Principles of Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Principles of Economics - Essay Example Practically, it is very hard to model actions since there are so many distinct variables. The problem of alcohol abuse is not easily overcome because alcohol is highly addictive. In this case, if the alcohol abuser is an economist, he or she will consider many things that he or she would use to help him or her overcome the situation. They will look at the opportunity cost whereby they will consider buying those goods that are best for their health other than alcohol (Mantzavinos, 2001). Additionally, they will use cost benefit analysis by viewing the benefits accrued from stopping the habit of alcohol consumption which in this case out weight the disadvantages for example, wastage of money in purchasing alcohol (O'sullivan et al, 2011). More so, they will consider rational behavior by assuming which actions are necessary when they stop consuming alcohol. Lastly, an economist would look at the market forces of demand and supply of alcohol in that they will analyze the level at which a lcohol is supplied to the market and the price that alcohol come with. When the supply is not sufficient, they would prefer to stop drinking alcohol rather than continuing with the habit of looking for a commodity that is scarce and costly. More so, they will consider the level at which alcohol is demanded; therefore, they will analyze the possible outcomes of many people drinking alcohol. The possible way to help alcohol abuser is to assist them to realize that they have alcohol consumption problem. Friends and family members can help make the abuser realize that drinking is affecting them by being specific in their discussion. In this manner, the abuser may be willing to look for assistance when they are faced with the harm their alcohol consumption causes to others. With the help of friends and family members, the abuser is likely to overcome the problem of alcohol drinking. Other groups such as Alcoholic anonymous help the abusers by giving the patients the chance to assist each other to avoid alcohol consumption. 2. Analyze how prescription drugs affect the demand and supply of other products and services in this country. Prescription drugs have direct inclination to the trends of supply and demand of goods and services in a particular state (Porter, 1998). The sectors that are most likely to be affected include; the beneficiaries which in this case are the patients, private insurers and to the extreme public policies. These effects are generally predisposed and become inevitable because of the rise in costs of these prescription drugs. Rise in costs of prescribed drugs connotes that the beneficiaries have to go an extra mile to settle their health bills. This may include outsourcing finances that were initially allocated for a different purpose. Cutting down allocations from a different sector in order to fill the health gap translates to low purchasing power from the deprived sectors. 3. Formulate a reason why the elasticity of demand is an important co nsideration when analyzing the impact of a shift in supply and why the elasticity of supply is an important consideration when analyzing the impact of a shift in demand. Include at least one (1) example in each scenario. Price elasticity of demand attempts to measure how price change affects the quantity demanded by the prevailing market condition. The formulae for determining the price elasticity is as shown below. Price elasticity (PEoD) = (percentage change in Quantity demanded)/ (percentage chang

Wisconsin Fast Plants Brassica Rapa

Wisconsin Fast Plants Brassica Rapa In Module 1, we used plant genetics of the Wisconsin Fast Plants, Brassica rapa to study transmission genetics. Brassica rapa was used since it is a model organism. A model organism possesses life cycles and characteristics that make them exceptionally suitable for transmission genetic study, including a short generation time, manageable numbers of progeny, adaptability to a laboratory environment, and the ability to be housed and propagated inexpensively (Pierce, 6). Brassica rapa possesses all of the necessary qualities to be a particularly good candidate for our experiment. Brassica rapa yields seeds from the moment it is a seed in about 34 days (Lauffer, 18). The relatively short life cycle and other model organism traits make Brassica rapa relatively easy to manage in a classroom setting. However, there are setbacks in using Brassica rapa, including parthenogenesis where there is a production of viable seeds without a male parent to contribute pollen. This serves as a possible p roblem in analyzing the offspring because the progeny will have characteristics identical to the female parent. However, with a short life cycle, manageable progeny, and adaptability to laboratory conditions, Brassica rapa serves as a good model organism to study transmission genetics. By examining the phenotypes of Brassica rapa to determine the possible genotypes of the plants, Gregor Mendels basic principles of heredity of transmission of genetics from parent to offspring are being studied. Mendels observations in his experiments involving pea plants revealed that the phenotypes of the plants may be used to predict the geneotypes of the plants. Mendel only used absolute characteristics in examining the plants of interest such as color, size and shape instead of quantitative characteristics. This makes the determination of the genotype straightforward, consistent and objective. However, the genotype does not solely determine the phenotype of the plant. A given phenotype arises from a genotype that develops within particular environment (Pierce, 46). The genotype determines the boundaries for development but how the phenotype develops is also determined by other genes and environmental factors. Several genotypes with the known phenotypes of interest of Brassica rapa are known. The stems of Brassica rapa may be purple or non-purple. The purple color results from the pigment anthocyanin and is a controlled by the dominant allele, ANL. Anthocyaninless mutants of Brassica rapa fail to produce anthocyanin pigments (Burdzinski, 1). The anthocyaninless plants therefore have non-purple stems and are controlled by the recessive allele, anl. The anthocynanin pigment is extremely important in plants because the presence of anthocyanins that provide the colour palette for the breeder (Delpech, 207). The colors produced by the pigment guides the pollinator to the source of the pollen to ensure the process of pollination. In addition to the color of the stem, the trichomes on the plants are another characteristic controlled by genes. The presence of hair is most notably present on the upper portion of the stem and on the leaves. The characteristic for hair is controlled by the dominant a llele, HIR while the characteristic for being hairless is controlled by the recessive allele, hir. Another characteristic used to study the genetics of fast plants is the color of the leaves. When the leaves appear dark green, it is a result of the plant producing a significant amount of chlorophyll. The plants with dark green leaves are controlled by the dominant allele, YGR. On the other hand, plants with yellow-green leaves produce less chlorophyll and are controlled by a recessive allele, ygr. The final trait used to determine the possible genotypes of the fast plant is stem height. When a plant produces four to ten times less of gibberellic acid than a standard plant, the stems of the plant does not elongate as much and the plant appears dwarf. The plants with gibberellic acid deficiency are thus short and are called Rosette-Dwarf. The dwarf characteristic is controlled by the recessive allele, ros. On the other hand, plants that produce up to twelve times more gibberellic acid than the standard plants have stems that elongate more than usual. The tall stems are controlled by a recessive allele, ein. When a plant produces the average mount of gibberelic acid, it is average in height. With these known phenotypes and genotypes, it is possible to predict the genotypes of plants by examining their observed characteristics. Since the phenotype of plants are affected by both genetic and environmental factors, it is important to house the plants with sufficient light and water. The timing of seed germination is highly sensitive to several aspects of the seed maturation environment, including water availability, soil nutrients, photoperiod, temperature and light quality (Dechaine, 1297). Therefore, it is important to keep the plants hydrated during flowering, fertilization and seed development so that the plants can yield high levels of seeds. It is also important to provide sufficient water and light to the seeds for successful germination. Effective fertilization and germination of the plants are necessary in determining the genotypes of the parents. Without the observable phenotypes of the progeny, the genotypes of the parents would remain unknown. By analyzing the phenotypes of the parent Brassica rapa plants along with their given corresponding genotypes, cross-breeding the plants would yield progeny with observable characteristics that will determine the genotype of the parents. If the cross-breeding is carried out successfully with negligible parthenogenesis, the unknown genotypes of the parent plants can be known after the crosses. Materials and Methods Materials A group of seven Wisconsin Fast plants were assigned to the group for identifying phenotypes and possible genotypes. A set of four pots, each pot with two plants, labeled as red were assigned to the group for the cross. Stakes and metal wires were used to secure plants in place. Pollination bags and chenille rods were used in the pollination process. Filter papers and petri dishes were used to germinate the seeds. Throughout the entire process, white light and water was used. Methods We obtained a group of seven Wisconsin Fast plants. The plant labeled as #1 was told to be the wild type stock or Standard that was used to which the other plants were compared. The height of the Standard plant was measured and the shape and color of the leaves and stems were observed and noted. In addition, the trichomes, or hairs on the leaves and stems were also observed and recorded. We then observed and recorded the observable traits seen in the remaining six plants relative to the Standard. After recording the observations of the phenotypes of all seven plants, we referenced the genetic stock description list in the manual of Module 1 to assign a name to each Wisconsin Fast Plant. The genetic stock description list includes a description of whether the observed phenotype is the result dominant or recessive alleles. Based on the given information, we were able to determine to possible genotypes of the Wisconsin Fast plants. A set of four pots color coded as red was assigned to the group. Each pot had two plants: one with either recessive or dominant genotype and one with unknown genotype. We placed a stake next to each plant and gently looped the attached metal wire around each plant to secure it in place. A pollination bag was then gently placed over each pot. The pots were placed into a large tray and placed under white light. The trays were filled with 1-2 inches of water twice a week. After several class periods, the plants had flowers. We pollinated the plants using a chenille rod by gently touching the anthers of one flower on Plant 1 with the tip of the rod to collect the pollen grain and delivered the pollen grain to the stigma of a flower on Plant 2 in the same pot. Similarly, we gently touched the anthers of one flower on Plant 2 with the tip of the rod to collect the pollen grain and delivered the pollen grain to the stigma of a flower on Plant 1 in the same pot. We repeated the process for the other three plant pots. The pots were returned to the large tray and were continued to be watered twice a week. Approximately twenty days after pollination, we stopped watering the plants and they were allowed to try for about five days under white light. Then, the seeds were collected by rolling the dry pods between the hands. The collected seeds were placed in a petri dish with a moist piece of filter paper. The petri dish was constantly kept under white light for one week and watered twice a day so that the filter paper remained moist. After one week, the seeds had germinated and the seedlings phenotypes were observed and recorded.

Franklin Roosevelt: Man of the Year :: History

Franklin Roosevelt: Man of the Year Assuming the Presidency at the depth of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt helped the American people regain faith in themselves. He brought hope as he promised prompt, vigorous action, and asserted in his Inaugural Address, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." When the nation was at it’s worst, Roosevelt was at his best. In his first 100 days in office, Roosevelt pushed through many new programs in order to help fix the problems of the depression. One of these programs being the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), which was established to create dams on the Tennessee River providing desperately needed jobs and hydroelectric power to the surrounding area. Roosevelt established many more programs with many different intentions. Some of these programs like the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act), which was created to raise farm produce prices. This particular program paid farmers to leave land unseeded and to slaughter livestock, which in turn raised the prices by decreasing the supply and increasing the demand. There were more of these programs like the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), which helped establish work. This particular program employed many young Americans by providing jobs such as planting trees, creating parks, and making roads. These programs were often considered as â€Å"make work programs† by the public. The public often did not think that jobs such as the planting of trees were significantly important. Roosevelt on the other hand knew that by planting trees he’d help bring the dust bowl to an end and ensure that it would never happen again. Roosevelt also helped reinstate the nation’s faith in our banking system as well. He created a banking holiday to shut down all of the banks and only re-open those that were stable enough to conduct business. He also created the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation), to insure bank accounts up to $5,000 and to ensure that a great depression would never again be a concern for Americans. After Hitler took power in Germany. Roosevelt asked to increase the amount of money spent on national defense. This created the only peacetime draft that was known to this point. Many Americans went to train with the U.S. army. The United States under Roosevelt was quickly preparing for a new war, which seemed close at hand. After the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan, Roosevelt asked congress for a declaration of war.

An Examination of Racism in the Deep South of America Essay

An Examination of Racism in the Deep South of America From the1930’s to the 1960’s through a variety of texts. â€Å"Race: a group of persons having a common ancestor†¦ family, kindred people, genus, species, breed, variety, or class of persons†¦ † That is what the dictionary says, so why so much hatred, politics and fuss The Anglo – American slave trade, started in the 16th century when the first Hispanic people settled in Mexico and the Caribbean. From there, the other Europeans who migrated took black Africans to work on their cotton and tobacco plantations. This started the very wealthy â€Å"Slave Triangle† in which many Captains sought profit. The ships would sail empty from England, Spain, France or Portugal to the African countries to catch slaves. After filling their holds with human cargo they would set sail for the Caribbean. Once there, the Captains sold the slaves to the dealers in return for cotton or tobacco, which they would sell for a large profit back at home. These slaves were then the full property of their masters and he or she could do anything they liked to them and treat them in anyway they wanted to. One example of this is an advertisement in the ‘Royal Gazette (Kingston Jamaica)’ saying; â€Å"Runaway, about 15 months ago a Negro man of the Mungola country named Jamaica†¦ also about two months ago, two Negro men named James and Sambo†¦ a reward of i 10 for Jamaica and a Half Joe each for James and Sambo†¦ Also stolen or strayed†¦ a Bright Bay Northward HORSE†¦ also a small JACK ASS†¦ a reward of a pistole will be given for each†¦ † This shows that their masters treated the slaves with about as much respect and sense of belonging as a horse or donkey. Such disregard upset many Americans and so some spoke out against it. In 1861, because they would not agree to abolish slavery, the Southern States left the Union of American States. This created even more outcry until Abraham Lincoln , the then President of America declared war on the Southern States. The American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865. It destroyed most of the agricultural land in the South and drained it of its wealth. After the Civil War the United States of America was formed. During the next 5 – 10 years the Northerners set in place a number of laws giving back human and civil rights to the black people. Initially this idea worked, but due to the hostility of the Southern confederacy these changes eventually failed. The â€Å"Yankees† that is the Northern Army and Governors called the changes they made â€Å"reconstruction†, but after they left, using a number of loopholes in the Law, the Southern Governors set in place many new rules. These were called the Jim Crow Laws and they â€Å"segregated† the black former slaves from the white people completely, thereby undoing all the good work done by the Northerners. The following time of white supremacy was called â€Å"redemption† This time of â€Å"redemption† and â€Å"segregation† was a hard time for the blacks; 1) Their voting rights were taken away 2) The money for black schools was diverted to white education. 3) There were separate buses for coloured and white people, or no bus at all. An example of this is given in the Novel Roll of Thunder where the Logan children have to dive into a ditch up to their chests, or in the case of ‘Little Man’- swim, to avoid the oncoming Jefferson Davies school bus and its ruthless driver. It was around this time when the Depression hit America. The South was hit especially hard and the price of cotton fell dramatically. This downturn in the economy created serious hardship for the majority of people, both black and white. The arrival of new technology added to the hardship as cotton looms and ploughs cut work loads, making one person and one tractor able to do the work of eight men and eight mules. Publicity of the suffering of the South created Aid and money from Northern Citizens, but due to the amount of corruption the blacks did not benefit from this. Some workers, both black and white, joined together to fight for more money and better working conditions, and as a result the rich landowners and vigilantly race hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan used violence to break up their protests and demonstrations. Racism comes in three forms – Verbal, Physical and Institutional Verbal Why did the white people feel that they could say something offensive and why did they even say it in the first place? In the Novel Roll of Thunder, Little Man receives a book from his teacher for the new term. He eagerly thumbs through it but to his horror finds a form that reads: Date Condition Owner Sept 1922 Good White Sept 1928 Good White Sept 1930 Average White Sept 1933 Very Poor Nigra The term ‘nigra’ is very offensive and as a result the naive boy protests and gives the book back. His teacher, Mrs Crocker simply replies â€Å"Well, that’s what you are! â€Å". This shows that even teachers can happily pass off insulting words just because a coloured child had owned a book. A further insult was that the book was damaged, which was untrue. Another form of verbal abuse is when in the same book, a mob attempts to lynch TJ, and they decide to try and hang Pa Logan and Mr. Morrison, the ‘human giant’ â€Å"I say, what we oughtta do is take him down the road an take care of that big black giant of a nigger at the same time! And why not that boy he working for too? † The â€Å"boy† they are referring to Pa Logan, a fully-grown, independent man. This is from the time of slavery, where the masters could speak to their slaves as they wished.

The Emerging Concept of Disposition in Education

In the article written by Renee L. Taylor and M. Mark Wasicsko entitled â€Å"The Disposition to Teach†, it is state that there is an emerging concern for the role that disposition plays in being an effective teacher (2000). By effective, the authors mean a dynamic and well-rounded human being that can bring changes to the lives of people through education and learning and is also a master of the methods in teaching (Taylor and Wasicsko, 2000).On the other hand, the term disposition is that which means to be the â€Å"personal qualities or characteristics that are possessed by individuals, including attitudes, beliefs, interests, appreciation, values, and mode of adjustment† (Taylor and Wasicsko, 2000). It can be concluded that disposition has a relationship with level of effectiveness in teaching. Moreover, Taylor and Wasicsko enumerated different dispositions that are related to effectiveness in teaching (2000). The authors made a review of the past literature regardi ng dispositions and compiled these qualities in the text.They are concerned with relationships with peers, students, views on teaching, views on students, views on self, interpersonal relations, and intrapersonal relations (Taylor and Wasicsko, 2000). However, an effective tool for measurement is yet to be determined that will add to those being used as of the moment such as student teacher journals for preservice teachers, Perceptual Rating Scales, written human relations incidents, and interviews (Taylor and Wasicsko, 2000).Moreover, there is an on-going call for the dispositions related to effective education to be introduced in educational learning institutions, one of which is in the University of Northern Iowa and other Iowa colleges are starting to follow (Taylor and Wasicsko, 2000). Inevitably, the role of disposition as related to effective teaching will have an impact in initial certification programs. Valid and reliable criteria and predictors of disposition that are rela ted to effective teaching will have to be formulated, examined, and reformulated to ensure that these dispositions will lead to effective behaviors in teaching.With this, initial certification programs will have to put more emphasis on disposition of incoming teachers, still along with intellect and skills. It can be observed that even the most intelligent teacher may turn out to be the worst without the desired aspects of disposition and skills. The right mix of intelligence, skills, and disposition has to be identified and this will have to be incorporated in the initial certification programs for teachers. Moreover, human beings are created uniquely and each one will carry a different set of attitudes and beliefs.These attitudes and beliefs that a person possesses govern the actions that he/she might elicit towards the environment. Thus, no one persons can be considered perfect and will be able to possess all of the desired traits, attitudes, and beliefs as listed in the studies conducted regarding disposition. It is however, to be noted, that a lot of people will possess at least a portion of these traits, attitudes, and beliefs to become an effective teacher. The keyword to be remembered is the ability to adopt changes and the quality of being flexible.The ability to change one’s disposition to become an effective teacher should start at an early stage. As the article of Taylor and Wasicsko shows, it is already being introduced to education students in the University of Norther Iowa and other colleges in Iowa (2000). The research on dispositions has to be refined to be able to use this in theory and in practice. For preservice teachers, it is necessary for them to adopt desired traits, attitudes, and beliefs early in their careers in addition to their inherent disposition to become effective teachers.This is a good foundation for their career path as educators because it is important to be able to start with the necessary qualities. For the practic ing educator, there is the need to constantly hone personal disposition to meet the changing and growing trends in educating the society. The study of disposition is a growing part of the field of education. More research has to be done and persistent inculcation of the new-found theories is to be applied into practice to contribute to effective teaching.