Applications Of Remote Sensing Environmental Sciences Essay

Applications Of Remote Sensing Environmental Sciences Essay Remote sensing technique has emerged as an effective tool for systematic survey, analysis, and better management of natural resources (land, soil, water, forests, mountains) along with the monitoring of desertification, flood, drought, and landform change. It provides a vast scope to explore, identify, and analyze the natural resources of undeveloped regions. It documents the dynamic changes in physical processes and resulting landforms, usually by satellite images. This paper provides a general overview of remote sensing. While this technique has been used on beaches, valleys, and other landforms, the main concern of this paper is its role in geography. Key Words: Remote Sensing, Geography, Application Introduction Despite advances in geographical studies, the methods of traditional geography have become insufficient to apprehend its reality and complexity, considering technological and scientific changes that have happened in the last 30 years. However, this does not mean that these changes are not useful for geographic research. This has become evident now that Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are developing spatial studies to appeal to such technologies as remote sensing and computer sciences (MEC, 1999). This paper focuses on a particular research tool for geographic research known as remote sensing. This benefits the study of geography in many ways, especially as a research tool, a tool for collecting high quality data, and a tool that aids in the reasoning process. It achieves these tasks by virtue of its spacial and temporal coverage (Rhoads, 2004; Doreen, 2009). Geographers increasingly use remotely sensed data to obtain information about the earths land surface, ocean, and atmosphere because it supplies objective information at a variety of spatial scales (local to global), provides a synoptic view of the area of interest, allows access to distant/inaccessible sites, provides spectral information outside the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and facilitates studies of how features change over time. This data may be analyzed independently or in conjunction with other digital data layers (e.g. in a GIS). General Overview of Remote Sensing Although this paper is mainly concerned with remote sensing used for geography, the field of remote sensing is very wide in data acquisition methods, data processing procedures, and various techniques and applications. Therefore, it is useful to provide a general overview about several important topics regarding remote sensing of the surface of the earth. The text also attempts to give the reader an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of remote sensing. Very few equations and formulas will be given in the text, as the focus will be on understanding the basic ideas. Remote sensing is defined according to certain functions. It involves acquiring the information of an objects property by a device not in contact with that object under study. This involves the utilization at a distance of any device for gathering information pertinent to the environment, such as measurements of force fields, electromagnetic radiation, or acoustic energy for aircraft, spacecrafts, or ships. The technique employs such devices as a cameras, lasers, radio frequency receivers, radar systems, sonars, seismographs, gravimeters, magnetometers, and scintillation counters. Some examples of remote sensing applications are given in the areas that have importance for the geographers. Due to the wide scope covered, the subjects could not be covered in detail and the interested reader should turn to the relevant literature (Lillesand Kiefer, 2000; Sabins, 2007; Jenson, 2007; Longley et. al., 2005; Shukla Pathak 2009). As humans, we are intimately familiar with remote sensing in that we rely on visual perception to provide us with much of the information about our surroundings. As sensors, however, our eyes are greatly limited by sensitivity to only the visible range of electromagnetic energy, viewing perspectives dictated by the location of our bodies, and the inability to form a lasting record of what we view. Because of these limitations, humans have continuously sought to develop the technological means to increase our ability to record the physical properties of our environment. Beginning with the early use of aerial photography, remote sensing has been recognized as a valuable tool for viewing, analyzing, characterizing, and making decisions about our environment. In the past few decades, remote sensing technology has advanced on three fronts: from predominantly military uses to a variety of environmental analysis applications that relate to land, ocean, and atmosphere issues; from analogue photographic systems to sensors that convert energy from many parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to electronic signals; and from aircraft to satellite platforms. 1.1 Modern Advantages of Remote Sensing Remote sensing technology is becoming more important in geography due to attention being paid to the latest information, planning, and management for public and private interests. It is most useful for natural resource management, sustainable development, environmental degradation, and disaster management. Its satellite data are used as basic inputs for the inventory of natural resources and development processes like agriculture, soil, forestry, and geology (Chavez et al., 1977). There are other important technologies that are available to geographers as well, such as maps, aerial photography/photogrammetry/pictometry, SAR, LiDAR, SONAR, and GIS. The next section discusses the technologies mentioned above along with the similarities and differences between them and the field of remote sensing. 1.1.1 Maps: According to the International Cartographic Union, a map is a conventionalised image representing selected features or characteristics of geographical reality, designed for use when spatial relationships are of primary importance. This definition declares that in every map there is scientific accuracy and a process of selection present (symbolization, abstraction, generalization). However, the International Cartographic Union adds that a map shows us the world as we know it, and what we know is a very complex subject that is comprised of: The limits of matter, technology, and our measurement tools; what we believe that exists; what we think to be important; and what we want and aspire to. Thus, a map is subjective, for we always decide what to put on it and how to represent it. A remote sensing image, in contrast, is an objective recording of the electromagnetic reaching the sensor. Another important difference is that a map is a projection of the earth on paper without a ny relief displacements, while in a remote sensing image it is a projection of relief displacements and geometrical distortions. 1.1.2 Aerial Photography/Photogrammetry/Pictometry: These systems gather data about the upper surface of the earth by measuring the electromagnetic radiation from airborne systems. The major differences are detailed below: Aerial photos are taken by an analogue instrument (the film of a photogrammetric camera), then scanned to be transformed to digital media. The advantage of a film is its high resolution (granularity), while the advantage of the CCD is that we measure quantitatively the radiation reaching the sensor (radiance values, instead of a gray-value scale bar). Thus, remote sensing data can be integrated into physical equations of energy-balance. An aerial photograph is a central projection, with the whole picture taken at one instance. A remote sensing image is created line after line, so the geometrical correction is much more complex, with each pixel needing to be treated as a central projection. Aerial photographs usually gather data only in the visible spectrum, while remote sensing sensors can be designed to measure radiation along the electromagnetic spectrum. Pictometry  is the name of a patented  aerial image  capture process of the Pictometry International Corp., USA. It produces imagery showing the fronts and sides of objects and locations on the ground. Images are captured by low-flying airplanes, depicting up to 12 oblique  perspectives as well as an  orthogonal  view of every location flown. These perspectives can then be stitched together to create composite aerial maps that seamlessly cover large areas. Pictometry imagery can be overlaid with various shape files because every pixel is  georeferenced  to its exact location on the earth.  This allows pictometry imagery to be integrated into many existing  GIS  software applications  for use in many areas.  Direct measurements can be made on pictometry imagery that includes area, distance, height, elevation, pitch, and bearing (http://www.pictometry.com). 1.1.3 SAR: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) provides imagery during night or in bad weather as well as during the day. SAR images can be utilized for earth resource mapping and environmental monitoring, which require broad-area imaging at high resolutions. Synthetic aperture radar complements photographic and other optical imaging capabilities because of the minimum constraints on the time-of-day, atmospheric conditions, and unique responses of terrain/cultural targets to radar frequencies. Synthetic aperture radar technology can provide terrain structural information to geologists for mineral exploration, oil spill boundaries on water to environmentalists, ice hazard maps to navigators, and reconnaissance-targeting information to military operations. 1.1.4 LiDAR: Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is another technique that offers several advantages over the conventional methods of topographic data collection. This technique provides data with higher density, higher accuracy, less time for data processing, light independence, and minimum ground control points required. Due to these characteristics, LiDAR is complementing conventional techniques in some applications while completely replacing them in several others.  Various applications where LiDAR data are being used are geomorphology, glacier studies, forest biomass mapping, and generation of the digital elevation model.   1.1.5 SONAR: The SONAR can also be considered as remote sensing by studying the surfaces of the sea (bathymetry and sea bed features) from a distance. The SONAR is an active type of remote sensing but with sound waves instead of electromagnetic radiation (like Radar, it does not depend on an external source of waves). Both systems transmit waves through an interfering medium (water, air) that adds noise to the data. For corrections, these must be applied to the raw data collected. In remote sensing, however, RADAR is considered to be almost weather-independent, and atmospheric disturbances affect mainly passive remote sensing. To make these necessary corrections, both systems depend on calibration from field data (be it salinity, temperature, pressure measured by the ship while surveying, or measurements of the atmospheric profile parameters by a meteorological radiosonde). There are some notable differences between SONARs and RADARs. SONARs are mainly used to produce the bathymetry of the sea, while remote sensing techniques focus more on identification of the materials properties than on its height.Echo-sounders (single or multi-beam) can be compared to Airborne Laser Scanning both of them create point (vector) data containing X, Y, Z that need to be further processed in order to remove noise (spikes). An added complexity when dealing with bathymetry (as opposed to topography) is the need for tide corrections. Another major difference is that in remote sensing the results of the analysis can be compared easily to the field (aerial photos, maps, field measurements), while in SONAR the underlying bottom of the sea is hidden from us, and we depend totally on the data gathered. 1.1.6 GIS: GIS is a combination of hardware and software that enables: The collection of spatial data from different sources (remote sensing being one of them). It relates spatial/tabular data, performs spacial/tabular analysis, and designs the layout of a map. A GIS software can handle both vector and raster data. Remote sensing data belong to the raster type and usually require special data manipulation procedures that a regular GIS does not offer. However, after a remote sensing analysis has been done, its results are usually combined within a GIS or into a database of an area for further analysis (possibly overlaying with other layers). In the last few years, more and more vector capabilities have been added to remote sensing software, and some remote sensing functions are inserted into GIS modules. General Remote Sensing Applications: Each application itself has specific demands for spectral resolution, spatial resolution, and temporal resolution of the satellite sensor. There can be many applications for remote sensing in different fields. Some of them are described below. 1.2.1 Agriculture: Agriculture plays a dominant role in the economies of both developed and undeveloped countries. Satellite and airborne images are used as mapping tools to classify crops, examine their health, examine their viability, and monitor farming practices. Agricultural applications of remote sensing include crop type classification, crop condition assessment, crop yield estimation, mapping of soil characteristics, mapping of soil management practices, and compliance monitoring (farming practices). 1.2.2 Forestry: Forests are a valuable resource for providing food, shelter, wildlife habitat, fuel, and daily supplies (such as medicinal ingredients and paper). Forests play an important role in balancing the earths CO2 supply and exchange, acting as a key link between the atmosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere. Forestry applications of remote sensing include the following: Reconnaissance mapping: Objectives to be met by national environment agencies include forest cover updating, depletion monitoring, and measuring biophysical properties of forest stands. Commercial forestry: Of importance to commercial forestry companies and to resource management agencies are inventory and mapping applications. These include collecting harvest information, updating inventory information for timber supply, broad forest type, vegetation density, and biomass measurements. Environmental monitoring: Conservation authorities are concerned with monitoring the quantity, health, and diversity of the earths forests. 1.2.3 Geology: Geology involves the study of landforms, structures, and the subsurface to understand physical processes that create and modify the earths crust. It is most commonly understood as the exploration and exploitation of mineral/hydrocarbon resources to improve the standard of living in society. Geological applications of remote sensing include the following: Bedrock mapping, lithological mapping, â‚ ¬Ã‚  structural mapping, sand and gravel exploration/ exploitation, mineral exploration, hydrocarbon exploration, environmental geology, geobotany, baseline infrastructure, sedimentation monitoring, event/monitoring, geo-hazard mapping, and planetary mapping. 1.2.4 Hydrology: Hydrology is the study of water on the earths surface, whether flowing above ground, frozen in ice or snow, or retained by soil. Examples of hydrological applications include wetlands monitoring, soil moisture estimation, snow pack monitoring, measuring snow thickness, determining the snow-water equivalent, ice monitoring, flood monitoring, glacier dynamics monitoring (surges, ablation), â‚ ¬Ã‚  river/delta change detection, drainage basin mapping, watershed modelling, irrigation canal leakage detection, and irrigation scheduling. 1.2.5 Sea Ice: Ice covers a substantial part of the earths surface and is a major factor in commercial fishing/shipping industries, Coast Guard operations, and global climate change studies. Examples of sea ice information and applications include ice concentration, ice type/age/motion, iceberg detection, surface topographyâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  tactical identification of leads, navigation, safe shipping routes, ice condition, historical ice, iceberg conditions, dynamics for planning purposes, wildlife habitat, pollution monitoring, and meteorological change research. 1.2.6 Land Cover and Land Use: Although the terms land cover and land uses are often used interchangeably, their actual meanings are quite distinct. Land cover refers to the surface cover on the ground, while land use refers to the purpose the land serves. The properties measured with remote sensing techniques relate to land cover from which land use can be inferred, particularly with ancillary data or a priori knowledge. Land use applications of remote sensing include â‚ ¬Ã‚  natural resource management, wildlife habitat protection, baseline mapping for GIS input, urban expansion, logistics planning for seismic/exploration/resource extraction activities, damage delineation (tornadoes, flooding, volcanic, seismic, fire), legal boundaries for tax/property evaluation, target detection, and identification of landing strips, roads, clearings, bridges, and land/water interface. 1.2.7 Mapping: Mapping constitutes an integral component of the process of managing land resources, with mapped information the common product of the analysis of remotely sensed data. Mapping applications of remote sensing include the following:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Planimetry: Land surveying techniques accompanied by the use of a GPS can be used to meet high accuracy requirements, but limitations include cost effectiveness and difficulties in attempting to map large or remote areas. Remote sensing provides a means of identifying planimetric data in an efficient manner, so imagery is available in varying scales to meet the requirements of many different users. Defence applications typify the scope of planimetry applications, such as extracting transportation route information, building/facilities locations, urban infrastructure, and general land cover.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Digital elevation models (DEMs): Generating DEMs from remotely sensed data can be cost effective and efficient. A variety of sensors and methodologies to generate such models are available for mapping applications. Two primary methods of generating elevation data are stereogrammetry techniques using airphotos (photogrammetry), VIR imagery, radar data (radargrammetry), and radar interferometry.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Baseline topographic mapping: As a base map, imagery provides ancillary information to the extracted planimetric detail. Sensitivity to surface expression makes radar a useful tool for creating base maps and providing reconnaissance abilities for hydrocarbon/mineralogical companies involved in exploration activities. This is particularly true in remote northern regions where vegetation cover does not mask the microtopography and where information may be sparse. 1.2.8 Oceans Coastal Monitoring: The oceans provide valuable food-biophysical resources, serve as transportation routes, are crucially important in weather system formation and CO2 storage, and are an important link in the earths hydrological balance. Coastlines are environmentally sensitive interfaces between the ocean and land, and they respond to changes brought about by economic development and changing land-use patterns. Often coastlines are also biologically diverse inter-tidal zones and can be highly urbanized. Ocean applications of remote sensing include the following:  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ocean pattern identification:â‚ ¬Ã‚  Currents, regional circulation patterns, shears, frontal zones, internal waves, gravity waves, eddies, upwelling zones, and shallow water bathymetry.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Storm forecasting: Wind and wave retrieval.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Fish stock and marine mammal assessment: Water temperature monitoring, water quality, ocean productivity, phytoplankton concentration, drift,â‚ ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  aquaculture inventory, and monitoring.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Oil spill: Predicting the oil spill extent and drift, strategic support for oil spill emergency response decisions, and identification of natural oil seepage areas for exploration.  ·Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Shipping:â‚ ¬Ã‚  Navigation routing, traffic density studies, operational fisheries surveillance, and near-shore bathymetry mapping. General Observations on Remote Sensing in Geography Higgitt Warburton (1999) have argued that remote sensing techniques provide fresh insights in geography in four main ways: They provide new applications for geography. They provide new and improved accuracy of measurement. They provide new data that allow the investigation of ideas that were previously untestable. They involve the development of data processing capability. Application of Remote Sensing in Geography Geographic applications of remotely sensed data typically take one of four explanatory forms: Remote sensing images have specific uses within various fields of geographical study. Remote sensing data possess advantages over conventional data and can provide multispectral, multidata, and multisensor information. This data is very useful in the agricultural fields for the crop type classification, crop condition assessment, crop yield estimation, and soil mapping. In geology, remote sensing can be applied to analyze large, remote areas. Remote sensing interpretation also makes it easy for geologists to identify an areas rock types, geomorphology, and changes from natural events such as a flood, erosion, or landslide. The interpretation of remote sensing images allows physical- and biogeographers, ecologists, agricultural researchers, and foresters to easily detect what vegetation is present in certain areas, its growth potential, and sometimes what conditions are conducive to its being there. Additionally, those studying urban land use applications are also concerned with remote sensing because it allows them to easily pick out which land uses are present in an area. This can then be used as data in city planning applications and in the study of species habitat. Conclusion Remote sensing data has proven to be an important tool in geography. Multi-temporal satellite data help to delineate the various change of the earth surface. Remote sensing has progressively expended applications in various fields such as urban-regional planning, utilities planning, health planning, geomorphology, and resource planning. Because of its varied applications and ability to allow users to collect, interpret, and manipulate data over dangerous areas, remote sensing has become a useful tool for all geographers, regardless of their concentration.

Aboriginal :: essays research papers

What Wrongs Have White Administrators Done to Aborginal people In The Past? Have all wrong Been Righted? Even though Hardy wrote his book in 1968, he gives a good definition of how the Aborigines were treated in that time. A very bias 'opinion' based difinition of the treatment of Aborigines: "To this day the Aborigine is treated as less than a man, his situation isapalling. His destiny and very identity is decided by his white superiors. He can live only on terms dictated by the people, who despise him. He is paid less, educated less, segregated, rendered landless, discriminated against, insulted, deprived of dignity, his women molested." (Hardy 1968) The Aborgiines have been unfairly treated since European settlement. Children have been taken from their parents, they have been humiliated. They have shot down until not one Aborgine was left in Tasmania. Even though all te worst of it has been over for the Aborigines - but has all wrongs been righted? One of the most inhumane practices of white settlement in Australia would be the taking of the Aboriginal children from their families. Some Aboriginal children were brought up to feel ashamed of their race and heir colour. "In a deliberate and callous attempt to conceal their cultural identity," Aboriginal children were taken from the families an forcibly placed in an institution and were denied further contact with their families. (Aboriginal legal service, 1995 pp ii) For white Australia, the feeling of responsibility, shame, apologetic and sympathetic for what their past people have done to the Aboriginals. The Aboriginals feeling anguished, rejected and feeling in a sence made "different" from the Europeans. "For Aboriginal participants a catharsis for feelings of sorrow and rage, and it encourages as to anticipate that, after generations of neglect, white Australia is finally prepared to own the shame of its past, and to accept the responsibility of effecting real and substancial reparation in the future." (Aboriginal legal service, 1995 pp ii) Aboriginal children in Western Australia were removed from their families until the 1960's. The children were taken from police and 'welfare offices' to be raised as white children for the purpose of assimilation. (Aboriginal Legal Service, 1995 pp ii) Surveys have been conducted from Aboriginal people. They were asked about the effects the assimilation had on them. (See Appendix A) "It is not only the intence impact of removal from families and culture which has contributed to long lasting effects. Life at the missions, faster care, or other institutions was for may a harsh experience which exacerbated the dislocation, alienation, lonliness and pain felt from being rem,oved from families and culture.

The extraordinarily horrible Robot

It was my mate's birthday. He was going to turn 14. I wanted to get him something really special because I have known him since we were two years old. My mum told me that we were both born in the same hospital in London but then we moved to Germany because my dad had had found a really good job. After a couple of years my mum got bored and couldn't take anymore of where she lived and told dad that she wanted to go back to London because she preferred it there and she knew more people. They both had a massive argument and stopped talking for weeks and weeks but eventually my dad apologised to mum and told her to move back into London and that he'll supply us with money and everything we need and he'll visit us once in a while. They promised each other that they'll write to each other every other week. Eventually mum found a job at an office, she was this mans secretary. This man was no ordinary man he scared me a little. He seemed really weird. He would always mutter something to mum every time he saw me it really freaked me out. As time went by my mum started to talk about dad less and she stopped replying to all his mail. I was really worried about her and really felt sorry for dad. Eventually mum phoned him, I had just walked home from a long boring, bad day from school and I was just about to slam the front door when I heard mums voice â€Å"Harry, listen to me this is really not going to work out†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.† I stood silent for a minute. I silently shut the front door and walked closer to the kitchen. Then I heard my mum speak again, â€Å"listen, I've been meaning to tell you, I mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. um†¦ oh I can't do this† then she slammed the phone down and ran out the room crying. I was thinking to myself oh mum ‘what have you done you poor silly woman'. I was really surprised of what just happened and couldn't even get myself to comfort her, it was like I wanted her to suffer for what had just happened. I walked upstairs really slowly trying to process through my mind what had just happened when I heard my mum sobbing and speaking to someone. I was thinking who the hell is she talking to or is my mum just beginning to go mad. I crept up to her room, her door was slightly ajar and I peeked through and jumped back in surprise and gasped. I ran to my room and slammed the door shut. My windows rattled for 2mins straight. I jumped on my bed and covered my head under the pillow and let out my anger and cried all night. I must have dosed off. When I woke up I peered at my clock sleepily, it showed 08:59. I jumped out o bed and quickly slipped my school uniform and gathered my books and went to run out my door when something threw my door open and started walking towards me with its arms outstretched and covered in a cloth hiding its identity. It was about knee high and scared the living daylights out of me. It picked up my baseball bat and held it in the swinging position and turned round and walked back towards me raising the bat as it closer. It was only a few inches away when I opened my mouth to scream. Nothing came out and the thing just swung for me. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain. After a few seconds I opened my eyes again and saw my mum and Steve (my mums boss) standing by the doorway in the same clothes they were in yesterday with a very large grin on their faces. That was another thing I forgot about ‘what the hell is he doing still here from last night'. Mum tells me that she and dad broke up because dad didn't care for them anymore. I know that wasn't the truth but played along with it. I know it was really Steve who made her do it. That's why he was in her room that day. I forgot about the whole thing and Steve told me he bought the robot for me as a present to show me that he will look after me really well. I just nodded and didn't smile. I think he got the picture and he just said to me ‘if you need anything just ask', and then he went. I was playing with the robot that day after school and I put the controller down and turned round to go on the internet on my computer when a heard a funny, whirring sound just like my†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ROBOT!!! I turn around and the robot was on my desk, and I left him on the floor. I screamed at the top of my pitch and nobody came. Everyone had gone out, I assumed. I picked up the robot and threw it across the room the leg and arm fell off. I left it there and fell asleep. I got up the next morning and remembered it was Jamie's birthday. He was my best friend. I forgot to get him a present. He was going to be mad at me when I got into school. After I got change and had my breakfast I went up to pick up my bag and as I stepped into my room I heard a crunch. I looked down and I saw that I had just broken the other leg. I looked at the robot and it gave me an idea. I went into school with a large box wrapped in read wrapping paper. I gave it to Jamie and I never saw him smile so much in his life. He thanked me and invited me for a sleepover that night. I delightfully said of course. I got home from school and there was a note on the kitchen table written by mum saying that she has gone away on an emergency business meeting and that she won't be back for a couple of days. I didn't think much of it. I made my way over to Jamie's and I could swear that something was following me. I turned round every now and then but all I could see was my shadow. I got to his doorstep and I pressed the doorbell relieved that I made to his house without any trouble. Jamie's dad answered it gave me a smile and took my bags an told me that mum phoned asking If I could stay round Jamie's for a few days still she gets back. I knew Jamie's family wouldn't say no. They thanked me for the present I gave Jamie and he came running down the stairs and gave me a hug and thanked me as well. I started to blush in front of his parents. We went upstairs and as I got into his room I heard his doorbell ring. I went to answer it but his mum said she'll get it. As she opened the door Jamie's dad asked who it was and before I could hear her reply Jamie cranked his music up. I ignored what happened and had fun in his room. I asked Jamie what he thought of his present. He told me he loved it but he had a funny look on his face like he was trying to change the subject. I asked him where it was and he said his dad put it in the attic because it seemed violent. I asked him to get it. Jamie said that he'll get into trouble but he said he'll get it anyway. I waited for him for 20mins and he didn't return. I went to his attic and he wasn't there. I saw blood trails on the floor and I was really frightened. I followed them and they leaded to the kitchen. I entered slowly and peered through. I stood in silence and screamed as I saw Jamie's mum, dad and Jamie all in a pile with vicious stab marks in their bodies. I turned away to run and I saw, I wasn't sure if I was looking at it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The robot was alive. It started moving towards me wit a butcher's knife in its hand and it stopped. Someone entered the room behind it with a hooded cloak. He looked up at me and smile. I could only see his mouth. He let out a evil laugh and said â€Å"now I can have your mum all to myself† and laughed continuously and the robot through the knife and it went right through my heart and just as I was closing my eyes, the figure unmasked itself†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. â€Å"Steve†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.† I said before I crashed to the ground. Then my eyes shut.

Relationship of a Father and Son Essay

The moment where everything changed was the day Manning finally won his first arm wrestling match, his father gained some respect towards him and they both learned valuable lessons. One was manning learned that his father was a great parent in his own way and his father learned that being rough isn’t the only way you can show affection to your son. On the other hand, in â€Å"Shooting Dad†, Sarah Vowell describes the political differences her and he father have. In the house she states that one was a republican and the other was a democratic (171). Every time they would try to start a normal conversation they would end up arguing, and having discussions of who beat who. In the end she matures and realizes that they both are actually very alike. Communication is not as easy as it seems but if you take the time to listen and pay attention to details in life you’ll find that your parents’ views aren’t so far off of yours. The fathers’ competitive side was his way of showing his communicative relationship with his son. Manning used to be able to enjoy a relaxed game of arm wrestling with his father before but as time passed everything became more real and competitive. He states, â€Å"I always had to lose ‘ Want to try it again? ‘ he would ask, grinning†¦. and with squinting eyes he would laugh at me, a high laugh, through his perfect white teeth† (163). The relationship between the father and son was a physical rough relationship. The attitude of the father impedes the communication to surpass the bond of strength that they have now. The father was seen as the protector of the family. He was the tough guy, who wouldn’t show emotions. The son realized that his father has been the person he was for them. He guided them and helped them in the toughest situations in life. The age difference impeded the positive communication between them. This all started when he was a teen. The mental state of a son differs from the mental state of a father. The awareness, attitude, and strength all change as he matures over the years. As he grew he started working out more and became stronger while the dad was aging. The moment he realized he had matured and now viewed life different was when his dad challenged him to what was his last arm wrestling challenge between them. He felt sorry but the power that he was gaining was too exciting to let go of. When he was small the dad was the one with the power, he was the man of the house but now that he won he has now taken the responsibility to take that next challenge and soon be the adult, the head of household the one to take care of the family. He learned a lesson that changed the communication between him and his father. In my life as I’ve grown I’ve noticed a difference between the communication of my father and I. Before we would talk about dolls and makeup and now we communicate by being rough. We have competitions about the smallest things like what’s that color to who will win the wrestling match or soccer game. At first to me all that was boring and bland, but as he started to get older he distanced himself from me. What stopped us from being able to communicate was the fact that we both had different views in life. I was focused on school and focused on achieving my goal to graduate and his focus was on his work and sports. We would spend limited time together that we had so much to talk about yet we would stay quiet for hours. He slowly became more involved in my school and studies and I would get pointers from him on how to play the sport correctly. Now during weekends we go to baseball games, basketball games, or to the library. Our bond has grown to be a strong relationship. The love between families is always there, it’s just that people choose to show their affection in many different ways. Manning and Vowell explain how they struggled to communicate with their father’s but overall they ended up figuring out that they are similar in many way to their father’s. The form that Manning was able to communicate or interact with his father was through a physical tough relation and the Vowell was through nature as she took photos and as he killed it. Learning to communicate can be the key to life; it’s just the matter of finding happiness between the people.

Where There’s a Will There’s a Way

Alex Stough Prof. Minner English 1301 9 November 2012 Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way Many people who are physically challenged have accomplished a lot during their lifetime, proving that they are not â€Å"handicapped†. Bob Sampson and Steven hawking have created successful careers while being confined to a wheelchair. Sampson, despite having muscular dystrophy, has worked for United Airlines for more than thirty years, and has also earned a degree in law.Steven Hawking, most famous for his book A Brief History of Time, used a voice synthesizer to dictate his books and conduct public lectures because he was unable to speak. He was also a teacher of mathematics at Cambridge University. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ann Adams, and Itzhak Perlman all refused to let polio destroy their lives. Roosevelt and Adams were diagnosed with polio when they were adults; Itzhak, however, was diagnosed when he was just a mere child.President Roosevelt led the United States during two of the worst periods of its history; the great Depression and World War II. Reassured by his bombastic voice, Roosevelt inspired hope and determination in the American public. Ann Adams, who was talented in art before polio paralyzed her, retrained herself to draw with a pencil grasped in her teeth; she now produces sketches of children and pets that are turned into greeting cards.Itzhak Perlman was unable to play sports when he was a child; instead he studied the violin which inevitably made him into one of the greatest violinist of today. Like Perlman, many physically challenged individuals turn to the arts; perhaps the reason is because the joy of artistic achievements compensates for other pleasures that they cannot experience. Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Jose Feliciano, and Ronnie Milsap all express their music through their souls. For instances, a lot of Ray Charles’ songs are emotionally driven and have a lot of meaning behind them.Although they are unable to see p hysically, their music reveals truly how well they see. Although hearing impairment struck Ludwig van Beethoven and Marlee Matlin, it did not stop them from developing their talents as Artists. Already a successful composer, Beethoven’s most powerful pieces were written after he had become deaf. Similarly, Matlin has had excellent acting roles in movies, plays, and television programs; indeed she won an Oscar for the film Children of a Lesser God.She encourages others to develop their ability, and because of this many hearing-impaired actors have been inspired by her. Handicapped is a word used far too often to describe those who are physically challenged. As history has proven, many famous individuals have made great achievements in spite of their disabilities. People who are physically challenged should not automatically be labeled as â€Å"handicapped†. We as humans have the mental capability to overcome and adapt the challenges that we may face, even if that means making lifestyle changes.

Paper Critique of ADA and Affirmative Action Essay

Paper Critique of ADA and Affirmative Action - Essay Example e physical accessibility to people with disabilities in buildings and also ensures the removal of obstacles that deny individuals with disabilities equal employment opportunities. The main parts of the act are divided into five sections, with the first section insuring against discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities with regards to employment (Accessiblesociety, 2012). The second title prohibits discrimination against the disabled at all public levels, including the state, municipal and school district level. The third part is targeted at public accommodation, where individuals may not be discriminated from enjoying facilities at any public place of accommodation due to their disability. In the fourth part, ADA ensures that people with disabilities enjoy equivalent services with non-disabled people, while the last title includes miscellaneous provisions. Ever since the introduction of the act in 1990, there has been a lot of success in reducing discrimination against the disabled. One of the first advantages of the act is that the accessibility of people with disabilities has significantly improved (Accessiblesociety, 2012). For example, people with disabilities can mount legal objections to practices which they feel are discriminatory. This has helped in increasing job opportunities for people with disabilities. The act has also help medically incompetent but qualified individuals who used to be discriminated based on their medical conditions. According to ADA, an employee is not mandated to ask for medical certificates before hiring. Despite the successes that ADA has had in the past decade or so, the main disadvantage of the act is the apparent contradiction with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) ( Skoning and Condon, 1994). According to ADA, an employee cannot move an employee from a workplace that is deemed dangerous, since this would seem discriminatory. However, OSHA dictates that dangerous workplaces are illegal.

Ethnographic research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethnographic - Research Paper Example According to oral history passed on over generations, the Maasai culture is said to have begun in the 15th century (Strang 2010). The Maasai people have interacted with the Cushites who have been their neighbors hence adopting most of their lifestyles. The interaction led to assimilation of some of the Cushitic groups in East Africa leading to the Maasai’s extension of their boundaries further south to Tanzania. Their culture has been a source of tourist attraction in both countries. It has also attracted scholars and anthropologists who have studied the culture deeply to come up with its social and cultural roots and understand its activities. Their strong cultural bonds have helped in the endurance of the Maasai culture in the dynamic world due to impacts from Western cultures. The Maasai has the age-set as the central unit of their society. It consists of small boys and girls who have undergone the set rituals to become adults. The boys in the same age-set start taking care of their cattle at tender ages making most of them skip school. To encourage them and ensure survival in different situations, they are frequently beaten to help them gain courage that is useful while herding cattle in the wild. The girls are allocated duties such as milking and cooking (Strang 2010). They learn most of their roles from their parents as soon as they stop breastfeeding. As for the boys, they are initiated into morans (Warriors) from the ages of 12-25 years. Circumcision is a rite of passage that involves both genders. Boys have to undergo painful circumcision procedures that ensure they become strong men in the future. Society elders who use locally available tools; hence, lack anesthetics in the procedure perform the ritual. The boys are believed to undergo the pain in silence and fight it on their own. Failure of endurance leads the marking of the individual making him known to the community of being a coward. During the circumcision