Political Philosophy and Machiavelli Essay

Niccolo Machiavelli is best known for his highly controversial ideas on politics. He began writing about his political ideas after the French invasion because of his desire to reunite Italy after the fall of the republic. As a humanist, Machiavelli disagreed with the current religious based politics that were set in place at the time. His humanist ideas allowed him to focus his political ideas on human potential and achievement rather than religious themes. Even though Machiavelli had a harsh view on the nature of human beings, his unique understanding of the relationship between virtue and politics set the basics for modern political science, and many of his ideas can still be observed in American politics today. Before Machiavelli’s new ideas on political science, politics had been comprised around the ideas of the Christian church. Politics set up by the church relied heavily on good ethics and virtue. The church praised leaders that possessed qualities such as honesty, compassion, chastity, and faithfulness. Machiavelli rejected classic Christian values when thinking about politics and only considered qualities that were useful in preserving power. Machiavelli had a very different idea on the specific qualities that a good prince should possess. He assumed that people in power that possess virtuous qualities could be easily taken advantage of. He viewed these qualities most people deem as good qualities, as a weakness, which could mean the downfall of a state. He believed that the church should only practice its rights in the spiritual realm and not in politics. Since he felt that Christianity destroys the state, he believed that the church should have restricted power in politics. Thus resulting in his ideas on separating the church from state. The more Machiavelli’s ideas on government strayed from the Christian ideals, the more his ideas on politics began to reflect our current American government. This idea of the separation between church and state is only one of several similarities Machiavelli’s political ideas reflects American government. Similarities are seen in the organization of power through fear in the military. Also, his ideas can be seen in American politics when our presidents make decisions based on what is most beneficial, even if it is not always the most virtuous action. Probably one of Machiavelli’s most influential ideas on politics was his belief that it is better to be feared than to be loved. In his eyes, being feared was desirable over being loved since the circumstances of the world make it impossible to be both loved and feared in sequence. He understood it to be crucial that the people respect his authority and power in order for him to be able to maintain unity and loyalty from his people within the state. The only way he believed this to be possible, was to remove himself from compassion and build fear in the people through cruelty. As long as he was able to avoid being hated, this allowed him to rely on what he could control. This idea that it is better to be feared than to be loved can easily be seen within the American military. Powerful armies are not built under friendship and good virtue. They are built under fear and respect. As Americans, we have one of the most powerful military forces in the world. We do not achieve this power by making other countries love us. If we were simply loved to gain respect, rather than feared to gain respect, when the pressure of disagreement arose other countries would not hesitate in the decision to attack. So long as we are feared we hold more power over the decision to take rash action against conflict. Through fear our military guarantees our countries continuous security and prosperity. On the other hand, when it comes to our president’s stand on the question of being loved or feared, it would seem that they would take the opposite stance on the issue. Our American presidents don’t seem to aim at being feared over loved. They fill our minds with the characteristics we find desirable. They aim at making us love, trust, and respect them. Yet, they generally attempt to achieve this love through lies. The government wants us as citizens to love rather than fear, yet as an entire nation, the government aims at remaining a fearful and powerful force in the eyes of other nations. This leads to another difference between American politics, and Machiavellian ideas. Machiavelli stated, â€Å" it is proper to represent things as they are in real truth, rather than as they are imagined† (p. 8). He wanted to avoid creating an imaginary ideal society, as the Christian based politics had before him. In this issue, our government seems to reflect the Christian idea more than Machiavelli’s idea of truth. America’s presidential candidates create their campaigns according to the standards each separate political party would consider to be their ideal image of government. These candidates make promises of perfect ethics and virtue, however, after being elected into office, they very rarely follow through with these promises and ideas of perfection that they have convinced us to believe. They present us with these ideal characteristics in order to receive the popular vote, yet as Machiavelli has explained, as a ruler in order to maintain prosperity and security it is not ideal to follow through with fantasies of virtuous leaders. It would be nice if our presidents followed Machiavelli’s advice and were straightforward and truthful from the start. Since people do not vote for reality and would rather vote for the fairytale, it does not work out his way in our democracy. Machiavelli’s ideas on the significance of virtue in politics may be a result of the way he views human nature. Since he has little hope in the goodness of humanity, he does not hold leaders to the highly positive qualities that the church does. Machiavelli is well known for his negative views on human nature. Even today his name is still largely associated with wickedness. He believed all people to naturally be ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers. He even went so far as to refer to people as wretched creatures. I feel that Machiavelli’s ideas are solid and well thought out. Although, that does not mean that I completely agree with all his ideas, especially those on the nature of humans. I refuse to confer that humankind is naturally evil willed. I like to see the good in people, and to me it seems that the good in this world greatly outweighs the bad. However, I also do not agree that Machiavelli is the tyrant that history has made him out to be. Overall, I believe that most of his ideas aimed at improving the well being of his state. Even though he came off as an evil man it seemed to me that he always had his state’s best interests in mind. The way I see it, his negative understanding of human nature forced him to look at issues from a different perspective than most people of his time, and drove his ideas behind the irrelevance of virtuous traits in a political leader. Many of Machiavelli’s ideas are reflected in American politics. Machiavelli believed in practicing the separation of church and state just as America does. He believed that with fear came power, which is apparent in the United States military. Although many of Machiavelli’s ideas reflect American government there are a few differences between the two, such as the qualities that can be viewed in presidential candidates and how our government goes about the real truth. Overall, Machiavelli’s ideas on virtue and fear, no matter how wicked in nature, seem to properly deem him the founder of the modern political science that our government has been founded off of still today.

Child Socialization Essay

What are the agents of children Socialization? Socialization Agents Introduction What is an agent of socialization? An agent of socialization is people and groups that influence our self-concept, emotions, attitudes and behavior. There are five agents that play a role in the socialization of children. Every agent of socialization plays a role in the development of children. In this essay I play on describing the five agents and how they aid in child development. The five socializing agents consist of Family, School and Childcare, Peers, Mass media, and Community. As children grow and change the amount of influence of each agent changes. Children will learn to develop trust, independence, the tendency to take initiative, the sense of competence and ambition, the decision on who we are, our relationships with others, and reflections on life in general. Family Read more:  Personal factors that affect child development essay The family functions to locate children socially, and plays a major role in their socialization. Raising a family is never easy. In order for everything to run smoothly, each person has a role to play. Humans learn and develop to be the adult person that they become. As the child develops and advances in psychosocial development, the agents become stronger or weaker in their capacity for influence. Early in a child’s development, the family is, of course, the strongest agent, but as the child advances to preschool age, programs or schools begin to exert influence. At school age, peers are active socialization agents. School and Child Care In school children are place outside the direct control of the family, and have to learn to become a part of a peer group. Children in sports will learn socialization skills and values. Education is the process by which society transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another. It happens through any experience that has a  formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts. With more mothers working in our society daycare has become a significant agent of socialization. Families have to look for a caregiver who provides warm, loving care and guidance for the child and works with the family to ensure that the child develops in the best way possible. The caregivers have to have a setting that keeps the child safe, secure and healthy; and developmentally appropriate activities that help the child develop emotionally, socially, mentally and physically. Peers Peer groups provide support for children as they transform into the adult society. Children start decreasing dependence on parents. They will increase feeling of self-sufficiency, and connecting with a much larger social network. The term â€Å"peer pressure† is often used to describe instances where an individual feels indirectly pressured into changing their behavior to match that of their peers. Peer groups have a significant influence on psychological and social adjustments for group individuals. They provide perspective outside of individual’s viewpoints. Members inside peer groups also learn to develop relationships with others in the social system. Mass Media Mass media arises as communication technology spreads information on a new scale. The mass media have an enormous effect on a mass scale. The mass media cover a wide range of means of communication, information and entertainment, such as books, music, newspapers and magazines, radio, television, the Internet as well as video games. The mass media have an enormous effect on our attitudes and behaviors. It also affects our way of thinking. When we go out shopping we are going to want to buy what we just seen on the TV. The portrayal of human characters in different programs and its advertisements on television influences our perspective on what is healthy, cool, or the new IT item that we now have to run out and purchase. The same programs help in shaping the attitudes, values, and basic orientation of people to life. Community The term community has two distinct commutative meanings: 1) Community can refer to a usually small, social unit of any size that shares common values. The term can also refer to the national community or international community, and 2) in biology, a community is a group of interacting living organisms sharing a populated environment. Community groups can give children different perspectives. The location of what type of community you live in will affect your child socialization. It has been proven that children in a lower economic community are more likely to commit crimes, drink, and drugs. Conclusion There are many factors that influence your child and the way your child will become independent. Every child will be raised in difference cultures, school, and environments. Each child is different; one child might take a compliment as a compliment while a child with low self-esteem may see an insult. I feel that the family plays the biggest role with development with the child. These five examples of influences on our socialization are important in shaping the adult that we will become. References: 1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community 2. www.boundless.com 3. Child, Family, School, Community Socialization and support (9th edition). Roberta M. Berns.

Hale, Duane. Cyrus N. Ray: The Abilene Man

Cyrus Newton Ray was a man who found his sole purpose of fulfillment by finding evidences of artifacts from the past. His original studies were focused on the medical field: osteopathy, which he received a degree for in June 2, 1909. It is bizarre to know that archaeology was not Cyrus N. Ray’s field of study. He has found a society called â€Å"Texas Archeological and Paleontological Society (Texas Archeological Society) in 1928. Because he was an amateur at archaeology, his name is well known in the Texas archaeological world. Osteopathy and the finding of human skulls have one thing in common: the relevance to the bones. The huge field difference between osteopathy and archaeology is very different, but this only concludes one thing. History has intrigued Cyrus N. Ray so much that it has caused him to switch his professions from the medical field to archaeology. He feels content when he is slowly discovering a little bit of history every time he finds an artifact. Content: Cyrus Newton Ray was an amateur at archaeology because that field of study was not even his original profession. His original profession was osteopathy but because he got drawn in one day by reading an article by Dr. Harold J. Cook, â€Å"which described the finding of arrowheads embedded in gravel with the skeleton of a buffalo of an extinct Pleistocene species at Colorado City, Texas† Ever since then, he has discovered many different artifacts that made him well known in the Texas world of archaeology due to the fact that Texas was one of the only state where archaeology was not at importance. His determination for archaeology was full of willpower that even through the Great Depression, Ray still used his own money to publish articles about his current findings. Cyrus N. Ray wanted everyone to know about his findings because he wanted everyone to be fascinated by the history tied to the artifacts. Critique: From reading this article, I felt as though the author, Duane Kendall Hale, did have a noticeable biasness. It was a little misleading because the author gives two points of view on Cyrus N. Ray. Most of the time, the author continuously says throughout the article, that some of Ray’s discoveries were credited to others. And many of the other archaeologists would completely not mention Ray’s name when reporting their findings. For the author, he feels as though this isn’t fair for Cyrus N. Ray. But then, the author mentions that Ray kept his location secretive, and because of that, future chances of discoveries were lowered because he kept his locations confidential. Also, the author concludes that Ray was difficult to work with, and his personality was not very compatible with others. I was convinced by the author’s thesis because history is so important to our society right now. Presently, we just can’t focus on the present and disregard the past forever. The past happened for a reason and it is there for us to acknowledge it. So for someone with a completely different profession like Cyrus N. Ray, it was a great thing for him to go into archaeology to figure out the past even more. This passage was relatively easy to read because it was a biography, but with the biased voice of the author thrown in, it made it a little harder to comprehend.

Employment Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Employment Law - Case Study Example Starting with the application of the contract law, it is apparent that the employment of Jami Jensen was done in contravention of the laid down employment contract laws, where the employer is supposed to grant the employee a written contract of engagement, the moment the employee is hired by the employer. In Jami Jensen’s case, she was hired but a written contract was not offered by the employer. This situation makes her case complex, considering that it becomes difficult to establish the basis of her engagement with the employer, and the terms and conditions of the engagement, especially regarding the issues of salary increment, promotion and demotion. As a result of lack of a written contract of engagement, the organization just demotes Jami Jensen arbitrarily and reduces her salary from $80,000 to $40,000, while she is also relinquished of her position, and demoted to that of a supervisor. Another issue that arises in the Jami Jensen’s case, which falls under the contract law, is the issue of leave. Considering that she was not granted a written contract of engagement with the employer, Jami Jensen is not aware of the terms and conditions that are applicable in requesting for a leave, which should be clearly and precisely stipulated in the written contract of engagement. Thus, when she seeks for leave, she is told she has to offer a two week request in advance, and she does not have a basis of disputing the same, since she does not have a written contract to that effect. Sexual harassment law is applicable in this case, since Jami Jensen has been discriminated against, in matters pertaining to employee benefits such as leave, due to the fact that she has refused to yield to the sexual advances made to her by Mr. Clark, who is the vice president of the company. However, for the law of sexual harassment to apply, there are certain thresholds that must be met, which

Delegates and Electors in the United States Assignment

Delegates and Electors in the United States - Assignment Example Electors, however, are people that represent a state’s electoral votes for president and vice president after the presidential election is held (Janda, 48). Delegates are selected from all states either through primary elections, caucuses or even for their prominence in the party. In this regard, the delegates of a particular political party will vote in a presidential candidate who they feel has the party’s best interests. They also consider the competitiveness and the likelihood of the candidate to give the party a win in the general election. On the other hand, electors are chosen by voters from the fifty States plus the District of Columbia and total up to 538. The candidate who receives a majority of the elector’s votes becomes the president and his/her running mate the vice president. Each of the two sets of groups, the delegates and electors, play a decisive part in selecting the president of the United States. The delegates are crucial in the nomination of a political party’s presidential candidate and therefore significantly influence the option presented to the people in the general election. Candidates become the official party flag bearers after a vote is taken by the particular party’s delegates to the presidential nominating conventions. The delegates, in so doing take their cue from the voters' decision during the party primaries and caucuses. It is important to note that the rules for selecting delegates vary by party; by state, and also by congressional district. The electors are too necessary to be assumed as well. It is the electors that decide for the People who the president of the United States of America will be in an election. Each state has a number of electors that is equivalent to the number of both the senators and representatives combined. On the day of elections, voters in each state, choose electors based on their preferred presidential candidates. It is these elected people, forming the Electoral College, that vote for the president and the vice president, with each elector casting one single vote. Â   Â  

Business Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Culture - Essay Example Organizational change or change management has become a very important aspect in the modern day management practice. Change is desirable when everything else has failed to ensure the continuous survival of the business. However change in itself might not be desirable when the degree of resistance to change become stronger because when resistance gathers momentum that in itself is an indicator of the existence of other solutions. If organizational change were focused on improving critical success factors related to financial management, Human Resource Management (HRM), employee relations, supply chain management, quality management, marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR), then the organization would have to face considerable resistance. In the first instance when change involves people it is all the more difficult to manage the process of change smoothly because employees depending on their attitude to change would not remain silent. Thus as much as the active management of the change process involves attitudinal changes, there are predefined objectives that would require far reaching changes at each level before a final changes brought aboutAlbert Breton (Author) †º Visit Amazons Albert Breton Page . Organizational change also requires a far greater commitment on the part of management to initiate change. However once it is initiated the degree of participation by other employees alone would determine the success or the failure of the program. Thus organizational change theories have evolved overtime with particular emphasis on the change management process of employees in general. Lewin’s theory of organizational change is based on a three tier change management process in which a system of continuous replacement is adopted. Thus it is known as unfreeze-change-refreeze model. For example in the first stage the existing organizational setup is unfrozen or dismantled. In the second stage changes are

Reward Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reward - Essay Example A system of pay that targets an individual is based on the accomplishments of only one person. In this case, rewards are determined by the results put on the table. Pays based on performance do not necessarily account for knowledge and competence. High performance is rewarded while low performance is ‘punished’. Moreover, progressive performance given in levels can determine what reward is earned at what performance. Where different incentives are used on different individuals, the reward becomes incentive-based, and it is complemented by self-actualization. A team constitutes a number of people working on clearly defined common goals or objectives. The performance of a team can be rewarded in a number of ways, among them team-based rewards, rewarding individuals constituting the team, and group behavior (Levi, 2010). Rewards that are team-based target the team’s totality and productivity. The performance of the team is attributed to each member, and so are the rewards. Team performance can also be rewarded by considering individual contribution of each team member and subsequently determining the appropriate reward. Finally, group cooperation and motivation can be rewarded subject to the team

US should enact stricter immigration laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

US should enact stricter immigration laws - Essay Example US should enact stricter immigration laws: America has for long been home to illegal immigrants from all over the world. These immigrants work in America, avail the benefits and deprive America of money by moving it out of America. There is dire need for more implementation of severe illegal immigration laws. Too many illegal immigrants in US have bilked the American economy. Illegal immigration feeds on the strength of American economy. This is the fundamental reason why poverty in America is increasing day by day. Jobs in which poor Americans need to be employed are indeed being given to people who are not Americans and who send the money earned to their homelands as remittance. In this way, money is slipping away from the hands of Americans. According to an estimate, more than US $ 200 billion have been sent by illegal immigrants to their homelands since 1996 (Hopkins). This has given severe blows to the American economy. Americans being replaced by illegal immigrants is another h arsh reality. Owing to the widespread economic recession that has occupied the whole world in the recent years, business entrepreneurs have taken all possible steps to reduce their expenses and maximize their profits. Workers have been asked to put in the same amount of effort as before but for a lower compensation. Many Americans have refused to accede to such plans of the employers, and have thus given resignations as a protest. This has hardly affected the employers as they have got many illegal immigrants that would love to work for the lowered compensation.

Can Machiavelli's theories be used to justify the actions of Marx, Essay

Can Machiavelli's theories be used to justify the actions of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Putin totalitarian actions - Essay Example 2). He does this by exploring various examples to illustrate various means of obtaining and keeping power. Machiavelli held the philosophy that using virtue and force was best because the moment a prince obtained territory by use of armies and strength, it would be simpler for them to keep control over their jurisdiction (Machiavelli & Woonton 34, 45). A noteworthy point is that for Machiavelli, the concept of virtue implied strength and manliness. Machiavelli was also of the philosophy that a leader ought to possess evil qualities since that way it would be easier to cling to power (Machiavelli & Woonton 51). Machiavelli, for example, argued that being feared but not feared was more preferable than to be loved. Machiavelli also argued that it was not necessary for a prince to be trustworthy. Machiavelli lived up to some of the principles he wrote. He used his skills and schemes to rise through the ranks in the government of Florence. There was a time he was close to magistrate a position he used to push for the use of militia in the state. This corresponded with his view in The Prince w here he advocated for the use of local militia over mercenaries (Machiavelli & Woonton 45). Machiavelli was made to be in charge of the militia when Florence finally got an army. He demonstrated great military astuteness that lead to the capture of Pisa. He finally lost his position and was never able to rise again. It is often hard to discern which philosophies are right and which are wrong when comparing the two literary works; that of Karl Marx and that of Machiavelli. Machiavelli’s ideas are what many people would regard as unethical. As a matter of fact, his ideas were so unpopular in his own country, Italy, that he got exiled. Karl Marx on the other hand, presents a theory about capital that is self-contradicting. For example, Marx argues that Capitalism results from the business

Human relations theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human relations theory - Essay Example Mainly, the Human relations theory in organization and management has been attributed to Elton Mayo. Mayo's major theoretical stand point, according to Wood (2004, p.35),is that " in the absence of an explicit understanding of the determinants of co-operative effort, rapid technological and scientific advance tends to be associated with increased social disorganization." Wood (2004, p.36) has added that "by social disorganization, Mayo means, a disruption (loosening, weakening, impoverishment etc.) in the social ties, codes and established routines."Wood (2004, p.36) has further clarified this position of Mayo by dileneating that these social ties, codes and routines are the factors that "regulates the relations of individuals to one another in a group and they foster a strong identification of the individual to the group." So, when these are disrupted, as predicted by Mayo, the "essential conditions for cooperative efforts among individuals and groups" are destroyed.(Wood, 2004, p.3 6)Mayo (1975, p.32))also has observed that when these elements are present, the act as an atmosphere where "non logical bases for co-operation" are present and from which, "rational bases for cooperation can also emerge". When the kind of social disorganization as observed by Mayo (1975, p.31) happens, "obsessive thinking" replaces "rational thinking." According to Mayo (1975, p.32), obsessive people are "those who have not been trained for co-operative effort." The rational people, on the other hand, have "explicit skills of communication required by the adaptive society (Wood, 2004, p.36).Mayo has analysed that as for obsessive people, there is no turning back unless they learn the skills to relate to others, modern societies without understanding of the importance of cooperative efforts and with rapid technological and scientific growth, also have no way to return from chaos (Mayo, 1975, p.33). Mayo has not put forth any magic solutions to this problem. He has instead suggested some indepth and longterm measures. One such measure is to observe the relations within a group, develop these observations into a systematic social science study, just like physical sciences and then incorporating sociology with psychological thought by an involved researcher (not a detached one) (Mayo, 1975, p.113). The Hawthorne experiments conducted by Mayo was a major milestone in the study of industrial behaviour (Mayo, 1975, p.60). He conducted an interview based research in Western Electric Company, Chicago, to analyse the development of employee attitudes and how that influences the outcome. He was searching for an optimal situation which could bring about highest productivity. Hawthorne experiment findings included observations like, "an individual's identity is strongly associated with his or her group' an individual's affiliation or sense of belonging to the group can be more important to him or her than monetary rewards' groups can be formal or informal'both can exercise a strong influence on individuals at work'(and) managers and supervisors would do well to take this group behaviour into account when seeking to extract the maximum amount of work from their subordinates" (Campbell and Craig, p.16). This was part of Mayo's efforts to develop a new approach which he named, "clinical sociology." (Mayo, 1975, 65-70). In this way, Mayo wanted to add sociology to the group of natural sciences. A second experiment, named, 'relay assembly test room' was conducted by Mayo, in which a group of women, whose work was to assembly telephone relays, were subjected to various changes in their conditions of work, payment, rest pauses etc. (Crowther &Green, 2004,p.35). And he found that workers' productivity depended less on their objective conditions and more on "communicating with them well, helping them become involved in the organization and making them feel wanted and important (Crowther &Green, 2004,p.35). This experiment was a major breakthrough in management studies. From his studies, Mayo inferred that "every social group

English language class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

English language class - Essay Example English is the main language in use within the country and therefore it becomes mandatory that I take this writing program in order to improve on my capacity to communicate in English through writing as well as be in a position to study effectively. Besides, with my future plans being in pursuing and practicing as an economist at an international front, it is prerequisite that I improve on my language which is to be English. I therefore feel indebted to write to any international student freshly enrolled for this course as a first year, first because I am equally an international student and also because in often times, as international students, fresh students often feel inadequate and would easily lose track on their studies with the perception that English as a language is difficult. Every international student ready to pursue this course should consider the following questions which would help in building confidence within them over the subject and hence be positive about English writing program. Why do people enroll for studies at any level? Am I as the student the first to pursue the program and if not why then cant I make it? How has the school structured the program and what are the resources that are available for use to the students in learning? In focusing on the previously stated questions to lead fresh students, I write to ascertain that such fears are always there and justifiable; more so to international students. Basic to any study experience is to learn new things of interest to the learner. This therefore would explain why students should be positive while enrolling for any course even a t an international school because the interest to learn new insights should guide them. This understanding would therefore be the bottom line to enrolment or any course because after all why should a person travel across borders and

Childcare - Orientation Package Essay Example for Free

Childcare Orientation Package Essay INTRODUCTION One of the goals of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services is to help support social and economic development in Ontario by investing in and supporting an affordable, accessible and accountable child care system which helps benefit children, their parents and caregivers, and the broader community. The early learning and child care system in Ontario should: †¢ be accessible, affordable and inclusive †¢ care for children in a safe, nurturing environment †¢ foster early childhood development †¢ help support early learning and readiness for school †¢ be flexible and provide choice †¢ support children and their families †¢ provide appropriate standards of child care †¢ provide supports for parents in financial need, who are employed, in training, or involved in other employment activities †¢ support economic growth, and †¢ work in partnership with others involved in Ontario’s. early learning and child care system. This Orientation Package has been designed to provide individuals who are interested in obtaining a licence to operate either a day nursery (also known as child care centres) or a private-home day care agency in the Province of Ontario, with practical information and advice. The following information is included in this package: †¢ the process for obtaining a licence †¢ a summary of the licensing requirements to operate a day nursery or a private-home day care agency under the Day Nurseries Act †¢ a glossary of terms (Appendix 1) †¢ information to assist you in considering your decision to apply for a licence to operate either a day nursery or a private-home day care agency (Appendix 2) †¢ a list of the Regional Offices of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (Appendix 3), and †¢ a list of the Child Care Service System Managers responsible for planning and managing the delivery of child care services throughout Ontario (Appendix 4). 4 CHILD CARE IN ONTARIO The child care system in Ontario consists of a range of services for families and their children, including licensed day nurseries and private-home day care which provide supports to children and their families. The Day Nurseries Act requires any premise that receives more than five children under the age of 10 years, not of common parentage (children who have different parents), for temporary care and guidance, to be licensed as a day nursery. A person may provide informal child care to five children or less under the age of 10 years who are not of common parentage (children who have different parents), in addition to his/her own children, without a licence. This number may not be exceeded, regardless of the number of adults present or on site. When a person provides in-home child care at more than one location or co-ordinates the provision of care at more than one site, a licence to operate a private-home day care agency is required. It is an offence to establish, operate or maintain a day nursery or private-home day care agency without a licence. On conviction, the fine is up to $2,000 for each day the offence continues, or imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, or both. Ministry staff have the responsibility to follow-up on all complaints about child care being provided without a licence. CHILD CARE LICENSING IN ONTARIO The Ministry of Children and Youth Services is responsible for the Day Nurseries Act and issues licences to operators of child care programs. There are two types of licensed child care programs: day nurseries and private-home day care agencies. In the Day Nurseries Act and in this package, child care centres are referred to as day nurseries. Day nurseries may include nursery schools, full day care, extended day care, and before and after school programs. Private-home day care agencies arrange or offer home day care at more than one home. Care is provided to five children or less, under 10 years of age in a private residence other than the home of the parent/guardian of the child. Homes are monitored by the agency. Role of the Operator Operators have responsibility for the operation and management of each day nursery or private-home day care agency, including the program, financial and personnel administration of the program. Operators of licensed day nurseries and private-home day care agencies are required to achieve and maintain compliance with the standards set out in Ontario Regulation 262 under the Day Nurseries Act at all times. The Day Nurseries Act and Ontario Regulation 262 are available through: Publication Services 777 Bay Street, Market Level, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C8 416-585-7485 or 1-800-668-9938 The Day Nurseries Act is available on the ministry’s website at: http://www. elaws. gov. on. ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90d02_e. htm. Ontario Regulation 262 under the Day Nurseries Act is available online at: http://www. elaws. gov. on. ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900262_e. htm#37. (1). The Director under the Day Nurseries Act Child care licences are issued by a â€Å"Director† who is an employee of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, appointed by the Minister for the purpose of the Day Nurseries Act. The Director reviews all documents required for licensing, approves and signs the licence. The Director has the authority to refuse to issue a new licence if: †¢ the applicant or any of the officers, directors or employees of the applicant are not competent to operate a day nursery or privatehome day care agency in a responsible manner in accordance with the Day Nurseries Act 6 †¢ the past conduct of the applicant affords reasonable grounds for the belief that a day nursery or private-home day care agency will not be operated in accordance with the Day Nurseries Act, or the building in which the applicant proposes to operate the day nursery or provide private-home day care does not comply with the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act. †¢ In addition, if there are grounds, the Director may refuse to renew or revoke an existing licence. The Director may also issue a direction and temporarily suspend a licence if there is an immediate threat to the health, safety or well-being of the children. An applicant or licensee is entitled to a hearing before the Licence Appeal Tribunal. Role of Program Advisors Program Advisors, Ministry of Children and Youth Services staff designated under Section 16 of the Day Nurseries Act, are responsible for inspecting day nurseries and private-home day care agencies to enforce licensing requirements. In some regional offices, this position is referred to as Licensing Specialist. Program Advisors are responsible for assessing whether the operator has met the licensing requirements before an initial licence is issued. Unannounced inspections are conducted by Program Advisors for licence renewals on an annual basis or more frequently for a shorter term licences. In addition, Program Advisors conduct unannounced inspections in response to complaints related to licensed child care programs and to monitor operators who have difficulty maintaining compliance with licensing standards. The Ministry of Children and Youth Services also responds to complaints from the public pertaining to persons who are alleged to be operating without a licence (i. e. caring for more than five children under 10 years of age, not of common parentage, without a licence). The Application Process An individual or corporation can apply for a licence to operate a day nursery or a private-home day care agency. (Licences cannot be issued to partnerships. ) Types of operators include: †¢ an individual †¢ corporations (non-profit and for-profit) †¢ municipalities †¢ community colleges †¢ churches, or †¢ Bands and Councils of the Band. The prospective operator contacts the local Regional Office (see Appendix 3) to request an application package and confirm the information required before proceeding with the next steps in the licensing process. Prior to requesting an initial site inspection for a day nursery (a visit to determine if the space is appropriate), the operator submits the completed application form to the Regional Office, as well as: †¢ †¢ †¢ written verification from the zoning authority confirming the location is approved for use as a child care centre detailed floor plans, and detailed site plans of the proposed location. These plans must include room measurements, window measurements (actual glass area), location of fixed cabinets (counters and storage areas) and fenced outdoor playground space dimensions (if required). Please note that effective July 1, 2005, as part of regulatory changes to the Ontario Building Code, all building or renovation plans for a day nursery must be reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services prior to a municipality issuing a building permit. It is the operator’s responsibility to determine whether the location will meet zoning, building, fire and health requirements. Written verification must be submitted to the regional office confirming that these requirements have been met prior to a licence being issued. The fee for a new licence is $15; the renewal fee is $10. If a licence renewal is submitted to the ministry after the licence expiry date, the late fee is $25. 8 Planning and Design Guidelines for Child Care Centres This guide provides information about the planning, design and renovation of licensed child care centres. It is intended to be used by persons involved in the site selection, design, and operation of a child care centre in the province of Ontario. This guide is available through the local MCYS Regional office and on the ministry’s website at http://www. children. gov. on. ca/mcys/english/resources/publications/be ststart-planning. asp. (Alternately, from the ministry’s home page at. http://www. children. gov. on.ca, you can follow the links to Best Start, then Best Start resources, then Planning and Design Guidelines for Child Care Centres. ) Obtaining a Licence To obtain a licence, applicants must demonstrate compliance with the requirements set out in Regulation 262 of the Day Nurseries Act in a number of areas including: confirmation of compliance with municipal zoning, building, fire and health requirements; the suitability of the building; availability of equipment and furnishings; conformity with space requirements and playground standards; maintenance of staff/child ratios for various age groups; staff qualifications; nutrition; appropriate behaviour management; programming and insurance. Private-home day care agencies must demonstrate compliance with the requirements set out in Regulation 262 of the Day Nurseries Act in a number of areas including: staffing and training; policies and procedures; records of inspections of providers’ homes; availability of equipment and furnishings; appropriate behaviour management and insurance. The Program Advisor makes a recommendation to the Director under the Day Nurseries Act about the issuance of a licence based on their assessment of compliance with the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act and ministry policy. The Director decides whether to issue a licence and the type and term of licence to be issued. The Director may add terms and conditions to the licence. The operator is required to comply with the terms and conditions of the licence as well as the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act and ministry policy. Operators must apply for a licence renewal prior to the expiry date of the current licence. Licences may be issued for a period of up to one year if all licensing requirements are met. Health Canada – Product Safety Program Health Canada helps protect the Canadian public by researching, assessing and collaborating in the management of the health risks and safety hazards associated with the many consumer products, including children’s equipment, toys and furnishings, that Canadians use everyday. Through their Product Safety Program, Health Canada communicates information about juvenile product hazards and recalls to protect children from avoidable risks. Advisories and warnings, juvenile product recall notices, food recalls and allergy alerts are posted on the Health Canada website. The Consumer Product Recalls webpage can be accessed at http://209. 217. 71. 106/PR/list-liste-e. jsp. Health Canada offers an electronic newsletter so that the public can receive updates when consumer advisories and warnings, juvenile product recalls, and consultation documents regarding consumer product safety are posted on the Health Canada Web site. As a prospective operator, you are encouraged to register on line for this service at: http://www. hc-sc. gc. ca/cps-spc/advisories-avis/_subscribeabonnement/index_e. html. Duration of Initial Licensing Process It may take up to 6 to 12 months to open a new day nursery or private-home day care agency depending on a number of factors, including the extent of the renovations, the incorporation of a corporation, the purchasing of equipment, the hiring of a supervisor or home visitors, the recruitment of staff, the development of policies and obtaining all required approvals. Types of Licences †¢ Regular licence – may be issued for up to 1 year if the operator was in compliance with licensing requirements when last inspected. 10 †¢ Regular short-term licence – issued at the discretion of the Director routinely issued to new licensees (generally for a period of up to six months) or when more frequent licensing visits are appropriate to support ongoing compliance. Regular licence with terms and conditions terms and conditions are requirements prescribed by a Director and are additional to the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act. They may reflect circumstances specific to the operation, such as half day or 10 month service. They may also be in place to minimize the recurrence of a non-compliance, such as incomplete staff medical records. Provisional licence – When Day Nurseries Act requirements have not been met and the operator requires time to meet requirements, a provisional licence (generally for a period up to three months) may be issued. This licence gives the operator a period of time to meet licensing requirements. Copies of a letter indicating that a provisional licence has been issued and a summary of the non-compliances are sent to the centre for distribution to parents. The summary of non-compliances will also appear on the Child Care Licensing Website. †¢ †¢ Child Care Licensing Website MCYS has launched the Child Care Licensing Website to provide parents with information about licensed child care in Ontario. The site is accessible at http://www. ontario. ca/ONT/portal51/licensedchildcare. A search tool allows parents to search for child care by city, postal code, type of program, age group, program name, operator name and language of service delivery. The site also provides the status of the licence and the terms and conditions of the licence for any licensed program parents might be considering or about which they might be concerned. Once a licence is issued, the information appearing on the licence of the program will be available on the website. Child Care Service System Managers The child care system is managed at the municipal level by fortyseven Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs) /District 11 Social Services Administration Boards (DSSABs). Each service system manager has responsibility for planning and managing a broad range of child care services, including fee subsidy, wage subsidy, family resource centres and special needs resourcing. Prospective operators should contact their local child care service system manager (see Appendix 4) to discuss the need for child care in the area being considered and for information about funding and fee subsidy. 12 DAY NURSERIES ACT SUMMARY OF LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR DAY NURSERIES Day nurseries are centre-based programs and can include nursery schools, full day child care, extended day and before and after school programs. Organization and Management The operator of the day nursery is responsible for maintaining compliance with the Day Nurseries Act and ministry policy. This includes responsibility for the operation and management of the program and financial and personnel administration. A qualified supervisor who directs the program and oversees the staff is required for each child care centre. This person must have a diploma in Early Childhood Education, or other academic qualifications which are considered equivalent, and have at least two years experience in Early Childhood Education. The supervisor must also be approved by the Director under the Day Nurseries Act. Staff Qualifications †¢ The supervisor must have a diploma in Early Childhood Education or equivalent qualifications, with two years experience and must be approved by the Director under the Day Nurseries Act. †¢ One staff with a diploma in Early Childhood Education or equivalent qualifications must be hired for each group of children. Health Assessments and Immunization †¢ Staff immunization/health assessment, as required by the local medical officer of health, must be completed before commencing employment. 13. Number and Group Size Number of Staff required for a Day Nursery Other than a Day Nursery for Children with Disabilities Ratio of Employees to Children 3 to 10 1 to 5 Maximum Number of Children in a Group 10 15 Group Age of Children in Group Infant Toddler Under 18 months of age 18 months of age and over up to and including 30 months of age more than 30 months of age up to and including 5 years of age 44 months of age or over and up to and including 67 months of age as of August 31 of the year 56 months of age or over and up to and including 67 months of age as of August 31 of the year 68 months of age or over as of August 31 of the year and up to and including 12 years of age Preschool 1 to 8 16 Junior Kindergarten 1 to 10 20 Senior Kindergarten 1 to 12 24 School age. 1 to 15 30 †¢ All children must be supervised by an adult at all times. †¢ Ratios are not permitted to be reduced at any time for children under 18 months of age. †¢ Ratios are not to be reduced on the playground. 14 †¢ Where there are six or more children over 18 months of age or four or more children under 18 months of age in attendance, there must be at least two adults on the premises. †¢ Staff/child ratios may be reduced to 2/3 of the required ratios during the periods of arrival and departure of children and during the rest period, with the following exceptions: †¢ †¢ when children are under 18 months of age on the playground with any age group. †¢ In a full day program operating six or more hours in a day, for the purposes of staffing, the period of arrival is not to exceed two hours after the opening and the period of departure is not to exceed two hours before the closing of the day nursery. †¢ In half day nursery school programs and school age programs, the period of arrival is not to exceed 30 minutes after the opening and the period of departure is not to exceed 30 minutes before the closing of the day nursery. Criminal Reference Checks Individuals and directors of a corporation applying for new licences will be required to submit a criminal reference check to their local Ministry of Children and Youth Services Regional Office as part of the licence application. In preparation for the initial licensing visit, the operator of the day nursery is required to develop a criminal reference check policy for all full and part time staff working with the children, as well as for volunteers. Additional information about the Ministry of Children and Youth Services criminal reference check policy is available from Regional Offices. Building and Accommodation Each day nursery must: †¢ comply with the requirements of applicable local authorities i. e. zoning and building department, medical officer of health and fire department †¢ comply with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, O. Reg. 170/03, where applicable. These provisions only apply to designated facilities with drinking water systems where 15 the water is not provided through service connections with a municipal residential water system. The requirements of this regulation are available from the Ministry of the Environment’s website at http://www. ene. gov. on. ca/envision/gp/5361e. pdf †¢ comply with the requirements for lead flushing and water sample testing (where applicable) under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, O. Reg. 243/07. The requirements of this regulation are available from the Ministry of the Environment’s website at http://www. ontario. ca/ONT/portal51/drinkingwater/General? docId= 177450lang=en †¢ comply with the requirements of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. †¢ have designated spaces for washing, toileting and separate storage areas for toys, play materials and equipment †¢ have designated space for eating and resting, preparation of food if prepared on premises or a food service area if food is catered (prepared off premises by a food catering company and delivered to the centre), a fenced playground (see page 15), storage for beds, a staff rest area and an office area if the program operates for six or more hours †¢ have play space of at least 2. 8 square metres (30 square feet) Of unobstructed floor space for each child, based on the licensed capacity †¢ have separate play activity rooms for each age grouping. A separate sleep area for infants is also required †¢ have rooms on or below the second floor where the rooms are for children under six years of age †¢ have a clear window glass area equivalent to 10% of the available floor area for each play activity room for a program that operates for six or more hours in a day. 16 Equipment and Furnishings Each day nursery must have: †¢ an adequate number of toys, equipment and furnishings for the licensed capacity. The toys, equipment and furnishings must be age appropriate and include sufficient numbers for rotation as well as for gross-motor activity in the playground area †¢ infant and toddler diapering areas that are adjacent to a sink †¢ cribs or cradles that meet the requirements of the Hazardous Products Act, for infants, and cots for older children †¢ equipment and furnishings which are maintained in a safe and clean condition and kept in a good state of repair †¢ a telephone or an alternative means of obtaining emergency assistance that is approved by the Director. †¢ Where children are transported in a day nursery vehicle, child seating and restraint systems are used that meet the requirements of the Highway Traffic Act, O. Reg. 613. Policies and Procedures Every operator must develop the following policies and procedures: †¢ Fire evacuation procedures †¢ Sanitary practices †¢ Serious occurrence policy, including child abuse reporting procedures †¢ Criminal reference check policy †¢ Medication policy †¢ Behaviour management policy, including monitoring procedures and contravention policies 17. †¢ Program statement/parent handbook †¢ Playground safety policy †¢ Anaphylactic policy, including an individual plan for each child with a severe allergy and the emergency procedures to be followed. Playground Requirements †¢ Programs operating six or more hours in a day require outdoor play space equivalent to 5. 6 square metres (60 square feet) per child, based on licensed capacity. †¢ The playground must be: †¢ sub-divided if licensed capacity is over 64 children †¢ at ground level and adjacent to the premise †¢ designed so that staff can maintain constant supervision. †¢ If used by children under 44 months of age as of August 31 of the year, the playground must be fenced to a minimum height of 1. 2m (4 feet) and furnished with one or more gates that can be securely closed at all times. †¢ If used by children 44 months of age and up to an including 67 month of age as of August 31 of the year (children eligible to attend junior and senior kindergarten), the playground is fenced to a minimum height of 1. 2 metres and the fence is furnished with one or more gates that are securely closed at all times, unless otherwise approved by the Director. †¢ Fixed playground structures (i. e. climbing equipment, slides) are not required by the Day Nurseries Act; however, if the operator intends to install fixed play structures, the structures and safety surfacing must meet current Canadian Standards Association standards. †¢ The current Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) Standard applies to new and newly renovated playground equipment, and 18 safety surfacing. The CSA Standards also set out the requirements for routine maintenance and inspections. †¢ Playground plans indicating the type and location of fixed structures as well as the type and area of safety surfacing must be approved by the ministry before installation. †¢ Once play structures and surfacing are installed, compliance with the CSA standards must be verified in writing by an independent certified playground inspector before the structures can be used by the children. Inspections †¢ Copies of fire and health inspections are to be sent to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services program advisor and kept on file at the day nursery. Insurance Requirements †¢ The operator must have comprehensive general liability coverage and personal injury coverage for all staff and volunteers. †¢ All vehicles owned by the operator and used for transportation of staff and children must have motor vehicle insurance. Fire Safety and Emergency Information †¢ A fire safety plan must be approved by the local fire department. †¢ A written evacuation procedure, approved by the fire department, must be posted in each room. †¢ Staff are to be instructed on their responsibilities in the event of fire. †¢ Monthly fire drills must be conducted and written records of drills maintained. †¢ Tests of the fire alarm system and fire protection equipment (as required under the Ontario Fire Code) must be conducted and written records of test results maintained. †¢ There must be a designated place of emergency shelter. †¢ An up-to-date list of emergency telephone numbers including the fire department, hospital, ambulance service, poison control centre, police department and a taxi service must be posted where they can be easily accessed. †¢ Medical and emergency contact information for each child must be accessible. Health and Medical Supervision †¢ A daily written log that includes health and safety incidents is required. †¢ Any instructions or recommendations made by the fire department, public health department or other regulatory bodies must be implemented and recorded. †¢ Sanitary practices and procedures must be approved by Ministry. †¢ Children must be immunized according to the requirements of the local medical officer of health, unless a fully authorized exemption is on file. †¢ Before each child begins to play with others, a daily observation of the child’s health is required. †¢ An ill child must be separated from others and arrangements made for the child to be taken home or for immediate medical attention, if required. †¢ Serious occurrence procedures must be in place and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services notified of any occurrence. A serious occurrence includes such things as the death of a child, a serious injury, alleged abuse/mistreatment of a child, a missing child, a disaster on the premises (e. g. fire) or a serious complaint. 20 †¢ A written anaphylactic policy is in place that includes: †¢ A strategy to reduce the risk of exposure to anaphylactic causative agents †¢ A communication plan for the provision of information on lifethreatening allergies, including anaphylactic allergies †¢ An individual plan for each child with an anaphylactic allergy that includes emergency procedures in respect of the child †¢ Staff, students and volunteers have received training on procedures to be followed if a child has an anaphylactic reaction. †¢ A first aid kit and manual must be readily available. †¢ A written procedure approved by a qualified medical practitioner regarding the giving and recording of medication is required. The procedure should include the storage of medication (e. g. medication must be stored in a locked container). †¢ If a child has or may have a reportable disease or is or may be infected with a communicable disease, this is reported to the medical officer of health as soon as possible. †¢ Cats and dogs on the premises must be inoculated against rabies. Nutrition †¢ Infants are to be fed according to written parental instructions. †¢ Food and drink from home must be labelled with the child’s name. †¢ All food and drink must be stored to maintain maximum nutritive value. †¢ Meals and snacks must meet the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act. Canadas Food Guide provides useful information about nutrition. 21 †¢ Meals are to be provided where a day nursery operates for 6 or more hours each day or where the daily program operates less than 6 hours each day and operates over the meal time. This generally refers to the provision of lunch as the mid-day meal. In day nurseries that offer care over extended hours, this may mean that breakfast and/or dinner are also provided. †¢ With the approval of a ministry Director, children 44 months of age or over as of August 31 of the year may bring bag lunches. Written policies and procedures with guidelines for bag lunches should be both posted and provided to parents. †¢ Menus must be posted with substitutions noted. †¢ Children’s food allergies must be posted in the kitchen and in all rooms where food is served. †¢ Special dietary arrangements for individual children are to be carried out according to written instructions of parents. Behaviour Management †¢ Corporal punishment is not allowed under any circumstances. †¢ The following are not permitted: †¢ deliberate harsh or degrading measures that would humiliate or undermine a childs self respect †¢ deprivation of food, shelter, clothing or bedding †¢ confining a child in a locked room †¢ exits locked for the purpose of confinement. †¢ Written behaviour management policies and procedures which guide centre staff in managing children’s behaviour are to be reviewed annually by the operator. The operator is required to review the policies and procedures with employees and volunteers or students before they begin working, and annually thereafter. These policies must set out permitted and prohibited behaviour 22 management practices and measures to deal with any contraventions of the policy. †¢ There must be: †¢ a signed, written record of all reviews, and †¢ a written procedure for monitoring behaviour management practices of employees, students and volunteers, and a record kept of this monitoring. Enrolment Records †¢ Up to date enrolment records for all children in attendance must be on site at all times and be available to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. These records include, in part, an application, immunization records, emergency information, names of persons to whom the child may be released, parental instructions regarding rest, diet or exercise. †¢ Daily attendance records that indicate a child’s arrival, departure and absence from the program are required. †¢ The medical officer of health or designate such as the public health nurse is permitted to inspect children’s records to ensure that all required immunizations are up to date. Program In order to ensure that the program offered is age and developmentally appropriate for the age of the children being served, the following is required: †¢ a written program philosophy statement which is reviewed annually by the operator and with parents prior to enrolling their child †¢ a program statement which includes: Services, age range, times when the services are offered, holidays, fees, admission and discharge policies, program philosophy, program development, personal and health care, nutrition, parental involvement and 23  behaviour management, specialized services and activities off the premises †¢ varied, flexible and age appropriate programs that include quiet and active play, individual and group activities which are designed to promote gross and fine motor skills, language and cognitive skills, and social and emotional development, and †¢ a daily program plan posted and available to parents with any variations to the program recorded in the daily log. In addition: †¢ Any infants not able to walk are to be separated from other children during active indoor and outdoor play periods †¢ Children under 30 months of age are to be separated from older children during active indoor and outdoor play periods †¢ Children who attend for six or more hours in a day and are over 30 months of age shall have at least two hours of outdoor play, weather permitting †¢ Children who attend for.

The Five Stages Of Grief Cycle Social Work Essay

The Five Stages Of Grief Cycle Social Work Essay This paper reviews on how the death of child could affect the parents psychological well-beings as well as other factors that could influence their daily lifestyles. It is said that some parents might go through a five-stages of grief cycle during their bereavement period. The five stages of grief cycle include the denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. There are a few short term and long term effects of death of child on child being discussed in this paper. Besides, intervention programmes and their effectiveness were also being mentioned in this paper. Keywords: death, bereavement, parents Every parents love their children. Parents would do anything for the sake of their children. However, sometimes, unexpected loss of children could bring a great effect on parents. For example, the death of children. Some parents might go through the grief period for a few years. Death in human is defined as the permanent loss of a persons life (DeGrazia, 2011). Death is also what people mean by pass away. Death of a child is like losing a part of the parents lives. When the parents lose their child, it does not only mean losing a child, but also losing their identity as parents. Every parent would deal with their bereavement period differently. Bereavement is the word being used to describe the condition of grief when a loved one passed away (Christiane, 2005). Some parents would be well prepared to accept the truth while some might just stay in the stage of denial. According to United States Child Mortality (2007), out of 100000 children in United States, 53287 of the children died in years 2007. A few common causes of death on children are by accidents, cancer, and some developmental disorders that are presented during their birth (Medline Plus, 2007). All these causes are considered as unexpected causes of death. None of the parents would expect their children to pass away at their young age. It is very common for parents to have mental distress when they have experienced the loss of their loved ones such as their children. It could be a tough period of time for the parents to accept the fact that their children have passed away. Some of them would even stay in stage of denial for a long period of time. The process of grief includes five stages which is also known as the grief cycle. Grief cycle model was introduced by Kubler-Ross in year 1969. This model explains how the individuals go through the process of accepting the fact of death and bereavement as well as how they cope with them. The first stage in the grief cycle is named as denial. Denial is the condition when a person either consciously or unconsciously refuses to acknowledge the facts or the reality (Kubler-Ross, 1969). Denial is a natural defense mechanism that exists in every individual. An individual could stay at this stage when he or she experiences some traumatic changes that they can ignore. In death, a person might choose to avoid the fact that someone has passed away or going to pass away. The second stage of grief would be anger. The individuals might get angry once they are informed that someones life is going to end (Kubler-Ross, 1969). They might have the thought that why such an incident would happen on themselves or to the person they love. The individuals could express their anger in different ways. Some individuals might get angry at themselves while some may express their anger on others. They might project their anger on others by blaming others faults on the unlucky incidents. The third stage of grief is known as bargaining. This is the stage when the individuals bargain with God and hope that they could get a negotiation to have a longer life span (Kubler-Ross, 1969). When the individuals know the fact that they have limited time to live, they would start to pray or hope that they could have more time to fulfill their dreams or to work on their unfinished business. For example, if the individuals are told that they only have three months left to live, they might negotiate with God by asking for another three months to live so that they could have more time to find the solutions for their problems as well as to spend more time with their friends and family. The next stage of grief is the state of having depression. It is the stage which the individuals are prepared to have the feeling of grief. At this stage, the individuals are usually emotionally prepared to accept the facts. They might get upset, feel fearful or insecured, and so on. This stage is a sign of the individuals to start accepting the truth (Kubler-Ross, 1969). It is the time for the individuals to adjust their feeling to be emotionally prepared for the worst to come. For example, they could be feeling fearful of losing their loved ones. The last stage would be the acceptance. This stage indicates that individuals are well prepared for their condition (Kubler-Ross, 1969). The individuals could stay at this stage for a long period of time. They might be readily prepared for loss of ones life and calmly deal with all the challenges that have in life. Acceptance is a tough stage as the individuals are expected to accept the reality that they are dying or losing someone whom they love. However, not all individuals would experience all the five stages of grief. It depends on how they interpret the problems and how they deal with them (Kubler-Ross, 1969). Some individuals might skip a few stages and go into acceptance while some may stay in a certain stage for some period of time (Kubler-Ross, 1969). Some individuals might even do not reach the stage of acceptance at the moment they are ending their lives or losing someone. It is possible for the parents to experience either all the five stages of grief or some of them when they are about to lose their child or when they have loss their child. It is found that parents could develop the mental distress even though their children have passed away for five years. Some parents could even develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the death of their children. However, there is gender difference in the duration of parents to bereave over the death of children. Study shows that women would bereave for a longer period of time as compared to men (Murphy, Johnson, Lohan, 2002). These mothers are diagnosed to have mental distress such as anxiety and depression. These mothers reported that they have difficulties in making decision and to remember things (Murphy, Johnson, Lohan, 2002). Mothers are said to score higher scores in PTSD as compared to fathers. Mothers are always those who would have more emotional problems as compared to fathers. This could be due to the fact that females tend to be those who would have higher level of anxiety (Craig, 2005). Another study stated that parents who have experienced loss of child were found to have higher level of depression, weaker psychological health, and higher level of physical health problems as well as having marital problems as compared to those who did not experience the loss of child (Rogers, Floyd, Seltzer, Greenberg, Hong, 2008). The parents might get too upset by the death of their child and some may even blame themselves on the death. They might blame themselves for not giving proper care to the children and cause them to pass away. The parents could keep having this thought in their mind and lead them to develop the symptoms of depression. In terms of physical health, because of the bereavement period that the parents are experiencing, they might just give up on their lives and do not take good care of themselves (Rogers, Floyd, Seltzer, Greenberg, Hong, 2008). They might not take in healthy food and cause them to have poor health. Besides, some parents might blame their par tners for not taking proper care of their child and eventually cause their child to pass away. The worst situation could lead to the divorce of both the parents. The conditions mentioned in the above are the long-term effects on parents with loss of child. Besides those stated in the above, there are a few short-term effects that could take place as well. For example, death of child could affect the job status of the parents (Rogers, Floyd, Seltzer, Greenberg, Hong, 2008). When the parents experience the loss of child, they would not be able to focus on the job that theyre doing. Most of the time, they would eventually make mistakes and lose attention in their work. In addition, the social life of the parents would also get affected during the bereavement period (Rogers, Floyd, Seltzer, Greenberg, Hong, 2008). The parents would try to avoid from the public and do not get involved in any of the social activities. They would try to avoid themselves from participating in the events that could lead them to think of their loss child. In order to help parents to pass through the bereavement period, interventions could be provided to them. According to Rowa-Dewar (2002), interventions could help to reduce the level of depression in mothers. Effective interventions should be developed in order to help parents to reduce their psychological distress level due to the death of their children. As the parents are going through the period of bereavement, a chaplain could be introduced to them in order to provide emotional support to the parents. A chaplain plays a role in providing advises and counseling to individuals who need them (World Fellowship Church, 2003). A chaplain is usually being introduced by churches and hospitals. Sometimes, if the families have their own religious leaders, they could be introduced to the parents at this stage as well. A chaplain serves as a person to provide emotional support to the parents. The parents could spend time to express their feeling to the chaplains as well as to discuss on the problems that they have with them. Besides, support groups could be established for parents who are experiencing the bereavement period. The parents could meet up once in a week to share their feelings with each other. The support group acts as a place for the parents to emotionally help each other rather than calling it a therapy group (YMCA Orange Country, 2012). By attending the support group, the parents are able to obtain emotional support from the other parents, to reduce their depression level, to decrease their feeling of loneliness, to make new friends, to share similar experiences, and also to cope better with the grief process (YMCA Orange Country, 2012). It would be easier for the parents to socialize with each other as they could have the similar experience hence can understand each other better. Most of the time parents do not share their feelings with people who do not have the same experience like them. They often have the thought that others could not understand how upset they are. Murray (1996), whom is a researcher and psychologist from University of Queensland, developed an intervention for parents who have undergone the death of child and to examine the effectiveness of her intervention. Murray (1996) aimed to use the intervention to reduce the mental distress of the parents. Parents who participated in the intervention reported to have reduced in level of depression and decreased in the feeling of separation as well as better satisfaction towards their marital status as compared to those who did not receive any interventions. Murray (2006) mentioned that in the intervention, mothers found to look for emotional support from many other relationships while fathers tend to depend on their marital relationship. This study indicates that effective interventions are suitable to help the parents who have loss child to recover better from the bereavement period. In conclusion, there are five stages in the grief cycle, which include denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Parents who experienced the loss of child could pass through some of these stages. Studies showed that parents could have high level of depression, fearful, and anxiety after the loss of their child. Long-term effects could last for a long period of time. In terms of short term effects, loss of child could affect the parents job performance as well as their social lifestyles. In order to help the parents to overcome the bereavement period, interventions could be provided to them. Counsellors, chaplains, and social support group could help the parents to recover from the grief period. It is important to provide emotional support to the parents as they might be psychologically affected severely due to the incidents experienced by them. Physical health is an issue to be focused on as well. This is because parents could neglect their health after the loss of their child. Hence, parents who experience the loss of child should not feel hesitate to seek help from the professionals.

An Overview of Butadiene

An Overview of Butadiene 1,3 Butadiene 1,3-Butadiene with its molecular structure of [emailprotected]=CH2 have widely synonym as butadiene,,-butadiene, divinyl, buta-1,3-diene, vinylethylene, vinylethylene, bivinyl, erythrene, biethylene, and pyrrolylene refer to the same physical and chemical properties. It has same Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number which is 106-99-0, and its Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) number is EI9275000. As compared to the air, the conversation factor of to 1ppm butadiene is equal to 2.21 mg/m3 in the air. Further important identity and physicochemical properties of butadiene is described as per Table 1. Â   Generally, butadiene was produce during combustion resulting from combustion of organic matters whether it come from natural process or human activities. Among of natural process and human activities, the main contributor of butadiene presence in earth majorly come from human activity which cause high impact to surrounding life and environment. As part of human activities, 1,3 Butadiene being used primarily and commercially in the making of synthetic rubbers and polymers. 1,3 butadiene was produced by complex and specific process as co-product of ethylene during cracking at high temperature (produced C4) at the steam crackers units. The crude C4 that produced from steam cracker units or process then fed to the butadiene extraction units for separation process of butadiene, isobutenes and the other C4s (byproduct called as Raffinate 1) through extractive distillation. The most advanced Butadiene extraction technology is come from BASF NMP Process in which 1,3 Butadiene is extract as per Diagram 1 by utilized N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent. Characteristic 1,3-Butadiene is colourless gas at room temperature with gasoline or mild aromatic odor, highly flammable when exposed to heat and insoluble in water but soluble in ether, acetone, benzene and ethanol. It is very reactive: it may form acrolein and peroxides upon exposure to air, it can react with oxidizing materials, and it polymerizes readily, particularly if oxygen is present. Butadiene is stabilized with hydroquinone, catechol, t-butyl catechol or aliphatic mercaptans1,2. In addition from that, as per GHS-US classification, 1,3 Butadiene is classified and hazard label as per Table 2 and Diagram 2 below: CLASS Hazard Statement Description H220 Flammable Gas Category 1 Exteremly flammable gas H280 Refrigerated Liquefied Gas Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated H315 Skin Irritation Category 2 Causes skin irritation H319 Eye Irrititation Category 2A Causes serious eye irritation H340 Germ Cell Mutagen Category 1B May cause genetic defects H350 Carcinogen Category 1A May cause cancer Table 2: Classification of 1,3 Butadiene as per GHS-US Classficiation Diagram 2: Hazard label/pictogramns of 1,3 Butadiene as per GHS-US Classficiation Used 1,3 Butadiene is the main raw material to manufacture variety type of rubbers and plastics. It is being used as an intermediate ingredient; monomers in production of polymers, synthetic rubbers or elastomers, and other chemicals. As substitution for natural rubber, Butadiene being used widely in producing synthetic rubbers and polymer which offers numerous advantages in term of improvement in performance, safety and functionality, and lower costs. Over 75% of 1,3 Butadiende was used to produce Synthetic rubber. Synthetic rubber derived from 1,3 butadiene include Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), poly-butadiene rubber (PBR), nitrile rubber (NR) and poly-chloroprene(Neoprene). These synthetic rubbers then undergo several others specific process to produce product like: Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and poly-butadiene rubber (PBR) are used in the making of tyres and plastic where able to enhance and increase the resistance of vehicles tyre and plastic towards heat degradation, blowouts, wear and tear. Neoprene or poly-chloroprene is used extensively in manufacture of latex goods which is non-tire application such as gloves, foams, waders and wearsuits. Nitrile Rubber(NR) have variety of end product which mainly used to produce rubber hoses, gasket and seals for automobiles . Remaining 25% of 1,3 Butadiene was used to produce polymers. Polymerd derived from 1,3 include Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins, poly-butadiene polymers, nitrile barrier resins and thermoplastic resins. Among the others, ABS resin was widely used in large volume of thermoplastic resin, containing about 20%- 30% of 1,3 butadiene by weight to produce automobiles part and appliances in automotive industry . Apart from that, 1,3- Butadiene also is used in the production of adhesives for packaging, transporting, or holding food; in components of paper and paperboard that are in contact with dry food; and as a modifier in the production of semirigid and rigid vinyl chloride plastic food-contact articles. Human Exposure The general human exposure can be separated onto two: occupational exposure and non-occupational exposure and describe as per below: 1.3.1 Occupational exposure The highest exposure of butadiene is mainly occurs in occupational settings or workplace area and its surroundings. Potential areas include several industries like: petroleum refinery and operation plant (where the crude C4 cracking process take over and involves butadiene extraction, gasoline production and distribution), distillation and production of butadiene monomer plant, factory or manufacturer of various butadiene based product like synthetic rubber and polymers plant such as tires, gloves and variety injection moulding industries (IARC, 1999). Based from data collected from European Chemical Bereau during 1984 to 1987, the arithmetic means of butadiene concentration at petrochemical and petroleum refinery plant industries area in several location of European countries is ranged from 0.1 to 6.4 mg/m3 Other than that, by refer from survey conducted by occupational hygiene of United Kingdom shows that the mean concentration of butadiene generally below 11mg/m3 with most below 2.2 mg/m3 for butadient production areas while in polymer manufacturer area time-weighted averaged around (4.4 to 6.6mg/m3). Meanwhile at USA in 1985, the arithmetic mean concentration is ranged from 1 to 277 mg/m3 for monomer production plant and 0.04 to 32mg/m3 for polymer production plant. (IARC, 1999; European Chemicals Bureau, 2001). 1.3.2 Non-occupational exposure For non-occupational exposure area, it is obtained that the butadiene mean concentration in ambient air is much lower in ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 measured than reported in occupational exposure area which measured in mg/m3. Elevation of concentration observed occurs at the vicinity of source like municipal structural fires area, smoking shed or cigarette smoke area, brush and wood fires Butadiene has been widely detected in ambient air but at much lower levels (ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3) than reported in some occupational settings (mg/m3). Elevated concentrations may occur in the vicinity of point sources, such as municipal structural fires, wood and brush fires; cigarette smoking; volatilization gasoline area as well as combustion through vehicle emissions (IARC, 2008). Based on data and study conducted during 1990 and 1994, involvement of 14 cities, rural or towns at Ontario, Canada shows that the results from 1611 samples of outdoor air collected for mean concentration of butadiene is ranged around 0.1ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 with maximum of 1.7 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3. (Health Canada, 2000). Dollard et al. (2007) measured butadiene concentrations at rural, urban background (UB), urban industry influenced (UI) and busy-roadtraffic (BR) locations in the United Kingdom from 1993 to 2004. Mean rural levels dropped from 0.39 to 0.02 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 between 1995 and 2004; mean UB levels decreased from 0.64 to 0.15 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 in 1993-2004; mean UI levels came down from 0.85 to 0.35 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 in 1995-2000; and mean BR levels went from 3.3 to 0.57 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 in the period 1997-2004. . Human effect Exposure of 1,3 Butadiene can effect human health and the severity can be separated into two, which is acute and chronic. For acute exposure, it can be further split into high doses and low doses. Acute low doses exposure will caused irritation to nose, eyes, lungs and throat. These frostbite injury also may lead to occur through exposure to skin. Acute high doses of exposures will lead to cause damage of central nervous system by showing symptoms to human body such vertigo, general tiredness, distorted blurred vision headache, nausea fainting and decrease pulse rate. Human epidemiological studies has been conducted to identify the Chronic effects to human that cause by exposure to 1,3-butadiene, the result shown the effect to human can cause cancer and cardiovascular diseases. However, due to some limitation and cofounding factors in study of cancer to human due to exposure by 1,3-Butadiene such as simultaneous exposure to syrene and benzene, smoking; the exact causal factors unable to established well. Extensive lab experiment involving animal such as mice and rat has been performed and study to observe relationship of chronic exposure of 1,3-butadiene to cancer. The studies through mice and rat has shown the developmental problems and reproductive effected the animals. Through this study, 1,3-Butadiene has been classified as human carcinogen from EPA and rated as A2; suspected human carcinogen as per The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Further human effect exposed to 1,3-butadiene explain on Table 2. Carcinogenicity to human Based on epidemiological studies conducted shows that high tendancy or risk of leukemia or others cancer to attacked on the lymphohaematopoietic system when chronic exposure to 1,3-Butadiene. This involve three studies on employed workers at 1,3-Butadiene production facility of styrene-butadiene-rubber(SBR) plant where the major exposure is 1,3-butadiene monomer alone. The result of the studies shows the same relation or overlapping cohort population. It was observed in two studies at butadiene monomer facility, overall have slightly excess of mortality from leukaemia while in third study shows decrease in mortality of leukaemia. The increased mortality from leukaemia in one of the monomer industry cohorts was more pronounced among workers who had been exposed at high levels during the first years of production (Second World War). In this cohort, no increase in leukaemia was observed with duration of exposure or cumulative exposure. Based on the study on SBR workers by University of Alabama at Birmingham (USA) considered as very informative data where the study involves in examine the mortality rates of about 17,000 workers through eight facility in Canada and USA. A limiting factor in the evaluations was that the diagnosis and classification of lymphatic and haematopoietic malignancies are very complex and have undergone several changes over the course of time. Although overall mortality from leukemia was only slightly higher in the update of the most recent cohort, a larger increase of deaths from leukemia seen in workers in the most highly exposed from plants and one employee per hour paid, especially those who was hired in early years and has ten years or more jobs. Furthermore, a significant correlation between cumulative exposure of 1,3-butadiene and leukemia deaths observed in this study. A recent analysis shows that the exposure-response relationship for 1,3-butadiene and leukemia are free from exposure to styrene and dimethyldithiocarbamate. Studies with mice showed increased tumour formation in various organs in both sexes at 1,3-butadiene exposures to approximately 14 mg/m3 (females) and 44 mg/m3 (males). This was not observed in rats at exposures up to 2,200 mg/m3, likely due to the crucial role of oxidative metabolism: 1,3-butadiene requires metabolic activation to generate electrophilic epoxides in which important species differences exist (mice are more efficient in the production of epoxide metabolites of butadiene, while rats and humans are more efficient in the hydrolytic detoxification of these metabolites). Many tests on mutagenicity, genotoxicity and mechanism of action clearly indicate that 1,3-butadiene is a genotoxic compound in humans and in experimental animals, requiring metabolic activation to generate electrophilic and DNA-reactive epoxides (epoxybutene, epoxybutanediol and diepoxybutane), one or more of which are considered to be the ultimate carcinogens. Health Effect Description Symptoms Inhalation problem or respiratory irritation Inhalation of 1,3 butadiene gases or aerosols such as mists or fumes generated by the material during handling and normal works can be damaging the human health. Excessive exposures can cause severe irritation to upper respiratory system or central nervous system like nose and throat. 1, 3 butadiene can cause narcotic effects or anesthetic including dizziness and drowsiness, alertness, sleepiness, lack of coordination, vertigo, loss of reflexes and death. Ingestion Drink or food that contaminate with 1,3-Butadiene which the residues of 1,3-butadiene have been found in drink and food container. (McNeal and Breder 1987) Liquid butadiene can cause frostbite to the lips but this unlikely to happen because very low amount of butadiene used in food and drink containers. Eye Person or human can be exposed to the 1,3 Butadiene liquid and gases during manufacture or at occupational area Transient discomfort characterised by tearing or conjunctival redness, pain and blurred vision.exposed to liquid butadiene can cause frostbite if it contacts the eyes and rapidly evaporates. Skin Contact Not to have any skin irritation or harmful to human health in normal condition. It will affected if the person involve in injury or wound In touch with liquid butadiene may cause frostbite and rapidly evaporate. When entry into the blood-stream, through cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Chronic As per International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Butadiene is listed as human carcinogen which can directly cause cancer in human. Based on experiments, there is an evident that butadiene can cause genetic defect and may result in toxic effecs to the unborn baby. Cancer ex: leukemia, damaged of cardiovascular system, genetic defect Table 2: Health effect of 1,3 Butadiene to human health Reduce the risk of hazardous In order to reduce risk of hazardous of 1,3butadiene, many precaution and controls shall take in consideration. Separated into two; occupational and non-occupational exposure. 4.1 Occupational The higher human exposure to 1,3 Butadiene is come from occupational environment. Appropriate control can be taking in consideration to reduce the risk exposure by include appropriate engineering controls, hand protection, eye protection, skin and body protection, respiratory protection and environmental exposure control. 4.1.1 A Appropriate engineering controls Appropriate engineering controls : This product must be confined with vapor-tight equipment. With this confinement, vapors should not be released, and local exhaust should be satisfactory. An explosion-proof system is acceptable. Ensure that any venting of material is in compliance with international, federal/national, state/provincial, and local regulations. Hand protection : Wear protective gloves made of PVC. Eye protection : Wear safety glasses with side shields. Wear safety glasses with side shields or goggles when transfilling or breaking transfer connections. Provide readily accessible eye wash stations and safety showers. Skin and body protection : Wear work gloves and metatarsal shoes for cylinder handling. Protective equipment where needed. Select in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132, 1910.136, and 1910.138. Respiratory protection : When workplace conditions warrant respirator use, follow a respiratory protection program that meets OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134, ANSI Z88.2, or MSHA 30 CFR 72.710 (where applicable). Use an air-supplied or air-purifying cartridge if the action level is exceeded. Ensure that the respirator has the appropriate protection factor for the exposure level. If cartridge type respirators are used, the cartridge must be appropriate for the chemical exposure. For emergencies or instances with unknown exposure levels, use a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Environmental exposure controls : Refer to local regulations for restriction of emissions to the atmosphere. See section 13 for specific methods for waste gas treatment. Refer to local regulations for restriction of emissions to the atmosphere. Other information : Consider the use of flame resistant anti-static safety clothing. Wear safety shoes while handling containers. Keep suitable chemically resistant protective clothing readily available for emergency use. Wear leather safety gloves and safety shoes when handling cylinders. Non-occupational Wood burning Take precautions to minimize the amount of smoke released into the home during wood burning. Vehicle engines Make sure vehicle engines are turned off when in an enclosed space such as a garage. Vehicle traffic Minimize time spent near areas of heavy vehicle traffic and avoid living very close to busy roads. Tobacco smoke Families can reduce exposure to 1,3-butadiene by avoiding tobacco smoke, particularly indoors.

The Power of Solar Energy Essay -- Natural Resources Economics Essays

The Power of Solar Energy In today’s world, the growth of energy demands is exploding. Many of the energy sources that supply society with power currently run on non-renewable resources such as oil and coal. These resources also pollute our environment. Other resources such as hydro and wind power are not as reliable as they fluctuate in availability due to environmental conditions. It is important to investigate alternative resources of energy as the current forms and output will not sustain the world at the current increase in societal demands. One viable and almost unlimited source of energy is the sun. Solar panels make use of the sun’s light hitting earth everyday and convert it to a usable form of energy and have the potential to fulfill the world’s energy needs. So, what is Solar Energy and where can one find it? Energy from the sun has great potential for future use as earth’s primary source for power. Solar Energy is radiant energy produced in the sun as a result of nuclear fusion. It is transmitted to the earth in portions of energy called photons, which interact with the earth's atmosphere and surface. The attractions of solar energy are many. In a monetary sense, solar energy costs nothing; it is free for the taking and will not run out for billions of years. It doesn’t pollute or otherwise damage the environment. It creates no dangerous waste products such as plutonium. The extremely positive side of solar energy makes it evident that it is a very good candidate to be earth’s future energy source. There are several ways in which solar energy can be converted to other forms of energy. Photosynthesis and Biomass play a large role in converting solar energy into other forms of energy. Solar ener... ... York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1977. "Howstuffworks" <http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-cell1.htm> Knight, David C. Harnessing the Sun: The Story of Solar Energy. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1976. McKinney, Michael and Schoch, Robert. Environmental Science Systems and Solutions. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA 2003. Microsoft Bookshelf 98. CD-ROM. Redmond Wa: Microsoft, 1998. [2] Microsoft’s Encarta 98. CD- ROM. Redmond Wa: Microsoft, 1998. [1] Quinn, Neil. Photograph credit. Scientific America. Energy for Planet Earth. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1990. â€Å"Solar Energy.† Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, Third Ed. 1999. "What are solar panels" < http://www.qrg.nwu.edu/projects/vss/docs/Power/> Interesting Links Cool Solar Energy Facts: <http://www.solarbuzz.com/Consumer/FastFacts.htm>