Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Essay

In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the author takes us on a journey with Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old boy, going in and out of many boarding schools. When he gets kicked out of Pencey the story begins. In fear of coming home to his parents, Holden takes a trip to New York; which leaves him at the point of mental, physical, and emotional insanity. As the novel goes on his obsession with keeping children from losing their purity grows. The adult world seems fake, and Holden does not respect people who made the transition. In Gerald Rosen’s â€Å"A Retrospective Look At The Catcher In The Rye† he explores Holden’s connection to other characters in the book. He also analyzes the difficulties in crossing over to the adult world. Holden qualms the crossing over due to the fact that losing one’s innocence will force one to face reality, and will at times cause adults to â€Å"fall† into a deeper hole. Holden’s mania of keeping children from transitioning to adult hood shows all throughout The Catcher in the Rye. Rosen explains that during the period of time Holden was in the museum he made it known that everything always stayed the same. The purpose of the â€Å"glass cases† acts as a defense against touching, or tainting. â€Å"Like the children in the museum, to protect the innocent, the catcher must strictly refrain from touching; he must ‘just leave them alone’’’ (Rosen). This moment in the book compares the protected artifacts to the innocence of a child. He feels that if the children had someone to protect them from getting affected (â€Å"touched†) by the hard and cruel times in life they could hold onto their purity for as long as possible. Holden expresses the fact that he wants ensure security and stability during these times in life. This point seems to be the first point in the novel where Holden shows a desire to keep children from corruption. â€Å"Anyway, I keep picturing all these kids playing some game in the big field of rye and all†¦What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start going over the cliff† (Salinger 173). Holden wants to â€Å"catch† the kids from their transition into an adult. He does not want them having to deal with losses they will have to overcome in life. He believes that going into adulthood marks the point where society shows its true face. Since Allie, Holden brother’s, death he sees how reality twists and warps in sick ways. While walking around the museum he sees profanity. â€Å"I went down by a different staircase, and I saw another ‘Fuck You’ on the wall. I tried to rub it off with my hand again, but this one was scratched on, with a knife or something. It wouldn’t come off. It’s hopeless, anyway. If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn’t rub out even half of the ‘Fuck You’ signs in the world. It’s impossible† (Salinger 173).When Holden see those words written on the wall he realizes that the youth has already gone through exposure to corruption and cannot go backwards. Holden now understands his inability to save the children from â€Å"falling†, growing up. Since Holden has spent most of his time refraining other from going into adulthood, he did not see how much he himself has fallen. Holden has many similar qualities to a former classmate, James Castle. â€Å"Holden is identified with Castle by Castle’s having killed himself while wearing Holden’s sweater and by Castle’s appearing just before Holden on the roll call and school. This carries the implication that Holden maybe next in line for Castle’s death† (Rosen). James Castle’s way of and to death influenced Holden’s view of life. He suddenly became ostracized in society surrounded by a bunch of â€Å"phonies†. Death was the start and end of Holden’s loss of innocence. Holden never truly had an adult figure in life. His parents detached themselves from him, in times of his need. Feeling like he needed to communicate with someone he called his former teacher, Mr. Antolini. Holden wants to catch children from falling, where as Mr. Antolini wants to save Holden from a rough way down. â€Å"I have a feeling that you’re falling, a terrible,terrible fall† (Salinger 186).Mr. Antolini says this because ever since Allie’s death Holden has had a series of falls. Even though Allie was younger than Holden, he idolized him and thinks very highly of him. Mr. Antolini symbolizes Holden’s loss of Allie, loneliness, and inability to posess self-esteem. Holden wants to provide insurance for children so they do not experience the reality of society and from â€Å"falling† into a deeper hole. Making sure he succeeds, he does everything to keep them from going over the edge. Holden grows up through the novel, and realized that losing one’s innocence in is an unavoidable part of life. In this stage of life one makes the most mistakes and learns from them. If one never went through experience necessary to grow into an adult, they would seem very naà ¯ve and easily taken advantage of. People that have gone through the difficult crossing over want to protect children from the hard-ships. Works Cited Rosen, Gerald. â€Å"A Retrospective Look At The Catcher In The Rye.† American Quarterly 457-462 Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951.

Qualifications or Experiences Is Important? Essay

Linh: Today, we’ll talk about the topic: experience and qualifications. And there’s a statement that: â€Å"Experience and ability are more important than qualifications†. Do you agree or not agree? Let’s discuss it with two members in my group. Hi, Tam! What do you think? Tam: Um, I think qualifications are more important. Because if we have no paper qualification, we’ll have a lot of difficuties when we begin to work or apply for a job. Because we don’t have basic knowledge and chance to get insight into a specific field that we’ll work. So, many people say that: â€Å"University is a key to open a new window to our future.† And every year, students who finish school, they often enter a university and try their best to achieve. Because it is not easy to pass exams. Therefore, the way that we go will longer and hard when going to college. Linh: Yes, I do agree with your opinion, but you know, university is not the only wa to go in life. In reality, many people achieve their goals but have no qualifications. They sucess because of their effort and their ability. You know, they always want to have knowledge as much as possible. They study at university and experience themselves on part-time job in their free time. And it brings so much experience. So, although they don’t succeed on their studying, they still accumulate much experience and ability for themselves. In the end, they become a professional in field which they are working. How about you, Ngoc? Ngoc: yes, I agree with Linh and Tam. Students who graduate at university doesn’t always reflect true their ability. Because a person’s true ablility have to show by passing interview when he or she applies for a job. But most interviews is not only acquired test about knowledge that he learned at college but also practice or experience in life. Because, at university, he is learned theory than practice. Do you think so? Linh: Yes,right! Tam: Ok, I agree. Linh: So, my group go to conclusion is that experience and ability are as important as university qualifications. They are always necessary for everyone. Thank you for your listening!

Ðevelopmental Тeed

?My first developmental need is to gain a professional qualification within HR. I have proven to be a thinking performer and am in need of formal qualifications to enhance and strengthen my knowledge, skills and performance within the workplace, in order to satisfy this development need I have enrolled on this CIPD Level 5 certificate in HRM, I also take much pride in reading publications both online and in magazines such as People Management and UCEA updates and following changes within Employment law such as the recent change to pension auto-enrolment.I prefer to take a hands on approach and be involved whenever possible with new projects within the organisation, it is also very important to ensure this is reviewed regularly to ensure I am staying on track. As noted in page 124 of Studying Human Resource Management â€Å"CPD is not a one-off activity; it is a lifelong commitment to continually improving your knowledge and skills† Another career aspiration I have and am worki ng towards is to improve the communication between HR as a department and the rest of the departments within the University.I aim to do this by ensuring regular meetings between ourselves and the departmental managers at which we can raise any on-going issues to ensure all are dealt with correctly and effectively hopefully improving the relationship through communication.I have also started weekly recruitment update e-mails between myself and the department administrator to ensure that recruitment process runs smoothly, I have found that this is very beneficial to both myself and the department and the recruitment process is understood better by the department, the process has also run smoother as it is a chance to push forward any outstanding issues. Need to think of third development need. Attach all 3 to a learning style Reflect on the plan?

Diversity in Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diversity in Workplace - Essay Example According to Hofstede (2001), the culture background of an individual largely varies across different nations or their place of origin. It also influences how they interact with other people in the society, display social behaviour, perceive different stimuli and practise social customs. Thus, it can be stated that the individuals belonging from different cultural or ethnic background bear different psychological profile personality trait. stated that a workforce is more effective in delivering higher output if it is composed of employees from different cultural background. It gives the organisation a diverse employee base with employees bearing different personality traits suitable for different organisational activities. Green et al., (2012) further stated that diversity in an organisation should also be maintained on the grounds of gender distribution. As of now, in a typical organisation the male employees outnumber the female employees. These situations have become quite challen ging for the organisation and they have taken several steps towards its improvement. The racial discrimination in the US against the minority group of Muslim is quite prevalent. Major terrorist attack incidents have been linked to the entire community, which as a result has led to the increased discrimination of the Muslims by a large number of western population. According to the reports of Greenhouse (2010), the religious discrimination against the Muslims has found its way into the organisational behaviour of several firms.

Prostate Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prostate Cancer - Essay Example Significantly, prostate incorporates gland cells that produce some of the seminal fluid and this fluid protects and nourishes sperm cells in semen and supports the ejaculatory ducts, or sperm tubes. The growth of the prostate normally continues till man reaches adulthood and it is maintained after it reaches normal size as long as male hormones are produced."Prostate cancer begins most often in the outer part of the prostate. It is the most common cancer in men older than age 50.In most men, the cancer grows very slowly. In fact, many men with the disease will never know they have the condition. Early prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland itself, and the majority of patients with this type of cancer can live for years with no problems." (Prostate cancer) In certain cases, prostate cancer may spread from the prostate to nearby lymph nodes, bones or other organs and such spread is generally called metastasis. It is also essential to note that most prostate cancers originate in the posterior prostate gland, while some others start off near the urethra. As the US National Institute of Health suggests, the estimated new cases and deaths from prostate cancer in the United States in 2009 are: new cases of 192,280 and deaths of 27, 360. According to some important surveys, there aremore than2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer. The given data for the year 2009 in the US indicates the relevance of further researches and medical treatment for prostate cancer and this paper makes a reflective analysis of some vital elements of the prostate cancer. In a profound analysis of the prostate cancer, it becomes lucid that it is mainly found in older men, compared to younger ones, and the prostate may get bigger and block the urethra or bladder, when men grow old. Such phenomena within the reproductive system of elder men, in which prostate gets bigger and block the urethra or bladder, will cause difficulty in urination or it will interfere with sexual function. This condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can be corrected through surgery and it is not cancer, although the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia or of other problems in the prostate will be similar to symptoms of prostate cancer. "Possible signs of prostate cancer include a weak flow of urine or frequent urination. These and other symptoms may be caused by prostate cancer. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms." (General Information about Prostate Cancer) It is important to consult a doctor if any of the following problems occur, as it may indicate prostate cancer. Such signs include weak or interrupted flow of urine, frequent urination (especially at night), trouble urinating, pain or burning during urination, blood in the urine or semen, a pain in the back, hips, or pelvis, and painful ejaculation. It is important to comprehend that prostate cancer is one of the most common diseases in the US and the curability of prostate cancer is based on how immediately one identifies the disease. Significantly, the 'cure' rates for prostate cancer, similar to all cancers, describe the percentage of patients likely remaining disease-free for a specific time and it is common that, the earlier

Comparing and Contrasting Literary Forms Assignment

Comparing and Contrasting Literary Forms - Assignment Example Such an effect is achieved by play inference. The writer can adequately describe the scene and deftly introduce a mood. Poetry, drama, and short story are literature constituents, but they bear some identical differences. Dialogue accommodates extensive dialogue, which can be either non-fiction or fiction, a short story narrates brief experiences that are non-fiction while poetry can be either nonfiction or fiction and may rhyme (Cuddon & Habib, 2013). Poetry, drama, and short stories have a setting. The setting is a fictional work of establishing a geographic, physical, and historical context (Cuddon & Habib, 2013). Setting adds attitude to poetry, drama, or short story, and a good example of attitude is the change attitudes towards women. Myth, symbol, and allegory are other features shared by drama, short stories, and poetry. Allegory is use of two meanings that are parallel in the story where one is literal while the other one is figurative (Meyer, 2004). Allegory serves the purpose of deepening the meaning in writing and to teach a lesson. A myth reflects social or religious values often involving heroes or a god. A symbol acts as a representative of an association or a relationship. The tool of foreshadow is used in poetry, short stories and drama. Foreshadow gives the audience a hint of future happenings. In poetry, foreshadow can be captured as early as the poem title to shed some light to the reader of what the poem entails. Mood is also extensively utilized in all these three literature works to aid in conveying the theme (Meyer, 2004). Conflict is also common in short stories, drama, and poems. It denotes a struggle between forces that oppose each other. A conflict can be expressed as an internal conflict within an individual or between characters (Cuddon & Habib, 2013). It helps build the element of suspense as scenes unfurl in the

School Fundings Tragic Flaws Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

School Fundings Tragic Flaws - Assignment Example The main message that the authors aim to reveal is the clear and distinct unequal allocation of funds for schools that are currently skewed towards higher income students rather than the neediest. The effect of the policies emerging from the three levels of government agencies is that educational funds that are supposed to be allocated equally tend to be distributed more to higher income pupils, highlighting disadvantaged educational benefits that are supposed to be equally received by students regardless of income level.The significance of the argument is seen in terms of the policies’ effect on teachers preferences for place of work High-poverty schools typically have less experienced teachers and high turnover rates, so the average teacher salary is much lower in those schools† (Casey and Rosa, 2008, 1). As shown, higher-poverty schools do not attract highly experienced teachers due to poor working conditions and the lower salary rates that come from the disparate all ocation of educational funding. In this regard, the pupils from high-poverty schools are exposed to teachers with lesser experiences and training and thereby, could compromise the level of instructions accorded to these students, when compared to lower-poverty schools that receive greater funding.One personally agrees with the author’s contention that there is a need to reevaluate and assess the disparities in educational funding accorded to school on a national level to justify allocation on an equal basis.

Climate Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Climate Change - Research Paper Example It cannot be denied that GLOBAL WARMING was under consideration by almost every country and different measures are been taken to prevent but it is required on a very large scale with a contribution of every individual living in. It can be done in a lot of ways for example promote plantation, avoid using plastic products as it a non-biodegradable item and a main source of pollution, energy conservation, recycling of goods, preservation of natural resources, and banning the burning of fossil fuels which contributes highly in the destruction of the ozone layer which works as an umbrella or a shelter from strong sun radiations affecting the globe directly .All these factors are causing Global Warming which works as a driving force for the fluctuations in Climatic System. Climatic change does not only affect the nature but majorly affects the living beings. Whereas, drastic changes are coming up because of the activities done by the masses for worldly pleasures for which natural resources are continuously been misused and immeasurably been wasted. There are some major changes in the climatic system which occurs because of the rise in temperatures of the living world. Human Influences is directly propostional to the global warming. Following are Sub-reasons for the change in climate cycle: Orbital Variations Solar Output Volcanism Ocean Variability Plate Tectonics These are the regions where fluctuations occurs and affect the globe and each will be discussed thoroughly further in this report. It is recorded previously in surveys that Climatic Changes are affecting adversely on Biodiversity. This is alarming for the species which are already left with a handful numbers like Polar Bears, Indus Dolphins and many more. They are getting affected because of the change in eco-system occurring because of the changes in the earth’s crust. As the global temperature rises, it starts throwing off to cool down. Volcanic Eruptions is one of the cooling processes, when done with the eruption, the temperature of the globe drops down to 0.5 degrees. Same is the case is with Earthquakes and Ocean Variability. Footnote: (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Historical and Archeological Evidences: It is studied in the continuous research being done in this aspect and different historical and archeological evidences are pouring in that how the climate used to be in a particular region and how it has become after several years. Civilization changes also predict to a certain level of how the climate probably was. According to archeological evidences, researchers have put their efforts on different areas of life through which they might get to the key. Some of the under consideration areas of life which can predict or can give a clue to the present world that climatic cycle have changed to what extent and whether good or bad. The following are: Glacier changes: Glaciers are the most sensitive indicator of the climate change because of its immediate reaction to any changes in the temperature. There are two things which can contribute in the shrinkage and growth of the glaciers, they are orbital variability and external forcing. Evidences are found because glaciers leaves moraines that contain an anonymous amount of material including organic matter

History and Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

History and Political Science - Essay Example The industrial revolution which started in Europe was a major trigger for over expansion of economies as several pieces of engineering were developed which are main propellers for the industrial revolution and booming economies. England was the source of the industrial revolution which was started in 1760 and later gained strength till late 19th century where the effects of the industrial revolution can be measured. Savery Engine Steam engine looms and furnaces were the developments which occurred during the industrial revolution. James Watt and Sir Joseph Whitworth were the inventors whose inventions propelled the growth (Crafts, 1985). The industrial revolution further gained strength and momentum with the development of industries and technological innovations which acted as a fuel for growth. The increase in American corporation was witnessed which resulted in the concentration of wealth of the nation into fewer hands leading to disparity among the people. Mechanization was also introduced in the farming process as well, which lead to the production of quality agricultural products, making the United States a pioneer in food production and export. Due to this growth, migration to the United States picked up momentum. This further developed issues as more and more labor were available to help in the production process (Crafts, 1985). Nevertheless, industrialization also lead to some serious third party protests due to the shift of power and changes in policies. The process of industrialization encouraged development and strengthening of political institutions in the economy and as result, the democratic system gained strength. The policies designed by the people underpinned the economic growth. Similarly, Russia was also developing itself; however, the growth witnessed was very slow as compared to other European Countries and the United States. The major obstacle which slowed down the process was the population of Russia. Russia’s major source of indu strialization was the coal and steel production which had quadrupled in the 19th Century. As a result, Russia was able to develop infrastructure and other facilities across the country. However, Debt issues also rose at the same time due to which, Russia was unable to trade with the United States and obtain the benefits of trade (Blackwell, 1968). Europeans rule over colonies of Africa and South Asia Asia has always been of immense interest for the colonials of Europe. The main attraction towards Asia was the existence of rich mineral deposits and agricultural produce. Europeans had been able to develop businesses in these colonies where primary produce was sent back to Europe which was then converted to finished goods. This process of colonization had also become successful because of the technological backing which the Europeans enjoyed due to industrial revolution and innovations in technology and equipment. East India Company, slowly and gradually, strengthened its’ roots in the Asian colonies by starting businesses and developing economic relations with the rulers at that time. Due to the economic and industrial capability of Europeans, they outclassed Asians and gained control over them. They had a powerful army and could deploy their troops anytime they wanted along with heavy artillery.

Teachers Attitudes towards Autistic Children Research Paper

Teachers Attitudes towards Autistic Children - Research Paper Example By doing this a pattern of behavior forms where the student either answered very quickly without thinking or doesn't even try. With autistic children, this can be absolutely critical. Autistic children are generally found to be at least average intelligence, possibly above-average. However, IQ tests simply do not work with these kinds of students, due to the requirement of quick response. When not even sure that you autistic children see the world in the same way. In fact, we know so very little about this condition that any kind of properly done and reported research will be valuable. The nature of the disorder, mainstreaming is very important, because one of the areas in which the student desperately needs to improve his social communication. In special classes, where the students suffer from this disorder, there is a double deficit in communication among students. However, by mainstreaming autistic students in a regular classroom, perhaps with the helper, the autistic student is p rovided the opportunity to communicate with other students lacking this disability. With the proper training of the teacher and the coaching of the other students, the benefits can be reciprocal. You autistic student is provided with an environment where responses can be immediately acknowledged, and the regular students are provided with an opportunity to understand this disability and learn that an autistic student is otherwise quite a normal person. One component of any research project would be the literature review. A review of the literature can give the researcher an idea of what questions have been researched and the methodology used. Furthermore, in well-done research reports, the questions themselves are generally represented. Once the literature review is completed and the results analyzed, then conclusions can be made about the suitability of the research. In order for the research to be valuable, it must investigate an area which has not been well researched or answer a question which has not been asked and answered, or use the methodology that will result in different kinds of data. In researching the above question in a literature review, a great deal was found referring to autism, nearly 25,000 responses in EBSCO database alone. The focus was narrowed to documents from the year 2006 to the present. This reduced to do just over 14,000 results. By adding the word "mainstreaming" results were cut to a manageable eighty. Fourteen of these results were found to be relevant with six dealing with attitudes and perceptions of teachers, and the balance dealing with methods of teaching. From these results, it was clear that this question has not been well investigated. Those results which dealt directly with teachers attitudes did not give much information. Therefore, it was decided from the literature review that this was a good question to investigate. Primary Research Of the various methods available to cover this research, the choice must be made amo ng quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research. Due to the nature of the question is probable that strictly quantitative will not give much useful information because it deals with attitudes. Therefore, one must choose between qualitative and mixed methods. One extremely useful qualitative method is direct observation.

Parental Decisions Impact Childhood Obesity Essay Example for Free

Parental Decisions Impact Childhood Obesity Essay Society, in general, has drastically changed over the past century. Growth and expansion have paved the way for new technological advances, but not with some downfalls to go along with it. One such downfall of new technology would be the â€Å"convenience factor† (convenient stores for junk food, convenient to watch television, play video games, watch a movie, talk or text on a cellular phone as opposed to physical exercise, convenient for parents to stop by fast food as opposed to healthy meals). Lack of parental controls in these areas in conjunction with the â€Å"convenience factor† has lead to childhood obesity. This is an increasingly growing disease and will continue to be so if society does not stop being so convenient. The American Society today has become â€Å"obesogenic’, characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, unhealthy foods, and physical inactivity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). People (children and adults) spend more time in front of televisions or computers and less time exercising. We drive a car everywhere we go as opposed to walking or riding a bicycle. Children play more video games instead of playing hide and seek, which requires them to run around, being active and getting exercise. We lead busier lives so time does not allow for spending it in the kitchen preparing healthy meals. Parents live such hectic lifestyles which often lead to dining or getting take out at a fast food restaurant, making them guilty of contributing to childhood obesity. Children with obese parents are likely to follow in their parents footsteps and become obese themselves. Overweight and obesity result from an energy deficiency. This incorporates taking in too much food (too many calories) and lack of exercise; thus defining obesity. The imbalance between calories consumed and calories used can result from the influences and interactions of a number of factors, including genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Studies indicate that certain genetic characteristics may increase an individuals susceptibility to excess body weight. However, this genetic susceptibility may need to exist in conjunction with contributing environmental and behavioral factors (such as a high-calorie food supply and minimal physical activity) to have a significant effect on weight. Genetic factors alone can play a role in specific cases of obesity. The genetic characteristics of the human population have not changed in the last three decades, but the prevalence of obesity has tripled among school-aged children during that time. Because the factors that contribute to childhood obesity interact with each other, it is not possible to specify one behavior as the cause of obesity. Behaviors include energy intake, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Home, child care, school, and community environments can influence childrens behaviors related to food intake and physical activity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). Parents in the workplace often lead demanding, hectic lifestyles that have a direct reflection on home life activities. Activities, such as eating habits for their children, are a casualty of their fast-paced environment. Such lifestyles lead to quick unhealthy meals, such as stopping at a fast-food establishment and consuming a high caloric meal. These types of meals are historically unhealthy with no nutritional value. Nutritional items, such as fruits and vegetables, are limited at these types of establishments. Healthy, home cooked meals are not the â€Å"normal† routine for parents to provide their children of this era. Time does not allow for parents to prepare healthy, home cooked meals. â€Å"The evidence is compelling that the obesity epidemic is largely caused by people’s eating unhealthy food and consuming bigger portion sizes. These unhealthy behaviors are not just a matter of poor decisions individuals make; rather, the environment in which people live determines behavioral choice† (Isaacs Swarts, 2010). Parents’ workplace habits can directly affect their children’s daily eating routines. Children are relying on parents to provide them with healthy meals. There are many things parents can do to assist children in developing healthy eating habits. Offering fruits and vegetables, dairy products or whole grain items as nutritious snacks, as opposed to allowing them to submerge themselves in chips or sugar filled snacks, is a viable alternative to an unhealthy diet. The obesity rate for children would decrease if parents would make time to plan a healthy weekly menu. By doing so, parents are ensuring that their children get the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in their diet, thus making for a healthier child. Parents should lead by example. Children need to see parents eating different things, to encourage the child to want to try new food items. â€Å"Children and adolescents are dependent on their parents for both economically and emotionally during much of this period of rapid growth† (Davies Fitzgerald, 2008, pg. 25). One of the best ways to decrease obesity in children is to increase physical activity levels throughout the entire family. Parents, at home or at the workplace, are faced daily with busy schedules, long hours and time management issues (i. e. nsuring all required daily activities, such as household responsibilities, errands are completed). These tasks are direct contributors for the lack of time set aside for physical activity with their children. Also, parents’ daily work schedules do not allow much, if any, time to incorporate a daily physical exercise routine for their children, let alone to monitor such activities. Parents should act as role models by setting examples for their children, such as allowing their children to see them exercise and being active themselves. By â€Å"leading by example†, this should encourage children to emulate them. According to the American Heart Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (Payne, 2010), children should get at least 20 minutes of regular vigorous exercise that makes them sweat and breathe hard. With the apparent lack of physical activity, parents need to create an environment that is conducive to building a daily regime of physical activities that slowly grow over time. â€Å"Minutes spent playing kickball with friends during recess count toward the hour-long daily goal, as does climbing trees in the backyard after school. It doesnt have to be all at once,’ says Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA. ‘Kids should be doing things appropriate for their age, so that [exercise] becomes a behavior and a natural part of what they do’† (Payne, 2010). Providing just small increments of daily activity that is geared towards the child’s age category can foster a lifetime of behavioral changes that could prevent the onset of obesity at a later age. Another factor in the saga of fighting childhood obesity is the issue of safety and having a safe environment in which to add physical activity. Advocate for well-maintained, safe sidewalks and bike paths in your neighborhood, and volunteer to supervise the use of school facilities after hours. Children are more likely to want to play outside—and youll feel more comfortable with them doing it—if its safe, so attend neighborhood association or city council meetings to request proper upkeep of nearby sidewalks and paths. Also, consider gyms and tracks at local schools as options for physical activity after hours and on weekends. Often, schools are willing to make gyms and equipment available on the weekends but simply need parents to volunteer to supervise, Brown says† (Payne, 2010). This avenue of taking facilities that already exist and adding in a safety factor so that they may be used more often could reach into a vast majority of neighborhoods and schools that are currently excluding physical education programs. This seemingly mundane action by a few sets of determined parents could catch on and create new and exciting ways in which physical activities could be introduced to children. In today’s day and age of electronics, technological advances in this area continue to rise at record numbers. Features and upgrades to many electronic devices are geared toward a more convenient, user friendly target market. Such markets, unfortunately from a health perspective, are focused on our children. Convenient and satisfying methods of entertainment, such as television, movies, video games, talking/texting on cellular phones, computers, etc. far outweigh pure physical activity and exercise. Parents’ lack of control in these areas, as opposed to physical exercise, is a factor in childhood obesity. Children would rather be sedentary playing electronic games on a television, cellular phone or computer, as opposed to playing games requiring physical exercise, such as hide and seek or kickball . â€Å"The media may shape childrens food choices and caloric intake, including exposing children to persuasive messages about food, cuing them to eat, and depressing satiety cues of eating while viewing. According to estimates by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), children between 2 and 11 years are exposed to 25,600 advertisements per year, of which 5,500 (or 15 per day) are for food or beverages. A 2009 content analysis of foods advertised during childrens television programming revealed that most foods marketed to children are high in salt, sugar, and fat and low in nutritional value, and that healthy food are virtually invisible† (Jordan, 2010). This barrage of brain-altering subliminal messaging towards newly forming minds lends credence to how other areas of technology are creating pathways to enter impressionable youths. We live in a world that is technology driven in which new devices are created frequently to make life more convenient. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that television viewing by children older than two years be limited to two hours per day or less avoided altogether for children younger than two years. Surveys of United States parents found that most families do not adhere to these recommendations† (Jordan, 2010). These families that provide this amount of television viewing for their children use it as a virtual nanny to keep the child entertained and distracted throughout the day. In today’s health conscious society, there are many reasonable alternatives to just keeping a child zoned out in front of various electronic devices. One such alternative that is catching on with many families is the Nintendo Wii. â€Å"The AHA and Nintendo recently teamed up to promote the use of the Wii Fit to help Americans meet recommended physical activity guidelines. The goal of the partnership is to teach people how so-called ‘active-play’ video games encourage regular exercise. If youre having a tough time getting your child to play outside, consider buying a video game that requires the child to get moving, Brown suggests† (Payne, 2010). The use of this new video game device has provided many families with not only an opportunity to exercise, but to also interact as a family unit. Interacting together provides an environment that can create future positive habits that might help in the obesity battle. Following recent studies on childhood obesity, it has been found that â€Å"In the United States, childhood obesity is on the rise; the percentage of obese children aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past two decades, while the percentage of obese adolescents aged 12 to 19 more than tripled, during the same period as well† (Li Hooker, 2010). Medical contributors to childhood obesity, such as genetics and/or heredity, are considered uncontrollable and unchangeable to the health and well-being of a child. The imbalance between calories consumed and calories used can result from the influences and interactions of a number of factors, including genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Studies indicate that certain genetic characteristics may increase an individuals susceptibility to excess body weight. However, this genetic susceptibility may need to exist in conjunction with contributing environmental and behavioral factors (such as a high-calorie food supply and minimal physical activity) to have a significant effect on weight. Genetic factors alone can play a role in specific cases of obesity† (CDC, 2009). Battling all these convenience issues will prove to be a lengthy social problem to be solved, but for the sake of future generations of children that will probably be the first to not outlive their parents, it is one that should have the highest priority. Parents establishing controls over guidelines set forth and constant monitoring of such to decrease childhood obesity is not a â€Å"sprint†, but more comparable to a â€Å"marathon†. This requires lifestyle changes both for the parent and the child. Constant monitoring on the parent’s part, along with both parent and child â€Å"staying the course† now will produce dividends for the future of a healthy America. We are all creatures of habit. In the end, the goal should always be for these changes to become second nature. We live in a society driven by a constant; change. Growth and expansion will continue to generate new technological advances, with downfalls associated. One such downfall, the â€Å"convenience factor† (convenient stores for junk food, convenient to watch television, play video games, watch a movie, talk or text on a cellular phone as opposed to physical exercise, convenient for parents to stop by fast food as opposed to healthy meals) will have a direct correlation between parental decisions and the health of children for future generations. Lack of parental controls in these areas in conjunction with the â€Å"convenience factor† will produce childhood obesity cases at record numbers. This increasingly growing disease will continue to be so if society does not stop being so convenient.

Methods of Warfare in 1st World War Essay Example for Free

Methods of Warfare in 1st World War Essay What methods of warfare were used in World War 1 and how did they change over the duration of the War? German Plan: In 1914 when war was declared Germany soon thought of a plan that they thought would win them the war known as the Schlieffen Plan which was soon put into action. The plan was if they could send all their troops through Belgium into France and take France within a matter of weeks before the Russian army was mobilised they could send all their troops to face Russia when Russia’s forces had fully mobilised. And so have a better chance of defeating Russia. Germany estimated it would take six weeks to conquer France and Belgium leaving them time to move their troops to the Eastern Front before Russia was fully engaged in the war. French Plan: In 1914 when war broke out the French followed their Plan 17 which was to send all their troops charging across the frontier and attack deep into Germany forcing the German soldiers to surrender. And so the French launched an attack on German forces in Alsace-Lorraine, the French troops were cut down by German machine gun fire and artillery, within 12 days 200,000 French troops had been killed forcing them to abandon the plan and retreat to Paris. British plan: In order to help out the French Britain created a small force they planned would help the French troops stop the Germans and so England sent the British Expeditionary Force (150,000 professional trained, well equipped troops) in 1914 to France in order to hold off the German forces and to hopefully help beat back the German troops. Unfortunately in September 1914 the BEF were pushed back to Marne where they and the French stopped the German advance and pushed them back to the River Aisne. It was here where both sides dug themselves in in trenches leading to a large stalemate between both sides. Trench Warfare: During the First World War trench warfare was the most common type of warfare used, due to the fact that tanks had only recently been created and aircraft were not very developed. The trenches stretched from the sea at Ostend all the way to the Alps. These trenches caused a stalemate due to the fact that taking an enemy’s trench was extremely difficult because they were well defended by many machine guns that would kill any incoming infantry. Machine were large, heavy guns that were devastatingly effective as defensive weapons as they could fire eight bullets per second killing platoons of soldiers in minutes if they went over the top. During the war artillery caused the most casualties as they often destroyed enemy positions and killed the soldiers within them. Even though the enemy would just go deep into the trenches underground where they would be safest from the bombs. Artillery guns were very inaccurate at the beginning of the war but by the end of the war artillery was more powerful and much more accurate. A key weapon used to drive enemies out of the trenches was poison gas. The gas could be in a grenade that could be chucked into a enemy trench or fired in an artillery shell or even dropped by plane. The gas tended to be chlorine causing soldiers to struggle to breathe or mustard gas that blinded or killed its victims. Lastly the trenches were very unhygienic, full of dead bodies and gunge of mud and blood on the floor. This meant bacteria and infections spread very quickly and so diseases were common which took the lives of many soldiers on both sides. Land Warfare: Before the war Land warfare was only infantry and artillery but British inventors in 1914 thought of the idea of the tank, which they took to generals, but was rejected as though it would be impractical but Churchill disagreed and funded the project. Tanks were first used two years later in the Battle of the Somme; they advanced ahead of the infantry crushing the enemies’ defences and then spray the enemy with machine gun fire. Seeing this the British morale was boosted as they thought Tanks could lead to the breakthrough that will win them the war. Unfortunately the tanks were very slow, not very maneuverable and unreliable as many tanks broke down before they reached the enemy. The first real success for tanks was at Cambria in 1917 where they easily broke through enemy lines but the infantry behind couldn’t keep up. By the end of the war both forces were using armor piercing machine guns and adapted field guns to destroy tanks meaning tanks weren’t as invincible as they thought they were at the beginning of the war. Air warfare: In 1914 planes had only recently been invented and so at first they were very simple and used to fly over enemy targets or trenches etc, and take pictures, which they would then take back to head quarters. When planes were seen taking pictures enemy aircraft would try to shoot them down, at first the pilot would fire pistols and rifles from their planes at their enemy as they hadn’t though of a way to shoot in-between the propeller without hitting and braking the propeller. It was not until April 1915 they had fixed this problem by fitting a machine gun that was synchronized so that bullets missed the propeller and by 1918 spectacular dog fights were taking place in the air with more advanced airplanes with more advanced weapons that played a large part in slowing down the German advance. So in four years the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps had gone from having 37 planes to 23,000 planes but really the air war was little compared to the war at land and sea. Sea Warfare: Lastly before the war Britain had the largest fleet of advanced ships in the world that belittled the German fleet. Throughout the war there were very few battles on the sea. British Ships were used more for blockading German ports and supply lines hoping this would cause Germany to run out of resources and surrender. The only major sea battle was the Battle of Jutland where the British fleet lost 14 ships but destroyed 11 German ships and successfully maintained the blockade. Throughout the war Germany used its U-boats to destroy merchant ships and allied war ships, at first the U-boat would warn the ship it was about to be attacked but this convention was abandoned later in 1915. To stop the losses of Allied ships, Britain created: Q-ships that looked like merchant ships but had heavy guns on board; Mines to stop U-boats going through the English channel; Depth charges that sometimes when dropped hit U-boats and destroyed them; Convoys to protect merchant ships and Long-Range aircraft to protect the convoys.

Three categories of textile

Three categories of textile 1.1 Background Study â€Å"Waste is defined as anything left over or superfluous, as excess material or by-products, anything rejected or useless, worthless or unwanted.† D Tanya and K Kathy, 1997. They also depicts three categories of textile and apparel waste in ‘Textile waste Lifecycle model namely, post-producer waste generated by manufacturers, pre-consumer waste generated by retailers and post-consumer waste generated by the public. For this research paper, post-producer waste is taken into consideration. In specific, denim waste from the supply chain industries is studied for the purpose of its management. Since Denim fabric is considered to be the toughest fabric and constitutes the maximum amount of cotton which is considered to be organic in nature. Thus it is appropriate to find its recovery system so that no denim waste is land filled or burnt in the atmosphere. In the research paper-â€Å"The Textile waste Lifecycle† in Clothing and Textile Research Journal, author discusses the growing attention towards solid waste management by textile and apparel industry to environmental responsibility and expanded efforts to reduce disposal of post-producer textile waste in landfills. Authors said that the Environmental awareness and subsequently the word â€Å"recycling† has been in common usage for 25 years. But finding ways of recycling textile waste as an alternative to landfill disposal is an ecological problem on which textile/apparel industry is already working. Though they are still working on to develop a Textile waste Lifecycle model to reduce the textile waste in all the categories of textile and apparel waste. Authors while introducing in the above research paper discusses that the vast majority of solid waste stream is contributed by post-producer waste from the industry including fiber producers, textile mills and fabric and apparel manufacturers. Therefore, â€Å"Recycling, a large component of the bigger environmental movement, has grown rapidly in recent years†. (D Tanya and K Kathy, 1997) He also mentioned that the interest towards recycling is due to many factors including green consumerism, rising waste disposal cost, an explosion of legislative initiatives and mandates and the evolution of waste recycling into smoothly running commodity industry. Discussed in the 2nd International conference of Textile Research Division under the topic â€Å"Textile waste-material Recycling† by (G. M. EI-Nouby, H. A. Azzam, S. T. Mohamed, and M. N. El-Sheikh, 2005) that large amounts of cloth scrap, clippings and loose sample scraps are created at â€Å"cut and sew† plants where garments are manufactured. These scraps of waste-material comprises of 15-30% of all types of garments manufactured. Also in the recent study in the research paper â€Å"Recycling Textile waste-Newer Dimensions† by S. Aishwarya(2010) found the total cotton fiber consumption is estimated to be 26 lakh tons per year, of which approximately 2,10, 000 of cotton dust which is a micro dust and also considered as a non-saleable waste which is produced during yarn manufacturing process. Due to environmental concerns, a large number of companies are currently developing manufacturing processes using alternative materials for their products and seeking new markets for the sub-products of their first-line production as said by the authors M.G Gomes, R. Fangueiro, C.Gonilho (2006). They also points that due to the higher prices for raw materials and man-made fibers, it will be utmost importance to recycle some of the waste. Linked to this, they also states that companies who want to stay in business have to be good environmentalists. But major issues facing the recycling efforts of Textile and apparel manufacturers are lack of market for recycled products and cost of processes as discussed by (D Tanya and K Kathy, 1997). They also did industry research which has indicated that small companies may have less waste to recycle which makes the cost of recycling too high. The problem is in particular concern for small manufactures. Therefore, it is important to find the cost-benefit of textile recycling industry. Larney and Annette, 2004 has also investigated the South African textile industry in regard to recycling practices, interest and willingness of the manufacturers and the problems barriers to enter the market for recycled products. The questionnaire and mail survey was done considering 103 textile manufactures including small, medium and large textile manufactures. Out of 10 statements asked in the questionnaire, rank wise, most of the companies would purchase carpets from recycled textile materials, then they said that they would manufacture apparel or other textile products made from recycled textile materials and so on. The last rank was given to the statement that â€Å"It is not economically feasible for my company to recycled textile material to produce new apparel or other textile products.† and â€Å"It is always more expensive for my company to use recycled textile materials then it is to use new textile materials in the production of apparel or other textile product s†. On the other hand, companies agreed to the fact that market strategy that creates a strong ultimate demand is an appropriate strategy to use with apparel or other textile products made from recycled textile materials. The research concluded that uncertainty of market strategies could be the economic barriers, as textile recycling is not cost effective in general even though most industries advised the strong trade demand through market strategy because then only the market would be moved forward. Therefore, it is still important to identify applications of textile waste apart from landfilling the waste which is considered as the major gap in the industry. Therefore, for the purpose of this research, it is important to find considerable denim waste (denim fabric which is constitutes the maximum cotton consumption and is considered to be organic in nature) from the industry which can be further analyzed to find its various applications (which means its recovery options) and the result may help in building â€Å"return service† for yarn manufacturers/denim manufacturers through denim apparel manufactures locally. 1.2 Project Objectives The objectives are to study the options for the recovery and recycling the denim wastes and to find the economic feasibility and opportunities by applying this to the supply chain from denim manufacturing through the Denim apparel manufacturing. In this the following objectives can be confirmed: To assess the amount of denim waste generated by the Denim apparel manufacturers To study what happens to denim waste and price considerations of rag dealers locally To analyze the various applications of denim waste reuse/recycling To recommend a â€Å"return service† for denim scrap locally CHAPTER-2 LITERATURE REVIEW Literature Review is analyzing previous researchers work to have an idea of what other people have done in the same area of study. The project revolves around classifying the prospects of industrial denim waste and its cost efficiency. Following sections of Literature Review discusses objective-wise researchers study. Firstly it will talk about the study on the amount of waste estimated in Textile Industry, then it reveals whether informal or any government organizations are involved in recycling/reuse practices, then finding the applications of denim recycling and finally looking at the cost effectiveness of the same. The Literature Review involve research papers of renowned authors, or any other articles from Internet or otherwise. It will involve Secondary data which means the data is collected from Secondary source all over the world and then summarized in the form of my own analyses author wise in each section. Although in Chapter-4, data collection in the form of Primary data is viewed by consulting Denim apparel manufacturers, rag dealers and recyclers to identify and facilitate the objectives of the research paper. 2.1 The amount and forms of Post-producer textile waste generated or recycled In the research paper-â€Å"The Textile Waste Lifecycle†, the authors revealed that the vast majority of solid waste stream is contributed by post-producer waste from the industry. For textiles, it was estimated between 1.5 and 1.9 billion pounds of new fiber and fabric wastes annually by fiber producers, textile mills and fabric manufactures in USA. Out of 2% of the total nations annual post-producer textile waste(which amounts to 11.2 billion tons), apparel manufacturers waste contributed 450 to 600 million tons annually in the form of apparel cuttings. Media attention to various U.S industries potential for ecological damage as contribution to sold waste stream has pressured the textile industry to respond with alternatives other than landfilling waste according to the author. And this environmental pressure has had dramatic impact the last ten years as companies have added environmentally sound management philosophy. Therefore, the authors analyzed a â€Å"Textile Waste L ifecycle model† which is also shown in Figure: 1 to show the integration of post-producer and post-consumer textile waste with resalable and reusable new products. Also the model contribute to the philosophy that while everything must go somewhere, there are more options than landfilling. The above figure of Textile Waste Lifecycle Model reveals that Post-producer textile waste may be disposed of in three ways. Firstly, it may enter the solid waste stream and end in landfills or waste incinerators. The second option is converting the solid waste into energy to power the manufacturing process. The third option is to sell the waste to textile waste recycler who shreds garments, fabric or fiber waste into new fiber. The author also quoted various examples of textile recyclers in order to establish the fact that what they are doing with the post-producer textile waste which is discussed in section 2.2.Authors in the end of this research paper provides further framework for further dialogue about what constitutes the textile waste and finding means by which textile waste is or can be disposed. Likewise, many avenues for further study were established. There are still voids and gaps in the market so as to understand what constitutes the textile waste. Therefore authors in this research left initiatives for further finding the applications of various textile waste which forms the part of the objectives of research paper. Another recent survey by T.H. Christensen, G. Bhander, H. Lindvall, A.W. Larsen, T. Fruergaard, A. Damgaard, S. Manfredi, A. Boldrin, C. Riber and M. Hauschild, 2008 is also done to calculate the volume of textile production waste materials and the recycling level by Lithuanian textile, clothing and soft furniture production enterprise. 18 textile companies, 12 apparel industry companies and 10 companies of soft furniture production have been surveyed by questioning. A significant part of textile production waste is land filled. The transportation of textile waste for land filling requires additional investments including the continuously increasing pressure of taxation for waste disposal and transportation costs. With the EU Environmental Law getting stricter, the process of waste land filling will become more loss-making. The Resolution prohibits burying of all recyclable waste, including textile waste, from the year 2015 and prohibits burying of all residual waste, except the case s when the burying is inevitable or a danger arises, from the year 2025. The overall waste amount throughout the entire cycle of a textile fabric production from yarn manufacturing to fabric sewing may constitute upto 40-50% of raw materials quantity. On the other hand, the amount of textile waste generated in the apparel industry companies covers the interval of 3-22% in proportion to the raw materials used. The main part of all the waste (62.5%) consists of textile material cuttings. These are cuttings of different size with dyeing defects, stained, fine knitted fabric waste, woven fabric borders, weighted cuttings of woven fabrics (0.1-2mm length), and cutouts from garment sewing industry. Following Table-1 shows the waste amount and recycling degree according to enterprise type TABLE-1 Enterprise type Overall amount of waste, t Average amount of waste, t Amount of waste recycle/ used in co.,t Amount of waste solid given away, t Amount of waste solid transported for land filling, t Textile Production 1671.2 93 343.7 815.1 513.1 Apparel 1001.0 83 0 299.6 701.4 The research has shown the amount of waste produced by different industries, and how much it is reused, recycled and hw much thrown in landfill.Figure:2, 3 proves that more than half of the textile industry waste goes in the landfill and very less amount of waste is recycled. This research has revealed that how waste is going to put pressure on each and every industry, as they are already spending on transportation of waste and in future it is said that they also have to pay taxes for this waste disposal. By 2015 government will not allow to dispose off the waste in the landfill. The research only looked at the waste, its amount and how it is going to create problems in the future. But there are no ways how to recover or recycle is discussed. In 2005, the 2nd Conference of Textile Research Division already discussed â€Å"Ways and Means† to Textile -waste Recycling by authors, G. M. EI-Nouby, H. A. Azzam, S. T. Mohamed, and M. N. El-Sheikh which is discussed in following section 2.2 Therefore, from the above section it can be concluded that there is no proper study which has been witnessed by Denim textile/or apparel industry in specific. Though there are lot of studies done by various textile/apparel industries irrespective of specific industries such as Denim industry to identify the amount of waste and its further prospects. 2.2 The Recyclers and theirRecycling applications of Textile waste The 2nd Conference meetings Journal-â€Å"Textile Waste-Material Recycling†-Part-I- Ways and Means† includes the extensive coverage of previous work. It also attempts to convert textile waste material into useful forms, non-woven fabrics or spun yarns. The methods and machines used in textile waste material recycling were also covered to increase the ability of Egyptian textile industry to compete in the era of open markets and globalization. The above figure: 5 show the technical solution and non-technical solution to manage textile waste which is also discussed in Figure: 1 by Domina and Kathy to integrate the textile waste among all the categories including post-producer waste, pre-consumer waste and post-consumer waste. But here the question arises that what recyclers are doing in order to find various applications of the textile waste material. Therefore, D, Tanya and K Kathy, 1997 in the research paper-â€Å"The Textile Waste Lifecycle† conducted a survey and found various textile recyclers and what they are actually doing to reduce post-producer textile waste. Following are the textile recyclers namely, Crown Textile recycler, where fiber makes up 60% of the all solid waste, of which 95% is recycled as energy Leigh Fibers Inc., a textile and apparel waste recycler that purchases bundled textile waste such as carding, fabric scraps and thread, shreds waste into fibers which are then sold. Eco Fiber Canada, Inc. makes cotton yarn from fiber and fabric waste to be then made into a variety of apparel products. Levis Strauss and company has recycled 400000 pounds of denim scrap into paper Cone mills recycle polypropylene wrapping from cotton bales, polyester and other materials. Russell Corp. rebales its cutting waste for resale or returns it into fiber for use in spinning Burlington recycles old jeans and denim scrap into new denim fabric which Levis Strauss makes into Jeans According to the survey, both the authors reports that 73% of the post-producer fabric waste is recycled annually, approximately 150 million pounds are reprocessed into fiber, 200 million pounds are sorted by color and exported to respun, and 100 million pounds are used to make wipers. They also said that due to the difficulty in separating laminated fabrics and high usage of blended yarns and fabrics, only about 2% of industrial fabric waste are recycled. Since our project aims at Denim waste recycling, there should be no difficulty of such kind as in blended yarns and fabrics. One of the Denim Return Project done by Bradmill Group in Denim Park in 1999 revealed that Denim waste are generated such as warp tailings, denim selvage, fabric waste and other smaller waste. The group also found the opportunities for the recycling and reuse for denim wastes and to provide this to a totally a recycling activity for their group as well as fulfilling a need for waste reduction at Denim Park facility. The opportunities of denim reuse that Bradmill Group investigated are: Shredding and Recycling into a new spinning operation Shredding and Reuse as a fiber base for paper and cardboard Sorting and packaging for sale locally and overseas Briquetting for combustion in Bradmill Undare boilers Shredding and use as filling material for a range of non-woven applications including wadding for furniture, cushions, pillows and car wadding Shredding and use in mushroom production Shredding for use as an absorbent material(mainly for oil spills) Use of large scraps as polishing rags Certain aspects are identified by Bradmill, 1999 which affect the recyclability of denim waste which are as follows: Fiber length, which is identified as critical to the end application. Short length fibers which are less than 3mm cannot be respun, whereas long length fibers are suitable for respinning Impurities (such as oil, dirt, vegetable and metal contamination), is another critical aspect of fiber reuse which can cause serious hazards in reprocessing. Sizing is a starchy material which is required during weaving operations. Therefore, waste fabrics/fibers require desizing as Sizing will affect fiber absorbency, which will reduce its effectiveness in oil spill collection, paper production, and may reduce its usability in other non-woven applications. Lastly, Color in the fiber can have a positive or negative effect on recyclability. Since residual colors in denim fibers many affect the final product if it has a particular application For example: high quality white paper. Some recycling operations require use colored fibers sorted into colors for respinning. Careful color mixing of fibers to achieve specified colors without requiring dyeing. This type of operation requires cost-cutting input of approximately 250 tonnes of waste per month whereas Bradmill produces approximately 20 tonnes per month. A basic breakdown of reuse fiber requirements is discussed in Table: 2 according to the survey done by Bradmill. Again the major issues facing the recycling efforts of textile and apparel manufacturers are lack of market for recycled products and cost of processing as also discussed by the famous authors D Tanya and K Kathy, 1997 Therefore, there are still gaps in the market to find the cost-benefit (or cost effectiveness) of the opportunities of Denim reuse/recycling business. In the section 2.3 certain researches have been compiled to analyze the full cost and cost-benefit of recycling business of solid waste management. TABLE: 2 APPLICATION FIBER CHARACTER SHORT LONG COLORED SIZED METAL CONTAM. Respinning for colored yarn à ¼ à ¼ Desizing may be required Paper Production à ¼ Blue is ok(may be Black) Desizing may be required Paper board Production à ¼ May require Bleaching à ¼ Shredding for fill à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ Shredding for Absorbent à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ Combustion à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ Non-woven à ¼ à ¼ May require Bleaching May require Desizing Rags Scraps 8cm. sq.(Min.) à ¼ à ¼ N/A Mushroom Production à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ à ¼ Another recent research by S. Aishwariya in the research paper â€Å" Recycling Textile waste-Newer dimensions(2010) found that willow waste(which is a short fiber waste considered as non-salable and also just disposed off as landfills) in India according to the unforeseen statistical report amounts to 80,000-85,000 tones per annum. Therefore, this non-resalable can be collected, processed and converted into biocompost by the use of vermicomposting and enzymes technology which can be a very convincing effort to reduce and recycle waste. â€Å"Vermicomposting in the broad sense can be termed as waste minimization which is a very effective technology for managing solid organic wastes, into highly beneficial and valuable compost that can be used as supplement to increase soil fertility.† 2.3 Cost Analysis of Textile Recycling business B Margaret and P Paul, 1998 talks about the real cost of waste in the research paper -â€Å"The waste minimization of food and drink industry† and explains that â€Å"The cost of waste is not only the cost of getting rid of it, but also the value of what you are getting rid of. According to the authors, the real cost of waste can be divided into two categories, the visible costs and the hidden cost. But it is said that in the apparel industry, efforts are made towards waste minimization but still there is a lot of waste generated as discussed in section 2.1 of this chapter. Because, nowadays automated grading and optimized placements of garment pieces within a marker are powerful, but also optimizing the mapping of the markers to the different rolls of fabric is the key to optimizing fabric consumption and lowering costs. (Retrieved from a solution case study â€Å"Integrated Solutions Increase Efficiency and Reduce Waste in Clothing Manufacturing† by REACH technologies) Therefore, S Michael, D Mathew, M Scott, G Cathleen, E Matt, G Beth, 1997 of the â€Å"Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance(DPPEA)† by the department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources conducted a study on â€Å"Analysis of the Full Costs of Solid Waste Management for North Carolina local governments.† The study found that the cost-effectiveness of recycling program (compared to solid waste collection and disposal) correlate the local governments recycling rate i.e. the local governments that achieve high recycling rates are more likely to operate recycling programs that are less expensive per ton than solid waste collection and disposal. The Full cost Analysis (FCA) helps local governments understand expenditures associated with collection, disposal and recycling so that the true costs and benefits of each sectors are understood. The study presents cost analyses by 15 North Carolina local governments and concentrated on cost of residential solid waste collection, solid waste disposal and The study presents and analyzes the quantitative from the completed full cost analysis worksheet of residential solid waste collection, disposal and recycling. All governments used the same methodology of identifying the Full cost work sheet as a standard format. To determine the efficiency measurements, cost-per-ton figures for 15 North Carolina local governments are taken as a sample of study. The Recycling cost includes the cost of collection, processing and marketing of materials. In the Figure: 6, It can be seen that recycling cost appears to be most costly solid waste management option per ton. This comparison is explored in more detail in Fig: 7 which show that relative cost effectiveness of recycling compared to solid waste collection and disposal cost is directly correlated to local government recycling rates. Finally, the research concluded three tangible conclusions: Full cost analysis provides a foundation for budgetary decisions Recycling can cost as little or less than solid waste management Local governments that achieve high recycling rates are more likely to operate recycling programs that are less expensive per ton than solid waste collection and disposal. That means there is a positive correlation between recycling rates and low recycling costs (compared to solid waste management) for 15 participating local governments. Therefore, from the above three sections discussed in this chapter, it can be concluded that a lot of studies are being done to find the opportunities of textile waste recycling and finding the positive correlation between recycling rates and low recycling cost. But, there is still a gap in the market to identify and analyze the opportunities of denim waste recycling and finding the best possible alternative applications of denim waste reuse in India. CHAPTER-3 METHODOLOGY The project waste management in the Apparel Industry is taken because of the global scenario. So in order to contribute to the noble cause this project will assess the amount of waste in the Denim apparel industry in specific and emphasize on the alternative use of Denim apparel waste. For carrying out the project, data needs to be collected and this can be divided into Primary and Secondary data collection. For this project, Primary data is the data (or information) which is collected from the Denim apparel Industries in Delhi/NCR and other textile waste members in the supplychain Delhi/NCR and other areas. For collecting Secondary data, information from e-books, e-journal articles etc. will be require to find out what all researches are carried out in this field, what is the result of this researches, how denim apparel waste can be an input for any other industry, which areas have not been thoroughly covered etc. Objective:1 To assess the forms and amount of denim waste generated by the Denim apparel manufacturers Sampling Frame: 3 Denim apparel Manufacturers Sample Technique: Convenience and Judgmental technique Research Design: Descriptive Data Collection: Primary data collection(Case Study) to analyze whether there is a considerable amount of waste in the Denim apparel Industry and if yes, then finding the various forms of Denim waste (through photography) for further analyzing the scope for the same Objective:2 To find the required information from recyclers in India Sampling Frame: 2 Textile/Denim waste recyclers in Delhi/NCR Sample Technique: Convenience technique Research Design: Descriptive/Exploratory Data Collection: Primary Data Collection(Depth Interview) to identify what is happening to the denim/textile waste collected, whats the market and future scope. (Photography)to show variety of denim waste collected by recyclers, the working environment and processes involved in their premises. Objective: 3To identify and analyze the opportunities out of Denim waste Recycling Sampling Frame: Data collected from Denim recyclers and Denim apparel Manufacturers Sample Technique: Judgmental technique Research Design: Descriptive/Exploratory Data Collection: Primary data collection (In-depth Interview) from recyclersto understand the processes involved at their end. Objective:4To recommend a â€Å"return service† for Denim scrap locally Sampling Frame: Data collection from Textile waste Recyclers Sample Technique: Judgmental technique Research Design: Descriptive/Exploratory Data Collection: Primary Data Collection (Case Study)- to finally recommend a return service which might help in adding something to the environment Objective:1 To assess the forms and amount of denim waste generated by the Denim apparel manufacturers This objective focuses on identifying the amount and forms of Denim waste generated by Denim apparel industry. Therefore, a pilot study was done in order to calculate the amount of denim waste in each department which is shown in Table-3 below. And forms of wastes are shown in different departments through photographs followed by Table-3 TABLE-3 Denim Manufacturers Name Department Waste Amount (in % out of 100% on an average) Forms of Waste

Enders Game Essay -- English Literature Essays

Ender's Game In our everyday life, we make decisions, decisions that may change the world we live in, if only slightly. However, each decision we make has an impact on our life and is therefore important. Each time we choose one thing over another, we draw from our previous knowledge to make the best choice we can. However, the ideas and thoughts that actually dictate how we make our choices are the morals that we base our life on. For some, these morals are simple and do not reflect what their life means to them, but for others, the morals that they live on are the foundation of their life. For those who have strong morals, those morals may be complex and hard to understand to others; for this reason, it is common for characters in a book to be simple and their actions to be taken only at face value. However, a few books are able to grasp the underlying meaning of certain actions and words, but none I have yet seen present the morals of characters and define so clearly the feeling and emotions o f people as Orson Scott Card has in his book, ENDER’S GAME. He creates his characters in ways that not only reveal the meanings of their lives, but he creates a story so gracefully interlaced within the feeling and emotions of his characters that the plot itself revolves around themes, ideas, and morals, not the other way around. He creates worlds with people so real that you remember them as real people; people from whom you take ideas and use to create a better life for yourself and others. Each character that Card creates has a unique personality. From the heartless people to the brilliant aliens, each person has their own way of doing things. His writing defines each character in ways such that you can feel how they feel and understand what they desire and need. What really makes this exceptional is that he not only creates the desires and needs of individual humans; he also creates a general feel of what humanity has evolved into. Furthermore, he has created new species that have needs and desires as a whole, thus creating a vast interconnecting universe that can not only be simply understood by the reader but can also be understood in a way that reveals how each character defines the meaning of life. Ender Wiggin, the main character, was born in a time when population restriction laws were in effect. The people of the time could only have two children.... ...is good because he is forgiving—he understands even those who hate him. This is his most important characteristic. He tries to understand everything, and is good at it. The reason he is so good in battle is because he wishes to understand even his enemy and he does, but as he puts it "In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves." To him this means that as soon as he delivers the killing blow, he loves his enemy and understands them, he hates himself for this. Another one of his morals is that he will try to undo what he has done. He accomplishes this by calling himself the Speaker For The Dead. To him this means that whomever he has killed he has understood, and the least he can do is share that understanding with others. In the case of the buggers, he killed them, understood them and loved them, and so he was able tell others that the buggers where really good, and through his writings he was able to redeem himself and bring to life those who he had killed.

Gary Soto Essay -- essays research papers

Throughout the autobiographical narrative written by Gary Soto, many different literary elements are used to recreate the experience of his guilty six-year old self. Different elements such as contrast, repetition, pacing, diction, and imagery. Soto narrates this story as a young boy at a time when he seems to be young and foolish, Soto foolmaking mistakes, but at the same time hoping to learn from them. Soto uses each of these devices to convey different occurrences in the narrative. Contrast is used when Soto compares himself to Eve, a biblical character, when God punished her for stealing an apple from a sacred garden. Also in the first line of the story Soto explains he â€Å"knew enough about hell to stop me from stealing†, but later in the story he states that, â€Å"the best things in life come stolen.† It is obvious these two statements contrast each other. Soto also uses repetition in this story and starts off with the driver, Mrs. Hancock, and his mom who all â€Å"knew† that he had stolen the pie. The thing is â€Å"knew† is repeated too many times in too little writing. Also though I think using â€Å"knew† so many times brings out the element of diction into the narrative because by using the word so many times, it is obviously used to show how paranoid Soto was. The word pie is at least 14 times while â€Å"I† is also used at least 42 where in the third paragraph it is used to begin the last three sentences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, was the element of pacing and in the third par...

Students and School Uniforms Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students and School Uniforms   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The implication of school uniforms on the public school system would make a dramatic positive change for the students now and in the future. Currently the public school system allows casual dress code attire throughout the United States. Differing from private school institutions, where uniforms are mandatory. School uniforms are beneficial to the students and to the parents of these students. Secondly, uniforms provide structure and unity within the schools. Lastly, school uniforms make the environment in which the students conduct in for approximately 6 – 7 hrs. of their day a safer place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How much does it cost to dress for school? The prices in the fashion market targeted to school age children are on the rise yearly. â€Å"The $28 billion children's apparel market experienced continuous growth from 1998 to 2003 up 32%† (Key note publications, 2003), this statistic showing the growth in spending on fashion clothing for young children. The clothing market now being a large expense for parents of these children. The purchasing of school uniforms is proven to be less expensive than the competitive fashion market at this time. School uniforms are typically purchased yearly, with the growing child. This lessening the amount of money spent on uniforms and attention paid to the fashion market’s competiti...

Accounting Information Sytems

Wikipedia: An accounting information system (AIS) is a system of collection, storage and processing of financial and accounting data that is used by decision makers. An accounting information system is generally a computer-based method for tracking accounting activity in conjunction with information technology resources. The resulting statistical reports can be used internally by management or externally by other interested parties including investors, creditors and tax authorities. The actual physical devices and systems that allows the AIS to operate and perform its functions 1. Internal controls and security measures: what is implemented to safeguard the data 2. Model Base ManagementThe collection, storage and processing of financial and accounting data that is used by decision makers. An accounting information system is generally a computer-based method for tracking accounting activity in conjunction with information technology resources. The resulting statistical reports can be used internally by management or externally by other interested parties including investors, creditors and tax authorities. An accounting information systems that combines traditional accounting practices such as the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) with modern information technology resources. Six elements compose the typical accounting information system: People – the system users.Procedure and Instructions – methods for retrieving and processing data. Data – information pertinent to the organization's business practices. Software – computer programs used to process data.Information Technology Infrastructure – hardware used to operate the system. Internal Controls – security measures to protect sensitive data.MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTINGManagement accounting or managerial accounting is concerned with the provisions and use of accounting information to managers within organizations, to provide them with the basis to make informed bu siness decisions that will allow them to be better equipped in their management and  control functions.In contrast to financial accountancy information, management accounting information is: primarily forward-looking, instead of historically  model based with a degree of abstraction to support decision making generically, instead of case based; designed and intended for use by managers within the organization, instead of being intended for use by shareholders, creditors, and public regulators; usually confidential and used by management, instead of publicly reported; computed by reference to the needs of managers, often using management information systems, instead of by reference to general.The process of preparing management reports andaccounts that provide accurate and timely financial and statistical information required by managers to make day-to-day and short-term decisions. Unlike financial accounting, which produces annual reports mainly for external stakeholders, manage ment accounting generates monthly or weekly reports for an organization's internal audiences such as department managers and the chief executive officer. These reports typically show the amount of available cash, sales revenue generated, amount of orders in hand, state of accounts payable and accounts receivable, outstanding debts, raw material and inventory, and may also include trend charts, variance analysis, and other statistics. Also called managerial accounting.BUSINESS POLICYThis course examines the components and processes of the strategic management model, using examples from Canada and the United States. Students learn to do case analysis throughout the course. Topics covered include strategic management, social responsibility, environmental and internal analysis and diagnosis, strategy selection, and implementation and evaluation After completing this course, students should be able to:Perform a rigorous analysis of a company's strategic direction. Identify and explain a company's mission and vision statement and relate and critique  these statements to the company's strategic direction. Prepare a SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats) analysis and explain and evaluate the relationship between the SWOT and a company's strategic direction. Identify and explain all micro and macro forces that shape a company's strategic plan and determine performance. Analyze and evaluate all the steps for the proper alignment of financial and non-financial resources within a company's strategic plan.Analyze a company's strategic plan in the context of the industry life cycle and environment in which it operates. Analyze, evaluate, and draw conclusions on the effectiveness and performance of control and integration mechanisms. Establish metrics to assess and measure strategic performance. Analyze and evaluate the company's communication and feedback loop relative to company strategy and performance.Analyze, evaluate, and draw conclusions on the finan cial performance relative to the company's strategic plan. Analyze, evaluate, and identify risks and risk mitigation strategies appropriate to the company's strategic direction. Analyze, evaluate, and develop strategies for a single or multi-business organization. Assess, analyze, and recommend changes to company strategy based on a full analysis of a company's strategic plan. Develop and prepare a strategic review document presented in a consistent form and properly documented.PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENTProduction and Operations Management (â€Å"POM†) is about the transformation of production and operational inputs into â€Å"outputs† that, when distributed, meet the needs of customers.The process in the above diagram is often referred to as the â€Å"Conversion Process†. There are several different methods of handling the conversion or production process – Job, Batch, Flow and Group. POM incorporates many tasks that are interdependent, but whi ch can be grouped under five main headings:PRODUCTMarketers in a business must ensure that a business sells products that meet customer needs and wants. The role of Production and Operations is to ensure that the business actually makes the required products in accordance with the plan. The role of PRODUCT in POM therefore concerns areas such as:– Performance – Aesthetics – Quality – Reliability – Quantity – Production costs – Delivery datesPLANTTo make PRODUCT, PLANT of some kind is needed. This will comprise the bulk of the fixed assets of the business. In determining which PLANT to use, management must consider areas such as: – Future demand (volume, timing)– Design and layout of factory, equipment, offices – Productivity and reliability of equipment – Need for (and costs of) maintenance – Heath and safety (particularly the operation of equipment) – Environmental issues (e.g. creation of wa ste products)PROCESSESThere are many different ways of producing a product. Management must choose the best process, or series of processes.They will consider: – Available capacity – Available skills – Type of production – Layout of plant and equipment – Safety – Production costs – Maintenance requirementsPROGRAMMESThe production PROGRAMME concerns the dates and times of the products that are to be produced and supplied to customers. The decisions made about programme will be influenced by factors such as: – Purchasing patterns (e.g. lead time)– Cash flow – Need for / availability of storage – TransportationPEOPLEProduction depends on PEOPLE, whose skills, experience and motivation vary. Key people-related decisions will consider the following areas: – Wages and salaries – Safety and training – Work conditions – Leadership and motivation – Unionisation – Communicati onGOOD GOVERNANCEGood governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions. It’s not about making ‘correct’ decisions, but about the best possible process for making those decisions.Good decision-making processes, and therefore good governance, share several characteristics. All have a positive effect on various aspects of local government including consultation policies and practices, meeting procedures, service quality protocols, councillor and officer conduct, role clarification and good working relationships.

A Cataclysm in Repose Essay

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† is a short story that fuses together magical and realistic elements. In an interview, Marquez explains the influences and origins of this unique style of writing. The story (not surprisingly) is about an old man with enormous wings who somehow ends up in a small Caribbean or Central American town and the events that surround this occurrence. The story is written in such a way that magical elements appear in a seemingly realistic setting. The interview with Marquez, although never specifically mentioning the story, provides insight as to how he achieves writing in this oxymoronic style. Marquez attributes his magical-realistic style of writing to the reciprocal relationship between novels and journalism. Marquez says that his â€Å"†¦true profession is that of a journalist (131.† This background in journalism helps keep his writing in â€Å"†¦a close relationship with reality (137).† Marquez further states that trying to â€Å"transpose† reality can lead to losing contact with it and journalism is a good guard against that. As a journalist Gabriel Garcia Marquez believes that writing is hard work that requires a certain technique with structure and careful attention to detail. Marquez also describes a â€Å"journalistic trick (138)† used to make things credible; saying that there are four hundred and twenty-five elephants in the sky is much more believable than simply stating there are elephants in the sky. Evidence of this journalistic influence is clearly seen throughout â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† and thi s makes the story seem much more believable. Another important aspect of Marquez’s writing is his use of vivid imagery. He began writing by drawing cartoons and in â€Å"†¦ the genesis of all [his] books there’s always an image (143),† such as a photograph. Gabriel Garcia Marquez visited his hometown and he experienced it as everything in the town evolved into literature. Marquez follows by saying that â€Å"it’s always easy to tell whether a writer is writing about something that has happened to him or something he has read or been told (136).† Writing on his birthplace adds a sense of realism and imagery to the story. Marquez also gives credit to his  grandmother’s â€Å"brick face† style of story telling as an influence to his writing. â€Å"She told things that sounded supernatural and fantastic, but she told them with complete naturalness (138).† The combination of these elements adds to the authenticity and colorfulness of Marquez’s stories. Gabriel Garcia Marquez explains, in his interview, the importance of the first paragraph as setting the tone for the rest of the story. â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† is no exception. The story begins with a reference to Marquez’s fascination with plagues as he describes an abundance of crabs after three days of rain. Marquez continues by saying that â€Å"the world had been sad since Tuesday. Sea and Sky were a single ash-gray thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is an example of the aforementioned journalistic trick which makes the sadness more believable. There is a convergence with the interview when Marquez says that every Mexican he sees in Europe leaves the following Wednesday, as opposed to any other day. The â€Å"ash-gray† description also provides a vivid image of the sea and sky. The first paragraph ends with an introduction of the old man, â€Å"†¦impeded by his enormous wings.† This does indeed set the tone for the rest of the story with detailed descriptions, sharp imagery and the magical-realistic elements are introduced. The story continues with a detailed, precise, and unconventional description of an angel. Word about the angel gets out, and many people come to see him, including the Priest, Father Gonzaga. There is evidence, in the beginning of the story that the setting is in a small Caribbean or Central America town, such as the one Marquez grew up in. Statements like â€Å"†¦everyone knew†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"neighbor women† and referring to the priest as Father Gonzaga give the image of a small Spanish-speaking town. The credibility of the winged man as an angel is questioned in the story by Father Gonzaga. The visiting people torture and test the patience of the angel. Eventually, a carnival took the attention away from him, including a â€Å"†¦woman who had been changed into a spider for having disobeyed her parents (572),† another example of the journalistic trick. An example of the brick faced story telling appears when things return to the â€Å"†¦time it had rained for three days and crabs walked through the bedroom (573).† The paragraph simply ends here, with something completely fantastical told as if it were completely normal. The keepers of  the angel profit at the angel’s expense until people no longer care to see him and eventually the angel regains his strength and flies away ungracefully. The interview did not specifically address â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† and therefore it was not useful in understanding the story nor did it take anything away from it. The interview was, however, effective and useful in understanding how Marquez can effectively write in such a unique style. The way the story seems to be so believable yet at the same time so fantastical is explained. If I could ask Gabriel Garcia Marquez another question, I would like to know more about what he meant by the â€Å"intellectual writing† and more on the influence of politics in his writing. Being a Marxist, how did this affect the non-traditional representation of the angel? I found that, in general, the interview provided helpful insight on what makes Marquez’s magical-realistic writing so vivid and believable. Work Cited Stone, Peter H. An interview with Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Unknown date and publisher. Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.† The Story and it’s Writer. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s ., 2003.

How and why are American Families changing Essay

Family polishes individuals like in an institution, but the American family is gradually losing the status of an alma mater. The main setback suffered is devaluation and deficient functioning. Devaluation is evident from a decline in its perusal by new generation and deficient functioning due to economic burdens, ethical vacuum and reluctance in offering unsung sacrifices to raise a family. (Benokraitis) Three factors can be ruled out as the primary functionaries in shaping up the current family setup. Firstly, the lack of religious involvement leads to a decline in performance of moral duties. Raising a family is not fun but a responsibility laden task. Without moral pressures, few young minds will take pains to shoulder the burden of acting responsibly. Secondly, devaluation of family as an inspirational medium is also leading the minds to lose interest in it. Economic pressures, social injustices in the first place destabilized families which then gradually lost their own grounds. (Benokraitis) Thirdly a vast, open spouse market does not let many to settle seriously, carry the burdens of family life. Mostly youngsters are falling prey to this. Many with their bad experiences leave the idea of settling ever even before practicing it. (Benokraitis) Thus, we see that even these three factors are intimately interconnected. To revitalize the family institution individuals with their moral, religious, educational, social faults have to be analyzed and corrected. Our parents enjoyed much better coherent family setups. Technologically and educationally they were far behind. However, psychological, emotional development of them was superior to us.