Do You Believe that Our Sex and Gender Rules are Social Constructions Term Paper

Do You Believe that Our Sex and Gender Rules are Social Constructions - Term Paper Example This essay declares that the gender of newborn had to be identified based on the genitalia, and in cases of â€Å"ambiguous† genitalia, babies had to undergo reparative surgery, whereas the clinical staff assigned a corresponding gender to a child. After the gender was surgically assigned to the baby, it was socially reinforced through various identifications such as clothing, bringing up process, etc. The cases of surgical procedures on reparation children’s genitalia, defined by clinicians as Disorders of Sexual Development perfectly illustrate how people are trying to â€Å"adapt biological diversity to socially constructed sex-gender binary†. This project stresses that nowadays, variation in genders is a more acceptable issue in society and has increased interest in the medical community. Comparing the two articles written by Fausto-Sterling in 7-years interval it is possible to see that during a quite small period of time human perception of intersexuals as full-fledged unit of society has increased significantly. Whether the other three sexes will be soon recognized fully by the society or not, providing those individuals with absolutely equal conditions and treatment, is not known. The only thing that is definitely clear is that scientific research and time do change social perception of the human body. The things perceived a century ago as nonsense, nowadays are viewed as absolutely common and understandable.

Free

Free schools Essay Are an interesting idea but the government needs to be very careful to make sure that educational standards improve for all children and that the whole community benefits. The idealogy behind free Schools are that they are non-profit making, independent, state-funded schools. They are able to choose what subjects they choose for their pupils to study and have many less restrictions imposed on them on how they choose to allocate their finances. For this very reason free schools would be varied in their nature as they would not be forced to follow for example the national curriculum. They are not defined by size or location: there is not a single type of free school or a single reason for setting them up. Free schools could be either primary or secondary schools. They could be located in traditional school buildings or appropriate community spaces such as office buildings or church halls. They could be set up by a wide range of proposers including charities, universities, businesses, educational groups, visionary teachers or committed parents who want to make a difference to the educational landscape. They might be needed because there simply are not enough school places in a local area and children have to travel too far to the nearest school. Free schools are not academically selective and open to children of all abilities. School is a defining factor in our lives and also promote a shared sense of community which is important as cohesive communities are generally more happy and safe than uncohesive ones there is no discrimination or segregation and they nurture a shared set of beliefs and values and goals, living together in harmony and mutual respect. An example of a community that lacks this is Oldham in which the races, Asians and whites were segregated and this triggered violent race riots. This happened due to the immense divide between Asian and White communities and their inability to mix and appreciate one another. This event made me think that this was very bad for the community and did nothing but encourage racial segregation. Looking at the footage of the riots of 2001 it is clear that situation could have been easily avoided had everyone learnt to appreciate one another. Community cohesion is about ensuring that all people from different backgrounds and communities feel they belong to the place in which they live. We cannot realise our ambitions by living in isolation to one another, it must be as a united city, where the differences of race, colour, and religion are embraced. A sense of community cohesion as we grow up makes us happier in general and encourages us to be unprejudiced and non-racist. Our distinctive character is developed early on in life and to be encouraged to mix with other people with different beliefs and religions helps promote a safer and on the whole a more happier and strong community. We start school within the first few years of our lives and being mixed with different people at this institution endorses a stronger community. We spend a good part of a decade at school so there is no doubt that school will be largely responsible for our values and beliefs, as well as our personality. Depending on what school we go to we are thrust into a shared community and we learn to get along and share beliefs. As stated in the Source material, Being part of a community helps us develop an identity a sense of who we are. An uncohesive community has exactly the opposite effect, and children growing up in an uncohesive community can grow up to have negative views and not feel like they belong and the can feel like they do not have a stake in society and being able to join in and influence decisions that affect their lives. When David Cameron and Nick Clegg (leaders of the Conservative party and the Liberal Democrat party) were elected to form a coalition government in 2010, one of the Conservatives policies were the Big Society which was apparently based on a model of Balsall Heath A town with low levels of community cohesion. The idea of the Big Society was that people take greater control of their communities and not rely on the government and local authorities to provide services like schools, community centres, youth clubs. This town has now been transformed and the town is now clean and tidy and people of all different cultural backgrounds mix. The most positive effects of this were that community cohesion increased in a drastic way. There is no doubt that there are some beneficial aspects of free schools such as people of all different ethnicities mixing together as a free school is not academically selective. This discourages discrimination and community cohesion. Some people may argue that the current government is trying to distance themselves from responsibility and segregate society but I believe that David Cameron is good to encourage people to take action if they are deprived of something that will be a credit to the community. Further argument counteracting this is that some people think that such people in deprived areas are not skilled or have enough knowledge to undertake a difficult project of opening a school, particularly a secondary school. A quote from a recent article of the Telegraph states These kids will be left behind, because the second point is that, if you set up a market mechanism, then there are winners and losers, but, in this case the losers are children, left behind in a sink school. The endorsement of free schools is debatable, but interesting. Nick Clegg declared on the 5th September in his speech Free schools would not become the preserve of the privileged few' which outlines the fact that he thinks free schools would in effect privatize the education system and allow the new institutions to cream off the best pupils and resources. On the other hand the Education Secretary Michael Gove who wholeheartedly believes that free schools will end the rationing of good education. He believes that free schools to replace failing comprehensives will give all children access to the kind of education only the rich can afford. He outlines this in Source 1 as well as saying free schools will cut the achievement gap between rich and poor. However , free schools could lead to social segregation as middle class parents are likely to be very keen on them, leading to a situation where middle class and working class people do not mix. This could end up with middle class children going to good schools and working class children remaining in local authority schools where there is very little funding. Another group who are really keen on free schools are faith groups and this could lead to segregation on religious grounds. Standards for school would therefore not rise uniformly for everyone which would be a big disadvantage and there would also be low community cohesion which is explained above. I personally think it is unfair that some pupils dont have the opportunity to go to a high achieving school as I went through this whole school lottery trying for three high achieving schools but I failed to get into any of them, simply because I was out of the catchment area. It is worth setting up free schools in deprived areas where children are forced to go to a low achieving school, so they have the same opportunities that wealthier children have. Michael Gove planned to branch out free schools here after apparent success in America with free schools, where 99 free schools have been established. Evidence suggests that 83% of free schools in the USA are doing no better than their conventional counterparts which brings me to question whether the opening of free schools really are beneficial and whether the opening of them would cut the bridge between rich and poor. However in further research some students in these schools feel that they are in a better position in a free school where they apply rigorous discipline and are challenging. This again makes the idea of free schools questionable. In Source 3, a group of six hundred parents expressed their desire for their children to go to a school other than the local state school. This brings about the conclusion that if this many parents are unhappy with the type of provision of state schooling institutions, something must be done. This opinion is also met with Rachel Wolfs in Source 4 who argues that hundreds of parents have suffered too long from a two tier education system one in which the wealthy can get into the excellent local school by buying a house in the right catchment area or paying school fees, while less off parents are stuck. I believe this is an extremely unfair system and one in which the wealthy seem to have it all and working class citizens are stuck in a never ending rut. In Source 5 another parents view is expressed, where she expresses her desire for a school in which most of its students could walk to and not sending their children 4 miles away. Source 6 promotes the fact that some people are planning to profit from the governments initiative seeking to profit at the expense of the taxpayer states Ed Balls in Source 8. He continues with Since free schools introduced a free schools policy the countrys education standards in maths and scince have plummeted. This Source brings about more negativity on the topic of free schools and questions the beneficial aspects of free schools. Source 7, an extract adapted from the website of the National Union of Teachers promotes an opinion of high negativity towards free schools, of which 24 have opened this September. A quote of this source is This governments attack on state education has to be opposed. Laws to create many more academies and the new so called free schools are an attack on the very existence of free, state comprehensive education which is democratically accountable. It is privatisation on a grand scale and is unacceptable. From my research many people agree with the condemning of free schools with NASUWT stating The free schools programme will be anything but free. Free schools are an unnecessary and costly gamble in educating the countrys children. The Government is simply not acting responsibly by not making clear where the money will come from to fund the free schools policy. Major education programmes have in the last few weeks been cut or frozen. The public would be right to be concerned that money saved from other education programmes will be used to fund the free schools policy. There is yet more negativity on the introduction of free schools with ATL an education union saying Parents or teachers misguided enough to set up a free school will soon find out that running a school needs a lot more than knowing pupils names and an alternative vision of education. It needs knowledge of employment law, health and safety and the admissions code. And private companies are waiting in the wings to provide these services. ATL has produced a directory listing the major organisations which want to get involved in managing state schools Englands schools: not open for business. These all show there is much negativity on free schools. Also NASUWT outlines the fact that it is not clear where the money to fund free schools will come from which brings about the conclusion that the government are taking money from existing state schools which may not benefit the majority of children in the local area. In Source 9 a blogger wrote her opinion which depicts that instead of reducing segregation free schools would in fact increase it, by being highly selective especially for parents who are forcefully ambitious in their choice of school, leaving behind children, for whom there may not be a voice. In Source 10 we look at Sweden, which already has free schools implemented but a person called Per Thulberg who analysed this said schools had not led to better results and Michael Gove contradicted this stating that if parents had more choice then existing schools would be forced to improve, but Per Thurlberg said better results simply came from students with better backgrounds going into those schools. These statistics suggest that free schools may not bring about better results and will not determine that there are better quality schools for the public to choose from which was the point of free schools being created in the first place. Free schools may simply be taking money from the local comprehensive where students may inevitably end up. Another factor which questions the beneficial aspects of free schools are the growing popularity of faith schools demands to build more faith schools in the form of free schools are reportedly growing this is a feature which some say will segregate society further and not promote community cohesion. http://www. dailymail. co. uk/news/article-2046715/Richard-Dawkins-attacks-alien-rubbish-taught-Muslim-faith-schools. html http://www. guardian. co.uk/education/2011/oct/04/alarm-over-racial-segregation-london-schools. These articles especially the second depict the racial segregation that faith schools may cause. I think personally that large numbers of faith schools in Britain will not benefit the society as a whole. In conclusion and to be fair and in all honesty it is just too soon to say whether free schools are going to be a good thing and create a more fair educational society for all of us. It is very clear that the present system is not working and puts immense pressure on both parents and children to fulfill the need to attend a good school. Once parents were allowed to see the published national league tables of which schools perform well as opposed to which schools did not, it was only a matter of time before wealthy parents were able to move to a catchment area to secure the best school places for their children leaving behind the poorer child to accept whatever was on offer. This has caused a very great divide in good and average performing schools and caused a lot of low morale for many parents in this country. If free schools can address this major issue it can only be a good thing. However, it can be argued that the odds are stacked against them. In our present times with our bleak economic outlook any system that is trying to get on its feet will gobble a lot of financial resources and one has to look at where this money is coming from and whether our already existing state schools who do not join in will suffer as a result. Competition is whole heartedly healthy generally in a society but not an unfair one where competition takes place in schools where clever kids are already creamed off and able to go to better schools. This can be a major disadvantage and in itself causes segregation of a different sort. I feel that if people are inspired to take on the opportunity of setting up a free school then they probably have a vision of a better , alternative system they are aspiring to which is a good thing as the government has set up a lot of stringent conditions which have to be passed to set up a free school. In all, apathy and not doing anything to address the issues in our schools is a worse misdemeanor than at least trying to see whether free schools hold the answer to our problems and so we can only hope for our future generations that free schools work. As in everything in life only time will tell.

Of Mice and Men Comparison Essay -- essays research papers

In the story, there are two oddly paired men, who travel side by side and support each other with the goal of living the ideal life. In a world of loneliness and trouble, these characters, George and Lennie, find comfort within the presence of each other. Another friendship within the story is between Candy and his dog. In John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, the author suggests that the friendships between the two sets of individuals have parallel connections. By observing the characters’ position in society, the meaning of their relationship with one another, and the killing of their companion, we can conclude that there are similarities between the two partnerships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both sets of friends have their designated positions in society. George and Candy act as the supporters in the relationship. Lennie and the dog, however, are dependent upon their supporters to exist in society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœYou know how the hands are, they just come in and get their bunk and work   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a month, and then they quit and go out alone. Never seem to give a damn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  about nobody. It jus’ seems kinda funny a cuckoo like him and a smart little   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  guy like you travelin’ together.’ (39) Lennie is marginalized as the â€Å"cuckoo† character that is rather unintelligent and useless. George is clearly established as the man with the intelligence and the supporter of Lennie. Slim see...

Fighting, Ruben Wolfe

Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak Fighting Ruben Wolfe is just a novel about teenage boys fighting. Discuss. Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak is not just about teenage boys fighting. It is also about two teenagers growing up with their family facing financial issues and about family relationships. Family in Fighting Ruben Wolfe is shown by the family being brought closer together, but they struggle because the father is currently unemployed and the mother is working two jobs, so it feels like the parents aren’t for their children as much as they were before Mr Wolfe’s accident.Mr and Mrs Wolfe are stressed because they can’t pay all the bills and as a result they can’t look after their children as well as they used to. At the beginning of the book, Sarah comes home drunk and Cameron and Ruben are at the dog track a lot. Once the boys started fighting, Mr and Mrs Wolfe don’t notice the bruises on the boys. These problems for the Wolfe family c learly show that Fighting Ruben Wolfe is just as much about family as fighting. It also shows that the family are facing financial issues. Financial issues in Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak are shown by family having very little money.They have hardly any money because Mr Wolfe is unemployed. In Chapter 6 of Fighting Ruben Wolfe, the first paragraph proves that they have very little money â€Å"The phone has been cut of because we don’t have the money to pay the bill. Or really Mum and Dad don’t have the money to pay it. Steve or Sarah could pay but there’s no way. It’s not allowed. It’s not even considered. † The main two characters, Cameron and Ruben have started to fight illegally so they could earn money to help pay for their bit. So there is fighting in the novel, but it is not just about fighting.These examples demonstrate that there are also financial issues in the novel. Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak is not just a novel about teenage boys fighting, it’s also about two teenagers growing up, showing there struggles in life, and also shows what two normal teenagers will do for their family. But the brother’s soon find out that there not just fighting for money, but also for identity, for dignity, and for each other. When Mr. Wolfe finally accepts that their broke, he goes down to Centrelink to get the doll. But as proud as Cameron and Ruben are, they go and try to stop him.Finally the parents find out that they fight. They don’t act kindly to this at the start, but then they realize how important this is to them and then they let them still compete. They keep on fighting and end up fighting each other in the end, but because both brothers are very series about their fighting, the fight series and Ruben defeats Cameron, But Cameron is very proud and didn’t give up till the very wnd. This book has taught me to be grateful for what I have and to always respect my family, this book was very interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it. By Liam Truscott 9a

National Statistics of Health Essay

Government statistics The office of National Statistics providing a large range of health and care issues, Publications includes Social Trends and, for more detailed information on health issues, Health Statistical Quarterly. The publication provide a wide range of statistics on birth rates and death rates; infant mortality rate and suicide rates as well as appointments GP’s surgeries and hospital admissions, and these are looked into as social class, gender, age and geographical location. Government statistics also includes the morbidity rates rather than just the mortality rates, which is the amount of people in a specified period of particular diseases in probably a year. They question if it has increased or decreased, then for to be more open and specific they look in to sex, age, geographical location and social class. They will precisely measure the morbidity rates, measured in terms of prevalence of a disease; the total number of cases of specific disease in a certain time and population. Mortality rates and infant mortality rates are usually made for a indicator of health and well-being of population as a whole. Health and well being may be declining within those groups is assumed is a sign, when they are higher or rising in a particular location, or among a particular social group leads to this lie in their social and economic environment. Mortality rates are collected from the official and necessary registration of death. Mortality rates are gathered from the different sources counting GP and hospital appointments, hospital admissions and the registration well known diseases. There has been more according of measuring levels of ill health. Difficulties in measuring health Always important to quote the source of the data when referring to statistics and using them in your work. Statistics should always be treated with awareness. You may not get an accurate picture of health and ill health when the statistics are gathered from official sources. For example some people who aren’t ill assume they are and attend to the doctors, and the ones that are don’t proceed to go to the doctors. Doctors could also assume two different diagnoses, for example one of the patients has been described as depressed just because they feel low and have no energy, as the other patient could be diagnose by post- viral fatigue syndrome. Another doctor  could simply say it’s an result of just them not wanting to go to work. Social class and patterns of health and illness Social Class is linked to health because of four different reasons highlighted in the Black Report, The artifact approach is where the data between the higher and lower classes is not accurate enough, it’s a result of the way the data is source and collected. The social selection explanation is when people who are fitter and in better health have a better chance of being employed in better jobs. In comparison to people in lower social groups according to this theory will suffer more ill health and premature death because they are naturally less healthy and fit. Cultural explanations is when lifestyle choices are made regarding diet, smoking, exercise have an impact and make people less healthy than others in the higher social groups. People from the lower class occupations work in more manual situations than the upper class occupations. This can have a bad effect on the manual workers health as they are exposed to lifting and harmful environments. Statistics are treated with c aution however there is a great amount of evidence that health, ill health and life expectancy are unsure according to social group and importantly social class. People with a higher class are living better and enjoying better health, rather than the lower social group. The Black (Townsend et al), report the most influential modern studies that consider the reasons of differences. And following of by that are the Acheson Report (1998) defining and explaining comprehensive explanations of the relationships, with in the social and environment factors and health illness and life expectancy. The Black Report introduced four types of explanations of ways that will account for the differences in levels of illness and life expectancy, experienced by variety of social classes. The researches were made to think that the changes in health and well being were affected by how much their pay rate is; their income which then affects the environment they live in, quality and housing. There are four sociological explanations, 1 the statistical artefact explanation, 2 material or structural explanations, 3 cultural or behaviour explanations and number 4, the natural or social selection. The statistical artefact explanation The Black Report explains that the differences could not be defined by the point that the statistics produced a biased picture. They disagreed with people in the lower social class had a higher number of older people and people working in the usual ways to be in more dangerous industries , and would expect that they would have higher levels in illness, then the more younger people working in offices, cal centres and the other services industries. This shows that it’s not much of a social class more about the age, structure and patterns of employment of people, in the lowest classes which really describe the differences. Recently there has still been shown of links between the low social class and high levels of illness and lower life expectancy even when it has been researched for the bias in employment and age. Natural or Social selection The reason for illness is apparently associated to having low wages, poverty, poor housing making people ill in the lower social class. It’s also been said that there is higher infant mortality rates and lower life expectancy for adults; however, it is the other way round. The people in the lower social class being in poor health aim for promotions and success. On the other had this explanation for sociologist is denied , they think because there is evidence to show that ill health is caused by the deprived reason other than making it happen. Cultural or behavioural explanations This concentrates on the choices and life decision people make, their life styles and behaviour in the lower social classes. They explain evidence with people in lower class, smoke more, drink more, eat more junk food and have lack in exercise, according to having a poor life style. Also are more likely to die of heart disease, form of cancer, bronchitis and diabetes all because of the poor lifestyle choices. They smoke and drink to help them cope with their life difficult circumstances that come across, not the other way round. Material or structural explanations The material explanation is known to think the social groups for whom life expectancy is less, and the infant whom mortality rates are to go higher. Suffering poorer health then the other groups, straight forward explanation for that are inequalities in wealth and income. Poverty occurs when having  low incomes, which then leads to having poor diets, lacking in everything else they need to live every day.

odyssey essay

odyssey essay odyssey essay Edgardo Gutierrez Ms. M. helm English 9 ADV May 21, 2014 The Ultimate Heroes It’s very hard to lose the people around your life. Even temporarily it’s not easy to manage without the people you love. Odysseus waited 20 years of his life without any contact of his family in this epic titled â€Å"The Odysseus† by Homer. Odysseus is in a 10 year war and faces many obstacles on his journey back home. Meanwhile his family is struggling with his absence. Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus all possess the heroic traits of cleverness, strength, and bravery. Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus are all heroic because of their cleverness. â€Å"†¦We could see her working on her great web all day long, but at night she would unpick the stiches again by torchlight. She fooled us in this way for three ways†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Homer 30). This shows Penelope’s cleverness behind evaluating her verbal agreement with the suitors and finding a flaw she can exploit. This was important because if not for her wit Odysseus wouldn’t have a home to return to. Telemachus helps his father regain his throne by helping to make a plan to trap the suitors. This portrays Telemachus intellect by recognizing he’s outnumbered and using is wit to overcome the overwhelming odds. This is important because with his help Odysseus was able to get rid of the suitors from their home. Odysseus uses the â€Å"wooden horse trick† to win the Trojan War. This portrays Odysseus cleverness when devising such a great plan for it to end after fighting 1 0 long years. This is vital because it defines Odysseus not only of strength but also of brain. In these various examples our heroes have proven themselves by their outstanding achievement and use of cleverness to overcome all odds. Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus are all heroic because they are strong. Penelope stays faithful to Odysseus for 20 years. This shows her everlasting faith in her husband, with no shred of proof he’s still even alive, but yet she still believed. That type of mental insight is what pilled her through those 20 years and is also what makes her the hero she is. Odysseus survives 10 years of carnage in the Trojan War. This clearly illustrates his strength as a warrior to survive for such an extensive period of time on enemy soil. This is a key characteristic that defines Odysseys not only as a warrior but also as a hero. â€Å"So these now fell upon the suitors in that hall† (Homer 400). This refers to Telemachus and his father defeating the suitors, proving even as a novice warrior he is still very fierce. This proves he meets his father as a man and a rightful heir to the throne. Strength can be portrayed in

Researching the Civil War Soldiers in Your Family Tree

Researching the Civil War Soldiers in Your Family Tree The American Civil War, fought from 1861-1865, affected nearly every man, woman, and child living in the United States. Almost 3.5 million soldiers are believed to have been involved, with around 360,000 Union soldiers and 260,000 Confederate soldiers losing their lives as a direct result of the war. Given the dramatic impact of this conflict, if your ancestors lived in the United States during this time, it is likely that youll find at least one Civil War soldier in your family tree. Locating a Civil War ancestor, whether it is a direct ancestor or a collateral relative, can provide another source of information on your family tree. Civil War pension files, for example, contain statements of family relationships, dates and places of marriage, and lists of various places the soldier lived after the war. Muster-in rolls often contain places of birth, as do descriptive rolls. Before You Begin the soldiers namewhether he served for the Union or Confederate armythe state from which the soldier served In Which Unit Did Your Soldier Serve? Once youve determined the state from which your Civil War ancestor likely served, the next helpful step is to learn which company and regiment to which he was assigned. If your ancestor was a Union soldier, he may have been part of the U.S. Regulars, a unit of the United States Army. More likely he was a member of a volunteer regiment raised by his home state, such as the 11th Virginia Volunteers or the 4th Maine Volunteer Infantry. If your Civil War ancestor was an artilleryman, you may find him in a battery unit such as Battery B, 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery or Battery A, 1st North Carolina Artillery, also called Manlys Battery. African-American soldiers served in regiments ending with U.S.C.T. which stands for United States Colored Troops. These regiments also had Caucasian officers. While infantry regiments were the most common type of service unit of the Civil War, there were many other branches of service on both sides - Union and Confederate. Your Civil War ancestor may have been in a heavy artillery regiment, cavalry, engineers or even the navy. There are many ways to learn the regiment in which your ancestor served. Begin at home, by asking your parents, grandparents and other relatives. Check photo albums and other old family records as well. If you know where the solider is buried, his tombstone may list his state and unit number. If you know the county where the soldier lived when he enlisted, then county histories or other county resources should provide details of the units formed in the area. Neighbors and family members often enlisted together, which may provide further clues. Even if you only know the state in which your Civil War ancestor served, most states compiled and published a list of the soldiers in each unit from that state. These can often be found at a libraries with a local history or genealogical collection. Some lists have also been partially published online. There are also two country-wide published series that list the soldiers who served in the Union or Confederate armies during the war, along with their regiments: The Roster of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 (Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing) - A 33-volume set that lists all of the men who served in the Union armies by state, regiment and company.The Roster of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 - A 16-volume set that lists all of the individuals who served in the southern armies during the war, by state and organization. Civil War Soldiers Sailors System (CWSS) sponsored by the National Park Service. The system features an on-line database of names of soldiers, sailors, and United States Colored Troops who served in the Civil War based on records at the National Archives. The subscription-based U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles collection at Ancestry.com and the American Civil War Research Database are other excellent resources for online Civil War research. They will cost you, but both generally offer further details than the CWSS database. If your ancestor has a common name, however, it may be difficult to distinguish him in these lists until you have identified his location and regiment. are other excellent resources for online Civil War research. They will cost you, but both generally offer further details than the CWSS database. If your ancestor has a common name, however, it may be difficult to distinguish him in these lists until you have identified his location and regiment. Once youve determined your Civil War soldiers name, state and regiment, its time to turn to service records and pension records, the meat of Civil War research. Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR) Whether fighting for the Union or the Confederacy, each volunteer soldier who served in the Civil War will have a Compiled Military Service Record for each regiment in which he served. The majority of Civil War soldiers served in volunteer regiments, distinguishing them from individuals serving in the regular U.S. Army. The CMSR contains basic information about the soldiers military career, when and where he enlisted, when he was present or absent from camp, amount of bounty paid, how long he served, and when and where he was discharged, or died. Additional detail, when pertinent, may also be included, including information on hospitalization for injury or illness, capture as a prisoner of war, courts martial, etc. The CMSR is an envelope (called a jacket) containing one or more cards. Each card contains information compiled several years after the Civil War from original muster rolls and other records that survived the war. This includes Confederate records captured by the Union armies. How to Obtain Copies of Compiled Military Service Records Online from Fold3.com – Fold3.com, in collaboration with the National Archives, has digitized CMSRs from most states, both Confederate and Union, and put them online where they can be viewed and downloaded for a fee. CMSRs are currently available for most, but not all states at Fold3.com.Order Online from the National Archives – You can order Civil War Service records from the National Archives online or by mail for a fee. To use this service, you will need the soldiers name, regiment, state and allegiance. If you prefer to order a copy by mail, you will need to download and use NATF Form 86. Civil War Pension Records Most Union Civil War soldiers, or their widows or other dependents, applied for a pension from the U.S. federal government. The biggest exception were unmarried soldiers who died during or soon after the war. Confederate pensions, on the other hand, were generally only available for disabled or indigent soldiers, and sometimes their dependents. Union Civil War Pension Records are available from the National Archives. Indexes to these Union pension records are available online by subscription at Fold3.com and Ancestry.com (subscription links). Copies of the full Union Pension File (often containing dozens of pages) and be ordered online or by mail from the National Archives. Confederate Civil War Pension Records can generally be found in the appropriate State Archives or equivalent agency. Some states have also put indexes to or even digitized copies of their Confederate pension records online.Confederate Pension Records – A State by State Guide

Deprecate vs. Depreciate

Deprecate vs. Depreciate Deprecate vs. Depreciate Deprecate vs. Depreciate By Sharon Only one letter separates these two words, but theres considerable difference in meaning. The word deprecate means to express disapproval of something. A synonym for deprecate in this context is to deplore. Example: He deprecated his sisters actions. This means that he did not approve of his sisters actions. The word depreciate means to belittle or play down. Example: He depreciated his sisters achievements. This means that he behaved as if his sisters achievements were insignificant. Depreciate also means to decrease in value. If youve ever owned a car, then youll know that every year it is worth less than the previous year. In other words, it has depreciated. The noun is depreciation, which is very common business and financial term. Quotations from the press: For most used-car buyers it would be a dream come true: Your car actually gains in value, instead of depreciating. When Kelley Blue Book looked at depreciation of used cars from May 24 to the same day last year, it found 23 examples of used cars that had gained in value during that time. (USA Today) It is easy enough to deprecate Mahlers Third. It is inordinately longclose to two hours. It repeats ideas endlessly; much of the music could easily be exchanged with that of other Mahler symphonies; the idiom is pure Mahler with little variation from previous compositions; long stretches are unrelievedly banal. LA Times 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You7 Tips for Writing a Film Review50 Synonyms for â€Å"Villain†

Should embryos be treated as human lives Assignment

Should embryos be treated as human lives - Assignment Example However contemporary views on the subject are changing to favor of pro-choice, today more people advocate and are tolerant of abortion than ever before and in majority of states, it is allowed as long as it is carried out safely in a hospital. Several factors have contributed to this change, among them is the empowering of women which made the idea of giving them choice over their reproduction become something of a right. In addition the increased secularism of society has contributed a great deal since the church and other religious organizations were key opponents of the practice. From a sociological perspective, abortion is viewed in numerous ways but the most overt as through the conflict theory. It embodies the underlying and overlying conflict between different opinions guided by either religion or morality. From a psychological point of view there is a contradiction of opinions since on one hand abortion is seen as a potential cause of psychological trauma on the mother while on the other not procuring one could also result in psychological problems especially if the mother is in distress or was raped (Sedgh et al, 2007). Anthropologist are even more divided because from a cultural perspective, abortion evokes a range of mixed reactions with some people advocating for it but majority decrying it as inhuman and immoral, many traditional cultures are against it and they have had to contend with contemporary acceptance of the practice. The functionalist theory is based on the interdependence of the various factions of society and it does not promote the changing of social environments simply for the sake of benefiting individuals. Functionalist hold that societal change always results in compensating change in other parts of society, in regard to abortion, the functionalist view is that when social change occurs as a result of its practice other aspects of society will make appropriate shifts

The assassination John F. Kennedy Research Paper

The assassination John F. Kennedy - Research Paper Example F. Kennedy, though there are certain reliable evidences which point out to the action of a single assassin. The purpose of this paper is to analyze a murder-case of John F. Kennedy. First, it will highlight some biographical details about the president. Further, it will present the information about the assassination and the offender. Also, it will try to investigate the political goals behind the crime. John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. He got a higher education at Harvard. After the graduation, Kennedy fought in a war having joined the U. S. Navy. In the period from 1947 to 1953 he served as a member of the U. S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts. In 1953 he worked as a senator for the same state (â€Å"John F. Kennedy†). While establishing the political career, he wrote a book about prominent senators named â€Å"Profiles in Courage† and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for it in 1957. Then, in 1960 John F. Kennedy won the 35th presidential elections and became the youngest and the most favored President of the Unites States. He was also the first Roman Catholic to be chosen for this high post (â€Å"Life of John F. Kennedy†). During his presidency, J. F. Kennedy had to deal with several crises on the international level including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the creation of the Berlin Wall at the initiative of the Soviet Union leader which turned into the most powerful symbol of the Cold War. These events are often associated with the reasons of the President’s murder. However, John Kennedy accomplished great success in the U. S. foreign policy as well. His most remarkable achievements involve the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, the creation of Peace Crops and the Alliance for Progress with Latin America. He was also a great proponent of the Civil Rights Movement (â€Å"John F. Kennedy†). On November 21, 1963 John F. Kennedy went to Dallas, Texas, for the promotion of his election campaign. The next day, at around

C. G. Jung about Dreams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

C. G. Jung about Dreams - Essay Example Jung was Freud’s main collaborator and most probable successor as leader of the psychoanalytic movement, but his own researches led him away from Freud’s emphasis on the psychosexual origins of neurosis, founding his own analytic psychology in response to Freud’s psychoanalysis. This differed from the Freudian model in downgrading the importance of sexuality a childhood conflicts in the treatment of neuroses, and concentrating more on a patient’s current conflicts. Jung’s doctoral dissertation was entitled â€Å"On the Psychology and Pathology of So-Called occult Phenomena† and was presented at Basel University in 1902. This stuffy sowed the seeds of ideas that became pivotal in the practice of Jung’s system of analytical psychology, namely that the unconscious contains â€Å"complexes† or part-personalities that can manifest in dreams and visions, and that personality development and integration (individuation) occurs at the un conscious level. A †complex† is a pattern of suppressed thoughts and feelings that cluster-constellate-around a theme provided by some archetype (archetype will be explained further on). Jung describes a â€Å"complex† as a â€Å"node† in the unconscious; it may be imagined as a knot of unconscious feelings and beliefs, detectable indirectly, through behavior that is puzzling or hard to account for. Jung found evidence for complexes in the â€Å"word association test†; here a researcher read a list of words to each subject, who was asked to say, a quickly as possible, the first thing that came to mind in response to each word. Researches timed subject’s responses and noted any unusual reactions- hesitations, slips of the tongue, and signs of emotion. In Jung’s theory, complexes may be related to traumatic experiences or not. There are many kinds of complex, but at the core of any

Why numbers matter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why numbers matter - Essay Example The principles concerned with managing money are important to be taken into account while planning to save or invest money somewhere. To discuss and understand these principles, an article from Msnbc The Bottom Line dated November 06, 2011, ‘After steadying, home prices begin falling again’ has been taken into account which entails the scenario of the United States’ real estate industry. The author of the article tells about the falling prices of homes in the United States which were on a steady trend in the summer of 2011. He says that due to the imbalance between demand and supply, there are numerous houses unsold in many states of the US until the end of September 2011. This price fall is being observed by investors and analysts and they are waiting for these to be bottomed that is a rise is being expected after massive falls, though not in the short term. Considering the poor interest rates of US short term Treasury Bills; 0.005% for 3-months and 0.035% for 6-month bills as per the recent auction; this investment aspect has been kept on a farer side by many investors as the rate of return is minimal. Considering this point, other investment opportunities should be searched for. This shows that it is a nice time to buy some lower priced houses and benefit from the capital gains arising in the future, though not in the short term (Schoen, 2011). Taking control of finances is very crucial and an investor should read about some financial trends using mathematical concepts such as percentages and shares in different investments and then take calculated actions. This leads to the understanding of the compounding concept. Just as an investor determines the amount of investment he or she can do, he must take into account the related rate of return and use it to compound his or her future inflows from the investment over the concerned time period. The simple formula for it to be calculated is: Amount of investment * (1 +

Kolbs cyclical learning theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kolbs cyclical learning theory - Assignment Example In the entire session, I was actively involved in varied chronological ideas with the major one involving lab analysis. Throughout the sessions, it was evident that more and more results were acquired, and each time the results differed. This was identified after each individual clearly demonstrated their results. Concrete experimentation consists of varied activities that can range from field works to lab sessions. In this sessions, everyone is committed to gaining the best results; a reason for having many correct answers for a similar question. Attaining different although acceptable lab results raised a lot of questions with most of them associated with credibility of the entire lab process. Although, I had numerous doubts, I decided to try and understand the results and the causes that resulted into the above facts. On putting more efforts and repeating the process several times, it became evident that these results would always vary, but accurate calculations using the data for each individual would provide similar results. This ensured that if the same lab sessions were repeated or rather taken in similar circumstances, but different periods, it was possible to anticipate the following results or actions. The reflective observation has instances when a learner concentrates and reflects on the experiences that occurred in the prior stage. Understanding the general principle in which the entire lab session, results and the analysis occurred proved incredibly challenging.

Continental Airlines Flight 1404 Research Paper

Continental Airlines Flight 1404 - Research Paper Example Earlier, nearly 90 percent of the aircraft accidents were grouped as survivable or technically survivable. As part of this initiative, a range of new features are integrated into aircraft at the design stage. The aircraft manufacturing industry collected details of several fatal air accident incidents and identified the key issues led to catastrophes. As a result of those extensive research practices, the air accident survival rate has significantly improved in the United States for the last two decades. This paper will discuss the case ‘Runway side excursion during attempted takeoff in strong and gusty crosswind conditions: Continental airlines flight 1404’. The paper will specifically point out why this air accident was survivable. The Mishap 250 The Continental Airlines Flight 1404 was a passenger carrier flight from Denver International Airport at Denver in Colorado to George Bush Intercontinental Airport at Huston in Texas. On 20th December 2008, at 1818 Mountain Standard Time, the Continental Airlines flight 1404 (a Boeing 737-500, N18611) skidded off the left side of the runway while taking off from the Denver International Airport. As an impact of the skidding, the flight crashed into 40 feet deep ravine which was several hundred yards away from the runway. During the course of the crash, the flight caught fire. As described in Aviation Safety Network (2008), although whereabouts of Flight 1404 were unknown at the initial stages, firefighters could immediately respond to the disaster because the plane came to rest beside one of the four fire houses of the airport. When firefighters reached the accident site, right side of the plane had been almost damaged by the fire. Passengers were being assisted by flight attendants to escape through the left side. There were 110 passengers in the flight. The captain and 5 of the passengers were severely injured whereas the first officer, 2 cabin crewmembers, and 38 passengers sustained minor injuries. Luckily, one cabin crewmember and rest of the passengers escaped unscathed. However, the flight was damaged substantially (Aviation Safety Network, 2008). Evidently, there were visual meteorological conditions at the time of the aircraft disaster. The plane followed an instrument flight rules flight plan. Investigation reports indicated that a faulty air tr affic control system and improper crosswind training in the airline industry were the major causes of the disaster. Why the Accident was Survivable While analyzing this disaster case, it seems that flight attendants’ timely responsive actions significantly contributed to the survivability of this aircraft crash. Although the flight attendants could not communicate with the pilots immediately after the aircraft came to a halt, they timely ordered an evacuation at the moment they identified the danger or fire. Since the right side of the airplane was almost caught by fire, three exits on the plane’s left side including forward, aft, and overwing were used for the evacuation process. When the forward and aft exits were operated by flight attendants, a passenger operated the left overwing exit. During the evacuation, three flight attendants and two other flight crewmembers assisted passengers to escape through less congested exits and blocked access to right side exits. In the opinion of Leib (2009), the accident was survivable because only left side of the aircraft caught fire and therefore passengers could escape through right side exits. Post-accident interviews revealed that even though passengers seemed frightened, they were greatly responsive to instructions and hence the evacuation pr

Kolbs cyclical learning theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kolbs cyclical learning theory - Assignment Example In the entire session, I was actively involved in varied chronological ideas with the major one involving lab analysis. Throughout the sessions, it was evident that more and more results were acquired, and each time the results differed. This was identified after each individual clearly demonstrated their results. Concrete experimentation consists of varied activities that can range from field works to lab sessions. In this sessions, everyone is committed to gaining the best results; a reason for having many correct answers for a similar question. Attaining different although acceptable lab results raised a lot of questions with most of them associated with credibility of the entire lab process. Although, I had numerous doubts, I decided to try and understand the results and the causes that resulted into the above facts. On putting more efforts and repeating the process several times, it became evident that these results would always vary, but accurate calculations using the data for each individual would provide similar results. This ensured that if the same lab sessions were repeated or rather taken in similar circumstances, but different periods, it was possible to anticipate the following results or actions. The reflective observation has instances when a learner concentrates and reflects on the experiences that occurred in the prior stage. Understanding the general principle in which the entire lab session, results and the analysis occurred proved incredibly challenging.

Emplyment interviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Emplyment interviews - Essay Example The main disadvantages are high cost and lack of anonymity. Still, this type of interviews is crucial for effective recruitment because it allows certain standardization of description. To effect the standardization and control for which procedures are designed, they are presented in a specific format conveying information for a particular action to be taken (Sammar et al 2009). The second type is a structured interview. During this interview, the action may be only one step in a series of steps or the entire series. Once formalized in this manner, procedures need to be followed explicitly to achieve their objectives. Hence the rigidity of bureaucracy. Sometimes exceptions may be made to a formalized procedure, but in that case the manner of making an exception is also formalized. In a systems context, a procedure is like a hard-wired circuit. It ensures predictability. The main advantages are high reliability and level of control. The main disadvantage is a law level of personal involvement of an interviewer. The third type is behavioral interviews. Much of the workers knowledge is conscious, obtained in schools, training, and / or on the job. But much of it is also subconscious, a distillation of experience in which personal solutions to problems encountered in the course of the workday may or may not have worked. The main advantages are the possibility t o measure attitudes and accurate reflection. The main disadvantage is subjectivity (influenced by age, income level, race, etc.). The forth type is situation interview. The environment created within the focus group is one in which the conscious knowledge of the participants comes together, and insights are expressed that may be new or may have only existed under the surface. As he or she leads the workshop, an emerging pride is evidenced by the participants in the interview analysis they use to do their jobs to the standards required for quality

People and society Essay Example for Free

People and society Essay The writer basically talks about the conditions, events, problems, and trends of the larger regions as well as the individual nations. The writer basically uses a cross-disciplinary approach and talks about the physical landscapes and the culture that is being followed in the Asian-Pacific countries where most of the people live, mainly China and Japan. Moreover, some of the highest mountains and longest rivers are also found in Asia. These populated countries consist of many people belonging to various ethnic groups who follow different cultures, religions and speak different languages. (Weightman, 2001). The chapters that I would be mainly focusing are based on the aspects of people and society in Pacific Asia. The people of Japan mostly reside in Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku. The two terms that means people of Japan are Nipponjin and Nihonjin and they basically resemble the Tibetans. Japan has a very high population and in 2002 it was declared to be the 10th most populous countries; however the Japanese population has been facing a decline due to the western influence because of which small household have become a trend. Japan has a homogenous culture, tradition and language and the main religions are Buddhism and Shinto. Most of the people in Japan live in the urban areas than in cities. (Maps of the world. com, n. d. ). Like Japan, China is also one of the populous countries in the world. China is a multi ethnic country and majority of the population speak Chinese. (Welcome to China, n. d. ). Most of the people in China grow rice, ride bicycles and fewer cars can be seen only in cities. They Chinese people prefer doing things in the old ways their ancestors used to. The Chinese people use the decimal system as their currency that consists of paper money as well as the coins.(Ebrey, n. d. ). Reference Ebrey, P. B. (n. d. ). People. January 21st, 2009. Retrieved from: http://depts. washington. edu/chinaciv/geo/people. htm Maps of the world. com. (n. d. ). People of Japan. January 21st, 2009. Retrieved from: http://www. mapsofworld. com/japan/culture/people-of-japan. html Weightman , B. (2001). Dragons and Tigers: A Geography of South, East, and Southeast Asia. 2nd Edn. Wiley, Hardcover. Welcome to China. (n. d. ). People of China. January 21st, 2009. Retrieved from: http://www. tooter4kids. com/china/people_of_china. htm

Profitability And Sustainability Analysis Of Superstore Industry Marketing Essay

Profitability And Sustainability Analysis Of Superstore Industry Marketing Essay There are several framework on the financial performance have been became apparent during last couple of decades and most of them relates to social and financial performance, which are mainly associated around the corporate social responsibility and performance concept . Only few of the study emerged to evaluate financial performance and the sustainability of competitive advantage. Furthermore, most of the work has been associated with industry level but not the firm level, which is also more important to consider in the study on micro level. This is one the strong reason to investigate the firm level financial performance and the competitive advantage. However, there are some limitation related to data gathering for the industry analysis but it seems feasible to gather or access company level data and their availability. World Food Retail Overview After development in technology and policies in 1990, huge change in food industry has begun. With evolution in business globalisation, activities like mergers and acquisition has amplified which resulted growth of big players in efficient and dominant way. Globalisation also resulted an increase in tours and travel activities across the world. The expenses incurred on food and drink by a tourist is 30p on every  £1.00, as per survey conducted by regional tourist bodies of England, UK (IGD Global Retail Outlook Survey, August 2007). Among various sector, retail food sector create more value than that of others. The Organized food sector is such an area where both strong management system and sectorial operational specialization i.e. human and technology are mainly affected by large volume, Daily splitting in physical operations and lower margins, food retail in world are acumen and influenced by six basic trends: Uncertainty Variable Demographics Growth will/necessity Low Price Madness Technology Globalization It has been forecasted that the speed in retail globalization will further accelerate. In order to success, the competition between retailers and suppliers are more likely to increase in a diversified range of capability. Even though in retail sector, huge opportunities still exist, but success will depend on managing the risk and challenges at the same time by capturing the opportunities. According to IGD, In order to obtain sustainable growth, Retail Globalization has shifted its focus from flag-planting to targeted expansion. IGD conducted a survey in 12 countries where senior retailers and supplier has been questioned to derive the above statement (IGDs Global Retail Outlook Survey in August 2007), The top five supermarket companies in United Kingdom control a 50 percent share in market where as in Germany it is 60 percent and in France 90 percent (AC Nielsen). Industry Overview The top five biggest United Kingdom retailers and food selling companies influence the whole market, which are Tesco, Morrison, Sainsburys, Asda and Co-operative Group. In 2004, the whole market size was  £115 billion which includes the retailers from small shops who has store to the biggest supermarkets which have the full-scale operating chains. In 2004, Morrison ranked at 4th position among other 12 supermarkets in UK, which is illustrated below in Table (1). Whereas in 2008 February 79.4% market share captured by top 5 retailers i.e.30.9% by Tesco, 16.4% by Sainsburys, 11.6% by Morrison, 16.9% by Asda and 4.0% by Waitrose. Only 20.6% of market share has been left for others. With the above positioning Morrison can be concluded as upper-medium size food and grocery retailer in United Kingdom. Supermarket 2004 (%) 2005 (%) Aldi n/a 2.2 Asda 16.7 16.5 Co-op 4.8 n/a Iceland 2.1 1.9 Somerfield n/a 5.7* Lidl 1.8 n/a Marks and Spencer 3.5 n/a Morrison 14.6** 12.2** Netto 0.6 n/a Sainsburys 15.7 15.9 Tesco 29 29.8 Waitrose 3.5 3.7 To create portfolio, in same industry, five companies has been selected i.e. Tesco, Finsbury Food, Sainsburys, Thottons and Falkaland. In segregation, Sainsburys and Tesco are biggest supermarket, whereas Finsbury Food and Thorttons are the medium ones and Falkaland is small stores in UK. According to total asset, these portfolios almost represent the industry. Hence it is tried to increase the sample for closer representation of the population which is illustrated below in Table (2): UK Companies Size ( £) Falkland 24.25 Finsbury Food 102.60 Thorntorns 106.02 Morrison 7,370.90 Sainbarys 9,576.00 TESCO 24,775.00Table(2): the position of Morrison in the whole UKs industry according to total assets (2008) Business Drivers for sustainability strategies: There are various internal and external factors which might drives the growth in sustainability strategies in WM Morrisons and major supermarkets: Employees Communities Sustainable Product Development Competitors Green Buildings Waste Transportation and Logistics Costs Carbon Efficiency Rising Demand for Certified Products Expectation for Reporting and Performance Measurement Product Safety The above mentioned drivers are the key to change the retail sectors outlooks and providing competitive benefit to the retailers in terms of sustainability performance. Furthermore, competitive benefit can be drive by working with more innovative solution provider; brand owner and supply chain partners, which leads to reduce the cost the increases efficiency. Apart from above factors, supermarkets have already implemented a number of growth/sustainability strategies to achieve high growth. These are: Increasing focus into own label products. Expansion by organic growth and acquisition Convenience Sector Expansion Focus into nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ food items Graph 1 : Profit Margins of UK Supermarkets About Wm Morrison Supermarkets With acquisition of larger rival Safeway plc., Wm Morrison Supermarkets moved up in UK food chain. Founded in 1899, from 125 stores Wm Morrison runs approximately 425 stores in England and Scotland. It has already made a history beating UK supermarket giants like Tesco (the UKs No. 1 food retailer) and ASDA (Wal-Mart owned supermarket) in high concentrated acquisition battle. Through its Market Street specialty, Morrisons offer various food and non-food items. Morrison sell gas about 290 locations. With acquisition of Safeway, Wm Morrison enhanced its market presence with more than 12% share of grocery market. Aim of the Study The aim of this research is based on two objectives. The first objective is to examine the profitability of the WM Morrison within the superstore industry context in the UK market and secondly to examine the firms sustainability of competitive advantage on retail performance. Preliminary Literature Review The analysis of firm profitability is a bit difficult task because the majority of the performance indicator models focus on the success of various key financial indicators i.e. return on investment (ROI), return on assets (ROA) or return on capital employed (ROCE). These performance indicator models have been disapproved or criticized due to lack in the multiple dimensional approach of the performance as well as the its competitive advantages to organizations growth (Brignall and Ballantine, 1996). There are number of studies (Dawson,2005; Dess and Robinson,1984; Reynolds et al.,2005; Venkatraman and Ramanujam,1986) have faced challenge to consider right variables as a financial performance indicator. The understanding of the correct information and its non-availability to the public are the most common problems (Ailawadi et al., 1995). However, a number of alternative approaches have been implemented to getting best financial performance indicator in to order to handle above discussed problems. Therefore, subjective financial indicators are designed to measure firms performance i.e managers forecast on financial performance to compare with competitors performance. Although, some financial indictors has been considered in the number of empirical study (Capon et al.,1990; Dawson, 2005; Reynolds et al., 2005), which was significantly positive with the economic models. The most frequently used profitability indicator in the various studies could be return on equity, return on sale and return on investment etc. But still it is unconcluded regarding the best financial indicators to measure retail financial performance ( Ailawadi et al.,1995; Dawson,2005; Reynolds et al., 2005).On the other hand, the most commonly used performance indicators are rates of return, gross margin (Bradley and Taylor, 1992; Dobson, 2005; Reynolds et al., 2005) and sales growth, sales revenue (Doyle and Hooley,1992; Dobson,2005; Greenley,1995; Hooley et al.,1992; Reynolds et al.,2005). The accepted distinction between competitive advantage and sustained competitive advantage is matched by a range of studies which forward and debate the factors determining the sustainability of a competitive advantage (see Coyne, 1985; Williams, 1992). Whilst many of the studies of advantage sustainability are conducted from a resource based view, Porter (1980, 1990) contributes a number of observations at a more macro level. Briefly, Porter (1980) suggests that competitive advantage can only be sustained over time if consistent strategy is developed and applied promptly. Research Objective and Data Methodology An attempt has been made in this paper to analyze the profitability and examine the sustainability of competitive advantage on retail performance of the WM Morrison during 2005 -2010. Eventually top players will be identifying on the basis of total asset in UK superstore market. To identify competitors, Lexis-Nexis and Hoovers will be used. 5 years Balance sheet and other financial data will be extracted from Thomson One banker. The profitability of Morrison will be analyzed through decomposition method in context to peer group. Statistical analysis may be conducted as a support to the thesis. After performance analysis of Morrison, Industry performance will be compared to target company performance to analyze abnormality if any in the behavior pattern and the reason behind the pattern will be scrutinized. Analysis Factors: Return on Net Operating Assets (RNOA) Net Borrowing Cost (NBC) Operating profit margin Operating Liability Leverage Financial Liability Leverage (FLEV) Asset Turnover (ATO) Return on Common Equity (ROCE) Spread However one of the main aims is to analyze the driving factors for the performance of the firm and the industry and simultaneously to discuss the sustainability strategies of the firm for the competitive advantage. Conclusion

Bryophyte And Pteropyte Life Cycles :: essays research papers

Although Bryophytes and Pterophytes are both plant divisions with a common ancestor, they have little in common. While Bryophytes (mosses) are generally nonvascular and very short in height, Pterophytes (ferns) are vascular plants that usually grow much taller than mosses. While the dominant generation in mosses is the gametophyte, ferns exhibit the sporophyte generation. The details of their alternations of generation vary as well, although both have diploid and haploid stages. Alteration of generations is defined as a life cycle in which there is both a multicellular diploid form, the sporophyte, and a multicellular haploid form, the gametophyte. Meiosis in mosses produces haploid spores. This process occurs in a sporangium, a capsule in fungi and plants in which meiosis takes place and haploid spores develop. After fertilization, the sporophyte zygote grows out of the parent gametophyte. At the end of this stalk is the sporangium. Meiosis occurs and the haploid spores disperse. In ferns, the mature sporophyte (2N) has small spots on the undersides of its leaves. These are clusters of the Pterophyte sporangia, called sori. As in mosses, meiosis occurs in the sporangia, which then release spores, continuing the cycle. Mitosis in Bryophytes begins germination, or growth. It directly follows meiosis. As mitotic division continues, protonemata (1N) are formed. They grow until they are mature gametophytes. In Pterophytes, mitosis occurs directly after fertilization. The zygote divides and grows until it peeks out of the parent gametophyte, then it matures until it can release its own spores. Mosses exhibit the embryophyte condition, which means their gametes develop with protective sheaths of cells. This was an adaptation that allowed plants to become hardier. Mosses have two sexes of gametangia; the male gametangium is called an antheridium, and the female is called an archegonium. Eggs are produced in the archegonium and sperm in the antheridium. In order for fertilization to take place, the sperm must swim through moisture to the archegonium. This is why mosses must live in damp environments to survive- they cannot reproduce without moisture. The zygote develops within the archegonial cavity. Ferns are usually homosporous as well (there is a single type of spore; the gametophyte is bisexual). In ferns, the archegonia and antheridia mature at different times, which means there is cross fertilization between gametophytes and thus more genetic variation. Sperm from the antheridia swim to the archegonia where the zygote develops. Like mosses, ferns also need a moist envir onment for fertilization to occur.

3d Printing Essay

3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY Contents: 1. Introduction 2. History Of 3D Printing 3. Current 3D Printing Technologies 4. The Basic Process Of 3D Printing 5. 3D Printing VS Conventional Technologies 6. Applications 7. Conclusion Introduction 3Dimensions printing is a method of converting a virtual 3D model into a physical object. 3D printing is a category of rapid prototyping technology. 3D printers typically work by printing successive layers on top of the previous to build up a three dimensional object. The past decade has witnessed the emergence of new manufacturing technologies that build parts on a layer-by-layer basis. Using these technologies, manufacturing time for parts of virtually any complexity is reduced considerably. In other words, it is rapid. Rapid Prototyping Technologies and Rapid Manufacturing offer great potential for producing models and unique parts for manufacturing industry. A few years ago, to get some prototyping work done for a product or design you are working on, you are required to spend a lot of man-hours just to come up with the model. Those hours will be spent creating miniature parts of your design using wood and then gluing all those parts together painstakingly. Prototyping is, at the very least, time-consuming and extremely tedious. These days, however, you can take the tediousness and the time investment out of your prototyping tasks through rapid prototyping or 3d printing. 3D printing is a revolutionary method for creating 3D models with the use of inkjet technology. Many engineers have even dubbed 3D printing as the process of creating something out of nothing. Thus, the reliability of products can be increased; investment of time and money is less risky. Not everything that is thinkable today is already workable or available at a reasonable price, but this technology is fast evolving and  the better the challenges, the better for this developing process. The term Rapid prototyping (RP) refers to a class of technologies that can automatically construct physical models from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data. It is a free form fabrication technique by which a total object of prescribed shape, dimension and finish can be directly generated from the CAD based geometrical model stored in a computer, with little human intervention. Rapid prototyping is an â€Å"additive† process, combining layers of paper, wax, or plastic to create a solid object. In contrast, most machining processes (milling, drilling, grinding, etc.) are â€Å"subtractive† processes that remove material from a solid block. RP’s additive nature allows it to create objects with complicated internal features that cannot be manufactured by other means. In addition to prototypes, RP techniques can also be used to make tooling (referred to as rapid tooling) and even production-quality parts (rapid manufacturing). For small production runs and complicated objects, rapid prototyping is often the best manufacturing process available. Of course, â€Å"rapid† is a relative term. Most prototypes require from three to seventy-two hours to build, depending on the size and complexity of the object. This may seem slow, but it is much faster than the weeks or months required to make a prototype by traditional means such as machining. These dramatic time savings allow manufacturers to bring products to market faster and more cheaply. 3D PRINTING: MAKING THE DIGITAL REAL Imagine a future in which a device connected to a computer can print a solid object. A future in which we can have tangible goods as well as intangible services delivered to our desktops or highstreet shops over the Internet. And a future in which the everyday â€Å"atomization† of virtual objects into hard reality has turned the mass pre-production and stock-holding of a wide range of goods and spare parts into no more than an historical legacy. Such a future may sound like it is being plucked from the worlds of Star Trek. However, whilst transporter devices that can instantaneously deliver us to remote locations may remain a fantasy, 3D printers capable of outputting physical objects have been in development for over two decades. What’s more, several 3D printers are already on the market. Available from companies including Fortus, 3D Systems, Solid Scape, ZCorp, and Desktop Factory, these amazing devices produce solid, 3D objects from computer data in roughly the  s ame way that 2D printers take our digital images and output hardcopy photos. History Of 3D Printing The technology for printing physical 3D objects from digital data was first developed by Charles Hull in 1984. He named the technique as Stereo lithography and obtained a patent for the technique in 1986.While Stereo lithography systems had become popular by the end of 1980s, other similar technologies such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) were introduced.In 1993, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) patented another technology, named â€Å"3 Dimensional Printing techniques†, which is similar to the inkjet technology used in 2D Printers.In 1996, three major products, â€Å"Genisys† from Stratasys, â€Å"Actua 2100† from 3D Systems and â€Å"Z402† from Z Corporation were introduced.In 2005, Z Corp. launched a breakthrough product, named Spectrum Z510, whichwas the first high definition color 3D Printer in the market.Another breakthrough in 3D Printing occurred in 2006 with the initiation of an open source project , named Reprap, which was aimed at developing a self-replicating 3D printer. 3. Current 3D Printing Technologies Most commercially available rapid prototyping machines use one of six techniques. At present, trade restrictions severely limit the import/export of rapid prototyping machines, so this guide only covers systems available in the U.S. 3.1 Stereo lithography Patented in 1986, stereolithography started the rapid prototyping revolution. The technique builds three-dimensional models from liquid photosensitive polymers that solidify when exposed to ultraviolet light. As shown in the figure below, the model is built upon a platform situated just below the surface in a vat of liquid epoxy or acrylate resin. A low-power highly focused UV laser traces out the first layer, solidifying the model’s cross section while leaving excess areas liquid. Next, an elevator incrementally lowers the platform into the liquid polymer. A sweeper re-coats the solidified layer with liquid, and the laser traces the second layer atop the first. This process is repeated until the prototype is complete. Afterwards, the solid part is removed from the vat and rinsed clean of excess liquid.  Supports are broken off and the model is then placed in an ultraviolet oven for complete curing. Because it was the first technique, stereolithography is regarded as a bench mark by which other technologies are judged. Early stereolithography prototypes were fairly brittle and prone to curing-induced warpage and distortion, but recent modifications have largely corrected these problems. Fig 2.1:Stereo lithography 3.2 Laminated Object Manufacturing In this technique, developed by Helisys of Torrance, CA, layers of adhesive-coated sheet material are bonded together to form a prototype.. As shown in the figure below. Fig2.2: Schematic diagram of laminated object manufacturing. A feeder/collector mechanism advances the sheet over the build platform, where a base has been constructed from paper and double-sided foam tape. Next, a heated roller applies pressure to bond the paper to the base. A focused laser cuts the outline of the first layer into the paper and then cross-hatches the excess area (the negative space in the prototype). Cross-hatching breaks up the extra material, making it easier to remove during post-processing. During the build, the excess material provides excellent support for overhangs and thin-walled sections. After the first layer is cut, the platform lowers out of the way and fresh material is advanced. The platform rises to slightly below the previous height, the roller bonds the second layer to the first, and the laser cuts the second layer. This process is repeated as needed to build the part, which will have a wood-like texture. Because the models are made of paper, they m ust be sealed and finished with paint or varnish to prevent moisture damage. Helisys developed several new sheet materials, including plastic, water-repellent paper, and ceramic and metal powder tapes. The powder tapes produce a â€Å"green† part that must be sintered for maximum strength. As of 2001, Helisys is no longer in business. 3.3 Selective Laser Sintering Developed by Carl Deckard for his master’s thesis at the University of Texas, selective laser sintering was patented in 1989. The technique, shown in Fig,  uses a laser beam to selectively fuse powdered materials, such as nylon, elastomer, and metal, into a solid object. Parts are built upon a platform which sits just below the surface in a bin of the heat-fusable powder. A laser traces the pattern of the first layer, sintering it together. The platform is lowered by the height of the next layer and powder is reapplied. This process continues until the part is complete. Excess powder in each layer helps to support the part during the build. SLS machines are produced by DTM of Austin, TX. Fig 2.3: Schematic diagram of selective laser sintering. 3.4 Fused Deposition Modeling In this technique, filaments of heated thermoplastic are extruded from a tip that moves in the x-y plane. Like a baker decorating a cake, the controlled extrusion head deposits very thin beads of material onto the build platform to form the first layer. Fig2.4: schematic diagram of fused deposition modeling. The platform is maintained at a lower temperature, so that the thermoplastic quickly hardens. After the platform lowers, the extrusion head deposits a second layer upon the first. Supports are built along the way, fastened to the part either with a second, weaker material or with a perforated junction. 3.5 Solid Ground Curing Developed by Cubital, solid ground curing (SGC) is somewhat similar to stereolithography (SLA) in that both use ultraviolet light to selectively harden photosensitive polymers. Unlike SLA, SGC cures an entire layer at a time. Figure 5 depicts solid ground curing, which is also known as the solider process. First, photosensitive resin is sprayed on the build platform. Next, the machine develops a photomask (like a stencil) of the layer to be built. This photomask is printed on a glass plate above the build platform using an electrostatic process similar to that found in photocopiers. The mask is then exposed to UV light, which only passes through the transparent portions of the mask to selectively harden the shape of the current layer. Fig 2.5: Schematic diagram of solid ground curing. After the layer is cured, the machine vacuums up the excess liquid resin and sprays wax in its place to support the model during the build. The top surface is milled flat, and then the process repeats to build the next layer. When the part is complete, it must be de-waxed by immersing it in a solvent bath. SGC machines are distributed in the U.S. by Cubital America Inc. of Troy, MI. The machines are quite big and can produce large models. 3.6 3D Printing Ink-Jet Printing refers to an entire class of machines that employ ink-jet technology. The first was 3D Printing (3DP), developed at MIT and licensed to Soligen Corporation, Extrude Hone, and others. The ZCorp 3D printer, produced by Z Corporation of Burlington, MA is an example of this technology. As shown in Figure 6a, parts are built upon a platform situated in a bin full of powder material. An ink-jet printing head selectively deposits or â€Å"prints† a binder fluid to fuse the powder together in the desired areas. Unbound powder remains to support the part. The platform is lowered, more powder added and leveled, and the process repeated. When finished, the green part is then removed from the unbound powder, and excess unbound powder is blown off. Finished parts can be infiltrated with wax, CA glue, or other sealants to improve durability and surface finish. Typical layer thicknesses are on the order of 0.1 mm. This process is very fast, and produces parts with a slightly grainy surface. ZCorp uses two different materials, a starch based powder (not as strong, but can be burned out, for investment casting applications) and a ceramic powder. Machines with 4 color printing capability are available. 3D Systems’ version of the ink-jet based system is called the Thermo-Jet or Multi-Jet Printer. It uses a linear array of print heads to rapidly produce thermoplastic models (Figure 6d). If the part is narrow enough, the print head can deposit an entire layer in one pass. Otherwise, the head makes several passes. Sanders Prototype of Wilton, NH uses a different ink-jet technique in its Model Maker line of concept modelers. The machines use two ink-jets (see Figure 6c). One dispenses low-melt thermoplastic to make the model, while the other prints wax to form supports. After each layer, a cutting tool mills the top surface to uniform height. This yields extremely good accuracy, allowing the machines to be used in the jewelry industry. Ballistic particl e manufacturing, depicted in  Figure 6b, was developed by BPM Inc., which has since gone out of business. Fig 2.6: Schematic diagrams of ink-jet techniques. 4. The Basic Process of 3D Printing Although several rapid prototyping techniques exist, all employ the same basic five-step process. The steps are: 1. Create a CAD model of the design 2. Convert the CAD model to STL format 3. Slice the STL file into thin cross-sectional layers 4. Construct the model one layer atop another 5. Clean and finish the model CAD Model Creation: First, the object to be built is modeled using a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software package. Solid modelers, such as Pro/ENGINEER, tend to represent 3-D objects more accurately than wire-frame modelers such as AutoCAD, and will therefore yield better results. The designer can use a pre-existing CAD file or may wish to create one expressly for prototyping purposes. This process is identical for all of the RP build techniques. Conversion to STL Format: The various CAD packages use a number of different algorithms to represent solid objects. To establish consistency, the STL (stereolithography, the first RP technique) format has been adopted as the standard of the rapid prototyping industry. The second step, therefore, is to convert the CAD file into STL format. This format represents a three-dimensional surface as an assembly of planar triangles, â€Å"like the facets of a cut jewel.† 6 The file contains the coordinates of the vertices and the direction of the outward normal of each triangle. Because STL files use planar elements, they cannot represent curved surfaces exactly. Increasing the number of triangles improves the approximation, but at the cost of bigger file size. Large, complicated files require more time to pre-process and build, so the designer must balance accuracy with manageability to produce a useful STL file. Since the STL format is universal, this process is identical for all of the RP build techniques. Slice the STL File: In the third step, a pre-processing program prepares the STL file to be built. Several programs are available, and most allow the user to adjust the size, location and orientation of the model. Build orientation is important for several reasons. First, properties of rapid prototypes vary from one coordinate direction to another. For example,  prototypes are usually weaker and less accurate in the z (vertical) direction than in the x-y plane. In addition, part orientation partially determines th e amount of time required to build the model. Placing the shortest dimension in the z direction reduces the number of layers, thereby shortening build time. The pre-processing software slices the STL model into a number of layers from 0.01 mm to 0.7 mm thick, depending on the build technique. The program may also generate an auxiliary structure to support the model during the build. Supports are useful for delicate features such as overhangs, internal cavities, and thin-walled sections. Each RP machine manufacturer supplies their own proprietary pre-processing software. Layer by Layer Construction: The fourth step is the actual construction of the part. Using one of several techniques (described in the next section) RP machines build one layer at a time from polymers, paper, or powdered metal. Most machines are fairly autonomous, needing little human intervention. Fig 3.2 Layer by Layer Construction Clean and Finish: The final step is post-processing. This involves removing the prototype from the machine and detaching any supports. Some photosensitive materials need to be fully cured before use. Prototypes may also require minor cleaning and surface treatment. Sanding, sealing, and/or painting the model will improve its appearance and durability. 3D printing VS Conventional Technologies 3DP does not—and will not—replace completely conventional technologies such NC and high-speed milling, or even hand-made parts. Rather, one should regard 3DP as one more option in the toolkit for manufacturing parts. Figure depicts a rough comparison between 3DP and milling regarding the costs and time of manufacturing one part as a function of part complexity10. It is assumed, evidently, that the part can be manufactured by either technology such that the material and tolerance requirements are met. Fig5.1: 3DP vs. conventional machining Application of 3D printers The concept of custom manufacturing is exciting to nearly everyone, but it always seems to be something that will happen in the â€Å"future†. Gibson was right and the following list of applications for 3D printers show the truth in the saying â€Å"The future is here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.† The following items are all available for purchase or are being used in industry now. We are still a long way from Replicators like the ones from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but we probably won’t have to wait til the 24th century either. 1. Art 3D printing allows artists to create objects that would be incredibly difficult, costly, or time intensive using traditional processes. These sculptures by Bathsheba Grossman are exquisitely complex and manufactured using a laser sintering process. 2. Action Figures Blood Elves and band mates can both be brought to life using 3D printers. These two were created using Zcorp. machines which apply glue ink and powder in fine layers slowly creating a replica of one of your characters. Figure Prints allows you to create characters from Warcraft, Rock band and Spore printing services are coming soon. A number of other sites allow you to pull data from Second Life and your own 3D programs. 3. Jewelry Jewelry makers were some of the first to use 3D printing in their manufacturing process, however they do not use metal printers, but rather ones that use wax. In a process called â€Å"investment casting† a piece of jewelry is sculpted or printed out of wax. Plaster is then poured on either side. Molten metal is poured onto the wax which melts out leaving a metal version of your wax sculpt in its place in the plaster. This piece is then finished and polished by a jeweler. Many independent jewelers have been using high tech printers in their businesses and an innovative company called Paragon Lake has combined this process with web based design tools to offer an infinite inventory to the masses of jewelry stores. 4. Hearing Aids 3D printers can also make things more functional. In the case of hearing aids  a cast of your ear canal is made. The casting is digitized using a 3D scanner and a perfect replica of your ear is printed from that ensuring a great fit and improving the quality. 5. Prototypes Prototyping in product development is currently the biggest use of 3D printing technology. These machines allow designers and engineers to test out ideas for dimensional products cheaply before committing to expensive tooling and manufacturing processes. 6. Home Decor Home goods are structurally simple but endlessly decorative and are perfect matches for 3D printing. This service, called â€Å"Shapeways Creator† allows you to create products like this lamp with any selection of words that have relevance to you (wedding vows, a favorite poem, etc.). Another company called JuJups allows you to make a customized picture frame using intelligent design tools and a zCorp printer. 7. Models Sales folks lives get much easier when you can have models like this of your product printed up for show and tell. 8. Components/Manufacturing Many of the examples so far are somewhat gimmicky or decorative, However in some industries 3D printing is displacing traditional manufacturing entirely. In the left hand picture a surgical knee replacement implant has been designed and manufactured to fit a patient’s joint perfectly. On the right, high tolerance engine parts were printed using a process called â€Å"Electron Beam Melting† and finished with traditional machining processes. While not the norm these uses begin to suggest what is possible in medicine and industry. 9. Medicine 3D World of Warcraft characters are cool, but these tools have the power to help save lives. Surgeons are using 3d printers to print body parts for reference before complicated surgeries. Other 3D printers are used to create bone grafts for patients who have suffered traumatic injuries. Looking further in the future scientist are working on PRINTING replacement organs. Personal Fabrication indeed! 3D Printing Essay 3D Printing Today and Tomorrow I chose to do my research paper on 3D printing, were we are today and what the future looks like. While researching this project I learned that 3D printing has been around since the 80’s, and that it is also known as additive manufacturing. I chose this topic for a few reasons; first off this is a topic that has interested me fo a while now and I enjoy learning more about it. I believe this technology is going to have a huge impact on our future, like the computer, and the internet it will change the way we do things. I like that its impact is not limited to one area. I highlight in my project seven different areas that 3D printing is already being used and is reshaping those industries. One of these industries is architecture, construction, and engineering. Architects are using 3D printing to save time when putting together their scale models. In the future there will be no limitations to their designs; the reason for this being that construction companies are now experimenting with 3D printing to build parts of buildings. They have started to print using concrete and have been able to print up some wild angles and designs. These were difficult to pull off before because it was hard to make the form to pour the concrete. In the future architects and project managers will be able to work together and print sections of a building in one location, then move and assemble on sight. Just like architects, engineers are using 3D printing to print up scale models of their designs. With the advances in this technology they are able to print these items with moving and working parts. Another one of these industries is the automotive and aerospace industry. In the automotive industry, designers will be able to print up models. Auto makers have also been able to print parts, and have successfully printed a whole working car. In the future 3D printers will be more common in the average home, because of this consumers will be able to go online and print  up certain types of replacement parts. This will be nice especially when it comes to hard to find or dealer only parts. The same will go for the aerospace industry as far as being able to print models, and replacement parts. NASA will be launching a mission soon were they will be sending a 3D printer in to space, and they will test printing in zero gravity. If they are successful this will mean that they can put a 3D printer on their shuttles and print parts in space. This will cut down on the weight in the shuttles when they launch but still allow them to print supplies while in space. The Military is using this technology the same way. They have started testing 3D printing while in the field. Just like the aerospace industry, the ability to print in the field will cut down on the amount of supplies they have to carry. It will also give them the ability to print and repair vehicles and machinery while out in the field. There are a few problems when it comes to this industry, the main one being weapons. Fully functional guns have been printed, they have done this using materials other than metal. The government and DOD has made it illegal for anyone to print guns, and they have ordered all open source instructions to be removed from the internet. However officials fear that the problem will be that just like music, movies, programs, and other online files that are shared it will not keep these plans out of the hands of people who really want to get them. An exciting industry that this technology is changing is the medical and dental field. Dentist are already using this tech to print dentures using x-rays and scans to perfectly match the patience. In the medical field they have successfully printed bone fragments, more specifically part of a skull and a human jaw bone. Doctors have used these items in patents. In China they have developed a printer that uses human cells. This was made with the intent to one day print human replacement organs. The thought behind this is they would be able to print an organ using your DNA, therefore your body would not reject it, and you would not have to wait as long for a transplant. Doctors have successfully printed a working heart valve, and they expect the FDA to approve usage of these within the next year. The current method is to use heart valves from pigs, and those only have a 3year  lifespan, again by using your cells and DNA to make these parts your body will accept them and they will last longer. I was surprised to hear that this tech is being used in the fashion industry. Designers are using this to print wild looking clothes, shoes, head ware, and jewelry. As printers become more common in our households we will be able to do the same. Imagine being able to go online to a designers web site or even designing your own clothes and printing them up at home. The other nice thing would be the ability to print clothing and accessories that are a custom fit to you. I read an article were a history teacher in Europe used 3D printing to print replicas of ancient Egyptian artifacts so that he could give his class a more hands on approach to learning. I thought how awesome the possibilities will be for education, they will be able to use it for everything from printing supplies to doing what this teacher did and giving students the ability to observe items that we normally would not be able to touch. This would also open up learning opportunities to teach people how to design and use this technology. The opportunities will be endless, especially for the trade schools that deal with architecture, engineering, automotive, art & design, culinary, and many more. The culinary industry was another industry I was surprised to find this tech, however it does make sense. 3D printing is being used now to make elaborate food designs using semi liquids like chocolate and cheese. They are also able to design and print molds for gelatins, and cakes. Just like in the medical field scientist hope to be able to use bio printers to print food like meats, fruits, and veggies. I am not sure how ready we are to eat 3D printed food, but who knows in the future this may become the norm. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20131031142926-48342529-the-future-of-3d-printing http://www.explainingthefuture.com/3dprinting.html http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/02/gartner-3d-printer-market-forecast/