Interdisciplinary Studies What Is It Should You Get a Degree

Interdisciplinary Studies What Is It Should You Get a Degree SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Colleges have a wealth of degrees to choose from that can lead you to all different kinds of career paths. But if you’re looking for something more specialized, something that can combine your love for multiple disciplines into one complete package, interdisciplinary studies might be right for you. If you have questions like what is interdisciplinary studies, what kinds of students will do best in these programs, and how can interdisciplinary studies lead to a great career, read on! What Is Interdisciplinary Studies? Interdisciplinary studies is unique among degree programs. Most traditional programs are focused on a specific field of study, such as mathematics, literature, or computer science. Interdisciplinary studies can include all of the above and more- it depends on what you hope to get out of these programs. The most basic interdisciplinary studies definition is that these programs allow students to choose their concentrations. You can effectively create your own major by choosing two areas of interest and combining them into one degree program that you’ll specialize in. For example, say you love psychology and art. You might combine an art program with a psychology program to create your own art therapy degree. Interdisciplinary studies are distinct from integrative studies, which have one primary focus with others supporting it. For example, if you wanted to study psychology and art in an integrative fashion, you might study how art feeds into psychology but not the other way around. Integrative study doesn’t treat your disparate fields as equal; you have one key discipline, and other programs inform that discipline. Why Choose an Interdisciplinary Studies Major? Interdisciplinary studies is great for students who have specific interests that won’t necessarily be met through a traditional degree. For example, maybe you have a deep interest in linguistics and biology and the ways that the two intersect. You might take linguistics courses and biology courses to get your degree, but the two may not typically cross over in traditional degree programs. If you study those fields as part of an interdisciplinary program, you’ll be designing your major specifically to understand the relationships between the two fields. If you have a specific field you’d like to work in the future, one that requires specialized knowledge, a degree in interdisciplinary studies may be a good approach. If you want to work as a biologist but specifically with the human body has evolved to suit speech, you can design your major to suit those interests. Even better, an interdisciplinary studies program means you’re personally choosing things that are interesting to you. In a traditional degree program, you might end up having to take animal biology or microbiology, neither of which have that much in common with linguistics. In an interdisciplinary program, your classes are more likely to line up directly with the things you want to study because you’re going to be working with advisers to create the ideal major. What Kinds of Students Succeed in Interdisciplinary Studies? Because interdisciplinary studies are a special field, it takes certain kinds of students to succeed. Students who are more likely to succeed in the field include students who are: Creative If you’re interested in interdisciplinary studies, you’re probably at least a little creative. You don’t want to follow the existing paths; you want to create one that’s new and unique to you. That trait will serve you well as you’re connecting different fields and planning out your course schedules, because part of an interdisciplinary studies program is forging new connections between disciplines. Motivated Because interdisciplinary studies doesn’t have a clear path the way many majors do, you’ll need to be a particularly motivated student to make it work for you. You’ll be designing your own course schedule and program with your advisers, which means more work than usual for you as a student. You need to keep your motivation high if you want to succeed as an interdisciplinary studies major. Collaborative You might be the only student at your school with your specific combination of fields in interdisciplinary studies, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be collaborating with others. Forming connections with people with similar interests is a great way to improve your own experience, particularly since you’re going to be forging your own path. You’ll also be working heavily with professors and advisers to create your academic pathway. So though you might be the only person doing exactly your program, it’s still important to work collaboratively with others! Critical Thinkers Many disciplines overlap in college, but for interdisciplinary studies, that overlap is something you’ll largely be figuring out for yourself. Critical thinking is a valuable skill for interdisciplinary studies students for that reason. You’ll be considering all of your courses in conversation with one another, even if the connections aren’t clearly laid out for you. If your program requires a thesis or capstone project, you’ll likely be covering all of the ways your courses and fields intersect. Being able to think critically about those courses will be invaluable to you as you progress through your program. Disciplined Motivation and hard work will get you far, but a sense of discipline will get you even further. Interdisciplinary studies requires that you adhere to a different set of standards than traditional degrees. That means you’ll be guiding yourself, a lot of the time- though you’ll likely work out a plan with your advisers and instructors, you’ll be the one in charge of properly executing it. People who are good at setting goals, hitting deadlines, and planning will have an easier time Pros and Cons of Interdisciplinary Studies There are a lot of considerations to be made in deciding on an interdisciplinary studies program. These programs have lots of unique benefits over other majors, but also some potential drawbacks. Pros: Learning multiple disciplines Understanding how fields overlap Opportunities for new research and development Passion about whatever you’re studying because you design it Cons: Professors may not understand your program Professors may not understand your unique needs as an interdisciplinary studies student Difficult to transition between subjects because work may not necessarily be connected It’s a specialized degree, so some jobs may not know what to make of it May be difficult to get into grad school Jobs may not understand what your degree is What Schools Offer Interdisciplinary Studies Programs? Though the major is an unusual approach, many great schools offer interdisciplinary studies as an option for their students. Some of those schools include: Boise State University Bowling Green State University Brown University College of William and Mary Creighton University Duke University George Washington University Lehigh University Lipscomb University New York University Purdue University Portland State University Stephen F Austin State University SUNY at Fredonia University of California - Berkeley University of California - Los Angeles University of Connecticut University of Denver University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign University of Virginia Valparaiso University What Are Interdisciplinary Programs Like? Many schools throughout the US offer interdisciplinary studies programs. Not every college has an interdisciplinary studies program, and even if they do, it might not be particularly well-supported. The programs covered below all have plenty of information about their interdisciplinary studies programs, including how to apply, what the expectations are, and information on past successes of the department. UC Berkeley At UC Berkeley, interdisciplinary studies is considered part of the bachelor of arts program. You’ll graduate your program, no matter what fields you combine, with a BA. Berkeley also requires a minimum of three fields in your interdisciplinary studies program. The program should be designed to answer a specific research question, but the question can be approached in a multitude of ways, including regional, comparative, and historical approaches. Though interdisciplinary studies allows students to design their own major, Berkeley has a structure in place to ensure that the education students receive is well-rounded and comprehensive. You’ll be choosing from a list of acceptable courses to take to satisfy prerequisites, including introductory courses, world region courses, and methodology courses, with each requirement having an assortment of disciplines to choose from. Tufts Tufts makes it clear that interdisciplinary studies is not just a method of creating a unique major- it’s a dedicated field of study that should be taken seriously. According to their website, â€Å"it is a serious undertaking for the student who is committed to blending disciplines in a way that is demonstrably relevant to an identifiable area of intellectual inquiry.† Tufts has the requirements to match their feelings about interdisciplinary studies being a serious undertaking. Getting your degree requires a thesis and thesis defense in front of an advisory committee, representing the culmination of your work and research. Students create their own advisory committee with three instructors from different disciplines, one of which must be a tenured member of the Arts and Sciences faculty. With their advisory committee, students of interdisciplinary studies will develop their major. Major proposals must include a title, a description of why it needs to be interdisciplinary, what problems will be addressed through the program, and what methodology will be used to address them, as well as letters of support, a bibliography, and list of courses they plan to take. That proposal must be approved by the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty Committee before you can begin your program. University of Florida University of Florida has some interdisciplinary programs already in place, including biological illustration, sustainability studies, and Middle Eastern languages and culture. For students who wish to design their own major, they must apply separately to the IDS program through the Dean’s office. They must also find at least two tenured advisers to help them design their program. As in the Tufts program, students will be required to complete a thesis to graduate. Because interdisciplinary studies can be customized for each student who pursues it, programs can vary pretty widely between colleges. Here’s a look at three of the programs from some top schools: What Should You Look for in an Interdisciplinary Studies Program? Programs can vary from college to college, but there are a few things to look for if you’re interested in pursuing an interdisciplinary studies degree: A Track Record A college doesn’t need to have your specific interests clearly outlined, but having a framework for interdisciplinary studies makes it easier for you to get a good, well-supported education. Professor Support A traditional degree program has a pathway for success as well as advisers and professors who are well-trained in helping students make it through. That isn’t necessarily true of interdisciplinary studies, which means you have to be extra diligent about evaluating how well you’ll work with your professors. Unfortunately, since professors may not know what exactly your program is, it may be hard for them to understand exactly how one piece fits into another. Unlike traditional degree programs, there’s no real â€Å"stepping stone† approach- your courses may be in radically different fields with no attempt to bridge them. That’s why it’s so important to connect with your professors and your advisers. You need to be sure that you’re all on the same page as far as what you need to get out of each class, even if you are doing the bulk of the bridging yourself. When you are clear about your intentions and goals, it’s easier for your professors to help you meet them! What Kinds of Interdisciplinary Studies Jobs Exist? One of the benefits of a traditional degree program is that future careers will probably know what they mean, even if they’re highly specialized. Interdisciplinary studies degrees are a bit different- while a future job might recognize â€Å"communications† and â€Å"art history,† they might not understand exactly what it means to have an interdisciplinary degree covering both. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get interdisciplinary studies jobs- only that clarity and dedicated study are the best way to ensure your degree will help you down the line. Here’s a few jobs that benefit from the interdisciplinary approach: Job Degree Required Average Salary Job Description Best For People Who... Teacher Bachelor’s (minimum) $60,477 Teaching children or adults in a specific subject Understand education principles, have a firm grasp on one or more specific subjects, and enjoy working with others Accountant None, but a bachelor’s or higher is greatly preferred $77,920 Analyzes financial information to prepare reports for businesses Work well with numbers, have an eye for detail, and who enjoy analysis Counselors Bachelor’s degree minimum, but a master’s degree is preferred $42,840 Offers advice and guidance to people in a variety of contexts Have great listening skills, are able to remain objective, excel at communicating Journalist None required, but bachelor’s degree greatly preferred $40,077 Writes and researches a variety of topics to create news articles, videos, or other reports Are curious, have writing skills, enjoy research Archaeologist Bachelor’s degree $59,040 Participates in digs and excavations to learn more about history Have an eye for detail, are inquisitive, have flexibility in where they live and for how long Key Tips Taking on an interdisciplinary studies program can be a lot of work. You’ll be looking out for yourself more than you would in a traditional degree program, but the increased freedom and flexibility are worth it for many students. To be sure you’re getting the most out of your program, keep these things in mind: Do Your Research Schools that already have procedures in place for interdisciplinary studies students are likely to better support you. Know ahead of time if these frameworks for success exist, and if not, develop a plan for how you’ll approach your program. Seek out other interdisciplinary studies students and alumni to learn more about their experiences. Did professors support them? How about the school administration? Do they have recommendations about how to make the most of the program? Spending some time learning more about interdisciplinary studies at your school is a great way to ensure that you get the biggest benefit from the program. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions- it’s a skill you’ll need for the field! Pick a Focus and Stick With It Interdisciplinary studies is great for students who have a multitude of interests. But that multitude of interests can also be a problem if you struggle to stick with one project for an extended period of time. When you plan out your program with your advisers, be sure it’s a plan you can stick with throughout your time in college- changing your degree is difficult even for traditional programs, but the lost credit hours can be especially hard for interdisciplinary degree students. What’s Next? Looking for other unique ways of combining your interests in college? Consider a dual degree or double major, two other degree programs that let you explore multiple subjects. Curious how long it'll take to complete your interdisciplinary studies program? If you're doing a bachelor's degree, this article about how many years it takes to complete a bachelor's program can help! Journalism is a great field for interdisciplinary studies students. Want to know what schools have the strongest journalism programs? Check out this list!

Internet Identity essays

Internet Identity essays It is certain that the Internet impacts a persons sense of identity. As humans, we are live by language, and as an Internet user, one submits himself to an existence that is pure language: written, audio, and visual language. This reality, distilled down to pure language, is appealing to most people. There is no violence online. There are no social expression norms. A person can be, say, or do precisely as he chooses. More than 131 million people populate the Internet. Why is VR so attractive? When a person is born, many things are decided for him. No one is asked if their name or visage adequately describes his person or psyche. His genetic makeup is created from that already contained in his parents, and they dress and feed him with things they personally enjoy. It is many years later before he can begin to make decisions about who he is, and by then, so much has been laid down as factual evidence to the content of his character. The Internet has now permeated our society. Someone can decide who they are at the beginning of a new life, to be reborn in cyberspace. There is the issue of naming oneself, to feel inside and find what makes someone himself. When one signs up with any Internet Service Provider, the first thing it will ask is for his new name. In *1*The Matrix*1* Mr. Anderson named himself Neo: "New" and also an anagram for the "One" he truly was. There is now also the ability to visualize the image of self and present that as an avatar in a visual virtual environment, a step up from nomenclature and font color self-expression. Deciding what one looks like as an imaginary character is also interesting, and like naming oneself it can be good psychotherapy. These are used in elaborate chat rooms where participants immerse themselves in whole new worlds, and where identity is defined by images and one's own character description. As in a story, dialogue will also define a character, virtual or otherwise ...

Analyze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyze - Essay Example The retro fad is brought too far, if it only represents a replication of the past, but this paper believes that modern retro is not about reusing old styles, but a revival of retro thinking that severely distrusts changing social, economic, and political conditions, and clamors for a need to redefine the relationship with the past, by modernizing its aspiration for authentic identities and depicting nostalgia for vibrant cultural norms and socioeconomic stability. The ongoing retro fad reflects the deep distrust of its users in changing social, economic, and political conditions, so the past helps them feel secure and hopeful. Retro, in this case, is not merely being â€Å"in† by being old. Retro stands for the values and goals of its original consumers. Guffey describes that retro signifies a skeptical perspective in life: â€Å"†¦retro attitude†¦carries a darker suspicion that recent social, cultural, and political developments are profoundly corrosive† (10) . In the post-2008-global-recession and post-9/11 times, some people are beginning to doubt basic social institutions. Marriage rates are inversely related to divorce rates. More people are divorcing and delaying marriage and having children. Many people complain of their depressed socioeconomic statuses, despite the efforts of Obama to revitalize the U.S. economy. Some people harbor fear for other minorities because of racial prejudice and their opinions regarding illegal immigration. All around and inside them, instability expands. The only way that people can feel secure again is to go back to the recent past, where values and conditions are more stable and reliable. On the contrary, Reynolds denigrates the pretensions of the retro fad and calls it an â€Å"emblem of the poverty of abundance† (115). This paper believes otherwise because the retro signifies not only material possessions, but the desire for social stability. Several people want to live in the past where they can expect what they expect, and not be troubled by uncertainties. In addition, the retro helps people feel positive. This is not the same as being idealistic, but looking forward to better times. Thus, retro style emphasizes retro attitudes that distrust the present and looks back at the past for hope and growth. By going retro, people do not only feel more confident about their present conditions, they also aspire to redefine their relationship with the past by appropriating retro values with modern demands for authentic identities. In the article â€Å"Dressed in History: Retro Styles and the Construction of Authenticity in Youth Culture,† Jen? argues that the youth uses retro styles to give authenticity to their sense of self. The youth, in particular, employs retro as part of the formation of their identities: â€Å"Authenticity is especially important to young people and is used as a tool in constructing identities through consumer behavior† (Jen? 388). Some of the youth think that the world is more artificial now than in the past because of its obsession with wealth and social prominence. By going retro, they seek to be more authentic and truer to their identities that are far from the superficial material norms of their society: â€Å"Appropriated as a tool of self-performance, the supposed authenticity of the object merges with the subject† (Jen? 396). They aspire to explore and to develop their identities by finding something that represents

Good Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Good Writing - Essay Example I discovered that writing this semester raised my confidence in high school educational writing. My style of writing at the beginning of the semester was not the same as the one I used recently. I was able to master a collegiate style of writing on a high school project individually. In spite of this mastery, lasted three assists couples for this class truly challenge me to maintain my choice of words a high school level while maintaining an intriguing flow, content, and structure. In retrospect, the first essay that I composed this semester was a rough guide to the new style of academic writing that I was to integrate into my writing soon and master it. After reading the first three papers I composed this semester, I discovered that my focus was not enforcing other writers’ ideas. Instead, my focus was grasping new ways of articulating my ideas successfully. The introduction and ending of my first essays this semester were sections for me to demonstrate this new skill properly. More precisely, I posed questions for the reader to ponder on reading the rest of the essay or simply reflecting on its message. The only way to peek into the interest of the reader was to address him or her directly. This style of writing was a strong suit at the beginning of the semester. However, I cannot continue this writing style in the future since much of the work may not involve addressing readers directly or posing questions. The second strong suit that I discovered in my writing was taking into account the significance of using drafts during the onset of the writing process. I was not familiar with ways to exploit the revision practice before learning the skill of clarifying and polishing my ideas for writing. I became more accustomed to using drafts for revision purposes after writing six more research papers and before completing the final paper.  

Fast Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Nation Essay As American as a small, rectangular, hand-held, frozen, and reheated apple pie.? (p. 3) Far from being a run of the mill expose on calories and fat grams in fast food, Fast Food Nation is a hard-hitting critique of the industrialization of America? s and, later, the world? s food supply. The consequences of this industrialization have far-reaching effects on working people around the world. Fast food chains are at the pinnacle of a giant food-industrial complex that controls the nation? s food supply. Schlosser begins with some thumb nail sketches of fast food?s ? founding fathers.? None of today? s fast food giants were started by large corporations. They were all started by people of very modest means. Harland Sanders is a good example. He ? left school at the age of twelve, worked as a farm hand, a mule tender, and a railway fireman. At various times he worked as a lawyer without having a law degree, delivered babies as a part-time obstetrician without having a medical degree, sold insurance door to door, sold Michelin tires, and operated a gas station . . .. and at the age of sixty-five became a traveling salesman once again, offering restaurant owners the secret recipe? for his fried chicken. The first Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant opened in 1952 . . . . Lacking money to promote the new chain, Sanders dressed up like a Kentucky colonel? (p. 23). But despite the modest beginnings of Harland Sanders, William Rosenberg (Dunkin? Donuts), Dave Thomas (Wendy? s), Thomas S. Monaghan (Domino? s) and others, they have created giant empires that brutally exploit millions of underpaid workers across the globe. Next, Eric Schlosser describes how McDonald? s and others market to children. Many of these companies have cradle-to-grave? advertising strategies.? Apparently, brand loyalty? may begin as early as age two. Indeed, market research has found that children often recognize a brand logo before they can recognize their own name? (p. 43). Under the heading ? mcteachers and coke dudes,? Schlosser describes the cradle-to-grave strategy that fast food chains use to market to children. This strategy reaches new highs (or lows) all the time. Not content to market ?to children through playgrounds, toys, cartoons, movies, videos, charities, and amusement parks, through contests, sweepstakes, games, and clubs, via television, radio, magazines, and the Internet, fast food chains are gaining access to the last advertising free outposts of American life? ( p. 51) public schools. In 1993, District 11 in Colorado Springs became the first school district in the U. S. to have ads for Burger King inside their schools and on their school buses. However, the school district netted little from this, gaining only $1 per student. In his next chapter, entitled ? Behind the Counter,? Schlosser describes the life of a young woman of sixteen by the name of Elisa, who gets up at 5:15 in the morning to get out the door by 5:30. She and the manager arrive at work, and for the next hour or two, they get the place ready. The two of them turn on the ovens and grills and get the food and supplies, cups, wrappers, styrofoam containers, and condiments, for the morning shift. They get frozen bacon, frozen pancakes, and frozen cinnamon rolls from the freezer. Plus, they bring out frozen hash browns, frozen biscuits, and frozen McMuffins. Then they get packages of orange juice mix and scrambled egg mix. The restaurant opens at seven and for the next couple of hours Elisa and the manager work alone, taking all the orders. Later, as more customers arrive, so do more employees. Elisa works the counter from breakfast through lunch. She then walks home after standing for seven hours at the cash register. Totally wiped out, her feet hurting, she plops in front of the tv and gets up the next morning at 5:15. The entire fast food industry seeks out teenage, part-time (no overtime, please), unskilled workers like Elisa, because they? re willing to accept low pay, are cheaper than adults, and are easier to control due to their inexperience. Although recently, middle class teenagers are shunning jobs at McDonalds and Burger King and are being replaced by poor immigrants and the elderly (The New York Times, January 8, 2001). ?The labor practices of the fast food industry have their origins in the assembly line systems adopted by American manufacturers in the early twentieth century? (p. 68). In a restaurant assembly line, tasks are broken up into small, repetitive bits requiring little or no skill, while machines and operating systems do the things that require timing and training (p. 69). In addition, the fast food industry generally pays minimum wage, moreso than any other industry. The result has been that the real value of laborers? wages have fallen for the last three decades. Worse yet, the industry almost never pays overtime. Bonuses for managers at many fast food restaurants are tied to holding down labor costs. The result being that many workers are forced to wait until the restaurant gets busy before punching in. Workers are forced to do clean-up after they? ve punched out. One Taco Bell employee ? regularly worked seventy to eighty hours a week but was paid for only forty? (p. 75). Taco Bell has been sued for this in a number of states. The fast food industry is not alone in doing this kind of thing. Wal-Mart is being sued in 28 states for forcing workers to work off the clock, as reported by Steven Greenhouse in his expose ? Suits Say Wal-Mart Forces Workers to Toil Off the Clock,? in the June 25, 2002, New York Times. To add insult to injury, the status of fast food workers is so low that customers feel justified in heaping abuse on them. This writer was once told to his face that ? Your job is so simple that a monkey could do it.? Another customer grabbed me and ripped my shirt when he didn? t get a ? Jimmy Special.? There was no ? Jimmy Special? on the menu, nor did I know it was a sandwich. Incidents like this are so common that web sites are devoted to them. If low wages, no benefits, low status, and hard work are not bad enough, more restaurant workers are murdered on the job in the U. S. than are. police officers. Most restaurant crime is committed by current or former disgruntled employees. Out of the frying pan and into the fire If the life of a fast food worker is bad, workers in the meatpacking industry have it much worse. In 1961, two former Swift Co. executives, Currier Holman and A. D. Anderson, started Iowa Beef Packers better known as IBP. Over the course of twenty years, these two lead the meatpacking industry back to the days of Upton Sinclair? s The Jungle. IBP created ? a mass production system that employed a de-skilled workforce, . . . put its new slaughterhouses in rural areas . . . far away from the urban strongholds of the nation? s labor unions? (p 154). In 1970, the IBP broke its labor unions with the help of La Cosa Nostra, and the stage was set for sweatshop heaven. At a ConAgra slaughterhouse in Greeley , Colorado, the workers mainly come from Mexico, Central America, and Southeast Asia. Base pay is $9. 25 per hour; when adjusted for inflation, thats one-third lower than the same plant paid forty years ago (p. 160). The annual turnover rate is 400%. On average, a worker quits or is fired every three months. But ? far from being a liability, a high turnover rate in the meatpacking industryas in the fast food industry also helps maintain a workforce that is harder to unionize and much easier to control? (p161). Meatpacking is now the most dangerous job in the United States. The injury rate in a slaughterhouse is about three times higher than the rate in a typical American factory. Every year, more than one quarter of the meatpacking workers in this countryroughly forty thousand men and womensuffer an injury or a work related illness that requires medical attention beyond first aid? (p172). However, there are big incentives not to report injuries. ?The annual bonuses of plant foremen and supervisors are often based in part on the injury rate of their workers? (p175). The main cause of the high injury rate is the speed of the disassembly line. The list of the injuries is long and bloody. But, speaking of speed, it? s the speed of the disassembly line that? s one of the major causes of food borne illness from E. coli 0157:H7. The other major causes are crowded feedlots and industrial-size hamburger grinders. The stomachs and intestines of cattle, where the E. coli 0157:H7 live, are still removed by hand. This job takes about six months? practice to do well. But with high turnover and the high speed of the line, it? s not done well. Twenty percent of cattle can have their guts spilled onto the carcasses being processed on the line, which can then contaminate many others (p. 203). This willful disregard for the consumer? s health is all done in the name of profits. But, because capitalism lives by the profit, for the profit, and of the profit, decades go by, Republicans then Democrats rule, but still little or nothing gets done. However, if not for the sake of profit, the whole meatpacking industry could be cleaned up in just six months, yes, just six months! This according to David M. Theno, the man who cleaned up Jack in the Box after its outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 in 1993 (p. 210). If there? s one big weakness in Fast Food Nation, its while correctly criticizing the Republican? s support for agribusiness, he seldom attacks the Democrats. Eric Schlosser acknowledges this himself in an afterword. ?In retrospect, I could have been more critical of the Clinton administration? s ties to agribusiness. Had I devoted more space to the poultry industry, for example, I would have examined the close links between Bill Clinton and the Tyson family? (p. 277). Both the Democrats and Republicans are tools of big business. Only a system based on human need, and not on profit, can clean up our food supply and guarantee the well-being of workers. And that system is socialism! I strongly recommend that everyone who is for social justice read this book. It? s an eye-opener even for someone like me who? s worked in restaurants for 23 years. The article above was written by John Pottinger, and first appeared in the October issue of Socialist Action newspaper.

Essay --

Have you ever thought about how your fruits and vegetables are grown? How about which ingredients are put into bug sprays and insecticides to ward off those pesky insects? Look no further because author Rachel Carson looks deep into the many environmental issues caused by pesticides and herbicides in her New York Times best-selling novel, â€Å"Silent Spring.† â€Å"Silent Spring† is a collection of studies which were performed in an effort to educate others about the harmful things occurring everyday to their foods and every-day environment in hopes of giving them a wake up call. This novel is thought by many to be a revolutionary novel that forced people to take notice of the harm being caused in their world, many of which people were unaware of. After discovering the results of these chemicals, it really makes one wonder, is the luxury of being insect free really worth all of the consequences? â€Å"Silent Spring† consists of research and experiments conducted to see why wildlife was decreasing in various chemically treated areas. Carson was also interested in discovering how these chemicals affect human health as well. Carson first starts our her novel describing a world of green grass and blue skies, complete with singing birds and active wildlife. A world she says, that is what our earth used to consist of before mankind. Carson states that her reasoning for writing this novel was out of curiosity as to why and how our earth became so corrupt. She narrows it down to one reason which is the main foundation for this novel, man-made chemicals are responsible for destroying the purity of nature. â€Å"The chemicals to which life is asked to make its adjustment are no longer merely the calcium and silica and copper and all the rest of the minerals... ...ng†. I unfortunately am not an environmental junkie by any means, but this novel really opened my eyes to not only issues of the past, but also current matters as well. I learned the importance of what it means to buy organic and not only for the health benefits, but the environmental benefits as well. I was never aware of how harmful pesticides can be and although DDT may be outlawed in the United States, farmers still use other forms of insecticides to protect their plants. It horrors me that DDT was used for so long, despite the deaths it caused. I admire Rachel Carson for writing this novel and conducting research when no one else cared about the environmental harms placed on our land. Her passion about the earth is evident, and her willingness to put out such a controversial novel during this time period explains why her story is still a relevant resource today.

Lessons Concerning Staffing Decisions and Bringing About School Change Essay

Gary Hopkins, in his article, enumerated some of the lessons learned by principals on making staff decisions and bringing about school change. These lessons came from the principals that have learned them from mistakes made first hand. They hope to give advice to new school administrators or even those current ones in decision-making regarding staff members, hiring new ones, and making changes with school tradition or policy. Hopkins (2004), in one of his headings, said that â€Å"hiring decisions are the most importatnt decisions. One principal confessed that he had hired a teachers who should have been on an IEP (Individualized Education Program) herself. The principal confessed that he had just listened to verbal recommendations only and did not make any further background check on the teacher before hiring her. The lesson: don’t do a â€Å"reference check without asking specific, detailed questions on the performance and personality background of a potential candidate† (Hopkins 2004). Another lesson when it comes to the staff is involving them to the decision-making. Collaboration and participation is imperative,† (Hopkins 2004) according to one of the principals in Hopkins’ article. Listening to staff members will ensure their support in any decisions made most of the time, whether they agree with it or not. â€Å"People will often accept a decision or outcome contrary to what they wanted oiginally if they believe their point of view was listened to respectfully and taken into consideration,† (Hopkins 2004) that’s according to another principal in Hopkins’ article. Another principal adviced that recognizing of teachers, or just saying ‘thanks’ for any favor will pay back tenfold. In the end, she held that â€Å"what we do is all about people, not policy. This is not to say that we don’t follow policy, but we have a lot of flexibility when deciding what is best for kids† (Hopkins 2004). However, the most difficult situation that the principal may face is when proposing or deciding to change something within the school, even if it is for the best interest of the students. One principal shared that â€Å"the biggest challenge I have found is balancing the need to both honor a school’s past and move it into the future†¦ I constantly struggle with how to delicately let people know that sometimes ‘the way we’ve always done it’ is just not good enough† (Hopkins 2004). Bringing about change is really a difficult task in any field, not just with education. Even when one has already made the step to listen to the members’ opinions, people most of the times are afraid of change and will oppose it rigorously. Finding the right blend of diplomacy and chiding, professional development and empowerment, top-down delivery and delegation are just a handful of the issues principals must consider as they lead their schools toward change,† according to Hopkins (2004). What really is alarming is that some people are reluctant at improvement. One principal stated that â€Å"the biggest goof I made early in my career as a principal was believing that everyone on the staff felt the same way I did about raising standards, improving academics, and reforming schools in general† (Hopkins 2004). He specified about one of the schools this principal led: â€Å"even though our test scores were near the bottom in our school district, most staff members were content. Our drop-out rates, discipline stats, and attendance were at the bottom too. As one teacher put it to me: Well, somebody has to be at the bottom† (Hopkins 2004). Hopkins’ article is an eye-opener for the realities of school administration. Other principals surely must learn something from this, but students and their parents, and other concerned teachers and school staff may also find something to learn and act accordingly to improve education standards.

Kraft Foods M;a

Written Case Analysis On Case studied by: Case: Cadbury agrees, Kraft takeover bid Story: In 2009, the US food company  Kraft Foods launched a hostile bid for Cadbury, the UK-listed chocolate maker. Cadbury  is a popular British  confectionery  company and is the industry's second-largest globally after  Mars, Incorporated. It was acquired by Kraft Foods in January 19, 2010.As became clear almost exactly two years later in August 2011, Cadbury was the final acquisition necessary to allow  Kraft to be restructured and indeed split  into two companies by the end of 2012: a grocery business worth approximately $16bn; and a $32bn global snacks business. A â€Å"Krafty† Approach to Cadbury: Cadbury, founded by John Cadbury in 1824 in Birmingham, England, had also grown through mergers and demergers. When the Kraft Foods on September 7, 2009 made its first indicative takeover bid for Cadbury, it was rejected stating that it undervalued the company.It was rejected again on November 9, 2009 before the Cadbury agreed Kraft after launching a formal, hostile bid valuing the firm at ? 9. 8  billion on 19 January 2010. Pre-acquisition: Ownership of the company was 49 per cent from the US, despite its UK listing and headquarters. Only 5 per cent of its shares were owned by short-term traders at the time of the Kraft bid. The Response: The acquisition of Cadbury faced widespread disapproval from the British public, as well as groups and organizations including trade union, Unite.Unite estimated that a takeover by Kraft could put 30,000 jobs â€Å"at risk†. Controversially,  RBS, a bank 84% owned by the United Kingdom Government, funded the Kraft takeover. The Challenge: The challenge for Kraft was how to buy Cadbury when it was not for sale. Not only was Cadbury not for sale, but it actively resisted the Kraft takeover. Its first act was to brand the 745 pence-per-share offer â€Å"unattractive†, saying that it â€Å"fundamentally under valued the company†. The team made clear that even if the company had o succumb to an unwanted takeover, almost any other confectionery company (Nestle, Ferrero and Hershey) would be preferred as the buyer. In addition, Lord Mandelson, then the UK’s business secretary, publicly declared that the government would oppose any buyer who failed to â€Å"respect† the historic confectioner. Why Cadbury? * To extend the business : Location, markets, globalization * Change competitive structures: consolidation, remove competition, economies of scale * Improve business capabilities: Access better technology, stimulate innovation Post Acquisition:A few months after Kraft acquired Cadbury in an $18. 9-billion hostile takeover,  Sanjay Khosla, the head of Kraft's operations in developing markets, called the merger a marriage made in heaven. Not everyone at the Indian company will agree — certainly not the 20-odd senior executives across functions such as supply chain , sales, legal and finance who have resigned since the integration began.The nub of the problem, though, is that the Cadbury side of the operation feels it is not getting the attention it deserves for its dominant position in the Indian market. Revenues grew by 27% in 2010, making India one of the fastest-growing operations for Kraft globally. And Cadbury brands account for over 90% of revenues of roughly Rs 2,500 crore. Growth in the current year is expected to be even higher. Kraft, on the other hand, hasn't focused on India in the past, and is now trying to make up for lost time by riding on its more successful ally.

Free Essays on An Examination Of The Justice System In America

Capital punishment has been a form of â€Å"disciplining† since 1750 B.C., when it was part of the code of Hammarabi. The bible itself, also prescribes death as a penalty for any of thirty crimes committed. The crimes ranged from any between murder and fornication. In the 18th century more than two hundred capital crimes were recognized, and as a result over one thousand people a year were faced with the sentence of death. While Capital Punishment has been one of the most feared things of our time, it is still being questioned if it is unconstitutional. The Death Penalty is being enforced in more than 100 countries in the world and is usually used in politically related cases. Although it has been the case in many countries throughout the world it has been said that the Death Penalty is "cruel and unusual punishment" which is a direct violation to the Bill of Rights. Capital Punishment is a certain copy of the earliest days of slavery, when you had no rights or any different opinion, and like then, executions have no place in our civilized society. The Death Penalty, throughout its years of existence, has always been against the views of the people, either because of its brutality or because of its lack of effectiveness. The Death Penalty has been opposed by the people since the beginning of it's era, which was around 1976, when the United States Supreme Court declared that the death penalty was no t against the Constitution. But if read directly the Eight Amendment of the U.S. Constitution "prohibits cruel and unusual punishments" and not only that but abolitionists also think that Capital Punishment ensures Americans equality for all. When Capital Punishment is put into a case and the person has been killed there is no way to get back from that if they are later found to have been innocent. If a person is sentenced to life without parole and is later found to be innocent, that person can still be released, but if the person... Free Essays on An Examination Of The Justice System In America Free Essays on An Examination Of The Justice System In America Capital punishment has been a form of â€Å"disciplining† since 1750 B.C., when it was part of the code of Hammarabi. The bible itself, also prescribes death as a penalty for any of thirty crimes committed. The crimes ranged from any between murder and fornication. In the 18th century more than two hundred capital crimes were recognized, and as a result over one thousand people a year were faced with the sentence of death. While Capital Punishment has been one of the most feared things of our time, it is still being questioned if it is unconstitutional. The Death Penalty is being enforced in more than 100 countries in the world and is usually used in politically related cases. Although it has been the case in many countries throughout the world it has been said that the Death Penalty is "cruel and unusual punishment" which is a direct violation to the Bill of Rights. Capital Punishment is a certain copy of the earliest days of slavery, when you had no rights or any different opinion, and like then, executions have no place in our civilized society. The Death Penalty, throughout its years of existence, has always been against the views of the people, either because of its brutality or because of its lack of effectiveness. The Death Penalty has been opposed by the people since the beginning of it's era, which was around 1976, when the United States Supreme Court declared that the death penalty was no t against the Constitution. But if read directly the Eight Amendment of the U.S. Constitution "prohibits cruel and unusual punishments" and not only that but abolitionists also think that Capital Punishment ensures Americans equality for all. When Capital Punishment is put into a case and the person has been killed there is no way to get back from that if they are later found to have been innocent. If a person is sentenced to life without parole and is later found to be innocent, that person can still be released, but if the person...

20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays

20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays 20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays 20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays By Maeve Maddox For me, April is Shakespeare’s month. Ill be writing several Shakespeare-related posts this month, starting with Shakespeare in the movies. According to tradition, William Shakespeare was born and died on Saint George’s Day, April 23. I find it poignant that one of his characters, Cassius, also dies on his birthday: This day I breathed first: time is come round, And where I did begin, there shall I end; Julius Caesar V, iii A popular academic pastime has beenand continues to bearguing that someone other than the man from Stratford wrote the plays because the â€Å"real† Shakespeare was too uneducated and homebound to have come up with such language, geographical references, and classical allusions. It’s one of the oldest conspiracy theories in existence. The official Shakespeare canon includes 16 comedies, 10 histories, 12 tragedies, 154 sonnets, and five longer poems. Writers have been mining the Shakespearean canon for 420 years and show no signs of exhausting it. Movie makers have been at it for 111 years. The first known film to make use of a Shakespeare play was a British production made in 1899. Only a two-minute scene survives, showing Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree acting the death scene of King John from the play of the same name. Hollywood has produced at least 250 films based on the plays or on characters or plots from the plays. Of Hamlet alone, close to 100 movie and TV adaptations have been made since 1907. Not just English-speaking movie makers raid the canon. Ran, for example, is a Japanese movie that sets King Lear in feudal Japan and turns Lear’s daughters into sons. Here are some movie titles followed by the name of the Shakespeare play that inspired them: A Double Life (1947) Othello A Thousand Acres (1997) King Lear All Night Long (1962) Othello Catch My Soul (1974) Othello Forbidden Planet (1956) The Tempest King of Texas (2002) King Lear Kiss Me Kate (1948) The Taming of the Shrew Let the Devil Wear Black (1999) Hamlet Men of Respect (1991) Macbeth My Own Private Idaho (1991) Henry IV and Henry V plays Ran (1985) King Lear Romeo Must Die (2000) Romeo and Juliet Scotland, PA (2001) Macbeth She’s the Man (2006) Twelfth Night Strange Brew (1983) Hamlet The Boys from Syracuse (1940) Comedy of Errors Tower of London (1939) Richard III Were the World Mine (2008) A Midsummer’s Night Dream West Side Story (1961) Romeo and Juliet Yellow Sky (1943) The Tempest Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewForming the Comparative of One-syllable Adjectives

Titanic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Titanic - Research Paper Example Broadcast TV shows such as Big Brother, The Simpsons, The View and Family Guy have gained increased popularity over time resulting to unconstructive impacts on the social, political, educational and religious scenes. This essay discusses the negative impacts of Broadcast TV shows by exploring the key areas it touches on. Stereotypes and Prejudices. Broadcast TV shows have been observed to contribute highly in the perpetuation of prejudice and negative stereotypes in the American society (Shaffer 413). Although such shows use this as a form of humor, it has a huge impact on the way society views certain groups of people. Nearly every broadcast TV shows portrays Black males as drug dealers, thugs or criminals. This impacts negatively on the way society view Black males. On the other hand, Muslims are depicted as terrorists which was facilitated by the 9/11 attack. Society is influenced to view them as bad people who are a threat to security. These two examples show how Broadcast TV sho ws promote stereotypes and prejudices in society resulting to tension between racial groups in society. Social Effects. The first social problem arising from watching Broadcast TV shows is lack of originality among the population. People are likely to imitate the TV stars mode of speaking, dressing and personal style which is a common problem among teenagers. Teenagers should strive to seek their own identity and discover their own talents with the help of their parents. This also leads to increased peer pressure as teenagers will strive to dress and act like their friends. Secondly watching TV Broadcast shows leads to the development of anti- social behavior (Clarke 413). This is because individuals tend to spend too much time watching TV and have no time for family, friends or fun activities. Such people tend to be withdrawn and cannot communicate effectively with other members of society. These shows lead to the propagation of negative behavior including violence, crime, premarit al sex and drug abuse. The content aired by these shows has violent scenes that affect the audiences’ thought in a negative way (Gentile 70). Watching these shows has be a major contributing factor to the rising levels of violence mainly among the young people (Gentile 70). Some scenes have been known to encourage drug and alcohol abuse since they illustrate it to be ‘cool’ and highly appealing to the audience. Some of these shows contain sexual scenes that lead to the high occurrence of teenage sex and pregnancies. This is because such shows depict this behavior to be fun and acceptable. Generally speaking, Broadcast television shows provide the wrong idea about certain practices and make them believe that they are totally fine. Watching these shows is highly addictive hence people do it for many hours in a day. Recent studies have revealed that there is a relationship between the length of time that is spent on watching TV and obesity. Watching TV for long hour ’s leads to a sedentary lifestyle since it is an inactive activity that requires minimal physical and mental activity. People are advised to undertake in physical and mental tasks that stimulate their brain and body to ensure mental and physical fitness. These shows contribute to emotional and physical problems linked to self esteem and weight loss (Shaffer 413). TV stars are represented as having perfect body shapes and flawless skin. Women and young people in society are affected by these images and tend to feel

Monitoring the glucose level as well as alteration in expression of Research Proposal

Monitoring the glucose level as well as alteration in expression of m-RNA and protien levels of glucose transporters(GLUT4) in d - Research Proposal Example The reduction of insulin activity removes the glucose transporter in the urine samples out of the body. This concludes that glucose level monitoring and the Vitamin D level monitoring is very important for the type 2 Diabetes patients.1 When the Vitamin D binds to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a heterodimer is formed. This hetereodimer then binds to the DNA and initiates many cofactors leading to the increase in the transcription of the genes that are responsible for the production of the proteins that control the calcium homeostasis. Vitamin D regulates the insulin receptor gene expression at the genetic level. The mRNA that codes for insulin receptor gene is produced at large numbers by increasing the expression level. The increase in the insulin receptor will increase the binding of the insulin and makes the GLUT4 transporter gene translocation from the intracellular level to the plasma membrane. 2 This increase in flux increases the glucose metabolism and thus controls the type 2 Diabetes mellitus in humans.GLUT 4 contain the phosphate at the basal state. The phosphorylation of GLUT4 is mediated by the cyclic cAMP- dependent protein kinase inhibiting the glucose transport.2 Scientific Background: A study was carried out in the year 1993, to identify the genes that are responsible for the regulatory domain of the GLUT4 in the adipose tissue. The transcriptional regulation of the gene was studied in the murine C2C12 skeletal muscle cell line. Transient transfection of the 5’ and 3’ deletions of the GLUT4 5’ flanking DNA has identified a region of 281 base pairs present at the myotube-specific expression. 3 The total RNA was isolated and used for Northern Blot analysis and hybridization was carried out. This gene was then inserted into the luciferase EcoRI- DraI fragment plasmid and further analysis was carried out. 3 The GLUT4 mRNA was found to be dependent on the thyroid hormone. This region was also found between the -517 and -237 regio n. This 281 base pair region is found to play a major role in understanding the mechanism that controls the GLUT4 gene expression in the skeletal muscle. All these experiments were carried out in the rat model.3 The vitamin D deficiency is found to be associated with the impaired insulin secretion. When Vitamin D is supplied at sufficient level then it binds to the vitamin D receptors (VDRs) present in the pancreatic beta cells. VRD gene is present in the Chromosome 12-cen-q12. When allelic variations are done in the VDR receptor gene then glucose absorbance rate also varies. The genomic DNA was extracted from the four healthy individuals and the four SNPS at the intron 8 and Exon 9 was examined with the controls. 4 The peripheral blood samples were analyzed for the given SNPS at the VDR gene using the polymerase chain reaction and then by the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The restriction sites looked for were TaqI, ApaI, BsmI and Tru91SNP. 4 It was found that the genotypes were similar in both the patients and control. This concluded that VDR is not the major gene for the Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Hence further research is necessary for finding the responsible gene for Type 3 Diabetes mellitus.4 The vitamin D is not only the factor that is responsible for the insulin resistance. There are other factors too. The 25- hydroxyl vitamin D (25(OH)-D) is found to be inversely proportional to the insulin resistance and the (25( OH)-D) concentration is determined in the serum for the analysis. The association between the