Money and Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Money and Success - Essay Example As the United States has never had an aristocracy and thus is better able to recognize that the contingent conditions of birth are not all that are determinant in how one will fair in life. The concept of the American Dream has had many detractors, most dreams do. The condemnations that beset the American Dream typically utilize one of two strategies: 1) the lavish materialism sought is spiritually destructive and the obsessive worship of the dollar borders on the cult-like, 2) the American Dream betrays certain disenfranchised groups by feeding them false hope about the existence of a meritocracy. Dana Gioia, current chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, writes a poem entitled "Money" that examines the many metaphors that we use to describe what it is and how we use it. In understanding our obsession with the dollar his poem offers some insight into its power and hold on us. In another work, Harlon L. Dalton, author of Racial Healing: Confronting the Fear between Blacks & Whites, discusses the destructive capacities of the American myth in an essay titled, "Horatio Alger." In examining these two works this paper will reveal that how we use the myth of the American Dream is just as important as the dream itself. In the epigraph to the poem, Gioia quotes Wallace Stevens's line, "Money is a kind of poetry" (Gioia) If we think of poetry as a kind of writing which attempts to impress images on us through, symbols and metaphors rather than through explicit means, then money might be a sort of symbol or metaphor which conveys its own images and metaphors of the American Dream. In the first stanza Gioia lists a number of euphemisms and sobriquets that refer to the materiality: its color, shape, and texture. The next stanza describes some of the things we are required to do with it. One aspect of success is having money, just having it. Gioia highlights the metaphors we deploy to express the annoyance of having it to spend on necessities like rent, insurance, and the dreaded car payment (or even worse car repair). We "Chock it up, fork it over, shell it out" (Gioia, line 4-5). In this regard we are put in a double bind by the nature of success in America. Not only are individuals pressured by exter nal forces to seek monetary compensation to afford a nice house, a fast car, or designer clothing; but, within us is constructed a sense of remorse at spending money on those things, which society suggests we should need anyway. The subsequent stanza illustrates what money can do for us. It can get us through problems, sometimes through illicit means, and it can make us comfortable. Making ends meet is often considered the baseline of success in the American Dream. If that is all one can do, then he or she is not making enough-but it is a start. Part and parcel of that dream is being able to get through the day, the month, and one's life by whatever means necessary. This imperative to persevere despite odds is an integral portion of the American popular psyche, and is more developed in the work of Horatio Alger as discussed by Dalton. Dalton is critical of the myth insofar that it presumes certain features about American society that are not actually realized in his estimation, name ly

Why Marriage Fail Essay Example for Free

Why Marriage Fail Essay Marriage is something very beautiful you get to enjoy the rest of your life with the person yo love and share lots of nice things together, however there are some negative things about getting married and most of them are lack of time, addiction, and money. Work, home, schedules, time spent apart and time spent together are equally important for maintaining a marriage. People that spend time alone without making an effort on spending quality time together puts a lot of stress on a marriage. In a magazine â€Å"Time Plus Marriage† they state that 65% of the couples that do not spend time with each other always have an excuse on why they can not for insistent they had to stay late for work or their friends invited them out. Most of the couples that get a divorce is because of addiction problem, drugs, alcohol, and gambling all affects marriage. The behavior of an addicted spouse make their life difficult to because they are only worried if he/she would come home safe. According to â€Å"New York Times† most of the accidents and death on the year 2010 has been because of drunk driving or drug uses from their spouse which leaves them traumatized. One of the major reasons why marriage fail is because of the communication about money. Everyone has financial issues concerning bills, dept, spending, and budgets. Majority of the human being has a problem splitting their expenses individually to make things easier on their end. Those issues can make or break a marriage. Understanding each other and following the simple steps you would have a long lasting marriage. What comes in between is time, addiction, and money majority of the couples do not know how to manage these specific things when married.

Online Privacy at What Cost Essay -- Essays Papers

Online Privacy at What Cost When the constitution was written over two hundred years ago, our founding fathers probably did not have the Internet in mind. Since then, United States citizen along with their elected officials have tried to keep the rights of each American sacred, no matter what the cost. The major right that has been fought over since the dawn of the USA, has been that of the freedom of speech. Now, with the beginning of the twenty-first century, a new freedom of speech is again being examined. This newest freedom of speech is that of Internet privacy, more directly; how much privacy is too much privacy when on the Internet? To explore this question I will be looking at three areas; the freedom of speech of American citizens, the protection of children, and the protection of the United States' government. Should the freedom of speech protect the users of the Internet to write and print whatever they want? The Internet is a great place to interact with the world, since we are all connected as one and have the ability to share our unique cultures with each other with just a type of the keyboard. As long as the material being written is to help enlighten and learn about other places and peoples, then the Internet is a marvelous place for learning. It is when the Internet is used for more perverse propaganda like the neo-Nazi regime or pornography sites that use underage children to arouse its user. When the Internet is perverse with such corrupt material, this is when the Internet should be reexamined as if it should still retain the right of free speech. The privacy of the user into such inflammatory propaganda sites as the 'Aryan Nation Will Rule America', should be monitored, for it is no longer a question o... ...en our children and our national security, there should be none. Today, there are millions of web sites with millions people logging onto them for everything from information to entertainment. The Internet can be a great source of connection with the outside world, but when it contains such inflammatory articles like how to build a nuclear bomb and where would the best place to set it off to cripple America, then it is a matter of protection that the net is monitored. Otherwise, America may wake up one too late, to terrorist at all fronts knowing our secrets, and ready to takeover. Works Cited The Watchman by Jonathan Littman. Little Brown and Company Limited: 1997. Anarchy Online by Charles Platt. HarperCollins Publishers New York, NY: 1996. Cyberwars by Jean Guisnel. Plenum Trade New York: 1997. epic.org www.privacyrights.org www.privacy.org

History of the Fbi and Women

OUTLINE FOR PARAGRAPH 1 When J. Edgar Hoover took over the Bureau in 1924, he inherited two female agents: Jessie B. Duckstein and Alaska P. Davidson, who both resigned within a few months as part of the Bureau’s reduction of force. In 1972, JoAnne Misko and Susan Malone were the first two women to enter the FBI Academy. In 1978, Special Agent Christine Karpoch (Jung) would become the first female firearms instructor—and she would shoot the coveted â€Å"possible,† a perfect score on the FBI’s Practical Pistol Range.In 1990, Special Agents Susan Sprengel and Helen Bachor were sent to London and Montevideo, Uruguay to serve as the FBI’s first female assistant legal attaches. In 2001, Special Agent Kathleen McChesney became the first woman to attain the rank of executive assistant director. Up until 1972 the FBI did not accept applications from women to become special agents. More than 2,600 women special agents currently serve and lead in all roles i n the FBI. The FBI originated from a force of special agents created in 1908 by Attorney General Charles Bonaparte during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.Martha Dixon Martinez was the first female agent in the field office to be certified as a SWAT team member. In the four decades since women have served as FBI agents, they’ve taken on one of the most difficult—yet vitally important—roles in the Bureau: going undercover. It was in 1972—40 years ago this year—that women were allowed to join the ranks of FBI agents, reversing a policy that had been in place since the 1920s. The first major expansion in Bureau jurisdiction came in June 1910 when the Mann (â€Å"White Slave†) Act was passed, making it a crime to transport women over state lines for immoral purpose.William J. Flynn, former head of the Secret Service, became Director of the Bureau of Investigation in July 1919 and was the first to use that title. From 2010 to 2012, the FBI di sciplined 1,045 employees for a variety of violations, according to the agency. Eighty-five were fired. June 29, 1908 Attorney General Bonaparte begins hiring special agent force. March 1909 Named Bureau of Investigation. April 30, 1912 Alexander Bruce Bielaski appointed Chief of the Bureau. They were pioneers, the first trio of women known to serve as Bureau special agents and among the first women in federal law enforcement.All three women did well in training at the New York office and, in general, performed up to standard. Alaska Davidson and Jessie Duckstein were assigned to the Bureau’s Washington field office. Both were dismissed when newly appointed Director J. Edgar Hoover dramatically cut the Bureau rolls in the spring of 1924 to clean house following the Teapot Dome scandals. Lenore Houston was hired after these initial cuts and served the longest of the three. She, too, was assigned to the Washington office. She was asked to resign in 1928.It would be nearly anoth er half century—May 1972– before social mores would change and women special agents would become a regular and vital part of the FBI. October 11, 1925 First special agent killed in line of duty. January 1, 1928 Instituted formal training program for new agents. March 14, 1950 â€Å"Ten Most Wanted Fugitives† program launched. May 8, 1972 New, modern FBI Academy training facility opened at Quantico, Virginia. October 10, 2001 Most Wanted Terrorists list created. OUTLINE FOR PARAGRAPH 2-4?Cassandra Chandler Cassandra Chandler is a graduate of Louisiana State University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and English. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Loyola University School of Law and became a member of the Louisiana State Bar. Prior to joining the FBI, Mrs. Chandler enjoyed a career as a television news anchorperson, reporter, and talk show host for a major network affiliate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She also practiced law with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mrs. Chandler began her investigative career as a Special Agent in 1985.She first served in the FBI’s New Orleans and Los Angeles Field Offices, where she investigated white-collar crimes, violent crimes, and civil rights violations. Mrs. Chandler has held numerous managerial positions throughout her career with the FBI, both in the field and at FBI Headquarters. In 1991 Mrs. Chandler was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent in the Legal Counsel Division at FBI Headquarters to support the defense of the Bureau and its personnel in civil litigation matters. She was later assigned as a manager in the Criminal Investigative Division, where she assisted with the creation of the FBI’s Health Care Fraud Program.Following a promotion to supervisor of white-collar crimes in the San Diego Field Office, Mrs. Chandler oversaw numerous joint agency operations, including one of the country’s first international health care fraud undercover operations. She also managed the El Centro Resident Agency, which investigated violent crimes, including cross border kidnappings, and environmental crimes. In 1997 she was promoted to Assistant Special Agent in Charge in the San Francisco Field Office where she oversaw the office’s White-Collar Crime Program, National Foreign Intelligence Program, and Terrorism Program.She also managed the division’s largest Resident Agency in Oakland, California. Her next promotion was to Section Chief in the Investigative Services Division, where she oversaw the FBI's Analytical Intelligence Program for Criminal and Domestic Terrorism. She then was appointed Assistant Director of the Training Division, where she was responsible for managing the FBI Academy and the FBI’s other training and career development programs. In 2002, Mrs. Chandler was appointed Assistant Director of the Office of Public Affairs.In that capacity she was responsible for managing all of the FBI’s public affairs operations and serving as the FBI’s National Spokesperson. In 2005 Mrs. Chandler was appointed Special Agent in Charge of the Norfolk Field Office. In that role, she is responsible for managing and leading all of the FBI’s investigations and operations in Norfolk, VA and the 17 surrounding counties. Charlene B. Thornton Charlene Thornton is a graduate of Marion College, Marion, Indiana, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science.She later received a Juris Doctorate degree from Indiana University’s School of Law, and a Master's from the University of San Diego’s School of Law. Prior to joining the FBI, she worked as an Intern in the Marion County Prosecutors office. Mrs. Thornton's first assignment with the FBI was to the Indianapolis Field Office, where she was responsible for investigating bank robberies and property crimes. Next, she transferred to the Los Angeles Field Office, where she investigated white-collar crime, counterterrorism, and drug matters. Mrs.Thornton has held numerous managerial positions throughout her career with the FBI, both in the field and at FBI Headquarters. She began her managerial career as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Legal Research Unit at Headquarters, and was later promoted to Chief of this unit. She then served as an Assistant Inspector in the Inspection Division, and as a Supervisor in the Baltimore Field Office and in the Southern Maryland Metropolitan Resident Agency. Her next promotion was to Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Honolulu Division, where she oversaw the FBI’s extraterritorial investigations throughout Asia nd the Pacific. In 1997 Mrs. Thornton was promoted to Deputy General Counsel, where she oversaw the FBI's Legal Training, Legal Forfeiture, and Legal Advice programs. Next, she became an Inspector in the Inspection Division and in 1999 she was named Special Agent in Charge of the Birmingham Field Office, where she was responsible for managing all FBI operations and investigations in northern Alabama. In 2002 Mrs. Thornton became Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Office, where she was responsible for managing all FBI operations and investigations in the state of Arizona.In 2004, Mrs. Thornton was promoted to Assistant Director of the FBI’s Inspection Division. In that capacity she was responsible for managing all Inspection Division operations and providing independent, evaluative oversight of all FBI investigative and administrative operations. In August 2006, Mrs. Thornton was appointed Special Agent in Charge of our San Francisco field office, where she manages investigations and operations for the northern and central coast regions of California. Kimberly K.Mertz Kimberly Mertz is a graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate degree. Ms. Mertz became an FBI Special Agent in 1989, and her first assignment was to the San Diego Field Office. She later served as the Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of the El Centro Resident Agency, San Diego Field Office. Ms. Mertz has held numerous managerial positions throughout her career with the FBI, both in the field and at FBI Headquarters. In 1999, Ms.Mertz was promoted to the Public Corruption Unit at FBI Headquarters, where she served as a Supervisory Special Agent. She was later promoted to Chief of the Public Corruption Unit. In 2001, Ms. Mertz was appointed Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Honolulu Division. In 2003 Ms. Mertz became an Inspector in the Inspection Division, and in early 2005 she was designated as the Chief Inspector. In November 2005, Ms. Mertz was appointed to serve as the Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Field Office. In that capacity she is responsible for managing all FBI operations and investigations in the state of Connecticut.

World War Ii Timeline

World War II Timeline [pic] [pic] [pic] 1933 January 1. 30. 1933- Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany, bringing ideas of Nazi Party with him June 6. 14. 1933- Nazi party outlaws all other political parties, signaling the beginning of a totalitarian regime October 10. 1933- President Roosevelt recognizes the USSR and establishes diplomatic relations 10. 14. 1933- Germany leaves the League of Nations 1934 December 12. 29. 1934- Japan denounces the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and the London Naval Treaty of 1930, identifying that Japan would no longer abide by the treaties which were intended to prevent an arms race and massive navies. 935 March 3. 16. 1935- Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles by enforcing military conscription. This signifies that Germany was re-arming itself and preparing for war. August 8. 31. 1935- President FDR signs First Neutrality Act- prohibiting arms shipments to wartime belligerents October 10. 3. 1935- Italy, under the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, invades Ethiopia. 1936 February 2. 29. 1936- President FDR passes Second Neutrality Act this act renewed the First Neutrality Act (1935), and also forbade the granting of loans to wartime belligerents March 3. 7. 1936- German troops occupy the Rhineland. Germany was forbidden to take ver more land, as per the Treaty of Versailles. July 7. 18. 1936- Civil War erupts in Spain November 11. 1. 1936- Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany come together, forming the Rome-Berlin Axis. This event holds significance because it was alliances which brought the world into WWI. 11. 25. 1936- Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan sign the Anti-Comintern Pact. This pact was aimed directly against the Soviet Union and the International Communist Movement. 1937 July 7. 7. 1937- Japan invades Nanking, China, killing more than 250,000, most of whom were civilians. This attack essentially begins the â€Å"War in the Pacific† September . 14. 1937- President FDR forbids US ships to carry arms to Chi na or Japan, again signaling American Neutrality. October 10. 5. 1937- President FDR gives a speech in which he urges the ‘collective security and quarantining of aggressor nations'. This implies the fact that FDR would like the US to remain isolationist. December 12. 12. 1937- Japan sinks the gunboat, the U. S. S. Panay in the Yangtze River in China. Japan formally apologizes after the attack, and pays reparations to the US 1938 February 2. 20. 1938- Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler, formally announces that Germany will support Japan.This further incites desire for war as now three nations (Japan, Germany and Italy) have once again entangled alliances, coupled with militarism and previous actions show a great potential for a second world war. March 3. 12. 1938- Germany launches Anschluss,(union) with Austria. 3. 13. 1938- Germany annexes Austria. May 5. 17. 1938- Naval Expansion Act is passed. This act allotted $1 billion for the US to build a â€Å"Two Ocean Navy,† or a navy which would have bases in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This act recognized the need for protection on both coasts of the country. September 9. 29. 938- Munich Pact- Britain, France, Germany and Italy sign the Munich Pact, allowing Germany to invade the Czechoslovakian territories known as the Sudetenland. Britain chose to utilize a policy of appeasement in making the decision to sign the pact. 1939 January 1. 4. 1939- US/Germany/Italy Correspondence- FDR writes to Mussolini and Hitler, requesting that they not attack any country, on a specified list, for 10 years. Hitler writes back saying that FDR has â€Å"nothing to fear. † This statement by Hitler may be determined to be mocking FDR, as in his inaugural address, FDR stated, â€Å"we have nothing to fear, but fear itself. 1. 5. 1939- Senatorial Rejection- The Senate rejected a Presidential request for permission to offer economic assistance to Britain and/or France in case of war. This decision support s the isolationist way of thinking. March 3. 15. 1939- Hitler violates his own promise made in the Munich Pact (1938) and annexes all of Czechoslovakia. August 8. 23. 1939- Hitler (Germany) and Josef Stalin (USSR) sign a Nonaggression Pact which allowed Hitler to invade Poland, while allowing the Soviet Union to strengthen its western borders. September 9. 1. 1939- Hitler invades Poland. , as permitted by the Nonaggression Pact, 9. . 1939-England, France, Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Germany, thus beginning another world war. 9. 10. 1939- Canada declares war on Germany November 11. 3. 1939- Congress grants FDR's request to change neutrality laws as well as repeal an arms embargo so that munitions could be sold to Britain and France, and prevent American ships from sailing into war zones. 1940 March 3. 1940- Germany utilizes its Blitzkrieg warfare, pummeling France in less than one day. April 4. 1. 1940- Germany conquers many of the â€Å"low† countries, including , Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg.May 5. 16. 1940- Increased Defense spending- FDR requests that more money be allocated for defense, public opinion supports the new defense program, signaling a shift in public feeling in regards to the conflict. June 6. 10. 1940- Mussolini and his Italian forces attack France from the South. 6. 22. 1940- France Surrenders to Germany and signs an armistice saying as such. Great Britain is now left to stand alone to the Axis powers. July Selective Training and Service Act-Congress enacts the first peacetime draft in history. This forebodes to upcoming US involvement in the war. 7. 10. 940- Battle of Britain-Germany bombs Britain, most notably the firebombing of London. 7. 26. 1940- US withholds gasoline from Japan. In an attempt to make Japan surrender, and weaker. September 9. 3. 1940- FDR agrees to give Britain 50 Destroyers in exchange for naval bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda, and sites in the Caribbean and the South Atlantic. 9. 25. 1940- Expansion of Japanese Embargo. The US now includes steel and iron to the Japanese Embargo, which already included gasoline (July 26,1940) 9. 27. 1940- Tripartite Agreement- Japan joins the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and now Japan) October 10. 1. 1940- Battle of Britain ends. German Luftwaffe bombing strategy fails to quash British morale. November 11. 20. 1940- Hungary and Romania sign the Tripartite Agreement. Becoming part of the Axis powers. (Germany, Italy, Japan, and now Hungary and Romania) December 12. 29. 1940- FDR Fireside Chat- FDR claims that the US must be an â€Å"Arsenal of Democracy. † Similar to the reasoning for WWI, which was â€Å"To make the world safe for Democracy† 1941 March 3. 1. 1941- Bulgaria signs the Tripartite Agreement. Becoming part of the Axis powers. (Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania and now Bulgaria) 3. 11. 941-Lend-Lease Act- authority to sell, transfer, or lease war goods to the government of any Allied country. E NDED AMERICAN NEUTRALITY 3. 30. 1941- US Seizure of Ships- US seizes 65 Axis ships which have sailed into American ports. April 4. 13. 1941- USSR and Japan sign a neutrality pact. May 5. 15. 1941- American Merchant ship- Robin Moor- sunk by German torpedo in south Atlantic Ocean. FDR declares a National State of Emergency. June 6. 22. 1941- Germany invades Soviet Union. Violated nonaggression pact. US Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, estimates that Germany will conquer the USSR in 3 months. . 24. 1941- US extends the Lend Lease Act to the Soviet Union. July 7. 7. 1941- FDR Announces that the US will protect Iceland for the duration of the war. Similar to Teddy Roosevelt's â€Å"Roosevelt Corollary† to the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that the US would be the â€Å"international police force for Latin America. † August 8. 14. 1941- Great Britain and United States sign Atlantic Charter. Joint opposition to fascism, even though US is still nominally neutral. 8. 17. 1941- US warns Japan to stop being aggressive, or else. (face the wrath of the US forces, that is) December 2. 7. 1941- â€Å"A Day Which Will Live in Infamy† Pearl Harbor- Japan launches a surprise attack on the US navy at the base in Pearl Harbor. Resulting in the death of over 2,300 service men and 68 civilians. 12. 11. 1941- War Declarations Germany and Italy- Declare war on US United States- Declares war on Germany, Italy and Japan 1942 April 4. 9. 1942- Japan captures US and Filipino forces at Manila. Bataan Death March Begins. May 5. 7. 1942- Battle of the Coral Sea- US Navy repels Japanese forces, saves Australia June 6. 4. 1942- Battle of Midway- US again defeats Japanese.Coupled with the victory at the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 7, 1942) *****TURNING POINT FOR THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC***** 6. 18. 1942- Manhattan Project begins, design the atomic bomb. 1943 January 1. 1. 1943-Churchill and Roosevelt Plan- Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President FDR meet in Casablan ca, North Africa to plan attacks on all fronts, invade Sicily and Italy, send forces to the Pacific, and to better aid the Soviet Union. 1. 31. 1943- Battle of Stalingrad over 90,000 German troops surrender to the Soviets **TURNING POINT IN WAR AGAINST GERMANY** July 7. 25. 943- Mussolini's Fascist government in Italy is overthrown! New Italian Government begins peace talks September 9. 8. 1943- Italy officially surrenders to Allied powers December 12. 1. 1943- Cairo Declaration- Allies declare intention to establish an international organization meant to maintain world peace. 1944 June 6. 6. 1944- D-Day Invasion- Allied forces invade Normandy, France, to begin the reclaiming of Western Europe from Germany. July 7. 24. 1944- Normandy and Brittany- Allied troops force a German retreat by reclaiming large portions of Normandy and Brittany August 8. 25. 944- Paris liberated from Nazi control by US forces and the Free France Campaign. 1945 February 2. 11. 1945- Yalta Conference- the â⠂¬Å"Big Three† (Churchill, FDR, and Stalin) met to discuss Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe Results: Dual administrations in Berlin, the break up of Germany, and the prosecution of war criminals. (Nuremberg Trials) April 4. 12. 1945- President FDR dies of a Cerebral Hemorrhage. 4. 28. 1945- Italian soldiers catch Mussolini attempting to sneak out of the country and murder him. May 5. 8. 1945- V-E Day Victory in Europe is declared August 8. 6. 1945- Atomic Bomb Little Boy is dropped over Hiroshima Japan 8. . 1945- Atomic Bomb Fat Man is dropped over Nagasaki, Japan Both of these bombings resulted in severe, grave destruction 8. 14. 1945- Japan Surrenders! 8. 15. 1945- V-J Day Victory in Japan is declared September 9. 2. 1945- Japan signs formal surrender agreement aboard the U. S. S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay. ****ENDS WWII**** Works Cited â€Å"1945. † World War II Timeline. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"APUSH SparkChart 1865-2004. † Www. Sparknotes. com. Sparknotes. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"The History Place – World War II in Europe Timeline. † The History Place. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"World War II Timeline. † Shmoop. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. .

Alternative Medical Treatments essays

Alternative Medical Treatments essays Alternative Therapy Websites: Fact or Fiction? Much information concerning alternative medicine is readily available on the internet for anyone who may be interested, however, the question remains whether or not this abundance of information is reliable and accurate or pure quackery. The websites being evaluated in this article are http://altmed.od.nig.gov and www.alternativemedicine.com. The differences between these two websites are a perfect illustration that one must be cautious and critical of all information obtained via the internet. The National Institute of Healths website, http://altmed.od.nig.gov, is a good example of a reliable and well-informed source of knowledge. The website clearly denotes contact and sponsorship information on their homepage. It is extremely clear where one would call, email or write if there were questions, problems or concerns. Moreover, it clearly states that one should not use the information obtained by this website to seek therapy or treatment without talking to a doctor or health care provider. It also defines what NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) is, what they do and who with whom they are affiliated. Additionally, by clicking on a topic one can easily obtain very specific and well-credentialed background of the director of the program. The entire website is detail oriented, factual and well documented. It is up-to-date as the website says that it was last modified 8/24/01. The NCCAM website was also extremely user friendly (good graphics, well divided subject headings) and easy to maneuver. Overall, this website was an excellent source of information for students, researchers or anyone interested in information on alternative medicine. In contrast to the NCCAM website was www.alternativemedicine.com, The Voice of Health. I found this website rather amusing as it was very obvious that information was not at ...

How to Graduate High School Early 5 Key Steps

How to Graduate High School Early 5 Key Steps SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you a high school student who’s thinking about graduating early? Maybe you have an exciting internship offer, want to start college early, or are just interested in finishing high school faster. The good news is that graduating high school early is often not as challenging as people think. This guide will give you all the tips and information you need to know about how to graduate from high school early in an easy and hassle-free way, and it will help you decide if graduating early is the right decision for you. What Does It Mean to Graduate High School Early? In the US, the typical high school education lasts four years. Students who want to graduate early aim to complete their high school in less than four years, typically in three or three and a half years. Unless you are home schooled or attend a non-traditional school, it’s often difficult or impossible to graduate high school if you have completed less than three years. This is because students often can’t complete all their graduation requirements in less than three years. If you graduate early, you will receive the same diploma as any other graduate from your high school. Your transcript won’t have any special indication that you graduated early, other than the fact that it contains fewer semesters than a typical high school transcript. Why Would You Want to Graduate Early? What are the benefits of graduating high school early? Here are three of the most common reasons students plan to complete high school in less time. You Want to Start Your Next Education Phase Early One common reason why students choose to graduate high school early is because they want to get a head-start on college or technical school. You may want to do this if you have a lot of school ahead of you (say, if you're planning on attending med school or getting a PhD), and you want to get ahead so you can eventually complete your schooling a bit earlier. You could also be interested in only attending college part-time but still want to graduate when you're 22, or you may just want to finish school more quickly so you can enter the workforce sooner. Completing high school early can help make each of these situations possible. Graduating high school early can mean you enroll full-time at a new school, or you might just enroll in a few classes. Students who enroll part-time often have a part-time job as well to help pay for classes. You Want to Purse an Opportunity Before College You may also have another opportunity you want to take advantage of that isn’t related to classes. This could be an internship to get career experience, a job to earn money, or a similar opportunity you think is worth finishing high school early for. Gap years, where students take a year or so off from school to travel, work, or have another experience, are becoming increasingly popular among high school and college-aged students. If you decide to do one, there are lots of options available, depending on your interests. You could work at a theater, help out at an archaeological dig, volunteer, or do one of many other opportunities. Spending a year away from school can help you get a better idea of how you want to spend the rest of your life, and it can also give you some great experiences. You Don't Enjoy High School A third reason you may want to graduate high school early is that you just don’t enjoy it. Some people feel lonely or out-of-place in high school, and others simply don’t feel like they’re learning a lot. This can be a legitimate reason to graduate high school early, but make sure you understand that it will take time and effort on your part to plan it out, and you won’t be able to finish high school immediately. Disliking high school could be a reason to graduate early. How to Graduate High School Early So, how can you graduate high school early? I’ve outlined the steps you need to follow below. There’s a bit a math involved, but nothing you can’t handle; after all, you’ll soon be a high school graduate. Step 1: Decide When You Want to Graduate This first step is pretty simple; all you need to do is decide how early you want to graduate high school. Do you want to graduate a semester early? An entire year? How long do you want to spend pursuing whatever it is you’re doing instead of attending high school? When figuring this out, keep in mind that it’s often easier to graduate just a semester early instead of an entire year. If that doesn’t seem like a long enough time to you, remember that, even if you only graduate a semester early, you’ll finish high school in December or January. If you start college the following September, that still gives you about eight months of time to work, travel, or pursue another opportunity. If you still need help deciding, talk to your academic adviser. They’re a great resource to have, and they’ll likely be able to help make this process easier (plus you’ll have to let them know if you officially decide to graduate early, so you may as well start talking to them now). Step 2: Figure Out How Many Credits You Need to Graduate Now that you know when you want to graduate, it’s time to get into the math. Almost every high school requires its students to complete a certain number of credits before they can graduate. Look in your student handbook or ask your academic adviser to find out how many credits your particular high school requires. As an example, we’ll use the high school I graduated from, which required its students to complete 21 credits, with each class worth about 0.5 credits per semester. Now, figure out how many credits you’ve already completed. You can usually find this information on your report card or transcript, or you can ask your adviser. Next, subtract the number of credits you’ve completed from the number of total credits you need to graduate. The answer you get is the number of credits you’ll need to take before you can graduate. The good news for you is that the number of graduating credits for most high schools often doesn’t require you to complete four full-time years of school. Again, for my high school, you needed to complete 21 credits to graduate, but a student attending high school full-time would complete about 7 credits each year, meaning most students at the end of their junior year would already have enough credits to graduate. The number of credits you need to take isn’t all you need to worry about though, so let’s move on to the next step. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Step 3: Figure Out Which Classes You Need to Graduate Now you need to figure out the specific classes you need to take to graduate. Look at your student handbook or talk to your adviser to learn which classes students at your high school must take in order to graduate. This will usually require a certain number of semesters of math, English, science, and social studies, as well as some possible other requirements such as gym or a fine arts class. Make a list of all the required classes you haven’t taken yet. Sometimes the requirements are general, such as taking six semesters of math, while other times they’re more specific, like all students must take algebra and geometry. Pay attention to this when making your list. Be aware the most high schools require four years of English but often fewer years of other core subjects. To again use my former high school as an example, all students had to complete: 4 years of English 3 years of math 2 to 3 years of science 2 years of social studies 1 year of foreign language 4 years of gym a fine arts class, a typing class, a driver's education class, and a consumer education class Which classes does your high school require you to take? Step 4: Figure Out Which Classes the Colleges You're Interested in Require Now we move on from classes that you must take in order to graduate and focus instead on classes it would be a good idea for you to take, but aren't required. Many times, the bare minimum high school graduation requirements aren't enough to get you into top colleges. For example, your high school may only require you to take two years of social studies, but the colleges you’re interested in may want three to four years. Look at the admission requirements for several colleges you’re interested in, and add any additional requirements they have to the list of classes you need to take. Keep in mind that you’ll want to take more classes in the subject(s) you plan to study in college. So if you’re planning on majoring in biology, you may be fine taking just three years of social studies, but you’ll probably want to take four years each of math and science if you’re looking to get into more competitive schools. Step 5: Set Up a Schedule for When to Take the Rest of Your Classes Now that you know how many credits you need to take and which classes you need to complete, it’s time to start figuring out how you’ll graduate high school early. Make blank schedules for each semester you have left of high school. So, say I just finished my sophomore year, I take eight classes a day, and I want to graduate a semester early. I’d make three columns, each with eight blank spaces, representing all the room I have left to take classes (see example below). Next, begin filling in the blanks, starting with the classes that are required to graduate. For each class, put its number of credits next to it in parentheses. For some spots, you may not know exactly what class you’ll be taking next, but you can put its general subject down for now, such as â€Å"English class (3 credits).† After you’ve filled in required classes, and if you have extra space, start adding other classes you’d like to take or would be helpful for you to get into college. Once all the spaces on your schedule have been filled in, add up all the credits you’ll have completed. Have you met the minimum requirement for your school? If not, how many classes will you need to take to meet it? Next, look at what classes are left over on your list. Are there any required classes you weren’t able to fit? Any classes you don’t have to take but would like to? If you need to take either additional credits or classes, start thinking of ways you can fit them in outside of the normal school day. Some options include summer classes, taking classes at a nearby community college or university, or taking online classes. For each of these options, make sure you discuss it with your adviser before you enroll to make sure you’ll get the required credit you need. Once you’ve figured out how you’ll take each of these extra classes, add the information to your schedule. Look at the junior and senior year schedule below for an example: Fall 2016 Spring 2017 Summer 2017 Fall 2017 Pre-calculus (0.5 credits) Pre-calculus (0.5 credits) Calculus I (0.5 credits) Math elective (0.5 credits) Physics (0.5 credits) Physics (0.5 credits) Calculus II (0.5 credits) Science elective (0.5 credits) US History (0.5 credits) US History (0.5 credits) English elective (0.5 credits) American Literature (0.5 credits) American Literature (0.5 credits) English elective (0.5 credits) French III (0.5 credits) French III (0.5 credits) Consumer Ed class (0.5 credits) AP Biology (0.5 credits) AP Biology (0.5 credits) Fine arts class (.5 credits) Lunch Lunch Lunch Gym (.25 credits) Gym (.25 credits) Gym (.25 credits) In this example, the student would be able to graduate a semester early while having a course load that would be considered strong at many colleges. This student is planning on majoring in biology, so she wanted to maximize her math and science classes. During her junior year, her schedule was pretty normal with the exception of taking two science classes (physics and AP Biology) at the same time. Taking two classes in one subject is something that you'll likely have to do if you want to graduate early. She realized she wouldn't be able to fit in calculus normally, so she chose to take it over the summer. For her final semester, she took two English classes at the same time, a math elective and science elective to get more experience in those subjects, and she completed the rest of her required classes. Assuming she had a regular schedule her previous semesters, she would have completed 4.5 years of science, 4.5 years of math, 4 years of English, 3 years of social studies, 3 years of foreign language, and her other required classes. Completing those classes would be good enough for most colleges although some highly competitive schools would require 4 years of social studies and foreign language. Notice that she had a lot of different options when creating her schedule; she could have dropped her foreign language and taken a different course, chosen to take two math electives her senior year instead of calculus over the summer, and a variety of other options. Also, be aware that her junior year would probably be pretty challenging with her full course load that includes two science classes. Keep all these things in mind when creating your schedule. Once you've completed your schedule, double-check your work to make sure all the requirements are met. Congratulations, you now have a plan for graduating high school early! If you haven’t before now, share your plan with your adviser and ask if there are any additional steps you need to take. Drawbacks to Graduating High School Early You now know how to graduate high school early, but just because you can doesn’t automatically mean that you should. Read on to learn three potential drawbacks you may face if you choose to graduate early. Can Be Stressful As you saw above, graduating high school early takes a lot of planning and may mean you have to take extra classes during the school year and summer. Balancing this heavier course load can be stressful and tiring, and that’s something you should consider before you decide to graduate early. May Miss Out on Important Events Another potential drawback to graduating high school early is that you may miss out on special high school events. For many students, senior year is their favorite year of high school because of activities like homecoming and prom. If you graduate early, you may not be able to participate in these events. Additionally, you also may not attend a graduation ceremony, which is an important experience for many people. Before you decide to graduate early, think about how you’ll feel if you see all your friends participating in events like sports games, school dances, and senior days while you don’t. For some people, this isn’t important, but for others they’d regret missing out on these experiences. Won't Necessarily Impress Colleges You also shouldn’t try to graduate high school early to impress colleges. Just by itself, finishing high school in a shorter amount of time won’t give your college applications a boost. In fact, if graduating high school early means you have fewer classes in core subjects, it could even hurt your chances of admissions. Unless you have plans to spend your time at a great internship or another exciting opportunity that will really show colleges who you are and what your skills are, colleges won’t see graduating high school early as a sign of increased intelligence or motivation. Don't expect colleges to be automatically impressed that you graduated early. Should You Graduate High School Early? Now that you know how you can plan to graduate from high school early, should you do it? The main way to decide is to think about what you’ll do during the time you’d normally be in high school. If you have a great opportunity you’d like to take advantage of like an internship, travel experience, college classes, or something similar, graduating high school may be a good idea. However, if you plan to spend the time mostly watching TV or maybe working a few hours a week, it’s probably in your best interest to graduate when you normally would. Next, go through the steps above. Is it possible for you to graduate early while also taking all the classes you need to and would like to, without stretching yourself too thin? If you’ve found answers to both of the above considerations, graduating high school early may be something for you to start planning. What's Next? Thinking about summer school as a way to complete some of your graduation requirements? Check out our complete guide to summer school and learn if it's a good option for you. Do you think you go to a bad high school? Learn what your options are if you aren't happy with your current school. Taking an independent study can be a great way to fulfill some of your graduation requirements. Learn how to take an independent study class. What's the benefit to graduating high school early vs. dropping out? Find out with our article on whether or not you need a high school diploma. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Experimental Design Questions in ACT Science

Experimental Design Questions in ACT Science SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Every day you have a plan: whether it’s going to school or the movies. You make plans if you don’t already have a plan.Scientists / Researchers are major planners and control-freaks (get it science nerds?). The ACT Science section asks you to figure out what that plan was and how it could hypothetically change.These two types of questions are typically found in Research Summaries Passages. To learn more about this type of passage and learn useful ACT Science tips, check out the 3 types of ACT Science passages. In this article, I'll cover: The Two Types of Studies Independent and Dependent Variables Comparing and Contrasting Experiments Questions Questions about: Why did the Scientist/Student do X? Questions about hypothetical changes to the experiment Throughout the article, I'll dive into real ACT Science practice questions and provide ACT Science strategies along the way. The Two Types of Studies Observational vs. Experimental In Observational studies, scientists simply collect data and study differences.For example, there is an ACT Science passage about measuring the beak depths of finches from different neighboring islands. In Experimental studies, scientists create an experiment where they choose to change certain variables and see how the result changes in response.For example, there is an ACT Science article about giving tadpoles varying amounts of a certain chemical and seeing how it affects their transformation into frogs. Man, I'd hate to be a tadpole under his microscope. In both Observational and Experimental studies, scientists are looking for the differences between different conditions.It's not that meaningful to just provide a single data point - for example, "finches on Island A had an average beak depth of 8 mm."OK, great - what does this mean? Is 8 mm large or small? -Without comparisons, it's hard to know the importance or meaning of a study. Scientists do compare apples and oranges. Therefore, scientists will take multiple data points in different scenarios, and then the scientists compare them.The ACT Science passage on finches shows that "finches on Island A have an average beak depth of 8 mm while finches from Island B have an average beak depth of 9 mm."Now, we can compare the two.Island B finches have a larger average beak depth than Island A finches. This is also where study design differs - scientists will study different aspects of the same general field to find different answers.In an ACT science passage, you'll typically see multiple experiments and studies within a single passage (Particularly in Research Summaries and Data Representation Passages - again for more information about the 3 types of passages in the act science section click here).They will be labeled Experiment 1 / 2 / 3 or Study 1 / 2 / 3.Each experiment or study will be related to each other, but different in major ways.The experiments may measure the same change but use different independent variables, which we will discuss next: Independent and Dependent Variables In experiments, scientists are often changing experimental variables and seeing how the response changes.The variables that the scientists actively change are the independent variables.The variables that they then observe are the dependent variables.Here's an example: Scientist 1 is running an experiment to see how fast a rubber ball rolls down an incline.For each trial of the experiment, Scientist 1 uses different inclines of specific angles.Scientist 1 tested an incline of 10, 25, and 50 degrees. The scientist then timed how fast it took for the ball to roll from the top to the bottom of the incline.What do you think are the independent and dependent variables here? The independent variable is what the scientist is controlling. In this case, Scientist 1 is controlling the degree of the incline.The dependent variableis what the scientist is observing.In this case, Scientist 1 is observing how fast the ball rolls down the incline.It is as simple as that! Scientists might conduct experiments with more complicated scenarios like circuits or heat transfers, but the concept is the same. ACT Science Tip #1: data points are often graphed on an XY-graph, and independent variables are usually on the x-axis and dependent variables on the y-axis. ACT Science Tip #2: in observational studies, researchers don't have independent and dependent variables, as they don't really control what they are studying - they're just observing.But don't worry - the ACT won't ask you to make this distinction; this note is just to improve your understanding of how experiments work.Let’s attempt one of the ACT Science practice questions that asks us about the experimental variables: Let’s start by figuring out what the question is asking us: in Experiment 2, which chemical was the titrant and which was the sample solution? Idon’t know what titrant and sample solution mean. We need to start by figuring out what titrant and sample solution mean in the context of the experiment. ACT Science Tip #3: my recommended ACT Science strategies begin with using the visuals to try to answer all ACT Science questions. However, you could not figure this out by looking at the visual, so you needed to skim.Starting with Experiment 2, since that is what the question is asking about, we skim this, This is helpful because it tells us acetic acid is one of the solutions in Experiment 2 instead of HCl, but it doesn’t tell us whether it was the titrant or sample solution.However, even without knowing which it is, because acetic acid is only mentioned in answer choices A and C, we can eliminate choices B and D.We also learned that HCl was not used because it says acetic acid was used instead, but this doesn’t help us yet. Since HCl is not used in answer choice A or C.To figure out whether acetic acid is the titrant or sample solution, we must skim the rest of the passage.In the introduction, it had this helpful tidbit: We now know that titrant means the added solution andsample solution is the solution to which the titrant is added.Now, let’s skim Experiment 1 for more information because we still don’t know the answer. So, in the original experiment, Experiment 1, NaOH solution was added to HCl solution.According to what we just skimmed and the introduction, this would mean that NaOH is the titrant since it is being added.HCl is the sample solution since the NaOH is being added to it.This is very helpful! We know that in Experiment 2 the same procedure was repeated only using acetic acid instead of HCl. NaOH remains the titrant, and acetic acid replaces HCl as the sample solution.Therefore, the answer is C. ACT Science Tips / Strategies for Variable Questions: When trying to answer questions about experimental variables, start by dissecting the question. Ask yourself is it asking about the independent or dependent variable or both? Which experiment/study is it referring to? Next, look at the corresponding visuals for help answering the question. If you need more information, skim the passage, start by skimming the experiment or study that the question asks about. Skim the rest of the passage if you still haven’t found what you are looking for. Use process of elimination to help you narrow your focus. Do not be tricked by hidden information. This question was very tricky because it required you to look at Experiment 1 and the introduction to find out information about Experiment 2. Know that the answer to Experimental Design questions will always be buried within the passage. So keep digging! Comparing and Contrasting Experiments Comparing and Contrasting Experiment Questions areanother type of Experimental Design question.As I mentioned earlier, ACT Science passages will often give you multiple experiments or studies in the same passage.They will be labeled Experiment 1 / 2 / 3 or Study 1 / 2 / 3.NOTE: Sometimes there are only 2 experiments/studies, not 3.They'll deal with the same general topic but differ from each other in important ways. Here's an example mini-passage: Scientists wanted to study the impact of different types of gas on the mileage of the Toyota Prius Hybrid.In Study 1, each Toyota Prius received a full tank of either unleaded gasoline. The car then drove 100 miles on the highway at 55 mph. The amount of remaining gasoline was measured.In Study 2, the experiment was repeated, but the cars were given premium gasoline instead of unleaded. The amount of remaining gasoline was measured. Great. Let's break this down.What are the scientists studying here?It's in the first sentence - they want to study the impact of different types of gas on the mileage of the Toyota Prius. In what ways are the two studies similar?In nearly every way - in both, the cars drove 100 miles on the highway at 55 mph, and they measured the amount of remaining gasoline. In what ways are the two studies different?This is key - in study 2, the scientist used premium gasoline instead of unleaded.In this way, they changed the experiment a little bit so they could find something new. ACT Science Tip #4: Real ACT Science passages may not be this easy, but it's the same concept. Some things will remain the same between experiments, but there will always be key differences. Make sure you canfigure out these differences. Learning Checkpoint - what were the independent and dependent variables here?The independent variable was the type of gas used: unleaded or premium. The dependent variable was what was measured: the amount of gas remaining. Why Did They Do X? This is another type of Experimental Design question, in which you are asked why the scientists decided to make a certain choice in the experimental design. For example: As we did before, let’s try to figure out what the question is asking us.I don’t know what â€Å"tared† means, so I’m going to skim the passage.According to the passage, Tared means that the balance of the scale was reset to 0 g.So the question is saying, the students reset the scale to 0 g after putting a cylinder on it in order to better measure what?Also, according to the passage, the students were resetting the scale to 0g and then filling the cylinder with liquid.In order to answer the question, we need to figure what were the students measuring? Well, according to table 1 and the passage, the students measured Mass of H2O (g), Mass of Ethanol (g), Total Mass (g), and Density (g/mL).The point of the experiment was to measure the mass of H2O and Ethanol and total mass of the liquid, so the scientists did not want to measure the mass of the cylinder.So, the scientists reset the scale to 0g to exclude the mass of the cylinder when measuring the H2O, Ethanol, and combined liquid.Therefore, the answer is F. ACT Science Tip #5: In most cases, the answer to this is to make the experiment more robust.Scientists really care about bias or messing up the experiment with unintended side effects.By simplifying the experiment (in this case, by not measuring the cylinder), the scientists can be more certainthat their results are accurate. Hypothetical Changes in the Experiment Almost all questions of this skill type will ask something like, "Suppose the experiments had been repeated, except instead of _____, the scientists did _____. What would you expect to happen?" Here's a real ACT Science practice question along with the necessary visuals to answer the question: First, understand what the question is asking - how is the experiment being changed, and what are we measuring?The question is asking about using a 5 L vessel and adding 7 g of CO2.The experiment is being changed because in the original experiments a 3 L vessel and a 6 L vessel were used.The new experiment is still measuring the same thing: pressure at 7g of CO2 added. Then, figure out from the visuals what they tell you about the relationship between the variables.Are they directly proportional, or inversely proportional?In this case, we can see mass of gas added is directly proportional to pressure (for more information about relationships, check out our other article - LINK) Finally, answer the question incorporating all this knowledge.In the experiment in the 6 L vessel, the pressure at 7 g of CO2 added was about 500 torr.In the experiment in the 3 L vessel, the pressure at 7 g of CO2 added was about 1000 torr.So, if a 5 L vessel is used instead, which is in between 3 and 6 L (though closer to 6 L), the pressure at 7 g of CO2 added will be between 500 and 1000 torr.So, the answer is G. ACT Science Tip #6: The way to solve these questions remains the same, no matter how complicated the questions get. Recap There are 2 types of studies: Observational, where the scientists simply observe and measure data. Experimental, where the scientists design and conduct an experiment. There are 3 kinds of Experimental Design Questions: Independent and Dependent Variable Questions Comparing and Contrasting Experiments Why did they do X? You will also be asked about hypothetical changes to the experiment.The strategy is the same for all four types of questions: Start byfiguring out what the question is asking. Which experiment/study is it referring to? What is it asking about? Variables? Hypothetical changes? Next, look at the corresponding visuals for help answering the question. If you need more information, skim the passage, start by skimming the experiment or study that the question asks about. Skim the rest of the passage if you still haven’t found what you are looking for. Use process of elimination to help you narrow your focus. Do not be tricked by hidden information. Keep digging until you cananswer the question. What’s Next? Now that you have the Experimental Design and Hypothetical Questions covered, if you haven’t already, learn tips and strategies for theothertypes of ACT Science questions such asfactual questionsand the hardest ACT Science questions. Also, learn about the best way to study and practice for ACT Science. Like this article? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Sciencelesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Dora Seigel About the Author As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. No spam ever. hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: '360031', formId: '2167ba30-e68e-4777-b88d-8bf3c84579af', formInstanceId: '2', submitButtonClass: 'btn-red-light btn', target: '#hubspot-container2', redirectUrl: 'http://ww2.prepscholar.com/blog-subscribe-thank-you', css: '.post-bottom .hs-form.stacked label {display:none;} .post-bottom .hs-form.stacked .field div.input {padding-top: 55px; padding-left: 300px;} .post-bottom .hs-input {width: 220px} .post-bottom .btn-primary, .hs-button.primary {margin-top:0px; padding-left:350px} .post-bottom .hs-form-field {margin-bottom:5px}' }); $(function(){ $(".exclusive-tip-form #hubspot-container2 label").hide(); }); function replace_tag(a, b){ $(a).each(function(index) { var thisTD = this; var newElement = $(""); $.each(this.attributes, function(index) { $(newElement).attr(thisTD.attributes[index].name, thisTD.attributes[index].value); }); $(this).after(newElement).remove(); }); } $(function(){ replace_tag($(".posts-by-topic h3"), "h2"); }) Ask a Question BelowHave any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply! Search the Blog Search jQuery(function(){ var $ = jQuery; var url = 'http://google.com/search?q=site:' + location.protocol + '//' + location.hostname + ' '; var $searchModule = $('.hs-search-module.d8083028-4c5f-4540-ab54-17dbb0717e68'); var $input = $searchModule.find('input'); var $button = $searchModule.find('.hs-button.primary'); if (false) { $input.val(decodeURIComponent(location.pathname.split('/').join(' ').split('.').join(' ').split('-').join(' ').split('_').join(''))); } $button.click(function(){ var newUrl = url + $input.val(); var win = window.open(newUrl, '_blank'); if (win) { //Browser has allowed it to be opened win.focus(); } else { //Browser has blocked it location.href = newUrl; } }); $input.keypress(function(e){ if (e.keyCode !== 13) return; e.preventDefault(); $button.click(); }); }); Improve With Our Famous Guides SATPrep ACTPrep For All Students The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section: Score 800 on SAT Math Score 800 on SAT Reading Score 800 on SAT Writing Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section: Score 600 on SAT Math Score 600 on SAT Reading Score 600 on SAT Writing Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? 15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section: 36 on ACT English 36 on ACT Math 36 on ACT Reading 36 on ACT Science Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section: 24 on ACT English 24 on ACT Math 24 on ACT Reading 24 on ACT Science What ACT target score should you be aiming for? ACT Vocabulary You Must Know ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA How to Write an Amazing College Essay What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For? Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide Should you retake your SAT or ACT? When should you take the SAT or ACT? Michael improved by 370 POINTS! Find Out How Stay Informed Get the latest articles and test prep tips! Looking for Graduate School Test Prep? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: GRE Online Prep Blog GMAT Online Prep Blog TOEFL Online Prep Blog

The chemisrty in onions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The chemisrty in onions - Research Paper Example Some of these acids like the 1-propenesulfenic acid is acted upon by the lachrymatory factor synthase enzyme to produce a volatile gas known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide also referred to as onion lachrymatory factor. The syn-propanethial-S-oxide diffuses in the air and on reaching the eye; a stinging sensation is felt due to its activation on the sensory neurons (Block, 2010). The onion cells contain various different enzymes kept separate and upon cutting, the cells contents become free and mix with the acids kept in the onion forming volatile compounds. In the eye, a reaction occurs between the propanethiole S-oxide and the tears released from the tear glands forming a mild sulphuric acid stimulating rapid release of tears which in turn makes the situation more worse. The alliinase enzyme is responsible for breaking down onions compounds into unstable intermediates which either change into thiosulfinate or lachrymatory factor. Thiosulfinate is responsible for the distinct flavor and odor from the onions as well as converted into sulfur compounds that benefit the body by lowering the cholesterol levels, acting as anti-blood clotting, anti-asthma, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. Research has confirmed that only one specific enzyme is responsible of causing the formation of the lachrymatory factor hence inhibiting it will stop crying and on the long run increase the thiosulfinate compounds yield. Several strategies ranging from laboratory research to local imaginations have been employed towards the production of tear free onions or the prevention of the lachrymatory factor from reaching the eyes by neutralizing it in the air. To start with, the New Zealand Crop and Food Research together with the Japan House Food Corporation in 2008 developed tear free onions aiming at less reaction and irritation to the eyes. The new variety, taste and look like the regular onions but the action of lachrymatory factor synthase enzyme is lowered through genetic alteration. Th e modification has been engineered through the production of genetically modified foods that have been said to contain the desired nutrients. Research refills that if onions are grown on sulfur deficient soils, the creation of lachrymatory factor and other sulfur compounds is reduced and sweet flavor enhanced. This is in relation to Vidalia; a brand of sweet onions (Imani, 2002). The local methods used in a daily basis include: Chopping onions while chewing gum. Though the method is not as certain to the expected results, less crying is evident but the coordination between keeping on chewing the gum as you cut the onions is tricky. At the end of it, less tears come out besides high levels of irritation. It has been found to be an easy and convenient method to use (Walter, 2006). The use of goggles is gaining popularity as it gives painless results. The goggles protect the eyes from the volatile gas hence no tears or stinging. They are easy and convenient to be used though it is an a dded cost and their tight grip causes uncomfortable moments (Dille, 1996). Another method fruitfully used is that of freezing the onions in the freezer for about 15 minutes before chopping. The temperature in the freezer is very low to an extent of inhibiting the onions from releasing chemicals that irritate the eyes. It is painless, no tears and irritation. The

Is Britain taking the right approach to Prostitution Essay

Is Britain taking the right approach to Prostitution - Essay Example Prostitution is one of the last bulwarks of this way of thinking. In the course of this essay, prostitution in the UK will be examined and it will be argued that it should be legalized. Prostitution in the UK is a dangerous business. Female prostitutes are more likely to be assaulted and murdered and to have shorter lives (Castillo, 126). Prostitutes are often the victims of serial killers as we can see from the Ipswich murders in recent years. We need to find a way to regulate in order to keep sex workers safe. The truth is that under the current law, sex workers are at risk. They must conduct their business under cover of night and have little time to communicate with potential johns due to law prohibiting communication. As such, they are placed at higher risk. Indeed, the very fact that prostitution is not in itself illegal, is an indication of how society thinks it should be dealt with by police. Instead, the various ancillary crimes such as living off the avails of prostitution and communicating for the purposes of prostitution are illegal. This is hypocritical and endangers the lives of sex workers. For this reason, these laws should be struck down. They threaten the human rights of UK sex workers. It is easy to imagine scenarios where the current laws have been responsible for higher crime rates (Phoenix, 52). Take for instance an example of a lonely man who yearns for sexual interaction or intercourse and cannot find a woman who is easily willing to fulfil his sexual needs. It is possible his behaviour may lead him to rape or other illegal behaviour. This need not be the case if prostitution is effectively legalized. Or suppose a married man has a high sex drive then his wife and sometimes his wife is not always available to meet his sexual desires, his behaviour may lead him to abuse her. This too can be avoided if there is a legal outlet. Once prostitution is regulated, sex workers will have more health checks and will be safer. We should follow the l ead of our European neighbours and regulate prostitution (and take the tax revenue from it) rather than continue to criminalize it and force it into the darkest corners of society, where sex workers are most at risk. The very idea that prostitution is effectively illegal stands in the face of political freedom. The truth, in my opinion, is that the freest society is the best one. The government creates lots of laws in order to prevent people from making the most of their lives. Of course, some laws are necessary, such as murder is wrong, but many other laws serve no purpose: in the end they just create a â€Å"nanny state.† Libertarianism stands against needless laws and in favour of freedom. The government should play only the smallest role in our lives and should not tell us who we can and cannot sleep with. Libertarianism is a political philosophy that idealizes personal freedom and non-judgement (Nozick 32). More than ever before, people in the UK living in a Nanny State. A Nanny State is one that uses excessive state controls, for example, lots of unnecessary laws, to restrict its citizens’ freedom. It believes that it knows best and that citizens should follow its morality. Of course, there is a general feeling that certain things are wrong and should be discouraged or criminalized, but for proponents of the Nanny State, the government should seize control of actions and issues where there is no consensus and unilaterally impose its view of morality on these issues. We

Systems Security IT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Systems Security IT - Assignment Example Moreover, Trojan is operational by initiating an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) that waits for any action from the hacker who has full control over the botnet (Rapoza, 2008). Apart from IRC, hackers utilize root kits to compromise weak system with no updated security patches and have security loop holes that facilitate hacker’s objectives. As there are countless computers connected to the Internet, they use tools to capture and identify vulnerable systems and uses IP spoofing for (Spoofing.2011) manipulating the original IP addresses for gaining access in to the system. Furthermore, these compromised systems are from different geographical locations, it is difficult to identity suspicious traffic, as it represents different time zones. As botnets are considered as a major player in a Denial of Service attacks, it can be prevented by honey pots and bastion hosts that will identify suspicious broadcast at the initial level. As mentioned previously, that a zombie army initiates flooding and broadcasting attacks from various locations to the specific target. The characteristic of this attack encompasses threats from distributed source and is known as distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS). Computer network encyclopedia describes it, as the incorporation of hundreds or even thousands of computers that were previously compromised used for transmitting huge volume of unwanted traffic to the target. DDoS attacks are considered to be lethal in the world of Internet has imposes significant risks for businesses, governmental organizations, army networks etc. (Ghazali & Hassan, 2011) research on DDoS attacks has revealed vulnerabilities not only in the network architecture or infrastructure, but also in the protocol specifications along with Internet. Exhibit 1.1 demonstrates types of flooding DDoS attacks along with protocols: High rate flood attacks: This type of attack is achieved by traffic generation from many machines that may be in total of

Shortage of skill staff in aviation industory in UAE Essay

Shortage of skill staff in aviation industory in UAE - Essay Example It has opened new ways for many new airline companies to step up in the field. As there are much new aviation industries presently working in the Gulf region, it has also led to the shortage of skilled qualified staff in the industry. Inflation has not only affected the aviation sector, but also the housing, schooling and living sector. A change of almost 40-1000% was recorded in the housing and rent sector, and this was not only limited to the residential areas, but also to the commercial sector. And as far as the schooling sector is concerned, an increase of almost 15% was recorded, compared to the last year's school fees. And due to a massive increase in all these sectors, an increase in the cost of living was also recorded, to around 40%. This article describes the needs of human being in the present time. Facilities, new technologies, leisure that they are getting used to, the amount of dependency that they've on machines, rather than using and improving their own skills. People have adopted computers, mobile phones, air conditioners and other such things as a necessity item rather than a luxury item, and getting habitual to them. Due to which the amount of their spending expenditures exceeds their income, and as the people are finding it hard to leave all these comforts, they're surrounded with problems. Another factor which is contributing to all these problems is "inflation". It is creating problems for everyone. It is forcing the people to reduce their standard of living, and the range of their high quality life. In many industries, inflation has more impact on the lives of their employees than a few others. They've low incomes and are provided with only few facilities compared to other industries. Thus, allowin g them to choose other options, with more income and facilities, and a better standard of living. This article would further recommend steps to facilitate the problems faced by the aviation industry. Currently, the aviation industry is going through a difficult phase. Some major problems faced by the aviation industry are the increasing Cost of living, the cost of Accommodation, the cost of Schooling and the shortage of skilled staff. The drawbacks of all these problems are major, and we've to find a solution to these problems. 1.2 - OBJECTIVES The main objective of this article is to provide solutions to the problems mentioned in the "Aim" section. One of the most important moves that an aviation industry should make is increase the salary of their staff, so that they could meet up their personal expenses and are not worried, as it'll enable them to work more efficiently and the output would be quality work. The aviation industry should also provide their employees with facilities such as free fuel, free accommodation, free schooling, free training and other incentives to attract more qualified and skilled workers to their industry to meet up the shortage and demand of skilled staff in the industry. The industry should also help their staff out with their problems, and give them allowances. Another thing that aviation industry should do is provide a friendly working environment, so that every one feels comfortable and welcomed in the industry. 1.3 - Background The beginning of civil aviation in U.A.E was taken about in 1935, when aerodromes were generated. In

Problem Definition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Problem Definition - Research Paper Example The problem that the paper centers around is gender bias in corporations and the associated problems. (Jennings, 2008; Wines, 2006; Bowie, 2002) Earning profits without maintaining ethics might benefit the organization but the growth is short lived. Investors, employees, customers and interest groups judge whether an action is ethical or non-ethical. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2009;  Jones, Parker & Bos 2005) The aspect of gender bias has been taken up in this paper with some small case studies to bring out the exact work environment in the US. The company under study is an orchestra company, which was accused for gender discrimination in employee treatment and work culture in the US music industry.      Our study is based on the US music industry. The bias has been seen in the compositions of western music and in the very management itself. Women working here are hurt badly in the way they are treated or the acknowledgement of their works and achievements. There have been some cases when women have been denied membership or selection in an orchestra position based on their gender. (Takala, 2007) The work atmosphere is such that women are deprived of any equal treatment to that of  men in similar positions. This feeling of exclusion and deprivation affected their performance and their abilities misused. (Takala, 2007). United States in general has an impressive statistics with respect to workingwomen compared to Europe. While Europe has 41% of workingwomen with only 1% making it to the executive boards, US women make more than half of the working force with 10% in the executive boards. Women participation in orchestras has been compared for four countries according to gender. Allmendinger and Hackman report women participation of 36% for US against 30% for UK and 16% for East and West Germany. But the high rates in US did not give the real picture. The survey found that though the number of working women were high in US, most of

The Impact of Downsizing on Organizational Competitiveness & Assignment

The Impact of Downsizing on Organizational Competitiveness & Innovativeness - Assignment Example Such strategies will become their key success factors in the future. The competition is forcing organizations to change their forms and the fundamental practices of management which they follow (Bresnen and Fowler 1994). The competitive advantage durability depends on the value of the human resources working in the organization and the intellectual capital they imply to perform their work (Wilkinson 2005, Guthrie and Datta 2008). To have a strong competitive edge in the business market is extremely vital for the firm to succeed otherwise survival of organizations starts to become quite difficult with such extreme competition taking place vigorously. The impact of downsizing is playing a major role in causing a shift in the social, economic, and the competitive organizational structures (McKinley, Sanchez, and Schick 1995). It can be observed that downsizing can strongly impact the competitiveness of organizations. At times downsizing may cause the business to lose their valuable employees and during the downsizing phase, many of the employees that are being retained may become troubled over their sense of job security which in turn may affect their performance greatly. The main purpose of this research is to find out the impact of downsizing; in what ways are the strategies for competitiveness and innovation of an organization affected whence it decides to downsize. This will be achieved by investigating firms that have conducted downsizing. A deeper look will be taken at the aftermaths of downsizing which was faced by these organizations. 2. To find out whether innovative practices of organizations are successful when firms opt for the downsizing process; a basic question is how the innovation model of any firm changes due to downsizing.

Problem Definition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Problem Definition - Research Paper Example The problem that the paper centers around is gender bias in corporations and the associated problems. (Jennings, 2008; Wines, 2006; Bowie, 2002) Earning profits without maintaining ethics might benefit the organization but the growth is short lived. Investors, employees, customers and interest groups judge whether an action is ethical or non-ethical. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2009;  Jones, Parker & Bos 2005) The aspect of gender bias has been taken up in this paper with some small case studies to bring out the exact work environment in the US. The company under study is an orchestra company, which was accused for gender discrimination in employee treatment and work culture in the US music industry.      Our study is based on the US music industry. The bias has been seen in the compositions of western music and in the very management itself. Women working here are hurt badly in the way they are treated or the acknowledgement of their works and achievements. There have been some cases when women have been denied membership or selection in an orchestra position based on their gender. (Takala, 2007) The work atmosphere is such that women are deprived of any equal treatment to that of  men in similar positions. This feeling of exclusion and deprivation affected their performance and their abilities misused. (Takala, 2007). United States in general has an impressive statistics with respect to workingwomen compared to Europe. While Europe has 41% of workingwomen with only 1% making it to the executive boards, US women make more than half of the working force with 10% in the executive boards. Women participation in orchestras has been compared for four countries according to gender. Allmendinger and Hackman report women participation of 36% for US against 30% for UK and 16% for East and West Germany. But the high rates in US did not give the real picture. The survey found that though the number of working women were high in US, most of

Managing Organizational Risk Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Organizational Risk - Assignment Example 7). There are many forms of risks in any organization today chief among them being the information security risks. The ever-growing number of technically well conversant users, as well as the easily available internet to most of the world population, today makes it increasingly riskier in this aspect. For this reason, the need to protect information and other related details has become one of the most important parts of organizations today. In response to these risks, a large number of organizations today have established various security plans and programs that facilitate the prevention and handling of a myriad of growing threats and intrusion activities. These programs have been phenomenal in protecting most organizations from potential vulnerabilities and threats. However, it is worth noting that these programs may not always be efficient in handling the respective risks, and thus more plans are continuously being added to reinforce the risk protection of the organizations today. In this light, many organizations are quickly adopting a method of developing their own Computer Incident Response Teams (CIRT) or even opting to outsource in this field. Simply put, a CIRT provides organizations with a well-structured and a clearly defined plan that deals with probable threats and incidents. A CIRT is an organizational entity typically made up of several staff members that is tasked with the responsibility of providing management of incidents in an organization. The CIRT coordinates and supports incidence response by handling incident activities. The role of a typical CIRT plan in an organization include; Disseminating information about the current attacks, threats and risks while also corresponding mitigation strategies through modes such as providing advisories, alerts and other technical publications. The CIRT also maintains and stores

War and the City Essay Example for Free

War and the City Essay Paintings and photographs are pieces of art. As such, it has always depicted life. It has become a representation of reality. More importantly, it represents the time wherein these artists are living. They created what they see, and through the artists’ eyes and perspective, we are able to witness what they’ve seen as if it was right in front of us. In this light, the three photographs have war as the unifying theme. Although differently expressed, each image portrays pain and helplessness, and with it a faint spark of hope for a better tomorrow. But the latter implication cannot be readily noticed at first glance of the picture. When we look at them, we only see dismay and fright. They are a reminder of a life others were not able to witness, a terror for others. They displayed this in either symbolic or upfront manner, but they never failed to show the emotions involved. The striking difference among these pictures, on the other hand, resides on how they were presented. The first image by Goya made use of warm colors and upfront action. Picassos painting used of a lot of symbols. Meanwhile, the 9/11 photograph captured a moment during the after shock of the attack. These images each have a different perspective, taking war from various angles. In the end, they all say war is never pleasant. Every artist has a responsibility for every piece of art they render. More importantly, the artist who constantly depict the realities of war should be careful about their pieces. Unfortunately, paintings and photographs are works of art, and are avenues for freedom of expression. It should not be constrained. But knowing that what they show in their works would either create or break their names as an artist can be very constraining. However, if they let themselves be taken by this constraint, and did not risk the consequences, them they would not have been able to become masters in their fields. In my perspective, I believe that the artists should really show the horror and brutality of war. We are at the age wherein being romantic and subtle are no longer the focus of art. Strong and provocative pieces are more the trade of art today. However, given that the other two pieces were created during a different period, it does not mean that being upfront about war only started in recent history. War is a fact of life, regardless of the time when they were created. It should not be covered with romanticized implications to depict war. There is no other way to present war as it is. We cannot define how it feels to be in the middle of one. We only have pictures to show us how is it like. It is the closest to reality as we can get, and it is a reality we have to face. There are a lot of things one can perceive from one piece of art depicting war. But I dont believe that these will promote violence for the audience. Usually, these pieces are present the effects of war, and the basic facts about it. It was not created to persuade others to resort to war, unless that was the underlying message and it was bluntly said. However, majority of these kinds of artworks only present facts, and are not usually political in nature. They are perspectives, concepts and ideas from the artists point of view. We dont always have to agree or disagree with them. A silent understanding would have been enough. Works Cited â€Å"Guernica: Testimony of War. † Public Broadcasting Service. 1 April 2008 http://www. pbs. org/treasuresoftheworld/guernica/gmain. html. â€Å"Third of May. † Museo Nacional Del Prado. 1 April 2008 museoprado/mcu. es/i34. html. â€Å"World Trade Center September 11, 2008. † SHI. 1 April 2008 http://dmetcalfe. homestead. com/AMERICA2. html.

Hypochondria and Prozac Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Hypochondria and Prozac: A Pill For All Ills? Right now, my shoulder really, really aches. It's a dull, uncentralized sort of pain, and over the past few days, it has spread to my neck and upper arms. My wrists hurt too, especially when I twist them a certain way. I'm tired all of the time, and thirsty. I'm not worried about these symptoms. Their cause is obvious. I've spent the last four days hunched over my computer until early morning, furiously typing reports for finals week (this one included). I get an average of four to five hours of sleep a night, and the rest of the time, only a constant stream of caffeinated beverages can keep me awake. My back/shoulder/neck pain is caused by my stance at the computer; my tiredness is a result of---what else?---lack of sleep; I'm thirsty because all I'm drinking is soda. If I were a hypochondriac, though, I'd probably think I had cancer. Don't laugh. Hypochondria, or the attributing of benign symptoms such as backache and fatigue to serious illnesses, occurs in 1% of the population and 5% of America's medical outpatients ((7)). These people, while usually genuinely healthy, interpret every minor pain as indicative of something serious. They travel from doctor to doctor seeking treatment; if one doctor refuses to acknowledge their illness, or gives them a clean bill of health, they simply move on ((7)). This process can go on for anywhere from six months to years ((6)). The symptoms they feel are not delusions, nor are they purposefully-created fakes. Pretending to experience nonexistant symptoms is a behavior associated with a different disorder, Muchausen syndrome. Hypochondriacs' pain is very real. It's just not, as its sufferers assume, a sign of some fatal illness ((7... ...iety for what it was, and know that it was a mental rather than a physical problem, and therefore fixable. Most importantly, I would know that I wouldn't have to rely on pills for my recovery. That being said, I'm going to go pop a few aspirins. Internet Sources: 1)http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/ 2)http://www.uib.no/med/avd/med_a/gastro/wilhelms/hypochon.html 3)http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss24/record2124.24.html 4)http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss24/record2124.24.html 5)http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/healthcare/2002-03-19-hypochondriacs.htm 6)http://healthsciences.columbia.edu/news/journal/journal-o/archives/jour_v15n2_0002.html 7)http://www.helenair.com/articles/2003/09/13/health/c01090903_04.txt 8)http://www.uib.no/med/avd/med_a/gastro/wilhelms/wallstr.html

Physics of MiniDisk Players Essay -- physics electronics minidisk

Introduction: In 1986, designers at Sony began the quest to develop a sound medium that combined the benefits of the compact disc, such as sound quality and track accessibility, with the recordability of the cassette tape, in a player with unprecedented portability. They gave engineers the task of creating what would later be called the Minidisc, a wallet sized unit that could record, play, and store music on cartridge enclosed discs. Engineers integrated several technologies to produce the Minidisc, all utilizing the laws of physics. They found that: -Laser optics would be the obvious choice for reading data. -Magneto optic technology would be created to record information. -To allow recordability, new disc properties had to be defined. -Compression and acoustic principles would be incorporated to store information on a disc 1/5 the size of the compact disc. The laser used in the minidisc player serves two purposes. Its primary role is to read digital information in a similar fashion as a CD player. Its secondary, but equally important, function is to supply focused heat to the minidisc itself during the recording process. LASER HEAT: The minidisc recording system takes advantage of a discovery by Pierre Curie in the 1880's. He found that when iron is heated up to a certain temperature, now called the Curie point, it loses its magnetic properties. Similarly, when the minidisc laser is directed at a tiny point of the disc during recording, it heats that spot up to 180 degrees celsius, and the disc material loses its magnetic properties. A magnetic field can then be "frozen" onto that point once it moves past the laser beam, storing data. For more information on the recording process, visit... ...o-acoustic principles, which states that the ear is more sensitive to some frequencies of sound than others. Psychoacoustics also explores the relationship between the intensity of sound (its decibel level) and its frequency. As you can see from the equi-loudness curve below, a low frequency, high intensity wave will produce the same loudness as a high frequency, low intensity wave.The masking of sound is another factor considered during the compression process. This occurs when one sound blocks another sound from being heard. For example, on a crisp fall day you would be able to hear leaves rustling in the wind until a marching band stomps by. ATRAC would omit the rustling leaves data that was masked by the band, saving storage space. Once the audible sound data is singled out, it can easily be compressed and stored with an inperceivable change in sound quality.