Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been Essay examples -- Literary An

In her short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been, Joyce Carol Oates presents us with a well known maxim: children cannot wait to get older. Tired of her boring and powerless childhood, Connie, the main character, searches for cheap thrills she likens to adulthood. Thus, Connie’s surreal experience (Arnold Friend’s sudden and unwanted appearance in his car) represents a suppressed fear of the inevitable and unknown - growing up. Connie, a stereotypical fifteen year old girl, views her life and her family with dissatisfaction. Jealous around her twenty-four year old sister, June, despite June’s outward plainness, and tense around her irksome mother, Connie escapes to the mall with her friends. She and her clique of friends feel like they own the place, and the rest of the world: â€Å"Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1-2). The sense of freedom intoxicates them. Sometimes, they sneak across the street to a drive-in restaurant. Crossing from one world to the next, they leave the well known layout of the mall and adopt the turf of the older kids. They went up through the maze of parked and cruising cars to the bright-lit, fly- infested restaurant, their faces pleased and expectant as if they were entering a sacred building that loomed up out of the night to give them what haven and blessing they yearned for (2). Here, they rid themselves of average, familial and school-age problems and bask in the glory of teenagerdom, drinking from their Holy Grail of liberty. Here, listening to â€Å"the music that made everything so good† (2), they finally taste the maturity they yearn for. However, growing up often comes too quickly. A boy, Eddie, soon arr... ...ate. As the last lines of the story suggest, despite her terror through the piece, she is finally forced to accept her future: â€Å"†¦the vast sunlit reaches of the land behind him and on all sides of him - so much land that Connie had never seen before and did not recognize except to know that she was going to it† (9). After spending so much time acting more grown up than she actually was, she now must face the truth of growing up, despite her trepidation, like all children. With complex themes and multifaceted symbols, Oates presents a girl so eager to grow up, but not yet ready to face what that truly entails. Arnold Friend represents the bare actuality many children ignore when looking at the far unlit unknown of adulthood and growing up. In essence, this story acts as a way to warn â€Å"be careful what you wish for† and â€Å"life’s not all it’s cracked up to be†.

A Halloween Night Essay

The town next to ours was a little mining town called Cheshire. Despite it being a productive and rich mining town, it was well known for the Legend of the Witches Circle. It was said that twelve witches used to live here. At the struck of midnight, they would fly around the town, creating nuisance and scaring off anyone in their path. After many deaths, people fled the town, fearing falling victim to the evil witches. Mining was halted and the town was abandoned. No one has returned to Cheshire ever since. The mood of Halloween was in the air. It was the end of October and large pumpkins were being put out for sale at the farms. Everyone in Saintsbury was getting ready for Halloween. Statues of goblins and evil witches could be seen everywhere. It was finally here, Halloween night. The streetlights were not working. Instead, the faint glows of candlelight lined the street. I was a bit old to go trick or treating; I had better plans with my friend. Jack, a good friend of mine had planned for us to pay a little visit to Cheshire, to prove to ourselves right that the legend of the witches were just a myth. I met up with him downtown and we got what we needed, and set out on the dark winding path through the forest leading into Cheshire. The noise began to slowly fade away. The forest was strangely quiet that night. I could hear myself breathing heavily. We walked arm in arm, guided by the dim light from the small torch. It was a true Halloween night. The full moon was shining through the bare branches casting eerie shadows on our path as we walked. A cool breeze was blowing sending leaves dancing messily across the forest floor. I remember thinking to myself that this night was truly the kind that you imagine when you listen to a scary tale. Holding tightly to the person next to you, just like I was holding Jack as we walked that evening. The path we walked on would take us past the cemetery and end at the crest above Devil’s Den, where it is believed the witches used to slay their victims every night. We chose this path because of it being the night it was. We were feeling young and out for an adventure. An adventure that led us into the heart of the townà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s legendary witches’ circle. As we walked past the cemetery a group of mischievous boys came jumping out from behind some tombstones and trees. My heart was in my throat and I felt Jack give a startled jump. â€Å"Oi, what the hell do you think youà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½re doing!† shouted Jack. They ran away laughing, off to find their next victim. My I was still looking terrified and when Jack turned to see if I was all right, he started laughing too. Then jokingly, I sent him stumbling backwards over a log into a big pile of leaves from a nearby oak tree. I ran and found a good spot to hide, to do some scaring of my own. I had settled in behind a rock above Devil’s Den and feeling pleased with myself, waited for the sound of crunching leaves. I listened carefully, but what broke the silence was not the sound I expected. From below, in Devil’s Den, I heard chanting. I slowly turned around to see who or what it was that was chanting. Suddenly, from behind, an arm grabbed me. I opened my mouth to scream, but it was quickly covered by a second hand. As I struggled to get loose I wondered what had happened to Jack and if I was going to die tonight. Reality set in when I heard Jack’s voice whispering my name. When I finally settled down, he whispered for me to be quiet before he released his hand from over my mouth. As he released his hold, my eyes drifted down to the strange sight below. † Oh my God!!!† I said. In the valley below, surrounding a large stone altar, stood twelve figures. They were dressed in black gowns with hoods that hung over their faces, giving them an eerie appearance. As they stood encircling the altar their soft chanting could be heard. Soon my body was covered with goose bumps as their voices softly filled the night air. From the cover of the night we knelt watching in silence. Then there was silence as a man leading a goat appeared out of the darkness. They tied the goat to the altar while a new figure entered the light. In his hand was a large dagger that he carried to the top of the altar then knelt and chanted softly. Slowly he rose, raising the dagger high into the air, then with a loud cry he lowered the blade into the screaming goats chest. With ease he sliced open the goat while it cried and squirmed. Then, as if it was an orange he began to peel its skin from the body. When he had finished he held the head and skin high into the air as if he was praying to his god. He called for power as he placed the goat’s head in place. The skin was still wet with blood and it clung to his back. Blood covered his face as it ran from the goat’s head before falling to the ground. Then he turned and spoke to the darkness. A young woman entered into the light and in her arms she carried a small child. There was no expression on her face as she placed the child upon the altar before turning and walking back into the darkness. The child laid cradled in the carcass of the goat as the leader fell to his knees at the side of the altar. The other twelve, still encircling the altar, continued the chanting. Their cries became louder and louder. Suddenly there was silence as the leader stood. He raised the dagger into the air, a cold dark expression on his face as he again prayed to his god. Just as he was ready to plunge the blade into the child, a scream pierced the night. Their eyes searched the darkness for the intruder and soon all eyes were on me. The eyes of the Death Leader locked into mine. Then all went black. I woke up with the sensation of heat against my skin. I looked around and saw twelve black figures standing around me. My hands were tied back to a pole and around me was a big ring of fire. Barely opening my eyes, because of the intense heat, I looked for Jack. I could not find him. Then I saw it. On the altar, lay the body of a young man. I tried to stand on my toe to see is he was all right. I felt sick. His body was covered with blood. A deep cut ran straight down his chest. I turned away, not being able to bear what I just saw. I looked up to the figure sitting next to the altar. It was terrifying. It was the most hideous face I had ever seen. It had a pale yellow skin and had holes for eyes. He stared at me coldly and stood up before reaching for the dagger, soaking in blood, from the altar. I got terrified and struggled to free myself, to no avail. I let out a scream, as he raised the dagger into the air, his cold eyes staring into mine. I held my eyes shut, waiting for it. Then all went silent. I opened my eyes, much to my relief. Everything was gone, my hands were untied. The rays of sun, arising amidst the clouds, broke the darkness. The altar and fire was gone too.

Guava Leaves Extract as Main Ingredient

In the next of our series on Far Eastern plant we look at Guava or Psidium guajava. In folk medicine, extracts of roots, bark, and leaves are used to treat gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery, wounds, ulcers, toothache, coughs, sore throat, inflamed gums, and a number of other conditions (Morton 1987). This plant seemed worthy of an in depth review. â€Å"Guava leaves extract as main ingredient in making Herbal Soap for washing wounds† Introduction: WALA HAHA 😀 Background of the Study: Nowadays, people have using different herbal soap that are expensive and less effective.The researcher aims to make an effective and cheaper herbal soap. Like guava leaves , it contains both major antioxidant pigments, carotene and poly phenols giving them high dietary antioxidant value among plant foods. Guava leaves has a benefits in making herbal soap because it has that properties that can make the skin look good and protects the skin. Statement of the problem: The resear cher aims to answer the following questions: 1. ) Is the guava leaves extract effective in making herbal soap? 2. ) Does guava leaves extract effective for washing wounds? Hypothesis: 1. The guava leaves is effective in making herbal soap. 2. ) Guava leaves extract is effective for washing wounds. Significance of the study: The significance of the study is to have a beneficial usage of guava leaves. Specifically on the fresh green leaves. This study also aims to produce an affordable herbal soap by making use of the natural properties of guava leaves extract. This product is more on natural properties that can cure skin infections like skin allergies, rashes and skin itchiness and does not mix with chemicals that may damaged our skin. Scope and Limitations:This study needs furthermore improvement , research and also this study is only limited on the use of caustic soda because we all know that to much of caustic soda may cause skin itchiness. Definition of terms: Guava- is a genus o f about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. Antioxidant- is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Pigments- is a material that changes teh color of light it reflects as a result of selective color absorptions. Carotenoids- a pigment essential for good vision angd precursor to Vit. A. Pol phenols- were one briefly known as vit.P which are a group of a chemical substances found in plants. Review of related Literature: Guava, is a genus of about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small treesin the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It is native in Mexico , as well Central America, Northern America and parts of the Carribeanbut not cultivated throughout the tropics. In Tagalog , name bayabas are probably local renditions of guayaba. Numerous references inmedical research identify guava as Psidium Guajava. Psidium guajava are cultivated in many tropical and subtropical countries for their edible fruit.Psidium Guajafa are often considered superfru its , being rich in vit. A and C and other properties. Its leaves contained antioxidant pigments,carotenoids and Polyphenols that are good components in turning our skin healthy. Since the 1950's , guva , prticularly its leaves , has been a subject for diverse research in chemical identity of its constituents, pharmacological properties and history in folk medicine . For example , from preliminary medicinal research in laboratory models , extract from guava leaves are implicated in therapeutic mechanisms against cancer , bacterial infections , inflammation and pain and skin disorder.Essential oils from gauva leaves have shown strong anti-cancer in vitro. In folk medicine , guava leaves are used as a remedy for diarrhea, and for their supposed antimicrobial properties. Its easy to get the components of guava leaves when it is apply in a form of a soap. Methodology: A. Guava Decoction We have to gather 50g of fresh green guava leaves, 250 mL of water and boil it for about 10 mins. * M aterials one-half cup of oil, 3tbsp. caustic soda, 500mL of water and guava leaves extract   B. Preparation of Soap From the materials gatherd , set aside guava leaves extract.Mix 500mL water and vegetable oil and stir for 30mins. Combine the guava leaves extract to the solution of water and oil, stir for 30mins. add 3 tbsp. caustic soda stir for another 30 mins. Put in a molder and place in a safe area that can't be expose by the sun. C. Soap Cutting: Cut the soap acc. to the size of the molder. D. Testing the soap: After 15 days the soap will be use either preventive or cure. The respondents to this is the people who have skin wounds. It will be apply in the skin when they take a bath. E. Observation: The researcher had observed that the wounds heal faster. * The soap speeds up the regeneration of the wounds. Chapter IV Results and Discussion â€Å"EFFECTIVENESS OF SOAP IN DAYS† Respondents| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| Linger Abellana| Good| effective| effective| effective| effective| Mario Cabanag| Effective| effective| effective| effective| effective| Neljun Odiaz| good| good| good| good| fair| Clarence Tumanda| good| good| Effective| effective| effective| Ivy Carl geonzon| good| good| good| effective| effective| Jhon Sabellina| fair| fair| good| good| effective|Mary Ramirez| good| good| effective| effective| effective| Noel Cabrera| good| good| good| good| effective| Generalization: The researcher concludes that the guava leaves extract as main ingredient in making herbal soap for washing wounds is effective according to the respondents of the soap. Based on the number of days that they used the product, which is a proof that this herbal soap is effective. Herbal Cough Syrup: How To Make 1. Make a strong, concentrated infusion or decoction of your desired herbs. Use 2 to 3 times the amount of plant matter to water you would normally use for tea. . Strain out the herbs, and pour the liquid back into the pot 3. For each cup of liquid add twice the amount of hon ey. 4. Heat until the mixture is completely combined. Heat over a low flame, or use a double boiler as you do not want to boil the honey as it kills the healthful enzymes 5. Pour into sterilized canning jars and store away from heat and light. Store opened jars in the refrigerator. 6. You can extend the shelf life (between 6 months to a year), by adding a small amount of flavored brandy. How to Make Cough SyrupInstructions * 1 Bring two cups of water to a boil on the stove or in the microwave. You can use a pan as small as 2 quarts to make the cough syrup. * 2 Chop up some elecampane root into small pieces. Elecampane root is a natural cough suppressant and the whole root can be purchased at a health foods store. If you cannot find it, you can substitute ginger root. Add the root pieces to the boiling water. * 3 Boil the root for several minutes until it starts to become soft. Then, squeeze the juice from half a lemon and add it to the mixture.You can add juice from an entire lemon if you can stand the taste. * 4 Add a couple spoonfuls of honey to the cough syrup. The honey not only will soothe the throat, it covers up any unpleasant taste in the cough syrup. You can use anything else you desire to improve the taste such as sugar or peppermint. * 5 Pour in a couple spoonfuls of your favorite whiskey if you desire. The whiskey helps you relax and sleep and is good for a nighttime remedy. * 6 Make the cough syrup fresh every 4 to 6 hours and drink while your symptoms persist.

Central Valley Forest Fires Essay

The cities of California’s Great Central Valley Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield, which are together called the heart of Ca1ifornia, have repeatedly entered American popular culture and folklore. The cities have their own fire departments and in times of need firefighters and equipment might be taken on supplementary purpose. There have been quite a few incidents of forest fire in these cities and there always is a debate on how crisis management could improve and minimize the impact of these incidents on the environment and human health. This paper explores threats posed by the forest fires in California and its surrounded lower central valley between Bakersfield and Modesto. The paper first describes the nature and impact of forest fires and then follows to damaged forest fires and what it does to the environment. Finally a global and national environmental picture is presented relating to the subject. A forest fire is a powerful force of nature. It can kill people, animals, and trees. It can destroy homes and buildings. But it also is part of a forest’s natural life cycle. Forest fires clean out forest lands by burning dead leaves, plants, and trees (Simon 34-40). The dead and dried timber is undoubtedly one of the reasons why wildfires in the United States have been so devastating in recent years. According to the National Climatic Data Center, dryer than average conditions over most of the country have contributed to burns in excess of 9.5 million acres in 2006 and over 8.5 million in 2005 (Wagtendonk 3-17). These figures broke the old record of 7.4 million acres in 2000, and almost doubled that of the 4.5 million acres burned in 1960. The extended drought, forest die-offs from insect Infestation and human encroachment have all contributed to the increase in wildfires. But the primary cause of forest fires can be attributed to climate change. It has been the shift in ocean currents and weather patterns that has brought about the extended drought conditions. Added to this are the warmer conditions and heat waves triggered by the increase in global temperature. This has led to a drying of the foliage and a prolific increase in insect infestation. As we have seen, these parasitic tree killing insects such as the Bark Beetle and Pine Beetle have moved to higher altitudes and more northerly climates due to warmer temperatures (ReVelle & ReVelle 321-366). All these conditions have placed great stress on the forests of North America, making them ripe for forests fires. Battling wildfires is a challenging task because wild-land firefighters have to contain the rambling fires while they withstand intense heat, poor vision and dangers of the wilds. Thousands of full-time firefighters and volunteers, planes, helicopters and fleet of engines are employed by firefighting agencies along with different technologies such as shovels and infrared imaging, to control wildfires. There are specially trained firefighters such as smokejumpers, who are employed by firefighting agencies to extinguish fires by parachuting in unreachable areas during the early stages of fire. â€Å"Helitack† crews are also hired by firefighting agencies to attack fires when landing is not an option. Thus the Helitack crew lowers firefighting equipment in such areas and then firefighters are able to reach the surface. Sometimes, water or retardant which can be up to 3,000 gallons is dropped by airplanes and infrared aircraft at a time, in a long string for creating a line. The pilot is allowed to see where he can land with the help of a pink dye. Sometimes, shovels and other tools are also used by firefighters to build firelines which refer to a 3-5 feet path created by firefighters by clearing away leaves and branches. Wildfires can spread to several acres of land. How bad a fire can be is determined by topography, weather and fuel supply. When a fire breaks out, it can stretch across acres of land and its own weather patterns can be created. The fire first spreads into the crown of the tree and when it gets more oxygen from below like a chimney, it is nourished and gets worse. Dry fuel away from the fire can also be ignited by the floating embers, thus it is essential to control the fire as soon as it breaks out (McNamara). Fiscal stress came to California from three distinct sources: natural events, other events beyond the state’s control, and events that were induced by California citizens, and out of those three sources fires have been among the most costly. Three types of natural catastrophes have contributed to the fiscal stress. The drought of 1987-1992 (and which apparently has recurred in 1994) has cost California farmers about $3—$4 billion; the Loma Prieta quake of 1989 resulted in about $10 billion in direct and indirect losses, with net losses after federal aid being about $6 to $7 billion; and property losses from the 11 Oakland fire and the 1993 Southern California fires were about $4.7 billion.’ There are three exogenous events that are consistently mentioned in any discussion of the stresses on the state’s economy: the recession that began in 1990; the cut in defense expenditures, including the closing of many military bases; and the immigration of undocumente d aliens. In October of 2007 wildfires broke out in Southern California (Carle 71-79). From Malibu to the Mexican border, over 16 separate fires raged while being whipped by the Santa Anna winds. Thousands of acres were scorched, over 2000 homes destroyed and nearly one million people were evacuated. This was the largest evacuation in American history, exceeding even that caused by Hurricane Katrina. Over ninety aircraft and 6,000 firefighters were involved in suppressing the fires. The total cost of lighting the fires, including the damage inflicted, is estimated to exceed 1 billion dollars. Due to the forest fires budget cuts in 2012, lost fire fighters have added more to the difficulties faced by the firefighting department. For instance, when a wildfire broke out in June, 2011 north of Highway 180 in Fresno County, firefighters had difficulty controlling the fire. The fire broke out through thick grass and burned down oak trees in the area. It was a regular event for firefighters, who attacked the fire from two sides. Nearly 300-foot hose extensions were carried by them as they tried to circle the fire before it spread further. However, due to the firefighter budget cuts, there were only three fighters per engine instead of four firefighters who normally worked during the wildfire season. Since there were only three firefighters per engine, it took long to get water around the fire. Due to the above mentioned cuts firefighters are concerned about their first-strike capabilities to attack severe wildfire because they think that their work has been affected due to staffing cuts. According to a Cal Fire Capt, it became difficult to control the fire with a three-man crew due to the fatigue factor. Fire, which the captain hoped to keep to less than 10 acres, had stretched across 133 acres because of the shortage of the crew which cost $300,000 to extinguish. In 2011, the budget cut saved $34 million because 750 seasonal firefighters in California were laid off. It implies that there will be three firefighters per engine instead of four for handling thousands of feet of hose lines and for sharing the hard work to control wildfires. This has severely affected the extinguishing capabilities of firefighters because they require more time and energy to control the blazing fire (Hecht). The staggering one billion dollars attributed to the 2007 California wildfires is just the beginning. When all the fires and climate change related disasters are added to this figure. The amount assumes unimaginable proportions. The National Climatic Data Center records seventeen separate weather related events occurring in the United States from 1998 to 2002, which cost over 1 billion dollars each. These events include droughts, floods, fire seasons, tropical storms, hailstorms, tornadoes, heat waves, ice storms, and hurricanes (Carle 44-60). The consequences of forest fires are the atmospheric emissions of various environmentally significant gases and solid particulates that contribute to local, regional and global phenomena in the biosphere. Pollutants emitted include atmospheric particulate matter (I1) and gaseous compounds. Such as carbon dioxide (C02), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), nitrogen oxides, (NO) and nitrous oxide (N20). Smoke pollution due to forest fire events can represent an important public health issue to the community, particularly for personnel involved in firefighting operations. In addition, high levels of trospospheric ozone can occur at great distances from emission sources (Simon 85-90). The environmental effects of these emissions are related to the transport and deposition processes involved (Johnson & Miyanishi 25-39). The protection of homes and communities from the threat of forest fire depends on the proper treatment of wildland-urban interface, the area directly adjacent to homes and communities. However, current efforts to protect communities from the threat of forest fire are protecting homes and communities from forest fires. Projects that reduced forest fuels are often implemented far away from communities, in areas where treatment will do the least good. Considering the current risks and the limited resources available for the implementation of fuels reduction projects, individual projects and strategic plans need to utilize the best available science to develop the most effective and efficient methods for protecting the homes and communities (Johnson & Miyanishi 25-39). At the same time, focused fuels reduction in the wildland-urban interface is necessary to avoid damaging adjacent forest ecosystems and wildlife habitat with poorly planned and ineffective logging projects. Wildfires can be prevented by not parking the vehicles on dry grass, never taking out burning sticks out of a fire, never using lanterns, stoves and heaters in a tent, by storing flammable liquid containers in a safe area and knowing the area’s outdoor burning laws because to burn trash is a punishable crime. It is essential to contact a Ranger as soon as possible when the first sign of a wildfire is seen. The area should be left immediately by recognized roads or trails but if the escape route is blocked, it is important to go to the nearest stream or lake (McNamara). Wildfires which consume Southern California are extremely dangerous because they have affected a large number of houses; they started abruptly and stretched across acres of land rapidly. According to scientists, the severity of wildfires is associated with the changing climate and it is believed that wildfires will become more common because of global warming (â€Å"California Wildfires and Global Warming†). The USA seems to have reached a tipping point: the majority of citizens now accept the reality of global warming. National discussions have steadily shifted from whether climate change exists to what America should do about it. To be sure government and industry are dragging their feet, hard. They argue that global warming is a natural (not human-caused) cycle; that it won’t be that bad; that there’s nothing we can do about it; or that, most especially making drastic changes to quickly combat global warming is too costly to the nation’s economichealth to consider. According to a 2011 study, greenhouse gas is boosted by wildfires thus, global warming is accelerated. The study found that the release of nitrous oxide from soil is boosted because of wildfires, change in the climate and nitrogen deposits which accelerates global warming (â€Å"Wildfires boost greenhouse gas to accelerate global warming, study finds†) Concern for air pollution has led to a society-wide discussion about greenhouse gases touching every aspect of modern life: from building design and light bulbs to auto emissions and planting trees. While states wrestle with the federal government over how much and how quickly to raise auto fuel economy standards (currently averaging 21 mpg), car-loving consumers are starting to vote with their pocketbooks (Johnson & Miyanishi 98-109). In addition to this, Water issues are particularly acute in the West: the region’s underground aquifer is being drained at a phenomenal rate, and increasing water salinity is playing havoc with farming. Also, the West has witnessed a surge in new oil and gas drilling, in part because of government- approved industry exemptions in 2005 to the Clean Water Act. An unlikely coalition of ranchers, hunters and conservationists is lighting this all-too- common sacrifice of health for cheap energy (IJWF 116-26). Wildfires are very dangerous because they destroy land and harm the environment. Fire ravages dry vegetation, burning everything in its way. Under prolonged dry conditions with even moderate winds fire can spread across a wide area very quickly, stretching the emergency services and testing their ability to contain and manage the spread and to minimize risk and damage to people and property. Natural fires have traditionally caused extensive damage to grassland, woodland and forest. Wild fires can stir a primeval fear and fascination in most of us. Many have long been concerned about the loss of valuable timber to fire and about the effects of fire on soils, watersheds, water quality, and wildlife (Simon 96-121). Fierce battles over the environment have been a fixture of the American political landscape for over a century, and for business, this last argument has been a winner, whether the issue is pollution, dwindling resources or endangered species. This effectiveness rests, in part, on the dependable reluctance of us citizens to make sacrifices in their consumptive lifestyles. Typically, Americans support regulations and alter their habits only when environmental problems become undeniable, quantifiable and urgent. With global warming, that moment seems to have arrived. The U.S. citizens and the government are well aware of the environmental concerns and have from time to time addressed these issues. The environment protection agency (EPA) has been the forefront player in this regard and has formulated strategies and policies to control forest fire hazards. California is home to a great variety of wildlife habit and environmental protection can help save many of the endangered species in the lower central valley. Works Cited â€Å"California Wildfires and Global Warming.† Global Warming – California Wildfires Influenced by Global Warming – The Daily Green. October 23, 2007. Web. May 13, 2012. Carle, David. Introduction to Fire in California: Berkeley, University of California Press, 2008. Print. Hecht, Peter. â€Å"Budget cuts mean fewer firefighters to fight California wildfires.† Budget cuts mean fewer firefighter to fight California wildfires — Society’s Child — Sott_net. Aug 1, 2011. Web. April 29, 2012. Johnson A. Edward, and Kiyoko Miyanishi. Forest fires: Behavior and Ecological Effects. San Diego: Academic Press, 2001. Print. Keeley, Jon E. â€Å"Fire intensity, fire severity and burn severity: a brief review and suggested usage.† International Journal of Wildland Fire (2009): 116–126. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. McNamara, Melissa. â€Å"Wildfire Safety Tips.† Wildfire Safety Tips – CBS News. February 11, 2009. Web. April 29, 2012. ReVelle, Penelope, and Charles ReVelle. The Global Environment: Securing a Sustainable Future. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett, 1992. Print. Seymour, Simon. Wildfires. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. Print. Sugihara G. Neil, Fire in California’s Ecosystems, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006. Print. Wagtendonk Van, and Jan Wagtendonk. â€Å"The History and Evolution of Wildland Fire Use.† Journal of Fire Ecology 3.2 (2007): 3–17. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. â€Å"Wildfires boost greenhouse gas to accelerate global warming, study finds.† Wildfires boost greenhouse gas to accelerate global warming, study finds. June 8, 2011. Web. May 13, 2012.

Select 2 research studies published in peer-reviewed, refereed Proposal

Select 2 studies published in peer-reviewed, refereed journals in your discipline - Research Proposal Example Still more meaningful and unfortunate is the percentage of Catholic children in public high schools. About one-third of Catholic students attend Catholic secondary schools. It is more than evident to all concerned that religious instruction must be made available. The article by Barnard et al is based on a randomized experiment conducted in New York City. A one-way analysis of variance design, employing three randomized groups of subjects, which corresponds to the three conditions of high, low, and no self-disclosure, was utilized. After district approval to conduct research in the schools had been obtained, elementary principals were contacted by letter and phone to request school participation. When participation was secured, teachers were contacted by letter and asked to volunteer approximately 30 minutes of their time to participate in the viewing and rating of a videotaped consultation intervention. Consenting teachers were then scheduled for a viewing at their convenience. Subjects were assigned randomly to one of four conditions: technical language with teacher involvement, technical language without teacher involvement, nontechnical language with teacher involvement, or nontechnical language without teacher involvement. The article by Henthorn is based on qualitative analyses interviews and historical data was used. Just as reliability is estimated by calculating the internal consistency of a test form, a similar measure can be derived from a structured interview schedule. Control over the timing, the environment, and the question order is possible where no such control is possible with questionnaires. To the extent that these controls enhance validity, they fulfill reliability requirements by definition. For nonstructured interviews, no such reliability estimates are possible. The hypothesis of Barnard et al is to investigate â€Å"the

Pros and Cons of Various HRIS Systems Research Paper

Pros and Cons of Various HRIS Systems - Research Paper Example Traditionally, HRIS is considered as an automated record keeping of employees and computerization of the payroll. However, it is now well established that HR managers with information system can greater role beyond the administrative jobs. Today the organizations are besieged with the cost burden. With increased cost competition, the companies have no option but to transfer the cost burden to the customers. Therefore, to maintain stability in the price of the products, the only option is to look within, i.e. cost minimization. Cost minimization without technology support is difficult (Walker, 2001, p. 135). Background of the report Big Boss Security Limited is a company that provides personal security for business executives and high ranking officials. The company has 150 employees. The human resource department has two HR staffs; one HR manager and one part-time employee. The company is facing some problems due to the small number of staffs in the HR department. However, the company does not have any plans to recruit HR personnel at this point in time. Therefore the company has decided to go for IT enablement of the Hr department by introducing HRIS. The system needs to be installed keeping the company objective and budget constraints in mind.   Therefore there is an existence of budget constraint. However, the company has got plans for future expansion. Therefore it is very important for the company to retain the talent and increase efficiency. HRIS Concepts HRIS is the systems to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze and interpret relevant information on human resources. It is not mere computer hardware or some customized standard HR software. It broadly includes people, policies and procedures and of course data. It does not limit the focus on automation of manual HR jobs like record keeping or payroll preparation. It is a service in the form of information. The nature of the information depends upon the user's needs. Users may not be limited to the HR depa rtment; it may even be an MD/President of an organization. For example, the finance manager of a company has to prepare an annual budget. Hence data on the aggregate compensation cost may be required. However, merely depending upon the headcounts may give an inaccurate result. But simulating this with factors like attrition rate, likely DA increase or decrease, absenteeism, man-days lost due to the IT related problems, increments, incentive, promotion, redundancy, etc. will most certainly ensure better projection. Similarly, even HR people may need that information for different purposes. There are different HRIS modules that are in the product profile of all HRIS vendors. There are products on recruitment and management, training and development, attendance, etc. Different HRIS Modules In this section several HRIS modules would be analyzed. Even though all major HRIS vendors provide manpower planning solutions, there are vendors providing exclusive solutions for the overall human r esource management functions. Based on the key organizational issues and objective some modules have been analyzed.

Women in Poverty Stricken Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Women in Poverty Stricken Countries - Essay Example The disparity, then, is even more more pronounced throughout the developing countries of the world where women struggle on a daily basis to enjoy just a few of the simple freedoms that their counterparts in other parts of the world take for granted. Women in third-world countries often lack access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. This reality, therefore, begs the question of what needs to be done to ease the social, emotional, and physical difficulties facing the millions of women living in abject poverty in third world countries throughout the globe. There are many facets to living it poverty that make even the basic of human function difficult to endure. Yet, countless millions of individuals throughout the world are faced with this reality each and everyday. As difficult as poverty is to endure, however, being a female in poverty stricken countries seems to simply compound the situation. The voices of women globally have been silenced in many cases and it di fficult for them to achieve justice. Instances of rape and other unspeakable forms of abuse continue to occur almost unabated (Buvinic, 1997). Progress has certainly been made in recent years, largely due to the presence of a more globally focused media, but the reality is that much more needs to be done to protect women living in poverty in third world countries. The focus of this paper is to look at ways that society can better provide for the social, emotions, and physical needs of the millions of women living in poverty throughout the developing world. Social Needs of Women Living in Poverty Naturally, women comprise a little more than half of the world’s population, yet they represent a full seventy percent of individual living in poverty throughout the world. In the developing nations around the globe, this percentage can be even higher. This represents the reality that not only are women living in abject poverty, but often times they find themselves alone, frightened, and unable to consider any way out of their situation. In addition, the number of women raising children alone and in poverty continues to rise, further magnifying this problem. Women in poverty often find themselves victims of unspeakable social injustice and discrimination. In addition, they often discover problems in attaining access to even the most basic of healthcare services, educational options, and employment opportunities. While these difficulties certainly exist is first world countries, they are further magnified in the developing nations of the world, where class inequality is much more noticeable and government assistance is lacking (Batana 338). Even childbirth has become troubling for women living in property in much of the developing world, as there is a lack of clean medical facilities nearby that can attend to their specific and unique needs. Whereas even the poorest among us in Western societies typically have access to basic and clean child birthing facilities, that simply is not a luxury that much of world’s poor have available to them. Add to that the reality that single women giving birth are further stigmatized and less likely to receive assistance from society, and one quickly realizes the uphill struggle that women living in poverty face today in almost every facet of their social life. A child born poor, most often becomes a teenager without educational options, and adult without employment opportunities, and an elderly member of society with nobody to care for them. In other words, most of the women born into poverty in this world will remain such for the remainder of their life. Sociologist has