Global finance

It is common knowledge that the interconnectedness of global financial system carries immense systematic risk that can hinder economic and financial welfare of a global citizen, regardless of its demographic location. Since banks ‘†¦ Provide the oil that lubricates the wheels of commerce†¦ ‘, it is imperative that they have sufficient resources to withstand economic downturns (All 2009, p. 3). This may be the underlying reason why the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision regulates commercial banks of the world and treat them on consolidated basis (Vine and Phillips 2012).Additionally, the committee has proposed new capital adequacy tankard, namely Basel Ill, to compensate for the shortcomings of Basel II. The following are the two interrelated factors that may have led the committee to consider a move from Basel II to Basel Ill. It can be argued that the global financial crisis (SGF) shook the foundation that the global economy was built upon. PAR (2012, p. 3) indicated that the primary reason behind the cause of SGF was disproportionate amount of leverage and ‘†¦ Gradual erosion of level and quality of capital base†¦ ‘ that the banking sectors had accumulated.During the onset of SGF, the holdings of the banks were insufficient to over their losses leaving some of them insolvent. Despite the popular belief, PAR (2012) explicitly claims that ‘Australia was not immune from these impacts'. It is in fact true that Australian banks didn't take on the similar banking activities on a big scale that the US banks undertook, the point still remains that the global economy is interconnected and the lack of consistency, resilience and transparency in international banking system can cause more cataclysmic crisis' (Deed 2011).This may be why the PAR, in compliance with Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has insider a move to Basel Ill with an attempt to minimize or eliminate the impact financial crisis' having on banks . Despite its full introduction in 2008, Basel II has been guiding investment decisions amongst international banks since its publication in 2004 (All 2009). All (2009) claims that regulatory framework of Basel II was the core cause of SGF and thus, Basel II was the catalyst that allowed the banks to take on excessive leverage.According to All (2009, p. 7), the quantitative Impact research (CIA) conducted by the Basel Committee shows that big financial organizations were bled to increase their capital for profitable use as they experienced capital reduction by using the ‘Advanced internal rating-based approach' and their smaller competitors experienced an increase in capital requirements by using standardized approach to calculating capital adequacy.The Committee on Global Financial System (2012) have supported All's claim as they are currently working towards improvement of measures used to provide a fair and equitable approach to capital adequacy measurements. Therefore, ind icating that the impacts of SGF on the global economy s the only factor that led to move from Basel II to Basel Ill does not paint the whole picture as the shortcomings of Basel II has led the unsustainable economic behavior of international commercial banks that gives light to the question – why the SGF happened to begin with. . 2. Basel Ill (650 words) Follow this margin and Justify paragraph 2. 3. Implications of Basel Ill (rewords) Please send me the links/PDF file of all sources used for reference list. Make sure to cite tables used Examples of cross referencing The prudent banking system in Australia was previously noted (Section 2. 1 . 1).

Solution Aging Population

There are many proposed solutions in discussion to help care for the aging population. We should begin by reforming our incident-based system of care. Health care today is reactive: if we get sick, we make an appointment to see a physician; if we become seriously ill or injured, we go to an emergency department or clinic. One proposed solution, pay-for-performance programs, would tie higher reimbursement to quality of care—thus reducing funds to lower-performing facilities.But these facilities most need investment and incentives to improve resident care and quality of life. What's more, current performance measures provide only a â€Å"snapshot† of care. Such point-in-time measures cannot gauge how well providers manage the multiple chronic conditions common among elderly patients. To build a viable elder health care system, we need to do the following: Provide five years of stable reimbursement for elder care so that professionals, legislators, and regulators can work together to focus on financial and intellectual strategies.Turn the system for evaluating nursing homes from one based on penalties to one based on partnership, building on the positive results from work done by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' quality improvement organizations. Provide financial incentives to upgrade elder care facilities and invest in health information technology. Establish financial models for reimbursement based on evidence-based clinical research.Provide government and private financial programs that enable the consumer to obtain the care they expect, and possibly deserve, based on individual responsibility of their own wellness. Finally, Curb unnecessary lawsuits, which siphon funds from direct care. If we take these steps, we can create a health system in which older patients take responsibility for their own health and reap the benefits of high-quality care. References J. Derr, Financing Health Care for an Aging Population, The Commonwealth F und, December 2005

Food wine and culture of California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Food wine and culture of California - Essay Example In laymans terms, a sustainable food ought to be reasonably priced and also include all the necessary nutrients required by the body. In other words, a sustainable food must be balanced. On the other hand, an unsustainable diet does not include all the nutrients that make a food balanced. Therefore, a sustainable diet helps uphold the well being of individuals. Over the recent past, most Americans have engaged themselves in consuming foods high in fats and sugars. As a result, a large proportion of individuals in the western world are either overweight or obese. According to Parvanta et-al (2011), "Approximately two-thirds of American adults are obese or overweight. Overall, approximately 23 million children are obese or overweight, and rates of obesity have nearly tripled since 1980" (n.p). This shows that instead of upholding individual well-being, the western diet is contributing to ill health. The westernised diet lacks the necessary nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, and carb ohydrates, and is high in sugars, fats, and other industrially manufactured substances. Based on this aspect, the western diet is unsustainable. In essence, a sustainable food is a food with the ability to be available for a very long time no matter the conditions available. Sustainable foods are also affordable. It is important to consider the fact that a sustainable food has to be enough for the local inhabitants (Carrera-Bastos, Fontes-Villalba and OKeefe, 2011). People cannot depend on imports as some foods are seasonal. According to Simopoulos (2011), the western diet contains some imported food stuffs such as vegetables and fruits. Fresh food products are able to reach the intended consumers faster and cheaply as compared to imported food stuffs. Studies conducted in the past elucidated the fact that the more the food delays before reaching the intended consumers, the more nutrients it loses. Therefore, such food may not meet the

Letter of Advice to client Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Letter of Advice to client - Research Paper Example Of importance, landmark decisions will be central to the essay construction. The author will wrap up with a conclusion of the major findings. According to Stone1, consideration is mandatory in contract law to make agreements legally binding. It forms the test for enforceability of contracts. Its absence makes an agreement gratuitous and non enforceable as a contract. Estoppel is a claim in equity precluding someone from denying existence of a state of affairs if it would be unconscionable2 and the doctrine deals with pre-contractual waste by preventing adoption of positions at odds with previously relied upon positions by others3. Such denial might affect a person’s legal rights. Owen J. in The Bell Group Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation4 defined estoppel as a: â€Å"†¦ doctrine designed to protect a party from the detriment that would flow from that party’s change of position if the assumption or expectation that led to it were to be rendered groundless by another.†1 In common law, the claimant had to prove existence of a contractual relationship in defense against a claim of non performance of contract. The requirement of consideration led to injustices which promissory estoppel sought to address. By preventing a promisor from reneging on promises without consideration, Handley AJA in Equititrust Ltd (formerly Equitiloan Ltd) v Franks4 noted that promissory estoppel dealt with equitably binding assurances restraining promisors from enforcing his legal rights. Estoppel can be traced to Denning J’s reasoning in Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd5 which described estoppel ensuring justice and equity6 in holding a landlord to his undertaking to accept reduced rent. The defendant was estopped from demanding rent arrears for the period of the war due to scarcity of tenants7. Professor Atiyah8 states that consideration was classically a

Principles of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Principles of Management - Essay Example The decision-making process entails recognizing the issue, choosing an alternative and assessing the usefulness of the decision taken (Robin & Coulter, 2004). Since the problems have already been identified, I would proceed with the latter aspects of the decision making process. As being new to the company, I would try to gain the trust and confidence of the employees. For this purpose, they would be lead by exemplary performance in the firm. I will listen to their problems and would strive to solve them. Informal sessions would be conducted to find out the employee way of performing job role prior to my appointment. This would give me an idea as to how changes should be implemented. Bringing changes in Company XYZ would not only involve alterations in the current organizational structure but also in the behavior of the employees. To bring about this change, there would be a requirement of a team of change agents which will assist me in implementing the change. It often happens that people show resistance to change. To overcome this problem, I, along with my team members, would communicate the changes to the employees and address their grievances or fears related to the change. These problems would be dealt in the following manner: Leadership is an important aspect of any organization. With sound leadership, companies can prosper. On the other hand, the weak leadership can lead to the downfall of any organization. Leadership is not only important for employees in the top management rather it is essential for employees at any level; be it top, middle or lower level. The reason why leadership is necessary at all levels is that through effective leadership skills, employees can influence other employees (especially their subordinate) and thus obtain good results and performances. The question here arises is what are the leadership skills? Or more importantly, what leadership skills are lacking in the employees of Company XYZ? According to the trait theories, based on the research conducted in the 1920s and 1930s, seven traits were identified.

Hobbes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hobbes - Essay Example Hobbes’ perspective on human nature as self-interested cooperation is an enduring theory of philosophical anthropology (Wildawski, Chai & Swedlow 161). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the work of Thomas Hobbes from a social, political and economic perspective in western civilization. The Paradox of Hobbes Even in his own time, Hobbes was considered to have paradoxical views. Though he was perceived as a fierce controversialist and a brusque dogmatist, his main anger was directed against dogmatism of any kind. Similarly, although he was hostile to the intellectual authority of the churches as in the universities, he wanted his own philosophical works to be the authoritative texts within the universities. Though he praised toleration, he advocated an absolute sovereign with total power over intellectual matters. In place of scepticism, Hobbes promoted science although in an extremely sparse form. He cleared away all that he considered doubtful and w as left with a â€Å"a bare a priori materialism, according to which the universe must consist of material objects causally interacting with one another† (Tuck 129), but the real nature of these objects and their interactions is not known. In the same way, in ethics, Thomas Hobbes eliminated all the complicated ethical theories of his orthodox predecessors whether Aristotelians or humanists, and was left with only the bare principle that people are morally entitled to preserve themselves. Hobbes’ Theory of Human Nature as Self-Interested Cooperation Hobbes had few to receive guidance from on the best way to live, other than sceptics such as Montaigne who had always acknowledged the practical necessity of self-preservation. In alignment with the sceptics, Hobbes also concluded that the laws of one’s country are constitutive of one’s general morality, and that whatever is necessary for one’s preservation has to be morally acceptable. He believed in t aking this stance to radical lengths, and considered the sovereign to be responsible even for defining who a human being is, as in stating that â€Å"upon the occasion of some strange and deformed birth, it shall not be decided by Aristotle, or the philosophers, whether the same be a man or no, but by the laws† (Tuck 129). Thomas Hobbes’ Theory of International Relations Hobbes is a standard or mandatory figure in international relations theory, and also forms the core of one of the major traditions. Along with Machiavelli and sometimes with Thucydides, Hobbes stands as an archetypal proponent of ‘Realism’. Usually, scholars proficient in the study of Hobbes’ political philosophy deal with the theory of international relations in a very brief manner, within a few paragraphs or sentences. Modern international theorists interpret Hobbes work in a fixed manner. â€Å"The basic Hobbesian assumption is that there are no objective principles of moralityà ¢â‚¬  (Malcolm 433). Morality is determined only by the sovereign, once the state is formed. Hobbes’ belief was that the state creates morality as well as law, and that there is neither morality nor law outside the state. Hence, the realist view was that ethical standards were not applicable to relations between states. Similar to Machiavelli, Hobbes perceived politics as â€Å"the practical art of obtaining and preserving state power as an end in itself† (Malcolm 433). However, Hobbes reaches a higher level than Machiavelli through his clear account of the role

Business Code of Ethics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Code of Ethics - Coursework Example PhD., â€Å"Ethical Issues†). During the last staff meeting, my staff supervisor takes me aside in order to report that she caught four of our regularly employed on site caregivers gossiping about their wards inability to control their bladder and bowel functions and how they hated havign to clean up their wards and that they could not help but scold them for making such a mess of themselves at their ages. They bragged about often getting away with holding snacks, meals, and desserts from their ward in order to â€Å"teach them a lesson† . A closer investigation using surveillance video on the supervisors part shows that these particular employees regularly verbally abuse and indirectly physically assault their patients. As the owner and president of this company. It is my duty to ensure that my geriatric residents are treated properly and fairly. More importantly, I must guard against any abuses of their rights and privileges as a human being. Knowing fully well that there are state and national laws against such abuses, my license will now be on the line and could be taken away from me at any given time should any of my employees be caught in the act of abusing a patient. It is up to me to put an end to the abuse before a relative of the resident discovers the situation and takes legal action against the employee and my company. I must therefore take our company Code of Ethics into consideration when deciding as to how to deal with the erring caregivers. After all, a violation of a company code of ethics should be grounds for immediate dismissal. I understand that all of my employees shall come to me with a theoretical and practical knowledge of how to care for senior residents. However, not all of them will have the psychology training that is required for this type of specialized care. Therefore, it is incumbent upon me to provide them with the guidelines pertaining to proper

Basilica di santa maria del fiore Research Paper

Basilica di santa maria del fiore - Research Paper Example The cathedral complex is composed of the basilica, the baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile. The basilica was regarded as Italy’s largest church and the dome is deemed as the world’s largest brick dome ever constructed. Although the church still serves as a whole, history of its construction is still ambiguous. Plan and structure, dome, facade, and gothic elements are the main points that hold the crucial evidences of medieval architecture. Thesis To analyze the development of urbanism, Christianity, and power in the Early Modern Florence City after the crumbling of the Roman Empire in the sixth century, leading to the construction of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. Bibliography Florence: The Biography of City. Hibbert, Christopher. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 1993. This book will help me with in-depth insight into the transition of Florence as symbol of wealth and power among other the Tuscan communities in the medieval era. The Gothic Cathederal C hristopher Wilson April 1, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0500276811 | ISBN-13: 978-0500276815 | Edition: 2nd Revised This book will allow me to study the gothic elements in the church and, if necessary, compare it to other significant churches. A Presentation Drawing for the Facade of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence Mary L. ... New York: William Morrow, c2002. xv, 269 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. ; 24 cm. Achieving great success by engineering the biggest brick dome in the entire world, Brunelleschi is considered as a pivotal architect who has changed and challenged the art world ever since. This evidence will help be praise Brunelleschi with his magnificent work. Arnolfo's S. Maria del Fiore: A Working Hypothesis Franklin Toker Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 42, No. 2 (May, 1983), pp. 101-120 I will be using this source despite its focus on the engineering part of architecture, because Toker is a major scholar of this building. Trachtenberg, Marvin. Dominion of the Eye: Urbanism, Art, and Power in Early Modern Florence, Cambridge, 1997. I will use this book because it focuses on the urban transformation of Florence in the 14th century which is a hypothetical subject of this paper. Introduction Since the emergence of architectural designs practices long before Santa Maria del Fiore was constructed, the design and construction of buildings, has always relied on the ability of an architect to graphically visualize and present their ideas using a variety of different media. Architects formulate and refine spatial, artistic, and functional concepts through drawings, sketches, and models, whereby they rely on their personal artistic skills and preferences to accomplish this (Myers 7). Around the period when the Duomo was constructed, new architectural advances were being invented as is true of the advanced structure and interior design of the building. This advancement in arts and architecture was to revolutionize the world of architecture (Hibbert 66). Brunelleschi’s work in Santa Maria del Fiore liberated architecture from the technological and aesthetic

Poverty should be defined in multi-dimensional terms. Define, using Essay

Poverty should be defined in multi-dimensional terms. Define, using examples from your wider reading - Essay Example Conversely, there have been cases of poverty reduction is certain developing countries for example, Ghana, Bolivia, Cambodia and Tanzania. This is impressive though, the fight against poverty is real and it will take the collaboration of the people, governments and international organizations to win it. Poverty has been largely understood in terms of income until recently. Being poor meant that an individual could merely provide a proper diet at home. However, poverty is way more than a shortfall of income or food availability. It is more about the denial of choices and opportunities that are necessary for one to lead a decent, health and long life with self- esteem, respect and dignity. People simply live in campsites, slums and in poor living conditions because they have no other choice. Nearly half of the world’s population is faced by problems such as possessing few skills to compete in the market, multiple health problems and little or no income at all. There are many asp ects of poverty that are inter- linked resulting to a vicious cycle (Bhalla 2002:79). In other words, poverty is a multi- dimensional concept and some of its facets include: i. Mismanagement of Resources The world is endowed with numerous resources in the form of minerals, oil, and a massive work force among many others (Chen and Ravallion, 2008:56). In most incidences, resources are poorly managed leading to wastages and this contributes to increasing poverty levels. This is common to developing countries such as South Sudan where there are constant fights over resources. It also entails the unequal distribution of resources among different regions that contributes high poverty level. ii. Food Mismanagement and Insecurity Food is a key need for human survival and if not properly managed it could lead to hunger among the population (Ivanic and Martin, 2008). Food security is paramount for the growth and development of an economy since it ensures that there is a constant supply even during dry spells. Food insecurity is common in most developing countries owing to fluctuations in weather patterns and lack of appropriate storage mechanisms. iii. Poor Health Disease and disability may hinder individuals from working thereby limiting their income. If the bread winner is ill, it means that the entire family will be negatively affected. This not only translates to loss of income and an increase in costs due to the need for health care. Other causes of poverty include: war and insecurity, the spread of HIV/AIDS, poor infrastructural and institutional development and corruption (Department for International Development (DfID, 2009). This paper analyses poverty as a multi- faceted concept with regards to mismanagement of food and resources. It further looks at the perspective of poverty by organizations like the UN and World Bank. It also gives an in depth analysis of the progress made by countries towards the achievement of the MDGs. Finally, the paper examines some o f the indicators of poverty levels including different countries’ GDP and the human development index (HDI) Poverty from Mismanagement of Food and Security Thousands of people die every day of hunger- related causes according to recent reports. Regrettably, it is children who die most frequently yet there is an abundant supply of food for the world’

Accounting as a Language Essay Example for Free

Accounting as a Language Essay Accounting is often referred to as the language of business. It is a special-purpose tool for communication about the financial statements and the performance of a company. This can happen through written, natural language by selecting words from a standard vocabulary combining them in meaningful ways. These words are then organised into financial reports according to relatively flexible rules of presentation. Accounting dates back to 1494 when Luca Pacioli published a book called Summa de Arithmetic. It Around the 15th century, accounting records were found amongst ruins of ancient Babylon, Assyria and Sumeria. It is suggested that people relied on accounting methods to record the growth of crops and herds. During the Roman Empire, accounting was quantified and listed as a public expenditure which included grants of land and religious offerings. Money to army veterans was also given. Current Issues affecting Accounting as a language The decline of the U. S dollar is a perfect example of an issue that affects accounting as a language. The objective of accounting theory is to provide a basis for the prediction and to explain accounting behaviour and its events. This theory assumes that a stable monetary unit is present. See more: Social process essay Further decline in the purchasing power of the dollar has affected all realities and its associated languages. Events like this play a vital role as to whether a new language of bookkeeping needs to be implemented. Accounting language must develop theories which are rational. There may be instances where a procedure does not appear to be reasonable. An example of this can be seen with the determination of joint product and by-product costs. The reason why this raises doubts is because it is difficult to allocate costs in a way that accurate costs can be obtained. In addition to accounting language theories being rational is its usefulness. Theories and conclusions are constantly being tested to measure the usefulness of the research provided. According to Harold G Avery, many systems have been neglected as it was not useful in expressing the relevant information to management. It is safe to say that no language will receive acceptance if it cannot be used to an advantage, as this information is relied upon to make sound business judgements and needs to be readily available. So how is this information translated to the users? Ac as a language- Financial data is used to communicate the financial positions of a entity and then translates this to its various users. It is pertinent that in order to evaluate the financial results of the entity, it is necessary that the financial statements of that particular company with either its financial results of the industry or the past results. Ratio analysis is used to determine the status of the company’s ability to pay its short and long term debts. It can also analyze to determine the company liquidity and debts levels, these indicators are critical in determining the business ability to continue operations into the future. IAS 1 prescribes the basis for presentation of general purpose financial statements intended to meet the needs of users who are not in a position to require an entity to prepare reports tailored to their particular information needs. IAS 1 does not specifically apply to the form, structure, and content of an interim financial report but many of the overall considerations as the need for fair presentation and consistency. Globally accounting is recognized as the tool for communicating the financial statements and performance. Without a clear structure for accounting language, businesses and users alike would suffer economically as the financial statements would not be fair and true, which would be costly to us all. Accounting data is used to produce financial statements which depict a picture of entities profitability. This information enables accounting to translate this ‘foreign language’ into one that is understood by its users. This purpose of this translation is to aide sound business decisions. Users who benefit from this can be shareholders, management, government, financial institutions and prospective investors.

The Steps Involved In Wastewater Treatment Environmental Sciences Essay

The Steps Involved In Wastewater Treatment Environmental Sciences Essay The aim of this report is to explain clearly in detail the steps involved in wastewater treatment including the disadvantages and suggested improvements to the process. This report will take on an engineering analysis of the many complex processes and the steps involved in processing wastewater into clean water safe to be discharged into the environment. Also included in this report is an overall process diagram of the wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the limitations and key advantages of this treatment are outlined and the appropriate and suitable improvements that can be made to overcome them are explored. Introduction Water, one of the worlds most important but unfortunately finite source, which is being endlessly used and reused. Wastewater treatment is the process in which wastewater as well as the sewage, is filled with bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants is cleaned so that it can be recycled back safe for use. Once the treatment is complete, all forms of solids called sludge, regardless of the shape and size that was present in the wastewater will be removed. Besides that, oxygen gets restored into the water, which then eventually ends up in the lakes and rivers which require oxygen rich water to support the lifestyle of the aquatic organisms. Wastewater includes a combination of domestic sewage (toilets, kitchen, and laundry) on a smaller scale and on a larger scale this consists of industrial effluent, schools as well as businesses (chemical and wastes, hospitals, shopping centres). Wastewater is also obtained from storm water infiltration and ground water which enters the sewer through the cracks present. Generally the waste can be broken down naturally with bacteria and other biological organisms especially when it is just household or business waste. However, wastes obtained from industries are generally toxic and require a physical/chemical treatment plant, which uses both chemical reactions and physical processes to process the wastewater. Overview of the treatment: As an overview, the wastewater treatment occurs in three stages which will be discussed thoroughly. It begins with the preliminary and primary treatment where 40-60 % of the solids are removed (City of Columbia). Followed by the secondary treatment where 90% of the pollutants are removed, hence completing the liquid portion process (City of Columbia). The next step would be the treatment and removal of the sludge (bio-solids). The number of stages of the treatment varies but generally go up to four depending on the quality of water being treated. Below is a picture of an aerial view of a general wastewater treatment plant. Source: http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Tw-Z/Wastewater-Treatment-and-Management.html , 2010 Below, is the overall process diagram of the wastewater treatment. (Source: Wastewater treatment and principals and regulations brochure) Preliminary Treatment The preliminary treatment is the first stage in wastewater treatment with its main purpose removing coarse solids and large materials found in raw water to make the water suitable for the main treatment process. It also ensures that the pumping equipment does not get damaged. This initial stage involves various different processes which include screening, grit removal and odour control. Initially, the sewage is screened to remove large objects which include plastics and paper. This step is crucial to make sure that there is no blockage in the pipe system as well as no damages to the equipment. This is done generally by passing the sewage through mechanically raked bar screens (consisting of vertical bars spaced close together) which are used to capture the large objects and remove them from the wastewater stream. The screenings (material which have been cleared in this step) is disposed safely at a landfill site. Below is an example of a raked screen bar image used in industries. (Source : Huber Technology, 2009) The next step is the grit removal which includes grit, stones and dirt. However, before the sewage enters the grit tanks, Ferrous Chloride (FeCl2) and lime are added to improve the subsequent chemical treatment. Ferrous Chloride precipitates phosphorus thus reducing the growth of toxic algae in the water. Lime on the other hand is added to increase the pH level which aids the Ferrous Chloride in removing phosphorus and other material from the sewage. Various different types of detritus tanks, grinders and cyclonic inertial separation are used including a comminutor and grit chamber to remove the coarse solids. A comminutor is actually a grinding pump which houses a rotating cutting screen that makes shreds large organic matter, therefore making it easier for microorganisms to decompose the organic matter. This step also further prevents any damage to the machines and pumps in the process. The effectiveness of the chemicals added prior in the grit chamber is improved by adding and mixing compressed air into the wastewater. In order to allow the heavier inorganic materials settle out of the waste stream, the velocity of the incoming sewage is controlled. The air flow is also adjusted to create velocity near the bottom part of the chamber to catch the grit in a current hence, allowing it to settle. Chlorination is another step that could be used in the preliminary treatment. However, as chlorination can be used for all the different stages in the treatment, the equipment has to be design specially and carefully for the same operations. All the disposals collected from the preliminary stages are disposed of safely in a landfill. Primary Treatment The next step, following the preliminary treatment is the primary treatment. The purpose of this step is to remove the particles which are able to settle by sedimentation which includes organic nitrogen, organic phosphorous and heavy metals (New York Water operations 2007). This is done by passing the wastewater through the primary sedimentation tanks or primary clarifiers where solid particles are removed by physical settling due to its density, buoyancy and the force of gravity. Coagulants and flocculants such as solid and liquid Aluminium Sulphate and Aluminium Hydroxide Chloride (Accepta Water Treatment, 2010) are often added to expedite this process by encouraging the aggregation of particles. However, the pH level has to be constantly adjusted as they tend to reduce the pH levels of the wastewater. (Source : City of Camarillo, 2010) Above is an image of a sedimentation tank. They are designed to hold wastewater for numerous hours by then which most of the heavy solids would settle at the bottom of the tank. They would then form thick slurry known as sludge and also floating material such as fats, oil and grease to rise to the surface which would then be skimmed off. There are mechanical scrapers that have been designed for the tanks with the purpose of collecting the sludge at the bottom and the scum floating on the top. Both the sludge and skimmed material are generally pumped to a solid treatment process. The sedimentation process is basically mainly to produce a liquid which is able to be treated biologically by reducing the biological oxygen demand, also known as BOD of water. BOD is the quantity of oxygen that is needed by aerobic microorganisms to decompose organic matter in a sample of water. The degree of water pollution can also be measured by the BOD. (The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language) When the solids are removed at these early stages, BOD can be reduced by 30-40 percent hence, increasing the efficiency of microbial digestion at a later stage. (Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, 2010) Secondary Treatment The next stage, called the secondary treatment focuses on removing the remaining suspended and dissolved organic matter in the sewage. It is also known as the biological stage as the biodegradable organic contaminants that are dissolved would be broken down by microorganisms cultivated and added to the wastewater such as bacteria and protozoa. These microorganisms feed on the suspended and dissolved organic matter that remained from the primary clarifier. These bacteria can be categorised into aerobic or anaerobic bacteria, which is actually their need to oxygen. Generally, aerobes can degrade pollutants at a higher rate as opposed to anaerobes. (Waste Management, 2004) Numerically, the anaerobic treatment produces 0.1-0.2 kg biomass or sludge per kg BOD as opposed to the aerobic treatment which produces 0.5-1.5 kg biomass or sludge per kg BOD. (V. Jegatheesan, C. Visvanathan and R. Ben Aim, 2008) Also, some factors that increases their rate of degradation is the quantity of their food source and the temperature of the sewer. This secondary treatment can actually be carried out in numerous different methods. Anaerobic Treatment Anaerobic is defined as does not require oxygen. (MedicineNet.com) Firstly, the sewage is flown into anaerobic large tanks or ponds, therefore allowing anaerobic digestion to take place. Anaerobic digestion is when biodegradable material is broken down by the organisms without the presence of oxygen. The product of this digestion includes methane, carbon dioxide and sludge where to our advantage; methane can be used as an energy source categorising the anaerobic digestion as a renewable energy source. There is a membrane cover at the surface of the tanks/ponds which captures the methane and it is then used to generate electricity by combustion in a gas engine as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and odour. Besides that, mixing in the anaerobic process requires less energy compared to the aeration step carried out in the aerobic process. The emission of landfill gases into the atmosphere is also reduced with this anaerobic digestion. However, larger treatment plants are needed f or the anaerobic process as they have slower reaction rates. (Guerrero F. Omil, R. Mà ©ndez and J. M. Lema , 1998) The three main steps of this process are: 1. Hydrolysis and Acidogenesis C6H12O6 Æ’Â   2C2H5OH + 2CO2 (Organic compound) (Ethanol) (Carbon Dioxide) Hydrolysis is a process where the covalent bonds are broken with the use of water. Therefore the complex organic compounds are broken down into their constituent part by enzymes. Subsequently, acidogenesis is where acidogenic bacteria produces short-chain product by converting the hydrolysis products through fermentation and other metabolic processes. 2. Acetogenesis 2C2H5OH + CO2 Æ’Â   CH4 + 2CH3COOH (Ethanol) (Carbon Dioxide) (Methane) (Acetic Acid) 2CO2 + 4H2 Æ’Â   CH3COOH + 2H2O (Carbon Dioxide) (Hydrogen) (Acetic Acid) (Water) Acetogenesis is the process where acid and alcohol are converted into acetate, hydrogen and carbonic gas by acetogens categorised into homoacetogens, syntrophes and suphoreductors. The acetic acid production process may be carried out by Clostridium acetium, Actobacter woodii and Clostridium termoautotrophicum. The products of this process vary with the type of bacteria, temperature and pH levels. 3. Methanogenesis CO2 + 4H2 Æ’Â   CH4 + 2H2O (Carbon Dioxide) (Hydrogen) (Methane) (Water) CH3COOH Æ’Â   CH4 + CO2 (Acetic Acid) (Methane) (Carbon Dioxide) The third step of this process is methanogenesis, a form of anaerobic respiration in which methanogens (microbes) that exist in deep sediments convert soluble matter into methane. The majority of the methane production is from the conversion of acetic acid and the rest comes from the reduction of Carbon Dioxide by hydrogen. In addition to above, Sulphur, sulphite and nitrate under anaerobic conditions are reduced. To produce sulphides by sulphur reduction, Sulphur Reducing Bacteria (SRB) use sulphate or sulphite as electron acceptors and organic compounds such as acetate as electron donors. This is the main reason behind the rotten egg smell that exists from wastewater as they are kept for long periods of time under these anaerobic conditions. As for Denitrification however, nitrogen gas is produced by the reduction of nitrates using the organic compounds in the wastewater by denitrifying bacteria (DB). The bacteria generally require a carbon food source as energy for the conversion of nitrogen. 6NO3- + 5CH3OH Æ’Â   3N2 + 5CO2 + 7H20 + 6OH- (Nitrate) (Methanol) (Nitrogen Gas) (Carbon Dioxide) (Water) (Hydroxide) Aerobic Treatment The next step in this secondary treatment of wastewater is the activated sludge process where atmospheric air or pure oxygen is bubbled through the sewage, combined with microorganisms to create biological flocculants which reduces the organic content of the wastewater quite significantly. This occurs because of the bacteria and protozoa feed on the remaining organic materials in the wastewater. (Guerrero F. Omil, R. Mà ©ndez and J. M. Lema , 1998) Generally, the sewage is transferred into large ponds or tanks which are called surface-aerated basins that have floating surface aerators to promote the biological oxidation of wastewaters. These floating aerators create an oxygen rich aerobic environment in the sewage by removing most of the BOD therefore encouraging the growth of the aerobic microorganisms. Furthermore, the aerators provide mixing required for dispersing the air as well as contacting the reactants namely oxygen, microbes and wastewater. In the final clarifiers, the mixing process improves the settling of the biological solids. As the biological oxidation processes are highly dependent on the temperature changes, increasing the temperature to a certain threshold increases the rate of microbial decomposition. Surface aerated vessels mainly operate at temperatures ranging from 4  °C to 32  °C. (Beychok, M.R 1971) Nitrification is a process where the dissolved ammonia is removed by oxidizing it to nitrate which occurs during the activated sludge process. As a high concentration of ammonia is toxic to marine life, they have to be removed from the wastewater via the nitrification process. Nitrification can be divided into two steps, the oxidation of ammonia into nitrate by Nitrosomomonas and the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate by Nitrobacter. As the nitrifying organisms are chemoautotrophs, they use carbon dioxide as their source of growth and for cell maintenance. 2NH3 + 2CO2 + 3 O2 + Nitrosomonas → 2NO2- + 2H2O + 2H+ (ammonia) (nitrite ion) 2NO2- + 2CO2 + O2 + Nitrobacter → 2 NO3- (nitrite ion) (nitrate) The remaining solid particles flocculate to form larger and heavier particles that settle down more easily based on the biological reaction. Then, this mixture of wastewater and solid particles are pumped into a second clarifier or sedimentation tank where the solid particles are separated from the wastewater similar to the process in the primary sedimentation tank, where the resulting sludge is referred to as the activated sludge. Activated sludge is a biological material, brown in colour consisting of mainly saprotrophic bacteria that is produced by the activated sludge process which affects the purification process. In poorly managed activated sludge, a range of mucilaginous filamentous bacteria including Sphaetotilus natans can develop. These bacteria produce sludge that does not settle easily and therefore a possibility that a sludge blanket decanting over the weirs in the sedimentation tank that will severely contaminate the final effluent quality will form. A portion of the solid is recycled back into the surface aerated basins to be re-used in the nitrification process as the microorganisms in the sludge are still active. Excess sludge which eventually accumulates beyond what is recycled is called Waste Activated Sludge and then removed from the treatment process to maintain the ratio of the biomass to food supply in the balance (F/L balance). As a whole, the aerobic process is preferred as it is more stable, reliable and a clearer process understanding. Tertiary Treatment The final stage of the wastewater treatment is the tertiary treatment. This tertiary treatment is considered the advanced treatment stage of wastewater treatment. The purpose of this stage is to raise the quality of effluent before it is discharged into the receiving environment including the ocean, rivers or lakes. Various different methods can be used to undergo this tertiary treatment, however it is been found that the most cost-effective and environmental friendly method is lagooning followed by the Ultra-Violet disinfection. The wastewater may also be treated by chlorine but high chlorine content will harm the aquatic life that receives the water. A chlorine-neutralising chemical is often added before the stream is discharged in situations where required. However, if very high quality effluent is needed, an additional step, namely the polishing process that use sand or gravel filters and wetlands is carried out as the water from the treatment process are not safe enough to be co nsumed as there is still bacteria present. Below is a picture of a UV channel used in wastewater tertiary treatment. Source : City of Idaho, 2007 The sewage is then flowed into a series of large man made lagoons which are highly aerobic following the secondary treatment. Colonisation by algae and zooplankton is often encouraged due to their aerobic nature. The algae that grow in the lagoons captures trace amounts of organic nutrients and compounds in the wastewater which are then grazed by the zooplankton. The remaining algae and plankton settle to the bottom hence binding the nutrients in the sediment. Other microorganisms which are present in the sewage assist in reducing if not removing the harmful pathogens in water. Furthermore, the sewage left in these lagoons are exposed to the ultra violet radiation from the sun coupled with the grazing zooplankton, which creates a far from ideal environment for the bacteria which results in a great reduction their quantity. Where greater intensity of UV radiation or where there is insufficient, the sewage may be transferred into ponds that generate the UV radiation with ultra violet light bulbs for further disinfection. This disinfection eliminates pathogens and cist and is very use friendly as well as operates at a low cost. How it works is that the UV radiation actually damages the genetic structure of the bacteria, viruses and other pathogens hence inhibiting them to reproduce. A key advantage is that no chemicals are added to the sewage when the UV light method is used, hence no adverse effect on organisms that later consume the water. (http://wastewater-treatment.org) Generally lagoons need large spaces to operate however they do not need as much money and time as the traditional tertiary treatment wastewater procedures. The lagoons have also been found to be an important habitat for the birds. After the lagooning process, the treated effluent is ready to be released back into the environment and regarded as safe. Below are pictures of lagoons, the first one being an aerial view and the second one a close up. Source : City of Idaho, 2007 Source : City of Idaho, 2007 Disadvantages of the process First and foremost, to operate a wastewater treatment plant, a significantly large amount of energy is needed. In most communities, they are often regarded as the largest energy consumer. As previously mentioned, energy is generated by the biogas produced onsite, however in most situations, this only accounts for approximately half the plants energy requirements. This is due to the fact that the wastewater treatment plants are consistently operating to keep up with the ever increasing inflow of sewage. This consumption of external energy, other than the one being produced in the plant leads to high operational costs and also, more importantly affects the environment if the energy is sourced from fossil fuel. As the primary focus of the wastewater treatment is to remove contaminants from water, and eventually recycled into drinking water, recent studies show that the presence of certain contaminants including hormones and synthetic material can have an adverse impact even at minimal levels on the natural biota and for some cases, humans. For even processes that remove 99% of microorganisms, the final effluent declared as safe to drink may contain about 50 000 microorganisms. (Environmental Protection Agency United States, 2002) This is a threat when the receiving water is used for activities such as swimming or shellfish harvesting which need to be carried out in an environment with as little microorganisms as possible. BOD levels also affect the environment as although they are greatly reduced throughout the whole process the levels leaving the plant in most cases are high enough to damage the quality of the receiving environment. In the preliminary treatment, the main disadvantage highlighted is the high cost of the screening due to high labour and maintenance costs, as well as high maintenance cost of the machinery. In the primary treatment, the accumulation of sludge that is disposed off onto landfills that will eventually get full and hence taking up a larger area. In the secondary treatment however, there are quite a few limitations. Firstly, in the anaerobic digestion process, the bi-product requires substantial wet biomass handling and disposal. If this waste was to be disposed of in a landfill, often they would break down anaerobically, releasing methane into the atmosphere where methane is about twenty times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas, hence significant adverse effects on the environment. (ABC News, 2008) For the aerobic digestion however, the operating costs are marginally greater due to the additional costs needed to add oxygen. Skilled manpower is also needed for the operat ion and maintenance of this process. Finally, in the tertiary treatment, the major limitation is the lagooning process which depends highly on the climate condition that affects the toxicity of municipal wastewater and effects in the receiving environment which includes dissolved oxygen content in sewage, temperature of wastewater as well as efficiency of microbial processes. Hence, the effluent produced is of different qualities. For the UV disinfection, frequent maintenance and replacements incur additional costs. Besides that, not all organisms are actually affected by the UV radiation. (http://wastewater-treatment.org) The wastewater treatment process manages to remove almost all of the organic chemicals and metals present in the wastewater, however due to environmental degradation, the contaminants should not be discharged in large quantities as the contaminants may be toxic and stay in the environment for long durations. The contaminants will accumulate in the living tissue and be passed up along the food chain. Suggested Improvements to the Process General Improvements to the Process Overall Alternative sources of energy, especially renewable energy should be explored as wastewater treatment plants generally consume large amounts of energy. The generation of energy from the produced biogas during the process is insufficient to run the plant thought it helps reduce the environment consequences and overall operational costs. A named alternative to be considered is the use of hydroelectric power. The flow of water before the final effluent is released into the receiving environment could be used to generate electricity by the use of turbines. However, the capital and maintenance costs of the plant would increase. The volume of wastewater entering the treatment plant can be reduced by reducing the pipes diameter or by a inserting a valve is important as this smaller flow of influent leads to improved treatment, longer system life and a lower chance of overflowing. Overall, the quality of effluent will be increased with the reduction of influent flow as the waste will remain in the system longer; therefore more time is provided for settling, decomposition and aeration. Unfortunately, the volume of wastewater is largely dependent on the amount of water used in the community. Therefore campaigns and awareness should be carried out to help reduce the inflow of sewage by conserving the use of water. Odour Control By their nature, processes involved in the wastewater treatment, primarily from the anaerobic digestion process generate odour. Odour is actually one of the biggest concerns of the operators of the wastewater treatment as well as the general public. One way to overcome the release of odour into the surroundings is to capture the gas resulting from the anaerobic process and treat the trapped gasses. Examples of some treatment systems include activated charcoal bed systems, chemical scrubbers (often using hypochlorite solution), a compost pile type bio-filter and UV radiation treatment. The captured air may also be treated by pumping it through soil where the odorous compounds are absorbed into the soil particles and destroyed by naturally-occurring soil bacteria. (Wastewater treatment technologies) Other methods may include the addition of ferrous chloride to the wastewater collection system to reduce the release of hydrogen sulphide gas. Ion generators may also be installed onsite to help reduce the odours. Reaction Rates Anaerobic and specific aerobic microbial processes are temperature sensitive, and generally if the temperature is reduced the rate of reactions also decreases. Therefore, the climate conditions affect the quality of the final effluent through the lagooning process and open air ponds. As the biogas produced is used to generate power usually by combustion, the heat generated from this can be used to regulate the temperature in the lagoons. This is a cost-efficient way to curb climate conditions with minimal environment impacts. When the rate of the Nitrification process increases with the use of the ringlace fixed film system, the rate of reaction also increases. Ringlace is material developed in the 1980s by the Japanese and consists of a rope like material of high surface area and chemical composition conductive to bacterial attachment and growth. This system has been proven to increase the nitrification rates by 25% when the operation temperature is less than 1 °C. Apart from being cost effective due to its minimal installation and maintenance costs, the ringlace system also positively affects the BOD reduction and hinders algae growth. (Richard, M) Activated Sludge Process For the effective removal of organic matter, the activated sludge process requires sufficient oxygen supply and thorough mixing. The rate of which the microorganisms decompose can be increased tremendously if the aeration systems in the sludge tanks design be improvised as to provide a higher input of oxygen into the sewage. A key advantage to this design improvement would be the decreased amount of ammonia discharged into the environment as final effluent. Bio-solid Processing and Disposal The sludge that accumulates from the wastewater treatment processes has to be dealt with and can be done in a number of ways. As these bio-solids are highly toxic, they require intensive treatment before it is ready for disposal. For now, the conventional means of bio-solid treatment is sufficient as in to be disposed off in landfills. However, in time to come, the space requirements to accommodate these solids are not practical. Worthless sludge can be converted into marketable bio-solids through a process called Thermal Drying. The volume and mass of the solids are greatly reduced by evaporating the majority of their water content by the thermal dryers. To assist in forming larger aggregates of solids and releasing of water, chemical coagulants are usually used. Higher temperatures produce higher quality of bio-solids that can be sold as fertilizer. The product is easily handled, stored and transported. The main advantage of this process is that it can provide extra revenue to the plant. To the environment, it reduces odours resulting from the decomposition of the sludge. (Viessman, W Jr, 2010) A picture of the final product of the thermal drying is as below: (Source : Stibbe Management, 2006) On the other hand, thermal oxidation is an efficient process that converts bio-solids into an energy source, producing carbon dioxide, water and ash. The process occurs in a fluidized bed reactor that is highly energy efficient as it can be self-sustaining without auxiliary fuel when the combustion air is preheated to high temperatures. Heated air, gas, steam, water or oil which can be converted into electricity is recovered from these reactors. The advantages of this process include its low life-cycle cost, its ability to destroy all volatile solids and pathogens, minimising odour and offsets the energy consumption of the plant. Another approach involves treatment with lime (calcium oxide), which kills pathogens due to its high alkaline content. The heat generated from this reaction also helps in producing a drier final product. The waste sludge may also be treated by a means of anaerobic digestion which is similar to the anaerobic digestion which occurs in the water treatment process. In the anaerobic digestion of bio-solids, the waste activated sludge and primary sludge are mixed together without the presence of air. The digestion takes place in two steps and involves two distinct groups of bacteria. In the first step, acid-forming bacteria convert complex organic wastes (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) into organic fatty acids. The second step is where bacteria convert these organic acids into methane, carbon dioxide and other trace gasses. As before, the methane produced may be used to generate energy by a means of combustion. This process stabilises a majority of the organic waste in the sludge thus allowing the bio-solids to be utilised as a soil conditioner. The stabilised bio-solids contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are beneficial to plant growth. Application of these bio-solids in ag riculture has lead to increased crop production. (Bio-energy from wastewater treatment) Conclusion The bioprocess involved in the steps of the wastewater treatment process namely the preliminary treatment which includes screening, grit removal the primary treatment which involves the primary sedimentation process, the secondary treatment which consists of the anaerobic and aerobic digestion and the secondary sedimentation and finally the tertiary treatment which is made up of the lagooning and the ultraviolet disinfection has been outlined in this report. The improvements as well as the key advantages were also discussed in the report. Improvements to the processes that would increase the quality of water discharged into the environment as well as the revenue of the wastewater company were focused on. Wastewater treatment is essential to ensure the preservation of our water and marine life and to the environment as a whole.

Max Planck :: essays research papers

Max Planck On April 23, 1858 Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck was born in Kiel, Germany. He was the sixth child of a law professor at the University of Kiel. At the age of nine his interest in physics and mathematics was developed by his teacher Hermann Muller. When he graduated at the age of seventeen he decided to choose physics over music for his career. Although he is know for physics he was an exceptional pianist who had acquired the gift of being able to hear absolute pitch. His favorite works of music were known to be Schubert and Brahms. Entering the University of Munich in 1874 he got little inspiration and was unimpressed at the University of Berlin which was between the years of 1877 and 1878. He in turn did independent studies primarily on Rudolf Clausius' writings of thermodynamics which inspired him and in July 1879 he received his doctoral degree at the age of twenty-one. He became a lecturer at the University of Munich. His father helped him be promoted to associate professor at Kiel by means of professional connections. At the age of thirty he was promoted to full professor at the University of Berlin. After he decided to become a theoretical physicist he started a quest for absolute laws. His favorite absolute law was the law of the conservation of energy which was the first law of thermodynamics that stated that you could take any equal amount of energy and transform it into the same equal amount of energy ideally, meaning no energy was lost. The second law of thermodynamics led him to discover the quantum of action or Planck's constant h. How he came upon his formula for quantum mechanics well be explained as follows. Planck saw that blackbody radiation acted in an absolute sense because it was defined by Kirchhoff as a substance that could absorb almost all radiating energy and emit all that it had absorbed perfectly which is associated with the first law of thermodynamics. By using various experiments and theoretical failures many scientists tried to find the spectral energy distribution to try and draw a diagram of a curve that showed the amount of radiation given off at different frequencies for a blackbody with a given temperature. Then using Wien's law which worked out for high frequencies but didn't work for low, he saw a relationship with the mathematics of the entropy of the radiation in the high- frequency waves in correlation to the low frequency waves and he guessed if he combined the two in the simplest way that he would get a formula that related to

The No Child Left Behind Act and Educational Technology Essay -- essay

The No Child Left Behind Act and Educational Technology Overview of Act: What it entails The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has become a large, nationwide issue, since President George Bush signed it into law on January 8, 2002, giving the schools the responsibility to keep every student’s academic achievement at a passing level. (Florida Department of Education; 2003; pg. 1) Each state had twelve years to have all students proficient in reading and math, which gave each state less than a year to create a plan. (Kim & Sunderman; 2004; pg. 19) Title I, which is included in this act, began in 1965 when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed, which gave federal funds to help academically struggling students. (North Carolina Department of Education; 2004; pg. 1) The main purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act is to use state achievement tests to be sure that all children have an equal opportunity to be exposed to high-level education. A standard called Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) was created to measure how each school district is attempting ens ure equal opportunities for all of their students. This standard is measured by race, english proficiency, socioeconomic status, and disability. (Florida Department of Education; 2003; pg.1) Overview of Act: Requirements According The No Child Left Behind Act, ninety-five percent of students in each school district must participate in the yearly state assessment program to make AYP. Each state may set annual goals which the school districts must strive for and must demonstrate one percent improvement each year. Each high school must also show a one percent increase in the number of graduates each year. In the state of Florida, each school district must ha... ...rom http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ct--nochild0419apr19,0,7954181.story Discusses Utah's new state law that will be followed rather than the No Child Left Behind Act. Loh, Laura. (2005, April 13). For poorest pupils, access to tutoring. Baltimore Sun. Loh, Laura. (2005, April 19). U.S. education secretary continues campaign for ‘No Child’ changes. Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.spellings19apr19,1,198082.story Spellings speech given in Baltimore about the No Child Left Behind Act. McCarthy, Sheryl. (2005, March 28). Don’t stop now it testing teachers. Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opmcc284193734mar28,0,1426782.column Discussion of teachers certification testing. The Associated Press. (2005, April 20). Details of No Child Left Behind Lawsuit. Baltimore Sun.

Technology and Education Essay -- Teaching Education Essays

Technology and Education The use of technology in schools has a great effect on not only students, but teachers as well. Today, we mostly think of technology as computers, but it is much more than that. In fact, one of the first technologies used in the classroom was the chalkboard. Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use drill-and-practice techniques to help with reinforcing young students’ reading skills. Technology is also used in science education. Scientific hardware such as handheld computers, thermometers, and sensors allow for out of class experimentation. Students are now able to telecollaborate with other students, and scientists, from places all around the world. This communication with others allows for the understanding of experiments. Social studies education also includes the use of technology. Databases are used to organize information, which if done by hand could take hours longer to accomplish. Online archives and simulations [1] are also used. One of my favorite technologies used in the social studies field is the ability for students to go on virtual fieldtrips. According to Ryan and Cooper (2004), these â€Å"provide a wealth of opportunities to extend learning† (p. 192). Mathematics education also uses technology to aid students. Tutorial software can provide instruction to stude... ...in the classroom. (p. 1) This five-phase study [2] concluded with the results supporting Grimes’ and Smith’s (2004) â€Å"supposition that dollars spent on technology professional development increased a teacher’s integration of technology into the classroom† (p. 5). There are so many aspects of technology that positively affect students, teachers, and the educational system. I can’t imagine my life without my own personal uses of technology. I check my email regularly, use my graphing calculator in math class, search the World Wide Web for information, and I’m using a word processor right now. I am going to school to become an elementary school teacher and I am excited to be able to use these sources of technology to help teach my students. I’m sure by the time that I am a teacher, my students will be teaching me a thing or two about computers and technology. Technology and Education Essay -- Teaching Education Essays Technology and Education The use of technology in schools has a great effect on not only students, but teachers as well. Today, we mostly think of technology as computers, but it is much more than that. In fact, one of the first technologies used in the classroom was the chalkboard. Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use drill-and-practice techniques to help with reinforcing young students’ reading skills. Technology is also used in science education. Scientific hardware such as handheld computers, thermometers, and sensors allow for out of class experimentation. Students are now able to telecollaborate with other students, and scientists, from places all around the world. This communication with others allows for the understanding of experiments. Social studies education also includes the use of technology. Databases are used to organize information, which if done by hand could take hours longer to accomplish. Online archives and simulations [1] are also used. One of my favorite technologies used in the social studies field is the ability for students to go on virtual fieldtrips. According to Ryan and Cooper (2004), these â€Å"provide a wealth of opportunities to extend learning† (p. 192). Mathematics education also uses technology to aid students. Tutorial software can provide instruction to stude... ...in the classroom. (p. 1) This five-phase study [2] concluded with the results supporting Grimes’ and Smith’s (2004) â€Å"supposition that dollars spent on technology professional development increased a teacher’s integration of technology into the classroom† (p. 5). There are so many aspects of technology that positively affect students, teachers, and the educational system. I can’t imagine my life without my own personal uses of technology. I check my email regularly, use my graphing calculator in math class, search the World Wide Web for information, and I’m using a word processor right now. I am going to school to become an elementary school teacher and I am excited to be able to use these sources of technology to help teach my students. I’m sure by the time that I am a teacher, my students will be teaching me a thing or two about computers and technology.

Practicum Evaluation Summary Essay

The practicum learning agreement created between the masters of Science in nursing (MSN) student and the instructor was approved for the goal to perform in the role of a nurse educator at the Domiciliary Rehabilitation Program at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). The population of the Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation Program is veterans with multiple and severe medical conditions, mental illness, addiction, or psychosocial deficits. Military-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can negatively affect the veteran’s well-being (Health Services Administration, 2010). The care needs of the nursing staff were assessed to identify the need for the educational program in the rehabilitation program. Further development, implementation and evaluation of a program to improve the veteran’s quality-of-life were the objectives to provide the best outcomes of a teaching/learning program. The learning agreement included the strategies to accomplish the objective with an established time-line and self-reflective journal to meet the best outcomes. Professional relationships were established with a mentor and networking with the organization improved professional advancement capabilities at the Orlando VAMC. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the project produced positive outcomes to improve the veterans’ quality of life. The role of a leader used evidence-based decision-making and applied ethical standards. The importance of nursing theory provided the principles to generate nursing knowledge and create practices to help the veterans who are affected by PTSD. The practicum experience enhanced the role as a nurse educator to improve cost-effective nursing practices for the veterans at the VA Medical Center. Effectiveness of Project The project began with an idea using a practicum project brainstorm worksheet (Appendix A). The learning objectives were established, and a timeline was used to maintain a deadline for completion (Appendix B). Each learning objective used Bloom’s taxonomy for three learning domains: cognitive/knowledge (mental learning), affective/attitudes (growing feeling learning) and psychomotor skills (manual/physical learning) (DeYoung, 2009). The first learning objective analyzed peer-reviewed literature and evidence-based research to identify the disease process and formulation of  best practices (Burns & Groves, 2009). An extensive reference base was conducted and used to draft a needs assessment that was discussed with the mentor, mental health team, nurse manager, and educator (T. Russell, H. Ortiz, D. Hopson, personal communication, Summer, 2013). Their experienced feedback was practical in completing an effective outcome to the objective. The next learning objective was to design the educational program using a PowerPoint presentation, hand-outs, knowledge test, and final evaluation. A teaching plan guideline with learning objectives followed Veteran Affairs Health Administration procedures for quality and performance (Orlando VAMC, 2013). A summary of the program was presented and approved by administration. Implementation of the learning program was coordinated with approval of management. A flyer was created to announce the class dates and times. All three shifts on the rehabilitation department were provided a verbal pre-test and lectured on the topic. Many opportunities for open-discussion helped the staff explore their own beliefs and experiences to improve their knowledge and skills. The post-tests were scored and found a positive correlation to learning and accomplishing the program objectives. The VAMC evaluation tool was used to score the course and instructor. Self-reflective journaling helped to identify strengths and weaknesses of the program and teaching techniques used. The results were shared with the mentor who provided encouragement to learn from the experience and build knowledge of performing as an educator. The outcomes of implementing the teaching program was completed and found to be successful in improving nursing knowledge by providing evidence-based practice to enhance the veteran’s well-being. A final evaluation of the practicum learning used the Orlando VAMC evaluation form. The teaching program method was appropriate for learners. A detailed reflective analysis in the portfolio included results from a final meeting with the mentor, administration, mental health team, and educator. All favored the educational program to improve nursing standards of care for veterans with PTSD in the rehabilitation program. Encouragement to expand the teaching to nursing staff on all mental health departments and in the orientation program for newly hired nursing personnel was made by the mental  health chief nurse. The outcome had few strength and weaknesses in which to learn from. The weaknesses are personal areas of improvement that can be enhanced with continued experience as an educator, optional training aids available at the VAMC and continued evaluations for improvement. Another weakness of the project was the small learning experience as compared to the nursing population at the VAMC. MSN Program Student Learning Outcomes A quality assessment process from up-to-date journal reviews can provide the decision-making for new interventions in patient care. Evidence-based decision-making requires the integration of the best available research evidence addressing specific clinical questions (Kranke, 2010). A systematic review of literature was pooled to obtain data about PTSD issues. Prepared health professionals use evidence to inform safe practice and account for positive patient care outcomes are the aim for delivery of health care. Competence, education and skills play a critical role in achieving safe patient care in a complex health care system. Nursing professionals have the role to ensure the translation of evidence into practice while evaluating outcomes. The demand for improved patient care and a safe health care delivery system is taught at the University of Phoenix and the Veterans Health Administration. Nurses have a direct effect on patient care outcomes and quality (McLaughlin & Kaluzny, 2006) . Influencing change is essential in any organization and a good change agent is required as a leader (Tomey, 2009). Analyzing and identifying the need to implement an educational course to teach nursing staff how to better care for veterans with PTSD requires the collection of data, using the right tools, preparing objectives, and evaluating the process of change. Advance nursing education has helped to gain the skills to diagnose and plan positive change to improve patient care outcomes. The principles of successful leadership are important in affecting change. Leadership skills are necessary to drive and maintain change. Views on diversity can bring change to programs. Veterans bring their own set of beliefs and values to a diverse and multicultural environment. Providing relevant care is important for nurses to understand their own beliefs, culture and values as well as understanding the veteran’s views. Their rights to confidentiality and privacy are trusted by patients to be maintained by medical personnel. A code of ethics, moral philosophies and  effective communication is learned in advance nursing education to help guide the decisions in meeting patient care needs (Burkhards & Nathaniel, 2008). Theory provides the framework to structure and builds knowledge (Walker & Avant, 2005). Models can help to link research, education and practice. The change process is complex. Nursing practice theories provide the framework for interventions and prediction of outcomes. Theories can guide practices in nursing that focus on the difference and similarities in respect to human care. Nursing theory provides the foundation to assess, evaluate and plan interventions. A theoretical perspective can help to meet the challenges of health care delivery and provide guidelines for nursing practices (Fitzpatrick & Whall, 2005). Nursing theory is essential in nursing research, education, practice, and development. Nursing theory helps to decide what is known and what needs to be known. The benefits include better patient care, enhanced professional status, improved communication, and guidance for research and education. Because care cannot be measured, theory can analyze it. Nursing models and theo ry are beneficial to the nursing practice. Development of Professional Nursing Career The project provided the opportunity to perform as a nurse educator and gain experience for advancement in this specialty. Involvement with nurse administrators, the mental health team, the nurse educators, and adjunct staff provided valuable opportunities to network. My work on the practicum project has advanced to expanding the program I created and the formal invite to join the mental health and rehabilitation team. The educational program has also advanced best practices of nursing personnel to perform with higher knowledge and skills. Years of nursing experience, expertise knowledge in mental health and gerontological nursing and the learning experience gained from the practicum project exposed me to knowledge and skills to take responsibility in leadership and advance my nursing career to a management level in the near future. Conclusion The practicum project was a success in improving patient care for veterans who have PTSD at the rehabilitation program. The experience from achieving personal learning objectives was a rewarding experience. Performing as a  nurse educator using evidence-based decision-making in creating and implementing a program at the Orlando VAMC was evaluated as effective and safe in teaching best practices. Leading and advocating for ethical principles, addressing diversity and applying theory contributed to full development of my professional nursing career. The practicum experience has provided the knowledge, skills and experience to further advance my career in professional nursing. References Burkhards, M.A., Nathaniel, A.K. (2008). Ethics & Issues in contemporary nursing (3rd ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar. Burns, N., & Groves, S. K. (2009). The Practice of Nursing Research: Appraisal, Synthesis, and Generation of Evidence (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. DeYoung, S. (2009). Teaching Strategies for Nurse Educators. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Fitzpatrick, J. J., & Whall, A. (2005). Conceptual Models of Nursing: Analyisis and application (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Health Services Administration. (2010, November). Veterans have unique needs: VA program to be specific to vets. Mental Health Management Advisor, 15(11), 126-128. Retrieved from CINAHL database Kranke, P. (2010, September). Evidence-based practice: how to perform and use systematic reviews for clinical decision-making, 27(9), 763-772. doi: 10.1097/EJA.0b013e32833a560a McLaughlin, C. P., & Kaluzny, A. D. (2006). Quality improvement in healthcare (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.. []. doi: Retrieved from Orlando VAMC. (2011, January 22). Quality management sy stem (Medical Center Policy 00Q-12). Orlando, FL: VA Medical Center. Tomey, M. (2009). Guide to nursing management and leadership (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Walker, L., & Avant, K. (2005,). Strategies for Theory Constructions in Nursing, (5th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Appendix Practicum Project Brainstorm Worksheet This worksheet must be completed prior to the first class meeting for NUR/590A. Identify a goal for the practicum project and more than one potential project idea. Practicum Goals: To perform in the role of nursing educator at the Orlando Veteran’s Administration (VA) Domiciliary (Rehabilitation) Program by assessing and identifying learning needs of nursing staff related to assessment of, and caring for, veterans with military-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To develop, implement and evaluate a nursing educational program for nursing staff that will address these learning needs and hopefully improve quality of life for these veterans and their families. Description of Project Potential Mentor and AgencyDraft Objectives (completed in Week One class) Project Idea # 1 PowerPoint presentation and lecture Create a program to educate nursing staff to learn and understand how to care for veterans with PTSD at the rehabilitation center using classroom lecture with PowerPoint presentation for all shifts.Michele Reed, JD,MSN,RN Orlando VAMC-Conduct a review of literature to use evidence-based nursing practices -Design a teaching/learning plan using a PowerPoint presentation, handout and test -Implement the program to the nursing staff at the Rehabilitation Center -Evaluate the teaching/learning program and practicum experience Project Idea #2 Self-learning guide and test Create a program to educate nursing staff to learn and understand how to care for veterans with PTSD by developing a self-learning guide to PTSD care for veterans at the rehabilitation program.Michele Reed, JD,MSN,RN Orlando VAMC(Same as listed above)

Imagination

Is Imagination More Important Than Knowledge? The French philosopher Simons Well wrote, â€Å"Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life. † The more you think about this quote, the more you realize it is rather accurate. We are surrounded by the creative imaginations of millions of people. They intrude into our everyday lives, from the books we read, to the television we watch, to the design of the last building you saw. These manifestations of imagination have become a part of not just our lives, but of our culture.This begs the question, how much of our lives and what we know of our lives depends on this capacity to imagine? According to Albert Einstein, â€Å"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. † I however, disagree with Mr.. Einstein. There Is an Intrinsic relationship bet ween Imagination and knowledge, both relying upon the other's existence to develop new Ideas. Once Imagination and knowledge have been defined, their Interrelation can be more easily understood.Without Imagination, humans would lack the ability to derive new ideas, but without prior knowledge, they would not know how to go about putting the new ideas into action. Every idea that imagination cogitates is based upon knowledge of another idea. The Romans, for example, borrowed the idea for their aqueducts from other ancient civilizations and improved upon it. The dependency between knowledge and imagination in determining new ideas is so complex, that neither can be deemed of greater importance than the other.To better comprehend the complex relationship between Imagination and knowledge, one must first understand what they entail Individually. The Oxford Dictionary defines Imagination as â€Å"the faculty or action of forming new Ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not p resent to the senses†. Imagination is the capability to conceive something new, but not entirely without precedent. Without this capability, humans would not have the mental capacity to derive anything new and thus would not be able to improve. Humanity without imagination could no longer be considered humanity, as we would essentially descend to the level of animals.Knowledge is described by the Oxford Dictionary as â€Å"1 . Facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. 2. Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. † Note that both definitions expressly state the requirement of experience as a prior necessity. This suggests that you can't make something out of nothing, there has to be a platform on which to begin and off of which to expand. Existence. To begin, humans need imagination to acquire new knowledge.Without imagination in this respect, humans wouldn 't have the understanding that there is in fact more knowledge to be acquired. Even if this were not so, imagination would still be required to develop a method of obtaining the new knowledge. Imagination is also essential in the acceptance of new ideas. Humans need the capacity to imagine the possibility of something other than what they know exists, in order to accept the new knowledge. Now to consider the opposite side of the relationship: imagination's dependency on knowledge. New ideas, the products of imagination, are improvements of existing ideas, or previous knowledge.Inventors use their imagination to address a problem that they have happened upon in an attempt to resolve the issue. An article from The New Yorker by Malcolm Caldwell suggests that all inverters are actually attackers. â€Å"The tweaked inherits things as they are, and has to push and pull them toward some more nearly perfect solution. † All new ideas are therefore based on a pre-existent notion. Know ledge of that notion and it's flaws as well as how to improve upon it's flaws are necessary to come up with a new idea that is in theory, better than the revises one.A relatively well-known example of attackers in human history is the Romans. The Romans borrowed most of the ideas that most people now give them credit for from other ancient civilizations, notably the Greeks, Egyptians, Assyrian and Babylonians. One such improved upon invention that we use to this day would be plumbing. Roman aqueducts are renowned for their efficiency and ingeniousness, yet they were first used in Egypt, Assyria and Babylon. The Romans simply took an idea they coveted and improved upon it, using it to combat drought and water their crops.The Roman's improvements eventually led to our version of plumbing, something indispensable in modern homes. The complexity of the interactions between imagination and knowledge are better understood after they have both been defined. Imagination is the capability to conceive a notion based upon pre-existent knowledge, whereas knowledge is obtained by imagination being allowed to improve upon existing ideas. The Romans frequently improved upon pre-existing ideas borrowed from other civilizations, the results of which we still use today.Imagination and Knowledge are like two parts to a ricer, but you can't tell which part of the circle is which. They are interdependent, each relying upon the other's existence to aide our society in thriving.

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Essay

1. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or â€Å"burn-out† has always been and issue for paramedics and other emergency responders, but it wasn’t recognized or even considered to be a significant problem. The causes of PTSD range from a major life-threatening incident (e.g. war, act of violence, accident and disaster) to a prolonged series of events (e.g. bullying, harassment, abuse, living with a violent partner). PTSD was introduced in the 1980s, before then it has been known by many names including shell shock, war neurosis, soldier’s heart, gross stress reaction, transient situation disturbance, combat stress, combat fatigue, battle fatigue, stress breakdown, traumatic neurosis. The following is a list of PTSD symptoms that I have gathered from various sources, but mostly from psychology courses that I have taken in the paramedic program: *sleep problems, nightmares and waking early *flashbacks and replays which the victim can’t switch off *impaired memory, forgetfulness, inability to recall names, facts and dates that are well known to you *impaired concentration *poor memory and inability to concentrate *exaggerated startle response *irritability, sudden intense anger, occasional violent outbursts *panic attacks *hypersensitivity, whereby every remark is perceived as critical 1 *obsessive – the experience takes over your life, you can’t get it out of your mind *joint and muscle pains which have no obvious cause *feelings of nervousness, anxiety *reactive depression *excessive levels of shame, embarrassment *survivor guilt for having survived when others perished *a feeling of having been given a second chance at life *undue fear *low self-esteem and shattered self-confidence *emotional numbness, inability to feel love or joy *feelings of detachment *avoidance of anything that reminds you of the experience *physical and mental paralysis at any reminder of the experience So what types of experiences are most likely to cause PTSD? Is PTSD more prevalent in highly populated areas or is it just as likely in less populated regions? I’m most interested in PTSD rates of paramedics because I’m a paramedic student just starting to participate in ambulance ride outs. So in three days I start getting exposed to the same situations as real paramedics. For  someone who will be entering the service next year I want to avoid PTSD myself so I can have a long and healthy career as a paramedic. 2 When I first became interested in becoming a paramedic I heard from friends and others in the emergency services that a lot of paramedics quit and go on to other jobs because of the stress. This sounded logical to me but of coarse I couldn’t be sure till I either experienced it or researched the matter. I will be alternating my ride-outs between two ambulance bases. One that has a low call volume and the other has a high call volume. Here are a few facts from the Mosby’s Paramedic Text that is probably the most widely used in North America: – â€Å"About 30% of men and women who spent time in war zones experience this disorder.† (Sanders, 2001, p.1152) -â€Å"Posttraumatic Syndrome frequently occurs after†¦natural or human disasters; and accidents.† (Sanders, 2001, p.1152) -â€Å"Depression, alcohol or other substance abuse†¦often accompanies posttraumatic syndrome.† (Sanders, 2001, p.1152) -â€Å"About 5.2 million people in the United States have posttraumatic syndrome  during the course of a given year† (Sanders, 2001, p.1152). I think the cognitive perspective is the most appropriate for dealing with and answering this question. The cognitive perspective shows â€Å"how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information† (Myers, 2001, p.6). Paramedics are right in there during high stress emergency calls, how they encode and process this information at the scene  and after the call during a debriefing is important. How they store and retrieve the information is crucial. It can be affected by there own actions or the actions of others at the scene or even how they perceive the call went. 2. Students who are in-class may have the benefit of the instructor being available constantly for questions and clarification but I believe distance learning students have the will to learn. Distance students can schedule their own study time for when there ready and focused on the work. In-class students have to conform to a given schedule and may not be totally focused having to conform to a schedule. The students enrolled in a distance learning course will learn more about psychology. I would choose the descriptive method to observe and record the student through surveys and testing. Observations of assignment scores, surprise surveys throughout the course that evaluate the students progress through the course. Research into past courses may be helpful also. How did distance students and in-class students perform in the past? Natural observations will be the biggest indicator, just sit back and watch the students learn and how they progress on assignments and exams. Surveys where the students report there take on the benefits of whichever way there taking the class (distance/in-class). 4 The independent variable is the information the students are exposed too. The teacher’s lectures, comments and insights in the classroom setting compared to the prewritten notes that are sent to distance education students. Dependent variables are how well the students learn in the classroom atmosphere, and how the other students learn with prewritten notes. As for measuring, the mean is more valuable here. I’ll want to know which  class had the better average. Of course the data may be affected by those who are registered for interest only and aren’t concerned with grades. That would also affect the range. I could knock off grades that obviously aren’t common in a psychology course, those who score abnormally low or high compared to the grades of past courses. Standard deviation would show me better the difference in scores compared to the mean The participants could easily be the students who register for distance learning and those for an in class course. Some background research would need to be done to eliminate those who may have a background in psychology. The idea participants have no psychology experience at all. The experimental group would be the distance learning students. Can they succeed with the information that is provided? The control group is the students in traditionally taught class. 5 Students in distance learning will provide a broader variety of answers on assignments, tests and surveys. This is because distance learning students can stop in the middle of the reading the course notes and use other sources for clarification or to expand on an unfamiliar topic. Students in class will most likely regurgitate information provided in class. Research strength would be the natural progression of the students which should be comparable to past course that where taught through distance learning and in class. A weakness would be that the teacher may unknowingly emphasize or provide more information on certain topics that assignments and exams will focus on. Since the distance students only have prewritten notes they can only go with what is provided. Some students enrolled in distance learning maybe only taking the course for interest and may consider the final grade unimportant compared to a full-time student who needs to achieve good grades to graduate.

Mini biography of rachel mcadams

Rachel McAdams was raised in St. Thomas, Ontario. Get downing at the age of four, she competed in figure skating. By the age of 13, she was executing in Shakespearian productions in summer theatre cantonment. In high school, McAdams intended to use to college to analyze cultural surveies, because analyzing theatre would be â€Å"a spot of a joke† . At the last minute, a play instructor encouraged her to try out to be a play major. She finally majored in theatre at York University and graduated with awards and a B.F.A. grade. She began her professional on-screen calling with an visual aspect on the Disney series â€Å"The Famous Jett Jackson† ( 1998 ) followed by a pilot for MTV. After a few more movies, she hit it large after her visual aspect in the hits Mean Girls ( 2004 ) and The Notebook ( 2004 ) .IMDb Mini Biography By: jatzaTrivialityAttended Original Kids Theatre Company in London, Ontario. Her male parent, Lance, is a truck driver and her female parent, Sandy, is a nurse. She has a younger sister, Kayleen McAdams, and a younger brother, Daniel. Born in the same infirmary as The Notebook ( 2004 ) co-star Ryan Gosling in St. Joseph ‘s Hospital, London, Ontario. In 1995, she received an moving award for her function in the one-act high school play â€Å"I Live in a Small Town† when it was presented at the esteemed Ontario Showcase at the Sears Drama Festival. Studied theatre at York University in Toronto, where she appeared in legion phase and pupil movie productions. During her senior twelvemonth, she played a kid in â€Å"The Piper† , a workshop led by a originative squad from Toronto ‘s Necessary Angel Theatre Company. Worked at a McDonald ‘s for three summers with her sister, Kayleen McAdams, and her brother, Dan McAdams. Was told to partially pattern the character of Regina George after Alec Baldwin ‘s public presentation in Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) . Received a record five MTV Movie Award nominations in a individual twelvemonth. Graduated from York University in Toronto with awards & A ; a B.F.A. in theatre Once a vegetarian. She donated many signed head-shots to Rocky Stone to be auctioned off to raise money to purchase more playthings for less fortunate childs as portion of the Toy Mountain Campaign. Is of Irish descent. Attended David Rothenberg ‘s on-camera moving category in Toronto with fellow histrions Scott Speedman, Kenneth Mitchell, Polly Shannon and David Sutcliffe. In December 2005, she was # 1 on MuchMusic ‘s â€Å"Who To Make: 20 Sexiest Girls† list. This list is aired each twelvemonth, and there is besides a separate list for cats. Named # 14 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list. Met her fellow, Ryan Gosling, on the set of The Notebook ( 2004 ) . Ranked # 17 on Maxim ‘s hot list 2006. Considered for the function of Susan Storm/Invisible Girl in Fantastic Four ( 2005 ) . Named # 51 in FHM magazine ‘s â€Å"100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006† addendum. ( 2006 ) . While a pupil at York University, she lived in the same â€Å"house† as Ron Sparks in Vanier Residence. Had to turn down the female lead in The Last Kiss ( 2006 ) due to scheduling struggles. The function was finally given to Jacinda Barrett. Was considered for the function of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale ( 2006 ) , before the function was given to Eva Green. She was voted the # 101 on FHS ‘s list of Sexiest Women in the World ( 2005 ) . Is a vegetarian once more. Lifes in the popular Los Angeles vicinity of Silverlake. Other Silverlake locals include Beck, Bo Barrett, Christina Ricci, Jason Lee and Ryan Gosling. Older sister of Kayleen McAdams. Split with Ryan Gosling. [ Mid-2007 ] Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in movie history ( # 68 ) . [ 2007 ] . Has a Canis familiaris named George, which she shared with Ryan Gosling. Has of course blond hair. She does n't have a auto. As portion of her day-to-day part to assist conserve energy, she rides her motorcycle or takes the coach. Co-founder of www.greenissexy.org, a web site which helps raise consciousness about the environment. Was Jon Favreau ‘s first pick to play Pepper Potts in Iron Man ( 2008 ) , but she turned the function down. Likes shopping at Vintage vesture shops. Auditioned for the function of Cady in Mean Girls ( 2004 ) , but the portion went to Lindsay Lohan alternatively. Avoided winging aeroplanes until age 22. Auditioned for the function of Sophie for the musical Mamma Mia! ( 2008 ) but lost out to actress Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried had lost out to McAdams antecedently for the function of Regina when they both co-starred in Mean Girls ( 2004 ) . Reunited with former fiance Ryan Gosling ( August 2008 ) . Has one time once more called it quits with former fiance Ryan Gosling [ November 2008 ] . Her favorite actresses include: Joan Cusack, Juliette Lewis, Kate Winslet and Samantha Morton. She besides considers Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn to be her function theoretical accounts. She would love to work with Daniel Day-Lewis, James Franco and Sam Rockwell. She is allergic to Equus caballuss. Learned to drive after a bike accident. Learned to appreciate rugger from Russell Crowe.Personal Quotation marksEqually unusual as film devising is, making love scenes for the first clip with person you ‘ve ne'er even said hullo to does work in footings of holding a fresh quality to a relationship. It takes a batch of clip, committedness and a pick. I ‘ve chosen this way, but it ‘s non to state I ‘m non unfastened to love or whatever comes my manner. You ne'er close doors. The craziest thing I ‘ve of all time done to acquire a cat ‘s attending? I admit I stalked person. I showed up at a eating house where I knew the cat worked, and we were really good friends and had lost touch, and I pretended that I did n't cognize he worked at that place. And so ran into him and, â€Å"Oh my God, you work here? I had no idea.† It ‘s the most manipulative thing I ‘ve done in my full life, but it all worked out really good, so I have no declinations. Yeah. I still live in Canada, so it ‘s non rather the same. And when I ‘m in L.A. , I ‘m in a auto ; you do n't hold the contact with the populace. It ‘s non so bad. It ‘s still reasonably much the same. I still experience reasonably normal-ish. The most romantic thing, a lovely boy bought me a frock one time. He got my measurings, really they were from The Notebook ( 2004 ) and I had them sitting someplace, and he found them and bought me this frock, bespoke, this beautiful small black cocktail frock. And I thought that was really, really posh. I want to seek a batch of things that I have n't tried. You know, I did a thriller ( Red Eye ( 2005 ) ) after this, because it was so different and it was a genre I had n't worked in yet. Then I did a beautiful household ensemble play. And following? I do n't cognize. I might travel off to make a little independent in New York. I ‘m non certain. The quality of stuff is of import but, fundamentally, I ‘m unfastened to anything. I like to remain unfastened to anything. A friend of mine had this great theory about the â€Å"Teletubbies† ( 1997 ) , that it ‘s fixing us for being mindless. And acquiring us ready for life in an belowground universe. When they build the belowground universe because we can no longer take a breath the air that it will look like Teletubbie land. I do n't cognize, I like to travel on truly different types of day of the months. Traveling someplace new or some new portion of the metropolis, something that ‘s non your mean thing. Something where you merely travel have an escapade together. I guess you have to be truly unfastened to your moving spouses and believe in the narrative. I have a certain wonder for life that drives me and impel me frontward. I one time made a ( it was supposed to be a 30-minute ) bean salad that took me like 6 hours. I want to work with great managers and seek non to set excessively much force per unit area on myself and merely read things for the narrative and acknowledge when I ‘m drawn to something for the right grounds and seek to keep some saneness. I ‘ve discovered as I ‘ve grown up that life is far more complicated than you think it is when you ‘re a child. It is n't merely a straight-forward fairy tale. I ‘ve kind of heard that â€Å"it† girl thing, but non truly. Hearing it from a few people does n't solidify it in my head and I would n't cognize how to solidify that rubric. It ‘s so elusive and what does it intend, I do n't cognize? I ‘ll set on a hood stone T-shirt, a '50s manner skirt, and a brace of flip-flops. I like to engage a whole clump of things together. I ‘m a chump for those sweeping love narratives. When I read the book ( The Notebook ( 2004 ) ) , I could n't halt shouting! I merely had such a powerful, instantaneous reaction – it was written so good. I was non popular in high school, I know every actress says that, but truly, I was a large geek. Paramount sent them nine-foot-high ( theater anteroom ) cutouts of me. They say, â€Å"You do n't hold to come place, we ‘ve got you in every room of the house! † Most of the clip, people will merely go through me by, or if they do recognize, they ‘ll state something like, â€Å"My girlfriend said that was you, but I did n't believe her.† I did ( preparation in ) tennis, concert dance, swing dance, piano, art category and etiquette. I besides did Gallic idiom, but so it was blending me up with my Southern idiom, so we stuck to Southern! I wanted to be a secretary, I love paper cartridge holders and stapling machines. If I hurt person, if I were to by chance jab person ‘s oculus out, I would laugh. And so I ‘d state, ‘I ‘m regretful, I truly do experience bad, ‘ but so I ‘m on the floor peal. Yeah. I still live in Canada, so it ‘s non rather the same. And when I ‘m in L.A. , I ‘m in a auto ; you do n't hold the contact with the populace. It ‘s non so bad. It ‘s still reasonably much the same. I still experience reasonably normal-ish. I ‘ve been really lucky so far. I have n't had any bad experiences every bit far as fan brushs. They do n't truly acknowledge me. I think it has to make with my hair. I change it all the clip. I like altering my hair colour and sometimes it ‘s merely non for a function. Normally, I merely do it for me. I guess each relationship is different. That ‘s what I love about relationships. Even when they end, you ‘ve learned so really much, so much to take into your following relationship and to take into your life. It ‘s the greatest thing that comes out of an stoping – so it depends on the individual. – On what she learned about herself when her relationship with Ryan Gosling ended I would love to hold childs someday ; I really ca n't conceive of non holding them. My parents have been married for 36 old ages. They [ Lance, a mover, and Sandy, a nurse ] have a pretty honest, straightforward relationship that I hope to hold myself. – On holding her ain childs someday You ne'er truly cognize the individual you ‘re kiping beside. You have a right to your secrets, but that ‘s really hard when you ‘re supposed to be person ‘s spouse. – On matrimony as a minefield of secrets, as suggested in Married Life What about nakedness in movies? Nudity for fictional characters is as normal and everyday as eating breakfast. What bothers me is our civilization ‘s compulsion with nakedness. It should n't be a large trade, but it is. I think this overemphasis with nakedness makes histrions nervous. There ‘s the concern about seeing one ‘s organic structure dissected, misrepresented, played and replayed on YouTube. – On nakedness in moviesSalaryMorning Glory ( 2010 ) $ 2,000,000The Time Traveler ‘s Wife ( 2009 ) $ 4,000,000Red Eye ( 2005 ) $ 1,000,000