create interventions for all schools to implement because there should not be that many high school dropouts daily throughout this nation.In addition, students need to have mentors not just their teachers, administrators, etc because this could be a drive that could change this social problem within the school systems. Cultural influences provided an exploration of the operation of neighborhood tribulation, which includes high poverty levels and crime rates, on the risk of dropping out of school. When all other variables were controlled for, white students were more at risk of dropping out of school than African American students were.In addition, students from families with higher incomes and levels of education were less likely to drop out of school and that household stability reduced the likelihood of dropping out of school. When neighborhood distress was added into the equation, Crowder and South found that African American students from disadvantaged neighborhoods were over twice as likely to drop out of school as white students from similarly disadvantaged neighborhoods, a finding which was independent of individual- and family-level characteristics.This effect was more pronounced for male African American students as the level of neighborhood distress increased, and was exacerbated by living in a single-parent household (Crowder & South). Among white students, females were more likely to drop out of school than males as the level of neighborhood distress increased (Crowder & South). The impact of socioeconomic factors in neighborhoods on the intention for students to drop out of school was substantial, particularly for African American males in single-parent households and white females.The social influence and dropout behavior for different minority groups focuses on all aspects of social influence, which Latinos have been reported having an unsuccessful academic outcome. This family social influence translates into poor academic achievement because of the lack of residential district social influence and lever placed on the potential of women in Latino society to produce economic wealth (Qian, & Blair, 1999). The purpose of this study was to record and analyze students experiences with dropping out of high school within a social perspective.Some of this data was collected over the past 4 yrs at my current high school where I am employed as Assistant Dean of Students meanwhile, some is more current. As a researcher, I assumed students who have dropped out of school had something important to say active the social components they comprehend as being lacking from their educational process and that student views had the potential to enrich discourse about social infl uence. My experience as an administrator responsible for dealing with students who have attendance problems contributed to my desire to state the stories of such students.From this study, I examined how the level of social influence in each participants manner affected the decision each made to drop out of school. Furthermore, I was able to develop a more complete definition of social influence as it relates to dropouts. Through this study, I gave a vowelise to the high school dropout and provided a context for the improvement of the level of social influence found in families, schools, and communities. The shared experiences of high school dropouts provided insight into the aspects of social capital that may contribute to the decision for the student to leave school.An examination of the stories of dropouts obtained in interviews gave a voice to those who were ineffectual or unwilling to complete high school. In addition, it provided a forum for utilizing social theory to devel op a future dialog for drop-off of the dropout problem. As part of my experience as Assistant to the Dean of Students, one of my charges has been to implement consistency with our schools attendance policy and to decrease the schools dropout rate. During one of our weekly meetings, the schools Department chairs and I decided to meet with six to eight at-risk students, and, when available, their parents.These meetings focus on determining why each of the students was not coming to school and developing a plan to get each student back on track for graduation. I have heard stories of family problems, academic difficulties, substance abuse, mental illness, and openhanded habits that shaped students perceptions of their realities in school. Participants The potential participants for this study included approximately 30 students, age18 and over, who dropped out of the school during the 2005-2009 school year. Meanwhile, five students were selected from this research study for face-to-fa ce interview time.First, each student must have been a part of the general education population and not have had an Individualized Education Program (IEP) authentic for them. Students with disabilities were not included in this study. There are a disproportionate number of dropouts with disabilities (Goldschmidt, 1999). According to a report of findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, approximately 30% of all students with disabilities dropped out of high school in 2003 (Wagner, Newman, Cameto, & Levine, 2004).The nature of the disability might be a reason for the dropout behaviors and may confound the data. However, get ahead study needs to be conducted for IEP students because from what I have witnessed, their level of motivation is low and they tend to cast off up. In addition, once all candidates were interviewed, the Department chairs, Dean of Students and I chose our students for further research. Meanwhile, since some data from foregoing dropouts had al ready been documented the ethical consent forms were not necessary however, ones being considered at risk dropouts were condition an ethical consent form.Each candidate was informed of the nature of the study and asked of his or her level of willingness to participate. During the study, some questions were asked to guide participant into discussion 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Tell me about your high school experience. 3. draw off the ways you were encouraged to stay in high school The questions were intended to elicit stories that would provide information to answer the research questions, meanwhile, these responses were based on the main components of social influence that lead them to dropping out of high school.Here are some gathered responses from the participants to answer the research question Social post on Minimizing Dropout Rates.1. Single parent home, does not get along with parents, no family hold, illegal medicate use, criminal activities, repeated two grade levels . 2. Skipping school and classes, not much desire to be in school besides socially, not involved in school activities, parents not knowledgeable of academics, behavior, etc, no high levels of expectations given by parents. 3.Had several teachers, administrators riding him giving motivational speeches, encouraging him. Still no family support besides his friends doing nothing with their lives.Future Study The school systems are being held accountable for increasing graduation rates. While they are unable to control access to family and community social influences available to students, they can do students by teaching them how to identify dysfunctional relationships and how to utilize social influences that is available to them through building unconditional relationships and seeking mentors.Further research into the development of successful intervention programs to provide support for social development throughout a childs school career may be a proactive way to work with studen ts who exhibit tendencies to drop out of school (Astone, 1991). One major setback encountered by the students was that they had not established long-term goals or had goals that were unrealistic. In this study, the students had difficulty answering questions about their goals and seemed to be unable to imagine prospects beyond the immediate future.Unfortunately, there was a lack of family social influence available to the students in this study. Quantitative studies have clearly identified components of social influence related to the family that are indicators of future dropout behavior (Fontana, 2002). Not many studies were found that analyzed the parental viewpoint on the development of family social influence. A research design study of the parents of dropouts and the stories they tell about their children may add to the future studies.Understanding how aspects of social influence appear in the stories that parents tell could provide information about how family social developme nt breaks nap in the lives of dropouts (Epstein, 2002). The theme found throughout this research project was that a lack of family and community social influence in the form of a deficiency in relationships with members of families or communities with the capacity to assist students in their endeavors to complete school might have contributed to dropout behaviors exhibited by students in this study.In addition, access to school social influence did not necessarily enhance the students potential to complete school. Developing social influence is a way to remove barriers for students and to build bridges that bring school personnel, community members, and families together to keep youthfulness in school. Social networks among parents, educators, and community members are crucial to the success of each child, in addition to school social influence, family social influence, and community social influence.Nevertheless, it seems that in the cases of these students, school social influen ce was readily available, but they did not utilize it. To maximize the benefits received, students must understand how to use social influence available to them. naturalise personnel have limited control over the amount of school social influence students may utilize. By increasing available school social influence, students should exhibit decreased dropout tendencies along with increasing community and family social influence, which has been shown to increase student achievement.