Health Benefits of Garlic Essay Example

Health Benefits of Garlic Essay Example Health Benefits of Garlic Paper Health Benefits of Garlic Paper In the more recent past, garlics main claim has been as a cholesterol buster (Mohammad et al. p. 4). Larry King promotes it on the radio, while colorful bottles of supplements proclaim their cardio cures from drugstore shelves: Clinically proven to lower cholesterol. Promotes healthy circulation Supports a healthy cardiovascular system. Each assertion is a promising lure for the 60 million Americans with heart diseaseand together these claims have helped make garlic one of the best-selling herbal supplements in the United States. In 2000, American consumers spent more than $61 million on the stuff. Garlics Power As a Cold-Buster: It is found from the study that the long-held belief that garlic is an effective remedy for the common cold. In the study, 146 people received either a garlic supplement or a placebo. Over a 12-week period during cold season, participants kept a diary in which they recorded cold symptoms. At the end of the study, the garlic group was way ahead, reporting 24 colds as compared to the placebo groups 65 colds. As a bonus, the garlic groups symptoms were shorter in duration (Blumenthal, p. 6). As an Artery-Saver: A great deal of garlic research has focused on the prevention of heart disease. In a study of 152 people with arteriosclerosis, researchers found that high doses of garlic powder significantly reduced the build-up of arterial plaque, a primary cause of cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. During the 48 months of the study, researchers noted that lone-term garlic use even reduced existing arterial plaque slightly. As a Heart-Helper: Garlic has been shown to help maintain the elasticity of the aorta the main artery of the body that extends from the heart. Stiffening of the aorta occurs as a result of aging or high blood pressure and is a primary risk factor in cardiovascular disease. In comparing adults aged 50-80 who took 300mg or more of standardized garlic powder daily for at least two years to a control group, rest-archers found that aortic stiffening was significantly reduced in those taking garlic. The garlic powder used in the study was standardized for allicin, a sulfur compound that converts to allicin, long considered a primary active ingredient in garlic (Tattelman p. 103). Studies show garlic may reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Where does garlic get its clot-busting powers? Recently, scientists identified a substance in the herb called Ajoene that lubricates platelets in the blood. The more slippery platelets become, the less likely they are to clump together and form a clot, the first step to a heart attack or stroke. While early evidence continues to support garlics reputation as a blood thinner, more research is needed before experts can draw firm conclusions about the herbs role in preventing heart attack and stroke. Numerous heart-related studies have been conducted on a specific form of garlic - aged garlic extract (AGE). It undergoes an aging process that converts the odor-causing components of garlic into mild compounds that proponents claim are more stable than those found in raw or powdered garlic. Studies indicate that AGE, lowers cholesterol, reduces blood pressure and inhibits the formation of arterial plaque (Blumenthal et al. p. 23). As a Homocysteine-Reducer: In a research it was found to lower homocysteine levels, blood markers of inflammation that are considered major risk factors for heart disease. As an Antibiotic Alternative: One study found that garlic juice exhibited antibacterial activity against several germs, including certain antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Another mouse study revealed that garlic extract helped inhibit a strain of staph infection. As an Antifungal Therapy: garlic is helpful for fungal infections, particularly yeast infections and athletes foot. For yeast infections, it is recommended to eat 1-2 garlic cloves daily, crushed and taken with water or mixed into food. If one has athletes foot, tub  ½ cloves on the affected area two to three times daily. If one does not like raw cloves, then one should try capsules, gel caps or extracts (Brown, p. 51). As an Antidiabetic Agent: Research has shown that garlic is very effective as an antidiabetic agent (Eidi et al. p. 624). To Cure Warts and Corns: A study has shown that when lipid extract of garlic was applied on the feet with 1-2 corns twice a day then the patient recovered completely in just two days (Dehghani et al. p. 613).

Where Germans Go for Winter Holidays

Where Germans Go for Winter Holidays Its no secret that the Germans love to travel. According to the UNWTO Tourism Barometer, theres no European country that produces more tourists and spends more money on seeing the world. Family holidays during the summer can last up to five or six weeks. And its not uncommon for people to squeeze in another short trip over the winter holidays.   There is no need to worry about Germans missing out on their work duties. The average German employee benefits from 29 Urlaubstage (annual leave days) per year, which puts them into the oberes Mittelfeld (upper mid-field) of Europes leave allowances. School holidays are staggered throughout the Lnder to avoid traffic chaos  so that even German downtime is as efficiently planned as it can be. Since 1 January marks the day that many employees lose their outstanding allowance, its high time for them to use up that Resturlaub (remaining leave). Lets have a look at the most popular holiday destinations for German people escaping the house in winter. 1. Germany Germanys number 1 travel destination is Germany! As a country where all winter lovers can get their share of snow, forest and mountains, ski trips is high on every winter lovers wish list. Families love that it only takes a few hours by train or car until they can let the kids roam free and slip into their mountainwear. Family trips to the Alps are popular with families from all around the country. They indulge in winter sports and healthy walks, warming up by a fire in the chalet by night. Its a tradition so popular that many songs have been sung about it.   But in fact, Germany can boast snowy mountain peaks far North of the usual suspects with Gebirge (mountain regions) like the Hunsrà ¼ck and Harz. In this country, youre never far from winter fun. Essential Skiurlaub vocabulary: Ski fahren - skiingLanglauf - cross-country skiingRodeln - sledgingSchneewandern - hiking in the snowder Kamin - chimney 2. The Mediterranean (Spain, Egypt, Tunisia) Summer in Italy, winter in Egypt. Germans love chasing the sun and the beach, and many believe that a comfortable 24 degrees C is preferable to Christmas trees and freezing in February. Its the perfect answer to a dreaded new disease the Germans are scared of: Die Winterdepression. 3. Dubai For those who are seriously sun-deprived, sunny long-haul destinations like Thailand offer exactly what they have been dreaming of. Its a true escape from Weihnachtsstress, especially when there are the added delights of insane attractions (ironic indoor skiing)  and cut-price shopping. Essential Strandurlaub  vocabulary: der Strand - beachsich sonnen - to sunbathedie Sonnencreme - suncreamder Badeanzug/die Badehose - swimming costume/swimming shortsdas Meer - the sea 4. New York and Other Cities New York is the leading destination for travelers who love nothing more than Stdteurlaub  (city trips). When there is only a tiny supply of Resturlaub  left, even a long weekend in Hamburg, Kà ¶ln or Mà ¼nchen is more attractive than staying at home. Braving cold temperatures, the German tourists wrap up warm and still get their supplies of culture and escapism. After all, who wants to experience the same Alltagstrott  (daily grind) all the time? Essential Stdteurlaub  vocabulary: die Anfahrt - journey to the destinationdie Erkundung - discoveryspazieren gehen - going for a relaxed walkdie Theaterkarte - theatre ticketdie Rundfahrt - city tour

Travel the World - Letter to a Friend - Assignment

Travel the World - Letter to a Friend - - Assignment Example nding money and time traveling to the City was, therefore, to experience the culture and art of London, to learn the various kinds of art within the city that may have influenced Albert in his career. In his painting, Albert depicts ambient photographic-like scenery of a lake amidst rocky mountain cliffs with grazing deer on the shore in the foreground. The cheap means of travelling to London from Huston Texas was through the Turkish airlines that cost $610 to and fro. The great London atmosphere also extends its hotels with varying affordable rates. Within the city of London, I am staying at the Central Park Hotel, a three star hotel located at the heart of the city that costs  £43 per night (FareCompare.com). London is the capital city of the England in Europe popularly known for its monarchy system under the rule of a queen. There are nearly over 300 languages spoken in the city, however, its main culture mainly ties around the arts, museums and various festivals. In particular, as for architecture, London prides itself of a number of landmarks and cultural iconic objects that are globally associated with the city such as the Big Ben, as well as the Buckingham Palace. The city is also popular for the fast foods vendors that specialize in making the burgers, pies and pizza that forms one of the main popular foods among most city dwellers and workers. In terms of entertainment, the city is best recognized for its particular preference for rock music dating from the 1960s and is the home for various globally renowned rock bands and musicians. The city is also home for some of the globally recognized teams in the game of soccer. Like other major cities across Europe, London has an oceanic t emperate climate with the four climatic seasons like most of Europe (The Guardian). Albert made his iconic photograph-like painting using oil-based paints and soft brush to make the portrait on canvas measuring approximately six and ten feet in size. Albert gracefully employs

Why Incentive Plans Cannot Work Article by Kohn Alfie

Why Incentive Plans Cannot Work by Kohn Alfie - Article Example Most of organizations in the United States have implemented programs with the aim of motivating employees through compensation. The belief that individuals will perform better in the workplace if they are rewarded has not been thoroughly examined. However, there are findings that indicate the failure of these incentive programs due to various reasons (Kohn 2). Research indicates that rewards are effective in securing temporary compliance. Just like punishment, rewards do not effectively produce lasting change in behavior and attitudes. Individuals go back to their old behaviors when the rewards run out. Psychologists regard incentives as extrinsic motivators and they state that they do not change the attitudes that accompany people’s behaviors. Incentives do not develop a lasting commitment to any action or value. Rather, they simply and temporarily change what individual do. In regard to productivity, research shows that rewards do not produce better work. Thus, there is no c orrelation between performance and pay (Kohn 3). The main reason why most executives continue relying on the incentive programs is that few individuals have taken the step to assess the link between incentive programs and problems associated with workplace morale and productivity. The author asserts that rewards only buy temporary compliance (Kohn 4). Kohn gives six frameworks that give the exact cost of the incentive programs. Firstly, pay is not a motivator. Though individuals are very concerned with what they get as salaries, this is not an indication that money is the motivator. There is no solid basis that when people are paid more, it will motivate them to perform better at work. Secondly, rewards punish. Just like punishment, rewards are manipulative. In both situations, individuals are being caught (that is, if one is found doing the right thing he will be rewarded, if he is caught doing the wrong thing he will be punished). The managers are making the people feel controlled in the workplace instead of making the environment suitable for progress, learning, and exploration. Thirdly, rewards destroy relationships. Employee relationships are destroyed when they scramble for rewards. Cooperation and organizational excellence is destroyed when individuals are forced to compete for recognition or rewards. Individual who cannot win feel worthless and the more these awards are exposed, the more destructive their effect can be. Additionally, competition for limited incentives among the employees can make them view each other as hindrance to their success. Fourthly, reasons are ignored by rewards. For the managers to solve workplace problems, they must know what caused them. Each problem in the organization requires a different response. Reliance on incentives to improve productivity does not address the problems and cannot bring about significant change. At times, managers usually use incentive systems as an alternative for providing workers with what they req uire in order to do a good job. Research shows that paying for performance hinders the capability of the managers to manage. Fifthly, risk-taking is discouraged by rewards. When individuals are motivated to think about what they will receive for getting involved in a task, they will less likely explore possibilities or take risks. Some of the individuals will participate in illegal and unethical behavior because they want to benefit from the incentive program. Studies show that people will tend to minimize challenges when working for a reward (Kohn 6). Lastly, interest is undermined by reward. Like punishment, rewards undermine the intrinsic stimulus that leads to optimal performance. The employee becomes less interested in the work when the manager keeps on emphasizing on what the employee can

Drug Legalization in the United States Essay Example for Free

Drug Legalization in the United States Essay Abstract This paper will explore four websites and one online newspaper addressing the subject of drug trafficking in the United States and why legalization is a profitable alternative. The various ways drugs are bought into the country, information on how and why drug trafficking has increased in the United States, statistics on the number of people that are addicts, and the problems related to foreign countries on this issue. The reasons why illicit drugs should be legalized and what the income from the taxation from them could do to better our health care reform and our economy. Keywords: drug trafficking, economy, legalization Drug Legalization in the United States Illegal drugs are exports and deported out if our country everyday by different groups such as high profile criminal gangs or groups such as the cartel. Law enforcement has yet found a suitable way in controlling the war on drugs and have in past years, up until now, have made and passed bills and policies within the government that has made it worse. The legalization of illicit drugs, such as marijuana, would dramatically save, if not make our country more money.The Department of Justice reports the trafficking of drugs has increased in the United States (2012). Criminal groups from other countries, such as Mexican, Cuban, and Asian, including the groups in our country, grow, manufacturer, and distribute marijuana and other illicit drugs. Meth being in such high demand, leads to the growing number of addicts. Domestic cannabis growers and producers provide marijuana as easy completion for such drugs such as cocaine, LSD, and heroine. Since the price of the final product increases to abnormally high values, because of the black market status, this together with the powerful effects of drug addiction causes users to commit crimes in order to fund their addiction. The ways that illicit drugs are brought in to the country are by passenger ships at United States ports and shipping containers, criminal groups operating from South America smuggling cocaine and heroin in the United States. Self-propelled semisubmersible vessels are maritime vessels used by traffickers to transport illicit drugs. These vessels typically protrude only a few inches above the surface of the water, making them very difficult to detect visually. SPSS’s typically have a four-man crew and are capable of carrying multiton quantities of cocaine. The primary threat from drug smuggling via private vessels is from Caribbean-based traffickers exploiting the Puerto Rico and Florida coastlines. Traffickers transported mostly cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, although they smuggled lesser amounts of heroin, sometimes combined with cocaine loads. Caribbean traffickers also smuggled cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from the Bahamas to areas of South Florida bet ween Miami and Palm Beach. Seizure totals and routes remained relatively constant compared with those of previous years. These routes have been opened and used frequently since the 1970’s. Traffickers used private maritime vessels to smuggle drugs into the United States during 2009 through Puerto Rico, South Florida, South Texas, and southern California, and Mexican DTOs sometimes smuggle drugs by maritime means to avoid law enforcement scrutiny along the Southwest Border. According to Drug Addiction Facts and Statistics, the statistics on the number of addicts that we have in the United States are also growing rapidly. These numbers are solely based on the harsher illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. â€Å"2010 estimated 22.6 million Americans over the age of 12 that were currently or formally illicit drug users are equivalent to about 8.9% of the population† Over 6 million children in the United States live with at least one parent with a drug problem. Since the 1980’s the numbers of people that used illicit drugs that ended death either by overdose or some other type of reaction has risen to over 540%. A 1996 U.S. government study claims that heavy marijuana use may impair learning ability. The key words are heavy use and may. This claim is based on studying people who use marijuana daily–a sample that represents less than 1 percent of all marijuana users. This study concluded: 1) Learning impairments cited were subtle, minimal, and may be temporary. In other words, there is little evidence that such learning impairments even exist. 2) Long-term memory was not affected by heavy marijuana use. 3) Casual marijuana users showed no signs of impaired learning. 4) Heavy alcohol use was cited as being more detrimental to the thought and learning process than heavy marijuana use. (2012). Drug raids in the United States happen on the average of hundreds of times a day. The policies are a lot more dangerous and dramatic then public use of drugs. These policies harm not just families of the users and dealers, but the neighbors and general public that surround them. It has been known that law enforcement has gotten wrong addresses, and bad leads to help them follow through enforcement. Drug task force units have their equipment such as big guns and bullet proof amour, for their defense, but to a child of the suspect, it can seem very intimidating and scary. This also has been known as traumatizing to the youth and families involved. It has also been classified as terrorizing. This is not what these policies were set out to do. Prohibition on illicit drugs brings more gang violence, murder, and violence from dealers, users, children, families, and law enforcement made to enforce policies. There are approximately 17.4 million users of marijuana between 2007 through to 2010 . The numbers increased to 6.9% up from 5.8% or 14.4 million to 17.4 million users. â€Å"To allow policy experimentation, the federal government should permit states to legalize the production, sales, taxation, and consumption of marijuana. While testing this policy shift, authorities should redirect scarce law enforcement resources to focus on the more damaging and socially unacceptable drugs such as heroin, cocaine and meth. From which Mexican drug trafficking organizations derive more than 70% of their proceeds (Moffat, 2012). Replacing marijuana prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation similar to that used for alcoholic beverages would produce combined savings and tax revenues of between $10 billion and $14 billion per year. The revenue from marijuana sales after legalizing for the government could be lucrative. If the tax of marijuana cigarettes was substituted for equal to the difference between the local production cost and the street price currently paid, transfer the revenue from the crime groups to the government, we would have revenue of abo ut $7 per unit. This adds up to over $2 billion on the Canadian sales and even more on an export tax then we can forgo the cost of enforcement and deploy our policy assets elsewhere. By providing legal supplies of currently illegal drugs the price will fall, leading to a collapse in the illegal drug industry, and a reduction in crimes committed by both drug suppliers and users. Some could also argue that the reduction in the price will lead to little, if any, growth in drug addiction, due to the inelasticity of demand. In a strictly regulated market, drug use may fall overall, by removing the marketing activities of the illegal drug industry. There are a growing number of law enforcement professionals speaking out for legalization. LEAP (Law Enforcement against Prohibition) is an international organization founded in 2002 made up of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who are speaking out about the failures of our existing drug policies. According to Betty Taylor, former Chief of Police of Winfield, MO and a speaker for LEAP (Law Enforcement against Prohibition) â€Å"If you can’t control the problem then regulate it. Regardless of law enforcement expenditures, the negative effects of prohibition include violence and other criminal activity† (Bozarth, 2012). The prohibition of marijuana is taking away from our economy in many different ways, such as financially. It is also taking our law enforcement officials away from being able to enforce the more dangerous crimes such as murder and enforce the policies of the more dangerous drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Taxes from the product can bring in more revenue and create another cash crop for farmers to contribute to the economy and also help with drug care reform in making a prescription drug that is affordable and easily acquired. These things are beneficiary to our country as long as it is monitored and maintained by its own policies put in place by ou r government. References DEA Briefs Background, Drugs and Drug Abuse, Drug Descriptions, Drug Trafficking in the United States. (n.d.). Welcome to the United States Department of Justice. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://www.justice.gov/dea/concern/drug_trafficking.html Drug Addiction Facts and Statistics. (n.d.). http://www.michaelshouse.com. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://www.michaelshouse.com/drug-addiction/drug-addiction-statistics/ Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2012, from www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com Moffatt, M. (n.d.). Should Governments Legalize and Tax Marijuana?. About.com. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://economics.about.com/od/incometaxestaxcuts/a/marijuana.htm Bozarth, M. (2012, 02 23). LEAP Helps Launch Marijuana Initiative. http://stjtelegraph.org/. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from stjtelegraph.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/stjtelegraph-23-08_all.pdf

Market Opportunity Analysis :: essays research papers fc

Market Opportunity Analysis Ruonan Tan 0423688 Introduction In our modern society , lots of companies are surrounded by the numerous competition and dealt with many questions , for example , are your products consistent with your customers’ current and future needs? Do you have a flow of new products to meet the information needs of your market? Are the products you’re developing strategically significant? The answer is unkown , because the market opportunity analysis for every product is playing an important role in company ‘s philosophy . Jerry Y. Wind has argued that â€Å"Market opportunity analysis is key to the survival and growth of any firm including national and international companies , particularly in the competitive marketplace.† ( The Lauder Professor and professor of Marketing, The Wharton School, Trustee, The Philadelphia Museum of Art) . The ever-accelerated updating of economic and commercial brings about a great number of changes and challenges in modern society , especially in the expansion of marketplace and influence of market opportunity research and analysis for different firms . It seems that market opportunity is playing significant role .Recently Hi-Micro company was established and have identified that the on-going globalization of the world economy, its strategic location, and the existing market structure provide them with a potential opportunity to develop as an international high-tech computer market leader. In recognition of the risks involved, Hi-micro test the market of Innovators and Mercedes to examine the basis for the opportunity, assess how these two products measure up against competing other companies , such as Wellbox and KnLs , determine potential market niches, and develop a strategic marketing plan. This current report, the Hi-Micro Market Opportunity Analysis, represents the process of m arketing through the analyses of the following sections mainly for Hi-micro that are closely related to market opportunity analysis . The business environment and the forces What is an on demand Operating Environment? It is defined as â€Å" a set of integration and infrastructure management capabilities that customers and partners can utilize, in a modular and incremental fashion, to enable the transformation to e-business on demand. It is not: a single product, nor a brand, nor a platform, nor an architecture†. The design of an on demand operating environment must match the design of the business itself. In order for more and more flexibility and componentization to be achieved in the business design, the infrastructure must evolve from silos of complex, over-provisioned, proprietary hardware and software – to a standards-based infrastructure where capacity can be optimized across the entire organization.

Deviance and Social Control Essay

Deviance is part of every culture and society, it is the border line between acceptable and intolerable behavior. Each micro society holds it’s own definition as to what deviant behavior actually is. The deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied, deviant behavior is behavior that people label. Through out history, there is no doubt in my mind that deviant citizens have been a contributing part to each generation. It is all relative, a label of deviance remains a label of deviance; the question that remains really is â€Å"what is deviance?†. Being labeled as an outside is not foreign for some people. Matter of fact it is acceptable and a norm to be labeled as deviant for some people. No matter what group of people you deal with through out history or life today, there are social rules written and sometimes unwritten, nonetheless meant to be broken. For example, freshman year I attended St. Rose High School and got caught texting my mom on my cellphone while switching classes. Getting to the point, I ended up losing my phone for a month and getting in a whole load of trouble (I was then silently labeled as â€Å"deviant† for the rest of my time there) for something as simple as texting. If I whipped my phone out in Manasquan High School 99% of the time teachers do not even say anything at all because they could care less. Such a backwards wrong act of defiance should be nationally recognized through out schools everywhere, but it’s not like that. Deviance is defined in so many different ways it not only differentiates from school to school, it changes in the eyes of parents too. For example, Johhny came home at 12:05am on Saturday night, and as a result got grounded for Saturday. Jessie strolled in at 12:30am on Friday night, and came home at 1:00am on Saturday with no troubles at all. What I’m trying to say is deviant behavior is not even a real thing, it is just defined by your surroundings. Am I the victim or the crime for getting all of these detentions? Am I really doing anything that terrible compared to everyone else? A lot of questions come up to me that are so simply understood by me I don’t even want to take the time to write about them or use my breath to express my opinion. In Mr. Roach’s class I wrote a paper in pen instead of typing it because my printer had malfunctioned (affirmed by a note from my dear mother) and Mr. Roach gave me a 0%, even though I did the entire paper by hand. Knowing me, Mr. Marden, of course I then acted deviantly by releasing the word F#@#$. I didn’t even say it towards Mr. Roach or loud so the class could hear it. I just said F%$#*. My act of defiance led to 2 days suspension. Since then, I have been counting every curse word I’ve heard by students and teachers in Manasquan High School sinc e then, and have seriously counted 647 curse words. Not one of those times did another student get F$%&ing suspended for two days. It’s all backwards. Fifty years ago if a girl wore a skirt that showed her knee caps people would assume she was a deviant girl. Nowadays girls wear skirts that show just about everything, and hey I’m fine with that and it seems everyone else is too. Deviant acts are just a definition by each generation. Things that were once unacceptable are now norms. Being gay 200 years ago was the same as being the devil. But now people generally accept it. All around the world deviance behavior is being redefined and rewritten but one thing always stays the same, and that is simply the fact that people will remain being deviant, no matter what the definition actually is. The idea of deviance would not even exist if it wasn’t for those types of people. (probably me too, but I’m just a deviant idiot that has no idea what I’m doing†¦)

What Can Parents Do to Protect Children from the Bad Influence of Television Violence?

Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior in the developing children’s mind. Unfortunately, much of today's television programming has a highly explicit violent content. Numerous studies has been conducted on the effect television violence has on children and adolescence, and all of it shows negative feedbacks. Children tend to develop emotional numbness to all the horror seen on the screen, and gradually accept violence as a norm and a way to solve problems. Parents can protect their children by engaging them in different after school programs, paying attention to the television their children are watching and try to block some channels showing inappropriate content. One of the most disturbing facts of modern life is the abundance of wasted time spent watching mindless television programs. Children who spend more time in front of the television are more susceptible to all the violence in the media, and not only that they grow to be more aggressive, but also more passive. One way to avoid that is to involve the kid into different after school activities like arts and crafts programs or outdoor sports. Extracurriculars let the children enjoy themselves in a fun, stress-free environment, get some exercises, and make friends outside of school instead of being trapped at home alone with the only source of entertainment, the TV. It is a proven fact that television and media content are affecting how children and teens perceive the world around them. One way to help ease the negative effect of it is to help them understand what is wrong and what not. Parents should be aware of what children are watching, and if there is something violent and upset them, it is important to help them through that. Although the violent content, television can offer some very valuable educational programs as well, which could open doors to new fields of knowledge, when viewed responsible and sensibly. That is why parents should not eliminate the television, just get involved into what the child is watching, and explain why violent and the explicit is not worth watching. Parents can not control what children are doing, or watching every second of the day, that is why many parents rely on some sort of channel blockers. By restricting access to certain channels with violent and explicit language, parents can keep the unwanted content away from the eyes of their children. Childproofing the cable television is one of the best ways to keep the kids away of television violence, but yet it does not guarantee that the kids are protected. The control of the parents over their viewing time and content is most important of all. Television has become more violent in content in the recent years. Although the media experts are trying to market the explicit content, there are still should be some limits and restriction on what has to be shown on the big screen and what not. Until that happens, parents are the only regulators of that content and as so, they have the right to rule the remote control in their living room.

Ice Breakers for the First Day of Elementary School

Ice Breakers for the First Day of Elementary School The first few minutes of class, kicking off a new school year can be awkward and nerve-wracking for both you and your new students. You dont yet know these students well, nor do they know you, and they may not even know each other yet. Breaking the ice and getting the conversation going so everyone can get to know each other is an important thing to do.   Check out these popular  Ice Breaker activities that you can use with your elementary school students when school opens. The activities are fun and easy for students. Best of all, they elevate the mood and help thaw out the first day of school jitters. 1. Human Scavenger Hunt To prepare, pick about 30-40 interesting characteristics and experiences and list them on a worksheet with a little-underlined space next to each item. Next, have the students roam around the classroom asking each other to sign on the lines that relate to them. For example, some of your lines might be, Went out of the country this summer or Has braces or Likes pickles. So, if a student went to Turkey this summer, they can sign that line on other peoples worksheets. Depending on the size of your class, it may be OK for each student to sign two of any other persons blank spaces. The goal is to fill up your worksheet with signatures for each and every category. This may look like organized chaos, but the students will typically stay on task and have fun with this one. Alternatively, this activity can be put into the format of a Bingo board, rather than a list. 2. Two Truths and a Lie At their desks, ask your students to write down three sentences about their lives (or their summer vacations). Two of the sentences should be true and one should be a lie. For example, your statements might be: This summer I went to Alaska.I have 5 little brothers.My favorite food is brussels sprouts. Next, have your class sit in a circle. Each person gets a chance to share their three sentences. Then the rest of the class takes turns guessing which one is the lie. Obviously, the more realistic your lie (or mundane your truths), the harder time people will have figuring out the truth. 3. Same and Different Organize your class into small groups of approximately 4 or 5. Give each group two pieces of paper and a pencil. On the first sheet of paper, the students write Same or Shared at the top and then proceed to find qualities that are shared by the group as a whole. Make sure to point out that these should not be silly or trite qualities, such as We all have toes. On the second paper, label it Different or Unique and give the students time to determine some aspects that are unique to only one member of their group. Then, set aside time for each group to share and present their findings. Not only is this a great activity for getting to know each other, but it also emphasizes how the class has shared commonalities as well as unique differences that make up an interesting and completely human whole. 4. Trivia Card Shuffle First, come up with a predetermined set of questions about your students. Write them on the board for all to see. These questions can be about anything, ranging from What is your favorite food? to What did you do this summer? Give each student an index card numbered 1-5 (or however many questions you are asking) and have them write their answers to the questions on it, in order. You should also fill out a card about yourself. After a few minutes, collect the cards and redistribute them to the students, making sure no one gets their own card. From here, there are two ways that you can finish out this Ice Breaker. The first option is to have the students get up and mingle as they chat and try to figure out who wrote the cards they are holding. The second method is to begin the sharing process by modeling for the students how to use the card to introduce a classmate. 5. Sentence Circles Split your students into groups of 5. Give each group a piece of sentence strip paper and a pencil. On your signal, the first person in the group writes one word on the strip and then passes it to the left. The second person then writes the second word of the burgeoning sentence. The writing continues in this pattern around the circle with no talking. When the sentences are complete, the students share their creations with the class. Do this a few times and have them notice how their collective sentences improve each time around. Edited by  Stacy Jagodowski.

Mmmm, You Dirty Rat!

Mmmm, You Dirty Rat! Mmmm, You Dirty Rat! Mmmm, You Dirty Rat! By Maeve Maddox Its the rare media mention of Wall Street con man Bernie Madoff that doesn’t contain the word rat in some context. Bernard Madoff is an evil crook but apparently not a rat. The Big Rats off to the Big House for Life, What About the Little Rats? Madoff may rat out co-conspirators They [Mr. and Mrs. Madoff] seemed to stay apart from the herd,† the club member said. â€Å"They chose not to get into that social rat race.† U.S. District Judge Denny Chin who presumably will sentence Madoff said that he’d sharply limit the number of Madoff victims who get to shake their fist in the swindler’s face and tell him what a rat he is†¦ It is almost inconceivable that Madoff could have spent 20 years squirreling away clients money in a Chase Manhattan bank account, conducting virtually no legitimate transactions, without anybody at Madoff Investment Securities smelling a rat – The etymological origin of the word rat is lost in the mists of the long history shared by this repugnant animal and human beings. (I know, white rats make nice pets. Im talking about nasty rats au naturel.) The OED offers several possible origins, but concludes: It is uncertain whether the Latin and Romance words are cognate with the Germanic words, or whether they were borrowed from Germanic, or vice versa; in any case the ultimate origin is uncertain; perhaps imitative of the sound of gnawing. The OED also offers seven entries for rat as a noun and three for rat as a verb. The literal meaning of rat is, of course, a rodent resembling a large mouse, often with a naked or sparsely haired tail. Then there are the figurative uses that derive from the fact that rats are associated with filth and that they are said to be quick to leave a sinking ship or a falling house. The sense of rat as one who abandons his associates was in use in 1629. rat as a noun rat a despicable person, especially one who betrays or informs upon associates. rat scab laborer NOTE: a scab is either an employee who works while his colleagues are on strike, or an outsider hired to replace a striking worker. rat a pad of material, typically hair, worn as part of a womans coiffure to puff out her own hair. rat as a verb rat intransitive verb to desert a party, cause, or princple; to go over as a deserter; to abandon, desert, or betray any person or thing. rat transitive verb to backcomb or tease hair rat intransitive to act as an informer; to betray to the police or other authorities rat on to inform on a person rat out to inform on a person; to betray a person to the police or other authorities Other rat words and expressions rat-fink teenage slang from the 60s. A pleonasm since either rat or fink alone can mean an informant or, as verbs to inform. rat-race A fiercely competitive race or contest; spec. urban working life regarded as an unremitting struggle for wealth ., status, etc. ratsbane arsenic rathole messy, nasty place rat-pack juvenile gang; celebrities surrounding Frank Sinatra to smell a rat to suspect that something is wrong Rat has even become a suffix to create words that mean person who frequents such and such a place: dock-rat, bar-rat, rug-rat, etc. My brother, like many Cagney impersonators, thought he was quoting Cagney when he said, with appropriate grimaces and inflections, Mmmmm, you dirty rat! According to the Wikipedia Cagney bio, what Cagney really said in the movie Taxi! was Come out and take it, you dirty, yellow-bellied rat, or Ill give it to you through the door! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Homograph ExamplesThe Letter "Z" Will Be Removed from the English AlphabetThe "Pied" in The Pied Piper

Instrument History Report ( Strings ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Instrument History Report ( Strings ) - Essay Example Different tones or pitches can be achieved with varying thickness and tightness of the strings, as well as with changing lengths. A string instrument may have strings already of various lengths played separately or in combinations, such as with harps and zithers. They can also have strings of the same length that are varied by pressing them against the instrument’s body, such as with lutes and lyres. Stringed musical instruments are said to have existed way back in 3500 BC with lyres and harps made by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, and the harps of 3000 BC in the Old Empires of Egypt. But even before that time, the early civilizations in Africa and South America already developed the musical bow. Some say that it was made from the hunter’s bow and arrow, but others suggest that the bow and arrow evolved from the musical bow. In any case, the resemblance between the two seems to indicate that they are in a way related. From this simple single-stringed instrument, it is believed that the first harps were made. In form, these first harps were very similar to a simple bow in that a string is attached from one end of a bent piece of wood to another. However, unlike the musical bow, more strings have been added to produce a variety of tones in the harp. These harps were found in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. Harps were later adopted by the early Christian Church as one of the appropriate musical instruments. During these times, very few instruments were acceptable as most of them were considered tools of the devil. The harp also plays a significant role in European nations where it has evolved through the Medieval age and the Renaissance into the harps we know today. In fact, quite a number of early cultures in Europe had harps in their myths and legends. In Ireland, the harp has become the national instrument because of its Celtic heritage. Similar to the harp, the lyre is another string instrument deeply rooted in