Fitness for life

These Wildfires Set the Country on Fire

These Wildfires Set the Country on Fire Recent fires that weve seen in the news are considered some of the worst America has had in many years. But just how do these fires compare in size to others in U.S. history? What were some of the other largest fires in U.S. history? 10. Wallow Fire. Named for the Bear Wallow Wilderness Area where the fire originated, the Wallow Fire burned 538,049 acres in Arizona and New Mexico in 2011. It was caused by an abandoned campfire. The Wallow fire caused the evacuation of more than 6,000 people as well as the destruction of 32 homes, four commercial buildings and 36 outbuildings.  The estimated cost of damages was $109 million. 9.  Murphy Complex Fire. This fire was actually a combination of six  wildfires  that merged together to create one  huge blaze. The Murphy Complex Fire hit Idaho and Nevada in 2007, burning roughly 653,100 acres. 8.  Yellowstone Fires. When most people think about wildfire, they think about the destructive Yellowstone Fires of 1988 that burned 793,880 acres in Montana and Wyoming. Similar to the Murphy Complex Fire, the Yellowstone Fire began as many small fires that merged into one large conflagration. Due to the fire, Yellowstone National Park was closed to all non-emergency personnel for the first time in the parks history. 7. Silverton Fire. Burning 1 million acres in 1865, the Silverton Fire remains the worst recorded fire in Oregon states history. 6. Peshtigo Fire. You have probably heard of the Great Chicago Fire that took place on October 8, 1871. But you may not have realized that there were other, far more destructive blazes that happened on the very same day. One of these was the Peshtigo Fire that burned 1.2 million acres in Wisconsin and killed over 1,700 people. This fire still carries the dubious distinction of being the cause of the most human deaths by fire in U.S. history.   5. Taylor Complex Fire. The year 2004 was a devastating year for Alaska in terms of wildfires. The 1.3 million acres burned in the Taylor Complex Fire were just a small portion of the 6.6 million acres burned elsewhere in the state.   4. California Summer Fires of 2008. So much of California was burning in 2008 that all of the fires were merged together to include more than 1.5 million acres of burned California land. In all, there were 4,108 fires that burned in California during the summer of 2008. Nearly 100 of these fires burned more than 1,000 and many burned tens or even hundreds of thousands of acres.   3. Great Michigan Fire. Like the Peshtigo Fire, the Great Michigan Fire was overshadowed by the Great Chicago Fire that blazed on the same day. The Great Michigan Fire burned 2.5 million acres in Michigan, destroying thousands of homes and businesses in its path. 2. and 1. The Great Fire of 1910 and the Miramichi Fire of 1825.  These two fires tie for being the largest wildland fires in U.S. history. The Great Fire of 1910 included 78 wildfires that burned 3 million acres in Idaho, Montana, and Washington, killing 86 people. The Miramichi Fire burned 3 million acres in Maine and New Brunswick, killing 160 people.

Brownings Plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Brownings Plan - Case Study Example The operational efficiency and profitability of an organization is greatly related to its organizational structure. For the better functioning of the organization, the duties and responsibilities of each of the individuals in the organizations have to be clearly defined and implemented. The restructuring of the organizational structure will be capable of introducing new organizational culture in the firm. Division of work helps to avoid the waste of time and effort resulting from the inefficient operations of less experienced personnel. Thus by consulting with Howard, the firm is going for a restructure by implementing Likert Linking Pin Model. It is used to bring effective change in an organization by introducing team work. As per the model there will be several interrelated working units in the organization and these units will be linked through some individuals. These individuals are known as linking pins. The interrelated work units are formed in upper levels and lower levels. The member of a higher level unit will be the leader of the lower level unit. These people act as linking pins between the upper and lower groups. Thus he holds a dual task of leading his team and at the same time he has to represent his team and protect the interest of that team in the organization. Thus Likert Pin model focuses on the group relationship and these groups will lead the firm to progress. (Linking Pin Model). Organizational Culture, Planning and decision making: These three are the important factors for the success of an organization. When the organization is going through tough conditions, there is a need for organizational changes. Here Browning and Howard are going to implement Likert Plan. Selecting a plan for the restructuring is not a difficult task. But the implementation needs cautious steps. Here the organizational environment and culture has to play an important role. Every strategy will be changed according to the specific organizational climate. Otherwise there will not be desired output. Likewise the planning and decision making are other important factors. Implementation and controlling etc. should be done in this stage. Effectiveness of Browning's Plan in respect of principles of organizational culture: Organizational culture plays a very important role in human system. The culture of a group means the sample of some assumptions that the group learned and solved the problem of external alteration and internal amalgamation. In organizational culture, values are already declared and some values are assumable ones. In the society, the history of the group consists of many stories and mythology. In organization people interact with each other, with outsiders and the surroundings. The organizational culture concentrates on the human side of the organizational life and it creates the significance of suggest a system to promote the people jointly work together and accomplish the desired objectives. This approach needs members. The members consist of leaders. Leaders have a specialized skill and behavior. They recognize the impact of their behavior in the organizationa

What are the main justification for a health system funded largely Essay

What are the main justification for a health system funded largely through private and public taxation and what are the strenghth and weaknesses of the two opposing view point - Essay Example may be required to pay little fee that is not significant to their income, a factor that bridges potential differences in care access based on economic status. Healthcare is also budgeted for, resources availed through the formal budget and taxation policies, and this guarantees continuous availability of care services (Leatt and Mapa 2003, p. 49). A publicly funded healthcare system also ensures quality of care to citizens. This is because the system is organized and qualified professionals manage it. It therefore also offers a benchmark to private practitioners who must match the level of quality in order to attract and retain customers (Ho 2012, p. 68). The system is also comprehensive to meet diversified needs and is in some cases compulsory, a factor that motivates people to seek care and therefore ensures quality of health (Morfaw 2009, p. 109). One of the contrary viewpoints to justification of the publicly funded healthcare system, through taxation and through a special system, is its â€Å"inflexibility and bureaucratization† (Leatt and Mapa 2003, p. 49). The opinion is strong because such a scope may lead to regional scarcity of resources and restrained access but proper management through accurate forecast of needs undermines this criticism. Another criticism is that success of the publicly funded care system may be over-valued because it does not bear some of its costs such as time wasted on waiting lists. The cost may be significant to identify overestimation of the derived utility but such wastes may be inevitable and may also exist in privately funded care systems (Leatt and Mapa 2003, p. 49). Even though opposing views exist to the justification of publicly funded healthcare system, weaknesses of such opinions are more significant than their strengths. Justifications of the system are further more practical. The publicly funded care through taxation is therefore

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

History - Essay Example 1). The term 'Black Death' can refer to either the pneumonic plague or the bubonic plague. â€Å"The pneumonic plague is the deadlier of the two diseases killing its victims is two to three days† (Spielvogel, 2003, p. 275). It was strongest in the larger cities because of the dense populations that lived there and the less sanitary conditions that could be maintained in these urban areas. â€Å"The plague would visit an area, last for about a year, kill about one-third of the population, and move on. †¦ Most historians believe that between 1347 and 1351, at least one-third of Europe’s total human population (20 to 30 million people) died† (Piccolo, 2004). Deaths alone were not the only by-product of the Plague, though. The way the church handled the crisis and the large number of deaths that took place affected the economic, social and political landscape of this large region of the world. The first outbreak of the plague was strongest in the poorer sections of the city because these people were more likely to live in unsanitary conditions and had limited means by which to protect their health. Modern science is able to confirm the Plague was spread by the rat flea who took the disease from the rat and spread it to the human population, so areas that were infested with rats were among the first to show symptoms (Gottfried, 1983). ... Frightened churchmen shut up their churches and fled to the country as did many people in the secular world (Luftus et al, 1999). Because of their ineffectiveness in the crisis, the church lost a great deal of its authority and leadership and the people began to question whether it should ever have held that position. Many people assumed God was angry with them and much more penitent and harsh religious practices were developed to appease God’s wrath through sacrifice. Economic conditions changed dramatically as competitors from other countries entered the market through the development of the guilds. The guilds changed economic conditions for individual citizens and introduced another means by which cities and towns might be run. â€Å"The effects of regression on rural economy were far-reaching. Labour was scarce and wages rose rapidly. In England and in Castile and elsewhere legislation was attempted to fix wages, but without success† (Nohl, 1926, p. 20). Workers, es pecially peasants who were finally making a decent wage, rebelled violently to suggested pay reductions and though the intent was sound, its affects were disastrous. At the same time that the Plague was decimating the population, the faith in the One Religion and changing the economic base of entire nations, the Catholic Church was engaged in an all-out war on itself. Pope Clement V declined to move to Rome when he was appointed in 1305 and moved the papacy to Avignon supposedly because of civil unrest in Rome, but more likely so he would be closer to the French monarchy he served (Menache, 2002). By 1378, this had become a problem. After struggling against a highly suspicious and

Awareness of Pharmacist Health Care Systems

Awareness of Pharmacist Health Care Systems Abstract:- The aim of the study was to investigate the awareness of local population of Islamabad region regarding the pharmacists and their supplementary/independent prescribing in a primary health care system, and further to identify the importance and need of pharmacist’s independent prescribing. Also to prove that the introduction of pharmacist’s prescribing has the potential to minimize fragmentation within the primary health care system, optimize management of medication, and improve patient care and access to medication. We performed an observational study on patients who visited the pharmacies for medication, and took their views and suggestions through a calibrated questionnaire to evaluate the importance and need of pharmacist independent prescribing. After the consent from the patient, complete medical history was noted and Physical Examination were performed to diagnose the disease and need of the patient. Appropriate prescribing and Interventions were done. After one week telephone calls were made to record the response of patients. Majority of population was in the favor of pharmacist independent prescribing. Introduction: From the last few decades the health care got a tremendous change which make it more accessible to the common person. Pharmacist who is an important part of healthcare team, now his roles have extended from the traditional job of dispensing medicines and elementary medication counseling to working with other health-care professionals at patient bed site and in community (Nkansah, Mostovetsky et al. 2010). Pharmacists are among the most easily available health-care providers. They have roles in medication review, health promotion, and disease management, with in-depth knowledge of pharmacology, clinical Pharmacotheraputics, and patient care skills that are currently underused. Prescribing is not an easy task; it involves significant expertise to apply drug therapy skills, but that is a type of skill that pharmacists can improve. Independent prescribers are responsible for the evaluation of the patients with diagnosed or un-diagnosed disorders, and for decisions about the clinical mana gement required and drawing up a treatment plan. The independent prescriber also has the authority to prescribe the medicines required as part of the plan. United Kingdom was the leading country which introduced new role i.e., Pharmacist independent Prescriber (Avery and Pringle 2005).In United States 38 states were allowed for Collaborative drug therapy management in 2003, however Florida was pioneered in Independent Pharmacist Prescribing (Tonna, Stewart et al. 2008). Method and Materials: Design of this study was based on observational method. A survey was done in order to make findings about independent prescribing of pharmacist in the region of Islamabad. Customers of different pharmacies are being asked questions about prescribing manners in the form of questionnaire. By using this method, full medication history from the patient was available to assess the patient compliance, their understanding of the disease, treatment and related issues. Three Pharmacies of Islamabad Region were selected to accomplish the purposes of this study. Twenty nine patients were randomly selected from these pharmacies who visited the pharmacies with some general diseases and asked the pharmacist for medication. The selected population of twenty nine patients was informed and made clear about the objectives and purposes of the research study and a permission was taken from each of the patient involved in this study through the consent form. The Pharmacists at the pharmacies were provided with a case history sheet to take history of the patients so that effective medication with minimum interactions could be provided. The history sheet included patient’s name, age, sex, chief complaint, history of present illness, the diagnosis made etc. Each of the twenty nine patients visiting the pharmacies was asked about their medication histories and the history sheets were filled to keep the record. After the review of patient history, diagnosis was made and prescription was given to the patient. The therapy outcomes and patient satisfaction was evaluated by telephonic interviews from each of the patient. For this purpose a questionnaire was designed, which contained validated questions to evaluate patient satisfaction with the therapy outcomes and patients were asked for their views and suggestions about independent prescribing by the pharmacist. This questionnaire contained open ended, close ended and choice questions that helped to assess the need of pharmacist in primary health care system as independent prescriber. Results:- The first question which was asked to the patients was whether they know about the pharmacist. This question helped to evaluate how much population of Islamabad region is familiar with pharmacist. 93.1% of population in this study was knew about pharmacist. Discussion:- This study has considered the views of patients about pharmacist independent prescribing. The patients involved in this study were all supportive of pharmacist independent prescribing. Patients were satisfied majorly due to the cost effective medications prescribed by the pharmacist and reduced/minimal hospital visits that contributed to save the fee of physician. As when there is a pharmacist available in a community, the burden on the shoulders of a physician is much reduced, patients do not need to take appointments from the physician, hence, it’s time saving for the patients to visit the pharmacist for the medication. Some patients suggested for a separate independent setup for the pharmacist. These were the patients who were fully satisfied with the independent prescribing of a pharmacist. Some of the patients suggested that pharmacist has more knowledge about medicines, their interactions, contraindications, ADRs so they can prescribe independently. In this study majority of the patients were satisfied with the therapeutic outcome of the Pharmacist Prescribing. Similar studies was conducted in UK and it was found that the participants highly appreciated the extending scope of practice for pharmacist (Latter, Blenkinsopp et al. 2010). Another study, Pharmacists were evaluated for their independent prescribing and it was found that patients were satisfied with the pharmacist knowledge and their prescription (Stewart, MacLure et al. 2011). Recently a survey was conducted regarding patients experience and perception of care provided by the pharmacist independent prescriber, most of the patients were satisfied with the pharmacist prescribing. In comparison with Physician prescribing, most of the patients stated no difference in their practice of care provided (Tinelli, Blenkinsopp et al. 2013). Conclusion:- All patients in this study were supportive of pharmacist independent prescribing in primary health care system. There should be an independent setup for the pharmacist to practice diagnosis and prescribe rationalized treatment. Pharmacists are good in general diseases but need practice in broader area of major diseases.

Personal Narrative: My Hero :: Narrative Essay Hero Role Model

Dr. D is a cardiothoracic surgeon. He was my hero. He may well still be, even though he is a throw-back to the days when I was more concerned about science than symbolism. They say in the Chinese proverbs that "if you don't change direction you will end up where you are going." I have come to believe that this is true, and that most of the time we didn't want to go where we were headed anyway. New paths that come to fruition, "digressions" that become the assertions you are trying to make, aren't really digressions at all. They are, instead, the appearance of your "whole point" (Elbow 10). I don't know what my point is, really. Maybe I am waiting for a brilliant digression. It is a digression that brought me to this crazy craft of writing in the first place. I can tell you that Dr. D is a pioneer in the field of heart surgery. His work saw the first artificial heart from the drawing board to the operating table. I can tell you facts because I actually looked them up for a high school English paper back in the day when papers weren't about insight, but rather people and places and all those objective matters. I wrote to Dr. D and got a form letter and a whole bunch of information about his life and trials that they send to other freaks who want to be cardiothoracic surgeons at one point or another. I still have that information somewhere, tucked away with the caduceus my brother bought me when I graduated from high school and entered college as a pre-med student. They say that focusing on "x" will often lead you to discover "y,"which is exactly what happened. While I was toiling all those hours applying to pre-med programs all over the country, I was also spending an hour a day with a woman who was letting me explore the world of words. And as I spent more and more time trying to gain acceptance in a number of pre-med programs, I was making myself more of the writer that eventually abandoned science to be. I was spending all this time writing admissions letters to people telling them why it was essential for me to open up the hearts of the sick and heal them. Now I realize that the heart-sick are not always curable by a new heart or a Dacron tube.

Attrition Rate in It Industry Essay

According to human resource experts, the average attrition rate is projected to grow at 31 per cent in Indian firms in the April-June quarter, a rise of 9-10 per cent from the preceding quarter (January-March). SPECIAL: Best companies to work for India In the April-June quarter of 2011-12, the average attrition rate was 27 per cent. Generally, employees would have received their annual appraisals during the April-June period and those not happy with their performance review or salary hikes seek better opportunities. Consequently, attrition rates are seen going up in these three months, experts opined. â€Å"In the current quarter, we are expecting an average attrition rate of 30 per cent. In Q4 employees were not keen to switch jobs due to appraisal season. Now in April they reached on higher salary compared to previous one and have a chance to negotiate for better salary with new employer along with new appraised designation,† MyHiringClub.com CEO Rajesh Kumar said. â€Å"Salary and designation are the major factors for higher attrition outlook in Q1, FY13. One more concern is having in employees mind if they’ll change their job in this quarter they are entitled to enter into appraisal cycle with their new employer also. So they are not going to loose anything with job change,† he added. Another HR consultant Ripples Consultancy Services CEO and MD Rishi Raman said. â€Å"We would see a high attrition rate of 30-31 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal. The reason behind such attrition is many employees are not satisfied with their appraisals. â€Å"A good performer did not expect 10-15 per cent of hike, their expectation is not less then 20 per cent,† he added. Experts said that attrition would be in double digits in all the sectors. It would be highest in the IT/ITeS sector at 31 per cent, followed by telecom (26 per cent), banking and financial services (23 per cent), aviation and hospitality (22 per cent ), real estate (15 per cent), FMCG (21 per cent), automobile and manufacturing (19 per cent). HR consultants are of the view that employers needs to take various steps in order to retain talent like providing career opportunities and suitable work environment as high attrition impact the company’s resource negatively. â€Å"One of the most effective way to ensure good working conditions for your employees is to provide them with advancement opportunities,† Raman said. HeadHunter Solution Director Priyanka Pawar said,† the high attrition costs increases the costs to the organisation considerably. â€Å"The more the people leave an organisation, the more it is a drain on the company’s resources like recruitment expenses, training and orientation resources and the time. The high attrition rate also affects the productivity of the organisation,† she added. High attrition rate hits IT companies’ bottomlines TNN | Aug 26, 2010, 12.44AM IST CHENNAI: Bad things happen in good times too. Indian IT companies are finding it hard to recruit and retain employees as the recovery takes a definite shape. And their bottomlines are getting hit due to rising wages and high attrition. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margins or operating margins have been dipping for most of the IT biggies in the recent quarters largely because of the spurt in wage inflation. Operating margins of Infosys Technologies declined by 2.36% in June quarter compared with the March quarter. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and HCL Technologies saw their operating margins falling by 0.7% and 1.1%,  respectively. This slide is not an aberration. The companies’ EBITDA has been on a decline for the past four quarters. On the attrition front, a report by Motilal Oswal, a financial services firm, said that Wipro leads the pack with 23% attrition, followed by Infosys (15.8%), HCL Tech (15.7%), and TCS (13.1%) in the June quarter. The figures have been increasing for all these companies for the past few quarters.

Differences Between Social Security Disability Supplemental Security Income

Differences Between Social Security Disability Supplemental Security Income The Differences Between Social Security Disability Supplemental Security Income Everyone is at risk of developing a disability at some point in their lives. In fact, more than 25% of adults in their 20s will become disabled before reaching retirement age.Living with a disability can be incredibly difficult. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with expensive medical bills that are piling up after trips to the doctors or paying for necessary prescriptions. If you factor in paying for necessary items, such as groceries, rent and clothing, suddenly it can all be too much to bear.Those with disabilities may find it hard to continue to work, and ultimately find their condition so debilitating that they must stop- effectively losing their livelihood and source of income.Without an income or too little of an income, staying afloat can be nearly impossible. This dangerous cycle was all caused due to an illness someone likely had no control over.But, what options do you have? If you or a family member has a disability, are there resources that you can apply for to help during this difficult time? You May Be Eligible for Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income The Social Security Administration has two different programs to help serve disabled people, The Social Security Disability program (SSD) and the Supplemental Security Income program (SSI). Both programs are created to help Americans who have developed disabilities.Although their acronyms are similar and easily confused with one another, there are many differences that are important to understand to help decide which program is available to you.In our infographic, discover the main differences and learn which program you can apply for.nullnullSimplify the Process and Obtain Benefits by Partnering with a Skilled Lawyer The application process can be complicated and confusing, and when facing challenges of having a disability, timing is important.An experienced Social Security Disability lawyer can listen to you, help you determine which program is right for you, and guide y ou through the entire process. Partnering with a skilled disability benefits lawyer can help make the process easier for you and improve your chances of being awarded benefits, ensuring you can focus on your health.Need Social Security Disability Benefits? We Can Help.If you are disabled and unable to work, call  Disability Attorneys of Michigan  for a free confidential consultation. We’ll let you know if we can help you get a monthly check and help you determine if any money or assets you receive could impact your eligibility for disability benefits.Disability Attorneys of Michigan  works hard every day helping the disabled of Michigan seek the  Social Security Disability  benefits they need. If you are unable to work due to a physical, mental or cognitive impairment, call  Disability Attorneys of Michigan  now for a free consultation at  800-949- 2900.Let Michigan’s experienced disability law firm help you get the benefits you deserve.Disability Attor neys of Michigan, Compassionate Excellence. Michigan Social Security Disability Lawyer, Social Security Disability, Social Security Disability Lawyer, Supplemental Security Income

10 Facts That Private Schools Want Parents to Know

10 Facts That Private Schools Want Parents to Know If you are considering sending your child to private school, here are 10 facts about private schools which all prospective parents should know. The data and information provided here should answer most if not all of your biggest questions. 1. Private Schools Educate About 5.5 Million Students According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there were approximately 33,600  private schools in the U.S. in 2013-2014. Together, they served approximately 5.5 million students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 and the postgraduate year. Thats about 10% of students in the country.  Private schools cover just about every need and requirement you can imagine. In addition to college prep schools, there are special needs schools, sports-focused schools, art schools,  military schools, religious schools, Montessori schools, and Waldorf schools. Thousands of schools focus on high school and offer college preparatory courses. About 350 schools are residential or boarding schools. 2. Private Schools Offer Great Learning Environments Its cool to be smart in a private school. The focus in most college preparatory schools is on getting ready for college studies. Advanced Placement courses are offered in most schools. You will also find IB programs in about 40 schools. AP and IB courses require well-qualified, experienced teachers. These curricula are demanding college-level studies which allow students with high scores in the final exams to skip freshman courses in many subjects. 3. Private Schools Feature Extracurricular Activities and Sports as an Integral Part of Their Programs Most private schools offer dozens of extracurricular activities. The visual and performing arts, clubs of all kinds, interest groups and community service are just some of the extracurricular activities you will find in private schools. Extracurricular activities complement the academic teaching which is why schools emphasize them - they are not something extra. Sports programs combine with academic work and extracurricular activities to develop the whole child. Most private schools require their students to participate in some sport. Teachers are also required to be involved in coaching a sport. Because sports and extracurricular activities are such an integral part of a private school program, you rarely see cuts in these areas as we have seen in public schools when budgets get tight. 4. Private Schools Provide Constant Supervision and Have Zero-Tolerance Policies One of the appealing aspects of sending your child to private school is that she cannot fall through the cracks. She will never be a number at a private school. She wont be able to hide in the back of the class. In fact, many schools use the Harkness style discussion format for classroom teaching. 15 students sitting around a table have to be involved in the discussions. Dormitories in boarding schools typically are operated family-style with a faculty member being the surrogate parent. Somebody is always around keeping a watchful eye on things. Another feature of private schools is that most have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to serious infractions of their rules and codes of conduct. Substance abuse, hazing, cheating, and bullying are examples of activities which are unacceptable. The result of zero tolerance is that you can be assured that you are placing your children in a safe environment. Yes, she will still experiment but she will understand that there are serious consequences for unacceptable behavior. 5. Private Schools Offer Generous Financial Aid Financial aid is a major expense for most schools. Even in tough economic times, schools have made assisting families who want to send their children to private school a top priority in their budgets. Several schools offer a free education if you meet certain income guidelines. Always ask the school about financial aid. 6. Private Schools Are Diverse Private schools got a bad rap in the early part of the 20th century as being bastions of privilege and elitism. Diversity initiatives began to take hold in the 1980s and 1990s. Schools now proactively search for qualified candidates regardless of socioeconomic circumstances. Diversity rules in private schools. 7. Private School Life Mirrors Family Life Most schools organize their students into groupings or houses. These houses compete with each other for all kinds of things besides the usual sports activities. Communal meals are a feature of many schools. Teachers sit with students developing close bonds which are such a valuable feature of private school education. 8. Private School Teachers Are Well-Qualified Private schools value teachers who have degrees in their chosen subject. Typically 60 to 80% of private school teachers will have an advanced degree as well. Most schools require their teachers to be licensed to teach. Most private schools have 2 semesters or terms in their academic year. Many prep schools also offer a PG or post-graduate year. Some schools also offer study programs in foreign countries like France, Italy, and Spain. 9. The Small Size of Most Private Schools Allows Plenty of Personal Attention Most college prep schools have about 300 to 400 students. This relatively small size allows students plenty of individual attention. Class and school size matters in education, as it is important that your child not fall through the cracks and just be a number. Small class sizes with student-to-teacher ratios of 12:1 are fairly common. The larger schools usually include prekindergarten through 12th grade. You will find that they actually consist of 3 smaller schools. For example, they will have a lower school, a middle school, and an upper school. Each of these divisions will often have 300 to 400 students across four or five grades. Personal attention is an important part of what you are paying for. 10. Private Schools Are Sustainable More and more private schools are making their campuses and programs sustainable. It has not been easy for some schools because they had older buildings which were not energy efficient. Students in some private schools even compost waste food and grow some of their own vegetables. Carbon offsets are part of sustainability efforts too. Sustainability teaches responsibility within the larger global community.   Edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American History - Essay Example These images have a significant influence on the way students and historians perceive their past (Chrestien, 104). This paper evaluates a number of primary sources that accrue to the history of the first Americans while relating the sources in terms of their contributions to the current written history. In 1926, George McJunkin, an African-American cowboy, made a discovery that hugely changed the perception towards North America’s first natives (Johnson, 31). He spotted bleached bones while tracking lost cattle near Folsom, New Mexico but the bones were later found to belong to a bison species extinct for more than 10,000 years (Johnson, 33). The talk point of the discovery was the spearheads made of stone by humans found mixed with the bones, which meant that Indian ancestry could be traced back to thousands of years before the time thought by most of the 20th century authorities. As Johnson (48) asserts, the first Europeans who inhabited America in the 15th century believed that this was the new world but this discovery disapproved them as it was established that more that 20,000 years before, there were inhabitants in the area. There exist no documented records to affirm that diversity of societies in early America thrived, although the differences in cultural practices and languages were enough proof. In order to reshape this history, Johnson (66) believes that one has to look at the various primary sources of information, mainly archeological artifacts, which record the past behaviors of the humans. A wide range of artifacts that includes basket snippets, pottery fragments, oral traditions, discarded tools/ equipment, and food remains have been used by archeologists, anthropologists and historians to put together relevant pieces of information about the social organization, diet, and technology of these people and the changes they have gone through over time. In the 16th century, Chrestien (105) argues that Europeans believed that Indians originated from the Lost Tribes of Israel with reference to the Bible, while others associated their ancestry with the myth of the lost continent of Atlantis while another suggestion came from a Spanish missionary (Jose de Acosta) that the Indians are part of the small group of hunters that was driven away from their Asian homes by starvation and other hardships. The notion that America’s first habitats came from Asia is supported by physical anthropology. American natives and people of northeast Asia have common physical traits that form a strong line of evidence that North America was inhabited by Indians. These physical traits include (Johnson, 101); i. Straight black hair. ii. Wide cheekbones. iii. Shovel-shaped incisors. iv. Dark brown eyes. Bering Strait, which currently separates Siberia and Alaska, has been believed to be the area used by America’s pioneers to cross into North America (Johnson, 121). According to Johnson (122), this took place around 25,000 to 70,000 yea rs ago during one of the ice ages where large volumes of water froze into glaciers creating a land bridge between Alaska and Siberia. The land bridge is believed to have appeared twice; between 26,000 and 28, 000 years ago, and between 10,000-12,000 and 20,000 years ago (Johnson, 145). It is during this period that authorities believe Indians came into America as they followed the migratory patterns of animals which were their major source of food with the aid of the Beringia (the land bridge formed from the frozen waters) (Chrestien, 105).

Currently on display at the galleria borghese in rome, Gian Lorenzo Essay

Currently on display at the galleria borghese in rome, Gian Lorenzo Berninis - Essay Example Keri A. Miller, an arts professor, makes such an observation upon referencing the minute attention that Bernini gave to the depiction of fear on Proserpina's face, the anatomical accuracy of the sculpted forms, the ferocity of Pluto's expression and the dimpling of Proserpina's skin. The overall effect is one of such complete realism that the viewer tends to loose sight of the fact that the sculpture is in hard, lifeless, white marble. The artistry, in other words, is such that the figures in this sculpture appear to be infused with the vitality of struggle, whether in the rippling of the muscles, the positioning of the limbs, or the expression on the face of either (Miller). As stated in the Wikepedia article on Bernini, his artistic talent was such that it lent "glamorous dynamism to once stony stillness," and brought marble to life ("Gian Lorenzo Bernini"). Possibly due to the realism characterising this particular work, art critics and observers have, over the centuries, interpreted it as something more than an artistic rendition of a particular Greek myth. As briefly mentioned by Emil Kren and Daniel Marx, some have interpreted the sculpture as a highlighting the fusion between life and death.