A Debate Pertaining to Illegal Immigrant Children in Public Schools

Roxie Vasquez ENG 102-2270 03/25/06 Research Paper A Debate Pertaining to Illegal Immigrant Children in Public Schools â€Å"The terms â€Å"illegal immigrant† and â€Å"illegal alien† are commonly used phrases that refer to the illegality of the action of migration without legal authorization† (wikipedia). Whether or not illegal immigrant children should be educated at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels in the U. S. , is a fiercely debated topic these days. Many debates are taking place all over the U. S. ertaining to whether or not illegal immigrant children are entitled to a free public education. One major debate taking place here in Arizona is that Governor Napolitano and â€Å"its controlled Legislature are locked in a stalemate over the teaching of the English language and how much to pay for it† (nytimes). Furthermore, illegal immigrant children should be given the chance to be educated in the U. S. and should not be banned from public schools because of their parent’s actions. Illegal immigration is a crime and sneaking into the country is in violation of the immigration law.For many illegal immigrant children, it is a tragedy to be raised here in the U. S. as an American child, to later learn that all their life-long goals and dreams they worked so hard for, aren’t realistic because of their illegal status. The illegal status of these children becomes very deceiving to them because as a young child they have no idea that they are illegal immigrants. It is even more devastating for that child (when the possibility arrives) that later in life that child might have to return to that â€Å"unknown foreign country† they were born in.Also, the American people who live in areas consumed by large amounts of immigrants are concerned about their school budget and the quality of education their child receives. To begin, one opposing argument against illegal immigrant children attending public sc hools is that it is widely believed that America cannot financially afford to educate the world’s children. Immigrant children attending public schools accounts for the dramatic increases in school enrollment, and failure to consider the capacity may have very real consequences for future public education in the U. S†¦Programs created specifically to serve students whose second language is English accounts for much of the extra costs and it is reported from Census that immigrant children accounts for such a large percentage of the school-age population. â€Å"An estimated 400,000 illegal immigrant children enter the U. S. each year and educating those children costs several states more than four billion dollars annually† (ap/online). Here in the state of Arizona, Governor Napolitano has â€Å"proposed spending $45 million a year to expand the English-language instruction in Arizona’s public schools† (nytimes).Secondly, a disagreement pertaining to il legal immigrant children attending public schools is that public schools in the U. S. are open to all children, in spite of their status and by law; it is mandatory that all children attend school. Also, the law states that each and every child, despite their legal status, is required to attend school from the age of six years to 16 years of age. The only necessary information to give in order to attend a public school is proof of residency in that district the child wishes to attend, a birth certificate, and vaccination records.In addition to laws, â€Å"Proposition 200 requires Arizonan’s to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and apply for public benefits† (azcentral). Because of this law, a numerous amount of Americans are appalled that an illegal immigrant child can attend free public schools without showing any proof of citizenship. In 1982, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled five to four, that undocumented immigrant children are entitled to a free p ublic education. Also, it is common knowledge that â€Å"the action of INS has no effect on rules governing school enrollment† (heraldnews).In addition, each year, thousands of women flee from their country to enter the U. S. and give birth, knowing very much that their child will automatically have U. S. citizenship. Because of this, illegal immigrant children are not to blame for their status. It is not the child’s fault that their parent brings them illegally into this country because a child has no knowledge of illegal immigration or of immigration laws. Too, most children believed to be illegal immigrants are actually U. S. -born American citizens, born to an illegal parent.It is a fact that â€Å"22 percent of all American children under the age of six have immigrant parents† (ap/online). Also, all children, regardless of their legal status have â€Å"full rights to a free public education† (weeklyreadercorp. ). Besides, all illegal immigrant childr en deserve a chance to change their situations and paths in life because â€Å"illegal immigrant children are a future part of society and are worth the same investment as an American born child† (softcom. net). Almost all of the several million illegal children that are here will be life long Americans and are likely to be productive adults if they receive support now.As these illegal immigrant children are raised as an American born child, they will grow up knowing nothing else but the American born child’s way of life. Plus, some stress that money spent on educating immigrants, both legal and illegal, will pay off in future tax revenues as they will earn higher wages. â€Å"At this point, Americans are under the false assumption that illegal immigrant children are a distant and separate population that exist apart from the rest of American society† (losangelestimes) and they are wrong: immigrant children in public schools total close to half the percentage of citizen children.Besides, it is reported that one in every five student has an immigrant parent. Moreover, â€Å"under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U. S. Code, â€Å"Improper Entry by Alien,† any citizen of any country other than the U. S. who: enters or attempts to enter the U. S. at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or attempts to enter or obtain entry to the U. S. by willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact; has committed a crime† (wikipedia).Hundreds of thousands of law-breaking illegal immigrants marched in America’s streets demanding that their right to live, work, and attend free public schools in the U. S. illegally, be respected. Even though America is a nation built upon immigrants, an illegal immigrant should not get a free ride towards citizenship just because they have lived and worked and had children here for years. The U. S. Congress is preparing to reward those who have broken our laws with the most precious treasure, the opportunity to become U.S. citizens. Thus, some lawmakers have pushed for the prevention of illegal immigrant children being educated even at the youngest grade levels. As it stands now, an illegal immigrant child does not qualify for tuition benefits, but some states have passed laws allowing illegal children residency tuition benefits. Plus, the thousands of children from families of illegals who crowd school classrooms, challenges the claim that illegal workers contribute more than they consume.It reportedly costs the state of Arizona â€Å"$750 million to educate the children of illegal immigrants† (azcentral). What’s more, the â€Å"Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that illegal immigrants cost each Arizonan almost $700† (ap/online) a year; a hidden tax that subsidizes illegal aliens and the employees who hire them. Fu rthermore, if illegal immigrant children are denied the right to a free education, they could end up being illiterate criminals who tap into social services and prison systems.The cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants in Arizona’s prisons and jails amounts to about â€Å"80 million dollars a year; not including the cost of the crime that led to their incarceration. It is far better to have these children in school rather than to have them roaming crime-ridden neighborhoods day and night† (findarticles. com). Over the past several weeks, the debate over immigration overhaul has reached a boiling point, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets to protest tighter controls on border security.As an effect of the debate to whether or not illegal immigrants have a right to attend public schools, a majority of the illegal immigrant students have recently walked out of school to protest immigration laws. Many illegal students said they were â€Å"marching in opposit ion to a bill sponsored by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis. ), that passed the House in Dec. ; the bill would give police more power to enforce immigration laws† (chicagotribune). Although it is not an issue for legislature yet, many illegal immigrant students cannot register for college because they do not have a social security number.In all, if the world wasn’t fighting over free public education for everyone, then the world’s children would continue attending class and would be safe in school and off the streets. In conclusion, some Republicans have portrayed illegal immigrants as â€Å"invaders, criminals, and as burdens to society† (nytimes). Each year the Border Patrol arrest more than a million illegal aliens who flagrantly violate our nation’s laws by unlawfully crossing U. S. borders, often with the aide and help of fraudulent documents.All in all, illegal immigrants do not contribute more than they cost because the millions in prison a nd on welfare aren’t contributing a dime to our economy and the ones who are working are often paid in cash without tax deductions. America has a way of bringing us in, welcoming us and allowing us to become a part of the whole. What’s more, illegal immigrants migrate for a better future, education and rights. Thus, the U. S. has taken on many races, religions, and nationalities and has made them one nation; America has always been a nation built upon immigrants.

Marriage in Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour”

In Kate Chopping â€Å"The Story of an Hour, the author uses irony and symbolism in order to emphasize her argument: even the kindest and most loving of marriages can be oppressive. In this short story, Mrs.. Mallard, who Is the main character, is a middle-class woman who has just lost her husband In a terrible accident. Her sister and one of her late husband's friends are there, and It Is they who break the news to her, being careful about It since she has heart problems. â€Å"Knowing that Mrs.. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death. (p. L). Knowing about her husband's death, she (Mrs.. Mallard) locks herself in her room to apparently mourn and instead realizes that she has escaped from the grasps of marriage and is â€Å"free, free, free! † at last. She embraces her newly found freedom and triumphantly gazes at the life ahead. Near the end, she comes out of her room and walks arm In arm with her sister down the stairs to find her late husband at the door, which causes her heart to give way, in what the doctors proclaimed â€Å"of heart disease?of joy that kills. When she is first told of her husband's death, she retreats into her room and locks the door behind her, biding to be left alone. Once on her chair, she starts to let her feelings flow through her, at first, there is sadness and mourning, but later on she realizes that she doesn't feel all that bad about her husband passing away, Instead, she feels happy and rejoiced, and starts to look forwards to those days she had dreaded the day before. â€Å"She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long.It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. † She looks out of the open window in her room and sees the permitting in its bloom, with birds flying about, sparrows singing softly, patches of clear blue sky showing here and there. All of these are symbols for hope and freedom. Birds are creatures without boundaries, without limits and unbound to the ground, which we could take to mean marriage. She now feels Like a bird, able to fly off into the sky, leaving her grounding marriage behind.It is basically a symbol of freedom and hope for the future. This also tells us that her marriage, even though it wasn't a violent and unloving marriage was an oppressive one. † She knew that she loud weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. † And â€Å"And yet she had loved him?sometimes. Often she had not. What did It matter! † These unable to do as her heart desires, bound to an unloving marriage forever.Now, she has been given the chance to be free, to choose herself what she truly wants and the open window is the symbol for that. Outside of it lie all of her possible futures. Finally, she finishes by accepting her freedom and whispe rs the words she dreaded o much to say â€Å"free, free, free! † Finally, the cause of her death is her failing heart. She dies when she realizes that all of her dreams of freedom and independence have been shattered by the appearance of her undead husband. There is a kind of sick irony in this.First off, we thought it was he who had died, but at the end their roles are reversed and it is she who ends up dying. Next, the doctors assume that she died of â€Å"Joy that kills†, in other words, she was too happy of seeing her husband well and alive that is was too much of her heart. The reader, who has had access to ere thoughts and desires, knows that she dies of sadness of not being able to carry on living freely and independently without him. She dies because he shatters her dreams, not because he fulfills them.This takes us to Chopping second argument, that death is the only way out of the confinements of marriage. For all we know, Mrs.. Mallard stays at home quite a w hile, since her chair is â€Å"sunken in† which leads us to believe that it is frequently used and therefore she spends most of her time at home. This confinement is what she can't stand of marriage, unable of doing the thing she wants when she wants to do them. The only way she is able to escape this imprisonment is by the death of her husband, which sets her free.Chopin is basically arguing the old saying â€Å"The truth shall set you free†. Knowing that her husband has died, she lets the truth take hold of her, realizing that she's finally going to be happy. But when Mr.. Mallard strides unknowingly through the door, she collapses on the floor and dies. The truth, that he wasn't actually dead has set her free, has parted her from her oppressive marriage. At the very beginning of the story, in fact, the very first thing we know about Mrs.. Mallard is that she has heart problems â€Å"Knowing that Mrs.. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble†¦ In this short story, Mrs.. Mallard's heart disease is a symbol for her marriage and marriage in general in the technetium, in which marriage lies at the heart of society. Marriage is the beating heart of society, what binds it together, and is therefore an unbreakable bond, if you were to go against it you would go against society itself. This, from Chopping (Kate) point of view is unacceptable; marriage should be kept only if there is love, unlike Mrs.. Mallard and her husband. â€Å"And yet he had loved him?sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! The author makes the heart represent marriage, and to show that it is a broken institution she gives Mrs.. Mallard heart problems. This is a clear statement against marriage, telling us that it has lost its meaning and has become a sickly form of binding people together. In the story, it also foreshadows the events that happen later on, namely, her death due to a corrupt and broken marriage. In her short story, Kate Chopin tells us that wome n feel oppressed by marriage whether it is a loving marriage or not, and hey crave for freedom and independence.She does this with the help of symbols such as the open window, representing spring, freedom, hope, independence, and the possibilities of her new life and breaking the bonds of an oppressive marriage, the heart problem that afflicts Mrs.. Mallard which represents how marriage is â€Å"sick† only way a woman can escape marriage by having her die instead of him who supposedly died at the beginning of the story. All in all, she tells us that all marriages confine women and deprive them of their freedom and independence, that oppression is in the very nature of every marriage.

Zen Garden

Nature is an important element for the Zen Buddhist as it is said to aid with meditation that can achieve enlightenment. The ultimate place for this mediation is a Zen garden. These gardens are a Buddhist art expression that focuses on nature. However, the garden is almost entirely made of stone and gravel, with almost no plant life at all. In this essay I will discuss a brief history of the role of nature in Buddhism, explain why the stones and gravel in the Zen Garden are so important and describe, in detail, the finest Zen Garden example that is Ryoanji Dry Garden in Japan. I have personally visited Ryoanji three times. Introduced to Japan in the mid-sixth century, Buddhism advanced various attitudes towards the natural world. The ideals of many Buddhists evinced a religiously based concern for nature. Buddhists in China and then Japan had long debated weather non sentient beings such as trees and rocks could actually attain Buddha-hood. Saicho (766-822) the founder of Tendai school, was one of the first to voice his opinion in an affirmative way, he declared that â€Å"trees and rocks have Buddha-nature† (Masao, 1989: 186). Later, Ryogen (912-985) a member of the Tendai School claimed that plants, trees and rocks desire Enlightenment, discipline themselves and attain Buddha-hood. Buddhist temples aesthetically enhanced the environment. These temples were surrounded by nature and were often built in forests and on the sides of mountains. Rock gardens, vegetable gardens as well as cherry and plum orchards were common features involved in the setting of temples. These features helped to improve the local environment and aid as a means of meditation through the natural beauty on a spiritual level in search of Nirvana which means to â€Å"put out the flame† in this world and escape to the otherworld. Zen Buddhist in Particular saw enlightenment as an experience to be had through nature. Dogen (1200-1253), founder of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, declared that â€Å"the ocean speaks and mountains have tongues – that is the everyday speech of Buddha†¦ If you can speak and hear such words you will be one who truly comprehends the entire universe. † (Shaner 1989:114). The Zen Buddhists believed that nature could help them achieve a status of mindfulness in order to ultimately achieve enlightenment. They began to create the ultimate garden for meditation, known as the Zen Garden or â€Å"Dry Garden†. Both by creating and meditating in these gardens aided to the understanding of the Buddhist religion. Karesansui, or the â€Å"dry-landscape† style of Japanese gardens have been in existence for centuries, but the Zen Buddhists developed a smaller, more compact garden style that focussed on observing it from a distance as opposed to walking through it; â€Å"There was a shift back to an emphasis on looking rather than using. These gardens were used specifically as aids to a deeper understanding of Zen concepts†¦these gardens were not an end in themselves†¦but a trigger to contemplation and meditation† (Davidson 1983: 22). In these Zen Gardens large natural stones, in particular, are arranged in ways that allude to the spiritual problems and solutions of the Zen faith. In fact, with in the walls of the gardens there are really only two or three elements used, stones, gravel or sand, and sometimes unintentionally moss. Both the stones and gravel are arranged to create â€Å"simple abstractions of nature† (Kincaid 1966:65). In order for the Buddhists to meditate and achieve enlightenment the garden â€Å"relies on understatement, simplicity, suggestion and implication†¦leaving room for the imagination by providing a starting point† (Davidson 1983:23). The Buddhists believe that the stones are more than just inanimate objects, they are thought to have a soul and are considered to be the realistic part of the garden; â€Å"We treat natural stones as materials which have vital factors. That is because we feel life and soul in the natural stones which are frequently used as an idealistic and also as a realistic representation† (Tono1958:38). The stones are surrounded by gravel that has been intentionally raked into patterns to represent flowing water. The moss that is sometimes found on and around the stones is usually the only plant life found in a Dry Garden and is formed and left as a natural occurrence. All of the elements in nature used in a Dry Garden have a purpose, however they often take a symbolic form and represent something entirely different to what western eyes may see. Stones are often looked upon as something much greater than just a simple stone; â€Å"They have an intrinsic beauty of their own, and on the other hand, can represent something altogether larger and more universal† (Davidson 1983:38). Stones can symbolize many things depending on their shape, colour and texture. Generally â€Å"stones represent mountains, islands, and waterfalls† (Takakuwa 1973:120). However, a vertical stone may symbolize the sky, while a horizontal stone may symbolize the earth. They may also be selected and arranged to represent the essence or spirit of animals or shrubs. The bed of raked gravel surrounding the stones is seen as a body of flowing water and the raked patterns are the ripples and swirls in it. The patterns are said to give energy to the garden and help the meditation process. Figure 1) Ryoanji garden is one of the most famous Zen gardens in the world. It is arguably the highest expression of Zen art and teachings that is perhaps the single greatest masterpiece of Japanese culture. No one knows who exactly designed and arranged this garden, or precisely when, but it is thought to date from the late 1400s. This garden is a karesansui dry-style garden and is relatively small, â€Å"a rectangular area, about twenty-five yards long and ten yards wideâ₠¬  (Holborn 1982:61). It consists of 15 stones that rest on a bed of white gravel, surrounded by low walls. (Figure 2) The moss-covered boulders are placed so that, when looking at the garden from any angle, only 14 are visible at one time. In the Buddhist world the number 15 denotes completeness. So you must have a total view of the garden in your mind to make it a whole and meaningful experience, and yet, from any position in the garden it is impossible to view all 15 stones at once making the only way to see all 15 is on a spiritual level. The gravel around the stones is raked to resemble ripples and swirls, in concentric circles that extend away from the stones, while the remaining surface of the gravel is raked in straight lines, creating a contrast between curved and straight lines. The only â€Å"living† element that lends a sense of depth to the composition is the green moss found covering parts of and around the bases of the stones. The Buddhists have given the garden symbolic levels to serve as illusions, with the gravel around the stones powerfully evoking water, and the whole scene appearing to be a miniature seascape with weathered volcanic islands. The extreme simplicity and powerful balance of the composition have been interpreted by many different people, in many different ways, however its fifteen stones â€Å"are generally believed to represent islands in an ocean, but the composition is called Tora-no-Ko Watashi (Tiger Cubs Crossing a Stretch of Water)† (Takakuwa 1973:122). As a meditation tool of allusion, the garden takes a dramatic title (Tiger Cubs Crossing a Stretch of Water) and uses it to create an image to capture the essence of tension, while viewing the illusion of a strong idealized image of nature, providing a setting for oncentration on the spiritual level. It is only an illusion, because the construction and maintenance of the Dry Garden is not a natural occurrence. The design of the garden and arrangement of the stones is completely artificial and processed by humans. The white gravel lines formed by the rake represent ripples in water or clouds in the sky; however the lines are so neat and precise th at they reveal that the garden is regularly groomed by a human hand. (Figure 1&3)This makes the garden an artificial illusion of nature. It has purposely been designed this way to achieve an idealized image of nature. In Zen Buddhism, enlightenment can be achieved through meditation that can be assisted by creating an illusion of the idealized image of nature. An important focus of this meditation is concerned with the essence of nature and reality. â€Å"Zen art does not try to create the illusion of reality. It abandons true to life perspective, and works with artificial space relations which make one think beyond reality into the essence of reality. This concept of essence as opposed to illusion is basic to Zen art in all phases†. (Lieberman 1997) The purpose of the garden is not to decide on a particular natural image that the stones and the white gravel are supposed to miniaturize. The driving force behind the design as an illusion is to portray an idealized vision of weathered, enduring and sublime nature. The asymmetrical balance of the stones, when combined with the calming patterns in the gravel turn the mind inward, making it ideal for meditation and allowing the Zen Buddhists to achieve Enlightenment. Whether the stones are representing mountains amongst clouds or islands in the ocean is not important. What is important is that they capture the essence of both, displaying the characteristics of endurance, austerity, and balance that is so essential to the idealized Zen Buddhist image of nature. Bibliography: Davidson, A. K. 1983, The art of Zen gardens: a guide to their creation and enjoyment, J. P. Tarcher, L. A. Holborn, M. 1982, The ocean in the sand: Japan, from landscape to garden, Shambhala Publications, Boston. Ito, T. 1972, The Japanese Garden—An Approach to Nature. Yale University Press, New Haven. Kimura, K. 1991, The Self in Medieval Japanese Buddhism: Focusing on Dogen, University of Hawaii Press. Kincaid, P. 1966, Japanese Garden and Floral Art, Hearthside Press Inc. , New York Kuck, L. 1968, The World of the Japanese Garden, Weatherhill, New York, Lieberman, F. 1997, Zen Buddhism and Its Relationship to Elements of Eastern and Western Arts. http://arts. ucsc. edu/faculty/lieberman/zen. html Masao, A. 1989, Zen and Western thought, University of Hawaii Press. Shaner, D. E. 1989, Science and comparative philosophy, Brill Academic Publishers, New York. Takakuwa, G. 1973, Japanese Gardens Revisited. Tuttle Co, Rutland Tono, T. 1958. Secret of Japanese Gardens, published by Mitsuo Onizuka, Tokyo.

Teacher Interview (Behavior) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teacher Interview (Behavior) - Essay Example When students were not on good behavior, they would receive a warning for the first offense. Then, with the 2nd offense, the student would lose 15 minutes of recess and with the 3rd offense, they would lose 20 minutes of recess and receive a call home. The teacher believed that these problems occurred from students being bored or restless in the less structured time period of the transition. Interview 2 4th grade classroom In this interview, the teacher found that most behavior problems occurred during long periods of quiet, individual seat work. Examples would be during mathematics drill times or when working on book worksheets. The most common problems were talking, not being on task, being disruptive to other students and moving around the room. The classroom management system in places used positive and negative reinforcement to manage student behavior. The teacher modeled a checkbook system, which not only allowed children to become more knowledgeable about checks and checkbooks , but help them practice practically applied addition and subtraction as well. Students receive a check for $30 in the morning, each school day. Students who are not on good behavior receive a warning for the first offense.

Analyst Management Summary Report of Vodafone UK Essay

Analyst Management Summary Report of Vodafone UK - Essay Example Such a thorough assessment and comparative study with one of its peers, namely France Telecom-Orange, would enable one to recommend whether or not to make an investment of ?1Million in the stocks of Vodafone. Company Profile Vodafone is a global telecommunication company, operating in above 30 nations across the world and with more than 404 million customers (Vodafone, 2012). The company is listed in the London Stock Exchange and has 49,180.6 million shares outstanding (Bloomberg, 2012). ... Additionally, the company had been continuously giving out dividends to its shareholders since the last four years. Financial Ratio Analysis The liquidity position of an organization can be evaluated with the assistance of its current ratio and quick ratio. These ratios establish the organization’s capacity to meet its short-term liabilities. The current ratio can be determined as the ratio of the current assets to the current liabilities of the company, while the quick ratio is computed by dividing the quick assets by the current liabilities. It should be noted that the quick asset of an organization cosist of its cash, receivables and short term marketable investments (Brigham & Ehrhardt, 2010). The liquidity ratios of Vodafone are as follows: Year Mar-11 Mar-12 Current Ratio 0.63 0.83 Quick Ratio 0.61 0.81 The analysis of a company’s capability to generate cost-effective sales by means of its resources can be assessed by means of its profitability ratios. These ratio s include the gross profit margin, the net profit margin as well as the returns on equity and assets of the company. The gross profit margin of a firm is the ratio of its gross profit to revenue, while net profit margin is the ratio of net profit to revenue. Then again, the return on equity (ROE) of a company is the value of net income as a percentage of total shareholders’ equity while the return on asset is the value of net income as a percentage of its total assets (Brigham & Ehrhardt, 2010). The profitability ratios of Vodafone are as follows: Year Mar-11 Mar-12 Gross Profit Margin 32.84% 32.04% Net Profit Margin 17.37% 14.99% Return on Equity 9.10% 9.04% Return on Asset 5.27% 4.98% The solvency position of a company can be determined by means of

Muscular System Outine Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Muscular System Outine - Assignment Example Another research on muscular system is on the testing of strength and rowers training (Lawton et al., 2011). This research has established that children physical activity is associated with fundamental movement skills. The second research has established that elite rowers are stronger in comparison to less competitive peers. This was based on the relationship, which exists between lean body mass and strength. Moreover, the research established that maximal strength could only be attained and sustained in cases where infrequent, but intense units of strength training were used Researchers still have questions on the relationship between behavioral and physiological outcomes in adolescents and children and fundamentals movement skills (Lubans et al., 2010). On the second research, researchers have a question on whether training should focus at attainment of optimal strength, power, and endurance, so that performance would be enhanced in the competition phase (Lawton et al.,

Creative Leadership and Management in International Schools Essay

Creative Leadership and Management in International Schools - Essay Example As the report declares creativity requires the application of existing knowledge in new ways, so that enhanced outcomes will result. Creativity is prized because it aids in the creation of value in a knowledge based economy. Creativity is a subjective measure whose outward manifestation is the enhancement of any aspect of an administrative function. Creativity has been defined as the â€Å"ability of a person to be flexible, muster initiative and achieve a goal with what is at hand. According to the discussion findings leadership is not an overnight event, and certainly not an inherited trait. An analysis of the most successful schools in the United States was recently conducted through financial assistance from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which identified the fact that administrators in successful schools share an unrelenting commitment to excellence for all students and have developed a high quality curriculum coupled with strong leadership skills. Therefore, the role of leadership and creativity both appear to be significant factors in contributing to success of schools and may be relevant especially in international schools where creativity will have to be exercised in the development of a curriculum that helps students to interact in a global environment. Leadership is often confused with management, but the factor that assumes importance when considered from the perspective of leadership for international schools, is that of creativity.

Response to the Movie Sicko In medical sociology terms Essay

Response to the Movie Sicko In medical sociology terms - Essay Example rom the 2006 National Health Interview Survey† highlighted that in 2006, â€Å"there were 43.6 million Americans of all ages who did not have health insurance (at the time of the interview), or 14.8% of the population† (cdc.gov). With this, some people could not help but complain to the somewhat awful situation that they are in. In the same way, SiCKO (directed by Michael Moore), a movie from The Weinstein Company and Dog Eat Dog Productions, documented the alarming health issues that the contemporary Americans are facing nowadays. The movie revealed how health services in the US are made nearly unavailable and mostly unaffordable to its citizenry by its increasing costs and profit maximization by giant insurance companies. Also, SiCKO compared US’ health care to other nations such as Canada, Great Britain, France, and even Cuba, with an astonishing revelation of their free and low-costs health care services to its people. Thus, the following sections of this pape r exemplified my response to the movie in medical sociology terms. As we all know, without even mentioning the exact figures, Americans are now living in the world where there is a significant increase in diseases like cardiovascular disorders and cancers. Of course, this can be attributed to people’s negative health behaviors and lifestyles, which include lack of exercise and dietary conditions that predispose them to these diseases. In an instance, Michael Moore narrated in the movie that in France, people get to enjoy their wine, cigarettes, and fatty foods. These behaviors and lifestyles do have a direct impact on health. But Moore augmented that despite these French indulgences, just like Canadians and Brits, they live much longer than the Americans do. â€Å"Something about that seemed grossly unfair†, said Moore. Moreover, Dr. Jacques Milliez, Head of Obstetrics, St. Antoine Hospital, said in his interview with Moore that in France, â€Å"you pay according to your means and you receive according

Explain the difference between macroeconomics and microeconomics. How Essay

Explain the difference between macroeconomics and microeconomics. How are these two fields related - Essay Example In contrast, Macroeconomics is concerned with the national economy as a whole and provides a basic understanding of how things work in the economy. Microeconomics can be defined as the branch of economics in which we study about individual aspects like a firm or household. It is concerned with individuals making their choice about what is to be produced, how and for whom it is to be produced, and what price should be charged for it. Micro economics deals with the economic action and behavior of individual units and small groups of an economy (Sloman and Garratt, 2010). It covers the following fields of the study: Price Theory Theory of Consumer Behavior Theory of Behavior of Firms Theory of Production Microeconomics has many theoretical as well as practical advantages. Few of them are: It helps in understanding the working of a free market economy It provides us a way for efficient employment of resources It covers some of the problems of taxation. It guides Business Executives in at taining maximum productivity Macro economics deals with the behavior or working of the whole economic system. It is the study of aggregates or averages covering the entire economy. In contrast to microeconomics, macroeconomics is concerned with the conduct, arrangement decision-making performance of the entire economy. Macroeconomists studies the relationship between the following: National income National Output Total Savings Total Investment Total Consumption Total Unemployment International trade International finance By definition, Macroeconomics is very wide in its scope and study as it deals with the problems of unemployment, economic fluctuations, inflation, and deflation. It is concerned with the effects of investment on total output, total income, and aggregate employment. The monetary discipline of the macroeconomics examines and analyzes the effect of the total quantity of money on the general price level. In the international trade sphere, it deals with the problems of b alance of payments and foreign aid. The field of macroeconomics provides us fundamental theories which can help us in preventing depressions and recessions by allowing governments to formulate adjustments through changes within the macroeconomic policies (McConnel and Brue, 1997). These policies are in general the monetary policy and fiscal policy of the state. The major differences that exist between micro and macro-economics are discussed briefly as follows (Mbaknol, 2011): S. No. Micro-economics Macro-economics 1. Aggregation Level Economy’s individual units are studied, like a particular product, a particular firm, etc. Problems of the economy are studied as a whole. The aggregates are studied, like national income, aggregate savings, etc. 2. Objectives Principles, problems and policies that are related to the best distribution of resources are studied in it. In it the principles, policies and problems relating to the full employment of the resources and the development o f those resources are covered. 3. Focus Price determination, Equilibrium of Consumer, Welfare and allocation of resources is dealt. National income, full employment, trade cycles, general price-level, economic growth, etc are dealt here. 4. Assumptions Ways for allocation of production and factors of production

Banner advocating on the Internet Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Banner advocating on the Internet - Thesis Example In this essence,this study suggested and empirically checked a form to study the consequences proficiency of the ratio of Internet users to Web advertising.The outcomes displayed that users of high communal avoidance motivation to perform a favorable mind-set in the direction of online advocatingBecause of the insight of amusement users with the proficiency to perform Internet favorable mind-set in the direction of online advocating due to the seen data content, and users with the motivation to shop a high affirmative mind-set in the direction of Internet advertising, both for amusement and data content of seen perceived. Purpose Advertising is paid, if not individual connection promoter recognized utilizing mass newspapers to convince or leverage an audience. Ads comprise of a large number of choices, which encompass advocating, public relatives, merchandise position, sponsorship, subscriptions and sales. All productive entails likely is utilized to consign these messages: TV, wirel ess, videos, publications, bulletins, Internet and billboards. Significance Estimates of Web users proceed from 9 to 35 million persons in the United States. Internet and a mesh of interconnected computers www permit electrical devices transmission of data, encompassing advertising. Millions of persons round the world have get access to the Internet and www. Thousands of advertisers are rotating to the Internet as a promise entails to encourage their emblems and sales transactions. Interactive advocating is characterized as including all types of newspapers that permit the client (which is no longer a "receptor" in the customary form of passive connection) to command the allowance and pace of data that he or she would like to buy financial interests. The client can select to spend one second or 15 minutes to post. The second demand happens when the button is banged, the client and source of enterprise data engaged and take back the exchange of data describing, other than dispatching and obtaining (p.394). Interactivity is a key device world broad web devices, online advocating, it disagrees from customary advertising. Phillips (2011 395-4) utilized six pieces to work out the interactivity of: (a) the complexity of alternatives accessible, (b) the number of users expanded, (c) assessing the reactivity of the university scholar (i) the proficiency to use supervising facts and numbers, (e) alleviate of supplementing data, and (e) the proficiency to help interpersonal communication. Goolsbee (2000 561–76) characterises interactivity as the span to which users can take part in altering the pattern and content of the mediated natural environment in genuine time. The share of online advocating rises spectacularly every day. Internet advocating incomes extend to augment at an unprecedented stride, with a 36% boost in the first half of 2006. The first six months of 2006 strike $ 7.9 billion and Q2 (quarter) passes $ 4 billion. 2 quarter 2006 profits comprise a b oost of 5, 5% in 1st quarter of 2006. Search for suppliers seeking to find a procedure of estimation and evaluation, which would permit the trading with the data they require about customers. In 1996, advertisers are encouraging websites utilizing customary media. Now online advocating is a multimedia world. Banners emerge in its own browser window, your advertisements emerge on the computer display before the sheet completed stacking, advocating cut off the online sport and other interactions, and the pictures are alike to TV advertising. Internet advocating is evolving more varied as the sites to rendezvous the more customary advertisers, "and gaze for modes to better rendezvous the desires of advertisers. Using the Internet as Medium The Internet has become a warm new market space. It is rather clear that advertisers can not disregard this medium. Over 50% of the American community, or 165 million persons had Internet get access to at dwelling, in July 2001. Similarly, the

Real World Quadratic Functions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Real World Quadratic Functions - Essay Example Borrowing from Harshberger and Reynolds (2013), with a > 0, the parabola would open upwards as opposed to when a It would be deduced from this graph that with no clerks working, there would no profits made just as there would be no profits made with the engagement of 12 clerks. Maximum profit would be achieved with 6 clerks working. This function gives a graph whose relevance only holds in the first quadrant. Quadratic functions play a critical role in business cases with managers using these functions to determine the amount of workforce or units needed to obtain the greatest possible profit returns (Harshberger & Reynolds, 2013). Similarly, they help in forecasting the expected profits or losses hence assist in planning. These functions vary from one company to another thus the importance of each manager to determine the function that truly reflects the operations of the managed firm. Quadratic functions would be applied in various real world situations to find meaningful solutions. In this assignment, its usefulness in determining the maximum profit and how to maximize profits in a business entity has been illustrated. From this, it would be noted that solving a quadratic function problem requires the determination of vertex or description of the parabola’s

History of Special Education Essay Example for Free

History of Special Education Essay Special education only began when parent-organized groups started advocating for disabled children’s rights. Prior to this, disabled children were considered crippled, dump, mentally defective or feeble-minded, (J. E. Wallace Wallin, 1924). They were therefore excluded from education in public institutions. By 1975, more than half of disabled children were denied an opportunity to education. (William N. Myhill, 2004) However, during the 1950s and 1960s several parent-organized groups of advocacy emerged. Such groups included the American Association on Mental Deficiency, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Mental Retardation Panel by John F. Kennedy among others. These groups’ advocacy necessitated establishment of schools for children with disabilities, both at the local and state levels. The advocacy also led to state’s concern for special education. Several legislations that aimed at development and implementation of programs for the needs of children with disabilities and their families were also passed. In 1958, 1959 and 1961 three laws; PL 85-926, PL 86-158 and the Teachers of the Deaf Act, respectively were passed. These laws helped in the training of teachers who to work with the mentally disabled and the deaf. In 1965 the state also approved the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the State Schools Act. With these acts in place, states got access to grant funds for the education of children with disabilities (James J. Cremins, 1983). The United States Congress also approved the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) in 1975. This law was to protect the rights of children with disabilities and their families. The law later became the legislative foundation through which special education received federal funding (James J. Cremins, 1983). In 1997 and 2004 the EHA was re-authored and renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), changing the procedures for disability identification and demanding for high standards of qualification for teachers of special education. IDEA advocated for a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) to every student. Court cases have also been vital in shaping of special education. For instance, the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) challenged the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1971 for the exclusion of mentally handicapped from public schools. The courts ruled out this discrimination. This case extended into 1972, with a ruling that children with disabilities be given education irrespective of its cost following a case filled by Mills against the District of Columbia (William N. Myhill, 2004) In 1998, Honig filed a case against Doe when two students were suspended for disruptive conduct resulting from their disabilities. The court ruled that students could not be punished for a disability-related misbehavior. As well, three different cases; Diana v State Board of Education (1970), Hobson v Hansen (1967-1968) and the Larry P.  v Riles case filled in 1979, sort a ruling on disability tests. The court ruled out the use of IQ, culturally biased and language-biased tests whose use to place a student in special education class was common. Special education has undergone remarkable transition; from the time when disabled children were simply ignored to today when a good number of programs for these children have been developed (James J. Cremins, 1983). There are now numerous professionals who evaluate children with disabilities and place them into the best conditions for their learning. References James J. Cremins, (1983). Legal and Political Issues in Special Education4–5 J. E. Wallace Wallin, (1924). The Education of Handicapped Children Losen, Daniel J. Orfield, Gary (2002), Introduction to Racial Inequality in Special Education. The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University: Harvard Education Press. William N. Myhill, (2004). No FAPE for Children with Disabilities in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program: Time to Redefine a Free Appropriate Public Education, 89 Iowa L. Rev. 1051, 1055.

Dabhol power plant: Stakeholder management

Dabhol power plant: Stakeholder management Effective Stakeholder Management in a Project Environment Stakeholders are those individuals, corporations, public, and government bodies etc. which are directly affected by the outcome of a project. In recent times it has been seen in India that many projects have failed or delayed due to lack of proper stakeholder management. Some of the major projects which have failed or delayed are Dabhol Power Project, Tatas Nano Project in West Bengal, Reliance Dadri Project in UP and many more. These projects failed in the planning phase itself. In the Dabhol power project firstly the stakeholders were not identified in an efficient way and then communication various stakeholders was lacking. Stakeholder Management is a process which is continuous in nature and spans through the life cycle of the project. Stakeholders in a typical project company(special purpose vehicle ) can be discovered through various techniques like brainstorming, Delphi technique, etc and various other techniques included in this report. The next big thing in stakeholder manag ement is doing a stakeholder analysis through which we will be able to draw a mind map of the stake holder also we would be able to rank the stakeholder according to their influencing power on the project. Next we draw a communication plan for the stakeholders, this will include type of medium, frequency, format of communication. Communication has emerged as one of the major factor affecting a projects outcome, cost and time. The diagram below shows a general framework of stakeholder management: In this dissertation report we have taken a study of ultra mega power plant (UMPP), which are under construction and are in various stages of completion. Ultra mega power plants will have an installed capacity of 4000 MW. UMPP policy was unveiled by the Ministry of Power through Electricity Act, 2003. The government envisages power for all by 2012, which means an addition of 100000 MW to the installed capacity at the end of 10th plan. In the 10th plan India missed the targeted capacity addition by almost half of the total to be added. Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has been assigned the task of creating five special purpose vehicles (SPVs). Of the five sites identified initially for UMPP, four have been already awarded up till now. Objective To find a method of controlling time and cost over runs using a better stakeholders management techniques through the planning, implementation and closing stages of a UMPP project. Methodology The dissertation report is based on applied research. Various reports of international consultancies have been cited in this dissertation report. Data have been collected from infraline , Central Electricity Authority (CEA) websites. A detailed study has been done on new trends in stakeholder management. INDIAN POWER SECTOR To write pages and pages of theory on the power scenario in India would not be an effective way to communicate the current problems faced by this sector. The statistics given below can more effectively communicate the sense of urgency that this sector requires. A study conducted by the Manufactures Association for Information Technology (MAIT) and Emerson Network Power (India) reveals that in 2008-2009 power outages both scheduled and non-scheduled accounted for about Rs 43205 Crore losses to Indian Inc. This amount was Rs 22000 Crore in the year 2003. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN POWER SECTOR In India, control over the development of the power industry is shared between the Central and the State Governments. The Ministry of Power is the highest authority governing the power industry in India. The CEA, a statutory organization constituted under the Electricity Supply Act, is the technical branch of the Ministry of Power assisting in technical, financial and economic matters relating to the electricity industry. The CEA is responsible for giving concurrence to schemes involving capital expenditure beyond a certain limit as fixed by the government from time to time, and it is also responsible for the development of a sound, adequate and uniform power policy in relation to the control and utilization of national power resources. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission constituted under the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act1998 is an independent statutory body with quasi-judicial powers. Its main functions include the formulation of policy and the framing of guideli nes with regard to electricity tariffs. Several states have set up State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) and others are in the process of setting them up. The SERCs are engaged in regulating the purchase, distribution, supply and utilization of electricity, tariff and charges payable, as well as the quality of service. State Governments have set up State Electricity Boards at the State level, which are responsible for ensuring that the supply, transmission and distribution of electricity in such states is done in the most economical and efficient manner. These State Electricity Boards are required to coordinate with power generating companies, as well as the government entities that control the relevant power grids. Some States have amalgamated their respective State Electricity Boards to form Regional Electricity Boards, to ensure that the electricity supply, transmission and distribution policies are consistently applied. Private sector companies operating in the electr icity supply, transmission and distribution industry report to the Ministry of Power, as well as their respective State Electricity Boards and their State Electricity Regulatory Commissions. Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) There is a great difference between the supply and demand of electric power in India. According to CEA monthly report in January2010 the peak deficit was 12.2 % i.e. 112029 MW. A KPMG1 report sites that per capita consumption of electricity is 700 units in India, 1800 units in China and 15000 units in USA while the world average is 2300 units. Therefore to bridge this deficit and raise per capita consumption, the government came out with reforms through electricity act, 2003. Ultra Mega Power Projects are part of these reforms, in which power plants with an installed capacity of 4000 MW, with an estimated cost of Rs 16000 Crore, will be constructed across the country. The nodal agency for UMPP program will be Power Finance Corporation (PFC). Nine sites have been selected for construction of UMPP. Five sites are coastal sites, while four are pithead sites. PFC has set up separate Special Purpose Vehicles(SPVs) for each of the nine UMPPs identified so far as to act as authorized representatives of the procurers. The SPVs have been named after the name of the site. All the 9 SPVs are wholly owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation Limited. Akaltara Power Limited is renamed as Chhattisgarh Surguja Power Ltd (CSPL). The main features of the Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPP) are:- The UMPP would use Super Critical Technology with the view to achieve higher levels of fuel efficiency, which results in saving of fuel and lower green-house gas emissions. Flexibility in unit size subject to adoption of specified minimum supercritical parameters. Integrated power projects with dedicated captive coal blocks for pithead projects. Coastal Project to use imported coal. Role of Ministry of Power (MoP):- Coordination with Central Ministries/Agencies to make sure:- Coal Block allotment/coal Linkage Environment/Forest Clearances Water Linkages Required support from State Governments and their agencies Working out allocation of power to different states from UMPPs consultation with the states. Facilitating PPA and proper payment of security mechanism with State Governments/State Utilities. Monitoring the progress of shell companies with respect to predetermined timelines. Role of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Appointment of consultants to undertake preparation of Project Report, preparation of rapid Environment Impact Assessment. Appointment of Consultants for International Competitive Bidding (ICB), document preparation evaluation. To finalise RFQ/RFP documents in consultation with states / bidders. To carry out RFQ/RFP process and award of projects. Acquisition of land for the project. Obtaining coal blocks for pit-head projects. Getting clearances regarding allocation of water by the state Govt. for pit head locations. Approvals for use of sea water from Maritime Board/ other Govt. Agencies for coastal locations. Obtain clearances from state pollution control boards, initiate forest clearances etc. as required for the project and for the coal mines, followed by environment and forest clearances from the central government. Obtaining geological reports / other related data from CMPDI for the coal blocks. Tie up the off take/ sale of power. Role of States Rehabilitation Resettlement PlanLand Owners Give authorization to the PFC/SPV to carry out the bidding process on behalf of the distribution utilities. Facilitate signing of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Ensure proper payment security mechanism with the distribution utilities. Sasan Power Ltd Sasan is situated in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh. Singrauli is the 50th district of the state, Madhya Pradesh. Singrauli is known as the Energy Capital of India. It has the 10 % of the total installed capacity of India. The district also has large deposits of coal in nearby coal fields. River Rihand has a dam on it known as Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar Dam. Thus Singrauli provides excellent conditions for thermal power generation. Sasan UMPP is a pit head-based thermal power project with an aggregate capacity of 3,960MW (6660 MW) using supercritical technology. The project also involves development of captive coal blocks, viz Moher, Moher-Amlohri Extension and Chhattrasal at the Singrauli coalfields to meet the coal requirements of the power project. *. Thus fuel risk is being managed by the SPV on its own. Therefore risk of fuel shortage is minimised, giving a positive impact on the project. The location of the project itself reduces many risks like availability of fuel and water. Both coal mines and a reservoir are available in the vicinity. On other hand the area is less densely populated thus problem of land acquisition automatically got resolved. The Bidding Process Sasan UMPP was awarded through a two stage competitive bidding process. Lanco infratech and Globeleq Singapore Pte Ltd ( a Singapore based firm) were declared winners after they quoted the lowest bid for the project of Rs 1.196 / Kw, in dec2006. In Feb2007 Globeleq Ltd, Bermuda, parent company of Globeleq Singapore, sold its Singapore business arm to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd and Lanco Infratechs, Mauritius based holding company. This move was challenged by the rival bidders in the court. The government declared the bid of Lanco Infratech ltd -Globeleq Singapore Pte Ltd. as invalid. A week later Reliance Energy submitted a fresh bid of Rs 1.19/ Kw. Consequently the project was awarded to a consortium Reliance Infra Ltd. this consortium consists of Reliance Infra Projects UK Ltd (RIPUL), an affiliate of REL Infra. Sasan Power Ltd. (SPL) had invited bids on behalf of state electricity boards/ electricity distribution companies/ state electricity utilities of Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on 31st Mar2006. Technical Requirement for the bidders:- Should have experience of developing projects ( not necessarily power projects) in the last 10 years whose aggregate capital cost must not be less than Rs. 3000 Crores. Out of these projects , the capital cost of at least one project should be equivalent to Rs. 500 Crores. For the purpose capital expenditure on the projects that have been completed at least 7 days before the RFQ submission date shall be considered. Lead member shall be the company having at least 26% stake in the Bidding Consortium. Financial Requirement for the bidders:- Internal resource generation equal to atleast Rs. 1200 Cores or equivalent US$ computed as cumulative internal resources generated during last five years business operations, networth of Rs. 1000 Crore or equivalent US$ based on any of the past three years annual accounts and annual turnover of Rs. 2400 Crores or equivalent US$ based on any of the past three years annual accounts. The financial requirements of each Member in Bidding Consortium shall be combined in proportion to the investment commitment by each of them. Enclosures with the bid proposal:- Covering Letter Joint Deed Agreement between Members in Bidding Consortium. Letter of consent from all Members in Bidding Consortium. Board Resolution. Initialling of all pages of Bid by authorized signatory. Executive Summary. Last five year annual Accounts of Bidding Company or each of the Member in case of a Bidding Consortium. Reliance Infra Ltd. Reliance Infra Ltd. is the flagship company of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG). The company develops and operates power plants both domestically and internationally. The company on its own and through subsidiaries is currently developing 13 medium and large sized power projects with a combined planned installed capacity of 28,200 MW, one of the largest portfolios of power generation assets under development in India. 13 power projects are planned to be diverse in geographic location, fuel type, fuel source and off-take, and each project is planned to be strategically located near an available fuel supply or load center. The identified project sites are located in western India (12,220 MW), northern India (9,080 MW) and north-eastern India (2,900 MW) and southern India (4,000 MW). They include six coal-fired projects (14,620 MW) to be fueled by reserves from captive mines and supplies from India and abroad, two gas-fired projects (10,280 MW) to be fuelled primarily by reserves from the Krishna Godavari Basin (the KG Basin) off the east coast of India, and four hydroelectric projects (3,300 MW), three of them in Arunachal Pradesh and one in Uttarakhand. Reliance Power has acquired the two ultra mega power projects of 4,000 MW each at Sasan in Madhya Pradesh and Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The 7,480 MW project to be located at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh is expected to be the largest gas-fired power project at a single location in the world. The power generated by these projects is to be sold under a combination of long-term and short-term PPAs to state-owned and private distribution companies and industrial consumers. Reliance Power limitedtoday has total generating capacity of 941 megawatts from five different plants located in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa, of which the Dahanu plant (Maharashtra) is the largest with 500 megawatts. Reliance Power is currently pursuing several gas, coal, wind and hydro-based power generation projects in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal with aggregate capacity of over 12,500 MW. These projects are at various stages of development. 5,600 MW Project (Phase I) at Dhirubhai Ambani Energy City (DAEC), Dadri in Uttar Pradesh 4,000 MW Power Project at Shahapur in Maharashtra 280 MW Urthing Sobla Hydro Power Project in Uttaranchal 700 MW Hydro Power Project at Tato II and 1,000 MW Hydro Power Project at Siyom, both in Arunachal Pradesh The 941 MW Generation capacity of the Reliance Power comes from five projects: Dahanu TPS the 2250 MW multi fuel based thermal power station at Dahanu near Mumbai. BSES Andhra Power Limited: The 220 MW combined cycle power plant at Samalkot in Andhra Pradesh. BSES Kerala Limited: The 165 MW combined cycle power station at Kochi, Kerala. Goa Power Station : The 48 MW naptha based combined cycle power plant at Goa Chitradurga wind farm: The 8 MW Wind Farm Project at Jogimatti in the district of Chitradurga in Karnataka. Reliance Infra Ltd is also in the distribution and the transmission business. Reliance is already maintains a distribution network in Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Delhi, with the name BSES (BOMBAY SUBURBAN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY). Its transmission business is with the business arm, Reliance Power Transmission Limited (RPTL). Chapter 3 STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT Stakeholder has specific interest in the project outcome or in the initial stages of project planning, implementation and closing. If the stakeholder interest is not managed efficiently the project may get delayed or it may fail. We can say that with stakeholder management we are actually managing various risk associated with the project. Thus for efficient risk management, the project manager should have sound knowledge about the stakeholders interests, power and influence, to achieve this, one has to identify and analyse the stakeholders. Almost any person or organization with an interest in a project can be termed a stakeholder. The type and interest of a stakeholder are of great importance to a project manager since they enable him or her to use these to the greatest benefit of the project. The process of listing, classifying and assessing the influence of these stakeholders is termed stakeholder analysis. Stakeholders can be divided into two main groups: Direct (or primary) stakeholder Indirect (or secondary) stakeholder Direct stakeholder This group is made up, as the name implies, of all those directly associated or involved in the planning, administration or execution of the project. These include the client, project sponsor, project manager, members of the project team, technical and financial services providers, internal or external consultants, material and equipment suppliers, site personnel, contractors and subcontractors as well as end users. In other words, people or organizations directly involved in all or some of the various phases of the project. Indirect stakeholders This group covers all those indirectly associated with the project such as internal managers of the organization and support staff not directly involved in the project including the HR department, accounts department, secretariat, senior management levels not directly responsible for the project, and last but not least the families of the project manager and team members. A sub-section of indirect stakeholders are those representing the regulatory authorities such as national and local government, public utilities, licensing and inspecting organizations, technical institutions, professional bodies, and personal interest groups such as stockholders, labour unions and pressure groups. Each of these groups can contain: Positive stakeholders: who support the aims and objectives of the project Negative stakeholders: who do not support the project and do not wish it to proceed. Direct stakeholders mainly consist of positive stakeholders as they are the ones concerned with the design and implementation of the project with the object of completing it within the specified parameters of time, cost and quality/performance. They therefore include the sponsor, project manager and the project design, construction/installation teams. This group could also have negative stakeholders such as employees of the end user, who would prefer to retain the existing facility because the new installation might result in relocation or even redundancy We can divide the stakeholders based on various project requirements. The stakeholders a project are: Government-Central-State Governments, Government Organisations, Regulator Finance-Banks, Financial Institutions Concessionaire-Project Manager, Project Team Members Consessionee-Government Organisations Technology-Suppliers, Technology owners Environment Government Ministry, International Watchdog Land-Land owners Water-Ministry of Water Resources Fuel-Coal Ministry Stakeholders in a Business A successful business first identifies its key stakeholders and identifies their needs. A company can accomplish its stakeholder goals only by managing and linking work processes. High-performance companies are increasingly focussing on the need to manage core business process such as new product development. They are reengineering the work flows and building cross functional teams responsible for each process. For a business the stakeholders may be as following: Importance of Stakeholders Management Powerful stakeholders can influence the project in a big way Powerful stakeholders can help the project in securing important resources. Experienced stakeholders can guide the project managers during tough times. Communicating with the stakeholders early and often can make the stakeholders understand the benefits of the outcome of the project. It leads to understanding the reactions of the stakeholders during the progress of the project and thus the project manager can do the needful changes if required in the project. Stakeholder Analysis process: Stakeholder Identification The first step in stakeholder analysis is the identification of the key stakeholders. When the project manager starts identifying project stakeholders , he should do an organised study by giving the projects geographic sphere of influence. Here consider not only the main project site, but also the related project facilities, like the road to the site, cumulative affect of the project outcome or unplanned but predictable developments. Using this type of analysis to determine the projects area of influence and finding out that who all may be affected in this manner. This process will reveal those stakeholders, who are directly influenced by the project, may be by use of land , or by the effect to the nearby environment or by the process of new job creation. One of the techniques used for stakeholder identification is impact zoning Impact Zoning @ By mapping the sphere of influence of different types of environmental and social impacts, the project company can begin to identify distinct groups by impact area, and from this prioritize stakeholders for consultation. Steps in Impact Zoning Draw a sketch map of the key design elements of the project, both on and off site, that may give rise to local environmental or social impacts (e.g., the project site; ancillary infrastructure such as roads, power lines, and canals; sources of air, water, and land pollution). Identify the large impact zones for each of the elements Next over lay , the large stakeholder groups, over the impact zones. Through consultation with relevant stakeholder representatives, verify which groups are potentially affected by which impacts. This exercise may be performed more efficiently by using aerial photographs. The other common technique of stakeholder identification is brainstorming Chapter 4 COMMUNICATION One of the largest contributing factors for project failure or delay is lack of proper communication with the stakeholders. When communication is limited to periodic reports stakeholders, can be in dark as to when the project begins to slip. It may slip to a point, from where it is very difficult to recover the project. The remedy is consistent, frequent and candid communication. The project manager uses plans, agreements and status reports to communicate with the stakeholders and manage their expectations. In addition, as with everything on a project, a solid plan improves the probability of success. Every project should have a communication plan, a written strategy for getting the right information to the right people at the right time. The stakeholders identified in the SOW and responsibility matrix are the audience for most project communication. Information management In todays world, where there are ample mediums for communication, there is no shortage of information but instead there is abundance of information, which the stakeholder is not able to handle in the right way. Data and Information Information is always tied to the purpose of the stakeholder. Information is based on data, which is useful only when it is organised in a meaningful manner. It is the responsibility of the project manager to provide information to the stakeholder in a manner which is useful to them. Information can be classified as i) Relevant Information ii) Used Information iii) Cassandra Information. Therefore it is important to feed the right amount of information which can be used by the stakeholders. Otherwise it would lead to increased spending, increased confusion and consequently time delay in project completion. Guidelines to make a communication plan Use precise short status reports: obese reports are overwhelming for a busy audience. Determine what should go into the status report, by interviewing the stakeholders what they want. Different stakeholders may want reports on different aspects of the project. Have an escalation procedure: these are the procedure to elevate problem to senior management. Make the information timely: Executive sponsors may want reports less frequently than your immediate manager. Make sure regular status meetings are included in the plan: Many stakeholders may require meetings on project status as and when needed, i.e. only when there is big event or problem. By including schedule meetings in the communication plan, customers and higher level managers are agreeing to be more informed about the project- which avoids unpleasant surprises in the project. Be consistent with other projects: As much as possible, your project documentation should have the same look and content as other projects in your organisation. If there are standards, use them. If not, find good examples from good examples from other projects which have same stakeholders. Use multiple channels of communication: websites, newsletters, and project bulletin boards can be used to post information of interest to all stakeholders. These communication mediums complement status reports because they can provide a wider scope of information. Finally, realize what you say in the written report may come across differently when you present it verbally, so consciously include face to face meetings in your communication plan. Communication Medium Choosing the right kind of medium for the right kind of stakeholders is again an area to be looked into. A communication medium should have the following characteristic: It should be easily accessible. It should be fast. It should be recoverable later at anytime It should be cost effective. It should be easy to use. There are many communication mediums available today. It depends on the project manager to use which kind of medium to communicate to a particular stakeholder. Below there is alist of mediums available: E-mail: the use of electronic mail continues to be extensive. Some contend that email is an overused (and sometimes inappropriately used) medium. It is certainly convenient to use for most of the people. And it reaches widely dispersed and distant recipients quickly, although there is no guarantee that the recipient will read the message immediately. It automatically provides the record for the sender and the receiver. Also as it is with other written messages, email messages are also subject to misinterpretation. With the ease, by which email messages can be forwarded, one should be careful about what one write in the email. Overall email is a convenient medium of communication. Telephone: Calling someone on the telephone can be an immediate interactive method of communication, without creating a permanent, written record. Phone conversation allows you to hear voice inflections, although obviously you cannot view body language. Although an upbeat phone call is considered warmer than a written note, it doesnt have the same effect as a personal visit or any other face-to-face interaction. Unanticipated phone calls are subject to the same shortcomings or advantages of impromptu communications. Voice Mail: When people dont answer their phone, you can often rely on voice mail. This may create issues for you, if youre not careful. When you place a call, youre often expecting a dialogue. If youre forced to use voice mail, you must immediately convert your message to a monologue, which doesnt always come out sounding as youd like it: the message can become awkward or confusing for the recipient. And, as with e-mail, theres no guarantee that the message will be received in a timely manner. Handwritten Notes: Probably the most informal of the all communication modes are the handwritten notes. Short hand written notes are an excellent way to provide positive recognition. Although they take very little effort, they convey the personal touch much more than the verbal approaches or formal memos or emails. The drawback of these kind of notes is that they are geographically limited. Printed and Mailed Memos and letters: with the advent of email, memos and letters are now generally reserved for more formal or official communication. They are slow and one sided, but good when formal signatures are required and a permanent record is desired. Hence, printed, mailed memos and letters are still used in contractual transactions. Informal Visits: A visit is simply an informal and personal way to maintain a communication link with a stakeholder. Although you may not be carrying any important message, an informal visit can often lead to a more valuable or productive communication session than you might have expected from a formal communication. Informal visits are also appropriate when confidential, personal, or sensitive subjects need to be covered. Formal Presentations: Formal Presentations are often used in situations where the distribution of information may be enhanced by an explanation or the information is too complex for written documentation. Formal presentations are often done in a group setting, thus ensuring that everyone gets the same level of understanding. They allow for impressive graphical displays of information, but often require a lot of preparation. Theyre effective when youre trying to promote understanding, enlist support, or expedite a decision (e.g., management approval to proceed). However, formal presentations can be challenging or risky, as you rarely have control over the entire session. And, if poorly done, they may do more harm than good. Communication through Project Management Software: This method of communication is unique. This is a new f When Harry Met Sally: Analysis of Communication When Harry Met Sally: Analysis of Communication When Harry Met Sally and Children of a Lesser God When Harry Met Sally†¦ (1989) is a romantic comedy that breaks out of the norm of the genre with some very real messages about interpersonal communication between both genders and how we handle different situations differently. According to IMDB the plot of the movie goes: in 1977, Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) graduate from the University of Chicago and share the drive to New York City, where Sally is beginning journalism school and Harry is starting a career. Harry is dating a friend of Sallys, Amanda (Michelle Nicastro). During the drive, they discuss their differing ideas about relationships between men and women. Harry says that Men and women cant be friends because the sex part always gets in the way. Sally disagrees, claiming that men and women can be strictly friends without sex. During a stop in a diner, Sally is angered when Harry tells her she is attractive; she accuses him of making a pass at her. In New York, they part on unfriendly terms . Five years later, Harry and Sally find themselves on the same flight. Sally has just started dating a man named Joe (Steven Ford) who is a neighbor of Harrys and Harry is engaged to a woman named Helen, which surprises Sally. Harry suggests they become friends, forcing him to qualify his previous rule about the impossibility of male-female friendships. Despite Harrys suggestions of exceptions to that rule, they separate, concluding that they will not be friends. Harry and Sally run into each other again in a bookstore five years later. They have coffee and talk about their previous relationships; Sally and Joe broke up because she wanted a family and he did not want to marry, and Harrys relationship ended when Helen fell in love with another man. They take a walk and decide to be friends. They have late-night phone conversations, go to dinner, and spend time together. Their dating experiences with others continue to inform their differing approaches to relationships and sex. During a New Years Eve party, Harry and Sally find themselves attracted to each other. Though they remain friends, they set each other up with their respective best friends, Marie (Carrie Fisher) and Jess (Bruno Kirby). When the four go to a restaurant, Marie and Jess hit it off; they later become engaged. One night, over the phone, Sally tearfully tells Harry that her ex is getting married. He rushes to her apartment to comfort her, and they unexpectedly have sex, resulting in an awkward moment the next morning as Harry leaves in a state of distress. This creates tension in their relationship. Their friendship cools for three weeks until the two have a heated argument during Jess and Maries wedding dinner. Following this fight, Harry repeatedly attempts to mend his friendship with Sally, but she feels that they cannot be friends after what happened. At a New Years Eve party that year, Sally feels alone without Harry by her side. Harry spends New Years alone, walking around the city. As Sally decides to leave the party early, Harry appears and declares his love for her. At first, she argues that the only reason he is there is because he is lonely, but he disagrees and lists the many things he realized he loves about her. They make up and kiss and marry three months later. Harry and Sally communicate in very different ways which is evident from the beginning of their journey to New York. Right from the beginning of their journey, Harry and Sally start to try and get to know each other on their long drive. Sally is obviously a more positive, upbeat and open individual. She maintains this character throughout most of the film during her communications with her friends and with Harry.   Her openness with others is very in line with how we view feminine communication. Harry, on the other hand, comes across more like a typical male. He is more closed off, seems detached when he talks about things that should be more emotional, and tries to make light when conversations turn more serious.   He also focuses a lot on the more sexual aspect of his relationships than in really developing emotional attachments. Sally thinks of Harry as rude and insensitive while Harry thinks she is obsessive and very naive. When they try to talk to each other, he makes just a bout everything into a debate, doing report talk instead of rapport talk. He always has to have the last word and isnt afraid to crack jokes and hardly ask questions. After bumping into his ex wife, Harry gets frustrated and yells about the difficulties of divorce while at Jess and Maries apartment. He then leaves the apartment, and Sally has to approach him to talk about it. When Sally learns that her ex boyfriend is getting married, she reacts with sadness instead of anger and calls Harry to talk about it. Differences can also be seen after Harry and Sally sleep together. The morning after, Sally is happy and approachable while Harry is uncomfortable and distant. This is because usually for women, intimacy leads to sex and for men, sex leads to intimacy. As the movie goes on, the two start to become friends after each little meet up they have and they no longer resent each other like they did all those years ago. Harry opens up about Helen while Sally keeps the details about Joe to herself until the very end. Their communication skills cross due to Harry and Sally both talking to each other on the phone before going to bed. They even do activities together such as shopping or eating out together. By the end of the film, Harry is more descriptive when he talks to Sally such as why he enjoys being with and around her. Interpersonal communication is seen throughout this film which is defined as interacting with others over the phone and face-to-face to build a relationship. Harry and Sally absolutely experience a relationship of this type. Harry and Sally really start exchanging feelings and personal things to each other after their first get together. Sally learns about Helen and Harry about Joe. They connect and decide to be friends and hang out and talk more often. They try to help each other get dates which leads to the double date with Jess and Marie. They spend a lot of time going out to eat, shopping together, and talking on the phone. They care about how the other is feeling and desire to keep the other happy. Their relationship became one of interpersonal communication after they learned of each others recent heartbreak. They were both going through the same thing and wanted to spend more time with someone they could relate with. 3. Does S have a need to disclose herself in early confrontations with H? Is this appropriate/inappropriate for the relationship? Is this just a style of communicating? Is it gender based? Explain. I believe that Sally does feel the need to disclose herself during her early encounters with Harry. She seems easily goaded into divulging intimate details about her life. I dont think that it was necessarily appropriate or not, just her reaction to Harrys behavior and communication style. Perhaps it speaks of the feminine pressure to please others with whom we communicate with Sally feels a need to disclose herself in early confrontations with Harry because he is making assumptions about her. When he says that she hasnt had good sex yet she feels a need to tell him that she has had plenty of good sex. This is inappropriate for the relationship because they have just met each other and Harry is dating Sallys friend. I think this style of communicating is gender based because men tend to disclose less in relationships, so the conversation is focused mostly on Sallys life. Since Harry and Sallys first meeting was off to say the least, the two seemed very incompatible at the very beginning. Harry seemed very rude and blunt when asking such personal questions while Sally was very naive and kept to herself about such personal questions such as Harry asking her about having lots of good sex. With their two personalities clashing at almost all times, it was hard to hold a conversation that didnt end up as a debate or small argument. Hence when Harry told Sally that she was good looking. To Sally it was inappropriate because Harry was dating one of her friends at that time. I feel it was harmless to say the least, but I can understand both sides and why Sally didnt want him to say that she was attractive. Especially when Harry keeps insisting that a man and a woman cant be friends. Which is another reason why I think the two of them always seemed to debate and argue. So Harry could keep his point. CLG 1. From their very first meeting, there was obvious dialectical tension between Sarah and James. She being a former deaf student and James being a transferred teacher to help teach deaf students to speak. Since Sarah had a tough time growing up with her sisters friends making fun of her, she was afraid to speak and decided that she would surround herself in her own little world of silence. If no one could communicate with her through her world, she wouldnt make an effort to do the same. She was completely happy with this world she created herselfuntil she met James. He was determined to get to know her, intrigued immediately by her vow of silence and the way she refused to let anyone get close to her. Including her mother he later finds out. They agree to try and get to know one another, both seeming interested in each others world. After simply their first dance together, you can see an obvious longing in the way Sarah seems to melt in Jamess embrace. Her happiness in her silence is a lie. Though shes still afraid of the unknown world James is providing for her. When he suggests she move in and let him take care of her, she panics; her deafness being her own personal shield to the outside world. Sarah even says that no one can understand her when James asks what she can hear. In the end, they agree to meet in the middle, not having a complete world of silence or vocally speaking. This dialectical tension connecting them in the end. 2. The pool for Sarah is her own personal haven. Underwater, youre completely submerged and cant hear a thing. Also, considering she swam naked, she is completely exposed and comfortable. She feels one with the pool because in the water, you dont have to speak. Underwater, everything is still. Its that silence she craves such as her job as a janitor. Sarah feels safe and herself in the pool. So when James falls into the pool after her, he enters her domain. That was her way of seeing he actually cares about her; that he would enter her safe haven, fully clothed, just to be with her and understand her sense of ease and stillness she loves so much. James also enters the pool again during their separation by himself, staying under the water and even reaching out towards where Sarah was before. The pool is the way James can connect with how Sarah hears and sees the world. 3. The social exchange theory states why people are drawn to each other through substantial benefits. For example, when James first sees Sarah, he is drawn in by her stubbornness and not to mention her beauty. He wants to teach her to speak and is so desperate in anyway to get her to conform. He makes a promise that she doesnt have to ever speak, but breaks it during a heated moment. He apologizes for it and I think that stayed with Sarah for a while. She kept backing away while he kept pressing forward. Eventually, during an argument Sarah finally speaks, letting him hear how awful she sounds when shes screaming that shes a freak before running out on him. Their relationship is very back and forth, fitting the social exchange theory to a T. 4. The social penetration theory is quite obvious the entirety of the film. Right from the get go, Sarah makes it almost impossible for James to even hold a conversation with him; she constantly walks away, sits when he stands up, and outright ignores him. When they finally start to talk its very basic. They talk about school, work, etc. They dont talk about deeper topics until much later. After James meets Sarahs mother and talks about her past, theres a breakthrough. Sarah finally opens up a little to let him know about why she never speaks. They However by the end of the film, they both agree they need to still be their separate selves but meet somewhere in the middle. She admits that she doesnt want to be without him and that she even loves him. And thats a huge step for Sarah. The uncertainty reduction states that each person in a relationship wants and needs certainty. James gives Sarah that when he makes a promise that he wont ask her to speak. However, as I stated before, he asks her to say his name in a heated moment and breaks that certainty for Sarah. Lastly, the existential theory takes place throughout the entirety of the film from Sarahs perspective. She had grown up without anyone listening to her or even trying to understand her. She was made fun of for trying to be normal as a child by trying to talk. That scared her. The fact James keeps reminding her that hes there and wants to be with her and take care of her gives her the opportunity to finally open up to a new world. One that isnt so silent but one thats also not too loud. 1) Discuss the dialectical tension of autonomy and connection in James and Sarahs relationship? There is a lot of tension of autonomy and connection in Sarah and James relationship. Sarah doesnt have a fulfilling life of her own upon meeting James. She has not reached her potential and is working as a janitor at the school she has attended since the age of 5. James has done many things to build his career, impressing the head of the school with his resume during his job interview at the beginning of the film. This causes problems in their relationship because James wants to provide for Sarah (he gets her to quit her job and move in with him) but also wants her to be able to provide for herself (he wants her to learn to speak so she can get along in life). Sarah wants to provide for herself, but fears that she cant, saying that she is not trained for any job that will bring her fulfillment and security. Towards the end of the film, Sarah starts a new job and intends to go to college with her earnings so that she can reach her full potential. Only then, when they can both provide for themselves separately, will they reach a healthy autonomy and connection. 2) What does the pool represent for Sarah? I think the pool represents connection. When James asks Sarah what her experience of sound is like, she answers by saying that no one has been inside her head she could answer his question, but that doesnt mean he will understand. Underwater is somewhere where that question doesnt matter. It is where James can have a shared sensory experience with Sarah. At the end of the film, the couple agree to find a place to connect that is between sound and silence, and the pool was the place where that first happened. 3) Now that you have read ch 9, what about this Social exchange theory? Do Sarah and James fit the theory? Explain. The social exchange theory proposes that relationships are based on exchanges of give and take made to maximize benefits and minimize detriments. I think Sarah and James fit this theory. James is drawn to Sarah because she is unique, beautiful, and someone he sees as needing his help. James is a teacher, so he gets fulfillment from helping others. Sarah is drawn to James because he accepts her and can provide security for her. She quits her job and moves in with him so that they can try to have the traditional life he wants. They both experience give and take in the relationship, but because Sarah has not yet reached her full potential in life, the exchanges do not seem balanced. At the end of the film, when James lets go of trying to help Sarah and she chooses her own path in life, the relationship begins a new course of equilibrium. 4) Discuss how Social Penetration theory, uncertainty reduction, and existential theory is evident in the movie (look in the Baxter article). In the Social Penetration Theory, people must share some of themselves for a relationship to grow while keeping some of themselves separate or the relationship will deteriorate. This is evident in the film after Sarah and James begin living together, because they start to lose their individuality. Sarah leaves a party she is enjoying because James is bored. James does not listen to music anymore because Sarah cannot enjoy it. At the end of the film, Sarah states that they must learn to be separate but equal. In the Uncertainty Reduction Theory, people have an equal desire for predictability and novelty in relationships. In the film, Sarah wants predictability. She lives at the same school she has for almost her entire life, knowing that the staff understand her ways and will not try to change her. When James arrives, he tries to get her to break down her walls and learn to speak. The Existential Theory states that a persons desire to be open with others is balanced with a desire for privacy. Sarah willingly tells James about her sexual encounters quickly after they meet, but she never wants to speak in front of him, even after they have become very close. 1. After watching the movie, it is clear there are many sources of tension on Sarah and James relationship. The couple grows close intimately, but they are separated in many ways, some more obvious than others. The first and most obvious factor keeping the couple apart is speech. Sara cannot speak, and while they are able to communicate through sign, she refuses to even attempt to read lips or produce noise. James says he is okay with this, but once or twice he begs her to try to make noise and say his name, which upsets Sarah so much it starts the end of their relationship. Sarah also has some issues of her own which are keeping the couple apart. Her fear of getting hurt like she did when she was younger have made her cold and angry, and it takes James a long time to even have a real conversation with her. When James finally does convince Sarah to go to dinner, and agrees and while dancing, she shows a tender side that lets James know she craves human connection. His persistant ques tions about her past and why she acts the way she does, why she refuses to admit she has been hurt, why she is afraid to speak coupled with Sarahs complex and silent demenour are enough to break the couple apart. Towards the end of the movie, Sarah admits she misses him, and the two agree to try again and come to a middle ground between silence and speech. 2. In my opinion, for Sarah, the pool represents solitude and equality. She can be totally by herself, and not have to worry about talking to anyone. Being submerged underwater is silent for anyone, not just her. For a moment, she can feel equal to everyone else. It is the one place where she is not being asked to speak, not being spoken to, and not missing out on noise. Anyone who goes underwater will hear silence, and I would imagine it is comforting to her to know she is the same as anyone else, even if just for a moment. The pool is her escape. 3. Our book defines the social exchange theory as being drawn to those who are able to offer benefits to you without asking for much in return. This is an interesting idea, and while I think it can be applied to most relationships, I do not think James and Sarah fit in this theory. Sarah and James do not have much in common, and neither has anything very huge or substantial to offer (no great deal of money, no great power, no great control, etc). James does tell Sarah she is the most beautiful and mysterious girl he has ever met, and Sarah tells James he is the nicest man she has ever met. They do offer each-other the benefit of compassion, love and companionship. But their relationship is far from perfect. James asks a lot from Sarah. He asks her personal questions she is not comfortable with answering and he asks her to let him help her speak, which she makes very clear is something she never intends to do. Sarah tries James patience, saying he is only with her because he wants to fix her and just wants to be with a blind girl just to say he has like every other hearing man. Their relationship is strained, and their expectations for eachother are strong enough to end the relationship. I do not think the social exchange theory applies to them. 4. The certainty reduction theory says that people always look for what they know what is certain in themselves and others. Predictibility is favored in relationships. This is true especially for Sarah. She admits she has never let anyone in, and says she has never been hurt by anyone. It is normal for her to have a wall up, and that is what is comfortable for her. She is constantly going back behind the wall and shutting down and shutting people out, like she did with James. Sarah does not like change; she would rather be in her silent world that she has known for her entire life. James tries to threaten that silence, and she reacts with anger and hostility. The social penetration theory can definitely be seen in their relationship. When Sarah and James first began to talk, they talked about school, mopping, and jobs. Sarah made it difficult for James to talk about anything deep, and she often abruptly ended conversations. As they got closer and their relationship deepened, they t alked about deeper topics, such as Sarahs dark past and why she pushes people away. Sarah admits she loves James and needs him and feels lonely without him, which is a huge break through since she told him earlier she never lets anyone in.