Monday, September 30, 2019

All-New Bmw 3-Series Features Aggressive Pricing Strategies

Many Option Prices Stay the Same Despite Improvements Better than the outgoing model in every way, the all-new BMW 3-Series wont increase much in price when it goes on sale later this month. The 2006 325i will start at $30,995, only $1,695 more than the 2005 model, despite featuring an entirely new design, upgraded 3. 0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that now makes 215-horsepower compared to the 2005 models 184-horsepower rating, a new six-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, enhanced chassis engineering and steering geometry, totally revised interior, and more. The top-line 330i is improved too, featuring all of the 325is upgrades plus an all-new 3. 0-liter engine that produces 255-horsepower compared to the outgoing models 225-horsepower rating, while torque is up from 214 lb-ft in the current car to 220 lb-ft. Like the 325i, the 330is base price will rise when it goes on sale, but only by $1,295 to $36,995. Both new engines are the first in large-scale series production to incorporate magnesium as a main component, a metal that is 30 percent lighter than aluminum. The engines are also the first six-cylinders in the BMW family to make use of Valvetronic, the brands variable valve timing system. Other option groups include the $2,200 Navigation package, up $400 from last years navigation system, but now featuring integrated voice recognition for hands free actuation of ancillary functions. A Cold Weather package, at $1,000, the same price as last years version, adds a ski bag, fold down rear seatbacks, heated front seats and retractable headlight washers. A Premium package, available on both models, is priced at $2,900 in the new 325i compared to $2,300 in the outgoing car. It features the same power glass sunroof, leather covered 8-way power front seats and drivers side emory, and Harmon/Kardon LOGIC7 audio system. The new model also features power folding mirrors in premium guise. The Premium package for the 330i is priced the same as last years version, at $2,200, and features everything that is available on the 325i Premium package, less the power seats with drivers side memory, which come standard on the 330i. Other Premium features include a universal garage door opene r, auto dimming exterior mirrors, drivers seat lumbar support, a compass in the mirror, Dakota leather seats and trim replace Montana leather seats and trim, and a Harmon/Kardon LOGIC7 audio system. The 2006 3-Series is also available with a Sport package, just like the 2005 model. At $1,600, it is $200 more expensive than the outgoing cars, and continues forward with updated versions of the same features, such as sport seats with electrically adjustable seat width, a 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel and 17-inch alloy wheels, plus a sport suspension. The only difference, feature to feature, is the addition of performance-oriented run-flat tires. The price of the 330is Sport package has increased from $1,400 in 2005 model year vehicles to $1,600 in 2006, and also features the new run-flat tires. Other stand-alone options dont rise in price much either, and in the case of the new 6-speed automatic transmissions extra forward gear, offer major improvements in design and engineering. That transmission only goes up by $225 at $1,500 compared to the 2005 models $1,275 optional gearbox, while the Dakota premium leather upgrade will cost $1,450, the same price as the 2005 cars Montana leather package. Park distance control is once again $350, while metallic paint remains a $475 option. New for 2006 will be adaptive headlights, which point a set of bulbs in the direction the car is turning, active cruise control at $2,200, which will automatically slow the 3-Series down when approaching a slower vehicle, and active steering, a $1,250 feature that essentially adapts the steering ratio to vehicle speed, but its electric-motor-assisted, planetary-gear-motivated rack-and-pinion system is much more sophisticated than conventional speed sensitive steering counterparts, common to luxury cars of all stripes. Steering response to input is much quicker than any other car, at about 1. turns lock to lock, making maneuvering into, around and out of tight spaces such as parking lots incredibly easy. To put this in perspective, most cars need about twice that amount to turn the wheel from full left to full right, or about 3. 5 turns lock to lock. The reason for this is so steering input isnt too direct at high speeds. At 1. 7 turns a car traveling at highway speeds would simply da rt off the road with minimal input, not a good thing. Active Steering, however, electronically and mechanically adjusts the ratio to about 4 turns lock to lock when velocities demand. Both the 325i and 330i will be available with BMWs xDrive all-wheel-drive system in October, which is when the new 3-Series Touring, a sports wagon derivative, will arrive in dealerships. While there is no word on pricing for the 325xi or the Touring version, expect each models final window sticker to remain close to 2005 levels, if the pricing of sedan models is any indication. BMWs aggressive pricing strategy will help it maintain leadership in the compact premium class, a position it has enjoyed since the first 3-Series debuted in 1977.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Is Groningen a mini-metropolis?

The metropolis of Groningen has been described s a ‘mini-metropolis’ . Is this justifiable? Introduction Groningen is a capital metropolis of the northern state and one of the largest metropolis of in North Netherlands. After few hebdomads live in groningen, during which I have been researching the metropolis either by walking, motorcycle and coach, I seen some new and interesting things here, the civilization and lifestyle the local community and urban planing and transit system of the metropolis. Modern life can be seen from the quality and life style on people of groningen metropolis. Planning and structuring of metropoliss with assorted landmarks that attract a mix of historic and modern architecture, as we see in excurtion developed into a modern metropolis, full of futuristic inventions with good develop public transit sector and green conveyance like motorcycle and walking. From that experience I choose a subject for the first paper assignment in this class with the subject â€Å" The metropolis of Groningen has been described as a ‘ mini – meropolis ‘ . Is this justifiable? To reply that inquiry we must foremost understand what is called the city. For that I am looking for literature about what the city and so analyse the features of the metropolis of groningen metropolis, both economic and demographic facets that describe how the function of groningen metropolis to metropolis around it, so do a decision, whether replying inquiries from the subjects I take? Specify the word andfeatures ofCities The formation history of the Footings of Use and Metropolis word or city metropolitan ( metropolitan as an adjective, the city as a noun ) has been widely used to show a assortment of urban world different. Is really is a metropolis metropolitan or this? When examined from a historical position and lexical ( etimology ) , a term derived from the Grecian city Ancient, which is derived from the word significance female parent metre and word polis which means metropolis ( Wackermann, 2000 ) . At that clip, literally, cities can be interpreted as the â€Å" mother metropolis â€Å" which has orbiter towns as a kid, but it can besides intend the centre of a town, a metropolis – province ( metropolis -state ) , or a state on the Mediterranean, so it can besides be said that during the the term â€Å" city â€Å" has intensions associating to the homeland. Until now, the intension is still used, the term Metropolitan France case refers to the portion of the Gallic Republic located in Europe, the Gallic mainland and Corsica as the female parent state, in add-on to countries outside of it as a former settlement which joined the Gallic Republic. Harmonizing to Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of the city is a major metropolis, or town that is the largest of any province, state or part. Metropolis is besides a great metropolis, the metropolis became an of import centre aimed at specific activities. Heinz Reif ( 2006 ) in his comprehensive reappraisal of the metropolis discourse lists several features of a city:big population size ( several million ) ;structural wealth ( material and cultural resources, high concentration of human and economic capital, representative urban signifier ) ;outstanding national and international centrality ;high in-migration with high cultural, societal and cultural diverseness, widely distributed orientation but besides clashs and struggles.The term metropolitan is besides said to be derived from the word â€Å" tube â€Å" which took the word of the system â€Å" Light railroad â€Å" ( light train system ) in urban countries. Needs of the urban conveyance system is the consequence of th e growing of the metropolis that already has a system of â€Å" commuter â€Å" urban population, eg buffer from the metropoliss to the female parent metropolis. Since the early 1980s the usage of the scientific attack in analyzing the phenomenon becomes progressively turning cities. But scientists and organisations be aftering more attending to the development of metropolitan countries instead than explicate a precise definition for this phenomenon. in 1991, Jean Bernard Dezert Bastie and develop a definition of the modern city that is based on the maps of a metropolis, which is that the definition of a city: – There is ever determined by the size of the demographic, its size can be determined by factors that are more of import than quantitative steps of population – Characterized by communications and transit substructure systems that serve the motion of commutation, the flow of information, and decision-making. – As a centre of fiscal activity in the upper degree. – As a cardinal assemblage of international companies. – As a centre of political and administrative powers of a province. – As a point of development or the usage of high engineering and advanced telecommunications. – As an of import point of cultural activities and scientific. – As an international tourer finish. – As the functional labour centres and lodging. An urban expert, Angotti ( 1993 ) argued that a city is non merely a really big metropolis, but besides a new signifier of society, the larger, more complex and have more power cardinal function, both in footings of economic sciences, political relations, and civilization. Industrial metropoliss of the nineteenth century is more accurately described as a precursor of the metropolitan metropoliss that were characteristic of the metropoliss of the twentieth century. An urban city in the universe is an look of inter-related in many societal, cultural and economic maps of national and international. In add-on to depicting the socio-economic status of many of the maps and size of the population of a metropolis, a metropolis term harmonizing to the Dictionary of Geography Baud ( 1995 ) can be evaluated from the size of hierarchy, which is considered a city as a functional centre. The maps of the power inherent in city which subsequently became the footing of the behaviour of the growing of the metropolis. Here the fiscal strength and geopolitic considerations that played a major function of a metropolitan country. Therefore, the term city is no longer merely considered as a capital metropolis. A large metropolis or a really big must be considered as a metropolitan metropolis. The population is non the lone important feature of metropolitan distinguish between the metropolitan with other colonies country. Other standards what is of import is the socio-economic activities that indicate the presence of specialisation map normally the industries and services. Integration between residential countries and the workplace is a existent job in The current metropolitan and a typical metropolitan character. Angotti ( 1993 ) stated that the procedure of specialisation in metropolitan occurs because ever development of production and distribution engineering and communications. Another character is the easiness of a metropolitan mobility harmonizing to Angotti ( 1993 ) seen in the 3 signifiers of mobility: 1. Mobility Work ( Employment Mobility ) 2. Mobility Housing ( Residential Mobility ) 3. Mobility trip ( Trip Mobility ) Characterized the work of the easy mobility of people working on the move without holding to travel abode because more types and fluctuations of occupations available in the metropolis metropolitan. Job mobility is related to the handiness of capital and mobility significant capital. Mobility abode normally follow alterations in the workplace. Resettlement is non ever due to their ain desires, associated with the motion of the workplace, but frequently besides occur due to be moved by force or non. Not forced to happen due to alterations in the monetary value land caused by the kineticss of existent estate development. Mobility trip easier to make in metropolitan than in other vicinities because of the handiness of Better transit. in overall it can be said that the metropolitan characterized by the mobility of capital and labour are really high in order to non be a definition of the metropolitan country Description and Features of The City Groningen The metropolis of Groningen’s place as the capital of the state and the place of authorities made it a cardinal metropolis to other environing countries. Official twelvemonth of constitution 1040 ( oldest known mention, ‘Cruoninga’ ) but likely earlier because of the oldest archeological hints found are believed to arise from the twelvemonth 3950 BC – 3720 BC, although the first major colony in Groningen has been traced back to the third century AD. In the thirteenth century, the City of Groningen was an of import trading centre, and its dwellers built a metropolis walls as the district boundary and to protect the metropolis. The metropolis has a strong influence on the environing country. The most influential period of this metropolis in the late fifteenth century as in the Martini tower built with a tallness reaches 127 metres, doing it the tallest edifice in Europe at the clip and built as ‘evidence’ of power. The metropolis is known nationally as the â€Å" Metropolis of the North † and the â€Å" Martinistad † refers to the Martini Tower. The metropolis is known as the â€Å" Stad † in the local idiom, which merely translates as City ( Van Steen, 2014 ) because Groningen is the lone major metropolis in the state of Groningen. Fig.1. Martini Tower, Groningen ( beginning: Van Steen, 2014 ) The metropolis of Groningen is the largest metropolis in the north Netherlands that capable to pull people from other metropoliss to come for surveies, work and unrecorded at that place. The metropolis of Groningen has 189,991 occupants ( 33 % of provincial sum ) with 134.000 occupations and 13.300 house ( Van Steen, 2014 ) . Fig. 2. Population of City Groningen ( Source: keys figure 2010, gementee groningen ) Fig. 3. Labour Market and Labour Force ( Source: keys figure 2010, gementee groningen ) We see in the figure 3. above comparing between the employment of labour is non relative because occupations are more than the available labour force to run into their employment in the metropolis of Groningen, hence, unfastened to the labour market for occupation searchers in the metropolis of Groningen. Coupled with the presence of oil and natural gas in Western Europe ‘s largest unfastened broad employment chances in the metropolis of groningen. In the conveyance sector, the metropolis of Groningen has developed a manner of transit that is good integrated with the public conveyance with non-motorized conveyance such as walkers and bicyclers as we can see in the tabular array above traffic and conveyance. City of Groningen prioritising walkers and bicyclers to go, therefore we can see the whole position of the metropolis is dominated by the bicyclers. This is supported by the substructure for bicyclers is a motorcycle lane on each route metropolis of Groningen. in line with the City vision 2008: A compact metropolis ; everything on bike distance of 5 to 7 kilometers from Grote Markt ( Van Steen, 2014 ) Fig. 4. Traffic and Transport ( Source: keys figure 2010, gementee groningen ) Public conveyance is good developed with good service with service through about the full district of the metropolis of Groningen and the surrounding metropoliss are intended for workers transposing from metropoliss around Groningen with alternate manners of trains and coachs with goings and reachings each manner decently scheduled and on clip. This can be seen in each manner is equipped with modern information system engineering so that we can see when and where we can acquire geared. For each itinerary public conveyance manners can besides be accessed through the package on the phone via 9292 so that we can be after a trip utilizing these manners. At each station there is a park and drive installations for bicyclers and other vehicles to park their vehicles and go on to develop as a mass public conveyance. Transport can be inferred from the description of the features of a city that has mass and develop public conveyance with good service and incorporate engineerings and full of good information for its users. The position of the metropolis of Groningen as a pupil metropolis which is visited yearly by 1000s of pupils from around the universe. Because the metropolis of Groningen has sectors with international position that is instruction sector, Here you find the metropolis ‘s celebrated province university, university of Groningen, Hanze University Groningen, University of Applied Sciences and the University Medical Center Groningen. with the presence of one of the best universities in Europe, Groningen is besides known as the international metropolis of civilization and art and is frequently used as one of the concerts of international creative persons by vera groningen known as Club for the International Pop Underground used to be a nice pupil fraternity. Nowadays they a to the full equipped concert locale where legendary sets like: U2, Sonic Youth, Nirvana and The White Stripes playing in year-Many other of their early old ages, and so a big and influential set visited Vera in the 80s, like Soundgarden, the Lemonheads, Yo La Tengo, Slayer, Bad Religion, NOFX. It is a few illustrations of cultural life and people ‘s life styles and pupils in the metropolis of groningen how they create inventions with their creativeness to construct and develop the civilization and growing of the metropolis of groningen over clip, until now. Fig. 5. vera groningen ( Soure: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.vera-groningen.nl ) Not merely to develop the metropolis, groningen besides execute inter-regional cooperation through the provincial authorities with the states of Groningen and Drenthe are Frysland nighest incorporated in concerted partnership called Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland ( SNN ) . SNN aims to beef up the economic place of North Holland with a focal point on five economic secktor, such as: energy, detector engineering, H2O engineering, agriculture and wellness. Thus unfastened chances in the development and work together in instruction, research and civilization with bussiness, knowlegde establishments, public organitaion and other goverment bureaus among the states in Netherlandss and other states. In add-on, the provincial authorities besides conducts international cooperation partnership with German and Swedish authoritiess. Decision The metropolis of Groningen has met some of the stairss and features of some of the mentions mentioned in the city, the metropolis of Groningen has is the capital metropolis of the local community centre on the north netherland. The figure of occupations in the metropolis of groningen attract occupation searchers from assorted metropoliss around groningen, Netherlands towns in other assorted universe even came looking for life in this beautiful metropolis. Known as the instruction metropolis with one of the best universities in Europe and even in the universe with a assortment of pupils from assorted parts of the universe semen to acquire the best pedidikan. Spatial planning and urban planning that is modern with good conveyance development to back up the mobility of people in the metropolis and commuters who work in the metropolis of Groningen which can be regarded as feature of a metropolitan metropolis. People ‘s lives better life style and night life with amusement installations, shopping promenades with international quality that have made life image groningen metropolis city. Metropolis is non merely how large the size of the metropolis, and occupants of the metropolis, but what about the features of the metropolis with a batch of maps in it and is an of import function for the nearby towns and metropoliss urban life Creative, advanced, and how to make a modern metropolis as a city. Due to the size of the population and is non a big metropolis, a city with a assortment of maps that have been described in the reappraisal above makes an overview of the metropolis as a metropolitan metropolis groningen, so I think that the metropolis of Groningen can be considered as a mini – city. Refference In Search of Metropolitan Definitions: Lessons From Metro Davao Ruben G. Mercado1998 ( Philippine Institute for Development Studies Discussion Paper Series No. 98-29 ) Van Steen, Paul. ( 2014 ) Society and Space: The City of Groningen, Lecture Materials, Spatial Problems & A ; Spatial Policies Spring 2014 Provincie Groningen hypertext transfer protocol: //www.provinciegroningen.nl/ Vera Groningen, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.vera-groningen.nl/ Keys Figure 2010, Gementee Groningen Angotti, T ( 1993 ) Metropolis 2000: Planning, Poverty and Politics. London, Routledge Reif, Heinz. ( 2006 ) . Metropolen. Geschichte, Begriffe, Methoden. TU Berlin, Transatlantisches Graduiertenkolleg. ( CMS Working Paper Series, 001-2006 ) . Funtion citi of groningen to sorruoding are The funtion doesn’t have from other metropolis That makes metropolis of groningen mini city 1

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Andrew Jackson Interview

For my first question, relate how important you feel the Battle of New Orleans was in setting up your true political career. In your answer, please include your reaction to the fact the battle occurred after the War of 1812 had officially ended. Jackson: Hello! I would have to say that the Battle of New Orleans was a success, because the British acknowledged that we claimed Louisiana and West Florida. Let was a tough battle, but it was successful in the end! This battle, lead to the ratification of the Treaty of Gent.Also, this course of events made America a more stronger nation and proved that I am a good and powerful leader. Because the Battle occurred after the end of War of 1 812, I was not ere surprised that it happened, and a little disappointed, but life goes on. History, AP: Please explain the Corrupt Bargain from your point of view. !! Jackson: So, the presidential election was happening. John Quince Adams, Henry Clay and myself were running. Something that stopped me from winning was the fact that the rule stated that I must have at least half of the votes, which, in my opinion, was totally irrelevant. I know I was the strongest and most suited person to become president, and felt a bit betrayed by me fellow Americans. Anyways, felt like was being left out Of the picture. Since clay had very little toes, and Adams was right behind me, believed that they made an alliance, in order for John to become president , and for Clay to be appointed something in his party. L was a bit discouraged after all this. !US History, AP: To what extent was the election of 1 828 a victory not only for yourself but also for the common man?Jackson: I felt like we still were not the Nation that we actually wanted to achieve. The thing is that a fair election cannot happen since Women, African Americans and Natives could not vote. They are part of the population as well, so the votes would not completely add up. Any ways, it was a huge step cause it didnt matter anymore how rich or if you were part of the clergy, you could vote. Every man had the right to vote. It was fantastic that it was the first election of this type! US History, AP: Your enemies have begun calling you King Andrew. Would you please give any reasons for this epithet?What examples from your life and career would you offer to refute this moniker? !Jackson: Basically, have done many rightful things, and fought for a major cause. I was the one that stopped the legislative branch from getting too much power. Another reason for me being called king Andrew was because I vetoed he Second Bank of the United States. L was called that because I also fought against the Native American removal from the Worcester area-My brave thoughts and decisions made my low class enemies call me that, however love this country as it were my own, and I believe things will get better. US History, AP: Explain how giving governmental positions to your loyal followers is more democratic than leaving these positions with the old officeholders. Would like our country to reach the peak of the ladder. I felt like my fellow , loyal followers deserved this, so offered them governmental positions. Of course, y selection was not blindly made, I selected the most suited people for the job. Wanted change, and change is one part of democracy. L wanted to replace my old officers, because I wanted change, hence taking steps toward democracy. US History, AP: Your own vice president, John C. Calhoun, raised the issue of nullification. Why were you so strongly opposed to this doctrine that you were willing to send in troops to enforce federal laws? Jackson: I personally feel like our country needs a string Federal government, and it was certainly not going to achieve it by having all the states freely nullifying the rowers of enforcement. John, was trying to build up on Mandarins and Jefferson ideas. This was all a bad idea.II-AS History, AP: As a follow-up, what future impact do you think Calhoun doctrine of nullification will have on the United States? Jackson: His ideas were brought from the Virginia and Kentucky resolution. These supported the individual state legislature. L feel like this will be a never resting issue, throughout time, because people will never be satisfied with the way government controls the country. US History, AP: We will now move on to the Second Bank of the United States. Here is a copy of your Bank Veto Message for the Bank Recharge Act.

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Same Sex Couples Raising Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Same Sex Couples Raising Children - Essay Example As the essay highlights the issues related to same-sex couple are included in the most controversial and current concerns in the society in the past few years.   From the issues of acceptance of the same-sex couples to the laws related to marriage, every subject matter had been greatly discussed and sensationalized.   To be able to achieve a certain level of awareness on the different dynamics in the social context, the paper is aimed to present the views of various forms of media on one of the important issues related to same-sex relationships, which is the manner they raise children and the processes related in terms of legal, social, ethical and cultural aspects.This research declares that the issues related to same-sex couples are included in the main concerns in the society.   Raising children for same-sex couples is the main focus of the study because one phase considered by these couples in establishing a family is having children and eventually raising and supporting th em.  There are different aspects of the issue on raising children by same-sex couples.   One of the important aspects is adoption of the child for the same-sex couples specifically the gay couples.   Different countries implement different laws regarding the process.   In 2000, the states of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi and Utah prohibited adoption of children to gay parents.   On the other hand, countries in Europe such as Denmark, Norway and Iceland had been legally open to adoption of children to same-sex couples.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Core Competencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Core Competencies - Essay Example Besides the involvement of the health care professionals and the patient, the strategy may extend to the close family members to secure benefits to the ailing individuals. Several adjustments take place in the nursing profession to aid the success of the patient-centered care. Dissemination of information to the patients forms the primary strategy that aims to improve the patient-centered care. Educating the patient and the family members about a particular ailment is vital in improving care; an informed patient is in a position to make sound decisions about the treatment regimen they prefer (Constand, McDermind, Bello-Haas & Law, 2015). Availing information to the patient takes place through printed and electronic media and help in the participation of the patients in the management of their conditions. The current second trend that enhances the patient-centered care is participation and collaboration. The medical professionals accord the patients the opportunity to give their views on the preferred treatment regimen for a given conditions (Ronedo & Marston, 2015). The involvement of the patients gives the medical professionals the opportunity to have an understanding of the requirements for each patient. The patients have the chance to weigh in on their conditions and the treatment intervention they need. Mutual decision-making characteristic of patient-centered care is on the rise due to its confirmed benefits. It enhances the relationship between the nurses and the patient that translates to improved care. Another strategy tailored at improving patient-centered care is proper communication. Practicing nurses have the obligation of ensuring that the medium used for communication with the patients provide  affectivity and clarity (Constand et al., 2015). The type of communication addresses the needs and preferences of the patients. In some instances, where cases of language barriers exist, a translator may

Mother-daughter relationships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mother-daughter relationships - Essay Example At the same time, it shows the necessity to desist from such terms. Further, contextualizing this novel, it tries to explore the various ways that people make meaning pursuant to their lives characterized by conflicts that originate from gender, race, and idiosyncratic viewpoints. However, Sula rejects the simple answers that demonstrate ambiguity, a terror of life, beauty, in both its horrors and triumphs. Nevertheless, Sula illustrates the varied relationships that exist between the family members showing their importance as a tool of the social construct (Pruitt 115). Therefore, the essay will examine, analyze, and elucidate the various relationships that take the center stage of this novel. Based on the novel, the black women do not have access to the male protection. Hence, the daughter and mother relationships are fundamental for them to receive the motherly skills meant for survival. In this case, the African American parents give protection to their daughters while teaching t hem to love themselves for whom they are in the patriarchal society. This depiction is eminent when the mothers strive to offer protection for the undetermined dangers through giving them a sense of their unique self-worth. Although, this feeling of security and self-worth often miss in the mother and daughter relationships in Sula. The situation indicates the historical experiences of the African American that impact differently on how men, women, and their children express affection, tenderness, support, and protection to one another.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Managing an agricultural ecosystem (ag., tropcial, prairie) with Essay

Managing an agricultural ecosystem (ag., tropcial, prairie) with respect to biodiveristy - Essay Example It is stated, that there is lack of efficient methods which could assist in understanding the role of biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems. 'Understanding of the underlying causes of the loss of agricultural biodiversity is limited, as is understanding of the consequences of such loss for the functioning of agricultural ecosystems. Moreover, the assessments of the various components are conducted separately; there is no integrated assessment of agricultural biodiversity as a whole' (Bardgett & Abderson, 2001) However, the principal trends are easy to be seen through the connection of the biodiversity loss and decreasing productivity and increasing exposure of farming families to uncertainty and poverty. As the example of how the agricultural ecosystem should and can be managed without damaging the biodiversity existing in it, a bright example of the Western Iran areas can be taken. The reason for choosing this area as one of the significant areas needing management in terms of its agricultural potential and the aims of saving biological diversity is the fact that this area is one of the principal areas managed by UNICEF programs and has been selected by FAO as the object of thorough studies. (Bardgett & Anderson, 2001) The area of Iran itself can be described as being arid and se... It consists of dry farming, agro-forestry and forest products' production. Natural resources are used on the stable basis. Biodiversity in short can be described as follows: one can find steep slopes, woodlands and forests there; plant communities of oak, pistachio, other trees and bushes are also found there; the dominant wildlife species include mammals, reptiles, mountain sheep and goats, eagles, insects, bears, birds, grasshoppers, etc. The leaves of the oak are used for feeding animals; acorns are used as a raw material for the local type of bread. The forestry is divided among clans (households) and each of them owns its part. This is a part of management system which exists in this area; however it is interesting to have a closer look how biodiversity is managed for the agricultural purposes. (Bardgett & Abderson, 2001) The villagers are used to treating the species which are of the highest value for their life and agricultural development - they gather and dry the seeds of the most appreciated plants; at the end of summer these seeds are spread on the lands. The livestock is kept on the lands for a certain period of time with the aims of fertilizing them. The energy for cooking and other kinds of household work is provided by cutting the head branches of the trees; while there used to be a need in cutting whole trees; the general plant cover has been seriously damaged. In managing such areas, which are characterized by biodiversity and are useful for agriculture, it is important to follow the principles: 1. Managing agro-biodiversity is the matter of societal choice, which means that each specific community vies its land and ecosystem in the light of the local economic and

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Save the planet by cutting down on meat That's just a load of bull Essay

Save the planet by cutting down on meat That's just a load of bull - Essay Example In contrast, transport makes up just 13% of the world’s greenhouse gas footprint. Moreover, cows turn out methane gas is 23 times as damaging as CO2. Furthermore, livestock rearing takes up 30% of the earth’s surface. In light of this, Johnson suggests that Dr.Pachauri was perhaps right for being anxious about emissions of methane gas from livestock. Johnson affirms that although Dr.Pachauri’s scrutiny was spot on; his proposition to cut down on meat was ridiculous. Additionally, Johnson (2008) argues that while shunning meat consumption by humans would notably result in decreased methane output; Dr. Pachauri’s recommendation is mistaken as it ignores the pertinent issues at the heart of every environmental problem that presently afflicts the world. Some of these issues include: deforestation, destruction of species, the 1.3 billion people whose livelihoods are reliant on agriculture as well as the persistent human population boom. Currently, the world’s population is about 6.72 billion and anticipated to rise to 9 billion by 2050. Cows are not the problem; people eating the cows are the problem. Additionally, Johnson also reminds the UN of its historic role which entails: campaigning against global overpopulation, family planning championing for female emancipation, and all the real solutions to world’s intolerable and excessive population boom. In support of Dr. Pachauri’s proposition that meat production puts more GHG’s than the earth’s entire transport network, Smith et al. (2007, p.501) suggests that agriculture discharges considerable amounts of GHG’s (such as methane-CH4, nitrous oxide-N2O and carbondioxide-CO2) into the atmosphere. CH4 is generated when organic matter putrefies in anaerobic circumstances, especially from fermentative digestion by ruminant farm animals, from stockpiled droppings. This confirms that Dr.Pachauri is perhaps right for being anxious about methane gas emissions from livestock. On the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Productivity Environmental Preference Survey Essay

Productivity Environmental Preference Survey - Essay Example The amount of sound and light in the learning or work environment can have a dramatic effect on the individual’s ability to learn in the environment and be productive. The temperature of the room also has a substantial effect on how an individual is able to process and assimilate information in a given circumstance. These factors can also have an impact on the individual’s motivation to learn and how they learn. Individual motivation can come from external or internal sources and is directly effected by the environmental conditions discussed above, such as lighting, temperature, noise levels, and other various distractions that may present themselves within the environment. Although these variables are all controllable, they are sometimes outside of the scope of the individual’s control and can diminish the individual’s desire to learn. Ensuring that the room is lit to the person’s tolerance levels, noise is kept to their particular preference, and that the room temperature is comfortable or that they have sufficient clothing to stay warm will all help to keep the person motivated and their productivity at a substantial level. References Lee, S. & Bozeman, B. (2005, October).

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Jury Nullification Paper Essay Example for Free

Jury Nullification Paper Essay In this paper I am going to explain whether ethnicity influences courtroom proceedings and judicial practices, and give some examples of ethnicity-based jury nullification, a sanctioned doctrine of trial proceedings wherein members of a jury disregard either the evidence presented of the instructions of the judge in order to reach a verdict based upon their own consciences. It espouses the concept that jurors should be the judges of both law and fact. Ethnicity in court is an important factor depending were your venue of court is located, and the jurors selected to the court. If in a court room there are jurors that are all white and are jurors for a case involving a white man that killed a African American man, may cause the jurors to listen to the white man case rather than the African American individual. In some cases if the white man story is little probable to happen the jurors will then have to take more time and listen closer to both of the stories. Jurors are told when in court that they have to judge by the facts and not by preferences in ethnic groups or color of skin, some do listen some do not take any facts they just prefer to select the person who is less guilty or if they see a similarities in themselves with an offender. One example of a preferred jury was a case that took place on the night of February 26, 2012, in Stanford, Florida, George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old African American high school student. George Zimmerman, a 28 year old Hispanic, was the neighborhood watch coordinator for the gated community where martin was temporarily staying and where the shooting took place. Martin and Zimmerman where in a confrontation while martin was walking thru the gated community while on the ground Zimmerman shot Martin killing him. When officers arrived on scene they took Zimmerman into custody and attended his injuries, then questioned for five hours. Under the state law of Florida it is legal to defend yourself while being under attack and you are able to use lethal force. Zimmerman stated that martin was reaching toward Zimmerman’s gun but no evidence was found. The jury decided that Zimmerman was not guilty, there was controversy in this case because martin was a young black kid who dressed different and was judged by that. The jury I believe looked at Martin as a bigger threat than Zimmerman. In this case a young black male was judged incorrectly by people who saw him as kid that was not going on the correct path, and on the other side they see a person who was keeping a watch on his community and keep them safe. Some people just see a Hispanic male getting away with murder and a African American kid who was killed harshly. For this case 5 of the 6 jurors were considered white and 1 mixed race, in this county were the case took place in Florida only 10 percent of the population are African American. Even though when selecting a jury there is people who make sure there are no bias selection of jurors, sometimes jurors when in court change their minds because they relate to the case or because some similar situations have happen to that juror or a close relative. When jurors relate to cases it starts to become a bias situation, for example if a case of a women that was beaten by a husband because of infidelity, some jurors if women will take the women side and will maybe go against the husband. Otherwise if the jurors are mostly men the men will tend to reduce sentence or even find a reason to liberate the husband accused of beating his wife due to infidelity. When facing a court case such as the famous case of Rodney King the jurors gave a harsh punishment to the police officers not because they were bias, but because the footage of the people who are there to serve and protect were acting like animals and very unprofessional. In this situation the jury were mainly concerned that these officers that were in duty to serve and protect the community can act so savagely, in this case there was a clear bias situation the jurors were not looking at the officers as heroes because they took down a man that was drugged up, the jurors saw the police beating  a man that was defense less and without any help. There will always be all sorts of bias and sometimes racism inside of the court room, jurors are chosen the best as possible but sometimes it just is not enough to sentence a case correctly. Jurors have the responsibility to give the case to the innocent person and to help the judge make the correct decision, but sometimes jurors make mistakes and are guided by their emotions and not the facts, when that happens the case becomes a bias case and usually in favor of the person the jurors think is innocent. In my opinion jurors should be taught and learn on how to use the facts to see all the details of the case, jurors should also be taught different types of classes on looking at all the evidence in favor and not in favor, the jurors should also take in mind that the person being sentenced also have families and deserve a fair opportunity on their criminal case. The diversity on the juror stand should be always permitted I believe there should not be more Whites or Blacks or Hispanic jurors there should be a fair amount of jurors for all ethnicities this will bring a balance and a fair judgment of all the cases in court. This will bring more fairness and belief to the court system and will help the judges job easier and trust the people of the juror stand. To conclude, jurors should be a very great help for criminal cases but they always have to judge with intelligence and with fairness.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Properties of Plants in the Forest

Properties of Plants in the Forest Spectral properties of plants in the forest: (1st ch) Interaction of radiation with plant leaves is extremely complex. General features of this interaction have been studied but many spectral features are yet unexplained. Gates et al., (1965) are considered pioneers, who have studied spectral characteristics of leaf reflection, transmission and absorption. Optical properties of plants have been further studied to understand the mechanisms involved by Gausman and Allen (1973), Wooley (1971) and Allen et al., (1970). It is the synthesis of the parameters like reflection of plant parts, reflection of plant canopies, nature and state of plant canopies and Structure and texture of plant canopies, which will be required to fully understand the remote sensing data collected from space borne and aerial platforms. They have been attempted for crop canopies through the development of models but not yet fully achieved. It will be initially required to discuss the electromagnetic spectrum and its interaction with vegetation canopies. Subsequent factors affecting the spectral reflectance of plant canopies with its possible applications in remote sensing technology would be discussed. The vegetation reflectance is influenced by the reflectance characteristics of individual plant organs, canopy organization and type, growth stage of plants, structure and texture of the canopies. The synthesis of the above four aspects provides true reflectance characteristic. However, various authors without fully achieving models to determine vegetation reflectance characteristics have studied effect of individual parameters. Nature of the Plant: Numerous measurements have been performed to evaluate the spectral response of various categories of plants with a spectrophotometer (Fig. ***). For a plant in its normal state i.e., typical and healthy the spectral reflectance is specific of the group, the species and even of the variety at a given stage in its phenological evolution. The general aspects of spectral reflectance of healthy plant in the range from 0.4 to 2.6 Â µm is shown in figure ****. The very abrupt increase in reflectance near 0.7 Â µm and the fairly abrupt decrease near 1.5 Â µm are present for all mature, healthy green leaves. Very high; further in the far infrared >3.0 Â µm. Thus, the typical spectral curve of plant is divided into three prominent zones correlated with morphological characteristics of the leaves (Gates, 1971). Pigment Absorption Zone: The important pigments, viz. chlorophyll, xanthophylls and carotenoids absorb energy strongly in ultraviolet blue and red regions of the EMR. The reflectance and transmittance are weak. The absorbed energy of this part of this spectrum is utilized for the photosynthetic activity (Allen et al. 1970). Multidioptric Reflectance Zone: In this zone, the reflectance is high, while the absorbptance remains weak. All the unabsorbed energy (30 to 70% according to the type of plant) is transmitted. They reflectance is essentially due to the internal structure of the leaf and the radiation is able to penetrate. The reflectance from internal structure is of physical more than chemical nature. Apart front the contribution of the waxy cuticle, the magnitude of the reflectance depends primarily upon the amount of spongy mesophyll. Hydric Zone: Amount of water inside the leaf affect the pattern of spectral reflectance with water specific absorption bands at 1.45 Â µm, 1.95 Â µm and 2.6 Â µm. Liquid water in a leaf causes strong absorption throughout middle infrared region. Beyond 2.5 Â µm the reflectance becomes less than 5% due to atmospheric absorption and beyond 3 Â µm the vegetation starts acting as quasi blackbody (Gates et al., 1965). There are numerous factors either internal of the plant or external coming from the environmental conditions have an influence on the specific spectral reflectance. The above descriptions are true only for a normal, mature and healthy vegetation. The factors which affect the spectral reflectance of leaves are leaf structure, maturity, pigmentation, sun exposition, phyllotaxis, pubescene, turgidity (water content) nutritional status and, disease etc. Important factors are pigmentation, nutritional status, anatomy of leaves and water content. While, sun exposition and phyllotaxy affects the canopy reflectance, phenological state and disease are linked to the primary factors affecting the spectral reflectance (Wooley, 1971). Spectral vegetation indices: Radiant energy intercepted by a vegetative canopy is primarily scattered by leaves either away from the leaf surface or to the leaf interior. The scattered radiation is reflected, transmitted or absorbed by leaves. The partitioning of radiation a reflected, transmitted or absorbed energy depends on a number of factor including leaf cellular structures (Gates et al. 1965; Kfipling, 1970; Woolley, 1971), leaf pubescence and roughness (Gausman, 1977), leaf morphology and physiology (Gausman et al., 1969 a, b; Gausman and Allen, 1973; Gausman et al., 1971) and leaf surface characteristics (Breece and Hommes, 1971; Grant, 1985). Leaves are not perfectly diffuse reflectors but have diffuse and specular characteristics. Leaf transmittance tends to have a non Lambertian distribution, while leaf reflectance is dependent on illumination and view angles. Knowledge of soils radiation interaction with individual leaves is necessary for several reasons like special to interpret and process remotely sensed data. Typical reflectance and transmittance spectrum of a individual plant leaf indicate three distinct wavelength regions in interaction: visible (0.4-0.7 Â µm), near infrared (NIR) (0.7-1.35 Â µm) and mid infrared (mid IR) (1.35-2.7 Â µm). Thus the typical spectral curve of plant is divided into three prominent zones correlated with morphological/anatomical/physiological characteristics of the leaves and these are Pigment Absorption Zone, Multi-Dioptric Reflectance Zone and Hydric Zone, etc. The analysis of all remotely sensed data involves models of many processes wherein the EM radiation is transformed (the scene, atmosphere and sensor) and whereby inference is made about the scene from the image data. The most common strategy for relating remote sensing data to vegetation canopies has been via the correlation of vegetation indices with vegetation structure and functional variables. This simple empirical approach has yielded substantial understanding of the structure and dynamics of vegetation at all scales. These indices are capable of handling variation introduced in a scene due to atmosphere or sensor and vegetation background influence in low vegetation cover areas. The capacity to assess and monitor the structure of terrestrial vegetation using spectral properties recorded by remote sensing is important because structure can be related to functioning, that is to ecosystem processes that are ultimately aggregated up to the functioning of the local-regional-global level of ecosystem. The categorization of the various spectral indices in to approximately five types. Such as Ratio Indices, Vegetation Indices, Orthogonal based Indices, Perpendicular Vegetation Indices and Tasseled Cap Transformation, etc. Remote sensing of cropland, forest and grassland involves the measurement of reflected energy of component in the presence of each other. The development and usefulness of vegetation indices are dependent upon the degree to which the spectral contribution of non-vegetation component can be isolated from the measured canopy response. Although vegetation indices have been widely recognized a valuable tools in the measurement and interpretation of ‘vegetation condition’ several limitation have also been identified. They are related to soil brightness effect and secondary soil spectral deviations. The use of site specific soil lines reduces soil background influence. In this context SAVI, GRABS and PVI holds greater promise in low vegetated areas. The vegetation indices are simplified method to extract information about vegetation parameter from multispectral data however, their use in spectral modeling needs to be studied in context of spectral dynamics of earth surface components. Resume Forest cover is an important natural resource for the environment and socio-eco on the surface of the earth. It can bridge the gap between nature and human beings conflicts. Changes in the forest land increase the imbalance in the ecosystem, climatic conditions, temperature, land degradation, drought prone zones, soil erosion, depending manmade activities, etc. The living tribes in the mountain hill as well as foot hill area utilized forest material for their domestic usages. Therefore, the objectives of detection and delineation of the forest land by using ordinary classification methods have been outlined in the present study. The methodology has been outlined in this chapter. The Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-7 ETM+ dataset has been suggested as a source of information to achieve the objectives of the study. The basic knowledge regarding spectral properties of the forest and physiographic elements as well as spectral vegetation indices area has been proposed for the second chapter to m ake information base study for image analysis, classification and interpretation in the next chapters.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Private Schools vs. Public Schools :: Private Schools vs. Public Schools

The first position of chapter three is supportive of private schools. This position feels that private schools prevent the public schools from having a total monopoly over education by offering the community an alternative choice. This choice also produces competition with public schools for student enrollment. This position views public schools as something a student must accept as the only option if his or her parents can not afford a private school education. This is an obvious short coming to private schools, since they do not operate on the taxpayers' funds. However, some private schools do provide scholarships to poorer families. However, one distinct advantage of private schools is their abilities to satisfy their students' special needs. A military academy, for example, provides the strict discipline that some students need. Basically, a private school works for the students' desires, while a public school demands that its students work for their designated needs. The intellectual climate at a private school is more academically oriented than public schools. Private education provides students with a broader education that accepts diversity. Public education, however, does not have as much diversity due to strict public control that tries to avoid offending others. Private schools are considered to be more experimental because they try and accept new ideas faster. The American public generally seems to support private education, according to this position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second position of chapter three favors public schools. This position feels that private schools are an unnecessary burden and expense to the public. Private schools have the tendency to tarnish the image and reputations of good public schools. Magnet, or theme-oriented, schools are public schools that provide various, specific programs of study for their students to choose from. An example of a magnet school is the dance school on the television program Fame. Despite some criticism, public schools are still a strong force in America. This is in part because public schools bring together different races into one school building. Private schools are intended for the wealthy, according to this position. The isolation created by a wealthy-only atmosphere prevents students from being exposed to reality. A controversial topic regarding private schools is that parents can obtain vouchers to send their children there. This is another free ride for the wealthy, the very people who do not need governmental assistance. Overall, this position views private schools as privilege available and dedicated to the wealthy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My personal opinion of chapter three favors private education. Despite the fact that I attended a public school, I feel that private schools have as much right to exist and operate as do public schools.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Shipping and the Great Barrier Reef Essay -- Trade Nature Conservation

Shipping and the Great Barrier Reef Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is an unparalleled marine ecosystem that holds rank as one of the world’s most valuable natural wonders. The abundance of sea life offers both intrinsic and physical benefits, but unfortunately this extraordinary habitat is now threatened from several different angles. One of the greatest threats to the GBR is the presence of popular shipping routes which surround and penetrate the reef. These ships naturally pollute the GBR, but the severest danger lies in the possibility of wrecks spilling oil or other hazardous cargos. History offers many examples of shipwrecks with outcomes that could have been devastating although there has not yet been a major disaster. These events have helped to inspire various regulations aiming to curb the risk of any major incident. Nevertheless, there still remains more room for protective measures in order to insure the safety of such an irreplaceable treasure. The Great Barrier Reef The GBR formed about 9,000 years ago during the last interglacial period. As with other coral reefs, it is based upon the structure of billions of coral polyps, and the GBR is the longest coral reef system ever to exist. It is consequently the largest structure created by living creatures and so massive that it can be viewed from outer space (Guynup p.22). The GBR includes 2,900 separate reefs and hundreds various islands and cays. The GBR stretches over 2,000 kilometers up the coast of Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP), established in 1975, includes nearly 350,000 square kilometers, which is over half the area covered by all of the protected areas in mainland Australia (Chadwick and Storrie p.1, CRC p.1).... ...w.gbrmpa.gov.au/ Guynup, Sharon. 2000. â€Å"Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.† Science World, 57(1): 22-23. Johns, Gary. 2002. â€Å"The Four Corners of the Reef: Investigative Journalism or Environmental Activism.† Institute of Public Affairs, 54(2): 10-11. Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, Protection of the Great Barrier Reef: Report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Conservation, November 1985. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra: 1985. Queensland Transport – News: â€Å"Maritime Safety Legislation Passed by Parliament,† 31 July 2002. Queensland Transport & the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, â€Å"Oil Spill Risk Assessment for the Coastal Waters of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park†: August 2000. Wright, Judith, The Coral Battleground. Thomas Nelson, Melbourne: 1977.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Study Of Imagery In Adrian :: essays research papers

In all the aspects of literature, authors use literary devices to add suspense, depth and significance to their works. This concept is valid in 'Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years'; by Sue Townsend . The diary-type story revolves around a young adult named Adrian, who constantly goes through the tragedies of life, but finally with some fortunate fate, achieves to live a life in which he cannot 'fail to see the happiness.'; (p 267) Therefore, in order to make the readers laugh at several tragedies of life, Townsend establishes an accurate use of the literary devices of irony, satire and exaggeration to create a humorous plot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Irony is a significant literary device, which is used many times to achieve a good sense of humor. A perfect example for a use of irony is seen in the description of the psychologist of the main character, Lenora.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   'After all, she was just a psychologist. God ! She wasn't ! Apart from Pandora [his infatuated love] she was probably the loveliest woman I have ever spoken to. I found it hard to take my eyes off her black suede shoes with high heels. ' (p. 35)';   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before the entrance of Adrian to the psychologist's room, he obviously does not expect much of a physical appearance. However, after he enters the room, ironically, Lenora turns out to be a smashing woman. Another use of irony is present in Adrian's description of his mother in the new year's eve: 'As she slopped wine into a plastic glass for me, I could have a chance to take a close look at her. Her lips were surrounded red, her hair was blonde and glossy. Her cleavage wrinkled and her belly protruded from the little black dress (very little) she wore. The poor woman was forty-seven, and twenty-three years older than her second husband.'; (p. 3) Here, first Mrs. Mole is described as if she is a twenty-year-old girl, but in the end of the description, he reveals her actual age – 47 – which is rather ironic for such an appearance. Last and the most obvious, Adrian's Russia Trip turns out to be ironic: 'Saturday, August 17th: There is no cruise ship. There are no passengers. Each member of our party is paddling their own canoe. I am crouched inside a two-man tent. Outside are swarms of huge, black mosquitoes. They are waiting for me to emerge. With a bit of luck, I will die in my sleep.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

America’s educational system Essay

Introduction As America’s educational system continues to strengthen and develop, a focus on individualized instruction and intervention within the regular education classroom has been brought forth in an attempt to keep struggling students from falling behind. This specific additional instruction and intervention, known as Response to Intervention in most states (RtI), is not only viewed as a push towards the improvement of education for all students, but is also being used as the means by which decisions regarding a student’s special education eligibility is based upon. However, for such a program to ultimately be beneficial, it will be up to the schools to ensure that the education professionals are putting forth significant effort in using the most appropriate type of intervention for that specific student. It will be the RtI team’s duty to define the student’s problem, plan an intervention, implement the intervention, and regularly evaluate the student’s progress (Martinez & Young, 2011, p. 44). Various interventions should be attempted if the scheduled improvement is not initially apparent. Statement of the Problem The groundbreaking passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, the long overdue act which provided official protection of the rights and individual needs of those with disabilities within the educational system, sparked the remarkable increase of students being quickly diagnosed with a learning disability in whatever subject the specific student was struggling in (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 18). It was also noted that the majority of this increase in special education was found to be packed with minority students due to the deficient amount of teacher cultural awareness within the classroom. The special education identification method of Response to Intervention came about as education personnel searched for appropriate ways to identify students who genuinely required special education and attempted to remove the subjectivity from the identification process that had caused the previous increase (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 18). Instead of instinctively assuming that a struggling student has an LD, therefore immediately referring him or her for special education, educators need to attempt to reach this student by using other methods of instruction  that are research-based and proven to be highly-effective. Purpose of the Study This paper is designed to inform the readers about the core principals of Response to Intervention, the roles of school personnel, effective implementation, how educators are reacting to the process, and how RtI is filtering into the behavioral domains of the classroom. Both positive and negative aspects of Response to Intervention will be presented. The research is current and needs to be added to the available body of knowledge. Significance of the Problem Providing quality education to the children of this nation will hopefully always be unquestionably significant to society. The growth and development of society essentially relies on such provision. Considering this reality, the actual effort an educator makes in order to guarantee that each individual child is presented with the opportunity to reach his or her full potential academically will not only affect this individual child’s future, but the future of all of America. With the proper implementation of the Response to Intervention framework within the nation’s educational system, the appropriate exertion of effort from educators can be ensured. Limitations This article’s content was taken from database research using scholarly sources. It was researched and written in a period of 15 weeks with the required minimum of 15 pages but limited to 20. Response to Intervention is the structured process implemented by education personnel in which individualized instruction and intervention is provided for students who are struggling either academically or behaviorally (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.44). RtI’s purpose is also to serve in the early identification and preventative intervention process with hopes of ultimately reducing the amount of inappropriate special education referrals that are issued due to poor instruction. In order to construct a sound Response to Intervention framework within a school, the core principles of RtI need to be efficiently developed. Attention to each of Rudebusch’s principles from The Source for RTI: Response to Intervention will help to  ensure a more successful intervention process and should be used as a guide for educators. These principles include: We can effectively teach all children Intervene early Use a multi-tier model of service delivery Use a problem-solving method to make decisions Use research based, scientifically validated instruction and intervention Monitor student progress to shape instruction Make decisions by using student performance data Use assessment for a variety of purposes (Rudebusch, 2008, p.20). As the general educator develops and constructs his or her own plan within the classroom, it is important that he or she fully understand that effectively teaching all kinds of children is possible. Thanks to No Child Left Behind (2001), teachers are now expected to deliver high-quality instruction to their students at all times as well as be held accountable for their student’s achievement (Osborne & Russo, 2008, p.17). To push for student achievement, and for high-quality instruction to occur, teachers need to implement both explicit and systematic instruction. This explicit instruction is especially important in the beginning stages of the widely-followed model of teaching provided within the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model. Rudebusch states; â€Å"The instructional sequence gradually moves each student from teacher-dependence to learning-independence. The teacher focuses the lesson with explicit instruction, uses guided instruction and student teamwork to practice the skills, and finally, allows students to demonstrate independent mastery of the skill.† Teacher responsibility decreases as student responsibility increases. This process also helps children in developing crucial self-regulated learning skills. Self-regulation can be defined as â€Å"the child’s capacity to plan, guide, and monitor his or her behavior from within and flexibly according to changing circumstances,† (Bramer, 2011, p.41). The development of this proficiency is critical as it will push the child to take control of his or her own learning helping to bring about a sense of independence which is the main focus of the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model. High-quality instruction has been filtered through the  self-regulated learner’s education. The second core principle of RtI provided by Rudebusch establishes the significance of early intervention. As soon as a child reveals any signs or symptoms regarding academic or behavioral difficulties to come, the educator is to intervene in order to attempt to keep the student on a similar pace compared to others in his or her same grade (Rudebusch, 2008, p.22). Students who receive such assistance early have been known to need fewer special education services as well as fewer rehabilitative services throughout the entirety of their education. The U.S. Department of Education states that intervening during preschool years can â€Å"enhance the child’s development, provide support and assistance to the family, and maximize the child’s and family’s benefit to society† (Rudebusch, 2008, p.22). If the child is identified at an early age then there is a greater possibility that they will benefit from the intervention strategies that are designed to meet their personal needs. Early intervention is also supported legislatively as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) addresses the guidelines. Part C of IDEA â€Å"addresses services for children from birth to age 3 and their families, and section 619 of Part B†¦covers services for children ages 3 to 5,† (Bruder, 2010, p.339). Using a multi-tier model of service delivery allows struggling students to be provided with increasing levels of support in regards to their specific areas of difficulty. Each level varies in time consumption, intensity, and the amount of students receiving intervention. Whether they are receiving intervention in small structured groups using specific organized programs, or more intensive, individualized intervention that is provided for longer periods of time, this model of service delivery has been constructed to ultimately prevent future academic and/or behavioral problems, as well as assist in identifying students who actually posses specific learning disabilities (Rudebusch, 2008, p.23). RtI models are typically created with at least three tiers. From the description provided by Amy Detgen, Mika Yamashita, Brittany Davis, and Sara Wraight, in State Policies and Procedures on Response to Intervention in the Midwest Region, we are provided with a brief description and purpose of e ach tier: Tier 1:  Evidence-based instruction provided to all students in the general education classroom. Student progress is continually monitored. Tier 2: Small-group supplemental instruction provided to students who fail to make adequate progress in the general classroom. Programs and strategies are designed to supplement tier 1 instruction. Tier 3: Specialized and individualized instruction provided to students who are not responding to tier 2 interventions. Throughout each of these tiers, the progress of each individual student is monitored as data is collected and evaluated. This process is completed in order to ensure that the constructed intervention is proving to be effective for the targeted student. If the student continues to underachieve and show no progress, despite the various â€Å"high-quality instruction and targeted interventions† that have been provided, than this student may possess a specific learning disability (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 18). All remaining RtI related decisions have been left up to the schools, such as â€Å"†¦how many tiers are needed; movement from one tier to the next and duration, frequency, and timing of the interventions; and how screening for secondary intervention should occur†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Brady, Bucholz, Duffy, Goodman, & Hazelkorn, 2011, p. 19). Rudebusch’s fourth RtI core principle consists of using an appropriate problem-solving method when making decisions within this multi-tiered model. This will aid in determining the specific student’s needs, as well as continue to develop and help evaluate student responsiveness to the actual intervention being provided. An efficient problem-solving process that should be used within the RtI framework should involve a variety of professionals’ skills and opinions in order to create the most appropriate intervention for the child in question. This process should involve: using measurable terms when defining the problem; effectively analyzing the problem and its variables; constructing a plan that will appropriately address the problem; putting the plan into action; evaluating the ultimate effectiveness of the plan (Rudebusch, 2008, p.24). Such a problem-solving process will contribute to the validity of a child’s individual plan as each step will help to ensure that appropriate decisions  are being made. Being able to effectively and efficiently solve RtI problems when they arise is of great importance as the child’s first constructed plan will not always be successful. In order for Response to Intervention to bring forth the amount of efficiency that it is capable of, it is essential that educators use â€Å"research-based, scientifically validated instruction and intervention† (Rudebusch, 2008, p.24). In No Child Left Behind (2001), scientifically-based researched is defined as â€Å"†¦research that involves the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs† (Zucker, 2004). Using this type of instruction for your students will be critical for their ultimate academic success. Another important quality to the highly-effective teacher’s style of instruction is differentiation. As the student population continues to expand and diversify, and as it is now known that not all students learn in the same manner or are at the same level in regards to their intelligence, differentiated instruction is crucial so that all types of lear ners can be met. Joan Van Bramer (2011) declares in Teacher Talk and Assistance and Self-Regulated Learning within the Context of RtI and Explicit and Systematic Teaching, that, â€Å"In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where students are, not the front of the curriculum guide†¦In differentiated classrooms, teachers provide specific ways for each individual to learn as deeply as possible and as quickly as possible, without assuming one’s student’s road map for learning is identical to anyone else’s†¦Differentiated classrooms feel right to students who learn in different ways and at different rates and who bring to school different talents and interests†¦Differentiated instruction is the heart and soul of Tier 1, a teaching model necessitated by the wide reading range represented in each classroom.† Providing research-based instruction as well as differentiation on all three tiers can set in motion positive progress from each and every student. In the sixth, seventh, and eighth RtI core principles, Rudebusch highlights the importance of monitoring student progress in order to effectively shape instruction. Decisions made should be based on the student performance data that has been consistently collected from this progress monitoring. Rudebusch also stresses the usefulness of  assessments when checking progress. This progress-monitoring is the most suitable way in which an educator can determine whether or not the specific intervention being provided to the child is actually effective. By monitoring student progress, educators can understand and genuinely witness which types of instruction the child has positively responded to as improvement in their targeted area has been documented. This monitoring can also point out ineffective instruction as a child’s lack of improvement would be noticed. This is equally important as unproductive intervention should be put to an end or altered in a way which will hopefully meet the student’s previously denied needs. Using the collected performance data to identify the most appropriate methods of intervention, as well as using a variety of specialized judgment from the professionals involved, and using â€Å"scientifically validated evidence and information about a student,† are the foundations of the previously mentioned RtI problem-solving process (Rudebusch, 2008, p.25). To continue making the most efficient decisions in regards to student academic and behavioral intervention needs, the schools systems need to: continually collect student data; be able to pull valuable information from the data concerning student needs; use this data to â€Å"make informed instructional decisions at every level of the RtI framework,† (Rudebusch, 2008, p.25). Determining student needs from the data collected from progress monitoring is a reliable way to ensure that the selected intervention for said child is actually helping the child to improve in their targeted area of struggle. Using assessments within this progress monitoring is also another effective way to measure improvement. Assessments are also initially used to screen those children who are believed to not be making appropriate academic or behavior progress before intervention has even begun. Effective implementation of the Response to Intervention program within schools is key if success is to be witnessed among those struggling students who are participating within the program. In order for effective implementation to occur, the foundation of the RtI framework needs to not  only be based upon its eight core principles, but also needs the appropriate amount of dedication and commitment from the school personnel who are involved in the process. There are seven essential skills and competencies identified by Rita Bean and Jennifer Lillenstein in Response to Intervention and the Changing Roles of Schoolwide Personnel that education related professionals need to possess to help ensure the success of RtI within the schools. These seven proficiencies are: in-depth knowledge of literacy development and instruction; an understanding of how to collect and interpret data for instructional decision making; being able to differentiate one’s instruction; a willingness to collaborate and work successfully with others; a commitment to Lifelong Learning; possessing leadership skills; a facility to work with technology (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.493-497). With the workings of RtI within the schools, it is now being found important for all school personnel to understand the â€Å"components of reading acquisition† and to be able to effectively provide evidence-based literacy instruction (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.494). Principals viewed this knowledge as a way to better understand their educator’s struggles and concerns, while specialized personnel, such as special educators and psychologists, who formally did not need to possess such knowledge, now find the understanding of the literacy curriculum to be of great significance. All RtI school personnel involved and knowledgeable in reading and literacy education have a better chance of helping those students who are struggling with language arts eventually reach their full potential. As well as understanding the importance of effective literacy instruction, school personnel also need to be able to collect, interpret, and use the data they pull together from monitoring student progress to construct further instruction and intervention. Teachers need to understand that certain assessments might not be the most appropriate choice for one child while it could be the most effective for another. A wide variety of ways to assess students needs to be used, such as teacher observations and collaboration, rubrics, and student work samples, in order to truly grasp  what the student is struggling with. â€Å"To use data effectively, there is a need for shared expertise, with reading specialists, principals, and psychologists offering their expertise in psychometrics, instruction, and so on,† (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.495). With school personnel interpreting data effectively and using such information to construct the most appropriate instruction and intervention for the targeted student, the likelihood that the student will benefit from the RtI process is much greater. The ability to differentiate instruction, as mentioned previously, is extremely significant to the implementation of RtI, and yet is one of the most difficult factors to achieve. However, successful differentiation is possible when educators take the time to seek out the most effective way to reach the child, understanding that all children learn differently. The support of differentiated instruction can be carried out by principals who help to develop staff schedules that will ultimately increase the availability and numbers of personnel available to aid in the classroom. These professionals can include special educators, reading specialists, or English language learning teachers. Using such professionals within the RtI process will only benefit those struggling students and help to differentiate the kind of instruction they will receive. This will aid in discovering the best way to reach each child academically. Another important ability school personnel needs to posses in order to carry out RtI effectively is the ability to collaborate positively with one another. Being able to work with others toward a common goal is extremely important, and regardless of the situation, this common goal should always be to discover the most efficient way to educate the child in question. Jennifer Lillenstein and Rita Bean (2012) state, in regards to collaboration within the classroom, that â€Å"there was consensus that to collaborate effectively, there must be a sharing of and value for diverse perspectives and preparation to attain the larger goal of enhanced instructional decision making and improved student outcomes.† By effectively working with one another in an attempt to make the best decisions in regards to what the targeted student needs, the educators establish joint responsibility for the  student. From this joint responsibility, the educators will be able to discuss the student’s strengths and weaknesses when making decisions concerning instruction (Bean & Lillenstein, 2012, p.495). Efficient collaboration between those who are a part of the RtI process is critical if what is best for the targeted student is truly in question. This consistent collaboration also provides opportunities for education professionals to learn from one another as they maintain and inspire their commitment to lifelong learning. Educators can always learn from the strategies, thought processes, and experiences of their co-workers. The final two skills and/or competencies mentioned by Rita Bean and Jennifer Lillenstein (2012) are leadership qualities and competency within the field of educational technology. Leadership qualities can involve a variety of skills, such as interpersonal skills, communication skills (such as assertive communication), skills related to the principle of trust, and skills involving active listening and problem solving. Other important aspects of leadership qualities an educational professional should possess include being able to successfully collaborate with a team, and leading and participating in conversations with individuals or groups concerning pressing matters. During these times of discussion, a leader should be able to not only provide positive feedback to his or her fellow co-workers, but must also be able to provide critical feedback if necessary. When critical feedback is taking place, a leader needs to treat his or her other co-workers with respect, be able to back up his or her claims with data and evidence, and should always keep the student’s best interests in mind. In regards to school technology, educators need to possess facility concerning these kinds of classroom advancements. Collecting data, monitoring the process of students, finding ideas for differentiated instruction, and learning more on one’s own are merely a few of the ways technology is now being used in the classroom. The collection, reviewing, and monitoring of student data and performance is critical to the success of their individualized RtI plan (Bean & Lillenstein, 2012, p.496). To find out how schools are implementing the entire Response to Intervention process within the classroom, as well as how educators are responding to the  process, a specific example is provided. In South Eastern Texas, an online survey in both rural and urban schools was completed. In Response to Intervention: How is it Practiced and Perceived?, by Rachel Martinez and Andria Young, the various aspects of RtI, as well as the results of the survey are examined. Ninety-nine educators completed this online survey in rural and urban schools in South Eastern Texas answering questions regarding the RtI process and their opinions about the procedure. The questions related to the RtI initiation practice, documentation of the student’s goals, data collection, intervention procedures, the resulting follow up decision process, and the educators’ overall opinions regarding the entire implementation. In reviewing the results, it was discovered that 87% of the respondents stated that it is the general education teacher who initiates the RtI process for the struggling student (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.47). Seventy seven percent of the respondents indicated that this course of action is most often initiated after a student scores poorly on a school-wide screening test. Now that this student has been identified as one who will participate in the RtI process, an RtI Team is formed. This team usually consists primarily of the general education teacher, special education teacher, administrator, and a reading specialist. Only 34% of the respondents stated that the child’s parent was a part of the team (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.46). In order for a child to be properly monitored, school personnel are to write specific academic goals concerning the student’s targeted areas and the amount of progress he or she is to make before a certain time period. These areas are to be operationally defined so that they can be continually examined (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.47). This is extremely significant to the RtI process as student progress needs to actually be seen in data form in order for the specific intervention to continue. Yet the comments left by the respondents concerning writing these measurable goals indicate that this is an area of weakness for educators and needs improvement. Concerning the follow-up process, results indicate that a follow up meeting was usually held by the RtI Team in order to appropriately monitor a student’s progress.  Seventy six percent of the respondents’ answers points towards the fact that at least half of the time students are making some sort of progress (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.49). Seventy one percent also indicated that students actually met their goals at least half of the time (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.49). If a student does not reach their goals, it is indicated that a new type of intervention is started and if progress is still not made, a special education referral is conducted. Yet the majority of the respondents, 74%, indicated that this eligibility is determined using a combination of RTI results and standardized testing data instead of just relying on RTI data alone (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.49). This specific example has provided evidence of the positive results of RtI and that the greater part of the respondents involved in this study felt that such a process ultimately benefited students. Yet comments concerning how the process is perceived by educators in this area were not all entirely positive. Some educators indicated that the same students who were being put through this process were actually already being provided extra help by their teachers. There was also an overwhelming amount of complaints in regards to the time RtI paperwork and documentation takes (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.50). In Special Education Teacher’s Perceptions and Instructional practices in Response to Intervention Implementation, by Elizabeth Swanson, Michael Solis, Stephen Ciullo, and John W. McKenna, some similar complaints involving RtI are stated. These negative aspects include scheduling challenges—as it is sometimes difficult to set aside a time in which all those who are required in the RtI process are available, the increased amount of paperwork necessary for each student, and the probability that additional staff may be needed. Despite these challenges, teachers find the early intervention opportunities, meeting the unique needs of each student, and the positive collaboration with other staff members to outweigh the previously mentioned negative features. The results of the specific study completed in the South Eastern Texas area indicate that the school personnel are consistently tending to the important components of the RTI process, despite such challenges, as they attempt to help each individual student reach their full potential academically. As Response to Intervention continues to show success in regards to aiding students academically, the use of RtI to help students who struggle with the social, emotional, and behavioral aspects of school is now an option. Since this type of negative behavior can be associated with poor school-related outcomes, the use of RtI behavioral interventions may prevent further dire behavior as well as prevent the need for special education services. A specific example where such intervention took place is provided in Response to Intervention (RtI) in the Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Domains: Current Challenges and Emerging Possibilities, by Elina Saeki, Shane R. Jimerson, James Earhart, Tyler Renshaw, Renee D. Singh, and Kaitlyn Stewert. This study uses RtI as a constructive approach for preventing and remedying emotional, social, and behavioral problems in students. The study took place at a public elementary school in a midsized city in Southern California by a collaborative problem-solving team consisting of the school psychologist, the principal, university faculty supervisors, and school psychologist interns. The participants included 55 third-grade students from three separate classrooms who all participated in Universal Intervention (Tier I). During Tier I, the two school psychologist interns conducted impulse control lessons for the students and administered a specific assessment both before and after the intervention. At the conclusion of Tier 1, the teachers nominated nine students who would possibly benefit from further behavioral intervention within Tier II. One student was chosen from this group by the school psychologist to receive intensive intervention (Tier III) targeted to his specific emotional areas of difficulty (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011 p.48). In regards to the implemented Tier I Universal Intervention, 81% of the students improved their score on the assessment provided. For those receiving intervention at Tier II, four scores increased, one decreased, and two showed no change. The remaining two students were not present for either the pre- or post-assessment (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011, p.50). However it must be stated that in this particular study the type of lessons provided to these children at this level were based on teacher recommendation and not on their actual testing scores. In regards to the child identified for targeted intervention, no pre- or  post-test measures were actually conducted and the school psychologist’s clinical judgment was used. Yet the results were stated to be favorable concerning the child’s progress. Bringing the RtI framework into the area of social, emotional, and behavioral issues among students, instead of only issuing such intervention in regards to their academic insufficiencies, is a way school personnel can provide additional support for those students who are at-risk but are not eligible for special education services. However, it is of great importance that educators use a combination of both quantitative and qualitative data and that the interpretation of both must be objective. In the previous example, teacher input was used as the main source concerning the identification of students who would be receiving Tier II and Tier III intervention (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011 p.50). This specific example of how behavioral issues are being tended to by RtI is shown to have overall positive results. Yet every school who implements such a structure for behavioral purposes must use a multifaceted evaluation process to avoid strong subjectivity in the decision making procedures. The implementation of the Response to Intervention program within classrooms, schools, and the entire educational system can have an overwhelmingly positive effect on those students who are struggling, either academically or behaviorally, when the process is executed in the proper manner. For this to occur, the eight core principles of RtI need to be apparent among educators and flourishing throughout the schools. These core principles include the understanding that all children can be taught effectively, the necessity of early intervention when possible, using a multi-tiered model of service delivery, using an effective problem-solving method to make decisions, using research based, scientifically validated instruction and intervention, monitoring student progress in order to shape instruction, making decisions involving implementation and instruction by using student performance data, and using the appropriate assessments for a variety of purposes when necessary (Rudebusch, 2008, p .20). Each of these Response to Intervention aspects are critical to RtI’s strategic implementation and crucial to the ultimate success of the program. Behind the eight Response to Intervention core principles are the educational  professionals who are following such guidelines and putting them into action. As RtI continues to grow and expand within the educational system, the various roles and tasks of school personnel also continue to develop. There are a mixture of skills and competencies that each educator should possess in order to carry out the RtI core principles effectively. These proficiencies include an in-depth knowledge of literacy development and instruction, an understanding of how to collect and interpret data for instructional decision making, the ability to differentiate one’s instruction, a willingness to collaborate and work successfully with others, a strong commitment to Lifelong Learning, various leadership qualities, and the ability to work with educa tional technology (Bean & Lellenstein, 2012, p.493-497). RtI implementation will have a greater chance of success for its students if the educators involved grew to be knowledgeable and comfortable in each of the previously mentioned areas. A study conducted in South Eastern Texas provided an amount of insight in regards to how schools are implementing the Response to Intervention process. This study also presented the manner in which school personnel responded to the program. RtI initiation within the schools, documentation of student goals, collection of data, intervention procedures, follow up decisions, and the educators’ overall opinion concerning the entire process is reviewed (Martinez & Young, 2011, p.47). Although the study ultimately praises RtI for its effectiveness, complaints regarding the amount of paperwork, time, and documentation procedures were noted. South Eastern Texas is not the only area in which these complaints have been made. Another source complains about the RtI scheduling challenges, the increased amount of paperwork, and the need for additional staff. Negative aspects aside, educators praised the early intervention opportunities, meeting the individual needs of each student, and the overall positive and informative collaboration with other co-workers. Since Response to Intervention has proven effective in aiding its participants academically, the use of RtI within the social and behavioral domains of the classroom is now an option. This behavior-driven intervention is used as a preventative measure as well as a remedy for those students who are already struggling with poor behavior. A study conducted in Southern California used this type of multi-tiered intervention to address some of the behavior issues taking place within the school as well as  appropriately aiding those children who were struggling both emotionally and socially (Saeki, Jimerson, Earhart, Hart, Renshaw, Singh, & Stewart, 2011 p.50 ). Although the results were deemed positive, the subjectivity of the educators in charge was questioned. Objectivity is a must if behavior-driven RtI is to truly address those who require the program. In conclusion, the Response to Intervention process is one that can benefit scores of struggling students if the structured program is adequately conducted by the professionals involved. In order for RtI success to occur, these professionals will need to consistently work together in discovering the most efficient way to sufficiently educate the students in question. Although the appropriate materials, specialists, and other intervention tools can be extremely significant to the RtI process, it is the distinguishing quality of effort that will ultimately hold the entire program together. If educators and other related school personnel do not exert the proper amount of effort in carrying out this process, then Response to Intervention will eventually be deemed worthless. It is up to the ed ucators and school personnel involved in this program to help RtI genuinely reach its valuable potential.

Monday, September 16, 2019

In which ways does Shakespeare build up a mood of tension and horror in the scenes? Essay

I think that Shakespeare built up a mood of tension and horror in the scenes by using particular scenes with a kind of situation ‘Will he? Wont he?’ which builds up the tension incredibly. Act I scene VII is the scene where Macbeth makes the decision even if not his own, that he will kill King Duncan. Though Macbeth wasn’t ready for Lady Macbeth’s fury. She calls him a coward and mocks his masculinity, ‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’ Mentally beaten by his wife and persuaded by her mockery, Macbeth makes his makes his final verdict. This part creates tension in the form of Macbeth’s uncertainty. Act II, scene I starts off the horror and the tension, of the murder, by using that point in time as ‘midnight’. The witches haven’t just disturbed Macbeth, as Banquo grasps his sword whilst crossing the courtyard as he heard a noise. You can tell that Macbeth is distressed as he answers very little to Banquo and it clearly shows when he leaves. When Macbeth hallucinates, seeing a dagger before him, ‘A dagger of the mind, a false creation’ Shakespeare increases the tension in this scene by using language that is full of references to blood and darkness, ‘And on thy blade, and dungeon, gouts of blood, Which was not so before?’ The dagger goes then returns, but on its return Macbeth notices that it is of his own dagger covered in blood which increases the horror, the handle pointing towards his hand, inviting him towards King Duncan’s chamber. The dagger was basically giving him a step by step guide to committing regicide. Macbeth’s final words before regicide are very dramatic, ‘I go, and it is done’ This creates images of what is about to come. Lady Macbeth goes and gets the scene ready for Macbeth by framing the guards, she drugs them and takes their daggers. In act II, scene II the murder of King Duncan takes place and fear and regret dominates the scene. Macbeth returns with the guard’s two daggers which he was meant to of left at the scene to frame the guards, this creates both tension and horror as the audience doesn’t know if they will be found out. Lady Macbeth then takes control of the situation by taking them back herself. When she returns she is fuming and begins to call her husband a coward. But to add to the tension Macbeth can’t wash the blood off his hands which shows regret and guilt; Macbeth compares his hands to the seas of Neptune, ‘Will all great Neptune’ Ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?’ Saying that his blood will turn Neptune’s Ocean from green to red, ‘The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one, red’ But then Lady Macbeth tries to reassure him by saying ‘My hands are of your colour: but I shame to wear a heart so white’ They hear knocking at a door so Lady Macbeth tells him to go and put on his night gown and forget what has just happened but it is easier said than done! Macbeth believes that he is outside the Christian world as he couldn’t say ‘amen’ also that he will never sleep again because regicide is a sin. The knocking at the end of the scene creates suspense because it plays on the audience’s fear of discovery.