Do Not Learn as a Machine Essay Example for Free

Do Not Learn as a Machine Essay It’s twelve at night. Tons of papers and a cup of coffee on the desk prepared for pulling an all-nighter. Studying for the exam tomorrow, cramming tons of class-notes and materials. Students are fighting for an A. However, what do we expect them to learn from it? Is it even beneficial to them? After all, most students forget almost everything as soon as they finish the exam. Apparently, there are some fundamental problems in our current educational system. In the three essays, â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education† by Paulo Freire, â€Å"Against School† by John Taylor Gatto and â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† by Richard Rodriguez, the authors realize different problems of the educational system and have different opinions about it. In my point of view, the main problem in the current educational system is that it encourages students to receive information meekly, without doubting, questioning or even understanding the material. As a result, these students resemble machines which acquire many facts but can barely develop their own critical thinking. The three aforementioned authors have differing opinions on the current educational system, but they all describe it as a system where students merely receive information but do not undergo critical thinking. In â€Å"Against School,† Gatto states that the educational system is a scheme the government uses to make people more â€Å"manageable† by reducing their critical judgment. To achieve this, school provide answers of every question to the students. It works because â€Å"Easy answers have removed the need to ask questions† (Gatto 155). It is true. Since students were taught in their early life that teachers are absolutely right, and that they should obey the authorities, as a result, most of them do not judge the teachers’ explanations. As they grow up, students tend to find the answers from books or teachers instead of figuring the answer out by themselves. Thus, their critical and original thinking have been obliterated completely under this educational system. Moreover, the boredom of schooling successfully removes the students’ curiosity which drive them to ask questions. A similar idea appears in â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education. Freire uses the term â€Å"banking system† to describe the educational system where the teachers deposit a large amount of knowledge on the students. Students soon become receptacles which â€Å"extend only as far as receiving, filling, and storing the deposits† (Freire 1). These students do not understand how the information related to the real world, and can neither apply the knowledge to the real world problem nor develop their own critical thinking. In â€Å"The Achievement of Desire†, Rodriguez mainly describes his early life as a successful student. It gives a concrete example to support Gatto and Freire’s opinion. As he describes himself as a â€Å"great mimic; a collector of thoughts, not a thinker† (203), it fits Gatto and Freire’s description about the educational system, that even a considerably â€Å"successful† student could not perform critical and original thinking. Under this type of educational system, students try to find their way to achieve high scores. However, it turns out that the best way to be successful in this system isn’t the best way to learn. In the essays, the authors describe how the â€Å"successful† student is like. According to Freire, â€Å"The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are† (1). In order to be considered â€Å"good† under this system, students need to receive a large amount of facts on a superficial level. The best strategy is not to think, not to question, just believe and memorize it. Freire observes a phenomena in which teachers talk about contents â€Å"which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them† (1). In this way, students acquire tons of facts and maybe enhance their memorization ability, but fail to understand how these facts are connected to the daily life. In â€Å"The Achievement of Desire,† Rodriguez realizes that he was the â€Å"worst student,† even though he was considered â€Å"successful† in the system. â€Å"He becomes in every obvious way the worst student, a dummy mouthing the opinions of others. But he would not be so bad—nor would he become so successful, a scholarship boy—if he did not accurately perceive that the best synonym for primary ‘education’ is ‘imitation’† (203). The scholarship boy noticed that the best way to succeed in this system is to borrow and copy the ideas of others. Clearly we know that this is not the way to learn, as learning requires original processes. Therefore, it can be concluded that being successful in the educational system is not the same as being successful in learning. My experience supports this. Some teachers in my high school ask students to memorize all the model answers to every possible question that might be asked on the standardized test, but do not give explanations or have activities which could actually help students understand. The aim of teaching would then become merely the test scores. My physics teacher kept reminding us how many students got an A in a standardized test under his training, which emphasized becoming â€Å"machines for solving problems. † Being these machines could improve our performance on a test; however, we did not retain any substantial knowledge throughout the class, some even losing the motivation to learn afterwards. Solutions to a problem can be simple once we understand the cause of it. In the essays, the authors suggest their individual solutions. Freire suggests to oppose the â€Å"banking system,† by implementing a â€Å"problem-posing system. † In a problem-posing system, teachers pose some problems related to the world and ask the students to attempt to solve them without a straight forward answer (Freire 7). Students would then have the chance to explore the respective topic by themselves, think about every possible solution creatively. It takes time for all students to figure out the answer, and some of them may even fail to do it, but at least each student has tried to think about the problem. In this way, students are learning the material cognitively, and hence they will understand it more deeply and be able to apply the knowledge to the real world. Moreover, this system can motivate students to learn. According to Freire, â€Å"Students, as they are increasingly posed with problems relating to themselves in the world and with the world, will feel increasingly challenged and obliged to respond to that challenge† (8). When students try solving the problem, they are not being narrated by the boring materials and instead use their creative brainpower. They will find it fun to learn in this way and grow an enthusiasm to continue learning. In â€Å"Against School,† Gatto suggests to do the retrograde of the school’s mediocre influence on children. â€Å"School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to obey reflexively teach your own to think critically and independently† (155). To do this, we can educate children not only by books, but also encourage them to join different kinds of extra-curriculum activities such that they can grow interest in all areas. As an international student, I always compare the educational systems in America and Macau. I found that the educational system in America is relatively more â€Å"problem-posing† than my early education in Macau. Professors always give us chance to discuss and have more in-class activities. I fit in this problem-posing system and thus I can learn better and understand concepts more clearer. In conclusion, in order to learn cognitively and acquire the true knowledge, students should try to understand the materials before they decide to believe and cram it. Doxa means common beliefs and facts, while logos means the principle of knowledge. When students deeply understand it, they will attain the level of logos, not only doxa. It gives the students knowledge as well as the skill to derive other truths. To avoid being a machine, we should have our own thought and creativity. In the ideal problem-posing system, students can explore it in their way but not copying others’ ideas because they do not need to worry about their grades. They would then have their original opinion and thought, instead of meekly receiving information, being a mindless machine.

Alternative Materials For Aircraft Wings

Alternative Materials For Aircraft Wings For this report I have chosen to research and find an alternative material for aircraft wings, currently the material being on aircraft wings is aluminium alloy series 2000, specifically 2024 as this alloy consists of about 4.5% copper, 1.5% magnesium, 0.6% manganese with traces of other specific elements permitted, and the remainder aluminium.  [1]  The alternative material must be capable of achieving all the characteristics of aluminium alloy 2024, yet be light in weight and preferably within the cost region of materials currently used. Aims and objectives The aim of this report is discuss how alternative materials can be produced to manufacture a new lighter aircraft wing. In order to do this the new material must be capable of withstanding high stress loads, be light in weight and preferably low in cost. Also, manufacturing technique must be looked into with respect to machinability of material, cost of machines, and repairing material. Current materials in use Aluminium alloy 2024 This is used in the aviation industry as it has the right properties required to meet the demands. The principle alloying element used is copper. This alloy requires solution heat treatment to obtain its best properties when the alloy has been through the solution heat treatment process the mechanical properties become similar to and sometimes exceed those of mild steel. To further increase the mechanical properties of aluminium alloy 2024, an artificial ageing process is used; this method of treatment increases the yield strength. Once the aluminium alloy has been made, the properties obtained are high strength to weight ratio, as well as good fatigue resistance. Though this is not wieldable and has average machinability. Due to poor corrosion resistance the alloy is usually cladded with pure aluminium, however, this does usually reduce the fatigue resistance of the alloy. Aluminium alloy 2024 consists of about 4.5% copper, 1.5% magnesium, 0.6% manganese with traces of other specific elements permitted and the remainder is aluminium. Mechanical properties of aluminium 2024 The mechanical properties of 2024 depend on the temper of the material. 2024-0 This form of alloy has no heat treatment (annealed). It has an ultimate tensile strength of 207-220 MPa more yield strength of 96 MPa. This form of alloy also has an elongation factor of 10-25%. 2024-T3 This form of alloy has been solution treated and strain hardened with the ultimate tensile strength is between 400-427 MPa and yield strength of 369-276 MPa with an elongation of 10-15%. New materials to consider Titanium This metal has a high strength to weight ratio, a relative density of 4.5 which is 60% heavier than aluminium however, it is twice as strong. Titanium has excellent corrosion resistance properties this is due to the oxide film which forms. Titanium is not normally susceptible to stress, fatigue, intergranular or galvanic corrosion, putting or localised attack. However, under certain circumstances it will burn in air, therefore in order to prevent a reaction with oxygen or nitrogen it may be treated with chloride gas in order to form a protective coating of titanium dioxide. Titanium normal alloying elements include aluminium, chromium, iron, manganese, molybdenum and vanadium. Titanium and its alloys are classed in 3 categories: Alpha (A) Wieldable, tough, strong both hot and cold and resistant to oxidisation. Beta (B) Excellent bend ductility, strong both hot and cold however vulnerable to contamination. Combined (C) Combination of alpha and beta with comprised performance, strong cold and warm but weak when hot, excellent forgability, good bendibility moderate contamination resistance. The melting point of titanium is 1668 degrees Celsius and has low thermal conductibility and a low co efficient of expansion. Its high temperature properties are however disappointing.; the ultimate yield strength falls rapidly above 425 degrees Celsius and atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen absorbent above 540 degrees Celsius makes the metal brittle and worthless after a long term exposure. Therefore it is only useful for short durations, high temperatures applications where strength is not important such as air conditioned firewalls. When working with titanium extra care must be taken when making due to its extreme work hardening properties. E.g. centre drilling should be used prior to drilling as centre punch this material would harden the metal, causing difficulty when drilling. Composite A composite material consists of 2 or more different materials whose mechanical properties compliment each other although maintain their separate identities, unlike alloy. The reason the composite materials are used on an aircraft and their strength to weight ration and corrosion resistance. Reinforced plastics are much lighter than metals. If the metal part can be as much as 25 times heavier than an equivalent composite part, however that composite part must be as strong and durable as the original. Therefore reinforced plastics must have very good strength, stiffness and impact resistance. Strength- this is the ability of a material to support a load without breaking. Stiffness- this is the ability of material to support a load without bending too much. Impact- this is the ability of a material to withstand resistance impact without shattering. The types of composites to consider for this project would be, Glass reinforced plastic Aramid fibres Carbon fibres Glass Reinforced Fibres (GRFs) Glass Reinforced Fibres are currently used on aircraft for radomes (the fairings which cover radar antennas and must be transparent to radio waves). The fibreglass is used for reinforcement for thermosetting resins in aircraft applications is available as a cloth in many different weights and weaves as a loose of fibreglass. When combined, the fibre and resin GRF. For applications which require the most strength it is necessary to use uni-directional glass tape. Whereas woven glass cloth has better shaping properties and high strength. There are many types of Glass Reinforced Fibres used, and the main ones used in the aviations industry are: A Glass- standard soda glass has a high alkaline content which absorbs moisture which increases degrading of material and corrosion. This leaks to resins deterioration. The main use for this is for windows. C Glass- high resistance to corrosive material. It is normally produced and used only as a surface matt to reduce cost. D Glass- with a low di-electric constant this type of glass is used for radomes. E Glass- with low alkali content and good resin adhesion properties where used in air conditioning. Styles of woven fabric The most common style used is the plain weave where; the warp and wraft threads cross alternately. The strength of woven fabrics in comprised due to the severe pre- buckling already present in the fabric. Fibres usually produce their greatest strength when they are perfectly straight. Due to the high frequency of over and under weaving of the threads the strength is reduced; in plain weave. This is where twill weave and satin weave come in as it is high pliable and stronger than the plain weave style. This table shows a comparison of the properties of common weaves used in aerospace: Stability ability of the weave to hold together when cut. Drape ability of the cloth to follow a complex shape. Porosity an indication of the amount of resin required to thoroughly wet the cloth. Smoothness surface finish of the cloth. Balance a comparison between the warp and weft direction. Symmetry the weave pattern. Crimp an indication of the amount or frequency of bend in the yarns.  [5]   Aramid fabrics Aramid fibres also known as Kevlar is made from aromatic polyamide, a type plastic similar to nylon. The properties include; High tensile strength and resistance to impact of any composite reinforcing fibre. Stiffer than glass but only half as stiff as carbon fibre. 40% lighter than glass fibre 10x stronger than aluminium Up to 400% stronger than comparable glass reinforced laminates. Up to 20% stronger than comparable carbon enforced laminates Aramid fibres have very high impact strength with the damage confined to small areas. Due to this, Aramid can be used in areas prone to stone and runaway debris damage, so this could be useful for use on aircraft wings. However, Aramid fibres have lower compression strength than carbon, it absorbs moisture more readily than glass or carbon, also Aramid deteriorates in strong sunlight. Aramid is more difficult to cut, drill, sand then either glass or carbon, it also does not give clean edges. Aramid fibres do not resist flame well and burn through more quickly than other fibres. Resin adhesion is also lower, delamination being one of the ways in which it absorbs impact energy. Carbon fibres Carbon fibres are made from carbon and are black in colour carbon fibres were first used on air conditioning in the 1980s. The fibres are manufactures by the controlled heating of POLYCRILONITRILE (PAN), polythene or rayon fibres are pre-oxidised at 200-300 degrees Celsius for 1 hour then carbonised at 1200 degrees the graphitised at 2000 to 3000 degrees Celsius. This removes the hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen leaving long oriented carbon chains. The fibres are sometimes surface oxidised, this improves their building characteristics and sized, this then reduces the build up of static electricity and improves bonding. Carbon fibres are available in forms basic groups and produced at different graphitisation temperature and defined by tensile modules Standard modules (high strength) Intermediate modules (high stiffness) High modulus Ultra high modulus. All forms of carbon fibre are stiffer than glass fibres, however only standard modulus is stronger than glass fibres in tension. The higher modulus fibres are very brittle and are not suitable for general aeronautical use. Aluminium- lithium This is part of series 8000 of aluminium alloys. Having low density, the lithium reduces the weight of alloy while offering strength which is comparable to series 7000 (also a higher strength aluminium alloy made from zinc) and competes with composite materials. Aluminium lithium also has high specific modulus and excellent fatigue and cryogenic toughness properties. The disadvantages of aluminium lithium is reduces ductility and fracture toughness in short transverse direction also the need to cold work this alloy to obtain peak properties and accelerate fatigue crack extension rates when cracks are micro structural small. By using aluminium lithium in aircraft wings will enable low costs flying as it saves weight and fuel consumption costs, also this would lead to a reduction in maintenance costs. Fatigue affects materials after long term exposure to cyclic loading using aluminium lithium is stronger than carbon fibre therefore aluminium lithium can withstand fatigue longer. Aluminium lithium is currently being used on the Airbus A380, and under investigation with Boeing. Analysis Current material The current material used for aircraft wings is aluminium. This material is currently used to construct aircraft wings. This is because this material is light in weight, easy to machine, easy to shape also this form of aluminium is easy to machine in order to meet required standards such as high yield strength in ratio with the weight, and also aluminium 2024 also has very good fatigue resistance. However, this form of aluminium alloy has poor corrosion resistance therefore in order to protect against this the alloy is cladded with pure aluminium, this however has a downside to it as it further reduces the fatigue resistance of the alloy. The advantages of aluminium are: Light weight Easily shaped/cast/forge Good electrical conductor Good thermal conductor Easy to machine The disadvantages of aluminium are: Expensive to refine (must be done by electrolysis of fused salts) Poor chemical resistance (acids and base) Loses strengths when heated Cladded with 6.25mm of pure aluminium, if that is broken, the material begins to corrode fast. Alternative materials The alternative materials that can be used are: Titanium This metal has a high strength to weight ratio, a relative density of 4.5 which is 60% heavier than aluminium however it is twice as strong. Titanium has excellent corrosion resistance properties this is due to the oxide film which forms. Titanium is not normally susceptible to stress, fatigue, intergranular or galvanic corrosion, putting or localised attack. However, under certain circumstances it will burn in air, therefore in order to prevent a reaction with oxygen or nitrogen it may be treated with chloride gas in order to form a protective coating of titanium dioxide. Titanium and its alloys are classed in 3 categories: Alpha (A) Wieldable, tough, strong both hot and cold and resistant to oxidisation. Beta (B) Excellent bend ductility, strong both hot and cold however vulnerable to contamination. Combined (C) Combination of alpha and beta with comprised performance, strong cold and warm but weak when hot, excellent forgability, good bendibility moderate contamination resistance. The melting point of titanium is 1668 degrees Celsius and has low thermal conductibility and a low co efficient of expansion. Its high temperature properties are however disappointing.; the ultimate yield strength falls rapidly above 425 degrees Celsius and atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen absorbent above 540 degrees Celsius makes the metal brittle and worthless after a long term exposure. The ideal type of titanium to use on an aircraft wing would be the combined (C) class as it does meet to requirements for an aircraft wings. However, the major drawback for this material is when working with titanium extra care must be taken when making due to its extreme work hardening properties. The advantages of titanium are: Lightweight Strong Able to withstand high temperatures Corrosion resistant The disadvantages of titanium are: Expensive Process for forming and joining titanium are complex and expensive Glass Reinforced Fibres The fibreglass is used for reinforcement for thermosetting resins in aircraft applications is available as a cloth in many different weights and weaves as a loose of fibreglass. When combined, the fibre and resin Glass Reinforced Fibre. For applications which require the most strength it is necessary to se uni-directional glass tape. Whereas woven glass cloth has better shaping properties and high strength. There are many types of Glass Reinforced Fibres used, and the main ones used in the aviations industry are: A Glass- standard soda glass has a high alkaline content which absorbs moisture which increases degrading of the material and corrosion. This leaks to resins deterioration. The main use for this is for windows. C Glass- high resistance to corrosive materials. It is normally produced and used only as a surface matt to reduce cost. D Glass- with a low di-electric constant this type of glass is used for radomes. E Glass- with low alkali content and good resin adhesion properties. Styles of woven fabric The most common style used is the plain weave where; the warp and wraft threads cross alternately. The strength of woven fabrics in comprised due to the severe pre- buckling already present in the fabric. Fibres usually produce their greatest and strength when they are perfectly straight. Due to the high frequency of over and under weaving of the threads the strength in reduced in plain weave. This is where twill weave and satin weave come in as it is high pliable and stronger than the plain weave style. The advantages of GRF are: Strength and resistance can be adjusted during the manufacturing Impact resistance Lightweight Heat resistant Will not corrode Able to withstand all but the strongest forms of acid and alkali The disadvantages of GRF are Easy to damage Expensive machines required to produce Requires special storage Although glass reinforced fibres are very good with respect to the advantages and disadvantages, it may not be the ideal choice to use as a material for an aircraft wing as it would be expensive to produce and store, and also there are many types of glass reinforced fibres but not a particular type could be chosen because there is not a material which is specifically ideal and has all the characteristics required for an aircraft wing. Aramid Aramid fibres have very high impact strength with the damage confined to small areas. Due to this, Aramid can be used in areas prone to stone and runaway debris damage, so this could be useful for use on aircraft wings. However, Aramid fibres have lower compression strength than carbon, it absorbs moisture more readily than glass or carbon, also Aramid deteriorates in strong sunlight. Aramid is more difficult to cut, drill or sand then either glass or carbon; it also does not give clean edges. The advantages of Aramid are: High tensile strength Impact resistant Ten times as strong as aluminium 400% stronger than GRF 20% stronger than carbon fibre The disadvantages of Aramid are: Low compressive strength then carbon Absorbs moisture more than glass or carbon fibre Deteriorates in sunlight Difficult To Cut, Drill or Sand Does not give clean cut edges Aramid is a very good material to use, however it is important that when making aircraft skin the wings must be smooth and easy to machine, due to Aramid not being able to provide these key features, it should be used for this part of the skin, however, Aramid should be considered for the leading edge of the aircraft wings, because it has the characteristics required to withstand stone and runaway debris damage. Aluminium- Lithium Having low density, the lithium reduces the weight of alloy while offering strength which is comparable to series 7000 (also a higher strength aluminium alloy made from zinc) and competes with composite materials. Aluminium lithium also has high specific modulus and excellent fatigue and cryogenic toughness properties. The disadvantages of aluminium lithium is reduces ductility and fracture toughness in short transverse direction also the need to cold work this s alloy to obtain peak properties and accelerate fatigue crack extension rates when cracks are micro structural small. Fatigue affects materials after long term exposure to cyclic loading using aluminium lithium is stronger than carbon fibre therefore aluminium lithium can withstand fatigue longer. The advantages of aluminium-lithium are: 10% denser than aluminium 2024 Lightweight 10 15% higher modulus than aluminium 2024 Excellent fatigue and cryogenic toughness properties Higher stiffness Superior fatigue crack growth resistance The disadvantages of aluminium-lithium are: Reduced ductility Low fracture toughness Aluminium- lithium is a new concept within the aviation industry which allows the industry to progress in a new direction, this allows an aircraft to be light, efficient yet have the same amount of or more power to transport both passengers and freight. Also, with aircraft being so light it may allow even bigger aircrafts then the currently produced Airbus A380, and Boeing 787 to be produced. Aluminium- lithium the characteristics required for use on aircraft wings and therefore should be considered for this project. Conclusion In conclusion aluminium- lithium should be used as it has the properties such as light weight and excellent fatigue and cryogenic toughness properties required for an aircraft wing and carry the weight loaded on to the plane hence enabling aircrafts to be designed on a bigger scale in order to carry more cargo and passengers as is proven by the production of the Airbus A380 which is one the largest planes in production giving a higher power to weight ratio. The A380s wing is sized for a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) over 560 tonnes in order to accommodate these future versions, albeit with some strengthening required. The stronger wing (and structure) will be used on the A380-800F freighter. This common design approach sacrifices some fuel efficiency on the A380-800 passenger model, but Airbus estimates that the size of the aircraft, coupled with the advances in technology will provide lower operating costs per passenger than the 747-400 and older 747 variants.  [6]   Reference Books Used; British Airways Engineering Training Part 66 Module 6- Materials and Hardware. Published: 14/02/2005. Issue: 1. Introduction to aircraft design. John P. Fielding. ISBN: 0521657229 Aircraft Design Projects: For Engineering Students. Lloyd R. Jenkinson. Dr. Jim Marchman. ISBN: 0750657723 Websites used: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070926094727.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Li www.soton.ac.uk/~jps7//manufacturing/aluminum-lithium.doc www.keytometals.com/Article58.ht http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380#cite_note-norris_wagner_book-12 Appendix 1

Al Capone Essay -- biography bio biographies crime criminals

Al Capone is one of the most recognized names in American history. Capone ran the City of Chicago with illegal activities. He appeared many times on newspapers all over the country. Every one of us has heard of Al Capone, but most of us don’t k now the story behind him. What made him to be the most feared gangster in the city of Chicago? How did this kid from a rough neighborhood and no money grow up to have $60,000,000? I’ve always been fascinated with organized crime but had never been taught anything in school about it. This report gave me the chance to explore something interesting and also educational. The more I researched Al Capone, the more I wanted to learn about him. He may look like an innocent Italian at a glance, but he has done a lot of crime in the city of Chicago. I knew going into this topic that there would be more than enough information. Going on the Internet I found many web sites that went in detail about certain aspects of Al Capone’s life. I found web pages on the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and even a haunting of his ghost. My Grandpa had books that helped me including The Encyclopedia of World Crime and The Mafia Encyclopedia. He also had a great deal of information to tell me. Most of Al Capone’s life seems unreal, but it is true. It all started when he was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York. He was baptized Alphonsus Capone. As the fourth oldest of nine children, he didn’t receive much attention. â€Å"At birth, Capone's parents never would have believed that their son Alphonse would grow up to be a murderous thug without remorse. (The Encyclopedia of World Crime 603)† Capone was very wise when it came to living on the streets of New York. He was a genius when it came to street smarts. As far as school goes, Capone was almost illiterate. He came from a poverty stricken neighborhood in Brooklyn, so education was not a top priority. Capone was forced to either deal with a low wage job with a hopeless future or make an improvement for himself by committing crime. â€Å"Al Capone's philosophy was to the effect that laws only applied to people who had enough money to abide by them. (The Mafia Encyclopedia 603)† Al Capone became a member of the Bim Booms Gang as a teenager. He learned to defend himself by way of a knife and revolver. By the time Capone reached the sixth grade he had already become a street brawler. Capone n... ...ntful life. He was responsible for the death of over 500 people. As a young boy, he had no opportunities to be rich and live in a big home. The only way out was through a life of crime. That’s where he turned and he succeeded with over $60,000,000. To do something well you have to have the drive to do it. This was how Al Capone was and he was a natural at what he did. He had the right personality and the right connections to be at the top. This was how he became the most feared gangster in the city of Chicago and got that $60,000,000. I noticed a connection to Al Capone and Adolf Hitler. They both seemed to have it all then have it suddenly swept under them. They lived lives of crime and hatred but in the end it took a turn. Hitler ended up putting a gun to his mouth while Capone went insane from his stay at Alcatraz. I learned a lot from doing this report. Besides the amount of typing, which has repeatedly cramped my fingers, it let me read some interesting articles that made me really know what Al Capone’s life was like. It may seem cool to talk about Al Capone, but behind his innocent face, was an evil gangster. Al Capone’s name will live on as the crime czar who ruled Chicago.

Naming Death A-I-D-S :: AIDS

Naming Death    I was visiting a doctor in Kwazulu-Natal, the province hardest hit by AIDS, to see for myself the impact of AIDS in the region. The doctor was just finishing up with an elderly patient from a village. After I introduced myself and stated the purpose of my visit, she immediately leaned towards the woman and demanded, "Tell her, just tell her how many young people you've buried this week."    The elderly woman softly replied, "Five funerals this Saturday. Every week about five or six."    "We've been told that one in eight South Africans are estimated to be HIV-positive," I said.    "My dear," the doctor matter-of-factly replied, "it's not one in eight here; 95 percent of the people I see are HIV positive."    95% ! I want you to close your eyes and imagine all of your friends and family - the people nearest and dearest to you. Now, I want you to imagine 95% of them gone.    This is what HIV does, this is what it is doing in South Africa and other parts of the world. What we saw there is a veritable genocide.    Before our trip, all of us read the statistics and in some way thought we understood the magnitude of AIDS epidemic, but you understand it only when you realize there is a human face behind every statistic. When throughout the country it is estimated that 1 in 8 people are HIV positive, do we really think that this battle can be won by multivitamins and condoms?    Yet, this is what I saw over and over again throughout Cape Town and other parts of the country. "These people are living in poverty," health care workers told me. "They can't get jobs. They can't even afford proper food, forget about drugs." The same doctor who told me that 95% of the patients are HIV positive lamented that the only treatment she can offer is multivitamins and one antibiotic!!!    How do we expect the younger generations to hope for a brighter future in this environment? I was told that many South African young people have a fatalistic, "I'm-going-to-die-anyway" attitude. How do you convince them to practice safe-sex? Or that their lives are worth living? There's a stigma attached to being HIV positive (we know that in this country as well).

Analyzing Nursing Philosophy Essay -- knowledge, beliefs, god

Nursing is what has brought us together. We have started our Bachelor’s Completion to further our education. I consider that during the Associate, I learned the skills to become a nurse. Now, that I am exploring topics such as time management, analyze my nursing philosophy, and learn how to develop a portfolio, I feel I am beginning to understand what is to be a nurse. Before I went to College to study nursing, I had a philosophy about it which has evolved as I have gained experience and knowledge. Merriam Webster’s (2003) defined philosophy as â€Å"an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs† (p.930). Therefore, our nursing philosophy should help us identify what our priorities are and how we should act as a nurse. Although I know my nursing philosophy will keep changing over time, currently, I have a clear idea of what my beliefs are. I feel that a nurse should be motivated to help others, do something meaningful, and make a difference in other people’s lives. A nurse should be someone who values God’s creations, values life, and respects its course. A nurse should be a good listener and do no harm. In addition, I consider that nurses should be able to self-assess themselves to avoid being judgmental when caring for people from diverse backgrounds. Moreover, I think that a nurse should also pay attention to detail to catch any errors or to identify early some disease processes. A nurse should also respect others’ ideas and decisions, and should be eager to learn as the field evolves. Finally, I believe a nurse should be strong and sensitive at the same time to treat others with humanity and provide support. However, this philosophy could not exist without four main concepts which are health, nursi... ...to learn more about that. I cannot wait to exchange impressions about our nursing philosophy as well as learn more about the professional portfolio development. I hope you have found my post interesting. I truly enjoyed the topics and I felt I had a lot to say so hopefully it was not too long. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my post and commenting on it. Works Cited Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary (11th ed.). (2003). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster. Oermann, M.H. (2002). Developing a professional portfolio in nursing. Orthopaedic Nursing, 21(2). Retrieved from http://www.nursing-informatics.com/Oermann.pdf University of Michigan School of Nursing (2004). Nursing resumes & portfolios. Retrieved May 28, 2014 from http://www.nursing.umich.edu/about-our-school/computing-technology/electronic-portfolios/nursing-resumes-portfolios

Associate Program Material Essay

Throughout most of U.S. history, in most locations, what race has been in the majority? What is the common ancestral background of most members of this group? I think that the majority race has been the white race throughout most of U.S. history. They were the majority race that chose to settle in the U.S. and capitalize here. The common ancestral background of most members in this group, comes from European descent. The white race decided to turn the U.S. into their own profit, and they were in control for a long time, setting social standards and turning this country into a form of profit in order to capitalize here. The white race has built this country to become what it is today, however in my opinion, it was the slaves (African Americans) that the whit race kept that should get credit for the work that they put in, because they did all the work. What are some of the larger racial minorities in U.S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? There are several larger minorities in U.S. history, mainly the African American and the Latino race. Their common racial backgrounds are Africa, America, Puerto Rico, the Islands, and Mexico to name a few. In 1928, the African American race became a significant minority when the last state ended slavery. Latinos became a larger minority when they started to triple in size between the 1990’s and the early 2000’s. They started to grow as a minority group. Mrlincolnandfreedom.org, 2013 In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? Based on my research, I have found that the most popular law, was the Jim Crow Law. This law was found and practiced in the South shortly after the slavery ended.  This law was creating obstacles for African Americans by preventing them to gain equality in the U.S. This law was made out of prejudice and discrimination, and was only meant to create hardships for African Americans, because slavery had ended. The Jim Crow law started the segregation, for example, African Americans could not go to the same schools, restaurants, or even drink from the same water fountain. In what ways have laws been used to eliminate discrimination? Provide examples. Did the laws work to eliminate discrimination? There have been laws made in order to prevent discrimination after political protests, and people standing up for their rights. In today’s society, one can not be mistreated or denied housing, sexual orientation, jobs, government assistance, etc. because there are illegal consequences to doing so. Majority of these laws do not only consider the race anymore, they consider the sex, the age, religion etc., and I think that this is justified. The affirmative action of the courts and prison systems which have discriminated against African American’s and Hispanics by giving them 20% longer sentences, is one example of a law that eliminated discrimination. To this day, discrimination is still present. But some of these laws have tried to create equality for everyone.

Historical Changes of Affirmative Actions

Affirmative action was established to practice equal employment opportunity. Moreover, in general, it is a catchall phrase that refers to laws, customs, and social policies. It intends to ease the discrimination between majorities and minorities by giving more opportunities for diverse demographic groups in various social organizations. Also, it refers to both voluntary and mandatory efforts practiced by federal, state, local governments, private employers, and schools to overcome discrimination and to urge equal opportunity into the educational system and working environments (Stephanopoulos and Edley 1995). On the other hand, it is criticized and discussed since it was established due to its has very broad influences in America society. It is not simply a legal issue, but also an issue that affects every American†s way of life. However, it†s just like other laws and regulations, none of them can please all kinds of people. I am a supporter of the affirmative action. Some may say that this is because I am a student, and I need affirmative action to protect my opportunity of finding jobs in the future; unfortunately, they have the wrong thought. I am Taiwanese, and I will find my job in Taiwan where there is no regulation like affirmative action. Therefore, I am standing at a very objective position to discuss this topic with you. Of course, you can always keep you opinions in minds, but please open your minds to look at what I am going to tell you. I. The historical changes of affirmative action Affirmative action was first seen at 1961. President John F. Kennedy referred to his executive order that asked all federal contractors treat the applicants and their employees â€Å"without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin† (Pasour 1989). In 1964, affirmative action expanded its scope to prohibit employment discrimination by large employers, having over 15 employees, whether they have government contracts or not. In addition, from 1965 to 1967, affirmative action was expanded to require all government contractors and subcontractors to take it to expand job opportunities for women and minorities. Then, from 1970 to 1973, legislators evaluated and compared the affirmative action this program and status quo and made this program have more flexible goals and timetables for every organization to achieve it. II. I-200 & Proposition 209 V. S. Affirmative Action When I heard that Washington and California have passed Initiative 200 (I-200) and Proposition 209, which are regulations that against affirmative action, I think the residents of these two states may not clearly realize what the affirmative action really is. These regulations were passed because the supporters believe affirmative action has gone too far to protect minorities and women. Furthermore, the affirmative action causes reverse discriminations, preferential treatments, and privileges at not only work places but also schools. Proponents of I-200 and California†s proposition 209 also argue that affirmative action has led American colleges and universities to use racial and ethnic as criteria to select a significant fraction of their entering classes. They also argue that because of affirmative action, companies may hire less qualified minorities or women instead of best-qualified white males. I cannot agree! If those are true, why are most of the top level managers white males? Besides, why are women getting lesser pay than men have when taking charge of the same duties? According to the report of the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission in March 1995, â€Å"a large proportion of minorities and women are locked into low-wage, low-prestige, and dead-end jobs† (Murrell and Jones). The Glass Ceiling Commission reported that â€Å"97 percent of senior managers at the Fortune 1,000 corporations were white males†(Morin and Warden A01). Also, in 1998, women were earning 75% of men†s salaries base on the same kind of job, said by Jim Hose, a Human Resource Professor of Eastern Washington University. The general pattern of male-female relations continues in modern societies. An example like Home Depot Inc. , â€Å"it was suited by EEOC in 1997 because it hired women into low-level jobs, such as cashier, with little chance for advancement into sales or management positions† (Lerner D3). The evidence shows that affirmative action is still needed due to society†s unequal status. Most importantly, opponents argue that affirmative action causes reverse discrimination, and that is not true. A statistic shows that â€Å"fewer than 100 out of 3000 discrimination cases filed actually involved reverse discrimination and only six out of 100 cases were true† (Wilson 1995). When the U. S. overnment stars to practice affirmative action, it creates broader opportunities for all populations instead of only for white men. At this point, white males may have some impact on them, but the affirmative action is still needed when you consider society as a whole. Another issue has been brought out by advocators of I-200 and Proposition 209, that affirmative action leads schools to select candidates unfairly. However, universities do not just look for racial and ethnic diversity when composing a class. Universities may reject some white students, but the reasons are absolutely not simply about racial and ethnic issues. According to the date, which is based on 1996 applications for ten public Virginia universities, â€Å"show those universities selected applicants would consider about race, sex, SAT scores, class rank, and high school grade point averages† (Mcqueen A13). Affirmative action is the regulation that ensures everyone in America has fair chances in every organization. Why did legislators established affirmative action? Is it because of historical discrimination of white people against African Americans? This notion gives those opponents a very big chance to criticize affirmative action. They argue that discrimination between blacks and whites has become history; therefore, we should not have affirmative action to deepen prejudice or recall everybody†s attention to racialism. Has our society become equal without discrimination? I don†t believe that someone is so naive to think so. Perhaps those critics just don†t want to face the truth of the status quo. There was an example on ABC news, which filmed two men that have the same education, age, appearance, and other qualities, However, one is African American and another is white. While the white got full service in shoes store, got a lower price and better financing plan for buying a car, the African American got opposite treatments. Thus, when you think that affirmative action is enough, please consider what the real world is. The truth is that there is pervasive racism in all areas of U. S. society. IV. Four-fifth rule/Quota and Affirmative action The most common argument about the affirmative action is that many people believe that affirmative action leads organizations to not hire the best-qualified people due to some quota restrictions, such as the four-fifth rule. The four-fifth rule means â€Å"adverse impact exists if the selection ration for the discriminated-against group is less than four-fifths (or 80 percent) of the selection ration for the majority group† (Ledvinka and Scarpello 143). These opponents of affirmative action argue that some affirmative action practices have involved the use of preferential treatment and privilege to achieve workforce diversity that destroyed the purity of assessing candidates. At this point, I am not going to say that there is no company that likes what they have described, but the problems occurred due to misunderstanding of those regulations. What we say about the Four-fifth rule, or simply say quota restriction, is a goal set by government for every organization to follow. So far, there is no company which hires employees base on BFOQ (Bona fide occupational qualification), that has been charged because of not reaching the goal of the Four-fifth rule. â€Å"True affirmative action does not enshrine preferences or mandate quotas. Nor has any effective affirmative-action program ever been structured to allow unqualified candidates to take jobs over the qualified† (Redwood 136). Everyone can have goal. By setting a good goal for yourself, even you can†t reach it, you are still going toward right direction. The affirmative action and Four-fifth rule as like. V. How do you identify the term â€Å"Best-qualified†? Can you give the â€Å"best-qualified† a definition? No, I can†t. Actually, by using â€Å"best-qualified,† this phrase is usually very subjective. Different employers have different considerations under their â€Å"best-qualified† catalogs. Tom may be the best-qualified candidate for company A, but may not be eligible for company B. Also, â€Å"Employers have traditionally hired people not only on test scores, but on personal appearance, family and personal connections, school tiles and on race and gender preferences, demonstrating that talent or desirability can be defined in many ways† (Kivel 1996). As we know, many job opportunities are heard from informal networks, like friends, family, and neighbors. If there is no affirmative action to ensure that everyone has a fair chance at what is available, the segregation between different groups, such as black and white, men and women, will become more and more serious. VI. Affirmative Action creates diversity for our environment Affirmative action helps organizations to find diverse and talented employees. America is a diverse country; therefore, if your company has more diverse employees, your company can get various ideas, information, and knowledge to enhance your competition. Many companies, such as Mountain Bell, have commented that â€Å"by instituting affirmative action, they not only made their employee population look like American, which is a diverse country, but also found more talented and skilled workers† (Pendleton and Douglas 1991). Another example for supporting affirmative action is the Aire Sheet Metal, which its president, Bobby Bramlett, said that â€Å"affirmative action creates opportunities with contractors who otherwise wouldn†t know us, or give us a chance†¦ The work comes through relationships, but that first opportunity to build a relationship comes from affirmative action† (Spencer 151). Therefore, affirmative action can let companies have various personnel to enrich companies† overall human resource and enhance companies competitive capacities. In conclusion, I just want you to recognize what affirmative action really is. Affirmative action ensures that everyone in America has an equal chance to compete with others. It is a law to minimize the gap between blacks and whites, men and women. Although affirmative action may have some impact to white males, we still need this law to balance our society by considering the society as a whole. Affirmative action is good for overall U. S. society, especially, when people can combine those diverse powers together. Affirmative action is a long-term benefit for the U. S. society. I believe every American should support this regulation.