Causes and Cures of College dropouts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Causes and Cures of College dropouts - Essay Example They make umpteen numbers of visits to campuses, spend long hours preparing for standardized tests, and prepare well-knit admission essays that leave no chance for rejection. After all these efforts, it these students leave the colleges they have long been trying to reach, one can easily identify that the reason lies not in the attitude or interest of the students, but in some other factors that result in the loss of interest. In my opinion, there are various factors which are economic, cultural, and social in nature. The economic factors Many scholars have acknowledged the fact that lack of funds or financial burden still remains as the first and foremost reason behind college dropout. The main reason behind this issue is the lack of long term vision in students. They prepare their funds well in advance, but only sufficient for the first semester or the first year. Such students soon face financial crisis and start looking for part-time jobs or grants. Most of them get frustrated so on and eventually decide to give up their studies. However, though not ultimate, there are various solutions that students can try before reaching the decision to quit. First of all, they can try to get a job in the college, for example, a position in library or canteen. This will enable them to give adequate attention to their studies. In addition, by improving their communication with other students and professors, they can come to know about the financial resources other such students depend on. Along with this, they might be able to find out possibilities of grants and scholarships. However, if someone believes that financial crisis is the only economic problem, it is too early to reach such a conclusion. There is certainly a category of students who believe that money making is, in no way, connected to education. According to the proponents of this class of thought, the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, was a Harvard dropout. The list is long; the cofounder of Oracle, Larry Ell ison, and the inventor of frozen French Fry, John Simplot, to mention but few. In addition, it is pointed out that professional education has nothing to do with professions like journalism, software engineering, and stock trading. So, it cannot be termed irrational if someone claims that ‘on-the-job’ experience at that age is much better than the highly expensive ‘university experience’. Social and psychological factors For many students, the transition from school to college is a difficult task. It involves forgetting the old friends and making new contacts, staying away from family and friends, and being totally responsible for ones own time, money, and performance. In fact, studies have shown that some students find the college life totally different from what they expected. They may not get the kind of close attention they used to enjoy at school. In addition, as the study at college is totally different from that at school, there may be a decline in th e scores they get. In addition, for those who move from a rural setting to a city, getting familiar with the lifestyle of city and college is a tough task. While some students take these challenges positively, some may not be able to cope up with the situation, and decide to stop. For those who are not used to staying away from family, homesickness and isolation are two important factors that make them take the wrong decision. However, not all are so homesick that they cannot adjust coming to an urban setting.

HRM SCENARIOS ASSIGMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

HRM SCENARIOS ASSIGMENT - Essay Example Since then, Tesco has come a long way and has faced many changes in its corporate strategy. There are certain features of Tesco PLC which help in its differentiation from other retail giants. First is its 'inclusive offer' which has helped Tesco to appeal to all segments of markets thereby attracting customers from all groups of incomes- upper, medium and low and hence make it a one-stop shop for a an array of commodities. Second, Tesco has propagated use of its 'own-brand products' and thereby made the best of efforts to overcome reluctance faced by customer in purchasing own-brands, as they are considered to garner more profits for a supermarket. Thirdly, one of the key features of Tesco's policy is 'Customer Focus' which is put into effect by shifting focus from 'maximization of shareholder value' to have an unambiguous focus on customer service as the top aim of the company, thereby also making higher profits. Home Market- Tesco focuses on the core UK business which involves grocery retailing in its home market. It is also looking at expanding by making a move into the convenience-store sector which is an idea otherwise shunned by supermarkets. Non-food business- In 2006, Tesco had successfully managed to become the largest non-food retailer in the UK. ... Retailing services- Going one step further, Tesco is also into services like personal finance, telecoms, and other utilities. It has managed to fight competition in these fields by entering into joint ventures with the big players thereby increasing its customer base and brand strength. International - In 1994, Tesco started to expand internationally and by February 2006 nearly a quarter of its sales were a result of its international operations. Its major developing markets are present in Central Europe, Far East and the United States. Future Scenario-1 The centre point of this future scenario is based on the assumption that Asda, the second biggest retail store in U.K. and a subsidiary of Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retail store, takes over Tesco. At present Tesco is the lading retail store in U.K. with a market share of about 30.6%, more than double as that of its closest competitor Asda. Supermarket Market Share (%) Tesco 30.6 Asda 16.6 Sainsbury's 16.3 Morrison's 11.1 Somerfield 5.4 Waitrose 3.7 Iceland 1.8 Source: TNS (2006) If Tesco looses out its market share to Asda ,owing to critical policy changes by Asda then in the face of such competition, Tesco would have to critically examine its priorities and hold on to its customer base. According to extrapolation of the current scenario, the probability of such a case to take place is very less. However, if Wal-mart focuses more on the functioning of Asda giving out its necessary skills and experience, this could happen in a matter of 5-7 years. HRM implications This would mean critical changes in the HR management of Tesco. It would have to undertake various measures in order to fight the

Water Treatment for Contaminated Water | Experiment

Water Treatment for Contaminated Water | Experiment Water Contamination Melissa Butler Abstract In the experiments that we have conducted, we used oil, vinegar, laundry soap, and soil to simulate polluted groundwater. Most of the contaminants are occurs naturally, aluminum, iron, and manganese. We then created a variety of filters to attempt to clean the ground water and make it drinkable. We also did experiments will prove that there is really no difference between the two. While doing my experiment we find out that bottle water and tap water have just about the same levels of contaminants as tap water. Introduction Some areas have water-containing contaminations from natural or non-natural sources. These impurities can cause health problems like rashes, diarrhea, and maybe even cancer. Contaminates can also damage equipment, plumbing, or make the water undrinkable, due to flavor, smell, appearance, or discoloration. Water that contain harmful contaminates need to be fixed immediately. â€Å"According to the EPA, exposure to lead in drinking water can result in delayed physical or neurologic development in infants and children, and can cause high blood pressure, kidney problems, and cancer in adults. Moreover, a growing body of evidence suggests adverse health effects result even at blood levels below the 10 ÃŽ ¼g/dL â€Å"level of concern† at which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend intervention.† (Renner, 2009. A544). â€Å"Before beginning any treatment plan, have water tested by an independent laboratory to determine the specific impurities and leve l of contamination. This will help you select the most effective and economical treatment method†. (Ross, Parrott, Woods, 2009). The effects of exposure to some contaminants in our water supply are not known, but not all of them are health threats. The National Water Quality Inventory 1994 Report to Congress states â€Å"that 40% of flowing river and stream miles can be used for drinking water after conventional water treatment, and 37% of lake and reservoir acres meet the designated use criteria for drinking water† (EPA). The reason why we conducted this experiment is to test the filtration to remove oil, vinegar, and laundry detergent has on soil before it reaches groundwater. These substances go to our local water supply, and into our soil. While the things that we have tested are relatively are no very dangerous, but we have to think of the thing that can get through and cause harm. Materials and Methods Experiment 1: Effects of Groundwater Contamination In this experiment, we tested ground water for impurities. The materials that were used was eight 250mL beakers, three wooden stir sticks, 10mL of vegetable oil, 10mL of vinegar, 100mL graduated cylinder, 10mL of liquid laundry detergent, 100mL beaker, 240mL of soil, cheesecloth, funnel and water. With a marker, the eight 250mL beakers were labeled number one through eight. Putting five through eight to the side, fill with beakers one through four with 100mL of water using the 100mL graduated cylinder to help measure the water. In beaker number two 10mL of vegetable oil was put in and with a wooded stir stick was stirred thoroughly. In beaker number three 10mL of vinegar was added and with a wooded stir stick was stirred thoroughly. In beaker number four 10mL of liquid laundry detergent was added and with a wooden stir stick was stirred thoroughly. At this time, I wrote down my observations of beakers one through four in Table 1. I cut the cheesecloth into four pieces and folded them so that it was four layers thick. I placed one piece of cheesecloth into the funnel, measured 60mL of soil using the 100mL to help measure the soil, and poured that into the funnel. Taking beaker number one, I poured the contents into the funnel and let that filter into beaker number five. Using the same technique as above I repeated the same thing to beakers number two through four and poured them into beakers number six through eight. Once this was done I observed beakers five through eight and wrote down my observations into the Table. Experiment 2: Water Treatment We add 100 mL of soil to the 250 mL beaker, and fill to the 200 mL mark with water. Then we move the soil solution back and forth between the two 250 mL beakers a total of 15 times. We will use10 mL of the contaminated water into a clean 100 mL beaker, and compare it to the â€Å"treated† water at the end of the filtration process. We 10 grams of alum to the 250 mL beaker containing the â€Å"contaminated† water and slowly stir the mixture with a wooden stir stick for 1-2 minutes and let the solution sit for 15 minutes. Then rinse out the empty 250 mL beaker and place the funnel into the beaker. Use four layers of cheesecloth that can line the funnel. Put cheesecloth inside funnel. Pour 40 mL of sand into the cheesecloth-lined funnel, 20 mL activated charcoal, and 40 mL gravel. Use a 100 mL beaker to measure these amounts. To set the filter, slowly pour clean tap water through the filter until the funnel is full. Remove the clean water from the beaker and repeat four more times. Return the funnel to the top of the beaker and let sit for 5 minutes befor e emptying the beaker and continuing the experiment. Without mixing up the current sediment in the â€Å"contaminated† water jar, pour about 3/4 of the â€Å"contaminated† water into the funnel. Let it filter through the funnel into the beaker for 5 minutes. Note the smell of the filtered water, comparing it to the 10 mL sample taken from the mixture in Step 3. Remove the filter and add a few drops of bleach solution to the filtered water within the beaker. Stir the water and bleach combination slowly for about 1 minute. Experiment 3: Drinking Water Quality Label three 250 mL beakers Tap Water, and bottle water (Fiji and Dasani). Pour 100 mL of the each type of water into the corresponding beakers. Ammonia, Chloride, Four in one, Phosphate, and Iron Test Strip test Find the ammonia test strips. Begin by placing the test strip into the tap water sample and briskly moving the strip up and down in the water for 30 seconds, making sure that the pads on the test strip are always immersed. Remove the test strip from the water and shake off the extra water. Hold the test strip level, with the pad side up, for 30 seconds. 6. Read the results by turning the test strip so the pads are facing away from you. Compare the color of the small pad to the color chart at the end of the lab. Record your results in the table Repeat the procedure for both bottled water. Results Experiment 1: Effects of Groundwater Contamination Table 1: Water Observations (Smell, Color, Etc.) Beaker | Observations | Beaker 1: Water is clear, no smell Beaker 2: No smell, color is almost clear. Water did not mix well, created small bubbles. Oil separated from the water. Beaker 3: No color and water is clear. It also has a smell of vinegar. Beaker 4: Has a smell of perfume and the water turned green. Beaker 5: Water turned brown in color some soil residue at the bottom. Has a smell of wet dirt. Beaker 6: The water change to a light brown color. The soil has filtered out some of the oil, because some of the oil was left behind. Some residue of soil was at the bottom. Smells like wet dirt. Beaker 7: Water still smell like vinegar and smell like dirt, brown in color and residue of soil is at the bottom. Beaker 8: Water has a perfume smell, the water is brown and light green mixed. Made light suds and bubbles, with the residue of dirt at the bottom. Discussion Why do we buy bottle water when tap water is the same thing? People buy more bottler water now than ever before. Do we really think that it is safer to drink? The answer is no. Doing this experiment has proven that there is really not much of a difference between the two. While doing my experiment if find out that bottle water and tap water have just about the same levels of iron, ammonia, chloride, phosphate, and etc. I found that everyday chemicals that we use can contaminant our water supply and could have potential to be harmful if the water is not treated for human consumption. According to the results, only beaker with the vinegar came out to where you will be able to potential drink the water. Conclusions What I found to be the most interesting thing in this experiment is that vinegar helped purify the water so that it could be drinkable. All the contaminants that were used were found to make the filtered water dirty and did not help in purifying the water. I concluded that we need to find a way to get the contaminants out of the water , even bottle water so that our children do not have to deal with the health problems that could be associated with drinking contaminated water. References: Basic Information about E. coli O157:H7 in Drinking Water. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/ecoli.cfm Renner, R. (2009). Out of Plumb, Environmental Health Perspectives. 117(12), A542-A547. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2799485/ Ross, B., Parrott, K., Woods, J. (2009, May 1) Household Water Quality: Water Quality Problems Causes and Treatments. Retrieved May 7, 2015. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/356/356-482/356-482.html Skip Menu. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2015, from http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/356/356-482/356-482.html Water contamination. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2015, from http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/safedrink/watercon.htm

The Adventures Of Huckleberry :: essays research papers

When you first open the book of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you'll notice a notice and an explanatory written by the one and only Mark Twain himself. The explanatory explains how Mark Twain uses language and dialect to differentiate between certain characters. "I make this explanation for the reason that without it many readers would suppose that all these characters were trying to talk alike and not succeeding." The notice basically says that for anyone who attempts to find a meaning, moral, plot, and or motive, will be shot. So shoot Mr. Brovsky, his first hour class, and myself. It's surprising to see that this book went by so quickly for me. The more I enjoy a book, the faster it goes by for me. Now back to finding a plot. What I liked especially about this book was it's linear time line. There wasn't that much jumping around in time. Everything came after everything else. The book is divided into three basic sections: Life before the river, life on the river, and life after the river. The river has it's crooks and bends and the plot following them. The river as a symbol in the book is great. Life's ups and life's down are well represented in the river. The point of view of this book was also one of the very best aspects of this book. Huck Finn was written in the first person point of view with Huckleberry Finn telling the story. Even in the beginning, Huckleberry reminds the reader of what happens at the end of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. "You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter." (page 3) Huckleberry exclaims himself. Mark Twain writes with such flavor and detail that you feel like you're right there with Huck. While Huckleberry is in the cabin at night and his dad is having a nightmare, Mark Twain paints a wonderful picture of how Huck if feeling. "He chased me round and round the place with a clasp-knife, calling me the Angel of Death, and saying he would kill me,…I begged, and told him I was only Huck; but he laughed such a screechy laugh, and roared and cussed, and kept on chasing me up." (page 29) Mark Twain has been labeled by critics as a funny man and not a great writer, yet I believe that he is a great writer because he can incorporate his humor into a 13 year old boy's way of life.

Decoding Apple’s Balance Sheet Apa Format Essay

Decoding Apple’s Balance Sheet In March of 2009, Apple had its best March quarter revenue and earnings in Apple history (Apple). In order to see how this occurred, it is important to look over the financial statements of Apple. There is a lot of information available to investors who are interested in investing in a company. By looking specifically at the balance sheet of Apple I am going to determine if investing in Apple is a good idea or a bad idea. Some things I am going to consider are Apple’s assets, liabilities, and shareholder’s equity. These areas should give me insight to how the best quarter in Apple history came to be. Looking at the current assets of Apple, cash and cash equivalents went down from 11. 8 billion dollars to 4. 4 billion dollars. This may look bad at first, but all of the other assets must be added to this in order to get an overall picture of the assets. Short-term marketable securities went up from 10. 2 billion dollars to 20. 5 billion dollars. This helped Apple’s assets grow tremendously. Accounts receivable fell to 1. 9 billion dollars from 2. 4 billion dollars. With the rest of the current assets figured in, inventories, deferred tax assets, and other current assets, the total current assets rose to 33. billion dollars from 32. 3 billion dollars. That was a rise of 1. 5 billion dollars (Apple). It is important to take into account the rest of the assets. For example, long-term marketable securities rose 1. 5 billion dollars, property, plant and equipment rose 0. 91 billion dollars, goodwill stayed the same, acquired intangible assets fell 0. 017 billion dollars, and othe r assets rose 0. 56 billion dollars. Now that we know how each asset was affected during this quarter, we come to the final numbers, which are total assets rose 3. 6 billion dollars. Apple grew its assets substantially during this quarter. I would think Apple would be a good company to invest in. Before I made any decisions I would investigate the balance sheet further in order to compare liabilities and shareholder’s equity with the previous quarter. This will give me a better understanding of the financial situation of the company (Apple). Current liabilities are in the first section of liabilities and shareholder’s equity. The following accounts are current liabilities and how they fared. Accounts payable went down from 5. 5 billion dollars to 3. 9 billion dollars. Accrued expenses went down 1 billion dollars. Deferred revenue went up from 4. 8 billion dollars to 7 billion dollars. The total change in current liabilities was a decrease of 0. 4 billion dollars. The other two liabilities categories, deferred revenue (non-current) and other non-current liabilities, rose collectively 0. 7 billion dollars. This gives the total liabilities a rise of 0. 3 billion dollars. This amount compared to current assets is not as significant. So far Apple is still looking like a good investment because the assets of Apple rose 1. 5 billion dollars whereas their liabilities only rose 0. 4 billion dollars. It is now time to take a look at the final category of the balance sheet, the shareholder’s equity (Apple). The value of shareholders equity, common stock, rose from 7. 1 billion dollars to 7. 6 billion dollars. Retained earnings also rose; it rose from 13. 8 billion dollars to 16. 6 billion dollars. Accumulated other comprehensive income rose . 07 billion dollars. Total shareholder’s equity rose 3. 3 billion dollars. So adding together the rise of 0. 4 billion dollars in liabilities with the 3. 3 billion dollar rise of the shareholder’s equity, we get the same amount, 3. 7 billion dollars, as we got for the rise in total assets.

Teen Suicide and Bullying

Bullying is a worldwide problem that can be linked to teen suicide. The third leading cause of death in youth is suicide, which results in nearly 4,400 deaths per year (Centers for Disease Control, 2012). At least half of these deaths are caused by bullying. Although bullying is still seen by many to be a normal part of growing up, it is a severe problem that leads to many negative effects, including suicide. Unfortunately, there is not a definitive solution to this problem.However, there are multiple ways to help teens who are contemplating suicide due to bullying: seeking immediate medical help, encouraging teens to talk, parents keeping communication open, and by parents communicating with school authorities. Bullying is a form of abuse that is displayed toward the victim which forms an unhealthy relationship. This relationship consists of the bully having continual control of the victim’s life for an extended period of time. It gives the bully a sense of empowerment that t hey continue to feed off of.This is much different from school aged aggression that typically has a one-time occurrence, such as fighting or teasing between friends. Conversely, bullying can lead to suicide. Bully related suicide can be connected to any type of bullying, whether it is physical bullying, emotional bullying, cyber bullying, sexting, or even the circulating of suggestive photos of a person. Sadly, over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide and almost seven percent have actually attempted it. The power obtained by the bully over the victim can be devastating and can lead to many negative effects.Bullying can lead to poor mental health such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Nearly 160,000 children stay home from school every day due to fear of torment by other students. This causes the students grades to drop and adds to the victim’s sense of failure. These effects can become so debilitating that the victim may turn to suicide as their way of ending the internal pain. Emotional pain felt by the victim can become so overwhelming that they believe the only way out is through suicide. They may feel as if no one cares or that it would be pointless to reach out to someone because it might even make things worse.Sadly, many times victims feel that they are alone and no one could possibly understand what they are going through. In the case of Amanda Todd, she was bullied and ridiculed at school and online to the point where she felt she could no longer live. Unfortunately, she experienced verbal, physical, and emotional pain at the hands of her peers including people she believed liked her. She was tortured on a daily basis and felt there was no way out. Amanda changed schools as an attempt to end the torment. Unfortunately, as in many cases, the bullying followed her.Amanda attempted suicide on a couple of occasions. She tried reaching out by posting a video on YouTube telling her story. Sadly, a week later she co mmitted suicide. Amanda Todd was a victim to one of the cruelest forms of abuse that is happening today all over the world. Could her suicide have been prevented? According to reports, many of Amanda’s peers did not notice any signs of this struggle. However, she cried out for help not only through her video posted on the internet, but well before that by her multiple attempts of suicide.It may have been possible to save her life if there were more awareness brought to her community on bullying and suicide. If people knew what signs to look for and would have noticed the red flags just from sheer knowledge, Amanda Todd may have received the help she wanted and so badly needed. Although there is no definitive solution to the problem of teen suicide from bullying, there are several ways to prevent a majority of this from happening. One extremely important way to help a teen who is suicidal is to immediately seek medical attention.Doctors and medical professionals are able to fi nd problems that others cannot see. They provide hope for teens contemplating ending their lives. Medical professionals are able to diagnose underlying conditions that are typically found in youth who are at risk for suicidal tendencies. Most mental health disorders, such as depression, can be treated. Not only can these professionals diagnose and treat illnesses but they can also provide teens and parents with resources and useful information. Another great way to prevent teen suicide is to encourage them to talk.Suppressing thoughts and feelings, typically makes things worse. Therefore, getting teens to open up and talk is a great way for them to relieve their burdened hearts. Having them verbalize their thoughts and feelings helps them and others to have a better understanding of what they are going through. Likewise, when a teen is being bullied it is important that they express how they have been hurt. It creates an awareness of the problem which can lead to finding a solution. Sometimes, when a teen is thinking about suicide, what they really want is someone to listen to them.They just want to know that they are not alone. One of the best things a parent can do is keep the lines of communication open with their children. It becomes increasingly important throughout the teen years as they experience many changes such as emotional, physical and hormonal. Communication between parent and child is crucial for the child to feel comfortable opening up to them and discussing any problem they may be having. Being involved allows this team to identify the existence of bullying and suicidal thoughts along with other problems.Connor and Rueter (2006) found that a warm and supportive relationship, especially with the father, shielded a teen from emotional distress and suicidal tendencies. Most importantly, communication and openness can be a deterrent to suicide. When a teen communicates that they are being bullied it is helpful for parents to discuss it with school authorities stop existing problems. This is another way to help prevent teen suicide due to bullying. Since a majority of bullying takes place on or near school campuses, it is the school’s responsibility along with the parents to take action in addressing situations as such.School authorities can help monitor a teen that is in distress and offer great resources to help solve the issues they may facing. By parents communicating with the teen’s school, they can share their ideas and find what works best for the community and their students to stop bullying and prevent teen suicide. Bullying is a major problem happening to teens all over the world. Although there is not a definitive solution to bullying and the connection to teen suicide, there are many preventive measures that can be taken. Seeking immediate medical help for teens who want to commit suicide can be life changing.Encouraging teens to talk will allow them to express their thoughts and feelings instead of internalizing them. Likewise, parents can help prevent teen suicide by keeping the lines of communication open. It lets teens take comfort in knowing they have someone to talk to. When bullying and thoughts of suicide become a part of a teen’s life, it is important that the parent speaks to school authorities. This enables the school and parents to team up against the problems. Anyone can play a part in saving a life by working together to prevent teen suicide from bullying.

Vaccinations Autism Spectrum and Asd Essay

Vaccinations Autism Spectrum and Asd Essay Vaccinations: Autism Spectrum and Asd Essay Exposure to environmental toxins in developing human brains has strong implications to the cause and development of Autism Spectrum Disorders especially if when a genetic vulnerability is present. An Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an incurable neurological disorder that impacts social connectedness, impairs communication and can exhibit repetitive patterns of behavior. The frequency of ASD has been on the rise since the 1970’s. In 1970 Autism was diagnosed for 3 in every 10,000, increasing to 66 in every 10,000 to about 1 in 88 children in 2008. The dramatic increase over the past 20 years has brought this disorder to national attention which has aided in awareness. This awareness helps parents learn the signs of an ASD so that they may achieve the help for their child that comes from a proper diagnosis at an earlier age. However, awareness and an increase in diagnosis alone can’t explain the huge increase and so doctors have tried to find other explanations. A deve loping brain being exposed to environmental toxins is greatly attributed to the development of Autism. The way the toxins weaken the developing immune system, toxins in food, gut dsybiosis, and excessive vaccinations that contain toxins like mercury all play a major role in whether or not a child develops Autism. Skeptics may say that it is genetics alone that cause Autism; however, genetics, like awareness, doesn’t explain the dramatic increase in cases seen over the past 20 years. Regardless, the risk is too high and the effects of these toxins are devastating for those individuals whose bodies can’t process it. Gastrointestinal involvement to ASD has been