Environment pollution argument Essay

Perhaps no invention affected American everyday life in the 20th century more than the automobile (UsHistory.org, 2008). Technology for the automobiles existed in the 19th century, but it took until the 20th century for Henry Ford to make automobiles accessible to the American public. The automobile drastically changed the lives of Americans for the better, not only did it improve transportation, it also created an economic boost for them. The demand for rubber skyrocketed and road construction created thousands of jobs. State and local governments began funding highway designs and the federal government became involved with the Federal Highway Act of 1921 (UsHistory.org, 2008). This act required each state to designate a system of state highways not to exceed seven percent of the total highway mileage in each state. Gas stations began to appear and mechanics could earn a living by fixing the inescapable problems with automobiles. Obviously two well established industries, oil and st eel, received a serious boost by the demand of automobiles. People could travel longer distances causing the need for motels, fast food places, and diners. In the beginning, automobiles made life better for humans, but with the growing number, environmental issues began to appear. In this unperfected world, the combustion process caused by automobile engines emits several types of pollutants. The exhaust from automobiles is generated by the chemical and mechanical process that occurs in order for a vehicle to work, this exhaust is what pollutes the air. Exhaust pollutants include hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. Smog is a word formed by smoke and fog. The leading cause of smog comes from the releasing of pollutants in the air from gasoline and diesel-run vehicles, industrial plants and activities, and heating due to human activities. Burning gasoline in automobiles releases carbon dioxide, which is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in  the United States (Conserve Energy Future, 2013). Increased heat in the atmosphere causes ecosystems and weather patterns to change, such as the rise of sea levels and affects rainfall patterns. Humans can experience short term and long term affects due to exposure of air pollution. Short term effects, usually are temporary, can range from nausea to bronchitis. While long term effects can in clude heart disease and lung cancer leading to death. In 1952, over 3,000 people died in what became known as London’s â€Å"Killer Fog.† The smog was so thick that buses could not run without guides walking ahead of them carrying lanterns (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). Events like this alerted humans of the threats air pollution poses to human health. In 1963 several federal and state laws were passed including the original Clean Air Act, this produced funding to study the effects and help clean up air pollution. In 1970 Congress passed a stronger Clean Air Act and created the Environmental Protection Agency, known as the EPA. Again in 1990 Congress expanded the Clean Air Act, which gave the EPA more authority to implement regulations lowering pollutant emissions. Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty (National Geographic Education, 1996) . Along with human health, automobiles pose a threat to the environment in ways of global warming, water pollution, and acid rain. Global warming is affected by the greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, which are emitted through automobile exhaust. Vehicles require fluids like motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, and refrigerants. These fluids are easily leaked from a vehicle or can be disposed of improperly and can end up in aquatic ecosystems. When rain occurs it washes everything on the ground, including leaked car fluids, into sewage drains that lead into our oceans and other aquatic ecosystems. Automobile fluids are toxic to animals affecting their immune and respiratory systems. Acid rain changes the PH balance of waterways and can harm the organisms that rely on them. The nitrogen and sulfer oxides that are released from automobiles are major contributors to acid rain. Electrical motors date back to the 1800’s, with steam and combustion engines being attempted by the 1900’s, and it was undecided which engine would power  the automobile. At first the electrical motor was the most popular, but the battery life was short and would not allow travel over long distances. As mentioned earlier, Henry Ford introduced a combustion engine that rejected the idea of an electrical motor. In the late 1 960’s automobile manufacturers noticed concerns of the growing oil crisis and emissions of gasoline powered vehicles causing them to add electric cars into their line ups. By the 1990’s consumers were converting to electric powered automobiles because awareness of dependency on foreign oil and environmental issues were becoming more knowledgeable. Automobile manufacturers were making electric cars a larger part of their line ups. Modern day consumers have a choice between electric cars and hybrid cars as an alternative choice to gasoline powered engines. Recent electric cars are comparable to gasoline powered engines in terms of speed and travel distance due to recharging stations along the way. Electric cars are nonpolluting, however still have an environmental cost because the recharging of their batteries is done by burning fossil fuels. According to the Electrical Vehicle Association of Canada, even batteries recharged by coal-powered electric generators cut carbon emission roughly in half (Lampton, 1998) Hybrid cars are appealing to consumers who feel limited by electric cars. These cars have a traditional engine and a bank of rechargeable batteries that charge while the car is running. Limited demands of power, like driving around town, uses the charged batteries while high demand of power, like freeway driving, uses the gasoline engine. Although hybrid cars are low polluting, they still have some environmental issues of emissions as gasoline powered engines. The future for humans depends on what they are doing and consuming today. Fossil fuels are eventually going to be depleted and the sooner the dependency is lifted, the longer humans can make them last. Global warming is going to occur, but causing the release of carbon dioxide into the air through the burning of gasoline is only going to make it happen faster. Human health issues regarding air pollution are going to continue to get worse, death is already happening and those numbers are going to continue to rise. Humans depend on automobiles as their primary mode of transportation, but carpooling or public transportation would lessen their carbon footprint. If everyone just did one thing a day to help the envi ronment, maybe they could help sustainability of the Earth. References Conserve Energy Future. (2013). What is Smog. Retrieved from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/SmogPollution.php Lampton, C. (1998-2013). How Electric Car Batteries Work. Retrieved from http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/vehicles/electric-car-battery3.htm National Geographic Education. (1996-2013). Air Pollution. Retrieved from http://education.national geographic.com/education/encylopedia/air-pollution/?ar_a=1 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2012, March 6). Understanding the Clean Air Act. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/airquality/peg_caa/understand.html UsHistory.org. (2008-2013). The Age of the Automobile. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/us/46a.asp

A reaction paper to the book: may god have mercy

The focal point of this essay is to prepare a reaction paper for the book May God Have Mercy: A True Story of Crime and Punishment by John C. Tucker. This 368 page paperback was written by the author to look into the death penalty of Roger Coleman in 1992 who was convicted for a murder case in spite of the evidences being placed on a soft ground. As a defense attorney of criminal activities John C. Tucker indulges himself in investigation and analyzes and criticizes the loopholes of the judiciary system and the prevailing criminal justice process. Wanda Fay McCoy, a young woman of 19 years of age, was found raped and murdered in her bedroom in March 1981. The prime suspect was Roger Coleman, brother-in-law of the victim. Roger Coleman had a history of sexual assaults in past thus he was the logical suspect for the small town police officials who were investigating the case. This was a perfect example of the ‘catch first, prove later’ fallacy rather than the rational approach to the case. The Grundy police suspected Roger Coleman for the rape and murder, caught him and them tried to arrange the case in accordance to prove Roger Coleman guilty. The entire approach was a short cut to success for the investigating cops and the entire scenario was close to an act of travesty. Therefore, as a result, though there was not much evidence against Roger Coleman to prove him guilty the convict was tried in a double quick manner and was thus found guilty. The verdict against him was death penalty. May God Have Mercy: A True Story of Crime and Punishment by John C. Tucker narrates the buildup and eventual conclusion of this legal battle and a man’s struggle to be free against legal system’s strangling notions. The author presents the documentations in a chilling mode where it becomes evident that something was going wrong somewhere. The defense lawyers knew this. The media knew this and so was the general mass. But for the judicial system Roger Coleman was guilty without doubt. The case of Roger Coleman as narrated by John C. Tucker appears to us as a frightening denunciation of political affairs as customary that is clear to confront the conjectures of a person who considers that the justice system of America is concerned first and foremost with righteousness. Roger Coleman's account is convincing, distressing, and awesomely wearisome. While reading May God Have Mercy: A True Story of Crime and Punishment by John C. Tucker it is virtually impossible for a person to be move away completely unaffected. This is because the author has done a remarkable job by presenting the rules and the process of multifaceted legal conceptions in a simple and clear language. Otherwise any such proceedings would have been bound to be confusing and rather dull. Tucker also incorporates many stories dealing with the personal parameters of the convict’s life to present a moving and powerful humane account. As for the settings of the case it should be mentioned that in general the judiciary system is arranged in such a manner that an innocent person is hardly ever convicted especially in the circumstances of a possible death penalty. But it was proved wrong in case of Roger Coleman's account of trial. It is not that Tucker advocates blindly with irrational suspicion that Roger Coleman's case was not guilty. But he simply points at the sustainable evidences that indicated that the convict was not to be blamed. Substantial evidence is what tucker is more concerned about and he tends to follow the proceedings of the law and identifies the evidences hardly proved the convict guilty with a full proof assurance. It is true that any judicial system should be rigid in some way or the other to pursue criminals into justice but it should always be remembered that justice as an individual objective is extremely volatile if it is not handled with proper care and common human sense of truth and rightfulness. Roger Coleman's account of a mishandled human being is the prime example of justice becoming a curse for the society and failing to follow the basic norms of a civilized human society. This basic norm of a society is undoubtedly a profound humane approach to any problem where solutions would be acquired with benevolent advance towards rational behaviors and accomplishments. It is not about the fact that whether truly Roger Coleman actually guilty or not but the main concern over here is the nature of the proceedings that were followed. This is the main issue of the book and the author has incorporated that needful doubt within the readers that should have been present within the faiths of judicial personnel in the first place. It is evident that if anybody commits to memory about the case not so far away from the media coverage it is obvious that he or she would be traumatized and horror struck at this chronicle with its deficiency of concern, ordinary logical conclusions and fundamental compassion towards human values of the legal system American government can acquire. Reference: Tucker, John C; August 10, 1998; May God Have Mercy: A True Story of Crime and Punishment; Delta Publications   

Disruptive Behaviors

Research/Literature Review Disruptive and Violent Behaviors in the Classroom: Where do we begin to solve the problem? According to Random House Dictionary (1992), discipline is defined as â€Å"behavior in accord with rules of conduct. † It is an essential part of classroom management. Discipline in the classroom enables a teacher to focus on the task at hand, which is education our children. It also keeps a classroom or school in order and created a safer environment in which to learn. Disruptive behaviors in the classroom affect not only the student involved but also the teacher and other students. For example, if a student exhibits disruptive behavior as a means of gaining attention by throwing paper or talking during class, he or she takes the teacher off task to address his or her behavior. This also causes the other students to become off task. The disruptive student becomes satisfied because the attention rewards his/her negative behavior. These kinds of minor incidents, if rewarded, could lead to other forms of disruptions, which, if not controlled, could become aggressive and or violent situations. Take for instance the six-year old boy who shot and killed another six-year old classmate after a playground dispute in Mount Morris Township, MI on February 9, 2000 (Bonilla, 2000). If elementary school educators think the problem of crime, violence and aggression in youth will not affect them, then they must reconsider. This example has proven that the perpetrator is likely to be of any age, even as young as six-years old. As a teacher, one of my concerns is classroom management. In particular, I want to be well informed on the disruptive behavior of children, recognizing its causes and implementing a form of discipline that will not only stop the disruption and keep the students on task but also prevent it from occurring regularly. I believe being knowledgeable of the causes will enable us as educators to develop strategies to control and prevent these behaviors from occurring in the future, thus, keeping our students on task, as well as, making our schools a safer place to learn. This paper is organized in a three-fold manner, including research on the following focus areas: (1) overview of aggressive and disruptive behaviors and violence in schools; (2) possible causes and consequences for aggressive and disruptive behaviors; (3) strategies for assessment, intervention and prevention. Definitions/Overview of Concepts How do we begin to derive a solution to the problem of violence in our schools? It only seems appropriate to first define aggression and violence. Jan Jewett (1992), the author of Aggression and Cooperation: Helping Young Children Develop Constructive Strategies, defines aggression as â€Å"any intentional behavior that results in physical or mental injury to any person or animal, or in damage to or destruction of property. According to researcher Lorraine Wallach (1996), violence and aggression are often confused and are used interchangeably to mean the same thing. In fact, she states that aggression is inborn while violence is learned. Aggression provides the force that can cause violent behavior to erupt if it is not handled properly. Wallach’s definition of violence is very similar to Jewett’s definition of aggression. Wallach (1996) states, â€Å"violence means using force to hurt, violate or abuse persons or destroy property. † In their study, Kamps, Kravits, Stolze and Swaggart (1999) define aggression as, â€Å"purposeful physical contact intended to harm a peer or that could be harmful with force†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Basically this definition is synonymous with that of Jewett and Wallach. For the purpose of this paper, aggression is defined by using a variation of the above mentioned definitions as the force that causes disruptive and sometimes violent behaviors to flare. Violent behaviors are defined as intentional behaviors meant to hurt, violate or cause damage to any person or property as a result of aggression. Violence in Schools Rossman and Morley (1996) found that violence and crime in schools have been around for decades but the nature of the behaviors has changed. They found that forty years ago teachers were reporting the most common classroom problems to be tardiness, talkative students and gum chewing. The present-day grievances have changed dramatically. They include the presence of drugs, gangs, weapons, as well as concerns about verbal assaults, bullying, physical attack, robbery and rape (Rossman & Morley, 1996). In their synthesis of research, Rossman & Morley (1996) presented a 1993 Nationwide school-based survey by the Centers for Disease Control which reported the following results: 1. 4. 4% of 9th &12th graders missed at least one day of school because they felt unsafe on school grounds 2. 11. 8% reported carrying a weapon to school 3. 7. 3% of these students reported having been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property 4. 6. 2% reported having been involved in at least one physical fight at school 5. 32. 7% reported having property deliberately damaged or stolen while at school Much of the research presented in Rossman & Morley’s article was conducted on adolescents and teenagers. Elementary educators should be aware of this research because they encounter these children before they become â€Å"problem children†. Elementary teachers have a great impact on the behavior of their students, especially as they become adolescents. For this reason, it is important for teachers to monitor the current research in order to prevent possible violent outbreaks among these children. A survey on the opinions of teachers, reported by the National Center for Education Statistics, revealed that teacher’s opinions on the safety of public schools are not good. This survey, conducted from 1987-88 to 1993-94, noted that elementary school teachers are reporting â€Å"physical conflicts as a moderate to serious problems† (Rossi & Daugherty, 1996). Possible Causes and Consequences of Disruptive/Aggressive Behaviors According to child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Baer Max Ackerman (1998), there is no single pre-determining factor that causes aggressive behavior in children. Nature and Nurture interact to make up a child’s personality. This section of this paper will focus on both, internal and external factors that may cause aggressive and violent behaviors in children. Internal Factors Rossman and Morley (1996) give several internal and external causes for crime and violence in children. The biological factors or stressors include fetal alcohol syndrome, or crack babies. The factors impair the individuals’ abilities to exercise cognitive controls or engage in stable social relationships. This idea is also supported by Lorraine Wallach (1996), she states, â€Å"†¦brain research links early deprivation and abuse with physiological changes†¦which can be neurological or chemical may make the afflicted individuals susceptible to violent and addictive behavior†. Other research (Massey, 1998) indicates the consequences of violence in the early years include shaken baby syndrome which can cause, â€Å"†¦brain damage, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, spinal cord injury, seizures, learning disabilities and even death† (Massey, 1998). External Factors A study conducted by Stormshak and Bierman (2000) was designed to determine whether five distinct parenting practices could be related to various profiles of disruptive behavior problems in their children. The study included 631 kindergartners and their parents; they were from four areas of the United States, Durham, NC; Nashville, TN; Seattle, WA; and Central PA. The researchers (Stormshak and Bierman, 2000) collected their data through parenting interviews on reports of child behavior problems. A factor analysis was then conducted. The results of this study indicated that there is an association between parental physical aggression and aggressive child behavior. This finding suggests that spanking, physical aggression and violent forms of parenting are related to â€Å"active, aggressive, externalizing behaviors† (Stormshak & Bierman, 2000). A limitation in research, according to the researchers, was their reliance solely on parent reports for the child’s behavior problems, as well as of parenting practices. The responses of the parents may have reflected what they believed to be acceptable parenting styles. Other researchers Nelson, Martella & Galand, (1998) have found that parents that are unskilled in their use of punishment for their children’s disruptive behavior, and this only make things worse. Research (Aidman, 2000) done over the past forty years concludes that violence on television programs has negative effects on young viewers. Children learn to use the aggressive behavior they witness to benefit themselves. The learning of aggressive behavior has been forecasted to increase when the violence witnessed is justified, graphic, extensive or realistic, when the perpetrator is attractive, conventional weapons are present and when the violence is rewarded or presented in a humorous fashion. Aidman (2000) also suggests in her article that when children are repeatedly exposed to aggressive acts and violence, they become desensitized to its harmful and realistic consequences. The long-term effects of desensitization of violence have been of special concern for parents and educators of young children. Consequences of violence on children who witness violence include low self-esteem, withdrawal, nightmares, self-blame and aggression/violence towards peers and family members (Massey, 1998). Bullock, Fitzsimons, and Gable (1996) note, Factors that contribute to an increased likelihood of aggressive behavior include not only the child’s temperament and parent’s child-rearing and discipline practices, but also exposure to medial and real life violence- such as, spousal abuse/victimization, severe parental depression, chronic economic hardship, unemployment and family criminality. The external factors associated with crime and violence in children offered by Rossman and Morley (1996) are as follow: 1. Unsatisfactory family environment/relationships: poor parenting skills and child rearing conditions, insufficient nurturing and pro-social bonding, lack of parental supervision, ineffective or harsh discipline or repeated abuse 2. Limited opportunity routes attributed to social inequalities: these minimize youths’ exposure to pro-social role models and diminish youths’ ability to envision productive, secure futures 3. School factors that are conducive to disorder, crime and violence: –Overcrowding -High student/teacher ratio –Insufficient curricular/course relevance –Low student academic achievement and apathy Another study suggest the aggression in children emerges from being rejected by peers (Mounts, 1997). It is important for young children to have good peer relationships. Friendships and good peer relationships provide the following, according to Dr. Mounts: (1) companionship and support in stressful times such as divorce; (2) a source of fun and recreational activities; (3) loyal allies during tough interactions; (4) confidants and holders of secrets. This may allow a child to release tension and aggressive energy by talking to someone his or her own age. Peer relationships provide critical opportunities and outlets for children to learn to manage conflicts in their lives. According to research by Dr. Mounts (1997), children of single-parent homes, or homes where both parents work spend greater amounts of time in the company of peers. The following characteristics of peer-rejected children were cited in her research: (1) display high levels of verbally and physically aggressive behavior towards peers; (2) are disruptive; (3) frequently are off task in the classroom. These characteristics represent children who cause disruption and are a source of discipline problems in the classroom. Dr. Mounts (1997) found that 1/3 of all peer-rejected children were seen as highly aggressive. Forty-eight percent of rejected 6th graders were interested in receiving help in improving their peer relationships. Other research presented by Kamps, Kravits, Stolze and Swaggart (1999) supports this relationship; they report that early trends of antisocial behavior are later predicted to result in aggressive behavior. A study by Edmondson and Bullock (1998) was conducted using the method of focus group. It involved five elementary-school-aged boys, 3 Hispanic, 1 Asian American and 1 African-American students from grades 4 and 5 of an inner-city elementary alternative center. The study focus was on determining these students’ thoughts, feelings and perceptions on the topic of aggression and violence in schools. The researchers believed that students from this kind of setting could, â€Å"†¦provide educators with valuable information regarding youth who display aggressive and violent behavior† (p. 35). Results of this study (Edmondson & Bullock, 1998) suggest that the behavior and thought patterns of young people are affected by their social skills. These subjects appeared hopeful about resolving aggressive and violent behaviors in schools (Edmondson and Bullock, 1998). This article identifies possible causes of aggression in youth to be linked to societal influences. Violence and aggression can also have adverse effects on learning, according to Massey (1998). She states, â€Å"academic achievement enhances the development of positive self-esteem and self-efficacy†¦which are necessary for children to experience emotional well-being and to achieve success† (p. 3). Strategies for Assessment, Intervention & Prevention There is a wealth of information regarding intervention and prevention of aggression and violence in students. While conducting the research for this topic, I came across several articles and studies. Unfortunately, only a fraction of what is available to educators, parents and the interested public will be presented in this paper. Assessment Strategies Three elementary-aged boys in regular education classrooms, identified with extremely disruptive in-school behavior were included in a study by Ellis and Magee (1999) to assess activities of the Behavioral Assessment and Technology Support Systems (BATSS). The BATSS conducts functional analysis of very disruptive behavior in children labeled severely emotionally and behaviorally disordered. The subjects included a 10 year-old with ADHD, another 10 year-old with Pervasive Developmental Disorder and a 6 year-old with mild autism from two suburban school districts. The researchers (Ellis and Magee, 1999) gathered data from observation conducted by the observation team for 10 days during regular classrooms, special area classes, recess and lunch. According to Ellis and Magee (1999), †¦The goal of functional analysis is not to find the one true approach but to find the most appropriate strategy that will provide the most information and that will ultimately result in an effective intervention that can be implemented by the relevant personnel in a particular setting. (p. 6). Functional analysis assessment was used in the beginning on maladaptive behaviors, such as STB (self-injurious behavior), occurring with persons living in housing for those with developmental disabilities (Ellis and Magee, 1999). When this method of assessment was moved into natural settings, research was primarily conducted on persons with mental retardation. Functional analysis were rarely conducted in school settings. â€Å"Replicating the functional analysis in regular education class after analyzing the behavior†¦helps explain how the circumstances of a classroom routines modulate the effects of a procedure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 93). In this replication of a BATSS study, †¦results suggest that validating each functional analysis outcome in the student’s classroom, with the teacher conducting the analysis, provides direct opportunity for the classroom teacher to observe the effects of directly applied behavioral contingencies on the students targeted behavior. (p. 1 8) This study provides evidence that when the results of a functional analysis produces changes in disruptive or inappropriate behavior, functional analysis can become institutionalized (Ellis and Magee, 1999). Another study by Scott, DeSimone, Fowler and Webb (2000) consisted of three male elementary-aged students whose behavior interfered with the quantity and quality of their classroom instruction. The researchers evaluated functional behavior assessment to develop interventions for disruptive behaviors. They state that in the past, teachers relied upon disapproval, punishment and exclusion as a means of eliminating disruptive classroom behavior. According to research (Scott et al. , 2000), these types of interventions are ineffective. Functional behavior assessment can be applied as a validated procedure for intervention with disruptive students. This involves â€Å"†¦identifying the purpose or function of student behavior followed by teaching and reinforcing more desirable replacement behaviors that are selected to serve the same function for the student. † Information obtained from the assessment can be used to define appropriate replacement behaviors, as well as, develop intervention strategies. Findings from this study show the importance of having a pre-planned intervention (Scott et al. , 2000). Prevention/Intervention Strategies Kamps, Kravits, Stolze and Swaggart (1999) cited several studies in which the researchers found that without intervention, antisocial behaviors beginning at an early age are predicted to develop into learning difficulties. Kamps et al. (1999) conducted a study on a total of 52 (28-target group and 24-control group) elementary and middle school students at risk for EBD (emotional and behavioral disorders) from urban schools. The researchers’ goal in this study was to investigate a â€Å"universal intervention† prevention program. The intervention consisted of behavioral management programs, social skills instruction and peer tutoring in reading. The researchers (Kamps et al. , 1999) found that student performance across several key behaviors in the target group improved the prevention program. This group also showed a decrease in aggression. They state, â€Å"†¦early interventions, such as programs for elementary-age students, may prevent further deterioration of behaviors and stop a negative trajectory toward academic and social failure. Overall, this study contributed to support the use of preventative programs for at-risk students and students with EBD in elementary schools (Kamp et al. , 1999). The results from this study may be applied to all students. Lorraine Wallach (1996) offers alternative suggestions to preventing aggression and violence among children. Her ideas are formed around the schools and centers that educate and care for young children. These include: 1. Schools should provide teache rs who exhibit warmth and kindness and are willing to make an investment in the children they educate 2. Teachers must show respect to children and their efforts to be independent 3. Schools should provide for young children an environment that is easily managed and orderly 4. Programs that are interesting, challenging and fun should be provided by the schools; these types of programs â€Å"provide an outlet for the aggressive energy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as build self-confidence and self-esteem 5. Schools should offer many opportunities for self-expression; this gives children a chance to reveal their feelings,

Ultimate Frisbee Essay

My feet left the ground. My arms extended. My entire body was parallel to the ground for what seemed to be an eternity. Nothing was going through my mind except one overpowering thought: catch the Frisbee. It was not just a Frisbee however. It was the game winning goal. It was redemption for my previous mistakes. It was reward for all of my tireless work. It was the gateway to eternal bliss. Catching this pass was a necessity.? I called out,† I’m open† to Greg Rupp, the thrower on my team, as I finally shook off the smothering blanket of defense wrapped on me by Justin Burns.This slight crack in an otherwise impenetrable defense flashed before his eyes. Within a split-second, his right foot stepped heavily on the firm ground and his torso pivoted launching the disc, with all his might, into oblivion. Greg immediately shouted †sorry† for throwing the disc way past me and way past my reach, but I was not going to give up. There might not have be another o pportunity. I saw this one and I was determined to reach it. ?Flying past Justin Burns and the rest of the other defenders, I dug my toes into the ground and lunged with all my strength on every step.My ankles were sore from playing for so many hours, but that was not going to stop me. My ribs hurt from colliding with Morgan Mansfield during the previous game, but that was not going to stop me. My wrist hurt from slamming into the ground at the beginning of the game, but that was not going to stop me. My sprit however was more powerful than all of physical limitations combined. As the space between me and the disc shortened, my passion and determination grew larger. After I was almost within reach, I realized what had to be done. To snatch the disc from its natural path, I needed to dive and fully extend my body.The small plastic disc comprised of all my dreams and desires was floating right in front of me. I swung my arms to generate more momentum and I slammed my feet into the gro und like two pistons launching a projectile. Every ounce of my energy and soul was poured into this thrust. Before I could think of the consequences, I was already flying through the air. In the air, it did not matter that my body ached. It did not matter that I haven’t caught a pass the entire game. It did not matter what I got on my math test. It did not matter that the fall might hurt. All that mattered was catching the disc.With my adrenaline fueled hawk eyes, I saw the ridges on the disc spinning in a clockwise direction. I reached my hand out, with my thumb under the disc, clenching first with my index finger and then wrapping the rest of my fingers around the smooth curve of the disc.? Everything I dreamed and fantasized about was now resting in my hand. It was still not safe however. The ground had a hunger that only broken dreams could satisfy. As the wrath of the cruel turf approached, I raised the disc high above my head feeding my body as fodder to the savage unyi elding terrain.A bed of hot coals could have broken my fall, and I still would not have felt the pain. The glory of catching what was thought to be uncatchable completely overpowered any slight injuries. This glory rushed into my body and soul as a primitive roar rushed out. My teammates and even the players on the other team ran over to congratulate me on my game winning grab. Kings couldn’t have felt as empowered as I felt. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the adrenaline wore off and the grass stains came out of my shirt and the injuries healed, the memory of this amazing experience stayed with me.But to me, this memory is more than just a good catch. It was the most enlightening experience in my life. This catch, as well as every other aspect of Ultimate Frisbee, has taught me that with diligence, tenacity and focus, there is nothing that is unattainable. To me, Ultimate Frisbee is not a game. It is not a sport. I do not play it. I do not like it. Ultimate Frisbee is a way of life. I eat, sleep and dream about it. I love it. It does not take over my life. It is my life. Only with this type of devotion and dedication, can the unreachable be reached.

Organizational structure and culture of GE and Google Essay

Organizational structure and culture of GE and Google - Essay Example GE has been able to attract leaders with an extraordinary combination of attributes: passion, vision, and deep sensitivity to the huge issues that challenge the world around them. It is made up of employees who are self-driven to make a difference. When it comes to the kind of environment, GE is the best place to work in. it has a high-performance culture that particularly emphasizes high-integrity business practices as well as work balance. GE’s CEO says, â€Å"We believe a company can accomplish more even as it does well.† This belief drives GE’s organizational practice from the philanthropic efforts of its foundation to the millions of volunteer hours donated by the employees to community initiatives worldwide.It’s really the people that make it the kind of company it is. â€Å"We hire smart and determined people and we favor ability over experience,† said Google CEO. Although the people of Google share common goals and visions for the company, t hey hail from all walks of life and speak a number of languages, reflecting the global audience that they serve. Google pursues interests ranging from beekeeping to recycling, from foxtrot to Frisbee, when not at work. Google strives to maintain the open culture often associated with startups, in which everyone is a contributor and feels comfortable sharing ideas and opinions. Google’s offices and cafes are designed to motivate and encourage interactions between Google members across and within teams and to spark conversation about play as well as work.

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example As far as its corporate social responsibility (CSR) domains are concerned, Wal-Mart has been a very helpful neighbor and an active citizen in thousands of communities around the United States and the world as well. Wal-Mart has a strong organizational philosophy towards being a member of the community that it has opened up its chain within. It feels that its role towards uplifting the human and societal domains is nothing short of a privilege. The organization believes on fostering as well as deepening the community partnerships since these remain very critical towards its future undertakings. It must be remembered here that Wal-Mart is one company that is renowned for its values-based, ethically-led promise towards the publics and the community at large. Wal-Mart believes in the age-old premise that an organization would serve the community in the best manner possible if it wants to build long term relationships with the people who are within the community itself. They would be best served if their interests are being upheld and when they are given the right to be themselves, and to manifest the basis of success through commitment and facilitation in the form of different environmental, social and charitable initiatives that have essentially been employed by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart believes in the fact that community partnerships as well as good working realms ensure that the company grows by leaps and bounds, and that it has a positive word of mouth across a number of channels and within publics that it directly or indirectly caters to, in the long run (Hoffman 1990). Wal-Mart knows that it can only move ahead if it grows responsibly and intelligently along with strong community domains. The CSR strategy of Wal-Mart depends a great deal on the focus, implementation and the budget which has been earmarked for such settings. The CSR focus has remained on the areas including education, public health, sports, environment, disaster relief, child safety and charitable s upport over the years. On the same lines, the CSR implementation has been emphasized upon a great deal through its own projects, a foundation in the name of Wal-Mart, and the efforts that are done through volunteerism. The CSR implementation phase has therefore been divided into three separate initiatives that have been undertaken by Wal-Mart in essence. Moving ahead with the CSR integration phase, one can see that the CSR strategy is divided into two sub-units which include the company product and the company strategy. Both these sub-units depend greatly on how Wal-Mart brings about significant value for the sake of Wal-Mart and how it has shaped up beliefs and attitudes with the changing times. Since the strategy basically defines how products are going to be sent across the channels, it is of significance to comprehend what kind of strategy would reap the best results from the long term scheme of things (Schneider 1998). It is also pertinent to note here that the company product and the company strategy are inherently linked with each other, and thus there is a clear cut definition of both of these sub-units. What is mandatory on the part of the CSR integration is how these two would bring in the much needed value for the sake of the organization and specifically in terms of the CSR initiatives that have been taken in a head-on manner by Wal-Mart. The CSR representative within Wal-Mart reports to the

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 16

Research paper - Essay Example Generational issues may bring either positive or negative outcomes in the workplace. For instance, one of the most innovative generations is the millennial (Agan). The main reason why they are innovative is that they do not prefer following already established routines but instead develop better and more effective ones. This is the reason why this generation has been referred to as the generation why. This may lead to an improvement in the organization. At times, due to generational differences, conflicts are bound to happen between the young and the older generations, which may lead to negative outcomes since organizations require healthy relationships to be developed between various employees for optimal coordination and the subsequent performance. Participation is also different for these generations. The baby boomer generation mostly prefer working individually while the millennial generation likes working in groups. Therefore, with regard to participation rates, the millennial generation is more participating and prefers to have a flat organization where they do not take much interest in the hierarchy structure of an organization (Schawbel). On the other hand, the participation rate of the baby boomers is low. As was the case with their periods, participation was not a key aspect of the organization and they have carried this issue forward the modern organization, which is highly conflicting when considering the preferences of the millennial generation (Hammill). With respect to the future, the millennial generation will have a higher participation rate as compared to the baby boomers. However, since the performance of an organization depends on the coordination that is inherent in the organization as well as the relationsh ips established in the organization, it is of critical importance that these generations get along