Mississippi Department of corrections Fails Essay

Mississippi Department of corrections Fails to provide proper care and fulfill their constitutional obligations to prisoners in privately owned prison. MDOC considers themselves above the law, and fails to hold up their responsibilities under constitutional laws. They do what they want when they want without concern to anyone. They do not provide adequate and safe meals, nor do they provide proper health care, and in general do not abide by the Mississippi state laws they have committed to punishing others for. They give contracts to privately owned companies from other states, whom honestly could care less about the inmates or the people of Mississippi and are only taking the contracts for the purpose of money gain. MDOC hit with lawsuit over† Inhumane conditions† at prison!!! Chris Davis on May 30th, 2013 filed a lawsuit in Jackson, Ms. Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern poverty Law alleges the Mississippi Department of Corrections has forgotten it’s constitutional obligations to its prisoners at the East Mississippi Correctional facility, a privately run prison under state supervision in Lauderdale County. The suit seeks â€Å"injunctive relief† meaning Mississippi must improve conditions to the satisfaction of the plaintiffs to settle the suit â€Å" East Mississippi Correctional Facility is a destination for individuals who suffer from mental illness†, says Owens. Unfortunately, while they are supposed to get treatment, they get nothing of the like. The conduct that happens there is a shock to the conscience of a civilized society. The most vulnerable continue to be exploited, abused and in some cases tortured. There are also situations where inmates are not provided with proper care or living conditions. (Judy Owens Audio)† some of the conditions are inmates who ask for treatment have been responded to with fire extinguishers and/ or faced with pepper spray, just for asking for help. News Mississippi immediately reached out to the Ms. Dept. of Corrections for their reaction and their comment was; â€Å"we have not been served, we will respond in court,† sa id spokesperson Tara Booth. Owens said the SPLC tried to meet with MDOC but was turned down. Owens also says he knows about budget problems within the department but he believes that does not relieve them of their constitutional obligations to prisoners. â€Å"This is a case about decency and treating people with respect,† said ACLU Att. Gabe Eber. † When you take a group of seriously mentally ill people and house them in filthy conditions, deny them basic medical and mental health care, you beat them and let them suffer abuse†¦. that’s a predictable recipe for disaster, But it’s got a fix!!! www. newsms. m/corrections-hit-with-lawsuit-over-inhumane-conditions-at-prison- We need a plan to fix the prisons and a commitment to follow through with that plan. I personally believe one solution to fix this problem is that Mississippi should manage their own prisons and stop hiring the job out to private out of state management contractors, that could care less about the people in our state . This would also save our state a lot of money to go toward much better things like homeless shelters for our homeless people or to feed our hungry people. What do you think? Shouldn’t Mississippi take care of their own?

Italian Unification between 1815-1848 Essay

To what extent is it true to say that there was absolutely no movement or prospect of Italian Unification between 1815-1848? Between the years 1818 and 1848 there were many revolutions in Italy starting in the year 1821. The statement above states ‘absolutely no movement or prospect,’ therefore I strongly disagree with this due to the fact that there must have been some movement to achieve what Italy were finally able to. The following essay will give different points on the statement. In my opinion, I do not agree with the statement, one main reason being there were enough people in Italy that wanted it to be unified and that fought for what they believed in. For example the secret societies. During the times Italy was under the ruling of Metternich, many secret societies were formed, with passwords, mutual protection and sometimes even semi-religious rituals. The Carbonari, the most well known society and so consequently the most important. There were approximately 60,000 members involved, and it was particularly active in South Italy, especially in Naples. There aims were relatively mild, in Piedmont and Naples for example they hoped to establish a constitutional monarchy. It is already possible to see that there was some movement in Italy from secret societies that were hoping for Italian Unification. Another reason I disagree with the statement is due to Italy being under the ruling of Metternich. Although it was difficult living under the Austrians, and they were clearly putting an obstacle in the way of unification, I believe that it was actually a large contribution to the happening of unification. For example, due to Metternich trying to belittle the country by separating it into small constituencies, it made the Italian public want to fight back, and therefore as a consequence start revolutions. Three major revolutions occurred in Italy in the years, 1820-21, 1831-32, 1848-49. I believe this proves that things were being done to help unification rather than there being ‘absolutely no movement’. Additionally there is Giuseppe Mazzini, who is said to be a key figure in the history of Italian Unification. Mazzini was born in 1805, he had one overriding aim being ‘the brotherhood of people’. He believed in the equality of human beings and of races. In 1831, Mazzini founded ‘Young Italy’, this being Italy’s first real political party. Mazzini described the party as, ‘a brotherhood of Italians who believe in a law of†¦freemen and equals.’ Those in the party had to swear to commit themselves to make Italy ‘one free, independent, republican nation.’ Mazzini’s ideas were incredibly radical for that period of time, for example, his ideal was that the people should rise up agains their oppressors, there should be unification ‘from below.’ Eventually there was unification however it came more from above. Yet Mazzini proves once again that there was movement and prospect towards Italian unification, Young Italy being another example. Although Mazzini may not have been successful at that precise moment, we can now see that unification was actually reached. Linking to my previous point, it has been proven that Mazzini was not only famous for his radical beliefs but also for converting people to the cause. This point firstly proves that some movement was being made in the form of attracting people to the challenge that was Italian unification, but furthermore, proves further movement in the fact that there must have been an incredible number of supporters that were in favour of unification, and therefore plans must have been made to try and succeed. Finally, by seeing that Italian Unification was attained eventually, we can ultimately say that there must have been enough movement and enough prospect for the aim to be successful. For these reasons, i disagree with the statement ‘To what extent is it true to say that there was absolutely no movement or prospect of Italian Unification between 1815-1848?’ On the other hand, there are many events from this period of time that may agree with the statement previously specified. For example, after the French revolution, Metternich reinstated the previous monarchs of each constituency. Most of the monarchs were reactionary and therefore there was a large obstacle blocking the path to unification. Being such a large predicament, one can assume that there was ‘absolutely no movement.’ In addition, the lack of progress that went into uniting the country through language may have been seen as lacking and therefore lead ones opinions to believe once again no progress was being made. Furthermore, even with the countless revolutions that were attempted not one succeeded permanently. So, although this particular example goes against there being absolutely no movement, due to the fact there was clearly movement in the form of revolutions, it does agree however with there being no prospect of unification, seeing as every individual revolution from each specific country failed inevitably. This was in consequence of the Austrians suppressing the revolutions and then re inviting the previous leaders to come and transform the constituence to the way it had previously been. Following this, it is now possible to appreciate the separation between the North and South of Italy. The Northern half containing the wealthier half of the population, whilst the Southern half being populated with the poorer families. Due to this large partition, it is hard to see any prospect in Italian Unification and therefore one can easily agree with the statement above. In relation to the previous point is the division of the Apennine Mountains. In those times, the Apennine Mountains were practically the back bone of Italy, until it was partitioned into North-East and South-West by Metternich. It is understood that without a back bone, a body would be unable to stand, hence the fact that without the Apennine Mountains it would be incredibly challenging for the population of Italy to achieve the prospect of unification. Overall, one can see that there are many justifications for both sides of this argument. Although from this essay it seems the statement is in fact true, I strongly disagree. Understanding that there may be proof to support the statement, at the end of the day Italian Unification was achieved, and therefore it is impossible to say that there was ‘absolutely no movement’ because the aim was fulfilled and therefore some movement must have taken place. In conclusion, I disagree with the statement ‘to what extent is it true to say that there was absolutely no movement or prospect of Italian Unification between 1815-1848’ because this declaration clearly states that there was ‘absolutely no movement’ towards Italian Unification between those years, yet unification was completed, thus whether there was a lot of movement, or in some case a little, there was undoubtedly more than none, and for this reason I forcefully disagree with the statement.

Marking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marking - Essay Example That is  it’s an activity aimed at making the commodity available to the consumer and on the other hand, making a profit for the specified organization. It involves coming up with a product design that will be desirable to the consumer, promotion of the product to make it well known to the people and finally, coming up with a price to let the potential clients know about the product (Bellis, 2013). How Syco conforms to the definition in that:- It has established a good relationship with the film and music market making it an award winning company. By advertising in their television and internet, it makes new products known. And setting music and movie prices SWOT analysis (COGHILL, 2003) Strength It has a great team of marketers. Good appeal to the mass due to their expertise. X Factor won an Award hence became popular. It holds copyright for several films. It has international facilities that are of great quality. Weakness Limited to Europe and U.K market. Creativity in the music and film has gone down. Opportunity New media and digitalization. Increase in broadcasting. Rise in the regional media. Threats Cycle time for common movies and song has been declining. The costs of rights to own movies and songs have been rising. PEST analysis (COGHILL, 2003) Political Heavy taxation by the government in music and film industries. Change of government may also change the laws appertaining to music and film industry like copyrights. The government may also restrict a particular group/age of people who may be talented. Government can also promote music industry by providing relevant infrastructure. Economic The level of government spending increases reducing the amount of disposable income. Inflation has reduced the value of money Provision of job opportunities has been a challenge. Low level of disposable income for individual. Fall in exchange rates among different countries Social Some culture restricts certain type of music and movies due to pornographic c ontent. Some movies are restricted to a certain age of people especially those who are adult. Technology More inventions have come up in the field of music and films. Infrastructure development due to innovation and inventions hence new equipment. SMART Objectives (Using SMART Objectives, 2012) By the end of 2014, the firm should make a 14% profit. It should be able explore new market in Middle East and Africa by the end of 2014 (Word count 500) Assignment 2 Market research Market The Syco Company has an established market for film, music and television. This is as a result of operating as a joint venture with several companies hence increasing their market share. It has set up a joint venture with Nigel Hall. This branch aims at looking for market niche in television production. In order to gain a wide coverage the manager is aiming at getting some of the qualified staff from London. Competition Competition in music television and film industry is actually on the rise. Several comp anies have emerged with increased film productivity. More regional televisions have also come up to target a specific group of people like the youth. Companies like Sony, Harry hills, Nigel Hall, Pudsey Collars. These companies have come up with unique talent that poses a stiff competition to Syco. Furthermore, they have also come up with more advanced entertainment closet. In response to this stiff

OPM 300 MOD 2 CA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

OPM 300 MOD 2 CA - Essay Example In case the baby is not en route or imminent then the mother can directly be sent to the Labor and Delivery Triage. The registration needs to be left to the attendant/family. This will reduce the overall movement for the mother and reduce rush and confusions. Changes in Chart: In the case that the mother requires to undergo a Caesarean-section birth then the process and flow will remain the same until Step 2, i.e. â€Å"If the baby is born en route or if birth is imminent, the mother and baby are taken by elevator and registered and admitted directly at bedside. They are then taken to a Labor & Delivery Triage room on the 8th floor for an exam†. Once the mother is taken to the Labor & Delivery Triage Room, here a new decision of whether a Caesarean-section birth is required or not will need to be taken. In case a Caesarean-section birth is required, then the mother will need to be checked if ready for delivery or not, i.e. Stage 4. From here if the mother is ready for delivery, then she will be shifted to the operation room for the delivery until the baby is born. The process after this stage, i.e. to check for any complications for either baby or mother will follow. In the case that all mothers were either electronically of manually pre registered, there will be minimal changes in the flowchart. Here one stage of registration will be eliminated. Please see flowchart below. First the mother can be directly taken to the individual room (or as booked by the patient). Once ready for delivery, the mother can be taken to the labor and delivery room or the operation room (in case of the C Section operation). Once the baby is born, the mother can be kept in the recovery room (in case of the C Section) or taken back to their personal room/ward, or the ICU in case of any complications. The child can be taken to the nursery or the Neonatal ICU in case of any complications. Once the mother and child are both

The future of Private and Public pension provision in the next five Essay

The future of Private and Public pension provision in the next five years in Mauritius - Essay Example Pension system is Mauritius was established in the early 1950s, non-contributory pensions are now received by the majority of the residents aged over 60 (Willmore, 2003, Vittas, 2003). Since 1974 pension coverage in the country has been universal, i.e. there is a fixed division into four age groups (60-74 years old; 75-85; 86-99 and 100+, due to overall longevity in the state). The average basic universal pension is about 57 USD (Bailey, 2004, Gopee, 2006). In Mauritius, non-occupational pension consists of several components, such as Basic Retirement Pension, the National Pensions Fund and the Civil Service Pension Scheme and is regulated by strong legal basis (Philip, 1995). Non-occupational pension schemes include basic retirement pension, financed from general taxes, and its current ratio constitutes 3 per cent of annual GDP, but an estimated ratio for 2020 is 6 per cent (GAD, 2001a), due to the ageing trends in population structure. National Pensions Fund is also a part of non-occupational pension provision, as the NPF is an obligatory model which takes into account all private sector organizations employees, excepting those who gain very low wages and some workers involved into sugar industry. Compulsory contributions constituting about 3-9 per cent of overall earnings result in the accumulation of points on the basis of the declared cost of a point for the certain period (Willmore, 2003). National Savings Fund is a third compone nt of non-occupational pension provision and requires of participants certain contributions (2-3 per cent of income) on the mandatory basis (Mauritius Modernizing and Advanced Pension System, 2004). The NSF funds are normally invested into government security, thus the resources themselves are not accumulated, but spent immediately after the employee’s contribution. The other universal social aids and assistances under the NPS’s responsibility include: 1)

Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Report - Assignment Example Your Supplementary Text helps you or go online. You will use these journal articles to write your structured report. So please keep copies of these articles. Cash, H., Rae, C., Steel, A. and Winkler, A., (2012). Internet Addiction: A Brief Summary of Research and Practice, US National Library of Medicine   National Institutes of Health, Curr Psychiatry Rev. Nov; 8(4): 292–298. King, D., Delfabbro, P., Griffiths, M. and Gradisar, M. (2012). Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches to OutpatientTreatmentof Internet Addiction inChildrenand Adolescents, Journal of Clinical Psychology: In session, Vol. 68(11), 1185–1195 Extend your search by including five other sources of information relating to your topic below. They can be conference papers, newspaper articles, magazines, etc. Enter them in APA 6th edition style correctly here. Internet addiction should be recognised as a clinical disorder, psychiatrist claims, (n.d.). Mailonline, Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-542768/Internet-addiction-recognised-clinical-disorder-psychiatrist-claims.html TIP: The title of your report must be narrow/focussed. You might want to review this title after you have finished the entire report. The title should give the reader a good idea of what to expect in the report. While Internet obtained an indescribable power of impact toward the way people got connected, such technological advance have also altered the relationship between them, creating basis for the scholars to dive into the potential of Internet addiction and its effect on people’s behavioural changes. Researchers ultimately agree that the new digital era has created its impact on the development of the human mind. Despite such useful features as availability to obtain incredible information and opportunity to be more socially connected, possibilities for self-education, freedom from shyness and huge economic betterment, psychiatrists have noticed that excessive use of Internet can lead to

How does the Film 'North by Northwest' Convey Espionage from the Essay

How does the Film 'North by Northwest' Convey Espionage from the 1950's - Essay Example The two powers never had direct military action, but the period contained sets of high tension crises and race for supremacy. The Cold War era affected the culture of the US. Soldiers who served in the World War II returned home and started new lives and families. They started new businesses and the trade expanded along with job opportunities. The 1950s witnessed major events that was a huge leap and changed our culture and lifestyle. President Harry Truman approved production of the Hydrogen Bomb. 1951 saw the introduction of television and in 1958 the US launched its first satellite Explorer I. National Airlines started domestic passenger flights in 1958. These are major developments in a decade and have affected our culture and society. These were baby steps and foundation of events that led US to supremacy in culture, economy and military as well. The atomic explosions in the 1950s demonstrated power of the US and the Soviet Union and the events were the cause of escalation of th e Cold War. The decade included the Korean War and the beginning of the space race. Along with these developments intelligence gathering accelerated and espionage activities increased. The decade was very active and it had profound effects on the culture as well. The culture of the time is fairly represented by the films. The paper, however, is aimed at studying the culture of the decade along with examination of Alfred Hitchcock’s film North by Northwest in context with the espionage activities at the time. Before examining the film in detail, it is necessary to give a brief plot along with introduction to characters. Alfred Hitchcock Alfred Hitchcock was an English born film director. His films usually centered on murder or espionage, with deception and chase sequences. Mistaken identity was common in his films. An innocent man wrongly accused of crime or espionage was a theme in many of his films. His greatest strength was his expertise in building and maintaining suspense . He used very elaborate with editing techniques and used camera viewpoints for his visual effects. The soundtracks were carefully chosen and edited.1 His thrillers maintained reality and believability which was different than other spy films of the time. Alfred Hitchcock was the main spy film director who made this genre popular in the 1930s. The Cold War era increased desire of audiences to see spy thrillers and the 1950s saw a major growth in this genre. Alfred Hitchcock made many of the spy films in the decade and depicted the espionage activities along with culture. Government operations along with operational style and activities of intelligence agencies were shown in the films. Spies and their work were mostly fiction but the films gave audiences an insight into the profession. Furthermore, the Cold War saw an increase in real world espionage activities and the intelligence agencies were very active at the time. The films, especially by Alfred Hitchcock came close to depictin g real world scenarios in espionage and were liked by audience for being suspense spy thrillers. North by Northwest â€Å"North by Northwest† was a Cold War spy story released in the year 1959 by Alfred Hitchcock. The cast included Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The film’s theme is of mistaken identity with an innocent man chased by an unknown organization. The main theme of this motion picture is espionage activity and shows some insight into government intelligence agen

Implementation of Intelligence Led Policing in U.S Police Departments Dissertation

Implementation of Intelligence Led Policing in U.S Police Departments - Dissertation Example This paper stresses that various factors after the Cold War caused by rapid changes in international level, in a way, helped for the growth of serious and organized crime. These organized crimes have a greater impact on the police force that either the police departments were isolated from their colleagues or they were subjected to organizational restructuring. These movements in the police force gradually lead them to seek out new models of policing that would provide them a conceptual framework on which to orientate themselves. This report makes a conclusion that one can infer that Intelligence-Led Policing has assumed greater significance in the modern era where the rates of serious and organized crimes are increasing. As it is following modern technological developments, it has been well accepted in the modern society for preventing organized crimes. When adopting ILP, it should be noted that whole criminal justice system benefits in various ways. But the Information Security system of ILP also should be taken for granted when regarding the implementation of ILP. It should make sure that they have been well coordinated and executed. Hence, it leads to the conclusion that in Intelligence Led Policing there is a correlation between the surge of intelligence information gathered and the use of this information to solve crimes in the past five years. As police departments implement new programs and policies considerable variations have developed in the interpretation of ILP. ... intelligence are pivotal to an objective, decision-making framework that facilitates crime and problem reduction, disruption and prevention through both strategic management and effective enforcement strategies that target prolific and serious offenders† (Gottschalk, 2009, p. 286). As the quotation makes it clear, effective Intelligence Led Policing presupposes the implementation of an intelligent strategy that can withstand criminal intelligence and strategies. The Intelligence-led Policing (ILP) model policing resorts to a cost-effective crime reduction strategy that can be employed not only in the case of organized and serious crimes but also for high volume crimes such as burglary and vehicle theft. In this respect, Ratcliffe argues that such issues as â€Å"the use of computers to collate, analyse and disseminate intelligence, the relationship between the police and criminal informers, and the perceived effectiveness and evaluation of intelligence-driven strategies† need to be addressed when dealing with Intelligence-led policing (Ratcliffe, 2002, p. 55). The rapid developments in the field of Information technology have not only facilitated the managing of information and intelligence but also has accelerated effective intelligence computer system, a necessary prerequisite to effective intelligence-led policing. The growing public and private need for information have enhanced the responsibilities and roles of intelligence-led policing in the 21st century. However, studies have shown that most of the information collected through policing is used by various agencies for risk management needs rather than crime prevention.

Organisational Development Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organisational Development Plan - Coursework Example The paragraphs below will be looking at how the organizational structure and its development are fitted within the overall organizational development agenda of the force as it performs its security functions. As stated in the foregoing paragraph of this essay, one of the responsibilities of the Port Authority is to secure the nation’s leading airports, consequently the main ports under the security watch of the Port Authority are the John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and the LaGuardia Airport. Judging by the sensitivity of these entry points to national security the role of the Port Authority Police Department is very important. They carry out duties spanning from checking security details of all human and vehicular movements in and around the airport, in addition to offering special security detachment service to diplomats and other high profiled personalities traveling through the airport. Operating from Jersey City in New Jersey, the headquarters of the Port Authority Police Department’s headquarters has a complex network of personnel and equipment that are constantly working around the clock to collate crime related information, analyze the information and proceed to transmit the information to the relevant task force for onward action to be taking to this effect. The New York and New Jersey Intelligence and Crime Information Systems and the National Crime Information Centre headquartered in Washington DC are working in close partnership to make the campaign against crime a living reality. In many ways this essay is intended to present a lucid procedure for carrying out a comprehensive analysis scheme that will adequately fit the within the boarders of the changing dynamics of organizational development in contemporary justice and public safety institutions. It addresses the pivotal place to embrace the process of transformation,

Discuss the major problem involoved in the develpoment of anticancer Essay

Discuss the major problem involoved in the develpoment of anticancer agents today include in ur answer some discussion what step might be taken to get around so - Essay Example Surgical treatment involves surgical excision of a tumor or an entire organ but the propensity of cancer cells to microscopically metastases makes it effective only in localized small cancers such as breast and prostate tumors. Radiation therapy can come in the form of radiotherapy, X-ray therapy and irradiation and uses ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy involves the treatment of cancer with cytotoxic drugs that can have many effects specifically geared towards the elimination of cancer cells. One of the effects of the drugs is to interfere with cell division by hindering the duplication of DNA and the separation of chromosomes. The anticancer drugs travel through the bloodstream making it useful for cancers that have spread. Monoclonal antibody therapy involves the administration of antibodies that bind to a protein on the surface of the cancer cells. Cancer treatment depends on factors such as location, degree of severity, grade of tumor and the general state of the patient. In essence, the goal of cancer treatment is to remove or destroy the malignant cells without excessive damage to the body. This is easier said than done. Indeed, the treatments mentioned are far from being the panacea for cancer as they are severely limited not only by financial challenges but also of scientific obstacles that makes it very hard for scientists to make a breakthrough in the field of cancer research. The aim of this paper is to determine the challenges facing the development of a cure of cancer. While a discussion on financial constraints would be provided, I will be focusing more on the theoretical and scientific aspects that inhibit the development of cancer cure. Possible solutions for overcoming developing cancer cure that are based on studies will then be discussed and explored to determine the principles of how it would work. 2.0 The Current State of Cancer Research 2.1 Development Processes in Clinical Studies Developing a new drug is an expensive, time-consuming process that usually takes ten years to push through. Development and determination of effectiveness of possible cancer treatment usually comes in the form clinical trials. Clinicaltrials areresearch studies wherein the treatment is applied to human patients to determine if it is effective. Regulating bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversee medical and ethical panels that review the research methods and ethics of the clinical trial to be undertaken and monitor the trial phases. The standard phases are the following (Coleman, 1998): Synthesis and Purification (1st and 2nd year) - researchers identify a substance that may be useful as a drug. Animal Testing (1st and 2nd year) - the substance is tested on animals to obtain preliminary information on whether the drug is safe and how it is metabolized in the body. Phase 1 Clinical trials (3rd year) - patients who have advanced cancer and are not helped by any other known treatments are recruited for the trial. They would be subjected to an analysis for the best dosage and delivery method of a new drug treatment. Phase 2 Clinical trials (4th and 5th year) - the drug is tested with groups of patients each having a different type of cancer. This is done to determine what types of cancer can the

Ethnic Challenge Essay Example for Free

Ethnic Challenge Essay The article, â€Å"Ethnic Challenge† by Hollie Shaw discussed about marketing to ethnic groups in Canada. Shaw stated that understanding ethnic groups’ culture, beliefs, and realities is the key to successfully penetrate into their market. Companies, however, need to deliver their promises to these groups to boost sales and guarantee loyalty. Even though Canada adheres to multiculturalism, Shaw further noted that marketing to ethnic groups was never the case, as ads had only featured immigrants but had not directly targeted their market before. Today, however, companies like Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. , Hudson Bay Co. , and Wal-Mart Canada Corp. , uses cultural marketing. Moreover, Shaw pointed out the case of Sunsilk, a famous shampoo brand in South Asia, which reworked its proposed ad after research found that its ad featuring a gay male hairdresser and his female client and confidante will not be effective, as South Asian women do not have this kind of relationship with their hairdressers. In conclusion, Shaw stated that ethnic marketing will become more important in the coming years as more and more immigrants are finding home in Canada. Shaw’s â€Å"Ethnic Challenge† is related to the course material in that the latter justifies the contentions discussed in the former. Shaw began the article by saying that before, big companies lacked the efforts in â€Å"marketing to Canadian immigrants† (par. 1). The course material mentioned a world systems theory, which contends that there exists a â€Å"dominant core and a subordinate periphery in the contemporary world,† so people have the natural tendency to give more importance and attention to power and authority (p. 271). Consequently, based on the theory, big companies would give marketing priority to the dominant core that holds power and authority. In addition, the ethnic groups were previously excluded in marketing and advertising since the dominant culture perceived them as different â€Å"individuals and groups who do not conform to† societal expectations (p. 272). However, Shaw pointed out that marketing, which excludes immigrants and ethnic groups has been changing, as more businesses try to target them through their ads (pars. 2-3). This new focus of marketing can be credited to the rise of new philosophical approaches on humanism that questioned power and inequality. Furthermore, as human geographers increasingly become more aware of the diversity of people and places, cultures are not just viewed as a way of life but as a process that allows involvement from people who would construct their own landscapes (p. 270). Thus, the critical knowledge that theories have laid down affect how Canadian lifestyle and living has been, including marketing and advertising. In addition, the article, which discussed the shift of focus in marketing target and the course material, which mentioned the rise of critical definition of culture are very clear manifestations that Canada respects all ethnicities, as marketing now targets previously-ignored immigrants (par. 5) and as Canadian policies continue to actively encourage multiculturalism, respectively (p. 270). After reading through the course material and the article, I have come to realize the question we should ask ourselves as native Canadians: Do we want immigrants to be assimilated or acculturated into the Canadian society? Shaw’s article answered this by clearly discussing marketing and advertising that cater to ethnic cultures, tastes, beliefs, and realities – an acculturation which allows ethnic groups to become part of the larger Canadian society, but still retaining their distinctive identity. Personally, I do not want them to be completely assimilated to our society as they have native and original cultures that they naturally live by. Thus, ads should truthfully reflect and represent their realities if companies want to be successful in their businesses. Moreover, since there is no group or culture that stands above the others, if ads need to have different versions, in different languages, let them be. In this way, every group, ethnic or not, will feel that they are given attention and they have a place in the society. Paul Dalby’s â€Å"Truly an Epidemic: The Diabetes Epidemic,† revealed that diabetes, which was once considered a disease of the middle age, is becoming an â€Å"epidemic† in Ontario as Canadians, regardless of age groups, has been found to carry the disease. The article started with the case of Michael Jacoby, once an all-star athlete but now struggling with type 2 diabetes, â€Å"in which the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin or the body does not properly use the insulin it makes. † Ninety percent of diabetics have this type of diabetes (par. 4). Dalby further revealed that there are 2. 25 million diabetics in Canada, one-third of which lives in Ontario – a 69 percent jump of the prevalence of the disease (pars. 7-8). Moreover, what is more alarming is that â€Å"children as young as 10 years old† have been found to have diabetes (par. 0). Thus, according to Dr. Diane Finegood, â€Å"a massive campaign to change bad habits† (par 22), which means a change from â€Å"supersized food† and â€Å"sedentary lifestyles† (par. 14) to proper eating and enough exercise (par. 23) is required. The course material is related to Dalby’s article in that the former can explain the details discussed in the latter. For instance, Dalby named diabetes an â€Å"epidemic,† which the course material defined as a temporary but widespread outbreak of a disease. Furthermore, the current statistics, which stated that one-third of the 2. 5 million diabetics come from Ontario, can be explained by the fact that the province, which is home to big cities, lives a very fast-paced life and holds more food choices. Thus, there is a greater opportunity to eat unhealthy foods. Moreover, Ontario, being an industrialized area, people tend to work longer hours and thus become less active to engage in exercise. However, according to the course material, the poor are less likely to be unhealthy. In Ontario, this does not seem to be the case, as those who acquire diabetes are â€Å"poor† in lifestyle choices – presence of a different culture and lack of exercise. Nevertheless, in other countries, the poor being unhealthy is justified because they are underfed. But in the case of Canada, most people are underfed of healthy foods. Furthermore, Dalby mentioned that a change in lifestyle of bad habits is needed to stop the rise of people suffering from diabetes and get Canadians to be healthy. The course material defined â€Å"being healthy† as living a healthy lifestyle; watching good eating habits, good physical and mental health, and strong immune system; not smoking or drinking; and regularly seeing a doctor for checkups. Moreover, Dalby’s revelation of diabetes being an epidemic is a cause of alarm for everyone because as the course material discussed, there is an interconnection between population, health, and environment, a study known as medical geography. With the unstoppable increase in Canada’s population, it cannot help but worry about the cause and spread of diabetes, the huge cost of healthcare systems to fight the epidemic, and the effects of a changing environment on the health of Canadians. The data that the course material provided enabled me to be worried about my own health, as well as the health of my fellow Canadians, particularly the children. Most of us are lured by fast food and unhealthy foodstuffs because of their unique and delicious tastes and availability; most also do not even do exercise due to lack of time and unwillingness. However, living in a fast-paced world is no excuse for us to disregard our health. If more, we should be primarily concerned because our population is not growing any smaller and our healthcare facilities are not getting any cheaper. Furthermore, we have to watch carefully our lifestyles against unhealthy food and habits because with the population boom, we do not know how our world can adequately provide for our basic needs for us to live happy, healthy, and satisfying lives. In addition, the innocent little ones, so fond of sweets and junk foods should be strictly guided and monitored to eat only healthy foods because without them, how can our nation function well in the future?

Reading Skills Essay Example for Free

Reading Skills Essay Introduction Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning (reading comprehension). It is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Like all language, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader which is shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and language community which is culturally and socially situated. The reading process requires continuous practice, development, and refinement. Readers use a variety of reading strategies to assist with decoding (to translate symbols into sounds or visual representations of speech) and comprehension. Readers integrate the words they have read into their existing framework of knowledge or schema. Reading is a process very much determined by what the reader’s brain and emotions and beliefs bring to the reading; the knowledge/information (or misinformation) strategies for processing text, moods, fears and joys—all of it. The strategies one uses  vary according to one’s purpose, including whether one is reading for oneself only (still the purposes vary) or for somebody else, such as reading to answer comprehension questions, reading to perform for listeners (including the teacher and classmates), and much more. Of course these social factors may generate confidence, fear, anger, defiance, and/or other emotions—it just depends. In sum, reading is both a psycholinguistic process (involving the mind actively processing the text) and a sociolinguistic one (with multiple social factors that can affect how one reads, how much one gleans from the reading, and more). Even word identification itself can be affected by these factors, because reading is as much or more a brain-to-text process as a text-to-brain process. For strong readers, the reading process may take only milliseconds. For beginning readers the process may be slower, yet rewarding, and over time will become automatic. For readers who are challenged, this process can be tiresome and frustrating. 2 Importance of Reading Process It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. People would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, people have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. It is advisable to indulge in at least half an hour of reading a day to keep abreast of the various styles of writing and new vocabulary. It is observed that children and teenagers who love reading have comparatively higher IQs. They are more creative and do better in school and college. It is recommended that parents to inculcate the importance of reading to their children in the early years. Reading is said to significantly help in developing vocabulary, and reading aloud helps to build a strong emotional bond between parents and children. The children who start reading from an early age are observed to have good language skills, and they grasp the variances in phonics much better. Reading helps in mental development and is known to stimulate the muscles of the eyes. Reading is an activity that involves greater levels of concentration and adds to the conversational skills of the reader. It is an indulgence that enhances the knowledge acquired, consistently. The habit of reading also helps readers to decipher new words and phrases that they come across in everyday conversations. The habit can become a healthy addiction and adds to the information available on various topics. It helps us to stay in-touch with contemporary writers as well as those from the days of yore and makes us sensitive to global issues. Fluent reading: During the reading process, there is interplay between the readers preexisting knowledge and the written content. Fluent reading is an active process in which the reader calls on experience, language, and prior knowledge to anticipate and understand the authors written language. Thus, readers both bring meaning to print and take meaning from print. The nature of the reading process alters as person matures in reading. In the early stages of reading, word identification requires a readers concentration. Eventually, however, readers are able to use their reading ability (ability to interpret written language) for pleasure, appreciation, knowledge acquisition, and functional purposes. Thus, reading competence has many faces. Proficient, fluent readers locate materials and ideas that enable them to fulfill particular purposes, which may be to follow directions, to complete job applications, or to appreciate Shakespearean plays. In addition, fluent readers adjust their reading style as they move from narrative to expository content. 3 Three Stages of Reading: In order to achieve your goals regarding flexible and fluent reading, you must learn certain reading behaviors and then practice them until they become automatic. We call this practicing to the point of automaticity. In this way you will learn to increase your reading rate, maintain your focus and concentration, and enhance your comprehension. Reading process organizes itself most naturally into an examination of three phases: * Pre-reading. * Active reading . * Post-reading. * Pre-reading: It involves following functions: * Get the big picture overview skimming * Identify the main idea/thesis. * Read headings and sub-headings * Read captions accompanying pictures/graphics * Active Reading: * Think as one reads; read for ideas and concepts. * Visualize patterns. * Actively construct meaning. * Anticipate upcoming information. * Verify the main idea and identify significant details. * Consciously add to or modify schema integrating old and new knowledge. * Self-monitor; assess one’s understanding. * Evaluate comprehension. * Employ fix-up strategies as appropriate. * Post Reading: * Evaluate understanding/ comprehension * Evaluate one’s reading processing. * Did one choose an appropriate mode? * What changes do one needs to make in his/her reading? * What did one do well that he/she wants to repeat in future reading? 4 Types of Reading Following are the types of reading: * Scanning type of reading * Skimming type of reading * Light type of reading * Word by word type reading * Reading to study type of reading * Sub-vocalization †¢ Scanning Type of Reading: This type of reading involves running the eyes over quickly, to get the gist. For example, scanning a telephone book: * You are looking for it quickly. * You know what you are searching for (key words and names). * You see every item on the page, but you dont necessarily read the pages – you ignore anything you are not looking for. Thus, when you discover the key words being searched for, you will be unable to recall the exact content of the page †¢ Skimming Type of Reading: When you read quickly to gain a general impression as to whether the text is of use to you. You are not necessarily searching for a specific item and key words. Skimming provides an overview of the text. Skimming is useful to look at chapter/section headings, summaries and opening paragraphs. Looking over the text quickly to get a general idea of the content. Your eyes move quite fast, taking in titles of chapters, their beginnings and ends, and the first sentences of paragraphs. The purpose of skimming: * To check relevance of text. * Sets the scene for the more concentrated effort that is to follow, if the text is useful. †¢ Light Type of Reading: Reading for leisure tends to be light’. For example: * Read at a pace which feels comfortable. * Read with understand. * Skim the boring, irrelevant passages. 5 An average light reading speed is 100-200 words per minute. This form of reading does not generally require detailed concentration. This is reading fairly quickly without concentrating too hard or worrying about every single word. We often use it when reading an enjoyable novel. †¢ Word by word Type of Reading: This type of reading is time consuming and demands a high level of concentration. Some material is not readily understood and so requires a slow and careful analytical read. People use this type of reading for unfamiliar words and concepts, scientific formulae. It can take up to an hour just to read a few lines of text. †¢ Reading to Study Type of Reading: A method of reading for with the aim to understand the material in some depth. The method involves five simple steps; Survey, Question, Read, Recall and Review. Study reading involves thinking about what is being read so that it is understood and can be recalled. It needs to be worked at, with time for reflection, thought, analysis, criticism, comparison, notes made, points highlighted and emphasized, arguments followed and evaluated, the whole summarized. * Survey: skim through to gain an overview and not key points. * Question: devise questions you hope the text will answer. * Read: slowly and carefully. * Recall: from memory, write down the main points made by the chapter. * Review: revisit your questions compare these to your recall and establish how well the text has answered them; fill in any gaps by further reading and note-taking. †¢ Sub-vocalization: This is reading very slowly and methodically, either saying the words out loud or at least with a ‘voice’ in your head. It is painstaking but very slow. We tend to use it when trying out a recipe for the first time, or carrying out instructions as to how to assemble something we’ve bought. 6. Reading Skills Reading involves a combination of skills used simultaneously. Children begin with basic phonics but soon learn fluency and comprehension skills to make their reading experiences meaningful. The main goal of reading understands. If students can pronounce words but do not understand what they are reading, they are merely reciting word. Some of the important reading skills are: * Decoding * Fluency * Comprehension * Critical reading skills †¢ Decoding Skills: Decoding (also known as Word attack skills) is an early reading skill students learn in kindergarten and first grade. Decoding (sounding out) words are the foundation of reading instruction. Phonics is the method teachers use to instruct students. Letter-naming and recognition is taught along with initial sounds. Children must understand that each letter is represented by a corresponding sound before they can read text. Once children know sounds, they learn to blend them into words. This skill, phoneme segmentation, should be practiced daily along with alphabet and sound fluency until decoding becomes an automatic procedure. †¢ Fluency Skills: Fluency is the ability to read accurately and expressively while maintaining a rate of speed that facilitates comprehension. Students learn fluency in a variety of ways. Teachers model fluent reading in the classroom, and students listen to books on CD. Students receive direct instruction in fluency through guided practice using methods like choral and repeated readings. Teachers assess fluency with timed readings that give a score in words read per minute. Students who fall below the average score for their grade level receive additional, individual help. †¢ Comprehension Skills: Comprehension is the ability to understand what has been read. Comprehending involves strategies that students learn to use when reading independently. Teachers focus on several key comprehension skills. These are inferring, predicting, comparing and contrasting, sequencing and summarizing. Students usually learn how to use these strategies in a small group guided by the teacher who demonstrates their use. Students then practice comprehension techniques with a partner by discussing what they read, making connections with prior knowledge and identifying the main ideas in the story. 7 †¢ Critical Reading Skills: Critical reading skills are the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize what one reads. They are the ability to see relationships of ideas and use them as an aid in reading. As readers make sense of what they read, they use various relationships of ideas to aid recognition and fluency. Critical reading as a goal includes the ability to evaluate ideas socially or politically. 8 Reading Strategies Reading is not just pronouncing words—it requires understanding. Most experienced readers use a variety of strategies to understand texts. Reading strategies are used many times rapidly, in unison with one another. Therefore, most reading strategies are evident before, during, and after reading, although not necessarily with the same emphasis. Some of the reading strategies are: * Predicting * Connecting * Inferring * Synthesizing * Visualizing * Self-Questioning * Skimming * Scanning * Determining Importance * Summarizing/Paraphrasing * Re-reading * Reading On * Adjusting Reading Rate * Sounding Out * Chunking * Using Analogy * Consulting Reference The following descriptions of each strategy give some indication of when in the reading process they are generally employed. Different texts and different contexts require readers to use different reading strategies at different times. For example, â€Å"synthesizing† is used during and after reading while â€Å"scanning† is typically used before close reading. Here are the major reading strategies associated with the process of reading: * Predicting: Predicting helps readers to activate their prior knowledge about a topic, beginning the process of combining what they know with new material in the text. Predictions are not merely wild guesses, they are based on clues within the text such as pictures, illustrations, subtitles, and 9  plot. Clues for predictions will also come from readers’ prior knowledge about the author, text form, or content. Readers can be encouraged to make personal predictions before and during reading. During reading, effective readers adjust and refine their earlier predictions as new information is gathered and new connections are made. They tend to rehearse what they have learned and move on with some expectations of what comes next. * Connecting: Efficient readers comprehend text through making strong connections between their prior knowledge and the new information presented in text. The type of connections made by efficient readers can be categorized into: * Text-to-Self Connections: Involves readers thinking about their life and connecting their own personal experiences to the information in the text. * Text-to-Text Connections: Involves readers thinking about other texts written by the same author or with common themes, style, organization, structure, characters or content. * Text-to-World Connections: Involves readers thinking about what they know about the world outside their personal experience, their family, or their community * Inferring: Efficient readers take information from a text and add their own ideas to make inferences. During the process of inferring, readers make predictions, draw conclusions, and make judgments to create a unique interpretation of a text. Making inferences allows students to move beyond the literal text and to make assumptions about what is not precisely stated in the text. Efficient readers also can infer the meaning of unknown words using context clues, pictures, or diagrams. * Synthesizing: When comprehending text, efficient readers use synthesizing to bring together information within a text. Synthesizing involves readers piecing information together, like putting together a jigsaw. This activity encourages them to keep track of what is happening in the text. During the process of synthesizing, readers may be connecting, inferring, determining importance, posing questions, and creating images. * Visualizing: Efficient readers use all five senses to create images continually as they read text. The created images are based on their prior knowledge. Sensory images created by readers 10 help them to draw conclusions, make predictions, interpret information, remember details, and assist with overall comprehension. Images may be visual, auditory, olfactory, kinesthetic, or emotional. * Self-Questioning: Self-questioning is the strategy effective readers use to draw on existing knowledge, to investigate a text as it is read, to analyse the beliefs and motives behind the author’s surface meaning, and to monitor comprehension. Whether posed in-head, sub-vocalized or noted in writing, self-questioning is critical to maintaining connections between existing and new knowledge. Self-formulated questions provide a framework for active reading by directing the reader’s attention to key information. Efficient readers continually form questions in their minds before, during, and after reading to assist in comprehending text. Often these questions are formed spontaneously and naturally, with one question leading to the next. Questions may relate to the content, style, structure, important messages, events, actions, inferences, predictions, author’s purpose, or may be an attempt to clarify meaning. Self-formulated questions provide a framework for active reading, engaging readers in the text as they go in search of answers. * Skimming: Skimming is glancing through material to gain a general impression or overview of the content. It involves passing over much of the detail to get the gist of a text. Skimming is the most common strategy used by a reader to assess quickly whether a text is going to meet his or her purpose. Effective skimming lets a reader know in general terms how difficult a text is, how long it is, how it is structured, and where the most useful information can be found. Effective skimming strategies are critical for adolescents due to the volume of electronic text they read. Websites, CD ROMs, and multimedia texts are designed for, and subject to rapid reading practices where the reader gets the gist from sub-headings and key points, determines difficulty and usefulness, and assesses the content flow. Skimming is often used before reading to †¢ assess quickly whether a text is going to meet a purpose; †¢ determine what is to be read; †¢ determine what’s important and what may not be relevant; †¢ review text organization; †¢ activate prior knowledge. * Scanning: Scanning involves glancing through material to locate specific details such as names, dates, places, or some particular content. For instance, readers might scan a contents page or index to find the page number of a specific topic. They may scan a dictionary or telephone book in search of a particular word or name, or they may scan as they re-read 11 a text to substantiate particular responses. Like skimming, scanning is particularly important for comprehending selected parts of websites, CD ROMs, and multimedia texts. Readers may also scan a text looking for picture clues that may help them to identify any unknown words. * Determining Importance: Efficient readers constantly ask themselves what is most important or what the main idea is of what they are reading. They benefit from understanding how to determine the important information, particularly in informational texts. Factors such as purpose for reading, knowledge of topic, prior experiences, beliefs, and understanding of text organization help readers to identify important information in a text * Summarizing/Paraphrasing: Linked closely to the strategy of determining importance, summarizing/paraphrasing is the process of identifying, recording, and writing the most important information from a text into one’s own words. The ability to reduce a larger piece of text to its most important messages is done through summarizing. The re-statement of the text is referred to as paraphrasing. Summarizing/paraphrasing involves using key words and phrases to capture the general gist of a text. * Re-Reading: Efficient readers understand the benefits of re-reading whole texts or parts of texts to clarify or enhance meaning. Reading or hearing a text more than once benefits all readers, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the text. Re-reading can also be used as a word-identification strategy. Efficient readers sometimes re-read to work out the meaning of difficult words using context clues. The opportunity to re-read a text also helps to improve fluency * Reading On: When readers cannot decode an unfamiliar word within a text, they can make use of the â€Å"Reading On† strategy. Skipping the unfamiliar word and reading on to the end of the sentence or the next two or three sentences often provides the reader with sufficient context clues to help determine the unknown word. Once the unknown word has been determined it is important for students to re-read that section of text. â€Å"Reading On† also refers to continuing to read in an attempt to clarify meaning that may have been lost. * Adjusting Reading Rate: It is important that students give themselves permission to adjust their reading rate and to recognize when this may be necessary. The purpose for reading will often dictate the 12 most appropriate rate. Readers may slowdown to understand new information, to clarify meaning, to create sensory images, or to ask questions. Readers may also speed up when scanning for key words or skimming to get an overall impression of a text. * Sounding Out: When adolescents meet new and unfamiliar words, they will use their knowledge of letter/sound relationships to identify them. * Chunking: As readers encounter greater numbers of multi-syllabic words, it is important to encourage students to break words into units larger than individual phonemes or single sounds (/b/). Readers might chunk words by pronouncing word parts such as onset and rime (spr-ing), letter combinations (ough), syllables, or parts of the word known as morphemes which carry meaning (ed, ing). * Using Analogy: When readers manipulate or think about words they know in order to identify unknown words, they are using analogy. They transfer what they know about familiar words to help them identify unfamiliar words. When using analogy, students will transfer their knowledge of common letter sequences, onset and rimes, base words, word parts that carry meaning, or whole words. * Consulting Reference: The use of word-identification strategies such as â€Å"sounding out† or â€Å"chunking† may unlock both the pronunciation and meaning of words. However, if the word is not in a reader’s meaning vocabulary, the reader may not be able to understand the meaning of the word. Consulting a reference is an additional strategy that supports students to unlock word meaning. Being taught how to use a dictionary, thesaurus, reference chart, or glossary will help students locate the meanings, pronunciations, or derivations of unfamiliar words. 13 Conclusion: As the discussed topics demonstrate, the process of reading for meaning has bottom-line commonalities. Among these, perhaps oddly, is that at any given moment, one cannot reliably predict what a reader will do next. Eric Paulson (2005) has drawn an analogy between eye movements and the weather, both of which can be described in terms of chaos theory in physics, he argues, but neither of which is exactly predictable. And he writes: â€Å"When looked at through the lens of chaos theory, reading is clearly not a process of plodding along the text at some regular, predetermined rate but is instead a process that ebbs and flows† (p. 355). We set our purposes (or not), begin to read, perhaps question what we are reading, maybe return and reread, sometimes read ahead, go back again, maybe skim or skip some, occasionally decide not to finish reading whatever it is, maybe go ahead and read at least the headings (of an informational selection) and the conclusion, or  the final chapter or page (if a novel or short story)—all the while using strategies that are universal among proficient readers, but uniquely applied. Metaphorically, during any reading event, reading ebbs and flows, like waves. We might think of waves crashing upon the beach as meaning achieved (and perhaps examined critically), the end product of reading a stretch of text. But with such achievement, the reader is simultaneously and near simultaneously processing other parts or aspects of text and the ideas in ways that are unpredictable at the micro level. This is akin to what we often see on a beach: different waves, and different aspects of the reading process, forming, swelling, cresting, crashing, and ebbing. While one part of the reading process and event crashes and ebbs—with something processed into short- or even long-term memory, perhaps—other facets of the process are just beginning again, increasing, coming to a head, collapsing into memory (or not), and receding from the reader’s immediate attention. Yes, while I often speak of the reading process, as if this cognitive and constructive process were totally uniform, during any given reading event, whoever the Although, reading means different things to different people and skills vary with every individual, reading is a skill that can be improved. Students from various backgrounds are in reading courses for a variety of reasons. Weaknesses in vocabulary, comprehension, speed, or a combination of all three may be the result of ineffective reading habits. Active reading is engaged reading and can be achieved through comprehension regulation strategies. We should never take reading for granted, for many, these skills come slowly and with a great deal of difficulty. It is important to use a multi-sensory approach whenever possible, some memory training, tap into previous knowledge before moving forward and make it meaningful. 14 References * http://en. wikipedia. org * http://www. heinemann. com * http://www. palomar. edu * http://ababasoft. com * http://www. scribd. com * http://www. sil. org * http://www. ehow. com * http://www. stepspd. com * http://www. palomar. edu.

The High Voltage Electricity Transmission Network Engineering Essay

The High Voltage Electricity Transmission Network Engineering Essay It is well known to many people that high voltage electricity transmission network represents the backbone of the whole regional power supply scheme in the country. The main purpose of this research is analyzing the most frequent common failures in the HV transmission lines and understanding the actual reasons behind these failures in the transmission network of a private electrical company in the Sultanate of Oman named OETC Oman Electricity Transmission Company. The business of that company is providing, developing and governing the Electrical Transmission System in the Sultanate of Oman. The data presented and information provided hereafter shall be considered extremely confidential and hence the assignment information is intended only for the use of this assignment and shall not be distributed to any other party without permission from the original source. In the start, the assignment firstly provides a brief explanation about the company and its role of electricity distribution. Then, it further analyzes different types of equipment failures that are encountered with HV network operation and reported by a local company. It sums up on general findings, results, conclusion and the recommendation regarding future maintenance. Electricity supply Oman Electricity Transmission Company OETC operates, organizes and maintains the majority HV transmission system in which electrical power is transmitted through 220kV and 132kV transmission lines to load centers in Muscat Governorate and the regions of Dakhliyah, Batinah, Dhahirah and Sharqiyah. It dispatches power from all Centrally Dispatched Generation Stations owned by the following companies: (1). 1. Ghubrah Power Desalination Station 2. Rusail Power Station 3. Wadi Jizzi Power Station 4. Manah Power Station 5. Al Kamil Power Station 6. Barka Power Desalination Station 7. Sohar Power Station The power transmitted by the company is delivered to the following distribution companies, which are licensed to distribute and supply power in a range lower than 132kV voltage (i.e. 66kV, 33kV,11kV and 0.415kV): 1. Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC) for Muscat area 2. Mazoon Electricity Company (MZEC) for South Batinah, Dakhliyah and Sharqiyah regions 3. Majan Electricity Company (MJEC) for North Batinah and Dhahirah regions Fundamentals of Power Generation and Transmission After the electricity leaves a power generation (1), the voltage is increased at a step-up grid substation (2). Subsequently, the energy travels along a transmission line to the area where the power is needed (3). Once there, the voltage is decreased, or stepped-down, at another primary substation (4), and a distribution power line (5) carries the electricity until it reaches a home or business (8). (1) Fig -1 Electrical Power System (1) Overhead Lines The main components of the HV high voltage power transmission are; the overhead towers, conductors, insulators, lightning arrestors, CVT CT and cable sealing ends. It has been well recognized since the starting of electric power generation that overhead transmission lines (OHL) have represented the most important component for the electric power transmission and distribution. The over head transmission line generally dedicated for high voltage range, while the buried type (underground cables) are commonly used in lower voltage range for the distribution purpose. However, in Oman, both systems are used in various applications depending on the cost, development conditions and topography constraints. OETC has planned, designed and erected overhead power lines for various voltage levels in many parts of the sultanate of Oman. Line voltage Selection According to IEC 60038 there are standard voltage ranges used for the electric power transmission and distribution. The following are the main voltage levels For 3-phase AC power supply: -Low voltage range from 220v up to 1 kV AC Medium voltage range from 1 kV to 36 kV AC High voltage range from 52 kV to 765 kV AC) and higher Generally the Low-voltage transmission and distribution networks serve households and other small business consumers. Networks on the medium-voltage level usually supply larger buildings and settlements, industrial plants and other large consumers; the power supply capacity is typically less than 10 MVA per circuit. The high voltage ranges up to 145 kV are usually used for sub-transmission of the electric power regionally, and also feed the medium-voltage electric network. This level is frequently selected to support the medium-voltage level even when electric power is lower than 10 MVA. Moreover, some of high-voltage transmission lines are also used to transmit the electric power from medium size power plants, like hydro power plants on water streams, channel or rivers, and provide electric power for large-scale units, such as considerable power plants or steel factories. The bandwidth of electrical transported power corresponds to the broad range of utilization, but it rarely exceeds 100 MVA per circuit, while the surge impedance load is 35 MVA (approximately). In most European countries, the high voltage lines of 245 kV were greatly used in interconnection of power supply systems and this before the 420 kV level was brought to this purpose. Nowadays, the usage of 245 kV lines is decreased to some extent due to the availability of the 420 kV transmission network. The 420 kV level represents the highest operation voltage used for AC transmission in Central Europe. It typically interconnects the power supply systems and transmits the energy over long distances. Some 420 kV lines connect the national grids of the individual European countries enabling interconnected network operation (UCTE = Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity) throughout Europe. Large power plants such as nuclear stations feed directly into the 420 kV network. The thermal capacity of the 420 kV circuits may reach 2,000 MVA, with a surge impedance load of approximately 600 MVA and a transmission capacity up to 1,200 MVA.[SIEMENS Power Engineering Guide 2 009]11 Selection of conductors and earth wires Electric conductors are the main important part in the overhead power line network and they must be selected carefully for the electric transmission lines because this will ensure economical and reliable transmission and contribute directly to the total line costs. Therefore, to achieve better economic solution, aluminum and its alloys have been used as conducting materials for power lines due to the favorable price, the low weight and the necessity of certain minimum cross-sections. On the other side, aluminum is a very corrosive metal. But when a dense oxide layer is formed it can stop further corrosion. Therefore, up to a certain level, aluminum conductors are well-suited for areas in which corrosion is an issue, such as humid climate in areas located near coastal zone. Generally, there are a number of different designs in use for aluminum conductors. As an advantage, All-aluminum conductors (AAC) have the highest conductivity for a given cross-section; however, they possess relat ively low mechanical strength, which limits their installation to short spans and low tensile forces. To increase the mechanical strength, aluminum wires are made of mixing with other alloys like aluminum-magnesium-silicon alloys. In this way, the strength can be increased approximately twice that of pure aluminum. But practically, all-aluminum and aluminum alloy conductors have exhibited some susceptibility to vibrations. To solve this problem, compound conductors with a steel core, so-called aluminum conductor, steel-reinforced (ACSR), can avoid this disadvantage. The ratio between aluminum and steel ranges from 4.3:1 to 11:1. An aluminum-to-steel ratio of 6.0 or 7.7 provides an economical solution. Conductors with a ratio of 4.3 should be used for lines installed in regions with heavy wind and ice loads. Conductors with a ratio higher than 7.7 provide higher conductivity. But because of lower conductor strength, the sags are bigger, which requires higher towers. Experience has shown that ACSR conductors, just like aluminum and aluminum alloy conductors, provide the most economical solution and offer a life span greater than 40 years. Conductors are selected according to electrical, thermal, mechanical and economic aspects. The electric resistance as a result of the conducting material and its cross-section is the most important feature affecting the voltage drop and the energy losses along the line and, therefore, the transmission costs. The cross-section has to be selected so that the permissible temperatures will not be exceeded during normal operation as well as under short-circuit condition. With increasing cross-section, the line costs increase, while the costs for losses decrease. Depending on the length of the line and the power to be transmitted, a cross-section can be determined that results in the lowest transmission costs. The heat balance of ohmic losses and solar radiation against convection and radiation determines the conductor temperature. A current density of 0.5 to 1.0 A/mm2 based on the aluminum cross-section has proven to be an economical solution in most cases. [SIEMENS Power Engineering Guide 2009] (9) The table below shows the characteristics of AC overhead lines (data refer to a one circuit of a double-circuit line) Table -1 characteristic of AC overhead lines (9) High-voltage results in correspondingly high-voltage gradients at the conductors surface, and in corona-related effects such as visible discharges, radio interference, audible noise and energy losses. When selecting the conductors, the AC voltage gradient has to be limited to values between 15 and 17 kV/cm. Since the sound of the audible noise of DC lines is mainly caused at the positive pole and this sound differs from those of AC lines, the subjective feeling differs as well. Therefore, the maximum surface voltage gradient of DC lines is higher than the gradient for AC lines. A maximum value of 25 kV/cm is recommended. The line voltage and the conductor diameter are one of the main factors that infl uence the surface voltage gradient. In order to keep this gradient below the limit value, the conductor can be divided into subconductors. This results in an equivalent conductor diameter that is bigger than the diameter of a single conductor with the same cross-section. This aspect is important for lines with voltages of 245 kV and above. Therefore, so-called bundle conductors are mainly adopted for extra-high-voltage lines. Table 2.5-2 shows typical conductor configurations for AC lines. From a mechanical point of view, the conductors have to be designed for everyday conditions and for maximum loa ds exerted on the conductor by wind and ice. As a rough figure, an everyday stress of approximately 20 % of the conductor rated tensile stress can be adopted, resulting in a limited risk of conductor damage. The maximum working tensile stress should be limited to approximately 40 % of the rated tensile stress. Earth wires, also called shield wire or earth wire, can protect a line against direct lightning strikes and improve system behavior in the event of short-circuits; therefore, lines with single-phase voltages of 110 kV and above are usually equipped with earth wires. Earth wires made of ACSR conductors with a sufficiently high aluminum cross-section satisfy both requirements. Since the beginning of the 1990s, more and more earth wires for extra-high-voltage overhead power lines have been executed as optical earth wires (OPGW). This type of earth wire combines the functions just described for the typical earth wire with the additional facility for large data transfer capacity vi a optical fi bers that are integrated into the OPGW. Such data transfer is essential for the communication between two converter stations within an HVDC interconnection or for remote controlling of power stations. The OPGW in such a case becomes the major communication link within the interconnection. OPGW are mainly designed in one or more layers of aluminum alloy and/or aluminum-clad steel wires. One-layer designs are used in areas with low keraunic levels (small amount of possible lightning strikes per year) and small short-circuit levels. [SIEMENS Power Engineering Guide 2009](9) Selection of insulators Usually, insulators in the overhead line are subject to electrical and mechanical stresses, because they have to isolate the conductors form potential to earth and must provide physical supports. Therefore, Insulators must be capable of withstanding these stresses under all conditions encountered in a transmission line. Normally, the electrical stresses result from: The steady-state operating power-frequency voltage (highest operation voltage of the system) Temporary over voltages occurred at specific power frequency Switching and lightning over voltages Chapter -2 Introduction Electrical insulators are very critical and important component in the electric power systems such as distribution transmission lines. Previously, the electrical insulators which is made of ceramic and glass materials. But in 1963, a polymeric insulator were developed and its improvements in design and manufacturing in the modern years have made it attractive to utilities. polymeric insulator consists of a fibreglass core rod covered by weather-sheds or skirts of polymer such as silicone rubber, equipped with metal end fittings. It is also called composite insulators, which means made of at least two insulating parts a core and housing equipped with end fittings. Polymeric insulators have many advantages over the ceramic and glass insulators such as good performance in contaminated environment, light weight, easy handling, maintenance free, and considerably low cost etc. Because of these properties it is gaining popularity worldwide and replacing the conventional ceramic and glass insulators in many countries. Therefore, our research shall focus the light on the silicon rubber insulator and the main advantages can be achieved by using such type of electrical insulators. The following is a comparison showing the different factors between ceramic and composite insulators. FACTORS CERAMIC COMPOSITE Resistance to flashovers in Polluted atmosphere. Low High Resistance to puncture Puncturable (Class: B insulators) Not puncturable Resistance to Cracking and Erosion in Polluted atmosphere. Low High Contamination Pollution Highly affected Performance not affected Hydrophobicity Non hydrophobic. Unique Hydrophobicity character. Self cleaning property Due to Glaze and inclination of sheds. Due to Hydrophobicity recovery characteristic. Maintenance Needs maintenance like cleaning, washing, greasing. No maintenance is required Weight More 10% to 35% of Ceramic Insulator Resistance to breakage and Vandalism Breakable in Vandalism prone areas Unbreakable Artificial Pollution Test Mandatory Not applicable Power Arc Test Mandatory Not mandatory Table -1 comparison different factors between ceramic and composite insulators (10). Insulator types There are various insulator designs used in different applications, depending on the requirements and the application with certain insulator types: Cap-and-pin insulators (fig.2) are made of porcelain or pre-stressed glass. The individual units are connected by fittings of malleable cast iron or forged iron. The insulating bodies are not puncture-proof, which is the reason for a relatively high number of insulator failures. In Central Europe, long-rod insulators made from aluminous porcelain (fig.3) are most frequently adopted. These insulators are puncture-proof. Failures under operation are extremely rare. Long-rod insulators show superior behavior, especially in polluted areas. Because porcelain is a brittle material, porcelain long-rod insulators should be protected from bending loads by suitable fittings. Composite insulators are the third major type of insulator for overhead power line applications (fig.4). This insulator type provides superior performance and reliability, particularly because of improvements over the last 20 years, and has been in service for more than 30 years. Fig -2 Cap and pin (disc insulator) (9) Fig -3 Long-rod insulator with clevis cap (9) Fig -4 Glass fibre reinforced composite insulator with ball and socket fittings (Lapp insulator) (9) The composite insulator is made of a glass fiber reinforced epoxy rod. The glass fibers applied are ECR glass fibers that are resistant to brittle fracture (ECR = electrical grade corrosion resistant glass fibers). In order to avoid brittle fracture, the glass fiber rod must additionally be sealed very carefully and durably against moisture. This is done by application of silicone rubber. Nowadays, high temperature vulcanized (HTV) silicone is used. The silicone rubber has two functions within this insulator type: Sealing the glass fiber rod Molding into insulator sheds to establish the required insulation Metal fittings are compressed onto the glass fiber rod at both ends of the insulator, either with a ball socket or clevis connection fitting. Since the 1980s, compression fittings have been the prevailing type. The sealing of the area between fitting and silicone housing protecting the rod is most important, and is nowadays done with special silicone elastomer, which offers after vulcanization the characteristic of a sticky solid, similar to a fluid of high viscosity. Advantages of the composite long-rod insulator are: Light weight, less volume and less damages Shorter string length compared to cap-and-pin and porcelain long-rod insulator strings Up to 765 kV AC and 600 kV DC, only one unit of insulator (practical length is only limited by the ability of the production line) is required High mechanical strength Vandalism resistance High performance in polluted areas, based on the hydrophobicity (water repellency) of the silicone rubber Advantages of hydrophobicity are: Silicone rubber offers outstanding hydrophobicity over the long term; most other polymeric housing material will loose this property over time Silicone rubber is able to recover its hydrophobicity after a temporary loss of it The silicone rubber insulator is able to make pollution layers on its surface water-repellent, too (hydrophobicity transfer) Low surface conductivity, even with a polluted surface and very low leakage currents, even under wetted conditions. Insulator string sets Suspension insulator sets carry the conductor weight, including additional loads such as ice and wind, and are arranged more or less vertically. There are I-shaped (fig.5a) and V-shaped sets in use. Tension insulator sets (fig.5b, fig.5c) terminate the conductors and are arranged in the direction of the conductors. They are loaded by the conductor tensile force and have to be rated accordingly. Multiple single, double, triple or more sets handle the mechanical loadings and the design requirements. Fig -5a; I-shaped suspension insulator set for 245 kV (11) T Fig -5b&c; Double tension insulator set for 245 kV (Elevation, Top Plan, bottom) (9) The general electrical layout of insulation is ruled by the voltages to be withstood and the pollution to which the insulation is subjected. The standards IEC 60071-1 and IEC 60071-2 as well as the technical report IEC 60815, which provides four pollution classes, give guidance for the design of the insulation. Because IEC 60815 is applicable to AC lines, it should be noted that the creepage distances recommended are based on the phase-to-phase AC voltage (UL-L). When transferring these creepage distances recommended by IEC 60815 to a DC line, it should be noted that the DC voltage is a pole-to-earth value (UL-E). Therefore, these creepage distances have to be multiplied by the factor à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡3. Furthermore, it should be noted that the AC voltage value refers to a mean value, while the DC voltage is comparable to a peak value, which requires a further multiplication with factor à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡2. Insulators under DC voltage operation are subjected to more unfavorable conditions tha n they are under AC, due to a higher collection of surface contamination caused by the constant unidirectional electric field. Therefore, a DC pollution factor has to be applied. Table shown with figure 5a shows specific creepage distances for different insulator materials under AC and DC application, and is based on industry experience published by power supply companies in South Africa and China. The results shown were confirmed by an experienced insulator manufacturer in Germany. The correction factors shown are valid for porcelain insulators only. When taking composite insulators into consideration, an additional reduction factor of 0.75 can be applied. The values for a DC system must be seen as a guideline only, that must be verified on a case-by-case basis for new HVDC projects. To handle switching and lightning overvoltages, the insulator sets have to be designed with respect to insulation coordination according to IEC 60071-1 and IEC 60071-2. These design aspects determine the gap between the earthed fi ttings and the live part. However, for HVDC application, switching impulse levels are of minor important because circuit-breaker operations from AC lines do not occur on DC back-to-back lines. Such lines are controlled via their valve control systems. In order to coordinate the insulation in a proper way, it is recommended to apply and use the same SIL and BIL as is used for the equivalent AC insulation (determined by the arcing distance). [SIEMENS Power Engineering Guide 2009](9) Selection and design of supports Together with the line voltage, the number of circuits (AC) or poles (DC) and type of conductors, the configuration of the circuits poles determines the design of overhead power lines. Additionally, lightning protection by earth wires, the terrain and the available space at the tower sites have to be considered. In densely populated areas like Central Europe, the width of right-of-way and the space for the tower sites are limited. In the case of extra-high-voltages, the conductor configuration affects the electrical characteristics, the electrical and magnetic field and the transmission capacity of the line. Very often there are contradicting requirements, such as a tower height as low as possible and a narrow right-of-way, which can only be met by compromises. The minimum clearance of the conductors depends on the voltage and the conductor sag. In ice-prone areas, conductors should not be arranged vertically, in order to avoid conductor clashing after ice shedding. For low-voltage and medium-voltage lines, horizontal conductor configurations prevail; these configurations feature line post insulators as well as suspension insulators. Poles made of wood, concrete or steel are preferred. Fig.6 shows some typical line configurations. Earth wires are omitted at this voltage level. For high-voltage and extra-high-voltage power lines, a large variety of configurations are available that depend on the number of circuits (AC) or poles (DC) and on local conditions. Due to the very limited right-of-way, more or less all high voltage AC lines in Central Europe comprise at least two circuits. Fig.7 shows a series of typical tower configurations. Arrangement e is called the Danube configuration and is often adopted. It represents a fair compromise with respect to width of right-of-way, tower height and line costs. For AC lines comprising more than two circuits, there are many possibilities for configuring the supports. In the case of circuits with differing voltages, those circuits with the lower voltage should be arranged in the lowermost position (fig7g). DC lines are mechanically designed according to the normal practice for typical AC lines. The differences from AC Line layout are the: Conductor configuration Electric field requirements Insulation design For DC lines, two basic outlines (monopole and bipole), with variations should be considered. Fig.7i-l show examples for HVDC line configurations that are valid for all voltage levels. The arrangements of insulators depend on the application of a support within the line. Suspension towers support the conductors in straight-line sections and at small angles. This tower type offers the lowest costs; special attention should therefore be paid to using this tower type as often as possible. Angle towers have to carry the conductor tensile forces at angle points of the line. The tension insulator sets permanently transfer high forces from the conductors to the supports. Finally, dead-end towers are used at the terminations of a transmission line. They carry the total conductor tensile forces on the line side (even under unbalanced load condition, e.g., when conductors of one tower side are broken) and a reduced tension into the substations (slack span). Fig.6 Configuration of Medium voltage supports Various loading conditions specified in the respective national and international standards have to be met when designing towers. The climatic conditions, the earthquake requirements and other local environmental factors are the next determining factors for the tower design. When designing the support, a number of conditions have to be considered. High wind and ice loads cause the maximum forces to act on suspension towers. In ice-prone areas, unbalanced conductor tensile forces can result in torsional loading. Additionally, special loading conditions are adopted for the purpose of failure containment, that is, to limit the extent of damage. Finally, provisions have to be made for construction and maintenance. Depending on voltage level and the acting forces of the overhead line, differing designs and materials are adopted. Poles made of wood, concrete or steel are very often used for low voltage and medium-voltage lines. Towers with lattice steel design, however, prevail at voltage levels of 110 kV and above (fig.7). Guyed lattice steel structures are used in some parts of the world for high-voltage AC and DC lines. Such design requires a relatively fl at topography and a secure environment where there is no threat from vandalism and theft. Guyed lattice steel structures offer a substantial amount of cost savings with respect to tower weight and foundation quantities. However, a wider right-of-way has to be considered. Foundations for the supports Usually, overhead power line supports are installed on concrete foundations. The foundations have to sustain the overall weight of the tower and should be designed in accordance with the local or international standard applicable for the particular projct. Fig. 7;(a-h) Tower configurations for AC high-voltage lines. (i-l) Tower configurations for DC high-voltage lines The selection of foundation types and the design is decided by the: Total weight resulting from tower Location and Soil conditions Accessibility to the line route Availability of machinery Constraints of the particular country and the site Concrete blocks or concrete piers are in use for poles that exert bending moments on the foundation. For towers with four legs, a foundation is provided for each individual leg. Pad and chimney and concrete block foundations require good bearing soil conditions without groundwater. Driven or augured piles and piers are adopted for low-bearing soil, for sites with bearing soil at a greater depth and for high groundwater level. In case of groundwater, the soil conditions must permit pile driving. Concrete slabs can be used for good bearing soil, when subsoil and groundwater level prohibit pad and chimney foundations as well as piles. Fig. 8; Foundations for four-legged towers Route selection and tower spotting Selection of route and planning represent increasingly difficult tasks, because the right-of-way for transmission lines is limited and many aspects and interests have to be considered. Route selection and approval depend on the statutory conditions and procedures prevailing in the country of the project. Route selection nowadays involves preliminary desktop studies with a variety of route alternatives, environmental impact studies, community communication hearings and acceptance approval from the local authorities. [SIEMENS Power Engineering Guide 2009](9) Literature Survey The books and journals referred are detailed in references. The methodology has been decided after studying different literatures. The societal loss calculation have been taken from the paper Power Chain Managementà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Audit Service Focus Professional Engineering Services/ www.powerchainmanagement.com. The effective of electrical systems is critical to the success of businesses and facilities. The electrical problems facing businesses today can often seem overwhelming, especially knowing that key elements of electrical systems are susceptible to failure. It can be costly and difficult to design a system that predicts failure and minimizes risks of dangerous hazards such as arc flash and from the graph which shows how does it cost in the time of losing the power supply. Fig -2 cost raven (2) To approximate cost of transmission losses. The loss calculations are based on an peak load current for a line.(7) EC (Energy Cost) = 3 x R x I 2 x 8760 x LF x AIC x LIF, and DC (Demand Cost) = 3 x R x I 2 x IDC x LIF Where EC = energy cost, $ / yr DC = demand cost, $ / yr R = conductor resistance (ohms/phase/mile) X line length (miles) I = peak load current on the line (amperes) 8760 = hours / year LF = loss factor (average loss / peak loss) AIC = average incremental energy cost for the year ($ / kWh) LIF = loss increase factor (1 + PU system losses reflecting increase) IDC = incremental demand cost ($ / kW-yr) Diffident maintenance strategies considered are : Run to failure condition based monitoring on line monitoring Hot line maintenance The cost relationship between materials based solely on purchase prices, the life cycle economics at all the factors and gives consideration to the time value of money based on a present value analysis. The approach of using present value, life cycle costs is often considered the fairest means of comparison because it considers and properly weighs all the material variables. This life cycle cost study gives consideration to the following:(6) Environmental conditions Material costs and availability Construction costs Projected service life Inspection costs / Inspection frequency Maintenance costs / Maintenance frequency For the purpose of present value calculations, a 4% inflation rate and a 10% discount rate are assumed. The equation used for computing the present value (PV) of a single expend

Free Will in Oedipus the King Essay -- Sophocles Oedipus Rex Essays

Free Will in Oedipus the King Oedipus the King by Sophocles is the story of a man who was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. The story continues in the tradition of classic Greek plays, which were based upon the Greeks’ beliefs at the time. The ancient Greeks believed that their gods decided what would ultimately happen to each and every person. Since those gods destined Oedipus to kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus’ life was definitely fated. However, the gods only decided where Oedipus’ life would eventually lead; they never planned the route he would take to get there. All the decisions that Oedipus made in order to fulfill his destiny, and the decisions he made after the fact, were of his own free will, and were largely shaped by his mien. Probably the most relevant examples of the exercise of free will are in the events which lead up to the play and which fulfill Oedipus’ prophecy. When Laius and Jocasta hear of their newborn son’s fate, their first instinct is to kill Baby Oedipus. But they cannot do the deed outright; they instead make the choice to pin his feet together and leave him on a mountainside. This turns out not to be the best choice for them, but at least it was a choice. Perhaps the most barefaced example of free will is in the murder of Laius and his men—not so much the murders themselves but the circumstances surrounding the murders. This is how Oedipus describes the incident to Jocasta: Making my way toward this triple crossroad I began to see a herald, then a brace of colts drawing a wagon, and mounted on the bench†¦a man, just as you’ve described him, coming face-to-face, and the one in the lead and the old man himself were about to thrust me off the road—brute force— a... ...is eyes out and Jocasta would hang herself. The people involved were completely responsible for their actions. Technically, everything that happened in the play was outside the realm of the prophecy since the prophecy was fulfilled before the story even started, so therefore, there is no fate in Oedipus the King! Free will is abound in Oedipus the King; any character who makes a decision of their own accord is a testament to that. Even Oedipus, whose life was fated from the start, made many decisions, ranging from how to fulfill his destiny to how to punish himself after finding out he had indeed murdered his father and married his mother, and most of which were shaped largely by his personality. WORKS CITED Sophocles. â€Å"Oedipus the King.† The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002. 1289-1331.