Health Care Reform Essay - 1840 Words

Health care reform in the United States is a vital issue. Over the years, multiple Presidents have attempted to address reform but significant political obstacles have prevented any major change since the Social Security Act which established Medicaid and Medicare in 1965 (Kaiser Family Foundation [KFF], 2009). On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The premise of this legislation was to increase access to care by allowing more Americans to gain access to coverage and to impact the rising cost of healthcare in the country. After its implementation, between one and three million Americans ages 18 – 26 gained access to health insurance through coverage eligibility†¦show more content†¦There are four categories of quality measures used in pay-for-performance: process measures, outcome measures, patient experience, and structure measures. Process measures evaluate activities which positively aff ect health outcomes for patients. Outcome measures determine the effects the care provided have on the patient. Patient experience encompasses the patients’ satisfaction with the services received. Structure measures evaluate the equipment used by facilities, as well as the personnel employed by the facilities (James, 2012). As of 2016, expenditures for hospital readmissions were estimated at twelve billion dollars a year (Mason et al., 2016). These costs are many times unnecessary and avoidable. Medicare’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program can reduce payments by one percent to hospitals for readmissions for heart attacks, heart failure, or pneumonia in disproportionate amounts (James, 2012). It also will reward the hospitals that exceed the expectations set forth. The wide-ranging changes to healthcare policy impelled hospitals to discover other avenues for mitigating financial risks associated with the new policy. Patient coordination and discharge planning have become central to patient care. Case managers utilize medical homes, home care,Show MoreRelatedHealth Care Reform Essay1644 Words   |  7 PagesHealthcare Financial Reform Proposal Sandra Xavier Grand Canyon University: HCA 240 Professor Tina Block July 8, 2012 Healthcare Financial Reform Proposal I believe healthcare reform is a waste of time and money but I also see that it can be beneficial to many uninsured Americans. First of all, health care costs keep rising and in 2011 the average cost for a family of four increased by 7.3% or $19,393. This is double the cost estimated in 2003, and by 2030 payroll taxes will cover onlyRead More Health Care Reform Essay836 Words   |  4 Pagespeople. As Theda Skocpol comments in her book Boomerang: Clinton’s Health Security Effort and the Turn Against Government in U.S. Politics, the Reagan administration instilled a dislike of centralized government in the American people. This was a major reason, according to Skocpol, why the Clinton Administration failed to nationalize â€Å"Health Security†. It was this fear of centralized government and Clinton’s failure to reform Health Care that makes a more centralized social policy unlikely in the nearRead MoreHealth Care and the Reform Essay1082 Words   |  5 P agesHealth insurance was developed to provide guaranteed coverage for sickness, injury and preventable health measures. Currently, the United States is facing a major challenge in controlling the cost of health care and providing coverage for everyone. This is why it is so important for the government to develop a new health care insurance plan. The purpose of this paper is to explore the history of health care, the major improvements made to coverage through the years. Discussing the healthcare reformRead MoreHealth Care Reform Essay1217 Words   |  5 Pages but that is impossible with the chaos that is happening in the American health care industry and a serious reform is needed such as the accepting the Patient Protection Affordability Care Act. The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23rd, 2010 by Barrack Obama, but some do not agree with the obamacare are on the fast track to repeal the bill. The law would focuses on the health care reform in the United States by providing better coverage for those with pre-existingRead MoreEssay Health Care Reform1525 Words   |  7 PagesHealth Care Reform There has been a lot of talk and debate lately over Health Care Reform, as people are trying to answer the question – Should a universally accessible health care system be implemented in the United States (US)? This ongoing highly debatable issue remains a hot topic among US citizens from all walks of life, from the very poor to the very wealthy. Health Care Reform affects everyone. The vast majority of the US population is very dissatisfied with the current state of health careRead MoreHealth Care Reform Essay2227 Words   |  9 Pagesintroduced a Health Security Proposal in 1993, which was his attempt for a fundamental reform of the American healthcare system (Longest, 2010). In January of 1993, Clinton announced that he would be putting together a team of experts to review the issue of health care cost and develop a plan to propose to congress (Bok, 1998). On September 22, 1993, Clinton then made a speech to Congress announcing this new health plan (Bok, 1993). In his sp eech, Clinton urged law makers to â€Å"Fix a health care systemRead MoreEssay about Health Care Reform1520 Words   |  7 PagesBackground Universal Health Care System One of the most long-standing health care systems was originated in Germany in 1889 by Otto von Bismarck’s social legislation. Its included bills were the Health Insurance Bill 1883, Old Age and Disability Insurance Bill of 1889, and Accident Insurance Bill of 1883. The National Insurance Act of 1911 in Britain covered most people employed. It also financed dependents if families had contributed for at least five years. This coverage lasted whether familiesRead MoreHealth Care Reform in Politics Essay1524 Words   |  7 PagesHealth Care Reform in Politics Due to the upcoming presidential election, the two major political parties, and their candidates, have been focusing on the primary problems that the nation will face. Chief among those problems is the future of Medicare, the national health-insurance plan. Medicare was enacted in 1965, under the administration of Lyndon B. Johnson, in order to provide health insurance for retired citizens and the disabled (Ryan). The Medicare program covers most people agedRead MoreThe Need for Health Care Reform Essay1086 Words   |  5 Pagesneeds of their own citizens. The need for health care reform is more evident than ever. The recession of America has caused many people hardship due to many lay-offs and the fact that insurance premiums have risen drastically. Many families are not receiving the health care that they require due to these circumstances. It affects not only the young, but the senior citizens as well. Many people do not qualify for the already present government health care programs such as Medicaid and Medicare.Read MoreEssay on The Necessity of Health Care Reform1171 Words   |  5 Pagesuninsured for health care as of 2008 (CDC). This number is too high! What can Americans do about this growing problem? The Republicans and Democrats both have their separate plans for this matter, both of which contain good ideas, but fall short of what this country needs. A mixture of the two plans will solve this country’s health insurance problems. The Republicans have very specific beliefs on health care. They believe in helping out the individual by allowing them to take care of their own

John Locke And Thomas Hobbes Essay - 1490 Words

James Madison strongly believed and supported increasing national power of government and that led him to establish his model known as Madison’s model. James Madison’s design to maximize liberty and still allow the government to govern is proven through the four component parts of Madison’s model. These four components include separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and republicanism. The philosophies of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes influenced Madison in a way that allowed him to have both liberty and order at the same time. John Locke believed in individual liberty and freedom from the government whilst Thomas Hobbes believed that the state of nature is that people are born selfish. These two philosophers managed to influence Madison because Madison wanted liberty but also wanted order and that was mentioned in Hobbes’s theory of a strong leader which provided order. A philosopher named Thomas Hobbes believed that the main purpose of government was order. Thomas Hobbes today would support a monarchy such as Trump. His view of human nature led him to see people as being born selfish, driven by their desires, and acting upon disputes as sovereign people would. This led him to perceive a government best ruled by one. One of his arguments stated that because people living in a never-ending war between each citizen, â€Å"every man against every man†, provided Hobbes to assume that people would be in search of a ruler who could provide peace and stability. In Hobbes’sShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke And Thomas Hobbes886 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscuss the differences in political theories expressed by both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. In, Leviathan, by Thomas Hobbes, and in, The Second Treatise of Government, by John Locke different theories of political legitimacy and definitions of the state of nature are described. The following paragraphs analyze multiple different points that are imperative to understanding these political theories. In the reading, Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes discusses what human existence is in the state of nature andRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke911 Words   |  4 Pagessocial contract theory, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke established many of the founding ideals that contemporary Liberalism is based on. While the shared many similar positions, there are some key distinctions to be made between the arguments Hobbes and Locke make in Leviathan and Second Treatise of Civil Government, respectively. In this paper I will argue the differences between how each of them viewed the right of the subjects to revolt from the sovereign. Thomas Hobbes published his most famousRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke Essay1441 Words   |  6 PagesEifling-Question 4 Hobbes and Locke During and after the English Revolution, a few philosophers expressed different views on their philosophical outlook and life experiences. Some of the most outstanding thinkers include Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. They had opposing views on governance matters, but the two, also, had striking similarities. In addition, the two represented an increasingly modernized European population that despised absolute kingship. Both Hobbes and Locke proposed a conceptionRead MoreJohn Locke And Thomas Hobbes1287 Words   |  6 Pagesknow how to balance and consider the nature of humankind and their rights. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes were both political philosophers who developed theories about how the government should work. They set up their theories around The Natural Law and the Social Contract Theory. Although John Locke and Thomas Hobbes had a similar goal, their beliefs and opinions were definitely not the same. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes both believed in the Natural Law and the Social Contract Theory. They both developedRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1346 Words   |  6 PagesContracts Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two English political philosophers, who have had a lasting impact on modern political science. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both spent much of their lives attempting to identify the best form of government. Locke and Hobbes were among the most prominent of theorists when it came to social contract and human rights. A Social Contract is an agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, are the twoRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1494 Words   |  6 Pages1) Thomas Hobbes and John Locke share the basic assumption that a theory based off of abstract individualism, consent, sovereignty and reason will produce a peaceful and productive society. This theory is the liberal political theory, which is the philosophy of individual rights and a limited government. Both Hobbes and Locke both center the majority of their ideas off of how people’s lives should be based off of nature rights instead of natural law. This being said, people are also subject to theRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke928 Words   |  4 Pagesthere is no formed society, government, laws, safety, etc. both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke take this into perspective while introducing a political view. As illustrated by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels, they proposed political views on how human nature can prosper. Initially, Thomas Hobbes introduces a concept on the state of nature and its effects as well as how peace can be achieved. In Leviathan, Hobbes defines what living in a state of nature would be like and theRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke888 Words   |  4 Pagesare very similar but diverge in the moments that solidify their stance on their opinion. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke is both political scientist who have made strides in the area of social contracts and share being natural law theorist also. Locke and all other natural law theorists assumed that man was by nature a social animal and there fore struck contracts with each other to secure safety among them. Hobbes assumed differently, thus his verdicts are very different from other natural law theoristsRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1426 Words   |  6 PagesBy the second half of the 17th Century, England would experience one of the bloodiest conflicts in its history, ultimately serving to influence some of the mo st phenomenal political philosophers in Europe --Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. England was in constant unrest, choosing new forms of government almost on a whim in desperate attempts to restore order in the Country. The English Civil War in 1642 etched a legacy of dread in the people of England, and the war only appeared more disastrous andRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1659 Words   |  7 Pagesmajority. The following pages show how modern social contract theory especially that of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, grew into the divisive issue it is in contemporary political philosophy. Modern social contract theory can trace its roots to prominent thinkers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. It is their thoughts on social contracts that lie at the center of the many spheres we are a part of. For Hobbes and Locke, social contract theory sought to analyze the relationship between rulers and the ruled

Hall High/Low Communication Free Essays

Hall High/Low Context Communication In this essay I’d like to  express my opinion about Hall’s Context Communication. In general, in today’s business relations, it’s a small world after all. As more companies turn towards global markets, professionals are finding themselves in foreign locales, wheeling and dealing like never before. We will write a custom essay sample on Hall High/Low Communication or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, the key to effective communication between countries is an understanding of each other’s culture, especially a working knowledge of how each society conveys meaning. First used by author Edward Hall, the expressions â€Å"high context† and â€Å"low context† are labels denoting inherent cultural differences between societies. High-context and low-context communication refers to how much speakers rely on things other than words to convey meaning. Hall states that in communication, individuals face many more sensory cues than they are able to fully process. In each culture, members have been supplied with specific â€Å"filters† that allow them to focus only on what society has deemed important. In general, cultures that favor low-context communication will pay more attention to the literal meanings of words than to the context surrounding them. When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. These problems can be separated into differences concerning â€Å"direction†, â€Å"quantity† and â€Å"quality. For example, employees from high-context cultures like China and France share very specific and extensive information with their â€Å"in-group members† (good friends, families, close coworkers, etc). In comparison, low-context cultures like the United States and Germany prefer to limit communication to smaller, more select groups of people, sharing only that information which is necessary. And now I’d like to speak in detail about the main features of each kind of Context Communication. High-Context Communication Hall: â€Å"Most of the information is either in the physical context or initialized in the person. † * Knowledge is situational, relational * Less is verbally explicit or written or formally expressed * More internalized understandings of what is communicated (ex: â€Å"in-jokes†) * Often used in long term, well-established relationships * Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face communication, often around a central, authoritative figure * Strong awareness of who is accepted/belongs vs. outsiders† Low Context Communication Hall: â€Å"The mass of information is vested in the explicit code [message]. † * Rule oriented * More knowledge is public, external, and accessible. * Shorter duration of communications * Knowledge is transferable * Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done and the division of responsibilities. To draw the conclusion, once can say that communication is everything, so make sure you kno w not only  what  to say, but also  how  to say it! How to cite Hall High/Low Communication, Papers

Abortion Pro Choice View Essay Example For Students

Abortion: Pro Choice View Essay Abortion: Pro Choice View Essay Hong Chen Composition I Abortion is a growing issue in America among women and their right to reproduce children. Approximately one to three million abortions are done each year. Women get abortions for many reasons such as for rape, teen pregnancy and health reasons. Rape is one of many reasons that cause women to choose abortion to end their pregnancies. What to do about their pregnancy is mandatory, although many or them felt they were ending a life. They are wise enough to know how they would treat their illegitimate child. They hate their rapist, and worry that if they kept their babies, they would hate their children for reminding them of such a painful time. Young women between 15 and 19 account for at least 5 million abortions every year 1 million of them in the United States. In fact, one of every five pregnancies happens to a teen-age girl. In situations like this, some people are sure that they could take care of the child, while others know that they arent ready or mature enough to take so much responsibility. In many cases the child would have no one to rely on but a single mother with no schooling, and maybe a non-supportive family. He or she would have a twisted, miserable upbringing, left vulnerable later in life. Another reason that causes women choice abortion is health problem. There is a range of problems, including the child being born with Downs Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, or a disposition to obesity, which can later in life cause clogged arteries and heart failure. In another case, people must often make choice between saving the mother, already a functioning member of society, or letting her die to try and save the baby. In conclusion, for any pregnant woman, making a decision to abort her child is painful and ruthless, but under certain situation such as rape, young age and health reasons, a woman would choose to terminate her pregnant by abortion. .

Development of Irish Nationalism free essay sample

To unite Irish Catholics into a unified political movement and secure   Catholic emancipation. Catholic rent to foster a sense of involvement and loyalty and to   raise funds for the movement. Mobilised support through the Catholic Church, who gave their support   to the movement. ‘awakened the political consciousness of the Irish masses’ . Wrenched Catholic Emancipation from a hostile government and king. Associated nationalism with Catholicism – limited possible support   right from the  start. 840 The  Repeal  Association To secure a repeal of the Union. However, O’Connell was committed to  the British connection and was not fighting for independence. Repeal Rent Catholic Church Monster Meetings The Irish people were not really interested in repeal of the Union,  especially after 1845 when the Famine swept through Ireland – a  starving and tired people could hardly have much interest in a  political movement that had so littl e chance of success 1848 Young Ireland They looked back to  Wolfe  Tone and their ultimate aim was independence  for Ireland. However, under the influence of Finton Laylor who argued  that †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚  and they also committed to land reform. Violent Rebellion (1848) The rebellion was a complete failure, but the Young Ireland movement   left an important legacy. 1867 Fenians established An independent Ireland Violence – ultimately, a mass rebellion like that of Wolfe Tone. The Fenians were always a minority in the national movement, and their  actions tended to arouse hostility rather than admiration in Ireland. However, their atrocities in the 60’s motivated men like Gladstone  into a program of reform for Ireland. This was perhaps their most  surprising and unintended legacy. However, the Fenian movement stayed alive throughout the period, and  was ready to play an important role in the revival of republicanism  after 1914, and played an important role in the 1916 Rising. 1870 Butt founds the Home Rule Party Self-government – he was committed to the British connection. Parliamentary pressure Butt was a complete failure. He did not command a sense of loyalty  either from the Irish population or his party. His leadership and  authority was poor, and many members of his party were not committed  Home Rulers. He had a great deal of respect for the House of Commons,  but no one paid him any attention in parliament, and many laughed at  him. 1879 New Departure – the causes of land reform and HR were united in one  national movement   To settle all areas of Irish grievance, but ultimately: Land reform Home rule A combination of constitutional and extra-parliamentary methods:   Land war Pressure in Parliament Second Land Act ineffective Made Home Rule a realistic possibility 1880 Parnell takes over the leadership of the Irish Parliamentary Party A more effective party, with a more authoritarian leadership and more  discipline. Home Rule. Parnell centralised authority, and in 1882, all members had to sign an  oath of allegiance to the party. The party was united under Parnell’s leadership and it became a far  more formidable parliamentary force. The greatest Irish movements  were united under his leadership. 1881 Second Land Act To destroy the ‘raison d’etre’ of the LL. Less an economic policy  than a political stroke. Granted the 3 F’s and thus all of the demands of the LL. It did not solve the real problems in Irish agriculture Put Parnell in a dilemma In the long term, rents were reduced through the land courts 1881 Parnell is imprisoned To ensure that he did not wreck the land act by opposing it. He became a martyr, and his popularity grew. Violence increased. 1882 Kilmainham Treaty Parnell replaces the Land League with the National  League   To stop increase and spread of violence. The National League was to  replace the LL and become the electoral arm of the IPP, promoting HR. Violence did decrease, and support for Home Rule grew very rapidly –  the NL was a very effective body. 1885 General Election – Parnell commits to the Conservatives Home Rule – he thought the C’ves were more likely to grant it. He supported the C’ve party, and instructed Irish voters in England to  vote C’ve   The C’ves swept to power, and were guaranteed the support of the Irish  in parliament. 1885 Gladstone announced as in favour of Home Rule. CSP switched sides. The Cons were defeated and the Liberals came back   to power. 1886 First Home Rule Bill It failed in the H of C’s. Several prominent Liberal unionists left  the party. The Liberals were out, and the Irish faced 20 years of  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœresolute government’. 1890 Divorce Scandal IPP split The IPP split, and never fully recovered. There was no effective  fighting force for the next 10 years at least. 1894 Second Home Rule Bill It failed in the House of Lords. The Irish became disillusioned, and  support for the Irish party, which was heavily divided, fled. 1900 IPP reform under the moderate John Redmond There was now a united Irish party to fight for Irish causes. 1907 Sinn Fein is founded  an independent Irish republic. SF did not begin as a violent organisation – it championed ‘passive   resistance’ and used abstention from parliament to show their  opposition to the British connection. Sinn Fein would soak up disillusioned home rulers, and change the  Irish question from one of Home Rule to one of Independence. 1910 Constitutional crisis Redmond used it to get Asquith to promise a HR bill in the next  Parliament. It worked. 1912 Third Home Rule Bill The Lords could not block it forever, and it was clear that Home Rule  would eventually happen, but not for two years. 1913 Irish Volunteers formed. To keep up with Unionist developments – to insure the Irish were not  left behind and could exert as mush pressure on the government as  Ulster. To fight for HR were It necessary. The Irish situation deteriorated further. Tensions were raised. 1914 Home Rule can come into operation, but it was clear that the 1912 Bill  was not feasible. 1914 The First World War Irish question shelved The government was impressed by the nationalists’ show of support and  put HR on the statute books. However, as the war dragged on, support  for it waned, but more importantly, nationalists grew impatient and ‘the  revolutionaries were soon to advance to the centre of the stage’. IV’s split, amp; a small group of revolutionaries formed their own group   the ‘Irish Volunteers’. Redmond’s group became the ‘Nationalist  Volunteers’   Eon Mac Neill’s group wanted to gain power in Ireland with the support  of the Irish people and proclaim an independent Irish Republic through  an armed insurrection like Tone’s. They too, hoped to use Eng’s  enemies against them, and got support and arms from the Germans. IRB men heavily influenced the party but this was not known  either within the party or outside it. Although Mac Neill was a revolutionary, he was against a premature  uprising. However, he was not aware that IRB men had penetrated the  leadership of the party and held many senior positions, men like  Pearse, who argued that it was an honour to die for one’s country. 1916 Easter Rising To proclaim and independent Irish Republic and  win  the support of the  Irish people. The republic was proclaimed, but the rising was a disaster. Only a few  of the Irish Volunteers actually showed up, and they were far  outnumbered by troops and police. The population were indifferent or  openly hostile, and by the time the fighting had finished, Dublin was  in ruins. People were angry and believed the volunteers should be  punished. 1916 The British government set out to destroy revolutionary nationalism  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœroot and branch’   There were wholesale arrests and deportations. Around 3000 Irish men  and women were arrested, 1,500 were quickly released, 160 were jailed  and the rest interned in England and Wales. 5 were executed in early  May. The barbarity with which prisoners and civilians were treated  incited anger and resentment against the British in all classes in S. Ireland. Those who went into prison mild nationalists often came out  hardened revolutionaries. John Dillon complained that it seemed as if  the government was bent on trying to ‘breed Sinn Feiners’ (SF had now   become a militant organisation). 1917 Martial Law was declared in Ireland. To destroy ‘revolutionism’. Anti-British sentiment grew, and so did support for Sinn Fein. Irishmen who were treated as terrorists became terrorists. 1918 Conscription crisis There was a brief period of compromise between the nationalists and  Sinn Fein when furious nationalists retired from Westminster to go  home and lead Irishmen in the fight against conscription should it  come. Irishmen were furious and support for SF grew rapidly. 1918 Negotiations begin again. LG got both sides to agree to partition. However, key Unionists in  the coalition government refused to countenance an immediate grant of  HR and the talks collapsed. Redmond had fatally undermined his  position in the party and in Ireland by his support for partition and  Irishmen switched to SF in their droves. FSL Lyons said ‘the whole  constitutional movement, in the last analysis was the chief casualty  of 1916’. 1917 De Valera becomes leader of SF and later of the IV. ‘thus combining in his person the leadership of both the political and  military wings of the Irish revolutionary movement’. The historian  Roy Foster says that by 1918, SF ‘had succeeded to the position  enjoyed by Parnell’s IPP in the later 1880’s’. 1918 General Election – Sinn Fein sweep the board The Election was fought on the basis of the Easter Monday declaration  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ an independent Irish republic and the destruction of British power  in Ireland – SF now had a mandate from the Irish people to fight for  it – they wanted Britain out once and for all. 1918 Sinn Fein sets up the Dail This was a provisional government in Ireland, and it set up its own  courts and even collected taxes. Its acceptance by the Irish people  showed that Ireland had no loyalty to Britain and that Britain  therefore had no legitimacy in ruling Ireland. The Dail was backed up  by the IRA under Michael Collins. 919 IRA begin a campaign of murder and harassment against British police  and soldiers. To destroy British power in Ireland and get them to withdraw. Irishmen were shocked by the activities of the IRA, and support for SF  briefly waned. However, the disillusionment was only brief as the  British soon intervened, and reversed the trend. LG responded with  t he ‘time honoured expedient of coercion’. 1919/20 LG begins his campaign against the IRA To stop the IRA’s campaign of terror, enforce the Government of  Ireland Act and destroy revolutionary nationalism. Coercion. The provisional gov was declared illegal, SF and the IRA  were proclaimed, and there was an attempt to suppress revolutionary  publications. Extra police were brought in to enforce the GIA the  Ã¢â‚¬ËœBlack and Tans’ and the Auxilaries/Auxies, whose name soon became a  synonym for terror. It was a complete and utter failure. The fight descended into a  bitter struggle of terror and counter-terror, and the IRA extended its  targets to civilians they regarded as traitors to the cause. Politicians on both sides had lost control of their forces.

Monarch Migration

Monarch Migration The phenomenon of monarch migration in North America is well known, and quite extraordinary in the insect world. There are no other insects in the world that migrate twice each year for close to 3,000 miles. Monarchs living east of the Rocky Mountains in North America fly south each fall, gathering in central Mexicos Oyamel fir forest for the winter. Millions of monarchs gather in the this forest area, covering the trees so densely that branches break from their weight. Scientists aren’t sure how the butterflies navigate to a place they have never been. No other population of monarchs migrates this far. The Migrant Generation: The monarch butterflies that emerge from chrysalides in late summer and early fall differ from the previous generations. These migrant butterflies appear the same but behave quite differently. They will not mate or lay eggs. They feed on nectar, and cluster together during the cool evenings to stay warm. Their only purpose is to prepare for and make the flight south successfully. You can see a monarch emerge from its chrysalis in the photo gallery. Environmental factors trigger the migration. Fewer hours of daylight, cooler temperatures, and diminishing food supplies tell the monarchs it is time to move south. In March, the same butterflies that made the journey south will begin the return trip. The migrants fly to the southern U.S., where they mate and lay eggs. Their descendants will continue the migration north. In the northernmost part of the monarchs range, it may be the great grandchildren of the migrants that finish the trip. How Scientists Study Monarch Migration: In 1937, Frederick Urquhart was the first scientist to tag monarch butterflies in a quest to learn about their migration. In the 1950’s, he recruited a handful of volunteers to help in the tagging and monitoring efforts. Monarch tagging and research is now conducted by several universities with the help of thousands of volunteers, including school children and their teachers. The tags used today are small adhesive stickers, each printed with a unique ID number and contact information for the research project. A tag is placed on the butterfly’s hindwing, and does not impede flight. A person who finds a tagged monarch can report the date and location of the sighting to the researcher. The data collected from each season’s tags provides scientists with information about the migration path and timing. In 1975, Frederick Urquhart is also credited with finding the monarch’s wintering grounds in Mexico, which were unknown until that time. The site was actually discovered by Ken Brugger, a naturalist volunteering to help with the research. Read more about Urquhart and his lifelong study of monarchs. Energy-Saving Strategies: Remarkably, scientists discovered that migrating butterflies actually gain weight during their long journey. They store fat in their abdomens, and use air currents to glide as much as possible. These energy-saving strategies, together with feeding on nectar throughout the trip, help the migrants survive the arduous travel. The Day of the Dead: The monarchs arrive at their Mexico wintering grounds en masse in the final days of October. Their arrival coincides with el Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, a Mexican traditional holiday that honors the deceased. The indigenous people of Mexico believe the butterflies are the returning souls of children and warriors. Sources: Monarch WatchLongest Regularly Repeated Migration, University of Florida

Whats a Good ACT Score for Your College

What's a Good ACT Score for Your College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Hopefully at this point in your college application process you have thought about your dream schools. Whether you took the ACT once and are debating taking it again or if you are just beginning the ACT preparation process, you are probably wondering what ACT will get you accepted. While there is no one exact ACT score that will be considered â€Å"good† for your college or guarantee you a spot, there is a particular ACT score that will you give you the best chance of being accepted. What is it? I will answer that and more by guiding you through 4 easy steps. College ACT Score Ranges and What They Mean for You Before figuring out your target score, you should look at colleges’ ACT score range.The score range will show the scores that admitted freshmen received.Usually, schools provide you with scores from the most recent applicant pool. The scores will be written in one of two ways: as a 25th/75th percentile range or as an average ACT score.The 25th percentile score indicates 25% of admits received an ACT score at or below that number (and 75% of admits scored higher).The 75th percentile score means 75% of admits received an ACT score at or below that number (and 25% of admits scored higher).The average ACT scoreis simply the average of all admitted students’ ACT scores. Looking at the score ranges will help you understand what ACT score you need to be a competitive applicant to that universitysince you'll know what ACT scores admitted students received.Before figuring out your target ACT score, you need to figure out what your list of target schools. Step #1: Create Your List of Target Schools You may have some schools in mind, but take the time to write down a list of the schools you hope to attend. Do not include your safety schools on this list.A safety school is a schoolthat you're almost certain you'll be accepted to with the ACTscore and GPA you have now. This target school list should include the more selective colleges. You should exclude the safety schools because you want to plan your target ACT score for the colleges with the most difficult admissions criteria. If you meet the admissions criteria for the selective colleges, you'll very likely be accepted to your safety schools.Once you have identified your target schools, draw a table with 3 columns with the following titles: School Name 25th Percentile or Average ACT 75th Percentile / Target Score Fill in your target colleges under school name as I did below: School Name 25th Percentile or Average ACT 75th Percentile / Target Score University of Michigan UC Berkeley Under the 2nd column for 25th percentile or average ACT, you should write either the 25th percentile or average SAT score for that college. As I said before, universities will only give you one or the other; whichever they give you, writethat number in that column. Under the last column for 75th percentile / target score, write the school’s 75th percentile score (if you can find it). For colleges that give average ACT, you will be calculating a unique target score later on in this article. Step #2: Find Out the ACT Scores of Admitted Students. Now that you have your list finding the admitted students’ ACT score range is very easy. Simply search â€Å"[College Name] ACT† or â€Å"[College Name] ACT 25th/75th percentile† in Google.That will lead you to what is known as the Freshman Admission Profile for your target school.If you can't locatea Freshman Admit Profile for your target college, check out our database of college admission requirements. There you'll find the admissions requirementsfor almost every schoolin the US. Use the Command + F function on your keyboard to search for your target college. Here is a screenshot of University of Michigan’s Freshman Admit Profile: Colleges will usually provide you with the 25th/75th percentile ACT score for freshmen. Some colleges call it the mid 50% range (as UMich does above), but the 2 numbers they provide are the 25th and 75th percentile scores.For UMich, the 25th percentile ACT score is 30, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 34. Add the 25th percentile / 75th percentile composite ACT score to your chart in the appropriate columns: School Name 25th Percentile or Average ACT 75th Percentile / Target Score University of Michigan 31 34 UC Berkeley While most colleges tell you the 25th/75th percentile ACT scores, other colleges will only give you one number, the average ACT score for admits (which UC Berkeley does on their admissions site).The average ACT score is just the average of all of the ACT scores for admits. Since the score is an average, you cannot determine exactly how many applicants scored above and below it, but we will assume about 50% of admits scored above and 50% of admits scored below. For Berkeley, the average ACT is 31. Knowing this information, we'll writeit in the column for 25th Percentile or Average SAT, leave the 75th Percentile / Target Score blank for now for the schools that only provide average ACT. I'll explain what to fill in for those schools later on: School Name 25th Percentile or Average ACT 75th Percentile / Target Score University of Michigan 31 34 UC Berkeley 31 Step #3: Determine Your Target Score for Those Schools. Based on each school’s 25th/75th percentile ACT or average ACT, we'll determine what your target score should be.For schools that provide the 25th/75th percentile ACT, you should aim for a score at or above the 75th percentile. (Which is exactly why I had you list the 75th percentile in the same column as target score. The 75th percentile is your target score!) For those schools that just give you an average composite ACT (such as UC Berkeley), I would aim for a score 2 points above that average score.For the best shot of admission to UC Berkeley, I would aim for a 33. You should writein that number (the average ACT plus 2 points) on your chart under 75th percentile / Target score: School Name 25th Percentile or Average ACT 75th Percentile / Target Score University of Michigan 31 34 UC Berkeley 31 33 You may wonder why you shouldn’t aim a score closer to the 25th percentile or the average since many applicants are accepted with that score. I wrote this article assuming that you are a â€Å"normal† applicant and not a â€Å"special† applicant. To qualify as a special applicant, you need to be an athlete, legacy, child of significant donors, or a unique talent (such as world-class opera singers or famous actors). These special applicants are typically admitted with the lower scores (25th percentile score). If you're a â€Å"normal† applicant, you'll want a higher ACT score to set you apart and give yourself the best chance of being accepted. The higher your score, the better your chance of admission. As an example, check out Brown University’s breakdown of admission; below is a screenshot: If you look at the highest score (36), 23.8% of applicants who scored a 36 were accepted to Brown, which is significantly higher than the overall Brown admissions rate 8.7%. You can see that as your score begins to decline (you get between 33 and 35) your chance of admission drops by 11.1%, from 23.8% to 12.7%.The lesson to take away from this data is the higher you score, the better your chance of being accepted. In my chart above, the two â€Å"Target Scores† vary by 1 point, so which should you aim for?Aim for the highest target score on your list. That way, when you reach the highest target score, you have the best chance of admission at all of the universities on your list. If you got a 34 and applied to UC Berkeley and University of Michigan, you would have a great chance of being accepted to both. However, if you aimed for the lower target score and got a 33 and applied to University of Michigan, you would now fall short of the 75th percentile score and be in the middle 50% of admits scores. You still have a decent chance of being accepted, but your chances are not quite as good. Step #4: Create a Plan to Achieve Your Target ACT Score. To achieve your target score, you need to have a clearplan of attack. If you need significant improvement to meet your target score, you should think about taking an ACT prep class, hiring an ACT tutor, or using an online ACT program such as PrepScholar. Our program figures out your strengths and weaknesses and personalizes your ACT preparation to your needs. For more information about our program, read How to Ensure Online Tutoring from PrepScholarTutors is Right for You? If your family can’t afford one of those options and/or you want to prepare on your own, check out our ACT study plan guides: 5 Step SAT/ACT Test Dates Study Plan for Summer before Senior Year SAT/ACT Test Dates Study Plan for Sophomores and Juniors SAT / ACT Study Guide: Schedule and Plan for One Year or More Don't forget that your target score is in reach if you put in the time and effort. What’s Next? Learn more about preparing for the ACT: How Many Questions Can You Skip for a Good ACT Score? Systems of Equations on ACT Math: Algebra Strategies and Practice Problems The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT English: Tips, Rules, Practice, and Strategies The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT Science: Tips, Practice, and Strategies Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.