Michael Ondatjee Essays

Michael Ondatjee Essays Michael Ondatjee Essay Michael Ondatjee Essay Bearhug by Michael Ondaatje Griffin calls to come and kiss him goodnight I yell ok. Finish something Im doing, then something else, walk slowly round the corner to my sons room. He is standing arms outstretched waiting for a bearhug. Grinning. Why do I give my emotion an animals name, give it that dark squeeze of death? This is the hug which collects all his small bones and his warm neck against me. The thin tough body under the pyjamas locks to me like a magnet of blood. How long was he standing there ike that, before I came? Application For A Driving License by Michael Ondaatje Two birds loved in a flurry of red feathers like a burst cottonball, continuing while I drove over them. I am a good driver, nothing shocks me. (Inner Tube) by Michael Ondaatje On the warm July river head back upside down river for a roof slowly paddling towards an estuary between trees theres a dog learning to swim near me friends on shore my head dips back to the eyebrow Im the prow on an ancient vessel, t his afternoon Im going down to Peru soul between my teeth a blue heron with its awkward broken backed flap upside down one of us is wrong he his blue grey thud thinking he knows the blue way out of here or me I choose this poet because of his outstanding work in poetry. Michael Ondaatje is a great poet because of his work and the way he expresses emotion through his poetry. I have recognized that there is a lot of animals in his poems, think this is either due to his love for animals or him simply describing the beauty in nature. A quote from one of his poems is â€Å"there’s a dog learning to swim near me on the shore. † I think that Michaels work is outstanding in comparison to other poets. Throughout Michaels work there is a use of many themes such as nature is beautiful and things aren’t as they seem. I think me and this poet are related in ways because we both have the same love for animals and if I am given this poet I can help you more easily understand his perspective through mine.

Core Concepts of the Four Traditions of Geography

Core Concepts of the Four Traditions of Geography Geographer William D. Pattison introduced his four traditions of geography at the annual convention of the National Council for Geographic Education in 1963. With these precepts, Pattison sought to define the discipline by establishing a common vocabulary in the geographic community at large. His goal was to create a lexicon of basic geographical concepts so that the work of academics could be easily interpreted by laymen. The four traditions are the Spatial or Locational Tradition, the Area Studies or Regional Tradition, the Man-Land Tradition, and the Earth Science Tradition. Each of these traditions is interrelated, and they are often used in conjunction with one another, rather than alone. Spatial or Locational Tradition The core concept behind the Spatial Tradition of geography relates to the in-depth analysis of the particulars of a place- such as the distribution of one aspect over an area- using quantitative techniques and tools that might include such things as computerized mapping and geographic information systems, spatial analysis and patterns, aerial distribution, densities, movement, and transportation. The Locational Tradition attempts to explain the course of human settlements in terms of location, growth, and in relation to other locales. Area Studies or Regional Tradition Unlike the Spatial Tradition, the Area Studies Tradition determines as much as it is possible to glean about a particular place in order to define,  describe, and differentiate it from other regions or areas. World regional geography, along with international trends and relationships are at its center. Man-Land Tradition The focus of the Man-Land Tradition is the study of the relationship between human beings and the land they live on. Man-Land looks not only at the impact people impose on their local environment but conversely, at how natural hazards can influence human life. Along with addition population geography, the tradition also takes into account the ramifications that cultural and political practices have on the given area of study as well. Earth Science Tradition The Earth Science Tradition is the study of planet Earth as the home to humans and its systems. Along with the physical geography of the planet, focuses of study include such things as how the planets location in the solar system affects its seasons (this is also known as Earth-sun interaction) and how changes in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere impact human life on the planet. Offshoots of the Earth Science Tradition of geography are geology, mineralogy, paleontology, glaciology, geomorphology, and meteorology. What Did Pattison Leave Out? In response to the four traditions, in the mid-1970s, researcher J. Lewis Robinson noted that Pattisons model left out several important aspects of geography, such as the factor of time as it relates to historical geography and  cartography (mapmaking). Robinson wrote that by dividing geography into these categories- while admitting consistent themes do run through all four- Pattisons precepts lacked a unifying focus. Robinson did, however, concede that Pattison had done a good job of creating a framework for the discussion of the philosophical tenets of geography.   As a result, while its not the be all and end all, most geographic studies are likely to at least begin with Pattisons traditions. While not perfect, they have nonetheless become essential to the study of geography since first being adopted. Many of the more recent specialized areas of geographic study are, in essence, new and improved versions- reinvented and using better tools- of Pattisons original ideas.

Interaction design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interaction design - Essay Example The product would be equipped with a special â€Å"car mode†, which would be activate by the user when entering a car and would therefore read any text messages receive with the simple touch of a button. An ear piece could also be attached if the individual was to be travelling with someone else and wished to keep his or her conversation a secret. This idea comes from many personal experiences with talking to others via text messaging and running into problems as a result of this. Text messaging is a popular form of communication for individuals while they are at work because it lessens the risk of a boss hearing them talking on the phone to a friend. At the same time, however, if this individual is talking to someone who is not in a position where he or she can safely read a message, problems and safety issues can arise. This product is designed in order to alleviate these unneeded dangers, because people simply will not sit and wait until they stop or reach a red light in order to check their messages. In today’s fast-paced society, people wish to communicate and receive information as quickly as possible and this product makes it possible for this to occur in a safe manner. The competitors for this artefact would be other cell phone companies that already contain a multitude of features. For example, many cell phones now contain mp3 players, video cameras, and other premium technologies that were previously thought to be impossible to be included in a cell phone. A cell phone like the BlackBerry ® Pearlâ„ ¢ 8100 smart phone â€Å"includes a camera, a media player, and BlackBerry ® Maps (Discover Blackberry) and could be a possible competitor because of its wide range of uses. Another possible competitor, as it is a multi-purpose phone, is the iPhone, which â€Å"combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet

Self Ethic Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Self Ethic Evaluation - Essay Example This only makes things easier to analyze and thus implement at a later stage. I have also known that by being ethical I am only following the nature in one way or the other. It adds up to the kind of optimism that one can wish for in this day and age with immense negativity already being portrayed by the media and related tangents. My ethical domains have thus come from my own comprehension with regards to tasks and actions which have been drawn up with the passage of time and since I have grown and developed I have also found out that this is the best foot forward. I need to remain in loop with ethics as it makes me feel at ease with my own self and the people who are around me or the ones I am dealing with on a day to day basis. My ethics is therefore a manifestation of who I am and how I would like to see things through on a regular level. A self evaluation of ethics deduces the fact that I am indeed on the right path as far as ethical dimensions are concerned as these beef up my personality in more ways than one. These allow me to remain vigilant with my tasks and undertakings, and to be loyal towards doing something worthwhile for the sake of the society in the long run. As far as my personal ethics are concerned, I would describe these to be a combination of doing well for others as well as paying heed to what others have to suggest without having any malice whatsoever. My personal ethics is therefore a documentation of how my personality has shaped up over the years and how I wish to see things in proper contexts and perspectives. My personal ethics takes a leaf out of my father’s book who I respect immensely. I have seen him manage things in a moral way time and time again, and this is the manner under which I have been able to achieve much success over the years. I have learned that by being ethical, one can have a good rapport with the people around him or the ones who work alongside him. By being ethical, one can learn many new things in life which would have been difficult to envisage if ethics were missing from the related realms (Mauro, Natale and Libertella 1999). My personal ethics is banking a great deal on how I view things from an ending viewpoint. This means that I deduce the result beforehand and then decide how to go about managing activities and behaviors. It allows me to learn new nuances and get the feel of quite a few tangents, all of which remain significant towards my life. When I derive happiness and satisfaction from what I do in my personal activities, I find out that my ethical domains have been truly manifested. This allows me to comprehend where I was right and where I have gone completely wrong. I make amends and discern how I shall shape up my life in accordance with my personal ethics which remain quintessential to me. In entirety, I keep on learning new aspects and adopt from others what they do with regards to their respective ethical definitions. This is a classic case of learning in a hands- on fashion because it allows me to manifest what I am continuously finding out. Business has a huge list of responsibilities attached to it as far as incorporation and implementation of ethics is concerned. This is because it has to satisfy a number of publics on many levels. It has to be accountable to the people for which it exists, i.e. the customers, as well as the ones who are working under its aegis – the employees. The role of the business within this day and age is not only to make a profit but do it

Smoking and Lung Cancer Essay Example for Free

Smoking and Lung Cancer Essay What is lung cancer? Well, lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States. Lung cancer has greater mortality rates than the next three most common cancers combined (colon, breast and prostate). An estimated 157,300 Americans were expected to die from lung cancer in 2010, accounting for approximately 28 percent of all cancer deaths (American Lung Association). Lung cancer is very difficult to treat, depending on the size and stage in which the cancer is detected. The earlier the cancer is discovered, the better. For example, if the cancer is found earlier than later, more types of treatment can be administered to the patient. These treatments may vary from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Although lung cancer is rarely cured completely, if detected and treated early, survival expectancy can increase substantially. Despite the difficulties of this deadly disease, the number of cases in which people have lung cancer is unnecessary, and can be greatly lowered. The risk of developing lung cancer can be reduced by 90% in people who quit smoking before the age of 35. Smoking is greatly related to lung cancer. Smoking, a main cause of small cell lung cancer, contributes to 80 percent and 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in women and men (American Lung Association). Men that smoke are 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer than men who don’t, and women who smoke are 13 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmoking women. The lung cancer types found in people who smoke mostly differ from those in non-smokers. Small cell lung cancers, which account for approximately 20 percent of lung cancers, occur almost always in people who smoke or have smoked in the past. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the tissues of the lungs. Inside the chest, lungs take up much of the room inside and usually are a pair of cone-shaped organs. The characteristic of this type of cancer is that it grows mor e rapidly and is more likely to spread to other organs inside your body. Starting with any one of the larger breathing tubes, small cell lung cancer grows quickly and at the time of diagnosis attains larger size. Most common cause of lung cancer is cigarette smoking. Small cell lung cancer risk factors include smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes now or in the past, exposure to second hand smoke, and exposure to asbestos or radon. Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) is the type found more commonly in non-smokers, but the majority of cases still  occur in people who have smoked in his or her lifetime. There is one broad general cause to lung cancer that is the Constant prolonged introduction and exposure of a variety of carcinogens into the lungs. A carcinogen is any ingredient that has the potential to cause cancer. One deadly carcinogen is radon gas. Exposure to radon is estimated to be the second leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for an estimated 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths every year (American Lung Association). Radon is a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas that is produced by decaying uranium and occurs naturally in soil and rocks. Lung cancer can also be caused by occupational exposures, including asbestos, uranium, and coke (an important fuel in the manufacture of iron in smelters, blast furnaces, and foundries). Amongst all of these factors that cause lung cancer, cigarette smoke, with its concoction of highly concentrated carcinogens, inhaled by both smokers and nonsmokers is the foremost cause of lung cancer. In addition to the causing of lung cancer, smoking puts a person in increased risk of the pancreas, kidney, bladder, esophagus, oral cavity, and larynx cancers. Since there is a great association between smoking and lung cancer, there is also an increased risk of developing other smoking related cancers. These types of cancers and lung cancer incidences depend initially on the overall lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, the number of years a person has smoked cigarettes, and the age at which the individual was introduced into cigarette smoking. Now that we know the causes of lung cancer, let’s explore the contents of a cigarette. What are the ingredients and chemicals that are manufactured into cigarettes, have you ever wondered? There are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes (American Lung Association). When these ingredients are burned, they create more than 4,000 chemicals. At least 50 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are very poisonous. A lot of these chemicals are also found in many consumer products, but these products have warning labels on them. While the public is warned and advised about the danger of the poisons in these products, there is no such warning for the toxins in cigarettes. Here are a few of the chemicals in tobacco smoke, and other places they are found in: Acetone found in nail polish remover, Ammonia a common household cleaner, Methanol – a main component in rocket fuel, Butane – used in lighter fluid, and Carbon Monoxide – released in car exhaust fumes. That’s just a very short  list of extremely dangerous chemicals that are incorporated into cigarette smoke. It’s no surprise that the constant inhalation of these hazardous substances over time can result in a variety of serious health problems such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, and even chronic diseases. It is critical and essential to know how smoking causes lung cancer because there is a great relationship between smoking and lung cancer. Your lungs air passages are lined with millions of tiny hairs called cilia. The cilia act like little brooms protecting the air tubes by sweeping dusts, tar, and other foreign materials gradually upward, like escalators, until they can be spit out. Every time a blast of tobacco smoke hits these cilia, however, they slow down, and soon stop moving. As a result, the trapped tars from the tobacco smoke begin seeping into the cells lining the air tubes. Over time, this constant irritation turns some of the cells cancerous. This transformation usually takes many years. But once it begins, the cancer steadily eats its way deeper into the lung. By the time it is discovered, its usually too late. When cigarette smoke is inhaled, the tissue cells of the lungs are exposed to the host of carcinogens contained in the smoke. Carcinogens have the unique potential to damage and change the DNA of cells in the body. The DNA is responsible for functions including how fast the cells reproduce and grow. Once a cell has been exposed to carcinogens for an extended period of time and the DNA has been affected, the cell can become cancerous. A cancerous cell is defined as any cell in the body who’s DNA has been reprogrammed to grow at an accelerated and unstoppable rate. As the affected cells continue to grow, they cause the formation of blood vessels to supply the cells with the needed nutrients to continue growing. These cells grow into masses called tumors. Eventually these tumors grow to such a size that they begin to crowd out other cells in the lungs. The added mass of the tumor makes it difficult to breathe, which decreases the amount of oxygen being transported throughout the body. Eventually the tumor can become so large that the lungs can no longer function. If a small amount of the tumor manages to break off and enter the bloodstream, or lymph system, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body. Here the process continues as the cells make new homes in organ tissues, such as the heart, liver or brain. This eventually causes these organs to no longer function over time as well. If you think you’re safe just because you are not a smoker,  think again, because you’re wrong. Passive smoking, or also known as second hand smoke can also be a risk factor for lung cancer. Breathing in the smoke of others can increase your risk of developing lung cancer. A non-smoker who lives with a smoker has about a 20 percent to 30 percent greater risk of developing lung cancer. Workers who have been exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace are also more likely to get lung cancer. Secondhand smoke involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers from other people’s cigarettes is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a known human carcinogen, responsible for approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 46,000 heart disease deaths in adult nonsmokers annually in the United States (American Lung Association). Smoking by parents is associated with a wide range of adverse effects in their children as well, including exacerbation of asthma attacks, increased frequency of colds and ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome. Secondhand smoke causes an estimated 202,000 asthma episodes, 790,000 physician visits for buildup of fluid in the middle ear (or middle ear infection), and 430 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases each year. Nicotine is a very addictive drug, and when it’s inhaled, cigarette smoke reaches the brain faster than drugs that enter the body intravenously. Smokers not only become physically addicted to nicotine; they also connect smoking with many social activities, making smoking an even more difficult habit to break. Quitting smoking often requires multiple attempts. Using counseling or medication alone increases the chance of a quit attempt being successful; the combination of both is even more effective. Perhaps the best motivation for an individual to quit smoking would be the thought of the serious health complications down the road if smoking is continued. If you stop smoking before a cancer develops, your damaged lung tissue gradually starts to repair itself. No matter what your age or how long youve smoked, quitting may lower your risk of lung cancer and help you live longer. There are some people that will try to tell you that the medical establishment is lying to you. They will argue that it’s not proven that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer, that the statistics have been twisted to make the case against cigarette smoking stronger and worse than it actually is. There are a number of things that doctors and researchers don’t yet understand, such as there is no development of lung cancer in those people that can smoke for years, while  others who have never smoked do. There is one thing to keep in mind, risk of developing lung cancer increases due to smoking- this isn’t a claim, it’s a fact. Remember, it’s never too late to put down that cancer stick!

Ethics - Virtue of Patience Essay -- essays research papers

Virtue and Patience In order to survive these days, there need to be at least some standards and goals of morality in a person's life. Moral excellence is definitely hard to achieve, but is something worth while to attempt. Personally, there are many distractions and obstructions the present day provides, creating a difficulty of direction in my own life. I need to overcome obstacles such as peer pressure in order to become a confident, successful person. The present day provides impediments which I believe I can overcome by way of morality and virtue. I have chosen to work on more patience in my life. According to Aristotle, for every virtue there are two vices. One is in excess and the other being deficit. Patience is a deficiency in my life. In having barely any patience, I am often stressed out and make more of simple situations. Aristotle would call this vice impatience. On the other end of the spectrum, the excess of patience is being passive. Aristotle and Plato, it was all about having balance in your life. I believe this theory is still in tact today. What I am striving for is not passivity, it is a moderate amount of patience, not too much and not too little, but just enough to make me more of a moral individual. The hard part about being virtuous is not practicing virtue sometimes but mastering it and doing it consistently. I have always been impatient and it would be extremely difficult for me to master being patient. One of Aristotle’s points about being a virtuous person is not doing everything well but doing what you do well and doing it consistently. Patience is defined as â€Å"good natured tolerance of delay or incompetence.† (www.dictionary.com) for me, this definition does the word a world of just... ...s outside and we ended up waiting for and hour for him to come back. I was going to flip out and tell my mom I wasn’t going to do this and that we should just leave and come back tomorrow but I remembered this essay and my goal of becoming more patient. So I put on my headphones and I went for a walk to find my cat, when I finally found him I was so excited for myself, I really felt like I accomplished something. For me this was a gratifying process and I actually enjoyed the journaling and paper. I think I could have put a little more effort into the specific instances. But over all it was alright for me. Before this I would have never noticed what lack of patience I had and how annoying it must be for the people around me. I’m excited to continue being a more virtuous person and improving my character through practicing more patience.

Budget Deficit Definition and How It Affects the Economy

How does a government budget deficit affect the economy? Identify two periods in recent history in which the United States has run budget deficits. What were the reasons for the deficits during those time periods? A government’s budget deficit occurs when the amount of money going out exceeds the amount of money coming in and is defined as a shortfall of revenues under payment. For example say the amount of taxes being collected is $500,000 but the amount of government spending is $7000,000 the government has a deficit of $200,000.Governments often fund these deficits with the sale of bonds; this sale is an IOU to the buyer and a promise for repayment in the future. In an effort to make up for the deficit and the increase in the nations debt the government might increase taxes and interest rates; this affects the economy in a negative way by decreasing the amount of money consumers have to spend on goods and services. A chain creation may occrue decreasing demand causing suppl y to also fall. During the years of 1981 to 1989 the deficit within the U.S. government drove up the amount of debt held by the public by almost triple. Ronald Reagan increased the amount of money the government was spending on the military but also decreased taxes. With no ability to fund the military spending the government experienced a deficit and borrowed money, which increased the public debt. The same was true for the Bush administration, as the cost of two wars increased and the amount of tax breaks also increasing the amount of tax revenue decreased.In an effort to pay for the nations wars the government increased the borrowing and drove up the publics debt to 40% of the nations GDP. Of course the largest increase in the nations deficit has come in the last three years, the nations wars and economic stimulus has, in the way of increased spending, increased the nations deficit and caused the nations debt to rise to &15. 5 trillion or 63% of the nations GDP.