Bhopal India disaster Essays

Bhopal India disaster Essays Bhopal India disaster Essay Bhopal India disaster Essay Bhopal India disaster Name: Course: Date: Bhopal India disaster The Bhopal gas leak disaster that happened in India in 1984 was recorded as one of the most disastrous accidents in the world. The location of the accident was the union Carbide pesticide plant in Madhya Pradesh. The gas leak managed to affect over 100,000 people with poisonous methyl-isocyanine particles. The scope of the gas leak was estimated to be about six kilometers from the source of the gas accident. The initial death toll stood at 2,000 people most of who worked at the plant as employees. Much later, the toll rose to 8,000 after an hour. After three days of investigation, the victims of the gas leak were estimated to be over a hundred thousand (Palit, 2010). The exact health implications of the Bhopal gas leak were not fully released until 1994 when parts of the documents were released to the public. Over 500,000 people were labeled as being gas affected with most of the victims suffering from nervous system failure, different types of cancers, kidney and liver failures (Tho mas, 2010). The pesticide plant UCIL was a branch of the Union Carbide Corporation and immediately distanced itself from the gas disaster. Eventually, the Indian government forced them to pay over $400 million in compensation for the deaths and physical injuries. The occurrence of the disaster pointed toward an increased enforcing of international standards in dealing with environmentally hazardous chemicals to avoid similar accidents in the future. The topic of controversy even after the disaster was the fact that the plants’ scientists refused to divulge any information on the nature of the gas. Warren Anderson, the managing director, was accused of homicide, but he was never tried at both the US and Indian trials. Possible causes of the gas leak accident There was a lot of confusion after the plant was closed to outsiders after allegations arose that the plant had not complied with most regulations touching on worker safety, working conditions, emergency procedures and equipment maintenance. The most significant investigation into the cause of the gas leak was done by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and revealed the following results. Water seeped into MIC storage tanks and triggered an exothermal effect that exuded large amounts of toxic gas that broke open the safety valves. There were safety scrubbers that would normally cut off any excess gas, but these were dismantled for repair when the tragedy occurred (Sheehan, 2011). The main cause of the accident was established as negligence of safety procedures. First, no valves were installed to prevent water from seeping into the MIC storage tanks. The company also did a poor job of maintaining the flaring and cooling systems of the machinery and even on the fateful day, they were not in proper working condition. At the factory, coolant units had been drained off for usage in another part of the plant and the gas flare had been off for over three months. The reason given for the low safety standard at Union Carbide branch were financial in nature and involved massive budget cuts to the safety fund. The company had also made massive errors by procuring and installing equipment that had not been approved as safe for handling toxic components (Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal, 2009). Effects of the Bhopal gas leak accident Environmental effects The Dow Chemical Company that took over the control of Union Carbide Company in 2001 reported that there were still large volumes of poisonous waste at the site of the accident. As of 2011, the site was still highly contaminated with residues of mercury and hexachlorobenzene (Sheehan, 2011). Efforts were made to seal some of the toxic wastes into open barrels, but the severe rainfall and flooding washed off the chemicals into domestic water sources such as rivers and still ponds. Research done by environmentalists revealed that the locals consumed water that contained up to 500 times more toxic material than was humanly possible to consume. This has led to mutation and extinction of various species of flora and fauna in the area (Sarangi, 2012). Efforts to mitigate the accident and avoid future similar incidents The Indian Government was highly cooperative with lawmakers to ensure that repeats of such biochemical accidents were outdated. The state passed the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Act as a method of ascertaining that allegations and lawsuits arising from the gas leak accident would be dealt with promptly and fairly. Within the Act, there were clauses that made such cases only adjudicated by the state. Through this act, all cases were removed from US jurisdiction and awarded to Indian courts. The agreement by UCIL to pay the $470 million was one of the results of such adjudication (Sarangi, 2012). Various stakeholders in the chemical industry globally used the Bhopal disaster as the perfect opportunity to plan to reinforce the safety regulations to deter any future lapses that would result in disasters. The Bhopal disaster proved that problems involving industrial hazards are tied to global market changes. Practical and consistent international operating guidelines for hazardous industries were proposed and ratified in international platforms such as the UN General Assembly and the European Union. These policies and norms have worked exceptionally well in measuring performance of hazardous chemical producers in India (Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal, 2009). The Bhopal incident served to change the trend and structure of industrial chemical production in India and the rest of the world. Though many lives were lost and the environment destroyed, the accident served to reinforce the authority of the Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders as well as renewing the world’s commitment at controlling the industrial activity that posed a potential threat to their well-being and that of the environment. References Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal. (2009). The Bhopal gas disaster, impacts, responses, current status, and recommendations for the future: executive summaries of studies. New Delhi: Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal Palit, A., National University of Singapore. (2010). The Bhopal tragedy verdict: Can India handle industrial disasters? Singapore: Institute of South Asian Studies. Sarangi, S. (2012). Compensation to Bhopal gas victims: will justice ever be done? Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 9, 2 Sheehan, H. E. (2011). The Bhopal gas disaster: focus on community health and environmental effects. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 8, 2 Thomas, G. (2010). The Bhopal gas disaster and the poor state of occupational health and safety India. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 7, 4

4 Tips for Writing Perfect USC Essays

4 Tips for Writing Perfect USC Essays SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips So you have your heart set on going to the University of Southern California. That’s great–it’s one of the best schools in the country! Unfortunately, that makes it tough to get accepted: only 13 percent of applicants are admitted each year. To apply, USC requires you to submit both the Common Application and a school-specific writing supplement designed to â€Å"discover your individual story.† But what does that mean? And how can you make your USCessays stand out from the crowd? We’ve got you covered. This guide will teach you everything you need to know to write an outstanding USC Writing Supplement. We’ll answer all of your questions, including: What is the supplement? What are the questions, and how do I answer them? Are there tips and tricks for knockingyour USC essays out of the park? What steps do I take to finish my USC application? Let’s get started! What Is the USC Supplement? The USC Writing Supplement is an additional part of the USC application that you fill out through the Common App website. The supplement itself consists of two writing prompts (250 words each) and eleven short answer questions (100 characters each). The word limits mean you’ll have to cram a lot of information into a short amount of space. GreatUSC essaysare going to be concise, honest, creative, and engaging. Remember, USC designed the supplement to help admissions counselors get a better sense of your personality. Don’t be afraid to embrace your individuality here! It’s your chance to share aspects of yourself, your life, and your goals that aren’t captured by the Common App. In other words: this is your time to shine. Where Can I Find the USC Supplement? The writing supplement is part of the USC Common Application. Once you've selected USC as one of your colleges, it should pop up in the application portal. If you're not exactly sure how to find it, don't worry...here's a step-by-step guide! Log into the Common App website using your username and password. Click on the â€Å"College Search† tab and search for â€Å"University of Southern California.† Select the search result, then click â€Å"add† to add it to your profile. Return to your dashboard and select the â€Å"University of Southern California.† From there, click on the link titled â€Å"Incomplete† next to the â€Å"Writing Supplement† label at the bottom of the box. You can also access the supplement by clicking on the â€Å"Writing Requirements† tab and clicking the â€Å"Writing Supplement† link. How Do I Answer the USC Essay Prompts? The writing supplement contains two short writing prompts designed to showcase both your writing skills and your personality. But because you’re limited to 250 words, you need to make every word count. Here are some general strategies to keep in mind: #1: Use a Standard Format It’s important that you aren’t wasting precious space. A good strategy is to limit your introduction/thesis statement and your conclusion to one sentence each. That lets you use the rest of the space to answer the prompt. #2: Show, Don't Tell Instead of giving run-of-the-mill answers, use stories and anecdotes to illustrate your point. Paint a picture for your audience when you can! For example, say you’re talking about your love of photography. Instead of saying â€Å"I love to photograph people,† see if you can capture the feeling of taking someone’s picture. A better sentence might read: â€Å"I love trying to capture people’s personality through my camera lens.† The first answer tells us you enjoy photography, but the second response shows us why you love it. #3: Edit, Edit, Edit Don’t be disappointed if your first attempt at answering these prompts goes over the word limit. That’s okay! Keep cutting and revising until you end up with something great. Here are a few examples of how you can edit a sentence to make every word work. Take out wordy phrases.OKAY: â€Å"It was the very best experience of my whole life.†BETTER: â€Å"It was the best experience of my life.†BEST: â€Å"The trip was transformational.† Use the active voice PASSIVE: â€Å"Geology would be my preferred major.† ACTIVE: â€Å"I plan to major in geology." Replace â€Å"is† and â€Å"was† with more descriptive verbs WITH â€Å"IS†: â€Å"Researching cancer treatments is my ultimate career goal.† WITHOUT â€Å"IS†: â€Å"I plan to pursue a career in cancer research.† #4: Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute The USC supplement is short, so it’s tempting to tackle it at the end of the application process. Don’t! Writing short responses is harder than it looks, so give yourself plenty of time. The First USC Essay For your first response, you’ll answer one of three prompts. Keep in mind that no prompt is better than the other, so go with the question that works best. We’ll talk about each question in depth, but here are some tips for choosing the best prompt for you: Pick a question that lets you show a different side of yourself that you haven’t shared yet Choose a topic that allows you to tell a story (remember: paint a picture with your words) Avoid prompts that repeat what you’ve already said in your Common App. The last point is particularly important since one of the writing questions on the Common App asks you to discuss a time when you questioned a belief or idea. It’s basically the same question as the first option below, so if you chose this prompt for your Common App, go with a different option for your writing supplement. How to Answer Essay Option 1 â€Å"USC believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of view. WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? This is a question about diversity. USC looks for students who are â€Å"interested in the world, in other peoples and cultures, and enjoy examining important issues from a global perspective.† Your response should embrace USC’s core values by demonstrating your ability to participate in a diverse community. To do this, you should talk about a time you were challenged, not about a time you challenged someone else. This is a tricky, but important, distinction. Make sure you pick a story where you had to reconsider an idea because of someone else’s opinions. How Do You Answer the Question? Tell a story with a central conflict, a climax, and a resolution. Think of a particular moment where someone questioned your beliefs. How did it begin? What did the other person say? How did you react? How did you change? Demonstrate a solid understanding of diversity. Merriam-Webster defines diversity as â€Å"the condition of having or being composed of differing elements, especially the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization.† As you can see from this definition, diversity is about more than race- it also encompasses differences in things like class, culture, gender, nationality, religion, politics, and physical ability. Talk about how your experience changed you. A good way to do this is to pretend this moment is a scene in a television show that you’re directing. How would you describe the event to the actors? What emotions would you ask the actors to portray? Use those details to tell a more complete story. Keep it positive. USC wants students who embrace diversity, so focus on the positives of your experience. Now that you have an idea about what the prompt is asking you to do, here are a few examples to help get you started: You were trying to help a wheelchair user cross the street without asking them if they needed assistance. They explained that using a mobility device doesn’t mean they need help, and they challenged your ideas about disability. Since then, you’ve worked hard to become an ally for people with disabilities. You believed that undocumented illegal immigrants should be deported until you realized that one of your best friends is undocumented. Learning her story- and confronting your own stereotypes about illegal immigration- has made you change your perspective and become passionate about helping undocumented students go to college. That’s why you and your friend organized your city’s first ever march to support immigrants. How to Answer Essay Option 2 â€Å"Describe something outside of your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning.† WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? The admissions committee already knows what your passion is- that’s why you’ve chosen it as your major! Essentially, this question is just asking what else piques your interest. After all...you might want to be a doctor, but medicine isn’t the only thing you love. Also, this prompt wants you to think beyond your degree. For example, if you’re majoring in computer science, don’t talk about learning more about programming. Step outside your comfort zone! The admissions counselors want to see that you’re curious and well-rounded. How Do You Answer the Question? Brainstorm a list of potential topics. Come up with a list of ideas you find fascinating and want to learn more about. If you’re stuck, try jotting down your hobbies. For instance, maybe you’re majoring in business but you play the piano, and you’ve always wanted to learn more about how pianos are made. Connect the topic back to your major...or don’t! There are two ways to approach this question. You can pick an idea that compliments your field of study and explain how the two relate, or you choose a totally different topic to showcase your wide-ranging interests. Neither approach is better than the other, so go the direction that best fits your idea. Explain why you’re interested in this idea. How did this topic first spark your interest? Share a story that captures your â€Å"aha!† moment. For example, maybe you went camping and saw the Milky Way, so now you want to learn about space. Or perhaps you’re vegan, so you’re interested in sustainable agriculture. Telling a story shows the reader your passion, and it might even make them passionate about the subject, too! Address what (if any) study you’ve already done. Have you already dipped your toes into this topic? If so, share a little about what you’ve learned. (If not, that’s okay, too.) Connect your answer back to USC. Even if you aren’t tying your interest back to your major specifically, you should still discuss how going to USC will help you explore your topic. Perhaps USC offers related extracurricular clubs or service organizations you can join. Or maybe it’s USC’s location that’s important- if you’re a movie buff, there’s no better place to learn about film than Los Angeles. How to Answer Essay Option 3 â€Å"What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you?† WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? This is a super open-ended prompt, which can be a blessing and a curse. Essentially, this prompt is saying, â€Å"Tell us something unique about yourself that helps us get to know you.† You have to do more than talk about your tattoo or your love of jazz; you have to tell your reader how that reveals an essential part of who you are. How Do You Answer the Question? Make a list of unique things about yourself. You’re not aiming for the best or craziest or most interesting thing about yourself. There are all sorts of unique things about you! Maybe you can say the alphabet backwards (which shows determination), or you stop to rescue turtles crossing the road (you’re soft-hearted). You don’t have to be an Olympian to have a great story to share. Choose something you didn’t talk about in the Common App. If you focus on a particular personality trait in your other responses, choose something different for this answer. Admission counselors will read your whole application, so try not to repeat yourself. Tell a specific story. Yeah, we know...you’re tired of hearing this. But we’re going to repeat it because it’s what works. Don’t just say you’re unique because you love to dance. Instead, tell your reader about your favorite performance. Explain why this part of you is important to understanding who you are. Explain how your story demonstrates a fundamental part of your personality. For example, maybe you have a scar on your knee from where you jumped off a wall onto your trampoline and missed when you were four. This shows you love adrenaline and enjoy taking risks! Because you can be super creative, there’s a greater risk of missing the mark in this response. Here are some topics/pitfalls to watch out for: Avoid mentioning USC. This prompt is about you! Don’t focus on your family. Again, this prompt is about you! Draw a conclusion. You need to explain how your story reveals a core part of your identity. The SecondUSC Essay Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. What Is This Question Asking You to Do? No option here: you’re stuck with this prompt and limited to 250 words in your response. But that’s okay, because this is the â€Å"Why USC?† question. (It’s a version of what we call the â€Å"why this college essay† around here.) Why do you need to go to USC to fulfill your dreams? Or put another way: why is USC the only school for you? This means choosing and discussing your major (and your second choice major if your program is very competitive). Remember, you’re not committed to the major you pick. You can change majors after you’ve enrolled. How Do You Answer the Question? Research, research, research. Visit the USC website and get to know your college, department, and the classes they offer. Also, take a close look at your major’s course of study. If you’re going to take classes from other departments, figure out which ones and why. For example, if you’re majoring in international relations and want to work in China, you’ll probably take foreign language/culture courses (like Advanced Modern Chinese) and political science courses (like Chinese Foreign Policy). Research the professors in the department and mention them by name. Seize the day. There’s more to college than going to class. Making the most of USC means getting involved and taking advantage of opportunities like internships and study abroad programs. There are over 100 international fellowships and programs available through different colleges, so be sure to look into them. Mentioning programs like the Global Fellows Internship, available to all students, or the Maymester, which is a major-specific opportunity, shows you’re serious about making the most of your education at USC. Focus on USC. Your job is to show why USC and nowhere else can help you achieve your dreams. Special Engineering and Computer Science Prompts If you’ve decided to major in computer science or engineering, you might have noticed you have a few extra USC essays to write. That’s not a mistake- the Viterbi School of Engineering asks potential engineering students to complete two additional short writing prompts. Not sure how to tackle these questions? Don’t worry...we’ll walk you through the answers. How to Answer Question 1 What do you personally expect to get out of studying engineering or computer science in college? WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? This prompt asks you to think about more than your four years at USC; it wants you to consider your future career, too. What does your engineering career look like? What do you want to accomplish? The answers to these questions will shape your response and show that you’re future-focused.How Do You Answer the Question? Mention specific professors and classes. Show that you’ve done your homework and are ready to hit the ground running. Think beyond the classroom. Sure, you want to learn to be an engineer. But knowledge- also known as â€Å"hard skills†- is only one part of what you learn in college. You also make connections with your classmates, figure out how to collaborate on projects, and learn how to think outside the box. These are often called â€Å"soft skills.† Good answers mention both hard and soft skill sets. Consider your community. It’s tempting to focus on how your studies will affect you- after all, the question asks about what â€Å"you personally† want to get out of your degree! But part of USC’s mission is providing public leadership and service. The school wants its students and alumni to take their education and use it to help others. Connecting back to the university’s mission statement means you’re thinking about how you fit into the university’s community and its legacy. Don’t repeat yourself. This prompt is very close to the second short writing prompt we discussed above. By talking about your career and helping others, you’ll keep your answer fresh. How to Answer Question 2 While the world as a whole may be more technologically advanced than ever before, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has outlined 14 Grand Challenges that engineers should focus on to improve life on the planet. Learn about the Grand Challenges at www.engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important, and why. WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? First, go to the National Academy of Engineering website and pick the challenge that resonates most with you. Don’t try to pick â€Å"the best† challenge. All the challenges are equal, so don’t try to guess what the admissions board wants to hear! Honesty is key. This prompt also asks you research and understand your challenge. The National Academy of Engineering website provides in-depth looks at each problem, so start there. (Here’s the write-up explaining why providing access to clean water is important, for example.) Do additional research to see what solutions are on the horizon, too. You also need to argue in favor of your choice. Yep, that’s right: this is a persuasive essay. Your job is to convince the reader- in 250 words!- why the challenge you’ve chosen is most important. Go through your research and pick out the two most convincing pieces of information. This will help you build your argument. How Do You Answer the Question? Jump right in. Use your first sentence or two as your thesis, just like in English class. This helps save space for your argument. Your thesis should be clear, specific, and grab your reader’s attention. Here’s a sample thesis for the â€Å"Make Solar Energy Economical† challenge: â€Å"Solar energy usage has increased 20% in the last 15 years due to lowering costs. Embracing the â€Å"Make Solar Energy Economical† challenge will give more people easy access to clean energy, which will have a major impact on climate change. Show that you’ve thought- and read- about the problem. In order for your response to persuade your reader, it should be well-informed. Use one or two compelling facts to support your point, and paraphrase the information to save space! Don’t bite off more than you can chew. You only have 250 words, so you can’t make a three part argument like you would in an essay. Focus on your most persuasive argument. Make an emotional connection. Appealing to emotions like hope, happiness, and fear have a powerful impact. A good way to do this is by talking about how your challenge will change people’s lives in your conclusion sentence. For instance, if you’re writing about engineering better medicines, talk about the lives your research can save. Image credit: Freddie Alequin The USC Short Answer Questions On the surface, the short answer questions seem simple, but many students find this section the hardest part of the supplement. That’s because these responses are limited to 100 characters or less- shorter than a tweet! Here are some general tips to make tackling the short answer questions a breeze: Maximize the space you have. There is room to elaborate on your answers a bit, and you should. There are no right answers. Admissions counselors don’t have specific responses in mind. This is their way of trying to get to know the person behind the application. You’re more than a major. It’s tempting to make every answer tie into your major or future career in some way. Instead, your answers should capture who you are as a person, and tie them back to your academic goals only if it’s a good fit. Don’t be afraid of a little humor. Embrace being funny, but not at someone else’s expense. (Don’t put people, things, or ideas down in your responses.) Avoid clichà ©s. Keep it tasteful. If you wouldn’t say it to your parents, don’t say it to an admissions counselor! Now that you have some solid strategies, let’s look at each question individually. Questions 1-3: Describe Yourself in Three Words A good way to tackle this question is to ask your friends and family to text you their responses, and look for patterns. For example, if five people say you are nice and caring, combine those into one idea, like â€Å"empathetic.† Adjectives are the most common words to use, but you can pick nouns, too! Just stick to ones with personality (like â€Å"bookworm† if you love to read, or â€Å"shutterbug† if you’re a photographer). Choose words that are highly descriptive (like â€Å"enthusiastic† instead of â€Å"fun†) and avoid clichà ©s if you can. Oh, and the supplement breaks this response into three separate fields, so make sure you don’t type all three words on one line! Here are some sample responses: â€Å"Whimsical, artistic, collaborative† â€Å"Competitive, thoughtful, engaging† â€Å"Loquacious, jovial, encouraging† â€Å"Reserved, compassionate, giving† Question 4: What Is Your Favorite Snack? Here’s a chance to showcase your personality by being specific. Let’s say you love peanut MMs. A specific answer might say, â€Å"Eating peanut MMs while watching a scary movie.† You can also touch on your personal history, especially if you come from a diverse background. You could say something like â€Å"My abuela’s enchiladas† or â€Å"Almond Crush Pocky† as a nod to your heritage. Finally, lean into your weird. We all have strange snacks that somehow hit the spot (we’re looking at you, hot dog buns dunked in hot chocolate). If there’s a bonkers food you enjoy- like hot Cheetos with nacho cheese on top- this is your time to shine. An added bonus? It will definitely make an impression. Here are some sample responses: â€Å"Perfectly toasted marshmallows while sitting around a campfire.† â€Å"A hot dog and soda from Fenway Park.† â€Å"Homemade apple pie with melted cheddar cheese on top!† â€Å"A package of Digestive Biscuits (they’re cookies!) and a glass of milk.† Question 5: Favorite App/Website This is one of the trickier short answer questions. To tackle it, connect your response to one of your interests. If you’re a movie buff, you could mention a movie site. If you love to cook, maybe you mention your favorite food blog. The average person spends about 24 hours a week online, so if you check your browser history, you’ll find a few good options. But whatever you do, don’t pick a website because you think it makes you look smart. Remember: be sincere! (Admissions counselors will be hard pressed to believe anyone’s favorite website is cnn.com.) We also recommend that you avoid mentioning social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat unless they’re pertinent to your major in some way. These responses will be a dime a dozen, and they don’t tell your reader much about you. Here are some sample responses: â€Å"BirthMoviesDeath.com. (I’m a movie buff!)† â€Å"Behance.net because I’m inspired by other people’s creativity.† â€Å"Epicurious.com- cooking is my favorite hobby, and the recipes here are the best.† â€Å"AtlasObscura.com, which is definitely the smartest, strangest place on the web.† Question 6: Best Movie of All Time This question can make applicants anxious because people are passionate about the movies they love...and the movies they love to hate! That’s why we recommend you either give a serious answer or embrace silliness. This goes without saying, but make sure your movie choice is appropriate. If you wouldn’t watch it with your family, don’t list it here. Also, steer clear of any super controversial picks- don’t pick a film that is clearly discriminatory, like Birth of a Nation. Here are some sample responses: Serious: â€Å"Blade Runner because of its influence on sci-fi film.† Serious: â€Å"Saving Private Ryan. It reminds us that war is hard, dangerous, and tragic.† Silly: â€Å"The Lion King. We should all â€Å"hakuna matata† a little more!† Both: â€Å"Legally Blonde- I love stories about women chasing their dreams.† Question 7: Dream Job Obviously, this answer should roughly align with your major. (Don’t say your dream job is to play Aaron Burr in Hamilton if you’re majoring in computer science.) Also, think big and think ahead. For instance, if you’re a computer science major, maybe you want to start a company that develops assistive AI for people with disabilities. Embrace big goals! The more specific you are, the better. Don’t just say you want to be a veterinarian. What kind of animals do you want to work with? Will you specialize in something? Do you want to own your own practice? Adding detail will make your answer stand out. Here are some sample responses: â€Å"A large-animal veterinarian that helps rural farmers care for their livestock.† â€Å"The owner of a non-profit that helps women of color succeed in corporate America.† â€Å"A judge appointed to the U.S. Courts of Appeals.† Question 8: What Is Your Theme Song? Everyone needs a little walk-in music. As you think about yours, choose a song with a title that makes a point. It’s tempting to pick a song with a specific lyric that speaks to you, but your admissions counselor might not be able to make the connection. Think more along the lines of â€Å"I Won’t Back Down† by Tom Petty or â€Å"Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves† by Aretha Franklin and the Eurythmics. Be careful that your song title can’t be misconstrued. â€Å"I’m Too Sexy† by Right Said Fred might seem like a funny choice to you, but it could also come across as cocky or overconfident. Also, keep your choice appropriate. Look through the song lyrics to make sure they aren’t offensive. And whatever you do: don’t say the Trojan Fight Song. That’s probably the most popular- and most clichà ©d- answer. Here are some sample responses: â€Å"Beautiful Day† by U2 â€Å"My Shot† from the Hamilton soundtrack â€Å"Don’t Stop Believin’† by Journey Question 9: Dream Trip There’s no special trick to answering this question. Just be honest and specific! Also, feel free to focus on experiences as well as destinations. Maybe you want to snorkel with stingrays in the Caribbean or visit the Lord of the Rings set locations in New Zealand. Share that here! Here are some sample responses: Letting a lantern go during the Floating Lantern Festival in Thailand. Hiking to the top of Machu Picchu. Driving from California to Illinois on Route 66 with my best friends. Eating paella from a street vendor in Barcelona. Visiting Zimbabwe and bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge. Question 10: What TV Show Will You Binge Watch Next? This is another question designed to reveal something about you, your likes, and your dislikes. We suggest you pick a show you like as long as it isn’t completely without substance. If you’re having a hard time choosing, try narrowing it down to your favorite genre first. Here are some sample responses: I’ll binge Making a Murderer because I’m interested in how the justice system works (and doesn’t) The Good Place because it combines comedy and philosophy! Friends because it helps you understand interpersonal relationships. I’m binging RuPaul’s Drag Race and learning a lot about drag culture and inclusivity. Question : Place You Are Most Content? We all have a happy place. Close your eyes and imagine the place you’re most at ease. What does it look like? Smell like? Feel like? Use that picture as inspiration for your response, and don’t be afraid to share the descriptive details. Avoid reiterating your community service or extracurricular activities. While you might really enjoy volunteering at your local Boys and Girls Club, it’s probably not the place where you’re most relaxed and comfortable. Here are some sample responses: â€Å"Curled up in bed with a good book.† â€Å"Hiking through the woods with my dog, Lola.† â€Å"Napping in the hammock in my backyard.† Next Steps for Your USC Supplement Even once you’ve finished and submitted your Common App and USC essays, you’re not quite done. Most of USC’s colleges require you to submit additional materials, like portfoliosorwriting samples, before your application is considered complete. Visit the links below to view each college’s supplemental application requirements and submission deadlines: USC School of Architecture Roski School of Art and Design Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation Marshall School of Business (World Bachelor in Business) USC School of Cinematic Arts Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Kaufman School of Dance Ostrow School of Dentistry (Junior Transfers Only) USC School of Dramatic Arts Viterbi School of Engineering Thornton School of Music USC School of Pharmacy Need Some Extra Help? The USC application process can be overwhelming, but PrepScholar is here help you succeed! Check out our resources below for more information about how our experts can help you achieve your dreams. Haven’t started your Common Application yet? No problem! We’ve got you covered with tips and tricks to make your application stand out from the crowd. Start learning more about USC! Check out their mission statement, admissions website, and this great blog post about getting to know USC without leaving your couch. Still stressed about your supplement? Get in touch with PrepScholar’s college admissions team! Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

IKEA- Furniture Retailer to the World Case Study

IKEA- Furniture Retailer to the World - Case Study Example It has a customer base of 583 million in 2007. Its customer base consists of mainly the middle class who are able to afford the furniture. It has had some significant changes in terms of their market and customer base. It dealt in various products when starting but changed to furniture which was very expensive in Sweden at the time. There was also a significant change in terms of their designs and manufacturing. These changes came about due to the pressure from their competitors. Their competitors were losing market to them due to their low prices and quality products (Dahlvig, 35). Ingvar Kamprad is the founder and head of the company. Like many other companies, IKEA started small by selling products from the family farm. The name IKEA came from an acronym where I and K were his initials; E stood for Elmtaryd which was the name given to the family farm and A was for Agunnaryd which was the Southern Sweden village where the farm was located. Their first employee was Gillis Lundgren, a 22 year old designer. The management at IKEA was informal and its founder led by example the low cost tradition. With Kamprad at the top, his management was non-hierarchical and informal. It was more of team based and his team would not spend extravagantly (Stenebo, 40). The management team comprised of young people who had not been employed by other enterprises before. This was because the more educated and elite could not adapt well with the work at IKEA. The business grew from a single store in Sweden to 285 stores in 35 countries. There were different challenges experienced in starting up these stores but they were overcome by the good team at IKEA. The employee base also grew from the founder who was joined by the designer and later the different managers at the different branches and other employees. The employee base stood at 127,800 in 2008 with a product range of 9500 products (Dahalvig, 45). As at 2008, IKEA had 1,380 suppliers in 54 countries. This

Discussion questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Discussion questions - Assignment Example In order to stabilize its revenue, the organization should also consider venturing into mining and manufacturing especially in those areas that will directly determine the supply of its raw materials. As with other big organizations, virgin group should also venture in to the financial market to boost its revenue in the unstable global markets. Renewable energy sector is another promising area that virgin group can venture in since as the world moves from the conventional sources of energy such as petroleum products, the demand for renewable sources of energy is likely to increase which translates to profits for virgin group (Barwise & Meehan, 2010). Other companies that have built their value proposition on image include McDonalds, which specializes in fast foods; the company has built an image as the best source of fast food in America. Apple is another company that has also built its value on its image proposition on its communication gadgets such as mobile phones, tablets and personal

Modern Retail Architecture Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Modern Retail Architecture - Coursework Example As like in yoga or any other method preferred for solemn meditations, it was believed that the creation and preservation of a preferred environment increases the sense of well being of a person. Be it health wise or business wise the main point is to put any behavioral effect in the people subjected to the certain complexities and patterns relevant to environmental architecture and psychology. It has been known that man's visual system is receptive to the patterns their indivualism or personal traits prefer to conceive or perceive either in terms of visual or auditory reception. Human mind seeks to organize data when faced with random unknown visual information, filters it and automates to switch to anticipating patterns. In effective advertising, the artist has to feel and travel the complexities and inadequacies of human nature by subduing several personalities and differing public opinions or comments regarding a certain art or architecture in order to promote whatever product one has to promote. In layman's terms, being in the shoes of the target market segment, analyzing their choices and neutralizing product quality and what it has to offer to the customers as well. In this present technology, advertising is much more complicated in form and in production. Tastes of the market differ as our flow of life alters the very need of our existence. That is the cost of having facilitated technological advances. Technology, architecture, psychological captivity will take its own run also to directions only an artist can define in his own imagination and scheme. II. Psychology in Architecture At this stage I would like to direct the readers to that point where psychology meets architecture. Psychology proves to be a very useful tool to capture the target market. It has been in practice with regards to the product designs and branding, imaging of a certain business from their uniforms down to their product lines systems and designs. Take it from the very logical competition of the mobile or cell phone market. It constructs its model from being functional to being convenient to being used as leisure or games gadgets. A theory turned into reality and the model is right there and being featured in US magazines and computer books right in front of our very own eyes. This human perceptual function works relatively in the Gestalt rule which seeks to explore the works of the human mind through form or shapes. In architecture, one gets to know to imagine and anticipate what the clients want and how the customers interact with their physical environments. The deal here is anticipation and captivity of the customer's inspirations with regards to effects in colors and design information. 1 It is a very good way of emerging the attributes of ones products and building or room that contains it that will prove to challenge the information architect. In design, we have to achieve maximum performance of our designs through the acceptance and base visual perception relating to mental associations from the eyes down to the brain among users and items /design interface. Note that our human memory is the primary

The International Labour Migration Economics Essay

The International Labour Migration Economics Essay There has been considerable debate about the effect of increased labour migration from developing countries to developed nations. Many commentators have argued that such increase in migration is informed by economic factors and that those who migrate from developing countries drain the human capital resources of sending nations which in the long run, negatively affects their economy. On the other hand, other scholars believe that migration helps the economy of developing countries as the incomes they receive by way of remittances contribute significantly to reducing poverty and their gross domestic product [GDP] Moin Siddiqi, 2008]. People migrate for various reasons, which may be as a result of civil wars, unemployment, changes due to the environment, or to improve their standard of living. Sociologists on the other hand, have long analysed migration in terms of the push -pull models (A project of the Levin Institute, n.d, p.8.) The model differentiates between push factors that drive people to leave their home countries from pull factors that attract migrants to other countries or new locations. Migration has always been a dominating fact of our everyday life [Kathleen Beegle and Carlo Azzarri 2004] and mankind has always lived with it even in biblical times. For example, Jacob, the father of Joseph and members of his family left Cannaan for Egypt because of severe famine that swept through the middle-east belt where they lived at that time [The Bible, Genesis: 45]. ii] Outline of the paper In discussing the reasons for migration, the essay will first and foremost attempt to define migration and why it happens by examining push and pull factors which sociologists refer to as the main reasons for migration and their effect on sending nations. The essay will further discuss the empirical effects of migration on sending nations during the last 20 years. iii] Organisation of the essay The essay will be organized around four sections namely: What is migration? Why does it happen? Empirical effects of migration on sending countries. Conclusion Section 1 1.0 What is migration? Migration is the movement of persons from one country or location to another. Migration is common to all living creatures and it is often done for survival and economic reasons by those seeking to migrate. For example, some birds migrate according to W. Alice Boyle and Courtney J. Conway in the report of their research findings, explained that it is not just whether you eat insects, termites, nectar or candy bars or where you eat them, it matters how reliable that food source is from day to day. In the case of humans, the World Bank estimates that there are currently 200 million people living in countries where they were not born [Russel, nd] The global mobility of skilled workers has increased in recent years according to the report due to the expansion of the knowledge economy, the progressive globalization of markets and companies, the growing demand for scarce skills and wider political and economic issues. This increase in global mobility is a practical reality of the inter-inde pendence that affects us all and is not necessarily a problem except where critical skills needed by source countries are lost and are not readily replaced; a brain drain [Myburgh, 2002]. 1.1 Migration Barriers Migrations come in legal and illegal forms and while countries seek and promote integrated markets through liberalization of trade and investment, they have largely resisted liberalizing migration policies. Many countries have extensive legal barriers preventing foreigners from entering for purposes of seeking work or residency according to World Bank in its report Globalisation, Growth, and Poverty. In fact, immigration policies across the world are getting tighter as governments attempt to limit the economic, cultural and security impact of large movement of people from one country to another. Despite the reluctance of governments to liberalise immigration policy, the number of people living outside their country of origin is rising. (A project of the Levin Institute, n.d, p.2). According to the 2010 United Nations Human Development Report, migrants account for approximately 3.1 percent of the world population [as of 2010]. Section 2 2.0 Why people migrate A poll conducted by Gallup Polls across 82 countries revealed that more than one in four participants displayed a desire to move abroad. The figure when put together, represents a median of about 26 percent. In certain countries, such as Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria, more than half of participants surveyed said they wanted to emigrate. On the lower end, participants in Thailand [8%], Australia [8%], and Saudi Arabia [1%] displayed nearly no desire to emigrate [A project of the Levin Institute, n.d, p.2]. People migrate for various reasons, bringing back what I said earlier when I mentioned a few reasons, which may be as a result of civil wars, unemployment, environmental or climatic changes or to improve their standard of living. The major two reasons encouraging an individual to migrate can be divided into push or pull factors. The former refers to circumstances which encourage migrants to leave the country of origin while the latter refers to the attraction that make migrants leave for a particular destination country because of the special skills and technical training the migrant possesses which the developed country may be lacking in quantity [Gbemiga Bamidele, 2001 check date]. 2.1 Push Factors Push factors come in many forms. Sometimes these factors leave people with no choice but to leave their country of origin. Following are three examples of push factors that drive people to emigrate from their home country. a] Unemployment/Poverty: Economics provides the main reason behind migration. In fact, according to the International Labour Organization, about half of the total population of current migrants, 100 million women and men migrant workers, have left home to find better job and lifestyle opportunities for their families. In some countries jobs simply do not exist for a great deal of the population. In others, the gap between the rewards of labor in the sending and receiving country are great enough so as to warrant a move. The unemployment situation in developing countries is a big problem to youths who have left schools waiting to be engaged in the labour market and the various governments who find it difficult to find a solution to it. In Morocco for example, unemployment which represented less than 17% of the economic causes of emigration before 1960, far behind the search for a more lucrative work [50%] or the improvement of the living standard [25%] became the principal economic cause of emigration in the 90s. According to the data collected by Hamdrouch [2000], 41% of answers ? indicate unemployment as the first cause of emigration whereas the search for a more lucrative work and the improvement of the standard of living represent 38% and 14% respectively as the reasons for emigration [Fida Karam, Bernard Decaluwe, 2007]. In Kenya, it is reported that people are unable to contribute to the economic growth, not because they are weak, but because they are unable due to lack of jobs. Those who are qualified, willing and dedicated are unable to secure themselves a job. Another reason for unemployment is the low education level of a large percentage of the population. Because they lack the technical knowledge and cannot specialize in carrying out roles in factories they, for example, are unable to secure a job. Another is the high population growth rate which also is a major factor that has made Kenya not to secure jobs because of the high competition and fewer jobs [Patrick Kioko Katli, 2000à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.?]. In Nigeria, the two decades of economic stagnation and micro-economic instability, corruption and poor resource management, most Nigerians especially young people consider migration as a panacea to economic problems. In recent years, there has been unprecedented rate of rural-urban migration and emigration into other countries of Africa, Europe and America. For example, due to migration and subsequent urban growth, Lagos a city in Nigeria, which did not appear in the list of fifteen largest cities in 1950, occupied the fifteenth position in 1955 and is expected to jump to number three position in 2015 with over 24 million inhabitants [Toredo, 1997]. As regards movement outside Nigeria, there has been a remarkable increase in emigration to Europe, North America, the Middle East and South Africa from the 1980s following economic down-turn, introduction of liberalisation measures and emergence of repressive military dictatorship [Adedokun, 2003]. Thousands of professionals, especially s cientists, academics, and those in the medical fields have emigrated mainly to Western Europe, the United States of America and the Persian Gulf States. At the same time, unskilled Nigerians with little education have gone abroad to work as street cleaners, security guards, taxi drivers and factory hands. In Southern Nigeria, for example, between 50 and 80 percent of households have at least one migrant member [Bah et al, 2003]. Migration is considered essential to achieving success and young men who do not migrate or commute to town or abroad are often labelled as idle and may become object of ridicule. India has recently experienced a surge in emigration due to a combination of these factors. Indias unemployed have never been properly estimated, but they could total 100 million, with a further annual job loss rate of around 10 million as the global recession continues to take its toll on the Indian economy. [Globalisation]. The number of skilled workers coming out of Indian universities has never been higher. Meanwhile, the number of domestic jobs available to them is minimal. Only about 0.7m jobs a year have been created in the past few years, most of them in the public sector. This will not keep skilled workers in the country. Many instead go to the United States, where their skills and their lower wage demands are sought after by high-tech companies. In fact, about 40 percent of recent immigrants from India to the U.S. have been accepted due to employment based preferences, thus showing the high degree of American corporations demand for Indian skilled labor. As the population g rows at 20 million per year, and more and more students graduate from technical universities, India may experience a great deal more emigration. b] Civil Strife/ War/ Political and Religious Persecution People also migrate to avoid civil strife, war, political and religious persecution in their own country. For example, when there was widespread political unrest in Albania which eventually led to war in 1999, there was mass exodus of people from the country, which by 2001 had led to one sixth, possibly even one fifth of the countrys population leaving abroad. Initially, people left by sea to Italy and move to other European destinations, including the UK. [Eugenia Markovaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.]

The Future of Medical Science Is Now :: essays research papers

The advances in modern medical science in the near future are dependent upon the advances of methods and procedures that by today’s standards are considered to be taboo and dangerous. These methods will not only revolutionize the field of medicine but they will be the forerunners to a whole knew way to treat people. For these advances to take place several key steps need to be taken both medically and politically. In this paper I will attempt to explain what methods and procedures will be the future of modern medicine, how these methods and procedures can benefit mankind, and finally what changes will be needed in the fields of medicine and politics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, I’ll attempt to explain which methods and procedures will be the future of modern medicine. The procedures that will be the future of modern medicine currently fall into the realms of taboo and fictional. These procedures encompass every aspect of medical science from exploration of the human body, curing of diseases, to improving a person’s quality of life. Many of these procedures are not very well known while a few have been in the spotlight. These procedures are; cloning, nano-robotics, retro-viruses, and genetic manipulation via gene-specific medications. For any serious breakthroughs in modern medical science we must embrace these new forms of treatment instead of shying away from them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Second, I’ll attempt to explain how these methods and procedures could benefit mankind. These procedures hold infinite possibilities in the practice healing the sick. Of all of the procedures mentioned cloning is the only method that has been given any amount of serious research. Cloning could do away with the need for organ transplants. Instead of a transplant a new organ could be cloned, thus removing any chance that the body might reject the organs. Nano-robotics could be used to fight off foreign infections and repair internal wounds. Retro-viruses and gene-specific medications could be used to alter a person’s genetic code, ridding a person of inherited maladies such as heart disease or diabetes. With the introduction of some, if not all, of these different methods of treating ailments we could effectively wipe out a large amount of diseases that would otherwise be untreatable. Senior citizens would no longer have to suffer from maladies such as Alzheimer’s or other such illnesses related with age. With these procedures a child can grow up never having to suffer from a learning disorder such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder) or even cases of mental retardation by eliminating or modifying the genes that are responsible for these and other problems.