Aids in American Youth :: Free AIDS Essays

Aids in American Youth There are more than 40 million people in the world with the disease known as AIDS(Bender 6). There are about 1 million people in America recorded to have the disease(Carasso). While anybody can get AIDS the people who are at the highest risk are youth between under the age of 20 years old(Carasso). This epidemic which came about in the early 80’s has become a deadly problem in our world today. When AIDS came about it is understood that it was only a gay disease in the 80’s, which would cause for this disease to spread rapidly. With the gay community not being the most acknowledge group of people in this decade no one cared that it was happening to them. The disease could have been drastically reduced if people would have known this virus wasn’t passed by, sex nor was it a gay disease only. In fact the disease was initially known as GRID (Gay Related Immune Disorder). In the 80’s almost no one used condoms, which made it easy for the transmission, espe cially when people didn’t know it was sexually translated. Aids has become a problem that every country is faced with, especially Africa with 1 out of 10 being effected with this virus. Some countries in Africa have nearly 50% of its population effected with this disease. The virus of AIDS could have been reduced drastically if people wanted to face the fact that it is sexually transmitted. The disease of AIDS can be passed from person to person several ways. The first, and the most common is through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is by far the greatest risk for contracting the disease. The reason that sex is the most common is because of the friction caused by having sex. For the most part women are more likely to contract the disease, in fact they have a 3 out of 4 chance to catch the disease to a males, 1 out of 4. The other major way, and probably the second leading way to contract the Virus is through sharing a drug needle. Using drugs such as Heroin which calls for an injection of a liquid substance directly into a vein of a person can cause a major transition of blood from one person to another (DeCarlo, Lurie AIDS123).

Botany Durian

Durian: Genus: Durio Family: Malvaceae Kingdom: Plantae Tribe: Durioneae Order: Malvales Subfamily: Helicteroideae Scientific Classification: †¢ There are 30 recognized Durio species †¢ Nine of them produce edible fruit 1. Durio zibethinus 2. Durio dulcis 3. Durio grandiflorus 4. Durio graveolens 5. Durio kutejensis 6. Durio lowianus 7. Durio macrantha 8. Durio oxleyanus 9. Durio testudinarum †¢ Durio zibethinus is the only species available in the international market †¢ Other species are sold in locally Species Durian: It is a large-sized tropical fruit tree.The tree can reach a height of 35 – 45m if grown from seeds. Durian trees that are planted on a smooth level of land are smaller in size (10-15m in height). Climate: Climate Condition †¢ Soil: It grows best in fertile, deep soils with abundant organic matter and a pH of 6-7 †¢ Temperature: 25 -30 C; evenly distributed. The trees may survive occasional changes in temperature as low as 10? C a nd as high as 46 C. †¢ Needs tropical warmth, abundant moisture, and sunshine to thrive. †¢ If coconut can grow and bear well in some climate, except for seaside areas (durians are not salt-tolerant), durians may be possible too.Soils: The durian needs Loamy to sandy loamy is the most suitable soil. This soil is mostly found at the slopes of hills. Soil like â€Å"bris† soil, sulphuric acid and peaty soil is not suitable for durians. Roots: Durian roots have primary taproot going directly down from the trunk and secondary roots growing out from it. Durian Flowers †¢ Durian flowers are strongly fragrant and having nectar †¢ 50-70 mm long and grow in clusters of 1 to 45 individual flowers per cluster †¢ Flower clusters hang from the main and smaller branches, or directly from the trunk of the tree. Period of 3 to 4 weeks of dry weather is needed to stimulate flowering †¢ It takes about one month for a durian flower to develop from first appearance as a tiny bud to an open blossom. †¢ Each flower has 5 sepals and 5 petals †¢ Colour of the flower matches the color of the edible pulp that will develop inside the fruit; – Yellowish petals produce yellow-fleshed Durians (the most common) – White or Reddish petals will produce white or reddish fleshed Durians. †¢ Durian flowers are normally open from around 3 p. m. to midnight †¢ Durian flowers are hermaphrodites, each having a stamen and pistil in the same flower. Self-pollination rarely happens because the pistil and the stamen do not appear at the same time. †¢ Durian flowers are primarily pollinated by Bats when they visited flowers for nectar †¢ No evidence for any durian pollination happens via the wind †¢ It has been demonstrated that durian fruit-set will greatly increase by human hand-pollination †¢ Usually only 1 or 2 durian fruit develop from each flower cluster Flowerbud and flower: The nocturnal durian flower blooms when night falls and is at its peak at midnight. Usually, no pollen can survive until the next morning, so active pollination occurs during the night. Bats are pollination agents. Durian Leaf †¢ leaves are about 8 – 20 cm long and 2. 5-7. 5 cm wide †¢ Elliptic to oblong in shape †¢ Upper surface is shiny smooth, light or darkgreen †¢ Bottom surface is somewhat scaly, sometimes brown but more often with a golden shine. †¢ Leaves are folded at their mid-rib when they first appear, then stretch out as they mature. Durian Fruit †¢ Durian fruits’ Weight commonly ranges from 2-5 kg, up to 8 kg is also possible. †¢ Thai varieties are generally the largest, as 200 mm long by 175 mm in diameter †¢ Fruits from Philippines and most other regions are sually smaller and lighter †¢ The weight of the fruit and its spiky armor make a durian grove a hazardous place during ripening season, unless the fruits have all been pre-tied with string s or ropes to prevent their fall to the ground, or large safety nets positioned to catch them. Durian Fruit †¢ Inside each fruit there are 5 compartments containing the arils and 1 to 7 seeds of 2-6 cm long with glossy, red-brown seedcoat †¢ The aril or pulp varies extensively between cultivars and different seedlings in aroma, flavor, texture, thickness, and color, usually ream yellow to deep orange, but also rarely in some varieties white and even bright red. †¢ Durians from trees aged 50, 60 years and more have enhanced qualities of flavor, aroma, and texture †¢ Fruits of older trees can be identified visually by having very wrinkled skin on the fruit sections. †¢ Durians are highly perishable. They are fully ripe 2 to 4 days after falling and lose eating quality in 5 or 6 days †¢ The fruit is attractive to a great variety of animals and insects as well as people, including monkeys, gibbons, orangutans, apes, birds, dogs, pigs, rhinoceros, ears, squi rrels, tapirs, deer, elephants, tigers, and even the domestic cat. Odor/Smell of Durian — Smell of Durian is a mixture of – Unwashed socks – Rotten fish – City dump on a hot summer's day – Carrion in custard – Decayed onion – Turpentine – Garlic Taste of Durian †¢ Taste of the Durian is a mixture of – Custard – Almonds – Cream cheese – Sherry wine – Ice cream spices – Banana Medicinal Properties †¢ Parasitic worms are said to be expelled by eating durian †¢ Fevers are said to be reduced by drinking a tea of the leaves and roots, or applying durian leaf juice to the head. Swellings and skin diseases are said to be healed by applying a tea of the leaves and fruits †¢ People with high blood pressure or pregnant women are traditionally advised not to consume durian †¢ Durian is not recommended for consuming with alcoholic beverages, as the combination of natural sub stances is a powerful producer of internal gas. Facts About Durian: -The durian is commonly known as the â€Å"king of the fruits. † The name comes from the Malay word duri, meaning â€Å"thorn. † -Durians cannot be plucked from the tree. You have to wait for durians to drop. The fruit usually drops at night.

Racism and Slavery in America Essay

The origin of race and slavery in North America is often viewed chronologically. Historians are divided on their stance as to whether or not racism may be considered as the root cause of slavery. While some agree on this, others argue that slavery in fact had nothing to do with the origins of racism and that in retrospect, slavery when legalized actually facilitated racism. However, the question is not one of precedence because essentially the social differences including rituals, religion, and language along with inequalities of power between the Europeans and Africans together gave way to racism and slavery. Hence it would be wrong to divide North America in the seventeenth century into the two binaries of race and slavery and consider these realms as mutually exclusive. It was not just racism that made Africans slaves or slavery that made Europeans racist. Rather, the interaction of differences in race and power structure created a realm where each overlaps and influences one other. The two arguments presented by scholars are true yet they are contradictory if viewed from the perspective of causality. This suggests that for both the standpoints to hold true, the occurrence of racism and slavery had to be during the same period in history, not preceding one another. Thus, this paper explores the idea that slavery and racism cannot be seen in a relationship of causality. Instead, slavery and racism are iterative terms, i. e. they are the products of a large number of small unconscious acts and interactive social engagements. As Canessa asserts that â€Å"each iteration reinforces or undermines a particular identity, but any single act is unlikely to have a major effect†, it suggests that neither racism or slavery preceded each other, but rather they developed and influenced each other as a result of the interactions between Europeans and Africans. The concept of iteration can be understood by exploring the two different positions that various scholars hold. The first stance that racism preceded slavery, demands an explanation of the word ‘race’ itself. The definition of race includes the biological description of one’s phenotype and their genetic set up. This description often leads to the physiognomic differences which generalize the behavior and social standing of people. Gleaning from this idea of race, it is not a surprise to find that the English described Negros as ‘savages’ and ‘barbaric’ using their ethnocentric lens of what it meant to be ‘civilized’. They used the criteria of color, religion, rituals and economic and social status to demarcate the racial identities as superior or inferior. Carl N. Delger questions the view of scholars who believe that racism was a result of legalized slavery by asserting that even if one believes that â€Å"slavery evolved as a legal status, it reflected and included as a part of its essence, the same (racial) discrimination which white men had practiced against the Negro all along and before any statutes decreed it. † Carl Delger’s argument explicitly states that the racist attitude of Whites was the root cause for the origination of slavery. He says that â€Å"long before slavery or black labor became an important part of the southern economy, a special and inferior status had been worked out for the Negroes who came to the English colonies. Unquestionably it was a demand for labor which dragged the Negro to American shores, but the status which he acquired here cannot be explained by reference to that economic motive. † He claims that although slavery was legalized half a century after the and terms like ‘slave’ were not used to define Negros, their treatment wasn’t any better. Many scholars like Carl N.  Degler argue that the Whites were inherently racist and practiced racism on everyone who belonged to a different race. This trait is evident because before the Whites had black slaves, they practiced slavery on Indigenous Indians and on white indentured labor that included Irish, Polish, Jews, and Germans. Thus, â€Å"an inferior and onerous service was established for the Indian makes it plausible to suppose that a similar status would be reserved for the equally different and pagan Negro. † I agree with his assumption because it suggests that racism was not something that was new to English when they brought the Negros. However, once the Whites enslaved the Africans, they grew less severe towards the white servants. The evidence for his argument comes from a variety of sources. Degler provides the example where the differences in status between an English servant and Negro were reflected not only at a public level but in the private lives of Negros as well. Degler asserts that not only the company (some European trading company) distrusted the Negros but some whites even held on to Negros as slaves for life as early 1630s and their slavery was inheritable. Thus, Carl Degler argues that all the statutes that were enforced after 1660s, were nothing but a result of the racist ideologies that forced the English to make such brutal and discriminatory laws. Moreover, historians like Winthrop D. Jordan assert that the heathenism of Negros was an important component which invited a racially discriminatory reaction from the English. He asserts that besides the physiological differences like color of the skin, factors like cultural practices and religious beliefs constituted the notions of racism. He explains that the English believed that, â€Å"to be Christian was to be civilized rather than barbarous, English rather than African, white rather than black†¦By this time, â€Å"Christianity had somehow become intimately and explicitly linked with â€Å"complexion†. However, heathenism alone could not have been the sole cause for enslavement, because it was easily terminated as soon as the Negro was converted into a Christian. Hence, Winthrop asserts that it was, â€Å"virtually every quality in the Negro (that) invited pejorative feelings. Along with heathenism, the language, gestures and eating habits of Negros were strikingly different from the English, and contributed towards the notion of ‘savages’ and ‘barbaric’. However, there is opposition to the correlation between the racial discrimination and slavery. Carl Delger and Winthrop are in complete contrast with the ideologies that Kathleen Brown, Edmund Morgan and Oscar and Mary F. Handlin believe in. Although the latter do not deny that racism was a part of American society in the 17th century, they attribute different reasons for its presence. Instead of attributing the ‘inherent racism’ as the cause of slavery, they believe that the motivation for economic prosperity led Whites to become racist, stringent and discriminatory towards the enslaved Africans. Although the former group of scholars asserts that, â€Å"the development of a form of slavery, which left a caste in its wake, cannot be attributed to pressure from increasing numbers of blacks, or even from an insistent demand for cheap labor†, the latter group justifies the very statement as truth. The reason for the increased discrimination and control comes from the fact that unlike before, the Europeans grew more than ever ambitious with Africa as a trading partner which would be used to amass great wealth. Kathleen Brown, who argues that slavery preceded racism, asserts that there is a fundamental problem in viewing the idea of ‘race’ in the context of just appearances. She asserts that often historians perceive â€Å"race as a biological fact rather than as an ongoing historical and cultural construction †¦ When legal, literary, and mercantile discourses of race are examined along with actual practices of coerced labor, the relationship between slavery and racism becomes much more complicated, defying our efforts to designate one as a cause of the other. † Brown attaches the concept of historical construction to define race in order to undo the myth of causality which states that racism preceded slavery. Her stance is agreeable because even if one considers Whites to be innately racist, one cannot deny that there could be more motivation and incentives, apart from racism, to practice slavery. Moreover, a racial identity, according to Kathleen Brown and Winthrop Jordon, is created from factors like socio-economic structures and not just phenotype. Thus racism was not the root cause of slavery. Hence the racial discrimination of the Negros and their consequential enslavement was merely a ‘means’ to achieve the ‘end’ of White objectives of economic growth was possible by enlisting more productive labor. This assumption can be verified because slavery in America did not begin until the end of seventeenth century when in fact, the Africans were brought as early as 1619. Edmund Morgan explains that the reason behind this delay in enslaving Africans, was the â€Å"high mortality among immigrants to Virginia† This made the white indentured slaves more advantageous as compared to black slave labor because they were less expensive with low mortality rate. According to Oscar and Mary F. Handlin, the black slaves were in fact undesired by the colonists. The costs of hiring Black slaves were higher because they were unskilled and ran the risks of mortality, escape and rebellion. This ideology clearly reflects that the motive of the colonist was only to maximize their profits and grow more as a powerful entity by effectively controlling the colonized. Hence, they were able to maximize productivity successfully by keeping whites as servants. The need for black slaves grew much later and racism was born out of legalizing slavery. The racist and discriminatory mentality that developed is evident in the laws that the English established after 1660s. These laws were the methods and ways to control the blacks and subjugate them to a lower social status. The 1668 statute was an important event in the creation of a distinctive legal meaning for Negro in America. This law took away the freedom of every ‘black’ slave by subjecting them to life-long slave tenure. Kathleen Brown explains that this law was especially discriminatory for women because all black women were asked to pay the taxes, irrespective of their status as free or enslaved. The consequence of the law created social power structures and racial identities. The free African men found it more desirable to marry white women in order to escape tax liability of their wives and daughters, and in turn, gain a status quo equal to whites. As a result a new racial demarcation was established. In contrast to English women, African women were presumed capable of and naturally suited to strenuous field work. This not only lowered the status of Negros, but also set an exclusive definition of what it meant to be white, reflective of their power and status. Racialization is evidenced in many other laws that were established in the 1660s stipulating a similar idea. The statute of 1662, made a bold attempt to naturalize the condition of slavery by making it heritable and embedding in it a concept of race . This law made the paternity of a child born from enslaved women to be irrelevant, in turn leaving the enslaved women as a â€Å"productive and reproductive property† of their masters. This also ensured the availability of slaves, as the enslaved women could only give birth to slaves. Along with this, many laws subjected the slaves to lifetime bondage by utilizing religion. One could view this law as a representation of the innately racist idea that Negros were heathen and needed Christianity to become civilized. However this law can also be perceived as an opportunity through which the Whites used the concept of ‘religion’ to control and produce more slave population. The law passed in 1667, legalized the meaning of Christianity and stated that baptism cannot be used as a way to free oneself from slavery. The Christian commission declared that, â€Å"the conferring of baptisme doth not alter the condition of the person as to his bondage or freedom. † This law demarcated Christians from non-Christians and distinguished ‘slaves’ from ‘servants’. Kathleen Brown holds the colonist responsible to create a division of race by incorporating slavery. She asserts that, â€Å"they created a legal discourse of slavery rooted in sexual, social, and economic lives of African laborers and effectively naturalized the condition of slavery by connecting it to a concept of race. The arguments by Kathleen Brown, Edmund Morgan and Oscar and Mary F. Handlin state that the colonists established the concept of race by legalizing slavery. Although neither side presents a view that is wrong, they are only partially correct. The problem is in the assumption that the authors make in forming these arguments. Their arguments are reflective of a desire to ‘fit’ the hi story of North America into a system of causality where either racism preceded slavery or vice versa. In history, one cannot deny the occurrence of events but their interpretations, meanings and the inferences drawn from them can differ drastically. Likewise, although no scholar denies that racism and slavery existed in the 17th century America, nonetheless, the debate revolves around the issue of precedence of the two. In reality, the history of North America is a complex structure which cannot be divided into these two binaries but rather should be seen as the point of intersection the two realms of racism and the laws that the Whites enforced are superimposed on each other. The diagram below is a graphical attempt to illustrate the idea better. It is almost impossible to define one as a cause of another and the thus the only way to understand the complex social and economic structure of North America is to interpret it as an era where the simultaneity of racial ideology and slavery induced through decree existed. Thus, white supremacy was not simply a summary of color prejudices; it was also a set of political programs, differing according to the social position of their proponents. While on one hand, the established statute manipulated power structures to establish racial identities, on the other hand Barbara Fields asserts that â€Å"race became the ideological medium through which people posed and apprehended basic questions of power and dominance, sovereignty and citizenship, justice and right. †. The two components of racism and economic prosperity interacted in a way where they meshed together to give rise to slavery. Hence, there is no way to validate the precedence of one over the other when in fact they developed simultaneously and had a continuous influence on each other together.

A Study of Factors Contributing to the Lack of Success and Participation of African American in Males in Advance Placement Classes

Abstract The purpose of this research brief is to offer a brief review of those factors that contribute to the academic achievement gap between African American males. A sample of 25 8th grade, African American, male students from Dent Middle School will be identifyied as participates for the research. Although there has been research written about the achievement gap between African American and their counterparts, the literature is limited regarding strategies tailored specifically to address the achievement gap between African American males.Participant’s data will be collected in relation to sex, race, age group, and attending school. Subjects will responded to an unobtrusive open-ended survey instrument. A survey consisting of 10 qualitative questions and will be used to developed for analysis. Introduction Studies have found that the level of the success of African American male students in advanced educational program is lower rates than nonblack peers (Few, 2004).Succe ss in early exposure to advance classes has shown that it ultimately impacts students’ pre college experiences, such as career choice, level of success, and the nature of participation extracurricular activities (Williams, 2011). Very few black males take advanced classes, which are more in line with college entrance requirements (Few, 2004). Instead, they stick to classes that meet basic high school graduation requirements (Few, 2004). Poverty is another barrier that blocks African American male from participation in the AP program.Most schools require a fee for taking an exam in each subject area (Williams, 2011). AP courses are not as accessible for minorities as for White students because many low-income schools (often primarily populated by minority students) do not offer any AP classes (Watts Silvernail, 2010). With most African American families living well below the nation poverty rate paying addition school fees is unrealistic (Cross, 2006). Further, the lack of expo sure to participating in advance placement class is also an issue that arises with African American males (Watts Silvernail, 2010).Influenced for many years by widespread opinion that they have substandard academic abilities, African American male students in many instances do not consider enrolling in the AP program (Williams, 2011). Consequently, when African American males are not being identified as being academically high achieving and they receive tremendous peer pressure not to achieve, it is no surprise that few African American young males are in honors or advanced placement courses (Cross, 2006).Despite these data, research is still necessary to understand why African American male student demonstrate lack of success and participation in advance courses. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to examine the possible factors that contribute to the lack success and participation of African American males in advance placement classes by asking the following questio ns: 1. Are African American males encouraged to participate in advance placement classes? . What types of support in being offered to enhance participation for African American Males? 3. What influences are hindering participation in advance placement for African American males? Researchers have attempted to clarify the factors the contribute to the lack of success and participation of African American in males in advance placement classes, most of the discussion focuses on fundamentals such as poverty, discrimination, and availability.While there has been much written on the African American in males in advance placement classes, there are questions and problems that are fully or partially disclosed in the works of known scholars. Although there have been significant gains in the educational endeavors of African American students, the 1990s saw a reduction in the progress made with a significant widening of the achievement gap between African American and Caucasian students(Few, 20 04). According to the Education Trust, (2003), the black-white gaps are about 10 points wider than they were more than a decade ago .In addition to gaps in performance on achievement tests, gaps are found in grades, course selection, advanced placement (AP) course participation and test taking, high school graduation, and dropout rates (Legler, 2004). Theodore Cross was dedicated to the conscientious investigation of the status and prospects for African American males in higher education. In the journal article published in The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education Cross addresses educational limitation for African American males in regards to advance placement.While his research did reveal and address the fundamentals of the lack of participation in advance classes for African American males the article lacked objectivity. The focus of the article was centered on the racial scoring gap of advance placement and examined the significance of the interracial disparities between African American male. While is this a key component Jenel Few author of â€Å"The Odds are Against them: The Black Male Education Debacle† takes a stand on the lack of preparation is the leading factor that hinders African American males from partaking in advance classes.She discusses the teacher’s lack of preparation to education children from different social standing and educational standing as well. African American males tend to be underrepresented in advanced and honors courses and more likely to be placed in special education programs and suspended or expelled from school (Few, 2004). The article describes a singularity known as the stereotype threat, which impacts the way teachers view students and the way students view themselves.Stereotype threat influenced teachers’ low-achievement expectations for poor and minority students (Few, 2004). Watts Silvernail, (2010) An Examination of the Barriers and Supports to African-American Enrollment in Honors and Advance d Placement Courses doctoral dissertation examined the impact of teacher effectiveness on the learning of different types of students, from low to high achievers, illustrated the importance of quality teachers. In her studies she found that teacher’s quality has a â€Å"huge effect on how well students fare in school† (abstract).Silvernail discusses that there are many externally and internally generated factors that can influence African American male students' academic decisions to participate in AP classes. External factors include inaccessibility, socioeconomic status, and systemic barriers. Internal factors include cultural identity conflicts, learning style differences, and social isolation (abstract). Silvernail research determined that educational programs that promote equal access to higher education for traditionally underserved populations do exist among African American male.Her qualitative approach was used with the intention of using authentic voices Afri can American student voices to look for commonalities and differences between those students who choose the rigorous advanced track and those who do not (Silvernail, 2010). Method In this research study, The Factors Contributing to the Lack of Success and Participation of African American in Males in Advance Placement Classes will be examined. A qualitative method was chosen because it will offer a more purposeful sampling.The strength of qualitative research is its ability to provide complex textual descriptions of how people experience a given research issue (Robert, 1999). The main purpose of choosing qualitative method is the advantage of qualitative research is to provide a richer deeper understanding of a problem or question being observed. Qualitative methods are also effective in identifying intangible factors, such as social norms, socioeconomic status, gender roles, ethnicity (Robert, 1999). Each participant personified three characteristics: Black male, a student, and a v olunteer.Participants The participants of this study will include 40 African American male students in the grade to 8th grade at Dent Middle School in Columbia South Carolina who have reported not being successful or participating in advance placement classes. I chose Dent Middle School because of it diversity with students and teachers. In order to conduct a survey with students a paternal consent form was required do to the participants being under the age of 18 years of age. Survey Instrument Participants in this study will complete an survey that consists of 25 questions. see Appendix A) The survey was developed to collect data that will be used to analyze the reasoning behind the lack of success of African American males in advance placement classes. References Cross, T. (2006). There is both good news and bad news in Black participation in advanced placement programs. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 50, 97-101. Retrieved from http://www. jbhe. com/features/59_apscor inggap. html Education Trust. (2003). African American achievement in America. Retrieved April 5, 2012 from http://www2. edtrust. org/NR/rdonlyres/ 9AB4AC88-7301-43FF-81A3 EB94807B917F/0/AfAmer_Achivement. df Few, J. (2004). The odds are against them: The black male education debacle. The Black Commentator, 89, Retrieved from http://www. blackcommentator. com/89/89_reprint_education. html Legler, R. (2004). Perspectives on the gaps: Fostering the academic success of minority and low-income students. Naperville, IL: Learning Point Associates. http://books. google. com/books/about/Perspectives_on_the_gaps. html? id=lM_zGwAACAAJ Robert , P. (1999). Qualitative methods: what are they and why use them?. Health Services Research, 34, 1101–1118. Retrieved from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. ov/pmc/articles/PMC1089055/ Watts Silvernail, L. (2010). An examination of the barriers and supports to african-american enrollment in honors and advanced placement courses. (Doctoral dissertation, University of South Carolina)Retrieved from http://www. grin. com/en/doc/237000/an-examination-of-the-barriers-and-supports-to-african-american-enrollment Williams, R. (2011). More blacks are competing in advanced placement programs, but the racial scoring gap is widening. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 13, 23-36. Retrieved from http://www. jbhe. com/features/59_apscoringgap. html

Quality management and frameworks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality management and frameworks - Essay Example Ensuring a clean environment is critical to sustainable economic growth in Abu Dhabi. The Environment Agency has historically worked with a range of government agencies to define and develop regulation and standards, as well as to enforce them. Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) is on of the key Abu Dhabi and federal entities concerned with health and safety (Umashev & Willett 2008). Introduction Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) was established in year 2005, as an independent food regulatory agency for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, with full financial and administrative capacity, administered by an independent Board of Directors. The establishment of the Food Control Authority reflects the Abu Dhabi Government's commitment to protecting the consumer by ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of food served to the public throughout the food chain. The Authority embodies the Abu Dhabi Government's commitment to protecting its consumers, particularly by ensuring the safety and q uality of food served throughout the public. It enforces policies and standards and conducts research and awareness campaigns to maintain a sustainable agriculture and food sector that delivers safe food to the public, protects the health of animals and plants, and adheres to sound environmental practices. The vision of the ADFCA is â€Å"An internationally recognized food and agriculture organization that contributes to the well-being of the community† (ADFCA). Its mission is â€Å"to develop a sustainable agriculture and food sector that ensures the delivery of safe food to the public and protects the health of animals and plants while promoting sound environmental practices through cohesive and effective policies and regulations, quality standards, research and education† (ADFCA). GIS profile GIS and mapping capacities at ADFCA are currently in the exploratory and planning stage phase, and there is interest in utilizing mapping applications to augment their current business processes. Once fully developed, GIS would enable ADFCA to map and understand the location and spatial distribution of food facilities, plan and conduct inspection operations (aided by PDAs and hand-held computers), respond to health alerts, identify suitable locations for new food facilities, and monitor food transport vehicle movements (Geuser, Mooraj, & Oyon, 2009). ASDI involvement ADFCA became a member entity in the SDI community in September 2009. IT & Field Operations is cooperating closely with the ADSIC team in accessing and using ADFCA’s database to map the food establishments with building Geocode and creating a linkage to the Abu Dhabi Spatial Data Infrastructure (AD-SDI) initiative. Some of the activities that ADFCA has participated in include: Pilot Project, With the help of ADSIC team, a pilot area and a food inspector was identified, with a view to mapping the food establishment (Groceries & Supermarkets) of that area with the building Geocodes (made available by ADSIC); and Food Establishment Data, which were mapped with result of pilot project, with their respective information viz. Trade License Details, Activities, Risk Level, Contact Information, Owner Information, ADFCA Inspection Actions (Warnings & Violations) issued in the last one year (Geuser, Mooraj, & Oyon 2009). Participation of ADFCA in SIAL China The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority announced its participation in SIAL China 2012, which

Law of Tort. Majrowski v Guys and St. Thomas NHS Trust. Rylands v Coursework

Law of Tort. Majrowski v Guys and St. Thomas NHS Trust. Rylands v Fletcher - Coursework Example Therefore Ben is at liberty to pursue a claim against X Ltd. in tort for Amir’s harassment provided he can substantiate the requisite elements constituting harassment. The fact that Ben complained to management in the past and after the incident in which he was locked in a store closet will not exempt X Ltd. from liability under the principle of vicarious liability. Despite a formal warning, the harassment continued. The fact is, an employer can be vicariously liable even if the employer is not aware of the harassment leading to psychiatric injury. Since Ben can substantiate harassment for which the employer is vicarious liable under the House of Lords’ interpretation of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 , Ben will have to prove that the harassment took place in the course of employment. An employer can only be held vicariously liable for the conduct of an employee during the course of employment. In this regard, the Salmond test is instructive. The Salmond test provides that: An employer will be liable not only for a wrongful act of an employee that he has authorized, but also for a wrongful and unauthorised mode of doing some act authorised by the master. 5 It can be inferred that since Ben complained in the past and Amir’s harassment only intensified, X Ltd. authorized the harassment and therefore Ben will be able to meet the definition of the Salmond test. As Lord Millett stated, the Salmond test would act as a guide for applying the law to different facts and circumstances.6 Vicarious liability under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 broadens the Salmond test in that the employee need only be acting during work hours and in the workplace.7 Moreover, it was established in Jones v Tower Boot Co. Ltd., that the Salmond Test may not be applicable in cases of harassment. The Salmond test may only be applicable in cases where an employee’s tortious conduct is directed toward a third party. However, when the employee’s conduct is d irected toward another employee, the employer will not escape liability. In this regard, the phrase â€Å"in the course of employment† will be interpreted liberally.8 In the final analysis, the test to be applied in establishing vicarious liability, is whether or not the behaviour complained of was such that it had an impact on the victim’s ability to perform his duties. Essentially, what this means is that once the harassment occurs during working hours and more especially in the workplace, the employer will be liable.9 In any event, there is no doubt that the bullying and/or harassment committed by Amir, did have an impact on Ben’s ability to work. He took three weeks off work and upon his return was subjected to further bullying which rendered Ben unable to return to work. Therefore in all the circumstances, Ben has a claim against his employer, X Ltd. for harassment at work under the principles of vicarious liability. B. Amir Section 1 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 provides for a new head of civil/tort claims in respect of harassment. Civil/tortious liability will arise when a person embarks upon a â€Å"course of conduct† that â€Å"amounts to harassment of another†. Although harassment is not defined by the 1997 Act, the House of Lords ruled that harassment would include causing anxiety or distress†. In fact, Section 3 of the 1997 Act permits the recovery of damages in respect of anxiety and distress resulting from harassment. Moreover Section 7 (2) provides that harassment includes â€Å"alarming the person or causing the person distress†. Section 7(2) would certainly include the silent telephone calls as well as the false report that Ben’s wife was in the emergency room of the hospital. On the facts of the case for discussion, Ben has certainly suffered what can be described as anxiety or distres

Evolution of Western corn rootworm population Essay

Evolution of Western corn rootworm population - Essay Example The characteristic that has allowed some Western corn root worm populations to become resistant to corn - soybean- corn rotation is that they produce higher levels of special class proteinases (cathepsin-L) that respond to soybeans defenses (Yates, 2012). Darwin’s theory of natural selection states that evolutionary change occurs when individuals produce variations in each generation and differential ways of survival by combining these variable characters. Individuals with variable characteristics, which increase their chances of survival, will have more opportunities to reproduce and their offspring will benefit from these advantageous characteristics. Similar to this theory, the western corn rootworm has evolved to produce enzymes in their gut that has enabled them to become resistant to corn-soybean-corn rotation. The enzymes inhibitors enables them to survive for two to three days in the soybeans fields which is enough for some of rootworms to lay eggs, when corns are planted in the same fields the rootworm larvae feeds on the corn roots. The modern view of evolution as a change in allele frequencies defines evolution as not only the development of new species from older ones but also the small changes within species from generation to generation-over long periods. Similarly, the western corn rootworm has been able to produce special class proteinases over long period of time, these small changes have enabled them to survive on soybean