The Buddhist Self Of Buddhism - 1510 Words

Dana Zhao Period E The Buddhist Self One of the most widespread religions in the world, and the dominant religion of Asia, Buddhism has developed greatly from when it was first founded. Though Buddhism is commonly thought of as an eastern religion, it’s popularity is spreading more and more to the western world. Though Buddhist beliefs may seem drastically different from traditional western beliefs, there are many ideas worth learning from it. The religion of Buddhism was constructed by the Buddha, born in 623 B.C. as Siddhartha Gautama. He was born into a royal family in Nepal, and enjoyed a life of luxury and contentment throughout his childhood. According to a traditional story, one day, Gautama ventured outside the palace walls and saw four men: a sick man, an old man, a dead man, and a monk. That led him to ask the question â€Å"Why do people suffer?† Gautama was jolted out of his previously sheltered life upon the realization of suffering, sickness, and death. This prompted him to continue to ponder the deeper meaning of life, and eventually, Gautama felt compelled to leave the palace and become a wandering holy man, a truth seeker. Soon after, he adopted the title of â€Å"Buddha†, or â€Å"the enlightened one†. To his followers, he did not claim to be a god or a prophet. He was a human being who sought Enlightenment and understanding of life in the deepest way possible. The main foundations of the Buddhist religion are the Four Noble Truths. These truths stemShow MoreRelatedThe Buddhist Religion And Its Move Into America1175 Words   |  5 PagesUntil about a fifty years ago, most people in the United States did not have much exposure to the Buddhist religion. Our only impression of it might have been statues of a grinning, bald Buddha with a large belly at the entrance of most Chinese restaurants. Those statues seemed a little scary and some thought they should nod or rub the belly as they passed as a gesture of good luck. The religion has come a long way in the last twenty years. Hollywood celebrities such as Richard Gere and TigerRead MoreRelics Of Buddhism And Buddhism847 Words   |  4 PagesRelics are thought to be present in Buddhism since the 5th Century B.C.E, when the original Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was said to have lived, and Buddhism itself was a new religion. They continue today as sacred objects of worship. Relics that are as old as Buddhism itself are said to exist and still be worshipped. Although the idea of relics may seem contradictory to many of Buddhist beliefs, they actually do resonate with many ideals of Buddhist teachings and practices. To see whether relicsRead MoreBuddhism And Its Views On Buddhism973 Words   |  4 PagesBuddhism is one of the major religions of the world; it was founded in India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, or the Enlightened One/Awakened One. Buddhism is non-theistic and is not based on any concept of a supreme or one ruling God. A Buddhist approach is a naturalistic one and the sole purpose of the followers is to end or reduce suffering (dukkha) and attain a state of liberation or enlightenment and the freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth (Nirvana). BuddhistRead MoreThe Changing Self Can Not Be Denied992 Words   |  4 Pages The changing self can not be denied One of the central belief of Buddhist is the denial of the self. In particular, Buddhism criticizes the idea that â€Å"an individual atman is an assumption of an unchanging and constant serf that somehow underlies and is the basis for the variety of changing experiences.† (Gethin 1998, 141) In fact, any individual, no matter its matter of life, is just a particular pattern of a series of casual connectedness. That is a very convincing idea since it is clearRead MoreReligious Ideologies And Practices Behind Buddhism843 Words   |  4 Pagesreligion that I did not consider myself well versed with was Buddhism. From my previous encounters with this religion, I had learned that its teachings embody the idea of karma and rebirth. As means to broaden my knowledge and learn more about the religious ideologies and practices behind Buddhism, I spoke with Professor Ann Burlein of the Religion and Philosophy Department. I had originally planned to attend Professor Burlein’s Buddhism in America class, but due to time conflicts I resorted to meetRead MoreBuddhism Is Considered A Religion Or A Philosophy961 Words   |  4 Pageswhether buddhism is considered a religion or a philosophy but I believe that it is both. According to (https://www.google.com/#q=buddhismBuddhism) is a non-theistic religion or philosophy that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. Buddhism inhabits several traits that consider it a religion and a philosophy. There is not a clear distinction that defines buddhism as one or the other. Some practices of Buddhism displayRead MoreBuddhism : A Religion Of Enlightenment And Self Meditation1562 Words   |  7 PagesBuddhism first came to China from India around 500 AD. Buddha, the enlightened one, is the founder of Buddhism as a religion. Buddhism is China’s oldest foreign religion m erging from Daoism and folk religion. At first, Buddhism did not attract many people, however during 200 AD, Buddhism gained a firm position in China and has continued to be one of China’s top religions. Buddhism, in summary, is a religion of enlightenment and self-meditation. The role of the family in Chinese culture, specificallyRead MoreThe Seven Dimensions Of Buddhism985 Words   |  4 Pagesmaterial. Buddhism is a religion that was founded by an Indian prince named Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the Buddha. Buddhism can be understood using all seven of the dimensions. The first dimension used to understand a religion is based off its rituals. Buddhist perform rituals as a way to offer respect to the Buddha and find peace from within. The common ritual practiced by Buddhists is meditation. Meditation is all about focusing and purifying the mind. In meditation, Buddhists go throughRead MoreThe Buddhist Theory Of Human Nature1147 Words   |  5 Pages Proving Buddhist theory of human nature is more plausible than Hindu theory of human nature is important because it helps one have a better understanding of the world. This essay shows that Buddhism is more practical than Hinduism and it is relevant because science is dominant in determining what is true and what is not. Buddhism is closer to the scientific world because it uses sensory information to achieve data. All truth is found through sensory experience, which is what Buddhism believes inRead MoreBuddhism : A New Way Of Life Without Materialistic Needs Essay1547 Words   |  7 Pagesoceans and mountains, culture and society, but most important religions and beliefs. Out of the hundreds of practices and beliefs that make part of planet earth one of the most interesting form of religious practice is Buddhism. Buddhism is the practice of finding peace within one s self by developing inner peace, wisdom and kindness. This practice dates back 2,500 years, and the founder is known as Buddha Shakyamuni. He was born a royal prince in a town called Lumbini; originally part of northern India

Are Same Sex Marriages Right - 518 Words

Are same sex marriages right? Same sex marriage is allowable because everyone deserves to make their own decisions and choose the life they want. Every day there are people getting married and joining as partners to have a life together. So I say every person should do what their happiness is and if that falls under straight marriage or gay marriage then it should be socially acceptable. Same sex marriage is one of the top most controversional debates in politics currently because the United States is divided on the acceptance of it. Married people get a lot of benefits that aren’t offered to un-married people. Government benefits offered to married people are favorable treatment in tax, inheritance, insurance status, rights for adoption, and custody. A big aspect of marriage is the religion of the couple; it must be approved by the authority of their religion. Not all religions require approval for marriage. Religions have the power to not marry people if they’re eligi ble or ineligible by the state. The debate about same sex marriage is because the same sex couple won’t be able to have kids of their own. The pro and cons about marriage is that every person, at some point, of their adult hood is looking for happiness, love, and someone who cares for them in return. If the couple resides in United States then the government will give health care, Social Security and provide a nursing home for married couples. Also, a perk to legalizing same sex marriage is putting a stop toShow MoreRelatedThe Rights Of Same Sex Marriage1582 Words   |  7 Pagesas the Marriage Protection Amendment, Proposition 102 was placed on the ballot and passed by Arizona voters in 2008, amending the state’s Constitution which defined the traditional sense of marriage between a man and a woman. However, on October 17, 2014, a federal judge disagreed with voters and overruled Prop 102, claiming that the ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Not long afte r the decision Attorney General Tom Horne stated that there would be no appeal and same-sex marriages wouldRead MoreThe Rights Of Same Sex Marriages Essay1168 Words   |  5 Pagesagainst same sex marriages. They believe marriage is a God ordained, legal, and moral commitment between a natural man and a natural woman. They’re totally against homosexuality, which they believe is a chosen behavior and it shouldn’t be accepted. They oppose monitoring gun ownership, taxation and regulations of guns and they want to eliminate all gun free zones. Republicans are pro-life, meaning they’re against abortions. so they want to abolish abortions, because even the unborn has the right to lifeRead MoreThe Right : Same Sex Marriage1888 Words   |  8 PagesShay Cramblitt Andrea Colman English 03-28-15 The Right Same sex marriage is a topic today that brings strong moral objections from both sides. Should same sex marriage be allowed? Should these humans be given the same rights in their relationship as heterosexual couples? Why restricted these citizens from their right just because of their love interest? Should we take certain customs away from foreigners just because it’s not customs we perform? The United States is a land of the free notRead MoreThe Rights Of Same Sex Marriage1821 Words   |  8 Pagesand rights for LGB individuals in today’s America is not yet over and how religious extremist groups can contribute to the obstruction of said equality On June twenty-sixth same sex marriage was made legal by the supreme court. This ruling lead to justified celebration by many Americans. However, it is important to understand and work towards getting rid of prejudice that many lgb persons still plaguing their lives. Although many Americans hold the belief that the legalization of same sex marriageRead MoreGay Marriage And The Right Of Same Sex Marriage1387 Words   |  6 Pagescommunal controversy regarding the right of same-sex marriage. I decided to explore the views of two different authors who contrast each other. British Author, Andrew Sullivan writes the essay, â€Å"For Gay Marriage† about equal rights on marriages for same-sex couples. William J. Bennett composes the essay, â€Å"Against Gay Marriage† giving his views on why couples of the same sex should not be allowed to engage in marital relations. Sullivan supports the idea of gay marriages while Bennett opposes the ideaRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage: A Human Right912 Words   |  4 PagesDespite this, same-sex marriage is only legalized in seventeen out of fifty states, as well as the District of Columbia (Freedom to Marry). In thirty-three states, the government has decided that it has the power to intervene in who its citizens want to marry and love, as if they could decide our friends and family. Though the question is often â€Å"Why should same-sex marriage be legalized?† no one seems to wonder â€Å"Why should I, or anyone else, have the power to choose who marries who?† Same-sex needs toRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Is A Fundamental Right870 Words   |  4 PagesUnited States Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, held that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right guaranteed by the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In consequence, many new legal implications have arose from this decision. For example, now there’ll be same-sex divorces, same-sex spousal rights for life insurance, wills, and the like. What does this all mean legally for same-sex couples? As time progresses, it will become clearer howRead MoreEssay on The Right to Same Sex Marriage1590 Words   |  7 PagesSame sex marriage is a highly controversial topic that has been lingering in America for some time now. The American society prides itself in the provision of equal rights and opportunities to all, yet, homosexuals continue to be discriminated against and denied their rights to marriage. It is often believe that â€Å"marriage is a commitment between two people that love each other and want to share the rest of their life side by side. It is not measured by whether it is a man and a woman, or a coupleRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Is Right Or Wrong?979 Words   |  4 PagesIn recent years, the topic of whether same-sex marriage is right or wrong has created a controversy. People should not feel coerced to agree with something they believe is wrong; clearly, same-sex marriage is immoral and unnatural. Many complications come with same-sex marriages including financial pressures, social pressures, moral pressures, and health risks. Many people believe in a traditional marriage between a man and a woman. God created man and woman to be faithful, produce children, andRead MoreSame Sex Marriage And Equal Rights Essay2005 Words   |  9 PagesBefore the issue of same-sex marriage and equal rights are approached, marriage must be defined. Marriage is a consensual, exclusive and lifelong commitment between one man and one woman, expressed in a physical union uniquely designed to produce and nurture children (Same-Sex Marriage Public Policy Statement, 2016). Marriage is both ubiquitous and central. All across our country, in every region, every social class, every race and ethnicity, every religion or non-religion, people get married.

Development of Training and Mentoring Program Free Essays

The merger between InterClean and Envirotech indicates the new strategic directions of both the companies. With these new strategic aims, the need for employee training and development has also been felt. Based on the job analysis of different employees, a training programs has to be developed in order to service their training and developmental needs. We will write a custom essay sample on Development of Training and Mentoring Program or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper aims to draw the basic outline necessary for planning and implementing the training program. New Training and Mentoring Needs First of all it is necessary to identify which people are possible incumbents for the training. According to the to the job analysis conducted by officials of InterClean, the sales force is required to have much more polished skills so as to be an effective part of the sales team. Since, these people will be facing an increased burden of customers because of the merger; they will need increased sales efficiency, greater confidence and high morale. They must produce high quality, cost effective and consumer responsive procurement services. Not only this, they must have the capability of working in a team, since some tasks are not the business of an individual and a group is required to achieve the targets.   While training may not provide the employees to have one-on-one interactions and detailed information about some serious issues, mentoring fills in this gap. In a nut shell, the training provided now, may help the sales force in their career development and for future work related needs. Objectives of the Training Program The training program will have the following objectives: To increase the annual productivity of the sales force for the product line of the firm To improve the withered morale of the sales force because of any incapability and to improve their confidence level. To reduce the turnover rate of the sales force. To improve the customer relations and finally To manage time and territory for the entire sales force of the organization. Performance standards The standards of assessment are already set by the organization. Employees will be evaluated on the basis of their expertise and knowledge which they will acquire. They will be judged on soft skills and hard skills, where soft skills refer to the abilities of the employees towards communication, interaction, multitasking, motivation, and their skills of persuading, listening and paying attention to their work. On the other hand, hard skills refer to the abilities of the employees in recovering funds, managing and processing data. Apart from these skills employees will also be judged on their ability of achieving sales targets, having the courage to bear risk-taking and on their experience. They will need a positive attitude, must be disciplined ethically, and the thing which counts the most is trustworthiness. They will also be evaluated on their ability to work under strict deadlines simultaneously being sales driven professional assiduous in providing customer service (Basuroy, 2000) Training Methods Since it is not possible for a single manager to provide on job training to all the potential trainees separately, therefore, other training methods including class room trainings, role playing, and electronic training methods should also be used. Training methods such as situational training or training by simulations will also be of great help (William, n.d.). Training Content The training content must include the overall objectives of the training program and the needs of the participants and the information which is provided during the training program must be directly correlated with the needs of the participants. Thus information should be designed in a manner that it matches with the present knowledge base of the participants. In addition to this, an effective orientation before the training program will help the participants to have a quick grasp on what they are going to learn in the training session. Training methods may include presentations, provisions of applicable material and handouts of resources, group discussions etc. Time frame Training and mentoring programs should be conducted in a manner that they deliver maximum efficiency and effectiveness while remaining inside the resources and the time available. Training programs do require that the information is transferred remaining within a balanced amount of time and resources (Spiro, n.d). Training budgets should be properly allocated. Employees from within the organizations usually are already committed to their own work and find it difficult to invest time in such training program, so, it is necessary to design the training program in a manner that these employees can give their time to it while remaining committed to their own work and providing ample amount of time to it as well. Evaluation Methods Evaluation is necessary to identify the effectiveness and of the training programs and to redesign any disfigurations in future training programs. There are generally four ways to evaluate the training program which includes: Reactions: The best way to dig out whether the participants thought of the training as something worthwhile or lame. Learning: Giving the trainees some kind of tests to check whether the information provided was fully absorbed or not. Behavior: The behavior of trainees identify whether the training has left an impact on his/her personality or not. Results: This is the aftermath, if the results of the trainees remain the same even after the training program then, it would be clear that the training was of no use. (Sharon, 2005) Feedback After the training program the executives must provide their feedback to the trainees on their performance. They can either ask from the trainees if they find the training program useful or not. Positive feedback always reinforces behavior, so employers and employees must provide each other with sincere comments and suggestions in the form of feedback. Alternate avenues for those who need further development For those employees who are still lacking behind in something they should be provided further training on their areas of weaknesses, tying them up with result oriented rewards will have a positive impact on their morale and confidence level. Shortly, employees should be made responsible for smaller things at first and should be encouraged no matter if they achieve the target or not. References Basuroy S. (2000), â€Å"Sales Force Management.† Tata McGraw-Hill. Sharon G. (2005), â€Å"Training is the Key to the Success of Mentoring Programs.† Retrieved, August 24, 2010 from, http://www.mentoring-association.org/membersonly/AllProgr/GivensTrg.html Spiro, (n.d), â€Å"Management of a Sales Force,† Retrieved, August 24, 2010 from, http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=nQikg3nqN9ECpg=PA196lpg=PA196dq=training+needs+for+sales+forcesource=blots=bdY5gxteDAsig=IVK0EJf0TIschZMY3clYht6S9dghl=enei=4udzTLKXNoGIvgPN6_mxCAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=8ved=0CDEQ6AEwBw#v=onepageq=feedbackf=false William P. (n.d), â€Å"Marketing,† Retrieved, August 24, 2010 from, http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=-R1zRakeLJgCpg=PA532lpg=PA532dq=performance+standards+for+sales+forcesource=blots=de44b6Pr2Bsig=7wjzGfWNRA3ANGA-QSnUnMtM5m4hl=enei=dfxzTOi3F4m8vgPQmpHECAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=6ved=0CCcQ6AEwBQ#v=onepageq=performance%20standards%20for%20sales%20forcef=false How to cite Development of Training and Mentoring Program, Papers

Chemalit Chemicals free essay sample

Less: Amortization expense (1041. 67)123,958. 33 Total assets $491,197. 91 Liabilities 0 Stockholders Equity Contributed Capital 500,000. 00 Retained Earnings (8,802. 09) Total Stockholders equity 491,197. 91 Total Liabilities and Stockholders equity $491,197. 91 CHEMALITE, INC Cash Flow Statement For the period ended June 30, 2003 Cash flows for operating activities Cash paid to suppliers $ (75,000. 00) Cash paid for legal fees, charter printing costs (7,500. 00) Net cash flow from operating activities (82,500. 00) Cash flows for investing activities Cash paid to purchase machinery (62,500. 00) Cash flows from financial activities Cash received from shareholders 375,000. 00 Cash at end of year $230,000. 00 4. Financial Statements for stockholder’s for year 2003 CHEMALITE, INC Balance Sheet At December 31, 2003 Assets Cash $ 113,000. 00 Accounts Receivable 69,500. 00 Inventory 55,000. 00 Property, Plant and Equipment$ 212,500. 00 Less: Accumulated Depreciation10,885. 42 201,614. 58 Patent 125,000. 00 Less: Amortisation 25,000. 00 100,000. 00 Total Assets $ 539,114. 58 Liabilities 0 Stockholders Equity Contributed Capital 500,000. 00 Retained Earnings 39,114. 58 Total Stockholders equity 539,114. 58 Total Liabilities and Stockholders equity $ 539,114. 58 Income Statement For the period ended December 31, 2003 Revenue $ 754,500. 00 Expenses Cost of Goods Sold $ 545,000. 00 General and administrative expense 87,500. 00 Research and development expense 23,750. 00 Advertisement expense 22,500. We will write a custom essay sample on Chemalit Chemicals or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 00 Interest expense 750. 00 Amortisation expense 25,000. 00 Depreciation expense 10,885. 42 Cash Flow Statement For the period ended December 31, 2003 Cash flows for operating activities Cash received from customers $ 685,000. 00 Cash paid to suppliers and employees(600,000. 00) Cash paid for administrative expenses(87,500. 00) Cash paid for research and development(23,750. 00) Cash paid for Advertising(22,500. 00) Net cash flow from operating activities $ (48,750. 00) Cash flows for investing activities Cash paid to purchase machinery(212,500. 00) Net cash flow from investing activities (212,500. 0) Cash flows from financing activities Cash received from shareholders 375,000. 00 Cash paid for interest on loan (750. 00) Net cash from financing activities 374,250. 00 Cash at end of year $ 113,000. 00 5. Report to Shareholders:- To Our Shareholders The year 2003 has been a very significant year for Chemalite, Inc with a successful commercial launch of its product and revenue earnings of over $700,000. The initial profits made in the first year are moderate due to the high ini tial expenses made on setting up the business and advertising. The financial health of the company is healthy with zero liabilities and a positive cash balance throughout the year despite the huge cash outflow from initial investment behind machinery and installation. The new invention of Chemalite has been patented by the company and is showing good value for business use. In addition to our current revenue sources we are expecting a great deal in the coming year which will be prestigious for the company as well as profitable. The committee for the Olympic Games, Athens 2004 has placed a firm order with us for 60,000 Chemalites which will generate $90,000 in revenue. The Olympics committee wants to give a Chemalite to each person in the opening ceremony. The athletes and fans will light their Chemalites which will be symbolic of the Olympic flame. This will bring us publicity and will improve our future marketable value. Going forward, we will have guaranteed sales from any demands for fireless ignition as Chemalite does not expect any competitors to come up with a similar product before five years. Lastly, we thank the shareholders for their continuous support and belief in the company.

The Play Amadeus free essay sample

The Play Amadeus Is Mainly Concerned with the Destructive Nature of The play Amadeus Is Mainly Concerned With the Destructive Nature of Jealousy This passage is all too true, both in Peter Shaffer Amadeus and in life in general. However the play is also concerned with the destructive nature of ignorance and naivety. Saltier is Jealous not Just of Mozart talent, but of the fact that God gave the talent to Mozart 0 spiteful, gingering, conceited, Infantile Mozart.He is envious of he vessel of Gods laughter at the patron saint of mediocrity as he had dubbed himself. Not only did God double-cross Sellers, but he did it using this obscene child. It was this jealousy and the rage it inspired that caused Saltier to attempt to kill Mozart by starving him of work and students, and thus, money and food. If Saltier had not restricted the amount of work actually shown to the general public, then Mozart could have been wealthy, and quite possibly selected as the new Experimentalist. We will write a custom essay sample on The Play Amadeus or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mozart doesnt understand the importance of pleasing members of the Viennese court. He has no comprehension of the value of money, for when he successfully earns any, he spends it on lavish food and clothes immediately, instead of saving it. He spends all his time churning out music in final copy, which, although beautiful, doesnt earn money as would teaching music. Mozart Is really the one who should be Jealous. As he has little In the way of money or assets, or even respect. All he has is his talent and his priceless music, but not the sense he needs to capitalist on it. It isnt the fact that someone has more talent than him, the problem is, as he sees it, that he Isnt as good as someone else after making a bargain with God, which should guarantee that he is the best In the world at least until he dies. But no, l know myself forever mediocre he cries as he realizes that the gift given to him by God only exists to allow him to recognize the greatness and incomparable beauty of the music of God. It is at this moment he resolves to condemn God in everything he does.He cancels all his appointments to help poor musicians, to break his vow of social virtue. He then seduces Katherine Cavalier to break his vow of sexual virtue. He makes the conscious decision to destroy God through Mozart In everything he does. He declares Cod, through Mozart, to be Unwelcome Teeter, the eternal enemy. HIS life Is now devoted to the destruction of God. I believe that Antonio Saltier is also Jealous of Gods ability to dole out talent as he sees fit, without Saltier being able to stand in his way.He has had enough! So he snaps, and attempts to destroy Mozart name and reputation, which wasnt that high to start with. HIS name wasnt Incredibly well known because only Saltier had the relied almost solely on the opinions of Herr Saltier, he was able to prevent Mozart music from becoming popular to a degree. He won his fight with God, but the knowledge lived in him still, he knew he would forever be, the patron saint, of mediocrity.

Free Essays on Earths Fury

On March 28, 1964 the United States saw it’s largest earthquake. It occurred in Alaska, covering an area of about 600,000 square kilometers. This devastating event cost Alaska millions of dollars, and 110 casualties. The massive earthquake caused businesses, schools, and major stores to be out of business, generated a huge tsunami, and created a devouring landslide, which covered a large area. Anchorage suffered the most damage with over thirty blocks of thriving commercial buildings, and businesses being destroyed. Two public schools were completely demolished, and one was severely damaged. One major department store and two housing complexes collapsed as a result of the earthquake. The earthquake cause a total of 311 million dollars in property damage, and only lasted an estimated three minutes. The shock generated a tsunami around the gulf of Alaska. This treacherous tsunami claimed fifteen lives, and caused serious damage. Parts of Hawaii, and Canada also experienced the effect of this huge wave Canada. Its maximum height was sixty- seven meters, it was also recorded on the tide gages of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Effects of this tsunami were felt globally. The people that were lucky enough to escape the major effects of the earthquake, weren’t lucky entirely. When the earthquake occurred it brought a severe landslide with it, causing heavy damage. An area of 140 acres with seventy-five houses on it was completely destroyed. The slide also damaged the water and gas mains, causing even more problem for the people of Alaska. A numerous amount of telephone lines and electrical systems were also destroyed because of the slide. The effects of the earthquake was felt by everyone, not just by the victims, but by the people who’s everyday lives were changed due to harsh geographical conditions. The technology used to predict earth... Free Essays on Earth's Fury Free Essays on Earth's Fury On March 28, 1964 the United States saw it’s largest earthquake. It occurred in Alaska, covering an area of about 600,000 square kilometers. This devastating event cost Alaska millions of dollars, and 110 casualties. The massive earthquake caused businesses, schools, and major stores to be out of business, generated a huge tsunami, and created a devouring landslide, which covered a large area. Anchorage suffered the most damage with over thirty blocks of thriving commercial buildings, and businesses being destroyed. Two public schools were completely demolished, and one was severely damaged. One major department store and two housing complexes collapsed as a result of the earthquake. The earthquake cause a total of 311 million dollars in property damage, and only lasted an estimated three minutes. The shock generated a tsunami around the gulf of Alaska. This treacherous tsunami claimed fifteen lives, and caused serious damage. Parts of Hawaii, and Canada also experienced the effect of this huge wave Canada. Its maximum height was sixty- seven meters, it was also recorded on the tide gages of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Effects of this tsunami were felt globally. The people that were lucky enough to escape the major effects of the earthquake, weren’t lucky entirely. When the earthquake occurred it brought a severe landslide with it, causing heavy damage. An area of 140 acres with seventy-five houses on it was completely destroyed. The slide also damaged the water and gas mains, causing even more problem for the people of Alaska. A numerous amount of telephone lines and electrical systems were also destroyed because of the slide. The effects of the earthquake was felt by everyone, not just by the victims, but by the people who’s everyday lives were changed due to harsh geographical conditions. The technology used to predict earth...

Food wine and culture of California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Food wine and culture of California - Essay Example In laymans terms, a sustainable food ought to be reasonably priced and also include all the necessary nutrients required by the body. In other words, a sustainable food must be balanced. On the other hand, an unsustainable diet does not include all the nutrients that make a food balanced. Therefore, a sustainable diet helps uphold the well being of individuals. Over the recent past, most Americans have engaged themselves in consuming foods high in fats and sugars. As a result, a large proportion of individuals in the western world are either overweight or obese. According to Parvanta et-al (2011), "Approximately two-thirds of American adults are obese or overweight. Overall, approximately 23 million children are obese or overweight, and rates of obesity have nearly tripled since 1980" (n.p). This shows that instead of upholding individual well-being, the western diet is contributing to ill health. The westernised diet lacks the necessary nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, and carb ohydrates, and is high in sugars, fats, and other industrially manufactured substances. Based on this aspect, the western diet is unsustainable. In essence, a sustainable food is a food with the ability to be available for a very long time no matter the conditions available. Sustainable foods are also affordable. It is important to consider the fact that a sustainable food has to be enough for the local inhabitants (Carrera-Bastos, Fontes-Villalba and OKeefe, 2011). People cannot depend on imports as some foods are seasonal. According to Simopoulos (2011), the western diet contains some imported food stuffs such as vegetables and fruits. Fresh food products are able to reach the intended consumers faster and cheaply as compared to imported food stuffs. Studies conducted in the past elucidated the fact that the more the food delays before reaching the intended consumers, the more nutrients it loses. Therefore, such food may not meet the

America and the First World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

America and the First World War - Essay Example America’s neutrality in the war meant that her banks could lend money to either of the warring sides. However, America’s neutrality is somewhat questionable as she was the main manufacturer and supplier of arms to the warring nations, especially to the Allied side, which was against the Imperial Germans. In addition, America supplied both financial aid and other goods such as army attire to both France and Britain. Her neutrality is also doubtful as she sought the affirmation of her right to immunity from submarine attacks from German submarines. Moreover, America kept a small army active in anticipation for joining the war, she sent out army divisions into Europe, whose tasks were to help out France and Britain. This neutrality was, however, stopped President Wilson after America received the Zimmerman Telegram, intercepted by Britain on its way to Mexico from the German government. The telegram sought to establish an alliance between Imperial Germany and Mexico agains t America. It also assured Mexico of Germany’s assistance in reclaiming the former’s land, which had been acquired by America (Venzon, p. 516). Wilson, who was re-elected because of his insistence on neutrality and seeking an amicable end to the war, was extremely aggravated by the Zimmerman Telegram, resulting in his decision to declare war on Germany. According to Wilson, the move by Germany to declare unrestricted submarine warfare on all marine vessels was evidence of Germany’s disregard for democracy. Wilson saw this as reason enough to go to war against Germany because the German’s had already sunk an American ship, Lusitania, resulting in the death of many Americans.  

Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Experience - Essay Example In the case of the aforementioned interview, the former governor was talking in a general term, speaking about his ideas based on his political views and affiliation. On the first question of Cavuto about the senators who fled to Illinois to block the Wisconsin controversial bill, the governor answered in a general term embracing to his opinion what America should do. He encouraged America to stand with Walker, the governor of Wisconsin and to stand with the state where this controversy is being ironed out. This statement of Pawlenty not only depicts generalization of views but also mirrors an interpersonal barrier presenting the political ideas of the interviewee. He showed the tendency of thinking that his listeners have the same beliefs as he did by seemingly assuming that standing with the Wisconsin governor is the answer to restructuring the government. Static evaluation is evident in the words of Pawlenty about president Obama when he was asked if the Republicans might be recon sidering him to be unbeatable when the issue about the 2012 election was brought out. The governor stated that he thinks Obama is not unbeatable which could have been a good answer because he was just simply stating his opinion which is undeniably possible. However, his next sentence made it all wrong saying, ‘I think he should be beaten’, showing his desire for Barack Obama. This gives the message to the listener or viewer that his emotions are strong enough against the president for him to say those words especially the ones that came after that. ‘I think he’s not done a very good job as president and he doesn’t deserve re-election’ are the personal views of the governor which show static evaluation. He has expressed a statement which is biased and quite judgmental, revealing his discernment to be a general truth and unchangeable. ‘Let’s not just talk about cutting†¦ but let’s talk about growth as well and we’ ve got a president who understands none of that’ are the final statements of the governor in his interview. This statement again, shows judgments that are static, speaking about a president who is nearing the end of his term. Rephrasing the announcement of the governor, I think it would be better to say, ‘I think he (Obama) could be beaten’ rather than using the word should because it expresses a strong personal feeling against the president making the speaker look like he is against him. As a listener, these words are understood as pretty much affected by the interviewee’s emotions and political background and beliefs, supporting the governor of Wisconsin and criticizing the president who earlier expressed his disapproval over the Wisconsin union rights controversy saying governor Walker is going beyond what he is supposed to do. The governor could improve his verbal communication skills if he takes time to think for a moment before giving his answers and avoid being carried away by his political views and emotions. Reference â€Å"Your World Cavuto.†

Detecting Complex Image Data Using Data Mining Techniques

Detecting Complex Image Data Using Data Mining Techniques Detecting complex image data using data mining techniques IMRAN KHAN ABSTRACT The Internet, computer networks and information are vital resources of current information trend and their protection has increased in importance in current existence. The intrusion detection system (IDS) plays a vital role to monitors vulnerabilities in network and generates alerts when found attacks. Today the educational network services increasing day today so that IDS becomes essential for security on internet. The Intrusion data classification and detection process is very complex process in network security. In current network security scenario various types of Intrusion attack are available some are known attack and some are unknown attack. The attack of know Intrusion detection used some well know technique such as signature based technique and rule based technique. In case of unknown Intrusion attack of attack detection is various challenging task. In current trend of Intrusion detection used some data mining technique such as classification and clustering. The process of c lassification improves the process of detection of Intrusion. In this dissertation used graph based technique for Intrusion classification and detection. This dissertation proposes efficient intrusion detection architecture which named IDS using improved ensemble techniques (IDSIET). The IDSIET contains a new improved algorithm of attribute reduction which combines rough set theory and a method of establishing multiple rough classifications and a process of identifying intrusion data. The experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of proposed architecture. Our proposed work is implemented in MATLAB .for implementation purpose write various function and script file for implementation of our proposed architecture. For the test of our hybrid method, we used DARPA KDDCUP99 dataset. This data set is basically set of network intrusion and host intrusion data. This data provided by UCI machine learning website. Proposed method compare with exiting ensemble techniques and generate the improved ensemble technique to getting better result such as detection rate, precision and recall value. Keywords- Intrusion Detection System (IDS), IDSIET, Neural Network, rough set theory, Network Security, MATALAB, KDDCUP99 Dataset. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURE Comparison with linear scale-space representation While not being used explicitly in SURF, we take interest here in the approximation of Gaussian kernels by box filters to understand the advantages and the limitations of the SURF approach. 3.1 Scale-space representation linear scale space The linear scale-space representation of a real valued image u : R2 7→ R defined on a continuous domain is obtained by a convolution with the Gaussian kernel uÏÆ' := GÏÆ' âˆâ€"u (1) where GÏÆ' is the centered, isotropic and separable 2-D Gaussian kernel with variance ÏÆ'2 ∀(x,y) ∈R2, GÏÆ'(x,y) := 1 2Ï€ÏÆ'2 e−x2+y2 2ÏÆ'2 = gÏÆ'(x)gÏÆ'(y) and gÏÆ'(x) = 1 √2π ·ÃÆ'e− x2 2ÏÆ'2 . (2) The variable ÏÆ' is usually referred to as the scale parameter. Discrete scale space In practice, for the processing of a numerical image u, this continuous filter is approximated using regular sampling, truncation and normalization: ∀i,j ∈J−K,KK GÏÆ'(i,j) = 1 CK GÏÆ'(i,j) , where CK = K Xi,j =−K GÏÆ'(i,j). (3) The scale variable ÏÆ' is also sampled, generally using a power law, as discussed later in  § 3.2. Discrete box space Making use of the aforementioned box filter technique, such a multi-scale representation can be (very roughly) approximated using a box filter with square domain Γ = J−Î ³,ÃŽ ³KÃâ€"J−Î ³,ÃŽ ³K uÃŽ ³ := 1 (2ÃŽ ³ + 1)2 BΓ âˆâ€"u. (4) The question now is how to set the parameter ÃŽ ³ ∈ N to get the best approximation of Gaussian zoom-out. Second moment comparison One may for instance choose to match the second order moment ÏÆ'2 of the 1D Gaussian gÏÆ' and the variance of the corresponding box filter, as suggested by [7]. This leads to the relation ÏÆ'2 ÃŽ ³ = ÃŽ ³ Xi =−Î ³ i2 2ÃŽ ³ + 1 = (2ÃŽ ³ + 1)2 −1 12 = ÃŽ ³(ÃŽ ³ + 1) 3 , (5) where ÏÆ'2 ÃŽ ³ is the variance of the centered 1D box filter with width 2ÃŽ ³ + 1. Thus, for large values of filter size (ÃŽ ³ 1), we get approximately ÏÆ'ÃŽ ³ ≈ ÃŽ ³ √3 ≈ 0.58ÃŽ ³. Since ÃŽ ³ ∈ N takes integer values, ÏÆ'ÃŽ ³and ÏÆ' cannot match exactly in general. Moreover, due to the anisotropy of the box filter in 2D, it is impossible to match the covariance matrices. SURF scale parameter analogy Note that box filters are only used to approximate first and second order of Gaussian derivatives in SURF algorithm, and not to approximate Gaussian filtering like in [7]. However, when considering the approximation of second order Gaussian derivative Dxx GÏÆ'(x,y) = Dxx gÏÆ'(x)Ãâ€"gÏÆ'(y) = 1 ÏÆ'22 ÏÆ'2 −1gÏÆ'(x)Ãâ€"gÏÆ'(y) By these condition order box filter operator DLxx, we can see that the1D Gaussian filter gÏÆ'(y) is approximated by 1D box filter with parameter ÃŽ ³ = L−1 2. The authors of SURF claim that the corresponding Gaussian scale is ÏÆ' = 1.2 3 L ≈ 0.8ÃŽ ³for ÃŽ ³ 1, which is close but dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erent to the value given by Formula (5): ÏÆ'ÃŽ ³ ≈ 0.58ÃŽ ³. Other analogies could have been made for scale variables, for instance by considering zero crossing of second order derivative of Gaussians, second moment of Gaussian derivatives, mean-square error minimization, but each one provides dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erent relations. In conclusion, defining a relation between the box parameters (L and `(L)) and the Gaussian scale variable ÏÆ' seems quite arbitrary. Visual comparison Figure 8 illustrates the dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erence between the linear scale-space representation obtained by Gaussian filtering and the box-space, that is its approximation by box-filters when using relation (5). While being roughly similar, the approximated scale-space exhibits some strong vertical and horizontal artifacts due to the anisotropy and the high frequencies of the box kernels. Again, while it is not being used explicitly in SURF, these artifacts may explain some of the spurious detections of the SURF approach that will be exhibited later on. 3.2 Box-space sampling Because of the dentition of first and second order box filters, the size parameter L cannot be chosen arbitrarily. The sampling values and the corresponding variables used to mimic the linear scale space analysis. The following paragraphs give more detailed explanations. Octave decomposition Alike most multi-scale decomposition approaches (see e.g. [13, 15]), the box-space discretization in SURF relies on dyadic sampling of the scale parameter L. The box length representation is therefore divided into octaves (similarly to SIFT [14, 13]), which are indexed by parameter o ∈{1,2,3,4}, where a new octave is created for every doubling of the kernel size. Note that, in order to save computation time, the filtered image is generally sub-sampled of factor two at every octave, as done for instance by SIFT [14]. As pointed out by the author of SURF [2], sub-sampling is not necessary with the use of box filters, since the computation time complexity does not depends on scale. However, while not being explicitly stated in the original paper [2], but as done in most implementations we have reviewed (for instance, this approximation is used in [3] but not in [5]), we choose to use sub-sampling to speed up the algorithm. More precisely, instead of evaluating the multi-scale operators at each pixel, we use a sampling†step† which depends on the octave level (this sampling is detailed in the next sections). Note that this strategy is consistent with the fact that the number of features is decreasing with respect to scale. Level sampling Each octave is also divided in several levels (indexed here by the parameter i ∈ {1,2,3,4}). In the usual discrete scale space analysis, these levels correspond directly to the desired sampling of the scale variable ÏÆ', which parametrizes the discretized Gaussian kernels GÏÆ' (see definition in Eq. (16)). In SURF, the relation between scale L, octave o and level i variables is L := 2o i + 1 . (6) These values are summarized in Table 2. Note that because of the non-maxima suppression involved in the feature selection, only intermediate levels are actually used to define interest points and local descriptors (i ∈{2,3}). On comparison of the box space and the linear scale space. (Top) Convolution with squared and centered box filters with radii ÃŽ ³ = 5 and ÃŽ ³ = 20 (respectively from left to right). (Middle) Corresponding Gaussian filters with respective scales ÏÆ'5 ≈ 3.16 and ÏÆ'20 ≈ 11.83, according to formula (5). Dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erence between Gaussian and Box filters (using a linear transform for visualization). We can see here that the box space is a rough approximation of the Gaussian scale space, that exhibits some artifacts due to the anisotropy and the high frequencies of the box kernels. Scale analogy with linear scale space As discussed before in Section 3.1, we can define a scale analysis variable by analogy with the linear scale space decomposition. In [2], the scale parameter ÏÆ'(L) associated with octave o and level i is obtained by the following relation ÏÆ'(L) := 1.2 3(2o Ãâ€"i + 1) = 0.4L. (7) Since the relation between the scale ÏÆ'(L) of an interest point is linear in the size parameter L of box filters operators, we shall speak indià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erently of the former or the latter to indicate the scale. Remark A finer scale-space representation could be obtained (i.e. with sub-pixel values of L) using a bilinear interpolation of the image, as suggested in [2]. This is not performed in the proposed implementation. 3.3 Comparison with Gaussian derivative operators 3.3.1 First order operators The first order box filters DL x and DL y defined at scale L are approximations of the first derivatives of Gaussian kernel at the corresponding scale ÏÆ'(L) (see Eq. (7)), respectively corresponding to Dx GÏÆ'(x,y) = − x ÏÆ'2(L) GÏÆ'(x,y) and Dy GÏÆ'(x,y). These operators are used for local feature description, in detailed we compares the first order box filter impulse response with the discretized Gaussian derivative kernel. DL x ÃŽ ´ (Eq. (6)) Dx GÏÆ'(L) Illustration of the discrete derivative operator DL x (defined in Section 2.3.1) and discretization of the Gaussian derivative kernel Dx GÏÆ'(L) when using scale relation ÏÆ'(L) from Eq. (7). 3.3.2 The second order operators Second order dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erential operators are computed in the scale-space for the detection of interest points [9, 10]. In the linear scale-space representation, this boils down to the convolution with second derivatives of Gaussian kernels Dxx GÏÆ'(x,y) = 1 ÏÆ'22 ÏÆ'2 −1GÏÆ'(x,y), Dyy GÏÆ', and Dxy GÏÆ'(x,y) = xy ÏÆ'4 GÏÆ'(x,y). (8) In the SURF approach, the convolution with theses kernels are approximated by second order box filters, previously introduced respectively as DL xx, DL yy , and DL xy . A visual comparison between second order derivatives of Gaussian and their analogous with box filters. These operators are required for local feature selection step in section 4. 3.3.3 Scale Normalization According to [12], dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erential operators have to be normalized when applied in linear scale space in order to achieve scale invariance detection of local features. More precisely, as it can be seen from Equation (21), the amplitude of the continuous second order Gaussian derivative filters decreases with scale variable ÏÆ' by a factor 1 ÏÆ'2. To balance this eà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ect, second order operators are usually normalized by ÏÆ'2, so that we get for instance (a) (b) (c) (d) On comparison of second order box filters and second order derivative of Gaussian kernels. (a) operator DL yy; (b) discretizedsecondorderGaussianderivative D2 y GÏÆ'; (c) operator DL xy; (d) discretized second order Gaussian derivative Dxy GÏÆ'; For comparison purpose, we used again the scale relation ÏÆ'(L) from Eq. (7). †¢ the scale-normalized determinant of Hessian operator: DoHÏÆ' (u) :=uÏÆ' −(Dxy uÏÆ')2; (9) †¢ the scale-normalized Laplacian operator: à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  ÃÆ' u := ÏÆ'2à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬   uÏÆ' = ÏÆ'2à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬   GÏÆ' âˆâ€"u = ÏÆ'2(Dxx + Dyy)GÏÆ' âˆâ€"u = ÏÆ'2(Dxx uÏÆ' + Dyy uÏÆ'), (10) where à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  ÃÆ' GÏÆ'(x,y) = ÏÆ'2(Dxx +Dyy)à ¢- ¦GÏÆ'(x,y) =x2+y2 ÏÆ'2 −1GÏÆ'(x,y) is the multi-scale Laplacian of Gaussian. Observe that this operator can be obtained from the Trace of the scalenormalized Hessian matrix. These two operators are widely used in computer vision for feature detection. They are also approximatedinSURF,asdetailedinthenextsections. Asaconsequence, suchascale-normalization is also required with box filters to achieve similar invariance in SURF. To do so, the authors proposed that amplitude of operators DL xx , DL yy , and DL xy should be reweighted so that the l2 norms of normalized operators become constant over scales. The quadratic l2 norm of operators are estimated from the squared Frobenius norm of impulse responses kDL xxk2 2 := kDL xx ÃŽ ´k2 F = kDL yy ÃŽ ´k2 F =1 + 1 + (−1)2L(2L−1) = 6L(2L−1), so that kDL xxk2 2 ≈ 12L2 when L=1, and kDL xyk2 2 := kDL xy ÃŽ ´k2 F =1 + 1 + (−1)2 + (−1)2LÃâ€"L = 4L2. This means that box filters responses should be simply divided by the scale parameter L to achieve scale invariance detection. Interest point detection: In the previous sections, second order operators based on box filters have been introduced. These operators are multi-scale and may be normalized to yield scale invariant response. We will now take interest in their use for multi-scale local feature detection. Once the integral image has been computed, three consecutive steps are performed which are detailed in the following sections: 1. Feature filtering based on a combination of second order box filters; 2. Feature selection is combining non-maxima suppression and thresholding; 3. Scale-space location refinement ( § 4.3) using second order interpolation. This interest point detection task is summarized in Algorithm 1. Step-1 Filtering Image by Integration: Integral image and box filters Let u be the processed digital image defined over the pixel grid à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¦ = [0,N-1]Ãâ€"[0.M-1], where M and N are positive integers. In the following, we only consider quantized gray valued images (taking values in the range [0; 255]), which is the simplest way to achieve robustness to color modifications, such as a white balance correction. The integral image of I for(x,y) à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¦ is Flow Diagram: Figure3.1: showing the flow chart of the process for object detection Step 2: Point Detection: During the detection step, the local maxima in the box-space of the determinant of Hessian† operator are used to select interest point candidates. These candidates are then validated if the response is above a given threshold. Both the scale and location of these candidates are then refined using quadratic fitting. Typically, a few hundred interest points are detected in a megapixel image. input: image u, integral image U, octave o, level i output: DoHL(u) function Determinant_of_Hessian (U; o; i) L 2oi + 1 (Scale variable, Eq. (19)) for x := 0 to M à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ 1, step 2oà ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬1 do (Loop on columns) for y := 0 to N à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ 1, step 2oà ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬1 do (Loop on rows) DoHL(u)(x; y) Formula (24) (with (4), (10) and (11)) end for end for return DoHL(u) end function Algo input: image u output: listKeyPoints (Initialization) U IntegralImage(u) (Eq. (1)) (Step 1: filtering of features) for L 2 f3; 5; 7; 9; 13; 17; 25; 33; 49; 65g do (scale sampling) DoHL(u) Determinant_of_Hessian (U; L) end for (Step 2: selection and refinement of keypoints) for o := 1 to 4 do (octave sampling) for i := 2 to 3 do (levels sampling for maxima location) L -> 2o i + 1 listKeyPoints -> listKeyPoints + KeyPoints(o; i;DoHL(u)) end for end for return listKeyPoints So that the scale normalization factor C(L) for second order box filters should be proportional to 1 L2 However, the previous normalization is only true when L1. Indeed, while we have kDxxGÏÆ'k2 2 kDxyGÏÆ'k2 2 = 3 at any scale ÏÆ', this is not exactly true with box filters, where: kDL xxk2 2 kDL xyk2 2 = 3(2L−1) 2L ≈ 3 when L1. To account for this dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erence in normalization for small scales, while keeping the same (fast) un-normalized box filters, the author of SURF introduced in Formula (24) a weight factor: w(L) = kDL xxk2 kDL xyk2  ·kDxyGÏÆ'k2 kDxxGÏÆ'k2 =r2L−1 2L . (26) The numerical values of this parameter are listed in the last column of Table 2. As noticed by the authors of SURF, the variable w(L) does not vary so much across scales. This is the resaon why the weighting parameter w in Eq. (10) is fixed to w(3) = 0.9129. Feature selection: In our methodology, interest points are defined as local maxima of the aforementioned DoHL operator applied to the image u. These maxima are detected by considering a 3 Ãâ€" 3 Ãâ€" 3 neighborhood, andperforminganexhaustivecomparisonofeveryvoxelofthediscretebox-spacewith its 26 nearest-neighbors. The corresponding feature selection procedure is described in Algorithm 3. Algorithm 3 Selection of features input: o,i,DoHL(u) (Determinant of Hessian response at octave o and level i) output: listKeyPoints (List of keypoints in box space with sub-pixel coordinates (x,y,L)) function KeyPoints (o,i,DoHL(u)) L ↠ 2oi + 1 for x := 0 to M −1, step 2o−1 do (Loop on columns) for y = 0 to N −1, step 2o−1 do (Loop on rows) if DoHL(u)(x,y) > tH then (Thresholding) if isMaximum (DoHL(u),x,y) then (Non-maximum suppression) if isRefined (DoHL(u),x,y,L) then addListKeyPoints (x,y,L) end if end if end if end for end for return listKeyPoints end function Remark A faster method has been proposed in [21] to find the local maxima without exhaustive search, which has been not implemented for the demo. Thresholding: Using four octaves and two levels for analysis, eight dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erent scales are therefore analyzed (see Table 2 in Section 3.2). In order to obtain a compact representation of the image -and also to cope with noise perturbation- the algorithm selects the most salient features from this set of local maxima. This is achieved by using a threshold tH on the response of the DoHL operator DoHL(u)(x,y) > tH . (27) Note that, since the operator is scale-normalized, the threshold is constant. In the demo, this threshold has been set to 10 assuming that the input image u takes values in the intervalJ0,255K. This setting enables us to have a performance similar to the original SURF algorithm [2, 1] (see Section 6 for more details). Figure 13 shows the set of interest points detected as local box-space maxima of the DoHL operator, and selected after thresholding. For visualization purpose, the radii of the circles is set as 2.5 times the box scale L of the corresponding interest points.

Antonine Woman as Venus :: Portrait Painting Art Essays

Antonine Woman as Venus It is determined the Antonine Woman as Venus is a woman of aristocratic status. The portrait is made of fine-grain marble, a medium only upper-class persons could afford. Also, only persons of wealth could afford to have such a protrait made. The woman is portrayed as Venus, a goddess who is connected to the imperial family, and members of a royal family would often have themselves depicted as a deity. (De Puma 26) We know she is being portrayed as Venus because of her bare breast and the upper-arm ring. The bare breast is a key to Venus because she is the goddess of sexuality and desirability. The upper arm ring can be an attribute of Venus as the Statue of Aphrodite (Venus) by Praxiletels displays the same jewelry on a nude body. (Fantham 175) The back of the portrait is slightly slanted, allowing us to imagine the angle at which the portrait was positioned on its support. The portrait is the complete bust of Antonine Woman as Venus, minus the background medallion, which would have created a complete circle above her head. Imagining the medallion was still there, we envision the bust as being placed on a wall. This postition would cause the portrait to angle towards the on-looker and we assume she was placed at eye-level or slightly higher. Antonine Woman as Venus is obviously a freeborn woman. She comes from or was married into an aristocratic family, which would not be possible for a slave or a freedwoman. She is a young matron of approximately 20 years of age. We can determine she is young and a matron because her pose is not as modest as an unwed adolescent's pose may be or as modest as an elder woman's pose may be. (Shelton 292) Her age is also determined by her sexually confident pose, her locks draping her neck, and her smooth, unaged facial features. These attributes are not a likeness to an adolescent girl or a woman of age. By the woman's young and healthy appearance, we may assume she was able to receive the best medical treatment because she was a wealthy woman of aristocratic status. She was most likely, being a person of upper-class, educated at the appropriate age by private tutors, usually before the age of twelve. Like all Roman women, however, she must conceal her intellect in the company of men, especially if the situation is concerning her husband.

How Does Failure Lead to Success?

Failure can lead to success like how you learn from mistakes you can learn from failure. Most people learn life lessons by the mistakes they make. So basically to learn things in life mistakes must be made, at least that's my opinion. Sometimes you can fail at one thing, but in the end you have succeeded in something different. For example how Christopher Columbus failed at finding a new way to Asia, but instead he succeeded n something far more greater.He discovered America. Without his failure America would be left undiscovered for some long amount of time. My own personal failure to success story is one most people wouldn't even call success. Last year I was going down the wrong path in life, I felt like nothing could stop me, like everything I done would have no negative affect on me. Skipping school everyday, doing all the wrong things. All those things got me caught up, I call it failure because I got caught by my school, police, and worst of all my parents.I broke the trust. B ut all that opened up my eyes, if I didn't fail then who knows where I'd be right now, locked up or six feet under. My failure brought along my success. I started fixing my grades, attitude, and my relationship with my family. So in my eyes failure can lead to success, at least It has for me. Like how good things come out of bad things, maybe failure Is consideration, it should be success at finding out some things Just weren't meant to be.As I look back into my past I realize all the times my failure has led to success. I regret none of the things I've done In the past, because they are what makes me who I am today. Like a story written In Ink, you can't erase your mistakes. The times I get caught doing wrong I call that my failure, the times I learn from my failure I call that my success. And with that success always comes after failure.

Legal and Ethical Tensions Between Maintaining Confidentiality and Sharing Information Essay

Criteria: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3-Review the groups and individuals whose communication needs you must address in your work role. Explain how you support effective communication within your work role. Analyse the barriers and challenges to communication within your work role. Being able to communicate is a major feature of being human. Throughout the working day we absorb information and pass this on to other people. Communication is vitally important if a team is to work effectively. Almost everything I do at work relies on communication. Communication is the basis of interaction and skills in speaking, writing and specially, listening are essential when working with children and adults in my setting. The interaction and communication I carry out within my setting are with children, colleagues, deputy, manager, parents and other agencies and professionals. As I am interacting with diverse group of people each day, I need to use a variety of communication skills depending on the position of th e person/children and the context in which the communication take place. I have to be aware of the fact that I need to use appropriate language and terminology for my message to be understood. For example, talking to a child who is hurt -my approach to him/her will be empathic while talking to a medical staff might require just a delivery of impersonal information. When talking to children I must get down to their level, observe and listen carefully to what they are saying/asking, keeping eye contact during the conversation, asking short questions and wait patiently for their answer. When I communicate with adults, an important point to remember always is the fact that sometimes the person in front of me might go through personal crisis or is feeling upset in some way so this requires excellent skills to make sure I’m making the person in front of me(colleague, parent) felling supported and valued. Read more:Â  Maintaining an Individual’s Confidentiality and Disclosing Concerns Essay To support an effective communication with my team we have regularly meetings (weekly meetings when we talk about planning the week, a new topic, activities, about children and their development, concerns are raised from the team members), appraisals are in plan, delegation of work, checking of the reports, setting of objectives that are SMART involving all members of my team and also motivating my team by supporting, trusting and encouraging them to get the job done. For me to be able to support others to become good communicators, it is necessary that I will be an effective role model and to reflect effectively on how I am delivering the messages. If I support all my communication accepting and valuing the people with whom I interact in the expression of warmth and non-judgemental attitude, I will improve my communication skills no end. An effective communication can be supported by me as a leader by ensuring that my staff are all aware of the need to be flexible in the way in which they communicate within varied contexts and to engage in communication which is empathic (to ‘put yourself in the shoes of others’) and values the people with whom they interact. Sometimes often, however, the communication is challenged and breaks down. Communication can sometimes be not effective because of difference in culture, difficulties in own life (making it difficult to concentrate), negative feelings about the person I am speaking to or getting upset about what they are saying-leading to conflict, not listening effectively, tiredness, feeling unwell, noise, inappropriate environment. Some of my colleagues with whom I work are perfectionists, who like to see that everything is completed in a precise way while others feels that, as long as the job is done, the end result does not have to be perfect. An example in my setting is about displaying the children work: some of us believe that children’s work should be displayed attractively but does not have to be perfect but some of us consider differently. A very important aspect of the communication is body-language and non-verbal communication. This is one of things that we often do not pay enough attention-our body language. Argyle (1978) pointed out that non-verbal communication can have as much as five times the impact on a person’s understanding compare to the words spoken. Therefore, it is vital I ensure that my body actions match my speech in order to get my message across. My ability to respect and accept diversity it is very important as we live in a multi-cultural society and there are also differences in the values that people hold. Each colleague have a different type of character, just like myself, others have their own feelings, values and attitudes and sometimes these may clash with how we see the world. I may not share their views but, as a leader in my setting I do have to show tolerance of these views. There are four important key steps that can be identifying when dealing with any conflict: 1. describe the actual conflict and define it well; 2. listen actively to all parties to fully understand the issues 3. emphasise the benefit of finding a way forward 4. reaching an agreement According to Craine (2007) ‘people facing change often go through a cycle of emotions similar to those experienced when faced with the death of a loved one’. If I want to understand and communicate well with my team members I must listen to each one of them to what they are saying. Active listening shows that the staff members have been heard. Communication and encouraging the people to share their thoughts and concerns are always better than allowing situations to fester. Regularly team meetings is a way to decrease potential conflict.

Hideki Tojo

Hideki Tojo On December 23, 1948, the United States executed a frail, bespectacled man of almost 64 years.   The prisoner, Hideki Tojo, had been convicted of war crimes by the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, and he would be the highest-ranking officer from Japan to be executed.   To his dying day, Tojo maintained that The Greater East Asia War was justified and righteous.   However, he did apologize for the atrocities commited by Japanese troops during the Second World War.    Who was Hideki Tojo? Hideki Tojo (December 30, 1884 - December 23, 1948) was a leading figure of the Japanese government as a general of the Imperial Japanese Army, leader of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, and 27th Prime Minister of Japan from October 17, 1941 to July 22, 1944.  It was Tojo who, as Prime Minister, was responsible for ordering the attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. The day after the attack, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan, officially bringing the  United States into World War II.   Ã‚   Hideki Tojo was born in 1884 to a military family of  samurai  descent. His father was one of the first generation of military men since the Imperial Japanese Army had replaced  samurai warriors after the Meiji Restoration.   Tojo graduated with honors from the army war college in 1915 and quickly climbed the military  ranks. He was known within the army as Razor Tojo for his bureaucratic efficiency,  strict attention to detail, and unwavering adherence to protocol. He was extremely loyal to the Japanese nation and the army, and in his rise to leadership within Japans military and government he became a symbol for Japans militarism and parochialism. With his unique appearance of close-cropped hair, mustache, and round eyeglasses he became the caricature by Allied propagandists of Japans military dictatorship during the Pacific war.   At the end of World War II, Tojo was arrested, tried, sentenced to death for war crimes, and hanged. Early Military Career In 1935, Tojo assumed command of the Kwangtung Armys Kempetai or military police force in Manchuria.   The Kempetai was not an ordinary military police command - it functioned more like a secret police, such as the Gestapo or the Stassi. In 1937, Tojo was promoted once more to Chief of Staff of the Kwangtung Army. July of that year saw his only actual combat experience, when he led a brigade into Inner Mongolia. The Japanese defeated Chinese Nationalist and Mongolian forces, and established a puppet state called the Mongol United Autonomous Government. By 1938, Hideki Tojo was recalled to Toyko to serve as army vice minister in the Emperors Cabinet.   In July of 1940, he was promoted to army minister in the second Fumimaroe Konoe government.   In that role, Tojo advocated an alliance with Nazi Germany, and also with Fascist Italy. Meanwhile relations with the United States worsened as Japanese troops moved south into Indochina. Although Konoe considered negotiations with the United States, Tojo advocated against them, espousing war unless the United States withdrew its embargo on all exports to Japan.   Konoe disagreed, and resigned.   Prime Minister of Japan Without giving up his post of army minister, Tojo was made the prime minister of Japan in October 1941.   At different points during World War II, he would also serve as the minister of home affairs, education, munitions, foreign affairs, and commerce and industry.    In December of 1941, Prime Minister Tojo gave the green light to a plan for simultaneous attacks on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Thailand; British Malaya; Singapore; Hong Kong; Wake Island; Guam; and the Philippines.   Japans rapid success and lightning-fast Southern Expansion made Tojo immensely popular with the ordinary people. Although Tojo had public support, was hungry for power, and was adept at gathering the reins into his own hands, he never was able to establish a true fascist dictatorship like those of his heros, Hitler and Mussolini.   The Japanese power structure, headed by the emperor-god Hirohito, prevented him from attaining complete control.   Even at the height of his influence, the court system, the navy, industry, and of course Emperor Hirohito himself remained outside of Tojos control.   In July of 1944, the tide of war had turned against Japan and against Hideki Tojo.   When Japan lost Saipan to the advancing Americans, the emperor forced Tojo out of power.   After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945, and Japans surrender, Tojo knew that he would likely be arrested by the American Occupation authorities. Trial and Death As the Americans closed in, Tojo had a friendly doctor draw a large charcoal X on his chest to mark where his heart was.   He then went into a separate room and shot himself squarely through the mark.   Unfortunately for him, the bullet somehow missed his heart and went through his stomach instead.   When the Americans arrived to arrest him, they found him laying on a bed, bleeding profusely.   Im very sorry that it is taking me so long to die, he told them.   The Americans rushed him to emergency surgery, saving his life. Hideki Tojo was tried before the International Military Tribunal for the Far East for war crimes.   In his testimony, he took every opportunity to assert his own guilt, and claimed that the Emperor was blameless.   This was convenient for the Americans, who had already decided that they did not dare hang the Emperor for fear of a popular revolt.   Tojo was found guilty of seven counts of war crimes, and on November 12, 1948, he was sentenced to death by hanging. Tojo was hanged on December 23, 1948.   In his final statement, he asked the Americans to show mercy to the Japanese people, who had suffered devastating losses in the war, as well as the two atomic bombings.   Tojos ashes are divided between the Zoshigaya Cemetery in Tokyo and the controversial Yasukuni Shrine; he is one of fourteen class A war criminals enshrined there.

Proposal Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Proposal Argument - Essay Example The family therapist acknowledges that there is a diversity of family forms, such as nuclear, extended, cohabitation and same-sex, to name a few. It is also acknowledged that the different forms a family each have inherent strengths and weaknesses. Hence, the family therapist emphasises interventions that facilitate individuals to form social couples and households, or family groups. It is the aim of the family therapist to assist with relational development within the couple or household, and to support the learning of new ways to problem-solve. As a human service worker professional, the family therapist does not discriminate on grounds of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and religion or health status. To enable effective and efficient intervention, the family therapist needs to adhere to a theory that reflects their personal therapeutic philosophy. The social construction framework is useful to human service workers in the fields of family therapy and psychotherapy in that it allows practitioners to investigate and empower client’s creation of meaningful understandings of themselves and the wider world (Swann, 1999). The framework focuses on the key influences of sociocultural forces and the environmental context of human understanding, learning and accumulation of knowledge. Within family therapy this theory provides the therapist with a powerful ability to draw family members away from blaming each other for their behaviors, and placing these behaviors within a larger sociocultural context. For example, the Western values of independence, competition and profit contributing to the family to place pressure on their son to find gainful employment and to do better in life than what they have. In turn, the son has felt misunderstood, isolated and unable to achieve due to constant â€Å"failures† and has chosen to d rop out of society. Now living

THE NURSES' RESPONSABILITY IN THE PREVENTION OF MEDICAL ERRORS Essay

THE NURSES' RESPONSABILITY IN THE PREVENTION OF MEDICAL ERRORS - Essay Example It identifies the six major medication administration rights that need to be observed during patient care. The study draws close attention to the health care provided by nurses as regards to patient safety with key measures being the errors and their frequency of occurrence. The implication of this study therefore is to sensitize the health care providers on the medication administration rights and how to apply them to reduce medication errors. A medication error is any event which is preventable that may lead to improper medication use or patient injury while the medication is in the control of a health care professional, consumer or patient. Under the state laws, injury to a patient that arises as a consequence of negligence or medical malpractice, results in a tort (Cima et al, 2012). This is punishable under a court of law. Medication errors may be related to professional practice, health care products, systems and procedure. Poor drug prescription including order communication, labeling of drugs, nomenclature, compounding, dispensing, administration and use are among the major medication errors. Therefore, there should be minimal or no room at all for errors especially human that may lead to injury of any form on a patient. There are nursing guidelines that govern nurses to help them prevent medication errors (Sherwood, 2012. ... In this regard, the nurses need to properly understand the six major medical administration rights during patient care. In simple terms, it is an attempt at improving safety at this point of care. This is especially for the vulnerable population such as the elderly in the society or the infants and children. Nurses are required to strictly observe the rights of medical administration. This is part of the many intervention aspects of nursing that help to reduce medical related errors. The various medical administration rights that should be adhered to are as discussed below; Right patient At times, busy hospitals and emergency centers can innocently misrepresent the identity of a patient either through the manual processes used or overlooked while under pressure. Therefore nurses should take proper records of a patient such as the names age and where from to act as identifiers. With the advancement in technology, the use of a bar-code system can be helpful in preventing probable medic ation errors. For example, a patient suffered injury as a result of being administered with a different patient’s prescription for blood thinner warfarin. The patient developed serious hemorrhage Right drug It is not possible for every nurse to know the drug facts for each drug and particular patients therefore it is advisable for every nurse to be knowledgeable about the drugs being administered to a patient. It is only professional and competent for a nurse to look up for more drug information in unfamiliar instances before administering a drug on a patient. It is the right of the patient to receive the right information on a medication, a right to receive correct medication and a nurse having knowledge on the medication they are providing. to prevent errors it is

Social Systems and Constructivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Social Systems and Constructivism - Essay Example Constructivism is a learning-making or meaning-making theory, which offers an explanation about the nature of knowledge as well as how human beings learn. It sustain that individuals build or construct their own new knowledge via the interaction which have been believed, known and the ideas as well as activities with which are encountered. In a constructivist setting, learning activities are characterized by lively engagement, problem solving, inquiry, and collaboration by the learners. Teachers are considered as the facilitator, guide and co-explorer who motivate learners to question, and not just dispenser of knowledge. As to Brooks and Brooks (1993: vii), constructivism is a theory about learning. The author believe that learner uses a â€Å"self-regulated mechanism† in order to resolve inner cognitive conflicts which often become obvious through concrete experience, reflection and collaborative discourse. Integrating the idea of constructivism to education is not anymore a new phenomenon. Trace back the efforts of Jean Piaget (1973), a Swiss developmental psychologist and also Russian psychologist Lev Vigotsky (1978). The idea has further influenced by the developmental philosopher Jacques Rousseau, followed by the theories of John Dewey, Arnold Gesell and G. Stanley Hall. Matthews Vadeboncoeur (1997) classifies three important strands in interpreting Jean Piaget’s socio-cultural, and emancipatory constructivism. The said strands vary primarily by; its subject of study, views.

Minimum Wage in the United States Essay Example for Free

Minimum Wage in the United States Essay A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily, or monthly wage that employers may legally pay to employees or workers. The debate over minimum wage in the United States has been ongoing for over 100 years. It is a hot topic in labor, human interest, and especially in economics. Is the minimum wage too low? Is it too high? Should we have one at all? Does having a minimum legal wage help those who it is intended to help, or does it actually make them worse off? Theses questions are asked on a daily basis by interested parties. While there may not be one definitive correct answer, there are compelling arguments on both sides of the issue, and those who represent their â€Å"side† are passionate about their opinions. This is one of a few social topics about which people are generally not indifferent. Much of the adult workforce in the United States has worked a minimum wage job at some point in their career, so we can easily relate to the challenges that face today’s minimum wage workers. This paper is not intended to solve the debate over minimum wage, nor will it attempt to persuade the reader in one direction or the other regarding what should be done concerning minimum wage. The pages that follow will present a brief history of the minimum wage debate in the United States, and then present some of the arguments offered by both sides of the debate. A Brief History of Minimum Wage Although New Zealand was the first country to formally enact minimum wage legislation in 1896,[i] the United States was one of the first major industrialized nations to set a national wage floor for their workers. For decades during the industrial revolution, workers in the United States endured work environments that consisted of long hours, dangerous working conditions, and low wages. Small movements to develop a national minimum wage by labor unions and activist groups were met with predictable resistance from business people, and ultimately struck down by the U. S. Supreme Court. [ii] Finally, in 1938 President Roosevelt and Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act. This act was intended to alleviate some of the poor working conditions that mostly women and young children were subject to. Additionally, this act imposed a federally mandated minimum wage of $0. 25 per hour, with some exceptions. [iii] There have been subsequent pieces of legislation that continue to address and improve workers’ rights since that time, focusing more on quality of life issues rather than eliminating abuses by employers. Additionally, individual states now have the right to enact their own minimum wage, so long as it is no lower than the federally mandated minimum wage. Since 1938, the national minimum wage has been raised 21 times, most recently in 2009, and is currently $7. 25 per hour. Today, more than 90% of countries in the world have some sort of wage floor for their work force. [iv] The Case for Minimum Wage Those in favor of a minimum wage argue that it increases the standard of living of workers and reduces poverty. [v] Those workers that are paid minimum wage are unskilled laborers, perhaps first entering the job market. Without any marketable skills, the worker needs some protection that they will be paid a fair rate that will enable them to be self-sufficient until such time that they have learned a skill or trade that will allow them to work their way up from the low wage jobs. Without a minimum wage, employers would have significantly more market power than the workers – a monopsony – and that could result in the intentional collusion between employers regarding the wage they will offer. [vi] Absent this protection, workers would be forced to accept the artificially low wages, resulting in a very low quality of life. Additionally, the argument can be made that paying a â€Å"livable† minimum wage incentivizes workers to not only get a job, but to work hard to keep that job. When minimum wages are significantly greater than payments received through a social welfare system, people are rewarded for their hard work. If a person could receive an amount close to what they would earn at minimum wage through the welfare system, what motivation would they have to work the minimum wage job? In contrast, if workers are paid an amount that is considerably more, they will find and keep work. This serves another purpose, to decrease the cost of government administered social welfare programs by getting people off of welfare and onto payrolls. Another common argument made by those in favor of the minimum wage is that it actually helps to stimulate spending, improving overall economic conditions. [vii] The theory behind this argument is that low wage earners typically spend everything they make. Whether on necessities or luxury items, minimum wage earners are likely to spend their entire paycheck. If there were an increase in the minimum wage, the people who would receive the pay increase would turn around and spend their new money. This would help to cover the costs of the increased wages as many businesses would see an almost immediate return through increased sales. While this argument seems to make sense, it must be clarified that no empirical evidence to support this claim could be found. Another argument made is that an increase in minimum wage helps to improve the work ethic of those who receive the increase. The implication is that if their employer is forced to give them a raise, they will be compelled to work harder to improve their efficiency and increase their productivity in return. Again, there is no evidence to either support or refute this claim, and opinions run strong regarding this argument. Perhaps the most basic and most often made argument in support of a national minimum wage law is that it is simply the correct thing to do, morally speaking. The idea that we should want to take care of each other and make sure that everyone made a comfortable wage is one of the most basic tenets of the philosophy of those who support it. Arguments against Minimum Wage Laws: On the other side of the argument are those who are opposed to increasing the minimum wage, as well as some who think it should be abolished altogether. Many businesspeople and economists are on this side of the debate, and they present some pretty compelling arguments. They argue that imposing an increase on the federally mandated minimum wage actually will do more economic harm than good. [viii] The main argument deals with the elasticity of demand regarding employment. A minimum wage increase actually reduces the quantity demanded of workers, either through a reduction in the number of hours worked by individuals, or through a reduction in the number of jobs. ix] Simply put, employers are likely not going to increase their salary budget, so if the hourly wages increase, then they must reduce the number of hours of work that they are paying for. This could result in the exact opposite impact of that which is intended. Those earning the minimum wage and are facing reduced hours or even being let go will find themselves much worse off as a result of an increase than leaving it at its current rate. Additionally, often the way out of e arning minimum wage is through skills learned through those minimum wage jobs. If there are fewer of these jobs as a result of the wage being higher, fewer people will be able to learn the skills needed to move up on a career path and break the cycle of poverty. Secondly, if employers are unwilling or unable to reduce the number of hours they pay their employees, they will simply attempt to make up the increased salary expense through increased prices. On a small scale, this may not have a large impact on the overall economy. When this is done on a large scale because many employers need to cover their increased costs, this is likely to lead to inflation. x] Higher salaries necessitate higher prices which will erode most if not all of the benefits of the increase in pay. The minimum wage workers will have the same buying power as before, but because of unnecessary inflation, the lower middle class will actually face the biggest impact because their wages will not have increased but their purchasing power will also have eroded. Another area that may be impacted by a mandated wage increase is training. As most workers who earn the minimum wage typically have little education and training, their biggest chance to work their way into a higher paying job is through on the job training. One part of an employer’s budget that could face cuts would be for providing training to employees. Often employers provide training to their employees that would help them advance in their career, but may not be completely necessary in their current position. Unnecessary expenses such as this will most likely be trimmed, resulting in fewer opportunities for the working poor. [xi] Perhaps the simplest argument is if a minimum wage worker is producing $4. 00 per hour worth of product, and then the federal minimum wage is raised to $5. 0, the employer must find a way to increase the workers marginal productivity or face operating loses due to underproductive employees. One final thought from opponents is that once all of the aforementioned arguments are considered, there are more effective ways of helping address the issue of poverty. The Earned Income Tax Credit is pointed to as a strong example of one of the more effective ideas, rather than putting the burden of poverty on em ployers, it is shifted to the government. [xii] Empirical Data: When considering both sides of this debate, it is important to realize who are the workers earning minimum wage, and what role they have in providing for their families. Of the 1. 9 million workers in the United States who were paid the minimum wage in 2005 (most recent information available), more than one half (53%) are between the ages of 16-24. These workers are most likely high school and college students, and most of them do not work a full time schedule. Two thirds are members of families who have a combined income of at least 2 or more times the official poverty level based on their family size. Less than 17 percent are the only wage earners in their families, and less than 6 percent are poor single mothers. [xiii] What does this information tell us? The most important thing is that an increase in the minimum wage would target a majority of people who may not be living in poverty and are otherwise not in need of direct assistance. The far-reaching effects of raising minimum wages across the board in order to get help to the approximately 22 percent of earners who are truly living in poverty seems to be at the least ineffective, and at worst it could epresent a terrible misstep in economic policy. It is difficult if not impossible to identify the jobs lost because of minimum wage, but it is very easy to identify the additional income for a minimum wage worker. This is often the first retort from minimum wage advocates in response to arguments made by the other side. Alison Wellington’s research found that a 10% increase in the minimum wage resulted in a 0. 6% decrease in teenage employment, with no effect on unemployment rates. [xiv] A study along the same lines by David Neumark and William Washer in 2008 found contrasting results. They concluded that minimum wage resulted in a reduction in employment opportunities for low skilled workers, it was most harmful to poverty-stricken families, and that it lowers the adult wages of young workers by reducing their ultimate level of education. [xv] There are countless studies on both sides of the issue, and each one only solidifies each side in their existing opinion. No matter what position one takes regarding the minimum wage debate, there are a multitude of studies available to support it. The seemingly obvious fact is that these small increases that are enacted every few years are never enough to truly make a difference in bringing a person or a family out of poverty. A fifty cent increase in the minimum wage results in about $20 more per week for a full time worker. In my estimation, it is quite unlikely that small amount is making the difference in a person or a family living in poverty and living comfortably. A study of PhD members of the American Economic Association found that 46. % of respondents wanted minimum wage completely eliminated while 37. 7% want the minimum wage increased. [xvi] Such division among even the most expert economists shows exactly how contentious this issue is, and that there is no black and white, right or wrong answer to solve the debate. Perhaps as time goes on and there is more historical data to review, there may be a more definitive answer regarding this debate. Until such time, both sides will most likely remain entrenched in their current position.

The Head Start Child Development Children And Young People Essay

The Head Start Child Development Children And Young People Essay The Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework provides Head Start and other early childhood programs with a description of the developmental building blocks that are most important for a childs school and long-term success (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2010, p.1). All children, ages 3 to 5 years old, are expected to advance in all of the areas of child development and early learning that are written by the Framework. All federally funded Head Start programs are also expected to develop and implement a program that ensures such progress is made (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2010). The Framework is the base foundation of the Head Start Approach to School Readiness. It aligns with and builds from the five essential domains of school readiness identified by the National Educational Goals Panel and lays out essential areas of learning and development (United States Department of Health and Human Services, Decembe r 2010). The five essential domains outlined in the Framework are: language and literacy, cognition and general knowledge, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, and physical development and health . There are many reasons that children enter daycare and other childcare settings in the years leading up to beginning kindergarten. The primary reason that children enter preschool, either private or public, is a parent returning to work, especially during the first one or two years two of a childs life (Peyton, Jacobs, OBrien, Roy, 2001). Statistics from outside the home preschool programs suggest that non-family child care can provide lasting benefits to children (Campbell, Ramey, Pungello, Sparling, Miller-Johnson, 2002). The later preschool are normally the years that prepare children to start school (Fram, Kim Sinha, 2011). Head Start aims to provide the resources necessary to strengthen the school readiness and general development of pre-kindergarten children who come from low-income families, and a growing prekindergarten movement has extended this type of approach to a wider range of children with growing success (Barnett, Lamy, Jung, 2005). The FACES 2003 cognitive assessment data showed that most children entered Head Start with early academic skills that were below national norms on standardized measures of vocabulary, early math, early reading, and early writing (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2006, p.2). The cohort stated that the mean standard score for all U.S. children is 100, with a standard deviation of 15. Children who entered Head Start in the fall of 2003 had mean standard scores of 85.6 for vocabulary, 88.4 for early math, 95.0 for early reading, and 86.5 for early writing. These scores were expected because many of the enrolled Head Start children come from disadvantaged families with very low parent education (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). A 2012 study by Baroody and Diamond stated that reading is an essential area of academic competence that is central to childrens successful development and functioning as adult citizens in society (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2000, p.10), and learning to read is a main focus of instruction in early elementary grades. Children who are successful in reading are also more likely to do well in mathematics and other areas of academic achievement (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2000). Other studies on a nationally representative sample of young children have confirmed that children who participated in a center-based program between two and three years of age demonstrated the strongest cognitive and developmental outcomes at school entry (Loeb, Bridges, Bassok, Fuller Rubmerger, 2007). Language and Literacy Children begin their language development early in life. This includes both receptive and expressive language, as well as understanding and possibly using one or more languages (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2010). Children must be allowed to interact socially with other children and adults to fulfill their language development. Children need to have a literacy knowledge to be successful in school. These skills include the basis for learning to read and write, such as basic concepts about printed materials, the alphabet, and letter-sound relationships (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2010). Research has shown that children who are interested in reading and literacy activities tend to participate more and are likely to become more proficient readers than children who lack literacy interest. Both literacy interest and engaging in literacy activities, both at home and at school, are important components in childrens early literacy experiences (Baroody Diamond, 2012). There have been several studies on literacy skill development through play, which embed literacy materials within play settings in preschool programs, that have normally shown increases in childrens use of literacy materials and engagement in literacy acts (Bergen, 2002). Research shows that children who enter kindergarten with knowledge in language and literacy are more likely to succeed in schools, and children who are severely lacking in areas such as recognizing letters, phonological awareness, and overall language ability are more likely to experience trouble in learning to read (Bredekemp, 2004). Children who enter the Head Start program come with a wide range of skills. In 2000, the highest quarter of Head Start children were at or above the 50th percentile in early language skills, with the lowest children ranked in the bottom 2 percent (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003, p. iii). The mean standard score for all U.S. children is 100, with a standard deviation of 15. The mean standard scores for children who entered Head Start during the fall of 2003 were 85.6 for vocabulary, 95.0 for early reading, and 86.5 for early writing (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). Researchers have documented that vocabulary, letter recognition, and phonological awareness are skills needed for children to successfully learn to read. Biemiller (2006) observed that vocabulary is a telling predictor of reading comprehension. A 1997 study by Cunningham and Stanovich showed a measurable connection between oral receptive vocabulary in first grade and reading comprehension in eleventh grade. Whitehurst and Lonigan (1998) and Ehri and Roberts (2006) both reported that letter recognition and phonemic awareness are two of the skills that children need to become proficient readers (United States Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). Emergent literacy is a key component of school readiness, and early differences in emergent literacy in preschool tend to be made worse throughout the elementary years (Noble, Duch, Darvique, Grundleger, Rodriquez, Landers 2011). Noble et al. found that randomized trials suggested that when struggling parents are taught the parenting skills needed to help their children engage in reading and reading related activities, childrens emergent literacy skills will improve. Huge steps in reading are being seen when children are engaged in such emergent literacy strategies both at home and school (Noble, Duch, Darvique, Grundleger, Rodriquez, Landers 2011). Children love to be read to. Its a small thing that parents can do to improve their childs success in school. Research suggests the skills that children need to become proficient writers include vocabulary knowledge, phonological sensitivity skills, letter knowledge, and an understand of conventional print, all of which contribute to their oral language skills (Powell, Diamond, Bojczyk, Gerde, 2008, p.425) In a qualitative study, teachers in one Head Start classroom stated that it is important to expose children to the alphabet, but cautioned that the exposure should not be forced upon them (Powell, Diamond, Bojczyk, Gerde, 2008, p.427). According to the 2006 FACES Brief, the Head Start program has been stressing the importance of early literacy skills, which includes vocabulary and alphabet knowledge. The average number of letters that Head Start children know by the end of the program year continues to increase. Research shows gains in letter identification and early reading during the Head Start year have increased across the three FACES cohorts, 2000, 2003, and 2006. (United States Dep artment of Health and Human Services, December 2006). In 2006, the Congressional goal of knowing at least 10 letters was being met. (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). The average number of letters that 4-year-old and 5-year-old children in Head Start could identify correctly has increased significantly since the 1997-98 program year. The mean number of letters correctly identified by children of these ages at the end of the 1997-98 program year was 7. At the beginning of the 2000-2001 school year, children identified 4 letters, and by the end knew an average of 9 letters (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003, p. iii). By the end of 2003-04 program year, the children could identify 10 on average. (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). The 2012 study by Baroody and Diamond studied childrens alphabet knowledge using the FACES QRS Letter Naming assessment (Westat, 2003). Children were shown three plates that included eight to nine uppercase letters. The child was asked to name all of the letters he/she knew. The data the researcher used was the number of letters the child named correctly. Due to the fact that childrens alphabet knowledge scores were not normally distributed, Baroody and Diamond created a dichotomous variable: knowing few letters (0-9) or knowing many or most letters (10-26). These categories were based on both the distribution of these data and Head Start letter-knowledge objectives (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Sixty-seven percent of children (54 children) named few letters, and 33 percent (26 children) named 10 or more letters. Children who know more letters and do better on letter identification show higher levels of literacy interest. This is important because letter knowl edge is a good predictor of childrens reading development (Baroody Diamond, 2012). Childrens code-related skills in preschool, which include letter-word identification and alphabet knowledge, are related to kindergarten literacy skills, which are also related to reading and language skills in first through fourth-grade reading comprehension (Storch Whitehurst, 2002). Each Head Start FACES cohort includes a nationally representative sample of 3- to 4-year-old children entering Head Start for the first time in the fall of the program year, their families, Head Start teachers, classrooms, centers, and programs. Children in FACES are administered a one-on-one assessment of their development that includes language and literacy. There have been five FACES cohorts (1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009) and they show significant gains over fifteen years of school readiness in language and literacy, most notably in narrowing the gap between Head Start children and other preschool-age children, especially in vocabulary knowledge and early writing skills (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). FACES cohorts use the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III)(vocabulary) and the Woodcock-Johnson Revised (WJ-R) achievement battery to look at the childrens development (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). The FACES 2000 Executive Summary showed more progress in letter recognition skills than in the 1997-98 cohort (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2003). In 2000, FACES found that students entering Head Start had a mean standard score of 85.3 on the PPVT-III which increased to 89.1 in the spring (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). Scores on the Woodcock-Johnson Revised in early writing increased from 85.1 in the fall to 87.1 in the spring (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). The FACES 2003 cohort found more gains vocabulary and early writing skills. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III found a mean standard score of 85.6 in the fall, that increased to 90.6 over the course of the school year (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). The WJ-R showed a decrease in early writing skills from a 86.5 mean standard to an 85.9 (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). FACES 2006 also showed improvements in vocabulary and early writing with mean standard scores of 89.4 and 97.5, respectively (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). In FACES 2009, they used an adapted version of the PPVT which showed that children enrolled in Head Start scored ahead of the non-Head Start children with scores of 257.50 and 251.43 (United States Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). As shown in the 5 Head Start FACES cohorts, data shows impacts on childrens cognitive development while they are in their Head Start year (United States Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). Cognitive and General Knowledge Cognitive development encompasses areas such as social science, science, math and logic and reasoning skills. It is only one component of a childs development, but is just as important to a childs learning as is physical, social and emotional systems. When looking at mathematics, it includes the conceptual understanding of numbers, their relationships, combinations, and operations. Science includes the ability to gather information about the natural and physical world and organize that information into knowledge and theories. Social studies looks at understanding people and how they relate to others and the world around them. Logic and reasoning skills include the ability to think through problems and apply strategies for solving them (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2010). Jean Piaget was a psychologist who studied the cognitive development in children for over 50 years. He studied his own children and developed his theory of cognitive development. He believed that children acquire knowledge through interacting with the physical environment around them. Piaget believed that cognitive development occurs through the process of assimilation and accommodation. He found that when the child encounters something in the environment that he or she does not understand, the child has to expand, through accommodation, his or her view of the world and thereby restore equilibrium (Zigler Bishop-Josef, p. 15). Professors from Georgetown University constructed a cognitive study using students in Tulsa, Oklahoma to test the success of universally available pre-Kindergarten. Oklahoma has the highest proportion of 4-year-olds enrolled in pre-Kindergarten, 63%, of any state in the union. The study compared two groups of children of very nearly the same age, one of which had attended pre-K and one of which had not. The first group of 5-year-olds barely missed the birthday cut-off for pre-K and the other group turned 5 by the cutoff. The first group were about to start pre-K and the second group had experienced one year of pre-K and were starting kindergarten in the fall. Since the children were literally just days or weeks apart in age, they were expected to have similar skills, unless the experience of pre-K had made a difference. The one year of pre-K did make a difference. In three cognitive exams, letter-word identification, spelling and applied problems, Tulsa students who had pre-K substan tially outperformed those who had not. Statistically significant differences were found among every race of students, and among every socioeconomic group. Quality early education benefits all social and economic groups of children (Calman Tarr-Whelan, 2005). Mathematics helps children make sense of their world outside of school and helps them construct a foundation for success in school. Math is for everyone. If math is taught properly at the early childhood level, all children should become proficient in it (Copley, 2010). Children who entered Head Start in the fall of 2000 had academic skill and knowledge levels well below national averages. Academic levels were comparable to the levels found FACES 1997. (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). The skills that children have when they start Head Start are influenced by home life and other early childhood settings before Head Start. FACES 2000 found that children who entered Head Start with lower math skills made greater gains than the children who came in with average scores. FACES found that students entering Head Start in 2000 scored an 89.7 on the Applied Problem (early math) task in the fall, but scores rose to 89.0 in the spring. This score shows entering students at about the 21st percentile in early math skills, when compared to American children in the same age range. The mean average standard score is 100, with a standard deviation of 15. Scores for the highest quarter of children entering Head Start was 104.7 in math. Therefore, these Head Start children rank in the top 50 percent when compared to all U.S. preschoolers (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). FACES 2006 used the ECLS mathematics assessment to look at a broader set of skills, including geometry, patterns and measurement. It found a large range of scores in math. The average score for Head Start children was 88.4, with the national average being 100. The ECLS found that the children who started Head Start with the lowest skills scored an average of 68.8 and the children with the highest skills scores on average 105.7 (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2006). Disadvantaged children are less likely to exhibit well-developed mathematics skills and knowledge than their more advantaged counterparts, both in preschool and continuing through the school years (Noble, Duch, Darvique, Grundleger, Rodriquez, Landers 2011). These families tend to focus on simpler topics, such as counting and shape recognition, rather than on more complex processes such as numerical or geometric reasoning. In two small evaluations with Head Start families, researchers found that children who participated in Family Mathematics Curriculum (FMC) with their parents had significantly higher scores in the areas of enumeration, numerical reasoning, and an overall math composite relative to children in a control group (Starkey Klein, 2000). This supports the idea that, with adequate support and materials, parents can have a significant impact on childrens mathematical skills, allowing for a more successful school experience (Noble, Duch, Darvique, Grundleger, Rodriquez, L anders 2011). Head Start encourages families to become involved in all aspects of their childs learning. Social and Emotional Development Head Start strives to promote young childrens development of social skills and emotional self-growth. Social and emotional development refers to childrens learning the skills needed to foster secure and healthy relationships with adults and other children, manage their own behavior and emotions, and develop a positive personal identity (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2010). Basically, this domain includes understand and following classroom rules, sharing with others, making friends, and listening, all skills needed to make children successful in school. Teaching social and emotional skills to young children who are at risk either because of biological and temperament factors or because of family disadvantage and stressful life factors can result in fewer aggressive responses, inclusion with pro-social peer groups, and more academic success (Webster-Stratton Reid, 2004, p. 98). Research in the area of early childhood education has shown that childrens social and emotional skills are important for children to be ready for school and are the basis for cognitive development and knowledge acquisition at very young ages (Center for the Study of Social Policy). Recent research released by Zero to Three, states that if à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"children do not achieve early social and emotional milestones, they will not do well in the early school years and are at higher risk for school problems and juvenile delinquency later in life (WestEd Center for Prevention and Early Intervention, 2006, p.10). Head Start children have shown growth in their social skills during the Head Start year (Unites States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). Early Head Start parents clearly linked their concerns about social and emotional development to their understanding that young children learn in social context and from social relationships (McAllister, Wilson, Green and Baldwin, 2005). Emotional regulation skills and social competence show exceptional growth during the preschool years. Teachers begin to see empathy emerge as children recognize a broader array of emotions. Children begin to understand that their actions can cause feelings in other people that are different from their own (Bierman, Nix, Greenberg, Blair, Domitrovich, 2008). A major developmental task of the first five years of life is the development of self-regulation, or controlling ones own emotions, learning to delay gratification, and building relationships. In fact, providing the experiences that allow children to take over and self-regulate in one aspect of their lives after another is a very general description of the job of parents, teachers, and protectors of children that extends throughout early childhood and into the adolescent years (Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development, 2000, p. 94). All children must learn to navigate through the transition of total dependence on others at birth, including learning to regulate their emotions, behaviors, and attention (NAEYC, 2009). In the preschool years, teachers can help children develop self-regulation by scaffolding high-level dramatic play, helping children to express their emotions, and engaging them in planning and decision making (NAEYC, 2009). The preschool period is seen as a critical period for the development of the skills needed for social competence (Tarullo, West, Aikens, Hulsey, December 2008). These skills are best accomplished during the preschool years because building positive social skills and healthy emotional relationships in young children is much easier than later trying to correct behavior and adjustment problems (Domain 6: Social and Emotional Development, website). Young children who know nothing but poverty are at greater risk of enduring emotional problems, particularly internalizing behavior problems (Tarullo, West, Aikens, Hulsey, 2008). Also, children with greater self-regulation in kindergarten are more skilled in reading and mathematics in later grades (NAEYC, 2009). Studies show that aggression declines as children gain the self-regulatory skills that allow them to inhibit reactive aggression in favor of socially appropriate alternatives. The acquisition of these social competencies (emotion regulation, pro-social skills, and aggression control) represent another important facet of school readiness, predicting kindergarten and elementary school engagement and academic success, as well as positive peer relation (Bierman, Nix, Greenberg, Blair, Domitrovich, 2008, p. 823). The FACES 1997 and 2000 cohorts showed gains in cooperative classroom behavior over the course of the program year. Children who started Head Start with lower social skills showed more gains than the children who entered with higher social skills (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). The mean score on the Total Behavior Problems scale for the FACES 2000 cohort was 5.6. This score shows that the typical Head Start child engaged in several forms of aggressive, hyperactive, or withdrawn behavior at least somewhat or sometimes, or one or two forms of undesirable behavior often (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). This score was close to the same as in the 1997-98 cohort. The significant declines in problem behavior by children with higher levels of problem behavior indicates that Head Start is having a redeeming influence on the children enrolled (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). The FACES 2003 showed that Head Start children showed significant fall to spring gains on a measure of social skills and cooperative classroom behavior, similar to gains observed in the FACES 1997 and 2000 cohorts (Unites States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). Many Head Start children show growth in their social skills during the school year, with other gains in cooperative classroom behavior and a decrease in withdrawn behavior as observed by classroom teachers (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). FACES 2006 showed that Head Start teachers reported that children enrolled as 3-year-olds showed more social skills, 18.4 versus 14.8, by the end of their second year enrolled in Head Start and fewer problem behaviors (5.4 versus 7.8) on average (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2006). At select time points throughout the school year, Head Start teachers rated children as having relatively strong soc ial skills and few problem behaviors. The January 2010 Head Start Impact Study found strong evidence of an impact of access to Head Start on parent-reported behavior at the end of the Head Start year. Parents reported less hyperactive behavior (effect size= -.21) and fewer total problem behaviors (effect size= -.21) for the Head Start group as compared to the control group. There is suggestive evidence of a positive impact on parent-reported social skills and approaches to learning (effect size=.11) at the end of the age 4 year (United States Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). The same Head Start Impact Study also found that at the end of the kindergarten year, there is moderate evidence of an impact on parents reports of childrens hyperactive behavior. Parents reported less hyperactive behavior (effect size= -.21) for the Head Start group as compared to the control group. There is suggestive evidence of a favorable impact on childrens social skills and approaches to learning (effect size=0.14) as re ported by parents in this year (United States Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). At the end of the 1st grade, there is moderate evidence of an impact on parent reports of closeness with their child (effect size=0.10), indicating more desirable or positive behavior for the Head Start group of children compared to those in the control group. There is also suggestive evidence of an improvement on parent-reported positive relationships with their child (effect size=0.10) in this year (United States Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). School readiness and success in school require both the development of academic skills and the acquisition of positive social skills and approaches to learning (Blair, 2002). The January 2010 Head Start Impact Study showed there was limited evidence of an impact of Head Start on childrens social-emotional development with no impacts identified in the Head Start year or in kindergarten and only limited and conflicting impacts reported at the end of the 1st grade (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2010, p. 5-1). There is more evidence for the 3-year-olds social-emotional development. Parents reported strong evidence of reduced hyperactive behavior and reduced total problem behavior for children in the Head Start group during the school year. The reduction of hyperactive behavior continued into kindergarten for children in the Head Start group with a moderate report by parents. Parents also reported suggestive evidence of better social skills and positive approaches to learning for children in the Head Start group in both the age 4 year and in kindergarten. Finally, at the end of 1st grade, parents of Head Start group children reported evidence of a positive and closer relationship with their child than parents of children in the control group (United States Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). Approaches to Learning The way a child looks at learning contributes to their success in school and often in their learning. It is not what a child learns at this age, it is how a child learns. Childrens ability to stay focused, interested, and engaged in activities supports a range of positive outcomes, including cognitive, language, and social and emotional development (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2010). The results of the Getting Ready for School study by Noble and colleagues, demonstrated that a targeted parent-focused program may be effective in supporting the development of school-readiness skills of disadvantaged preschool children. Assistance needs to be provided to Head Start programs to identifying and implement evidence-based interventions to help build the skills of parents so that they can help to support their childs school readiness (Noble, Duch, Darvique, Grundleger, Rodriquez, Landers, 2011). The approaches to learning domains encompasses observable beh aviors that indicate ways children become engaged in social interactions and learning experiences (United States Department of Health and Human Services, December 2010). Research shows that where children learn is just as important as how children learn. FACES 2000 found that Head Start classrooms were of good quality across a wide variety of indicators. In 2000-2001 there was an increased percentage of new teachers with advanced degrees that were more likely to be trained in Early Childhood Education and were members of a professional organization than in 1997-1998. The results showed that teachers with more education were more likely to have knowledge and positive attitudes about early childhood practices, which influence classroom quality (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2003). The FACES cohorts use the ECERS, or Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale to assess Head Start classrooms. The ECERS total score uses a rating scale of 1 to 7, with 1 indicating inadequate quality and 7 indicating excellent quality. FACES 1997 and 2000 cohorts found Head Start classrooms with relatively similar scores. In 1997, no classrooms were s cored inadequate and only 4 of the 518 classrooms studied were scored in the minimal range (3) (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). In 2000, a revised version of the ECERS found 5 of the 258 classrooms in the inadequate range and 15 of the 258 classrooms scored in the minimal range. FACES 2000 shows a small number of classrooms were rated lower in quality, but low-scoring classroom still only represented 20 of 358 classrooms overall (7.6 percent) (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). The other end of the scale shows that the number of classrooms rated as excellent increased from 18.7 percent in 1997 to 21.6 percent in 2000 (United States Department of Health and Human Services, May 2003). Both the FACES 2003 and 2009 cohorts showed that quality in Head Start continued to be good. The average ECERS-R score of Head Start classrooms is higher than those of other center-based preschool programs (United States Department of Healt h and Human Services, December 2006). Approximately 70 percent of Head Start children are enrolled in centers that have an ECERS-R score of at least a 5 (on the 7 point system) (