Electrical Resistance

JMJ MARIST BROTHERS NOTRE DAME OF DADIANGAS UNIVERSITY MARIST AVENUE, GENERAL SANTOS CITY MULTITESTER Instrumentation and Control CpE 511 NAME: KURT RUSSEL C. CHUASeptember 01, 2012 CYNTHIA C. GONZAGADate of Submission INSTRUCTOR: ENGR. JAY S. VILLAN, MEP-EE Introduction A multitester or multimeter is a device which can be used to gather data about electrical circuits. A basic multitester can measure resistance, voltage, and continuity; while more advanced versions may be able to provide additional data.This tool can be very useful to have around the house, and anyone who plans on doing electrical repairs should most definitely use a multitester for safety reasons. Multitesters can be used with the current off or on in most cases, although using the device with the current on can sometimes result in damage to the device. Theory Ammeters are employed for measuring current in a circuit and connected in series with the circuit. As ammeter is connected in series, the voltage drop across ammeter terminals should be as low as possible.This requires that the resistance of the ammeter should be as low as possible. The current coil of ammeter has low current carrying capacity whereas the current to be measured may be quite high. For this reason a low resistance is connected in parallel to the current coil. Voltmeters are employed to measure the potential difference across any two points of the circuit these are connected in the parallel to the circuit. The resistance of voltmeter is kept very high by connecting a high resistance in series of the voltmeter with the current coil of the instrument.The actual voltage drop across the current coil of the voltmeter is only a fraction of the total voltage applied across the voltmeter which is to be measured. An ohmmeter is a measuring instrument used to measure the resistance placed between its leads. The resistance reading is indicated through a mechanical meter movement which operates on electric current. The ohmmeter must th en have an internal source of voltage to create the necessary current to operate the movement, and also have appropriate ranging resistors to allow just the right amount of current through the movement at any given resistance.One major problem with this design is its reliance upon a stable battery voltage for accurate resistance reading. If the battery voltage decreases, the ohmmeter scale will lose accuracy. Conclusion Aside from using devices such as  multitester, the resistance value of a  resistor can be determined by its color coding. There are small differences between measured and color coded values of the resistances. These differences may be caused by some factors such as the multitester used in the experiment and some mistakes made by the experimenters.It is much easier to read the resistance value of a resistor through a digital multitester than by using an analog multitester and by color coding. In addition, in using an analog multitester, you have to first consider the range of the resistance and make the zero-ohm adjustment in each and every reading. In that case, that is the only time you  can acquire the resistance value after a  slight inconvenient process. Pictorial Calculation For Ammeter: * 0. 25A R1=99mV0. 25A R1= 0. 96 ? * 25mA R2=99mV25mA-R1 R2= 3. 564 ? * 2. 5mA R3=99mV2. 5mA-R2-R1 R3= 35. 64 ? For DC Voltmeter: * 2. 5V R1=2. 5V49. 5 µA-Rm R1= 48, 505. 05051 ? * 10V R2=10V49. 5 µA-Rm-R1 R2= 151,515. 1515 ? * 50V R3=50V49. 5 µA-Rm-R1-R2 R3= 808,080. 8081 ? For AC Voltmeter: * 10V Im=49. 5 µA0. 637 Im= 77. 70800628 µA R1=1. 41410-1. 477. 70800628 µA-Rm R1=161,947. 0707 ? * 25V R2=1. 41425-1. 477. 70800628 µA-Rm R2= 434,891. 9192 ? * 250V R3=1. 414250-1. 477. 70800628 µA-Rm R3= 4,529,064. 646 ?

A Mir Case Essay

In the Case, â€Å"A Mir Case† there are many Organizational Behavioural issues involved. There was no team cohesion amongst the researchers and this was in a large part due to the composition of the team. This composition in itself created many cross cultural, gender and communication issues, which resulted in the conflict amongst the individuals. One factor that influences team cohesion is the members’ similarities and in this case we see the Russians forming their own group (due to their similarities and cultural beliefs and views) and the new international researches forming another group amongst themselves. Another division amongst the group was due to the language barriers. . Language differences are a huge source of communication noise as it lessens effective communication as words and meanings can be easily misunderstood. Along with the language barrier, there was also cross cultural and cross gender communication issues. The Japanese and Austrian saw the inclusion of the female participant to be positive and treated her with respect, the Russians felt she had to be endured and looked at her as a sex-symbol and not a team member. There were also cultural differences as the Russian were seen to be more aggressive and dominating and while the Austrian, the Japanese and the French researcher saw the kiss as a form of sexual harassment, the Russians saw nothing wrong in this â€Å"stolen kiss. † These actions by the Russians (which were due in part to the cultural differences) now has serious repercussions as the other researchers now felt as though they were in a hostile environment which in turn leads to high levels of stress. To make matters worse, there was no intervention by a mediatory or leader from IBMP to help resolve the conflict which only further escalated the problems. Within the individuals there was no emergence of a leader and no one to take charge of the situation and work towards resolving the conflict. In essence, the lack of team dynamic and cohesion and the cross cultural differentiation all escalated to a conflict that was never resolved or addressed rather it was avoided by Moscow’s Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP), who classes the conflict as all a part of the experiment. As mentioned in the case, the purpose of the experiment was to learn about the dynamics of isolation, as they would apply this knowledge to the International Space Station, who would be sending people into space for long periods of time. For this to work, the group would really need to learn how to work effectively as a team and how to overcome conflicts that would naturally arise. In this situation, the individuals really need someone to step up as a leader and take charge of the situation. This would be a positive step, as the leader can work with the individuals to form a cohesive team and initiate some conflict resolution. However this solution will be challenging as the Russians will probably not want to listen to someone who is not Russian and due to their aggressive nature, the other researchers may not want a Russian as their team leader either. As a result it would really take an understanding, open, motivated and influential person to take charge of this team. The individuals also needed conflict resolution. The company should have looked at third party conflict resolution as a means of working through this issue. This would be best as it would be an outside person who is able to be neutral and help the conflicting parties resolve their differences. However this mediator would interfere with the experiment, because if this incident did take place in space, there would be no mediator to send. Due to the fight and the kiss, this conflict escalated to a very high level as one individual felt violated. As a result conflict management is definitely needed. Though IBMP did not want to intervene, sexual harassment is a serious claim and needed to be addressed. A mediator needed to get involved to work through this crisis. A mediator will not only help to diffuse the issue but will show the researchers who were upset with the incident that the company is not avoiding the issue but is taking it seriously. That mediator would first off have to look at ways to reduce differentiation by creating common experiences. The mediator would have to find a way to show the cross cultural differences and show the Russians that what is acceptable in their culture is not in others and vice versa. The researchers need to find the commonalities within each other in order to live and work more effectively. After differentiation has been reduced the mediator would also have to look at ways to improve communication and understanding. Through this experiment IBMP would be able to tell the International Space Station (and implement in future experiments) that you cannot isolate people with different genders, cultures, languages together without first giving them a chance to get to know one another. The group should be asked to choose a team leader first and given some time to form their team dynamics. The group should be able to socialize together, learn about each other’s’ ultures and lifestyles and go through the team processes of storming and norming before being isolated in space. The group should also be given some regulations to follow, as ambiguous rules tend to lead to conflict. Certain common norms, for example, that sexual harassment and violence will not be tolerated should be instituted. Of course due to the different cultures, it will have to be clarified what is meant by sexual harassment and violence. With a good group dynamic, with a clear team leader and some rules in place the group should be able to reduce conflict and function more effectively.

Literature During the Early Period (1900-1930) Essay

The twentieth century ushered in the development of Filipino literature in English. Weeks after the capitulation of Manila, the U.S. Military Government was set up and, almost seven schools were re-opened as a necessary strategy to promote the pacification of the Philippines and the dissemination of common culture. English was first taught merely as a subject because the Spanish system of education then existing in the Philippines was allowed to continue. In April 1900, by virtue of President McKinley’s directives of the Philippine Commission, English became the official medium of instruction in the public schools. In order to accelerate the pacification drive, schools were established in all parts of the Philippines. The early teachers were taken in directly from the army. To augment the small number of American teachers, the Philippine Normal School, now Philippine Normal University, was founded in 1902 to train Filipinos in the art of teaching and eventually take charge of elementary education. In the same year, the Army transport, Thomas, brought six hundred American teachers to the Philippines who replaced the soldiers as teachers. They introduced to the Filipinos English and American literature in the form of works written by Irving, Chaucer, Milton, Donne, Shakespeare, Emerson, Hawthorn, Poe, Longfellow, Bryant, Keats, Shelley, Coleridge, Lamb, Joyce, Tennyson, Macaulay, and other famous writers. These were the writers w ho became the models of the early Filipino writers in English. At first, Filipino writing in English was quite formal and imitative, thus, the common reference to this period was known as Apprentice period. Influences from the Spanish language could be seen in the use of Spanish expressions and in ornate style. Grammatical expression were at times awkward and there was difficulty in the use of prepositions and pronouns. The first thirty years of Philippine literature in English produced little in the fields of drama and novel. Drama was hardly written, because vernacular plays and zarzuela still dominated the stage. The plays produced  were highly emotional, not intellectual experiences. The short stories produced during this period were either romantic tales of the past with legendary figures or were imitations of plots or themes taken from American and other sources. The most significant short story produced during the period was â€Å"Dead Stars† by Paz Marquez Benitez. Poetry was dominated by naà ¯ve sentimental love lyrics written in a loose rhetoric without much intellectual significance and overblown to achieve intensity. Verbal exuberance made the poems bombastic, artificial and insincere. The essay took a form similar to that utilized by British and American writers, but because the essay is a free form of composition, it soon developed its own personality. The Philippine essay in English is less inhibited by requirements inherent in other literary genres. It matured earlier in the favourable milieu and successfully projected Philippine customs and traditions. However, most critics agree that the early literary output in English can be considered definitely commendable. It can be favourably compared to the Colonial Period of American Literature in relation to English literature of those times. Footnote to Youth Jose Garcia Villa Dodong, who is 17 years old wanted to marry Teang. He wanted to go home so that he could tell his father and ask for his permission. At first, he was hesitant of saying it, but he wanted him to know. For Dodong, he is a well-grown man and can handle things like marriage. When he told his father about it, a long silence surrounded the house. His father asked him if he must marry because he was still young. But Dodong resented his father’s question, and finally was being permitted to get married. After 9 months, Teang gave birth to their first son named Blas. All of a sudden, Dodong felt guilty and ashamed to his mother because of becoming a father at a very young age. But when he saw his child, he could not control the happiness in him. Dodong did not want any more children, but he could not help them from coming. For six consecutive years, a new child came along. There were seven children in all. Teang did not complain even though she secretly regretted being married at an early age. She was very thin and shapeless now because of bearing many children and the hard work of taking care of them as well as the household. Sometimes, she wondered if she would have the same life if Lucio, her other suitor who was nine years older than Dodong, was the one she married. But she loved Dodong. Lucio got married after Teang’s marriage to Dodong, but he was childless until now. When Blas turns 18, he told his father, Dodong, that he wants to marry Tona. Dodong did not want his son to marry yet because he was young and Dodong already knew what comes next to it. Dodong did not object, but tried to make his son think twice before rushing to marriage. He does not want Blas to end up like him.

Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Risk Management - Essay Example 1. Strategic CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is significant in forming economic sustainability for all companies. 2. Applying the impact of CSR and MO (Marketing Orientation) in commercial and noncommercial settings. 3. The successful incorporation of the irrelevant facilitating impact of CSR on the association between MO and company performance. 4. The results of content analyses of 242 Malaysian publicly traded firms for financial years 2006, 2007, and 2008. 5. The evidence is dedicated and region limited, thereby making it debatable in companies in foreign economies and markets. 6. Companies in a setting defined by focused ownership arrangements where the firms might be less market-oriented also find CSR substantial. 7. The evidence does support the deductions made. 8. No clear assumptions are made in the passage. Cosset, J & Suret, J 1995, ‘Political risk and the benefits of international portfolio diversification,’ Journal of International Business Studies, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 301.

Married couples in double portraits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Married couples in double portraits - Essay Example The themes of Portraiture and narrative painting are evident in both pieces. For example, in Rembrandt self- portrait with Saskia, the painting seeks to explain his life and family. After Rembrandt’s marriage with Saskia, there were various challenges between them (Sonnabend 72). This is because their children died immediately after birth, except one child who orphaned at 7 months of age due to Saskia’s struggle with tuberculosis. Rembrandt’s painting uses Saskia as a tool of fantasy portrait because she takes part in an imaginative role (Sonnabend 74). The image is, thus, a narration of his life and his wife. Peter Paul Rubens self- portrait with Isabella is another image having similar feature like Rembrandt’s portrait. The painting shows the life of the painter with his wife Isabella. The painting is a narration of the life story of Peter Rubens and his wife. He uses his wife to portray his emotions. The portrait is of German origin, Germany being the painter’s place of birth. The similarity between the paintings is evident where the theme of portraiture is in use (Rubens et al. 94). The Still Life with Figures by Frans Snyders reflects the life of the couple and associations of the male and female. The painting includes animal figures unlike in the latter cases where there were a female and male. The theme of portraiture is also evident in the painting (Sonnabend 69). The presence of live animals in the painting creates a feeling of animation. The painting represents still life figures with an inclusion of additional features such as animals. It contains daily life scene s of genre painting. The image depicts geographical locations such as mountains, hence, showing the natural world. Dissimilarity appears where the paintings portray the same subjects but differ in background. Frans Snyder’s work reflects his life but adds other features that represent the natural world. His painting is evident with the depiction of

Exam 4 chaptrer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Exam 4 chaptrer - Essay Example As such, education mainly focuses on developing this form of intelligence among the students, helping them make the most informed decisions. Subsequently, the theory focuses on an individual’s psychological and intellectual development. An individual undergoes through a continuous developmental process through experiences and personality development (Gutek 89). Through instrumentalism, students learn the use of tools and equipment used in real life. Such is the role played by the use of experiments ion the teaching of students, as demonstrated by Charles Pierce. Experiments are a representation of the actual reality of what students learn in the class. Pragmatism gives me an insight into the role played by experiments and role-playing in the learning process. While in reality most of the lessons focus on classroom learning, the biggest danger of this is semi-baked graduates facing the real problem. Such students may find it hard dealing with the real situations, especially due to the fact that they have never faced such issues ever in their lives. However, with a model representative of the reality, graduates have an idea of what to expect in future. This is one of the most effective ways of teaching, with its guarantee of well-trained graduates. While explaining this theory to another person, I would define pragmatism as that method of training that includes the use of experiments, assimilation models and many practical lessons. Idealism According to the developers of the idealism theory, only ideas can effectively endure. Developers of this theory try to separate mental and material realms of the learning process. According to Plato, the government plays a very significant role in the education sector. These universal truths promote a dialectic approach, creating a channel for reflection among the students. Aristotle on the other hand held that for matter to exist there must be form. Since science and philosophy compliments each other, the study of mat ter leads to an understanding of deeper form. Nothing exists without a purpose, according to Aristotle. In the learning process, the body and soul engage in a conflicting argument, necessitating the striking of a balance between the body and the soul. Through education therefore, we are in a position of striking a balance between the body and the soul. The theory has a number of assertions aimed at the learning process. Among these, include the application of reasoning in search for the truth, the use of science and art in higher thinking and reasoning, and the realization of the ultimate goal of education after the end of the learning process. The main function of education is to enable a sense of duty, willpower and loyalty. From the lessons learnt in the assertions contained in this theory, education should aim at meeting its objective and goal, which is individual development. While personal development is one of these forms of development, it should do so both socially and psyc hologically. As students graduate from the school, they should realize their self-worth, and hold a position that they can defend themselves as professionals. Art and science plays a very significant role in the professional lives of students, especially in shaping their careers and lifestyles. Ideally, the learning process should focus on developing an individual wholly and stimulate the reasoning a student, whether ion class or in the field.

Supreme Court Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Supreme Court - Essay Example The aim of this order which was named the Civilian exclusion order 34 of the US army was executed as a way to prevent these American-Japanese from committing espionage during the war time. Korematsu who is the plaintiff saw the execution of the order as being unconstitutional and being in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He therefore refused to move and was arrested and convicted. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court which ruled strongly in favor of the presidential executive order insisting that the rights of the plaintiff were minimal and hence of no significant compared to the Americans in general (Alonso 52). The issue that was being resolved by the Supreme Court was on whether to affirm or duly dismiss the conviction order of Korematsu based on violation of his constitutional rights and Fifth Amendment which were being violated. The decision of the court which was delivered by Justice Black and which had a 6-3 decision was the affirmation of the conviction order for Korematsu where it sided with the government about its national security and prevention of espionage. The reasoning of the court was not based on the constitutionality of the presidential executive order, the racial segregation or even the loyalty of the petitioner to the United States. It rather looked at the bigger picture which in this case was the safety of the citizens of the United States from espionage and further attacks from the Japanese. The court supported the government on this ruling as the people in the United States who were the majority compared to those who were American-Japanese needed protection from war and the negatives effects that accompanied war. The government had no certainty of the number of Japanese who were disloyal to the United States and loyal to the government of Japan and who could therefore aid their country in the war through trading secrets about the national defense. The military in charge of the exercise concluded

Explain the significance of purity and pollution in the caste system Essay

Explain the significance of purity and pollution in the caste system - Essay Example But as time passed, the caste system became a water tight social compartment. Caste system is not peculiar to India. It existed and still exists in parts of Egypt, Europe etc, though in some milder forms. The world caste owes its origin to the Portuguese word 'casta' meaning 'lineage' (Ghurye, 1999, 31). PA Sorokin in his book "Social Mobility writes "Unstratified society with real equality of the members is a myth which never been realized in the history of mankind and when class is somewhat strictly hereditary, we may call it caste" Many theories have been promulgated to account for the origin of the caste system in India (Dumont, 1961, 75). The political theory states it was a shrewd trick of upper class Brahmins. The occupational theory traces it origin to the family's occupation. The racial theory traces its origin to the fact that different races organize their own race to form a separate caste. The mythical theory points towards its creation by the god to perform different functions And last of all comes, the Evolutionary Theory. This theory maintains caste system as a social phenomenon, the origin of which lies in social evolution which came into being through a long and slow evolutionary process. It is quite possible that during the evolutionary process some ugly things did make their entry into the system. The one and probably the worst was the custom of 'untouchability'. With improvement in education, this social evil has almost disappeared from the society. Right from the beginning of twentieth century British officials have used the term 'backward classes' to indicate low status backwards castes, and 'depressed classes' to mean the former untouchables or Scheduled castes (now dalits). They do not seem to have been particular about the terms used, and such sloppiness has continued in independent India. It so worth noting that terms such as Backward classes and Scheduled Castes also served as euphemisms for such unpleasant realities as low castes ands untouchables' (Beteille, 1965, 46). Still the caste system is not without its merit, which should not be ignored. It was based on the division of labor and thus enabled society to function efficiently. It made labor more efficient as the hereditary skill in at was transformed from father to son. Castes served as the social insurances in the society and helped their members in time of need. The caste system solved the problem of choosing careers and the problem of unemployment did not arise. The system provided united action against exploitation. Also by eliminating competition, it protected the poor. Thus for a Hindu the caste system has proved, '' his club, his trade union, his benefit society and his philanthropic society" (Ghurye, 1999, 67) To sum up, in each linguistic area there were about two hundred groups called castes with distinct names, birth in one of which, usually determined the status in society of a given individual, which were divided into about two thousand smaller units- generally known as sub- castes-fixing the limits of marriage and effective social life and making for specific cultural tradition. These major groups were held together by the possession, with few exceptions, of a common priesthood. There was a sort of an overall counting which grouped all of them into five or six classes overtly expressed or tacitly understood. Over a large part of the

Society's Perception of Black Women Research Proposal

Society's Perception of Black Women - Research Proposal Example Many factors influence the way the society perceive the black women. Media, for instance, use images that portray black women as sex objects whose value based on their body appearance. These media portrayals are major contributors on the future of the black woman, the potential limitation of young adolescent opportunity to change the negative perception of appearance and sexuality as portrayed in the media. Most of the African American young girls are victims of perception created by such images. This research is currently relevant as Black women in the United States strive to end the negative attitudes in the society. This study seeks to assess the society’s perception of black women.Many factors influence the way the society perceive the black women. Media, for instance, use images that portray black women as sex objects whose value based on their body appearance. These media portrayals are major contributors on the future of the black woman, the potential limitation of youn g adolescent opportunity to change the negative perception of appearance and sexuality as portrayed in the media. Most of the African American young girls are victims of perception created by such images. This research is currently relevant as Black women in the United States strive to end the negative attitudes in the society. Â  The study will aim at determining society’s perception of black women. It will focus on the factors that contribute to the society’s perception of black women in the modern community setting in the United States.

Effects Of Organic Waste Pollution On The Natural Environment Essay

Effects Of Organic Waste Pollution On The Natural Environment - Essay Example Water cycle that consist of material flow on earth’s surface to water masses are some of the causes of water pollution as the flows collect materials into water bodies and are vulnerable to intentional pollution through domestic and industrial waste disposal. This paper discusses environmental effects of organic waste pollution and reviews an article that uses toxicology to investigate the impacts of water pollution on the natural environment. Effects of organic waste pollution on the natural environment Organic discharge into water bodies has varying effects on the environment. One of the effects of organic pollution is the disintegration of organic matter to changed odour and taste of water. Effects of continuous degradation are accumulation of compounds such as hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans and this leads to gradual increase in changed odour and taste of water that may not be suitable for sensitive flora and fauna. Organic pollutants also destabilize oxygen concentration in water masses. Many factors lead to this shift from equilibrium of water concentration. Processes of organic components of water such as photosynthesis and respiration uses oxygen and may change oxygen concentration in water. Photosynthesis may increase concentration beyond its equilibrium while respiration may reduce the level of concentration. Anaerobic respiration and oxidation of organic pollutants are other factors that can reduce oxygen concentration in water. ... Insufficient oxygen in water may also cause death of aquatic animals. Such deaths further leads to accumulation of organic compounds in water and worsen the problem with oxygen concentration. Death of plants and animals in the water bodies also generate aesthetic effect besides increasing water turbidity (Goel 2006, p 116- 120). Organic pollution also affects levels of production of aquatic plants and animals. As the pollutants begin to invade water bodies, aquatic plants and animals benefits from nutrients that the organic pollutants may contain and this leads to high rates of photosynthesis and respiration among other processes. Increased concentration of organic pollutants however have adverse effects on aquatic lives as respiration rates increase and this leads to aesthetic effect and instability in oxygen concentration. Accumulation of organic pollutants also increases concentration of chemical compounds such as hydrogen sulphide and ammonia, chemicals that have adverse effects on some plant and animal species such as phytoplankton. High levels of organic pollution are also a threat to biodiversity. At normal water conditions, without organic pollutants, all aquatic plants, and animals are able to survive and their populations are constant. High levels of pollution however threaten the lives and less tolerant plants and animals die. Some plants and animals may however be tolerant and survive the harsh conditions due to the pollution. Consequently, aquatic life will consist of the tolerant species that may only be few. Loss of biodiversity from the pollution can also be permanent, unless artificial measures such as reintroduction of the extinct species upon resumption of normal condition in the polluted aquatic environment. Organic

Paula and Christina’s Haunted Adventures Essay Example for Free

Paula and Christina’s Haunted Adventures Essay The night was very chilly and all the kids were running, laughing, and having a lot of fun at the third grade’s fall festival. The Roosevelt Elementary school decided to do a haunted house maze. The haunted maze was pitched black and filled with gory decorations. One room had a bed with a dead woman laying on it and the walls were stained with blood. In another section of the maze was a cemetery, where zombies were walking by. The haunted house maze also had a garage where a car was parked and there was also room filled toys and with many clowns. The children of Roosevelt Elementary were thrill to go inside wondering what they would encounter and how scary it might be. There were two little girls, barely nine year’s old, seeking the frightening adventure, but they were also very scared. One of the little girls was shivering with fear and she slowly walked from room to room looking at the decorations and the scary people. She knew this was make-believe, but she was still very cautious. The other little girl had made her way into the room where the dead woman was laying on the bed. She slowly tried to make her way across the room to the other door. She never noticed the woman rising from the bed and was walking towards her very rapidly. The dead, bloody woman touch the little girl, which made her scream and take off running. The little girl ran as fast as she could, turning all corners until she ran straight into the other little girl. They both ended up falling to the ground. Looking up, they both smiled at one another. One little girl says, â€Å"Hi, my name is Paula Ramirez. † The other little girl replies, â€Å"Sorry for running into you, my name is Christina Lopez. Paula and Christina help each other get up from the ground and agree to finish the haunted house maze together. They felt less scared and even laugh at some of the scary people. As they are exiting the haunted house maze, Paula tells Christina â€Å"wow, this was so much fun†. Christina replies, Paula let’s make a pact, every year we will seek a scary haunted house and we will both go together†. Paula smiles and agrees. Since then Paula and Christina have become best friends and they search for scary haunted houses to visit every year. The family vanishes in 1925 leaving the sole survivor James Clark. Christina does not read the paragraph, but smiles and turns to Paula and says â€Å"perfect†. The two girls get together every day preparing for the trip they will make to the haunted house. They go to the mall and shop for costumes. They buy food so they can take for the road, and plan on when they should head to the haunted house. The night of the haunted house arrives and Christina goes to Paula’s house. Paula is sitting in her room when Christina enters and asks, Paula â€Å"Are you ready? Paula replies â€Å"of course† Then, the two girls go down the stairs, out the house and enter Paula’s car. Paula drives thirty miles and arrives and Saddle Creek Ranch where the haunted house is located. The yard is filled with many trees and with old rusted decorations on the lawn. The house has busted windows, and the painting of the house is falling apart. Paula notices that there is two boys standing in the entrance of the house. Paula and Christina exit the car and make their way to the boys. One boy says â€Å"Come on Erik, stop being scare and let’s go in already. Erik replied â€Å"Scott, if you are so tough you open the door†. Just as soon as Scott was going to touch the door knob the door swings open and a tall dark figure stands there looking at them. The tall dark figure steps forward and says â€Å"Do you dare to enter? Beware this may be you last hallows eve† â€Å"YES! † replied all four of them. Paula and Christina follow the two boys and the tall man into the house. The man leads them into the living room and directs them to stand in a circle. He looks at each one, studying them from head to toe. He says â€Å"My name is Mr. Clark; Saddle Creek Ranch is y family’s home. They lived here many years until they all vanish one night, but you can still hear them, and if they want you to, you can definitely see them†. He goes on to give directions and instructions how to enter the house, and to exit the house. When Paula and Christina turn to see each other, Mr. Clark vanishes. A light turns on and leads the group into the kitchen, you hear can hear the water running but the water is off; Paula grabs Christina’s hands and says â€Å"this house is different†. The sound of people talking suddenly starts and is very loud that makes Scott jump up. The group makes their way to the door but the light to the kitchen turns off and then turns on again and leads them to the dining room. As they enter the room the talking suddenly dies down, and a chair is thrown to the group. As the group separates to avoid being hit, the lights go out and it is so dark that Paula cannot see where Christina is at. BANG. Suddenly the lights turn on and Paula looks for Christina, Erik calls out to Scott but he is nowhere to be found. Paula and Christina start to get worried and scare sets in. Erik starts to whimper, and continues to call for Scott but his call is not answered. Paula and Christina continue to make their way out the dining room and Erik follows. The lights to a hallway turn on and the group passes many rooms, and walk down some stairs. They reach a door it creeks open, Christina turns towards Paula and says, â€Å"Paula let’s not go in, we should turn around and go back†, before Paula can reply, Erik replies â€Å"let’s just continue this could be the end†. Erik pushes the door open, the room is completely dark, and the lights do not turn on like before. Suddenly a rustling and whimpering sound begins Christina is so frightened that she begins to cry. Paula hold Christina’s hand so tight and tries to reassure her that everything will be okay. The sounds get louder and louder and suddenly â€Å"BANG†. Paula and Christina stop walking, the lights turn on, both girls try to search and look around to see where and what room they are in. Paula is the first to notice that they are in the basement but someone is missing, Erik is nowhere to be found. Christina falls to the floor and begins to sob very loud and yells â€Å"Paula, let’s get out, I do not want to be in here anymore! Paula holds back her tears and replies, â€Å"Christina we will be okay, I will get us out, I promise†. Paula begins to look for something that can be a used as weapon, and looks for an exit. Paula finds a hammer, and notices a window. She rushes to it, and then the lights go out again. Seconds pass by but to Paula it seems like an eternity, she calls Christina’s name, â€Å"I am here† replies Christina. The lights turn on again; Paula looks to find Christina, and sees Mr. Clark holding her with a knife to her throat. â€Å"Did you think I was being funny when I said this would be your last hollows eve? Mr. Clark asked Paula. Paula replies â€Å"this trip was meant to be fun I never imagine it would be like this. † Mr. Clark looks at her and gives her an evil smile. Then, he says to Paula, â€Å"Let’s play a game, if you win you and your friend may leave, but if you lose you and your friend must stay forever. † Paula thinks for a long minute and nods her head up and down. He looks at Paula for a moment and says â€Å"Answer me this if you are correct you and your friend may go. Am I alive or is this your imagination? † Paula stares at Mr. Clark and responses â€Å"you are alive†. Mr.  Clark laughs, â€Å"Child, how can I be alive if I died in 1963† replies Mr. Clark. Paula begins to cry along with Christina, and mouths the words â€Å"I am sorry†. The lights turn off again, bang, bang, bang. Paula holds her hands out trying to feel for Christina; the lights turn back on again. Mr. Clark is nowhere to be found. Paula grabs Christina’s hand and yells â€Å"hurry, the window, now! † Paula and Christina, crawl out the window, look to see where the car is parked and ran towards it. The girls quickly get in, crying and scare. Paula turns the car on, put it in gear and head out the ranch. As both Paula and Christina seat in the car crying for a long while Paula breaks the silence and says â€Å"Christina, promise me that this will be our last haunted house†. Christina replies â€Å"definitely, Paula this was our last one†. The girls continue to drive on the dark road, without realizing the road does not end. Then Christina turns to Paula and asks â€Å"Paula, are we getting closer to your house now? † Paula looks at the road and realizes it’s the road to Saddle Creek ranch. Paula realizes what has happened and turns to Christina and says â€Å"Christina, I am sorry but Saddle Creek ranch is our home now. †

How World War One presented in poetry by Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon Essay Example for Free

How World War One presented in poetry by Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon Essay A comparison of the ways in which World War One is presented by Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon in their poetry with close reference to Dulce et Decorum est and Anthem for Doomed Youth by Owen and The General and Base Details by Sassoon. * * * The First World War marked a significant turning point in poetic tradition and history by the revolutionary styles and ideas expressed by the poets. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon are probably two of the most well known war poets and their poetry was instrumental in this change. Prior to 1914, much poetry was written about wars such as the Crimean War in 1854-56 (The Charge of The Light Brigade by Tennyson who says, Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred.) but the great majority of the poets had not experienced war first-hand. Thus, they reinforced the poetic tradition of glorifying war and death. Both Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, who both fought through most of the First World War, use their poetry in the hope that they can give a more realistic impression of war than the pre-twentieth century poetry. Both Owen and Sassoon present World War One as unheroic, in direct contrast to pre-twentieth war poetry such as The Destruction of Sennacherib by Byron. At the very beginning of Dulce et Decorum est Owen describes the soldiers as Bent double, like old beggars under sacks. That image is the complete opposite of what we would consider to be a heroic and romantic figure, an attribute that was always given to soldiers in pre-twentieth century poetry. Owen goes on to describe the soldiers as knock-kneed and coughing like hags. Neither of these images can be associated with the glorified, smartly dressed soldier that would be fixed in almost all of the minds of women and children back home. The comparison of the soldiers to hags is not a pleasant one as hags are often scruffy and dirty. The mention of the coughing portrays the many illnesses that soldiers suffered from in the trenches. Although both of them present war as unheroic, they do so in very different ways. The style of Owens poetry which is much longer and contains more description than that of Sassoons, allows him to expand on the simple description of the horrors of war that he experienced. In Dulce et Decorum est, he describes in graphic and horrific detail the death of a man who was not able to fit his helmet in time during a gas attack. He uses words such as floundring guttering, choking, drowning. The word floundring gives the impression of the helplessness of the man.The onomatopoeic effect of these words gives an image that adds relaism to the horror of war. This makes it more realistic and moreover, more chilling to read. Owen goes on, in the final stanza of this poem to describe the dead man in greater detail. His varied use of language allows him to create shocking imagery which means that the reader can visualise the man. Owen uses phrases such as: watch the white eyes writhing in his face and the blood/Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs The first of these phrases is particularly chilling as it makes the reader think of snakes writhing in his face. This gives the impression of a crazed person, driven insane by what he has seen and what he had suffered before dying. The alliteration of the w is also effective as it emphasises the phrase. Owen wants to present the reality of the First World War and in slowing the reader down, he makes them think about what he is actually describing and change the way in which it was brushed over before World War One. The second phrase is also shocking and the use of the onomatopoeic word gargling makes it all the more visual and makes the reader feel more chilling. This image of a man choking on his own blood because of gas is very unheroic and it is this that Owen wants to portray the unheroic nature of war however brave the soldiers may be. This is in comparison to many pre-twentieth century war poems where they emphasise the heroic nature of war such as in a speech in Henry V where Henry says that the man who survives the battle will remember with advantages what feats he did that day, emphasising the heroic nature of war. Owens second poem, Anthem for Doomed Youth also presents World War One as unheroic and unromantic. The very first line of his poem epitomises Owens feeling about the young men sent off to war. What passing bells for those who die as cattle? The use of the word cattle immediately robs all glory from the idea of war as a whole. The simile compares how cattle are slaughtered for meat to soldiers dying for their country. This is a very unheroic comparison and is effective in what it is trying to portray. On the other hand, in the two poems by Sassoon that I have chosen to discuss, Sassoon does not present World War One as unheroic. His poems, which are short and concise, deal more with the unfairness of war and protest against the generals and commanding officers. However, in The General, Sassoon briefly presents the soldiers in an unheroic way, telling us that Harry and Jack slogged up to Arras, instead of the quick, efficient marching of the soldiers that had been frequently portrayed prior to the First World War such as is described in The Charge Of The Light Brigade where Tennyson conveys the riders riding quckly by the phrase, Half a league, half a league, half a league onward. The rhythm of these lines show the quick pace of the soldiers. Sassoons poetry presents the unfairness and inequality between the front-line privates and the generals who sat in comfort behind lines. Sassoon attacks the establishment of the country and the tone of his two poems is very sardonic, making fun of the generals in quite a light-hearted way but with a pointed message to his poetry. In The General Sassoon presents The General as incompetent and responsible for the deaths many men. Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of em dead, And were cursing his staff for incompetent swine. The very last line of the poems refers to Harry and Jack who are named in the poem. This makes the generals attitude and incompetence more poignant and personal to the reader. But he did for them both by his plan of attack. This short last line is to the point and cuts right to the quick. Sassoon does not play with words like Owen but presents World War One is his poetry in the most succinct way. The majority of his poems are no longer than three short stanzas whereas Owens can be eight verses long. However, Sassoons message is just as worthy as Owens is. Base Details is probably Sassoons best poem for attacking the generals as using harsh humour it describes them sitting in luxury hotels while men are starving on the front-line with rationed food. He presents the generals of the First World War as scarlet and fat. Although the poem is short, he describes the generals so effectively that we have an image of the generals in our head which does not conform to what we might expect, or certainly not what was generally thought of generals before the war. The title of the poem can be read on different levels the first being the simple meaning of the word as in headquarters, or on another level, the meanings of in short or unworthy. This emphasises their unworthiness of the elevated positions that they hold. Sassoons first line seems to sum up all that he is trying to say: If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath, This one line immediately gives us a humorous image of a general which is almost like those we see in cartoons today of blustering, half drunk generals sitting in offices wheezing with a pipe in hand. In Base Details Sassoon continues his theme of their unworthiness by describing the generals table manners which according to him, are disgusting. He presents them as guzzling and gulping. These onomatopoeic words give the effect of pigs eating at a trough, especially guzzling. It also conveys them stuffing their faces when the soldiers on the front-line are risking their lives day after day with little to eat. We associate these words with animal behaviour and this is indeed what Sassoon is trying to present. He also presents the generals as naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and frivolous, spending the war in the best hotels and when their presence was required after a battle they brushed off the importance of war calling it a scrap. Sassoons bitterness is also displayed when the general says I used to know his father well. This emphasises his bitterness effectively towards the upper classes and old boy network, angry that whether you survive the war depends on class and connections. This bitterness is integral to many of his poems and is also evident, in a less direct way, in The General. Both Owen and Sassoon present the loss of youth in their poems. In Dulce et Decorum est, Owen is bitter towards those who tell children a word which emphasises their youth the old Lie Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori or in English, It is sweet and honourable to die for ones country. The use of the Latin here emphasises the traditional nature of war and the patriotism that the Latin evokes in men. The idea of the loss of youth is more evident in Owens second poem, Anthem For Doomed Youth, where the very title shows all that Owen thinks about sending boys off to war. He himself was only twenty-two when he joined the army and thus would have known about how terrible it was. The words of the title, Anthem For Doomed Youth has the theme of a funeral and says how not only youth itself is doomed but youth as an idea. Owen also mentions, in the second stanza, the words boys and girls which stresses once again the youth of the soldiers and perhaps of their nurses or their girlfriends. Only Base Details mentions the loss of youth in Sassoons poems saying near the end that youth is stone dead. Taken out of the context of the poem, this phrase is disturbing the loss of a whole generation of men and also the loss of innocence of those who survived. In context, the phrase becomes even more disturbing, that more of the fat, drunk generals of sixty, have survived the war, while boys of seventeen have died. The whole line reads: And when the war is done and youth stone dead The casual nature of this line is shocking and represents how Sassoon pictures the generals view of the loss of millions of boys. A whole generation has been lost or affected so badly by the war and the majors would toddle safely home to bed where they could die. The word toddle is very visual and humourously conveys the generals waddling back to England as they are so fat. It also shows their child-like nature and their frivolity. The bitterness that Sassoon feels is clearly evident in this poem. In contrast, The General mentions nothing of the idea of youth but concentrates more on the inept nature of The General. These poems are very different to the nature of those by Rupert Brooke, a young soldier who was killed at the beginning of the war and had experienced little fighting. The first stanza of his poem Peace he describes how wonderful it is that he is alive at this time and he can fight for his country Now God be thanked Who has matched us with his hour He also describes going to war as swimmers into cleanness leaping, very different to the dirty and horrific conditions that Owen describes. Owen and Sassoon differ very greatly in the structure of their poems Owen tends to write longer, more detailed poetry whereas Sassoon writes short and succinct poems. Anthem for Doomed Youth is a sonnet which is traditional style of poetry but the themes that Owen deals with are very modern, contrasting with the style that he has chosen to use. However, the rhyme scheme of a sonnet does not always remain true to its traditional form such as in the last stanza of Anthem for Doomed Youth where it is e.f.f.e.g.g. The rhyme scheme of Sassoons poetry is very simple and direct, which reflects the nature of his poems. He generally uses alternate rhyme, except the last lines where he uses a rhyming couplet such as in Base Details dead and bed. In The General the last three lines have the same rhyme Jack, pack and attack. The rhyming couplet gives emphasis to the end of the poem. Sassoons poetry is short, pithy and succinct, conveying one or several points in maybe two or three short stanzas such as The General, which is only seven lines long compared to Owens poetry which is usually longer. The style of Sassoon is more colloquial, using soldiers slang such as Hes a cheery old card, grunted Harry to Jack. and tends to be more vitriolic such as And speed glum heroes up the line to death. Conversely, Owen uses descriptive and elaborate words that convey the atmosphere and images that the poems evoke, such as his unforgettable and shocking description of the dead man in the third stanza of Dulce et Decorum est. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon present different aspects of World War One Owen, the conditions and horrific deaths of the ordinary soldiers in contrast to Sassoons pointed and bitter attack against the majors. They do this in very different ways and despite Sassoons influence on Owen, their styles are extremely contrasting but no less effective. Their poetry helped mark a radical change in the way war poetry was written and it is their presentation of their themes that effected this shift.

Environmental Impacts Of Large Dams Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental Impacts Of Large Dams Environmental Sciences Essay About 48000 large dams have been built as a response to meet energy or water need. Nearly half of the worlds rivers have at least one large dam. One-third of the countries in the world rely on hydropower for more than half their electricity supply, and large dams generate 19% of electricity overall. Half the worlds large dams were built exclusively or primarily for irrigation, and some 30-40% of the 271 million hectares irrigated worldwide rely on dams. There are dams on nearly half of the rivers of the world (Table 2.6). Six percent of the energy consumed in the world is produced from hydraulic power. Additionally, hydraulic power is in the second rank within the renewable energy sources and every year it increases 4 percent in the world. Dams whose height is more than 15 meters are referred to as big dams. Clearly, dams can play an important role in meeting peoples needs (Table 2.7). Table 2.6. Distribution of Dams on the World Continent Number of Dams Percentage of the total Africa 1269 2.7 Asia 31340 65.8 America 8989 18.8 Europe 5480 11.5 Australia 577 1.2 Total 47655 100 Source: World Commission on Dams, Dams and Development, 2000. There are always two opinions about dams the supporters talk about the economic benefits of irrigation, electricity generation, flood control and water supply, the opponents highlight the adverse impacts of displacement and impoverishment of people, destruction of ecosystems and fishery resources, and possibility of disaster if the dam breaks. Environmental Impacts of Large Dams Land and water are ecologically linked in a natural system called a watershed. From the smallest droplet to the mightiest river, water works to shape the land, taking with it sediment and dissolved materials that drain to watercourses and, in most cases, eventually to the sea. The river is a product of the land it flows through the type of rock and soil, the shape of the land, and the amount of vegetation are some of the factors that determine the rivers shape, size and flow. When a large dam is constructed, these ties between the land and the river are broken and the consequences are felt throughout the watershed, as well as by the web of life it supports. Some 40,000 large dams, most of which were built in the past 50 years, now obstruct the worlds rivers. More than 400,000 square kilometers an area larger than Zimbabwe, have been inundated by reservoirs worldwide. The worlds largest impoundment, the 8,500 sq km Volta Reservoir behind Ghanas Akasombo Dam, flooded 4% of that nations land area. An internal survey of hydroelectric dam projects by World Bank has shown that 58% of the dams were planned and built without any consideration of downstream impacts. Table 2.7. Countries having the Biggest Dams according to Size and Function Rank Countries having Biggest Dams Ranking with respect to Dams Function Electrical Energy Water For Drinking and Daily Use Irrigation Flood Protection 1. China China USA China China 2. USA USA United Kingdom India USA 3. India Canada Spain USA Japan 4. Spain Japan Japan Korea Brazil 5. Japan Spain Australia Spain Germany 6. Canada Italy Thailand Turkey Romania 7. Korea France South Africa Japan Mexico 8. Turkey Norwegen Brazil Mexico Korea 9. Brazil Brazil France S. Africa Canada 10 France Swedish Germany Albania Turkey Source: World Commission on Dams, Dams and Development, 2000. The following are a few serious environmental impacts of dams: . (i) Effects on River Systems Reducing the flow of water from a river changes the landscape it flows through, which in turn can affect the ecosystems flora and fauna. A dam holds back sediments, especially the heavy gravel and cobbles. The river, deprived of its sediment load, seeks to recapture it by eroding the downstream channel and banks, undermining bridges and other riverbank structures. Riverbeds are typically eroded by several meters within a decade of first closing a dam; the damage can extend for tens or hundreds of kilometers below a dam. Riverbed deepening lowers the groundwater table along a river, threatening vegetation and local wells in the floodplain and requiring crop irrigation in places where there was previously no need. The depletion of riverbed gravels reduces habitat for many fish that spawn in the river bottom, and for invertebrates such as insects, molluscs and crustaceans. Changes in the physical habitat and hydrology of rivers are implicated in 93% of freshwater fauna declines in North America. Before construction of the Aswan Dam in Egypt, the Nile River carried about 124 million tons of sediment to the sea each year, depositing nearly 10 million tons on the floodplain and delta. Today, 98% of that sediment remains behind the dam. The result has been a drop in soil productivity. The Aswan Dam has also led to serious coastal erosion, another problem stemming from the loss of sediments in a dammed river. Another example of this problem is along the mouth of the Volta River in Ghana. Akosombo Dam has cut off the supply of sediment to the Volta Estuary, affecting also neighboring Togo and Benin, whose coasts are now being eaten away at a rate of 10-15 meters per year. (ii) Hydrological Effects Dams change the pattern of the flow of a river, both reducing its overall volume and changing its seasonal variations. The nature of the impacts depends on the design, purpose and operation of the dam. All parts of a rivers ecology can be impacted by changes to its flow. A rivers estuary, where fresh water meets the sea, is a particularly rich ecosystem. Some 80% of the worlds fish catch comes from these habitats, which depend on the volume and timing of nutrients and fresh water. The alteration of the flows reaching estuaries because of dams and diversions is a major cause of the precipitous decline of sea fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico, the Black and Caspian Seas, Californias San Francisco Bay, the Eastern Mediterranean and others. (iii) Changes to Flooding The storage of water in dams delays and reduces floods downstream. River and floodplain ecosystems are closely adapted to a rivers flooding cycle. The native plants and animals depend on its variations for reproduction, hatching, migration and other important lifecycle stages. Annual floods deposit nutrients on the land, flush out backwater channels, and replenish wetlands. It is generally recognized by biologists that dams are the most destructive of the many abuses causing the rapid disappearance of riverine species. About 20% of the worlds recognized 8,000 freshwater species are threatened with extinction. The first effect of a dam is to alter the pattern of disturbances that the plants and animals of a river have evolved for. Many aquatic animals coordinate their reproductive cycles with annual flood seasons. Every flood is valuable in that it takes nutrients from the land and deposits them in the river, providing food for the streams residents. Floods also provide shallow backwater areas on vegetated and shaded riversides; the young of many animals depend on these backwaters to protect them from large predators.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As an example, a fish on a certain river may only reproduce during April of every year so that its offspring will have abundant food and places to hide. If the flood never comes because a dam holds the river back (because people want the water for themselves), the offspring may be produced during a time when they cannot possibly survive. If the fish can wait until the next flood, which may be in July, its young will be born during the wrong time of year, and will have to contend with the absence of their normal food supply and temperatures for which they are not prepared. Vegetation, too, depends upon these regular cycles of flood. Quite often, people will decide that they can spare no water at all and no flooding will occur. Or they may have built the dams specifically to stop flooding, so they can build houses in the floodplains. When this happens, riparian vegetation, the vegetation bordering the river, changes forever. (iv) Removing Sediment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason that riverbeds become scoured and armored is that dams remove all the sediment from the river. It is natural that the river, which is accustomed to carrying sediment and now has none, will pick up the sediment from the streambed below the dam. It is almost as though the river has been starved of its sediment. As in everything else in nature, balance will be achieved one way or the other, often at the expense of one or more species.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sediment in a dammed river reaches the slow-moving reservoir above the dam and drops out, settling behind the dam. Each dam is engineered to withstand the force of a particular amount of water (this may be very very large). The dam is not engineered to withstand the additional force of tons of wet sediment pressing on the backside. The muddier the river, the faster this heap of sediment will build up. When it builds up very high, either the dam bursts, killing people and destroying settlements downstream, or the reservoirs water pours over the top of the dam. The river downstream of the dam will be like a dead river. It will not have a living river ecosystem filled with fish and birds. The water will be starved of nutrients and provide little or no habitat for animals. In addition, animals that once used the muddiness of the rivers water to conceal them from predators are now overly vulnerable to predation, and may quickly go extinct. A river with dams eventually becomes little more than a dead channel of water. (v) Starving the River   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dams hold back not only sediment, but also debris. The life of organisms (including fish) downstream depends on the constant feeding of the river with debris. This debris includes leaves, twigs, branches, and whole trees, as well as the organic remains of dead animals. Debris not only provides food, it provides hiding places for all sizes of animals and surfaces for phytoplankton and microorganisms to grow. Without flooding and without a healthy riparian zone, this debris will be scarce. Adding to the problem, although debris might come from the river above the dam, it is instead trapped in the reservoir, and never appears downstream. The bottom level of the food web is removed. All in all, the loss of sediment and debris means the loss of both nutrients and habitat for most animals. (vi) Changing Temperature Temperature is another problem. Rivers tend to be fairly homogenous in temperature. Reservoirs, on the other hand, are layered. They are warm at the top and cold at the bottom. If water is released downstream, it is usually released from the bottom of the dam, which means the water in the river is now colder than it should be. Many macro-invertebrates depend on a regular cycle of temperatures throughout the year. When this is changed, their survival is threatened. (vii) Erosion The typical practices in a hydroelectric station are to release large amounts of water in powerful surges during the day in order to provide electricity when demand and prices are highest, and to cut down flow during the night in order to replenish reservoirs for the next day. The cyclic floods caused by this popular practice contribute to the extinction of many species like the salmon by flushing away their spawning gravels during the day and leaving them high and dry at night. Riverbeds become scoured, stripped of their organic materials, sediment, vegetation, and macro-invertebrates. (viii) Stopping Fish Migration   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fish passage is a concern with dams. Many fishes must move upstream and downstream to complete their lifecycles. Dams are often built without fish ladders. When fish ladders are provided, they seldom work as needed. If enough adult fishes do manage to climb above a dam, there remains the issue of their young: how will they get back downstream? Predators kill many while they wander, lost, in the reservoir above the dam. Many are killed in their fall downward through the dam to the river below. They arent killed by the fall itself, but by the high levels of nitrogen gas at the base of the dam.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many fishes that cannot climb dam ladders or leap over low dams. Some of these fishes swim upstream every year to breed, and then let the water carry them back downstream. The eggs of pelagic spawners float downstream, too, which is why the adults must swim far upriver to breed. Otherwise, the baby fish would soon end up in sea. (ix) Social Impacts of Dams: Conflict with people The most important social impact of a dam is displacement of people. The forced removal of people from their homes and the land by which they make a living has been the tragic consequence of dams. Although the people are offered resettlement, the situation leads to disintegration of self-identity and place-connection for both individuals and communities. The social connections are lost and the people find it hard to recover a sense of belonging to both community and the physical environment that supports their existence. The major issues related to displacement are summarized below: Effect Biogeophysical impacts Social impacts Primary (direct) Flooding of reservoir Water diversion and hydrological changes Soil compaction and paving Mountain top removal and stream filling Reduction/depletion of minerals and species Deforestation Creation of barriers to species migration Eviction and resettlement Labour camps Loss of resource due to construction and/or flooding Secondary (indirect) Landslide, flood, and earthquakes from dams Water quality decline Soil salinisation Loss (or gain) of fish and wildlife populations Ecosystem changes leading to pest problems or disease Aquifer disruption causing problems downstream Loss of fish species leads to loss of migratory bird species Loss of access to resources and property Unemployment with project completion Psychosocial stresses Creation of new identities Urbanization as labour camps become permanent Unsustainable agriculture in resettlement area leading to soil erosion Ethnic conflict due to resettlement The inundation of the river valley has significant adverse social impacts by blocking access to natural and social resources of the river valley. This puts pressure on the ecosystem, as fewer resources are available to serve the needs of the population located within the region. Increased competition for commonly held resources, such as wild fruits and vegetables, timber, fodder and firewood, disrupts the subsistence routines of riverine populations. This has the impact of forcing people to forge in new areas that may be further from their homes in and/or in locations that are used by other groups for either similar or conflicting purposes. The dams also seriously affect human health through the spread of disease. For instance, schistosomiasis and malaria proliferate in areas around the still water of dam reservoirs. Beyond creating habitat for disease vectors, dams have been linked with the spread of non-communicable diseases like mercury poisoning. The increase in disease is also attributable to the influx of migratory workers during the time of dam construction. The overall social impact of a surge in disease in communities is to increase social malaise and to circumscribe livelihood opportunities. The process of displacement has affected most the weaker sections of the people in India. The scheduled tribes and castes and backward caste people constitute a large chunk of the displaced people. Women and children suffer the maximum in any displacement. The conditions of people displaced by the various dams in the Narmada have attracted the attention of the Supreme Court of India, and it is observed that the measures at resettlement and in making provision for civic amenities in the new settlements are far below expectation. The total number of people displaced by dams is estimated to be 40 80 million throughout the world a substantial number of these people are Indians (the estimates vary, but the figure is likely to be around 4.4 million people). The people get compensation, but the process is often long-drawn, and sometimes, the actual sufferers are not getting true value for the losses incurred. These are inadequate when compared to the permanent loss of livelihood, and the social and mental cost of displacement. Large Dams in India At independence, in 1947, there were not more than 300 large dams in India. By 2000, the number grew to over 4000, more than half of them built between 1971 and 1989. India ranks third in the world in dam building after US and China. While some of these dams were built primarily for flood control, water supply, and hydroelectric power generation, the primary purpose of most Indian dams (96 percent) remains irrigation. In fact, large dam construction has been the main form of investment in irrigation undertaken by the Indian government. However, much controversy has evoked since 1980s with the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada when the people started asking questions on the social, environmental, and economic costs of dams and their benefits. Most irrigation dams in India are embankment dams. They consist of a wall built across a river to impound water forming a reservoir upstream and a system of spillways and gates to bypass the wall to maintain normal flow and the impounded water flows to canals feeding agriculture fields downstream. People living in the upstream catchment area, lose property and livelihood and gain very little, while people living in the command area (downstream) gain the most from irrigation. Between 1951 and 2000, Indias production of food grains increased fourfold, from 51 million tonnes to about 200 million tonnes resulting in considerable foreign exchange savings in food grains import, and making India a food grain surplus or at least self-sufficient country. About two thirds of this increase has been attributed to rise in irrigated areas, 35 % of which are irrigated by dams. Case Studies The world is building more dams every year. New dams promise more electricity and at the same time, they are devastating to others. A few case studies are briefly described below: The Enawene Nawe, Brazil The Enawene Nawe, a small Amazonian tribe (over 420) who live by fishing in Mato Grosso state, Brazil, is a relatively isolated people. They grow manioc and corn in gardens and gather forest products, like honey but fishing is their main livelihood and fish are a vital part of their diet, as they are one of the few tribes who eat no red meat. During the fishing season, the men build large dams across rivers and spend several months camped in the forest, catching and smoking the fish which is then transported by canoe to their village. For decades, the Enawene Nawe has faced invasion of their lands by rubber tappers, diamond prospectors, cattle ranchers and more recently soya planters Maggi, the largest soya company in Brazil, illegally built a road on their land in 1997 (this was subsequently closed by a federal prosecutor). Although their territory was officially recognized and ratified by the government in 1996, a key area known as the Rio Preto was left out. This area is tremendously important to the Enawene Nawe both economically and spiritually this is where they build their fishing camps and dams, and where many important spirits live. Now, up to 11 dams are planned along the Juruena River, which flows through the Indians territory. The dams will be funded by a consortium of businesses, many of whom are involved in the soya industry. The Enawene Nawe is opposing the dams, and has launched an appeal for support to halt the construction. The Penan, Malaysia In 2008, a leaked map exposed the huge dam plans of the national electricity company in Sarawak, Malaysia. The local Penan people, who are familiar with destructive interference from outsiders, now face a new challenge to their land and livelihoods. Blueprints were accidentally posted on the internet for dams that will submerge homes and villages. To make matters worse, these dams are projected to produce far more electricity than Sarawak uses. The Borneo forests The island of Borneo, a fragile treasure house of rainforests, rare animals and plants, is under threat from plans for Chinese engineers to build 12 dams that will cut through virgin land and displace thousands of native Dayak people. The government of the Malaysian state of Sarawak says the dams are the first stage of a corridor of renewable energy that will create 1.5 million jobs through industries powered by safe, clean hydro-electricity. Campaigners are furious but appear powerless in the face of a project they fear will compound the devastation wrecked on Borneos peoples and land by previous dam projects and the felling of its forests. They point to the ruin caused by the levelling of millions of acres of trees for oil palm plantations to meet the worlds demand for biofuels. The dams would slice across a vast sweep of Sarawak, a place where wisps of cloud cling to remote, tree-clad peaks, huge butterflies flit through the foliage and orang-utans, sun bears and leopards roam. The Bakun dam, a separate project due to be completed by 2011, has already displaced an estimated 10,000 indigenous people, leading to bitter legal battles and a chorus of dismay from economists about cost overruns. For all that, it may be too late to save the natural bounty of Borneo itself. Orphaned orang-utans, piteously holding the outstretched hands of their human saviours, are the most conspicuous symbols of its fragility. Divided between Malaysia and Indonesia, with Brunei occupying a tiny enclave in the north, Borneos riches have ensured its plunder. One reason is the voracious world demand for timber. The other is the biofuels made from palm oil. Almost half of Borneos rainforests have been cut down. Two million acres have vanished every year as trees are felled, the wood sold and the land turned over to oil palms. Enormous fires cast a perpetual pall of toxic haze, making Indonesia the worlds third largest greenhouse gas polluter after China and the United States. Green gold, or palm oil, poses an even more insidious threat because it promises prosperity and development to the numerous poor of Borneo along with immense rewards for the elites. The vegetable oil comes from crushed palm husks. Long used for cooking, cosmetics and soap, it has now become a principal source of biodiesel fuel. Malaysia and Indonesia produce about 85% of the worlds supply of palm oil most of it from Borneo. The price of this apparently environment-friendly fuel is high as the damages far outweigh the benefits. All over Sarawak, tribal people have lost their ancestral lands to similar gambits. The situation in India Bhakra-Nangal Dam This dam is situated in the town Bhakra in Punjab and is Asias biggest dam. The dam is built on the Sutlej River. It is 225.55 m high above sea level. The dam is 518.25 m long and 304.84 m broad. Its huge reservoir known as the Gobindh Sarovar, stores up to 9621 million cu m of water, enough to drain the whole of Chandigarh, parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. It has 4 floodgates, which are fully functional during the period of floods, and also has 2 power- stations situated on either side of the dam. Each of the power plants comprise of 5 generators, and a power station. The total electricity produced in both the generators is 1325 MW. The Narmada River Dams The Narmada River originates from the Maikal ranges at Amarkantak, 1057 m above the sea-level, now in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh. The river flows for 1312 km through the three states of Madhya Pradesh (MP), Maharashtra and Gujarat before falling into the Arabian Sea. The valley has been the seat of an uninterrupted flow of human civilization from pre-historic times. The river has supported a variety of people and diverse socio-cultural practices ranging from the relatively autonomous adivasi (tribal) settlements in the forests to non-tribal rural population. The Narmada basin extends over an area of 98,796  km2 and lies between 720 32 E to 810 45 E and 21o 20 N to 23o 45 N. The basin covers large areas in the states of Madhya Pradesh (86%), Gujarat (14%) and a comparatively smaller area (2%) in Maharashtra. In the river course of 1,312  km, there are 41 tributaries, out of which 22 are from the Satpuda range and the rest on the right bank are from the Vindhya range. The valley experiences extremes of hydrometeorological and climatic conditions with the upper catchment having an annual precipitation in the range of 1000  mm to 1850  mm and with half or even less than half in its lower regions (650  mm-750  mm); the diversity of vegetation from lush green in the upper region to dry deciduous teak forest vegetation in the lower region is testimony to this feature. The Narmada basin is drought affected and a large part of North Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch constitute semi-arid or arid regions on account of extreme unreliability of rainfall, rendering them chronically drought prone and subject to serious drinking water problems. Teak and Indias best hardwood forests are found in the Narmada River basin and they are much older than the ones in the Himalayas. The lower Narmada River Valley and the surrounding uplands, covering an area of 169,900  km2 consists of dry deciduous forests. The natural vegetation of the region is a three-tiered forest. Tectona grandis is the dominant canopy tree, in association with Diospyros melanoxylon, Dhaora (Anogeissus latifolia), and Boswellia serrata. Riperian areas along the regions rivers and streams, which receive year-round water, are home to moist evergreen forests. The ecoregion is home to 76 species of mammals and to 276 bird species none of which are endemic. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), about 30% of the ecoregion is covered in relatively intact vegetation. The ecoregion includes some large blocks of habitat in the Vindhya and Satpura ranges. About 5% of the ecoregion lies within protected areas, including Bandhavgarh, Panna, and Sanjay National Parks. The valley has some of the important national parks and wild life sanctuaries. Kanha national park located in the upper reaches of Narmada, about 18  km from Mandla, boasts of several wild animals including the Tiger. Two tributaries of Narmada, namley, Hallon and Banjar, flow through this park. It is one of the best National Parks of Asia, which has been described vividly by Rudyard Kipling in his famous creation Jungle Book. Satpura National Park, set up in 1981, is located in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh and covers an area of 524  km2. Along with the adjoining Bori and Panchmarhi Sanctuaries, it constitutes an area of 1,427  km2 of unique Central Indian Highland ecosystem. Satpura National Park, being part of a unique ecosystem, is very rich in biodiversity. The fauna comprises tiger, leopard, sambar, chital, bhedki, nilgai, four-horned antelope, chinkora, bison (gour), wild boar, wild dog, bear, black bear, black buck, fox, porcupine, flying, mouse deer, Indian jo int squirrel etc. There are a variety of birds. Hornbills and peafowl are the common birds. The flora of the national park consists of mainly sal, teak, tendu, aonla, mohua, bel, bambo, and a variety of grasses and medicinal plants. Madla plant Fossil National park, Dindori National fossils park Ghughuya is situated in Din dori district of Madhya Pradesh in India. This national park has plants in fossil form that existed in India anywhere between 40 million and 150 million years ago spread over seven villages of Mandla District (Ghuguwa, Umaria, Deorakhurd, Barbaspur, Chanti-hills, Chargaon and Deori Kohani). The Mandla Plant Fossils National Park is an area that spreads over 274,100  m2. The Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve covers part of three civil districts viz., Hoshangabad, Betul and Chhindwara of Madhya Pradesh. The total area is 4926.28  km2. It envelops three wildlife conservation units viz., Bori Sanctuary (518.00 km ²), Satpura National Park (524.37  km2), and Pachmarhi Sanctuary (461.37  km2). Satpura National Park comprises the core zone and the remaining area of 4,501.91  km2, surrounding the core zone serves as buffer zone. The area comprises 511 villages. The area exhibits variety of geological rock and soil formations. There is a wide spectrum of floral and faunal features that occupy the Satpura conservation area. It is one of the oldest forest reserves, which has an established tradition of scientific management of forests. It constitutes a large contiguous forest block that harbours a community of plant and animal species typical of the central highland region. Of the 30 big dams proposed along the Narmada, Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) and Narmada Sagar Project (NSP) are the mega dams. The Maheshwar and Omkareshwar dams along with SSP and NSP, are to form a complex which would ultimately cater to the needs of SSP. The struggle of the people of the Narmada valley against large dams began when the people to be displaced by SSP began organizing in 1985-86. Since then the struggle has spread to encompass other major dams in various stages of planning and construction chiefly Maheshwar, Narmada Sagar, Maan, Goi and Jobat. Tawa and Bargi Dams were completed in 1973 and 1989 respectively. Sardar Sarovar project The Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) faced stiff opposition from the people right from the planning stage. The Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada movement) has been at the forfront of this opposition and at one time the NBA was successful in stopping World Bank funding for the project. A number of cases were filed against the project. However, the Supreme Court of India in 2000 issued a final ruling allowing construction to proceed. It is estimated that nearly 200,000 people would be displaced to construct the reservoir and a large number of people will lose land or livelihood due to project activities. A majority of the displaced people are tribal people. Medha Patkar (born 1 December 1954 in Bombay) is the founder of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and has vowed to work for the displaced people. She is one of Indias most important environmental activists. Her uncompromising insistence on the right to life and livelihood has brought to the fore the basic questions of natural resources, human rights, environment, and developm

Man Vs. Himself In The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne :: essays research papers

A great deal of blood has been shed and many wars have been fought during the history of civilization; however, man’s greatest battle and most formidable enemy is only himself. This has been made only more evident with the passage of time and the development of the human character. However, one factor that has remained constant in the human character through this development is conscience. Conscience can be man’s saving grace or his damning affliction; its presence may simultaneously purify and mar. As contradictory as this may sound, it has been explored in depth by Nathaniel Hawthorne who chronicles one man’s battle against himself in The Scarlet Letter. In this novel, an anguished Arthur Dimmesdale struggles to pacify his conscience and withhold the secret of his sin from being known. As his conscience continues to consume all that is his very essence, Arthur Dimmesdale illustrates Hawthorne’s theme of a sin-stained conscience and redemption only through truth. The novel begins to delve into the heart and conscience of Arthur Dimmesdale when Roger Chillingworth questions him about his thoughts on sinners and their secrets. Feeling full well the torment of his own secret, Arthur proclaims that those who hold such "miserable secrets†¦will yield them up that last day†¦with a joy unutterable." By this expression, Arthur offers a glimpse into his tortured heart and shows how heavy a burden his secret is. When Chillingworth further inquires about such sinful secrets, Arthur holds his hand to his breast, a motion that he carries out as "if afflicted with an importunate throb of pain." Evidently Arthur does this frequently, and the reader is presented with the thought that this gesture possibly is not done as much out of physical suffering as spiritual suffering. Not only is the health of Arthur’s body in question, but the condition of his heart, his soul, is dubious. A supernatural light is later shed upon this question as Chillingworth uncovers the secret Arthur had tried to keep intact. It is visible to him as he pulls aside Arthur’s ministerial robe: a scarlet letter A upon his chest. Although Hawthorne lets this aspect of the novel remain ambiguous, this engraving on Arthur’s chest suggests that the burden of his sin had seeped so deeply within him, it has now forced its way outside; it is at all his levels. At this point in the novel, Arthur’s sin had begun, if it had not already succeeded, in consuming him. Arthur’s conscience was now stained with sin, and its weight will

Abortion :: essays research papers

I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abortion is a risky operation. It should remain safe and legal to everyone. In past times, when women have not legally been able to get an abortion, they have gone to places such as brothels to get an abortion, where the conditions were not safe nor sanitary, and many times doing this resulted in infection, if not death. The following procedures should be conducted with the utmost care and responsibility. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedure is used during the second trimester ( 14 - 26 weeks ). Due to the larger body of the fetus and the toughness of more developed fetal tissues, the cervix is dilated more and the fetus is dismembered by the abortionist grasping the fetal body parts with an instrument to twist them off. The fetus's skull has to be crushed and its spine snapped for an easy removal. An ultrasound is needed at the end and an assistant needed to account for all body parts. To soften the fetal tissues of late second-trimester, the fetus sometimes was killed first by injecting urea into amniotic fluid or rupturing the membranes and cutting the umbilical cord 24 hours before the abortion. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the saline, prostaglandin, and urea instillation method, the abortionist injects a concentrated salt solution or urea into the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus which causes burning and poisoning as the fetus ingests the solution. Prostaglandin hormone injected will stimulate an uterine contraction to expel the fetus. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The hysterotomy and hysterectomy procedures or methods are done during the second and third trimester. Like a Cesarean section, the abortionist surgically opens up the uterus and removes the fetus and the placenta. The fetus who could be saved even as early as 21 weeks is left to die. D.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The dilation and extraction procedure is well-known as the partial-birth abortion in which the abortionist induces labor and the live fetus is delivered up to his head. Then the abortion forces a pair of curved scissors into the base of the skull of the fetus, enlarges the wound by opening up the scissors, inserts a suction catheter to suck out his brain and to collapse his skull for easy removal. This method is favored for a low rate of complications, for a safe abortion done on mature fetus during late pregnancy up to 32 weeks or more, also for the way to extract live fetal brain tissue for transplantation and research on various kinds of treatments in reversing the aging processes on elders.

Argumentative Essay: All Handguns MUST Be Banned :: Gun Control Essays

All handguns must be banned because they are the cause (s) of many deaths amongst the people of the world today. Gun violence result in fifty percent of today’s tragedies. Handguns causes too many deaths, the government need to make gun less accessible, and the law/law enforcement need to really enforce the laws they make. First, and foremost many handguns have claimed the lives of too many people. This is a very serious issue we must tackle globally not just in the United States. The same problem is killing our past, present, and future. Gun violence has claimed the lives of so many Americans that we are the leading country in crimes committed by guns. These guns are claiming the lives of people ranging from babies to adults to even the elderly. Handguns are just causing too many deaths. Second, if handguns or guns in general weren’t that accessible and it wasn’t that easy to get a hold of one most of this senseless violence would not occur. I believe that if the proper laws go in effect we would have fewer criminals. In addition to those laws we need to be sure proper authorities enforce them. The lawmakers of today make laws and they don’t think about the decisions they make from both perspectives. They may say it’s all right to own a handgun but they may have different intentions than the user has on how and why they need one. The owner may need one for their protection but the lawmaker may think it’s for hunting or something other than it causing violence. To ensure these guns are not being used for violence the law needs to make a set of rules and regulations on the conditions of guns. How to use them/abuse them need to be the number one law. It should state guns are not intended to be used for violence of no kind. The law need to enforce the laws they make to ensure proper safety it would eliminate half of the gun violence. On a personal note I lost a cousin to gun violence. I really can’t say at first I blamed "the gun" but I blamed the person. When I thought about it I has to ask certain questions like†¦ how did this guy get the gun any how?

The Need to Study English as a Foreign Language

WHY DO WE STUDY ENGLISH It is necessary to study at least one foreign language today. That’s why pupils have got such subject as a foreign language at school. The problem of learning foreign languages is very important today. Foreign languages are socially demanded especially at the present time. We know that the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge and has contributed to an overflow of information. The total knowledge of mankind is known to double every seven years. Foreign languages are needed as the main and the most efficient means of information exchange of the people of our planet. Today English is the language of the world. English isn’t only the national or official language of some thirty states, which represent different cultures, but it is also the major international language of communication in such areas as science, technology, business and mass entrainment. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization and other political organizations. It is the language of literature, education, modern music and international tourism. I learn English because I understand that I can use it. As I’m going to work in the sphere of management in Electronic Equipment Trade, I think that it is very important for a specialist of high qualification to speak at least one foreign language. English is extremely necessary as it is the most popular language of international business communication. I learn English because I want to read foreign literature in the original. Besides, the English language is the language of the great literature. A lot of modern literature and many new films in English come out every year. If you know English, you can understand them without translation. No wonder that most educated people speak English fluently. I like to travel, but it is difficult to visit new places, when you don’t know the language of these countries. And it is much easier to travel when you know the language. If I want to ask something, I can do it in English. Today, one person in seven of the world’s population either knows English or learns it. So a modern and a cultured person must learn foreign languages.

Negative effects of video games Essay

The US video game market reached nearly $ 21 billion in sales in 2008. On an average an adolescent spends about 10-13 hours per week playing video games. The cause may be attributed to the fact that video games today have become a necessity more than a luxury. They are a unique form of entertainment because they encourage players to become a part of the game. However, video games have both positive and negative impacts on players. While some of them are fun and entertaining, others have drastic effects on children. On one hand, video games are a source of leisure. People play video games because they want to get away from their everyday stressful life since these games are fun and interesting way to spend time. Another major advantage of playing video games includes improving children’s computer literacy since most of the games nowadays require internet. Also research studies show that video games tend to increase one’s hand eye coordination as well as their ability to make quick and reasonable judgements. Educational games provide practice in problem solving and logic and are thus becoming more prevalent as teaching tools for youth in primary and secondary schools. However this is just one side of the coin. Video Games with violent content have far reaching effects on children. Research studies suggest that violent video games increase aggressive behavior among youth. Since violent acts are often rewarded and continually repeated in a game, it highly influences them. Children who see a lot of violence are more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts and are more likely to assume that violence is acceptable behavior. Also, if one buys an intriguing game, he may get addicted to it, which may lead to drastic consequences. An addiction may lead to physical problems like obesity, headaches, damage to eye, decline in schoolwork productivity, spending problems and confusion between real and unreal. Over dependence on video games could also foster social isolation, as they are often played alone.

How Does Groupthink Affect Decision Making in an Organasation Essay

Colman(2001) in a dictionary of psychology defines groupthink as â€Å" a collective pattern of defensive avoidance , characteristic of a group decision making in organisations in which group members develop rationalisations in supporting illusions of their own infallibility and invulnerability within the organisation . †p. 318. It entails that there is more of concurrence than critical thinking when making decisions in an organisation. This article will discuss how groupthink can affect decision making in an organisation such as school, political party and airtel (Business Company). Groupthink can cause poor performance or even failure to achieve the organisations objectives. Its tendency of seeking concurrence can for example make a wrong decision triumph (Shepherd, 1964). For instance, a cafeteria committee can change the supplier of food stuffs. If the group does not objectively consider the decision may end up selecting poor food stuffs that may be unhealthy to the students. Coon and Mitterer (2007) state that the urge to make such decisions may arise from the need to maintain others approval even at the cost of critical thinking. In apolitical party groupthink results in poor allocation of resources. For example, parties spend a great deal of resources of University Party Wings at the expense of the grassroots electorate. It a phenomenon that protectors of their group do not scrutinise critically but merely sustains the tradition due to failure to see other alternatives that could be available. Groupthink creates failed systems in organisations (Harvard business School, Online). Institutions are likely to repeat or continue of ineffective projects. Members of a group converge their opinions without objective analysis (Brown, 1965). This results in no consultations as outer groups are seen as enemies. They also feel to be infallible. A failed system is thus likely to emerge due to groupthink. For instance, airtel introduced some irrelevant airtime bundles which they had to reverse after some time because they discovered that they made two identical bundles. In a school as an institution, a possible example of how groupthink can affect decision making is that some students in class may yield to groupthink. Teachers have to note the enormous ability of students to influence others in decisions. Through groupthink learners might agree on a wrong decision or force others to agree (Gage, 1995). Learners may thus fail to grasp the intended learning outcomes. Groupthink also affects decision making in organisations in the way that solutions that are initially presented by most members are never re-examined to seek out less obvious shortfalls and strengths. They even fail examine those original points that were supported by the majority. This leads to decisions that result in costly mistakes. For example, there could be an element of groupthink in primary schools who force learners to pay money to access the free primary education. The teachers claim that the money is for the salary for watchmen among other claims, yet it is clear that that is the duty of government. The results in such primary schools has been increased abscondment let alone drop outs. Similarly, some primary school committees have decided to compel learners to be fetching firewood for the as School Feeding Programme. This costs students time and the rationality of the decision is questionable. The other way in which groupthink affects decision making in organisation is that decisions are centre around the control of one person usually a leader who protects the group from adverse information that might undermine the existing complacency. Direct pressure is also mounted on any member who might hold dissenting views on consensus opinion (Colman, 2001; Weiten, 2007). This automatically rules out comfortable participation from members there by compromising the credibility of an rganisation’s decisions. This in turn blocks communication flow which is vital in any organisation. For example, in Political Parties such tendencies lead to divisions manifested in emergency of mutinies such as that of United Democrat Front earlier this year when others went on with the Convention while other shunned it. In conclusion, groups are supposedly thought to have high likelihood of making brilliant decisions yet this is not always the case (Cartwright and Zander, 1968 cited in Levine and Moreland, 1995). It has been found that groupthink can affect the decision making in organisations that lead to poor decisions. Costy mistakes are made, objectives are not effectively achieved and groups fail to change a failing policy. Whyte (1989) points out that the wish for unanimity overrides members motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action. Thus, it can be argued generally that the effect of groupthink in organisation decision making is that it declines the quality of decisions tha t compromise the ambitions, efficiency and productivity of an organisation.