Like Riding a Bike

The saying â€Å"it is just like riding a bike† is very commonly used to describe a skill that virtually everyone masters and usually at an early age.   It also means that once the skill is mastered it is never forgotten.   For me, however, this skill was not easy and I still would not consider it mastered.   The difficulties I had in learning how to ride a bicycle not only haunted much of my childhood, but carried over into learning how to drive a car.   The challenging experience began when I was five years old. My mom bought me a new bicycle with the intention of teaching me how to ride it, I learned to ride at age ten and at sixteen was reminded of the difficulties when it was time for me to get my driver’s license.   My struggle was not due to a lack of coordination or ability, because I have been very active in varying sports beginning with football at the age of four.   I excelled at baseball, lacrosse, basketball, roller hockey, and football, but feared the bicycle. I loved the brand new bicycle Mom bought for me and was anxious to learn to ride.   When I actually got on the bike however, I did not feel like I was in control.   As a person who needs to feel in control of situations, I was not comfortable.   Mom said I would gain control as I became better and learned to balance.   I tried to learn and she tried to teach for years.   These attempts usually ended in a screaming match between us and never seemed to get me any closer to mastering the art of bike riding.   I was embarrassed to be the only person my age who did not know how to ride a bicycle, but the fear of injury and lack of control always won out over the embarrassment. By the age of ten, Mom had given up trying to teach me, because we were both tired of it.   I had outgrown the bicycle Mom had bought me without ever riding it.   Through the many battles over it and failed trials, though, it looked like it had been through a war.   I had three younger siblings by this time and all of them had learned to ride bicycles with no more than the usual struggles of learning.   When my four-year-old brother, Dominic, mastered the skill, I knew it was time I overcame my fear and learned.   Somehow, I took strength and courage from my little brother and managed to keep a bicycle in the upright position long enough to say I could ride a bike.   I continue to struggle with the balance and would not say the skill is something I ever mastered, but at least I got over feeling like a failure. When it came time for me to learn to drive a car, the fear of not being in control returned.   I put off getting my permit in attempt to make excuses for not getting my license.   Everyone else my age seemed very excited to have the opportunity to drive, but I found ways to avoid it. I used the same courage I had gained with the bicycle to tackle my fear of driving and met the challenge.   I did not want to be the only teenager around that could not drive a car. At age sixteen I did get my license and have become a good driver.   It did not require balance as the bicycle did and control was easier to gain. Although the fear of not being in control has played a part throughout my life to this point, I have not let it take over my life.   With courage and determination, I have overcome the difficult challenges in my life and plan to take on any new challenges that come along with the same determination.   When people are faced with challenging situations, they have two choices. They can either give up and accept defeat or they can face their fears and the challenge and triumphantly overcome them.   Now when I hear the phrase â€Å"it’s like riding a bike† I know the task might not be easy, but it can be accomplished and once it is learned it will never be forgotten.   It is very easy for young children to be permanently affected by childhood experiences and although I laugh about it now, it did play a role in my learning to drive a car.

Research Paper Legalizing weed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research Paper Legalizing weed - Essay Example Sacco and Finklea note the status of marijuana claiming it is â€Å"the most commonly used illicit drug across the world† with about 18.9 million people in the US from age 12 and above admitting using marijuana in the past month (1). It is therefore apparent that criminalization of marijuana has not discouraged use given the increased number of people admitting usage. Based on the ongoing trend the discussion has been whether marijuana use should be legalized since criminalization has not resulted in a reduction in usage. In view of the changing public perceptions on marijuana use and possession this assay argues that smoking marijuana should be made legal for adults especially due to the potential benefits that such a move might have on the individual’s health, a country’s economy and reduction in usage of alcohol and hard drugs. The shift in public towards acceptance of marijuana use has also come with a number of states in the US legalizing the use especially for medical purposes. Among these states are Washington and Colorado which have legalized the use and possession of marijuana while twenty other states limited its legality to medical use leading to the opinion that more sates should also follow the same route and that the federal government will also follow with repealing other draconian laws that have criminalized marijuana use. This is especially so when compared with laws prohibiting alcohol consumption where the federal government tried to stop consumption of alcohol for fourteen years but failed. The law prohibiting marijuana use has achieved the same result as that prohibiting alcohol consumption the only difference being laws prohibiting marijuana have been in effect for a longer period. However, Duke warns that increased public opinion in support of marijuana use does not mean there will be a move by the federal government to legalize use

Project Management Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Management Review - Assignment Example This structure helps in creating a framework and provides guidance in terms of schedule development and control. The process of defining the project consists of five steps 1. Defining the project scope: - A project scope is the end result of the project, i.e. a product or service for the client or customer. The scope clearly explains the measurable and tangible result delivered to the end user. 2. Establishing project priorities: - The second step is to establish the project priorities, which determines the shifts in the comparative importance of criterions connected to cost, time, and performance parameters. This also helps in managing the priorities of project trade-offs and in formulating the parameter requirements. 3. The third step involved in defining a project is to create the Work Breakdown Structure. A work breakdown structure is the hierarchal sketch that categorizes the products and work elements engaged in a project. 4. Integration of Work Breakdown Structure with the Org anization is the fourth step of defining a project. The ability of the firm to discharge its work responsibility towards a project is determined at this stage. This is where WBS and the OBS (Organizational Breakdown structure) are integrated. 5. The final stage of the process is coding the Work Breakdown Structure for the information System. At this stage, a range of essentials of the WBS are identified and defined. Reports on the organizational fundamentals, work package, budget and cost are consolidated at all levels of the organizational structure. Lag and Slack According to Francis and Horine (2003), in a series of linked tasks, lag means the ‘delay’ between the linked tasks; and it is necessary to use lag in a network as it is essential for the smooth progress of tasks (p. 80). The lag can be described as a ‘planned delay’. On the other hand, slack explains the extent of time that a task can be belated without affecting its successor tasks. As Chapman (2006, p. 9.22), Gantt chart is prepared to break a large project into a sequence of smaller tasks in an organized way. This chart describes when each task should start and how long it would take. On the other hand, a network diagram is a tool used for demonstrating how the impacts of a project are related and what the consequences of the impact are. Diagrams summarize a large portion of the project body as it is represented as graphical representation. Backward pass: A backward pass is a device used in the project management. It refers to the estimation of late start dates and late finish dates regarding the section of activities that have not been completed. This is calculated using by referring back through the schedule network from the end date of project segment. The end date may be determined by the client or by the supervisor using the forward pass. A backward pass determines the late start date and late finish dates. Scope statement: The project is on arranging a dinner-danc e concert for a local charity. It is going to take place in a four weeks’ time. This concert is reserved specially for 30 couples and the amount collected at this concert goes directly to the needy segment of the local society. The first step involved in the project is to create work breakdown statement of the project scope. The different elements of the project are to be distinguished at first hand. It is easier to understand the different

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 12

Philosophy - Essay Example Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz’s concept of substance, like many other philosophers, was influenced by the Aristotelian concept of substance, conceived as that which bears properties but is not itself a property. However, it is interesting that while Leibniz more or less subscribed to this view, he rejected Spinoza’s monistic understanding of substance as a singular reality. He differed radically from both Descartes and Spinoza as regards the relation of mind and matter, and as regards the number of substances. It can be recalled that Descartes allowed for three substances, namely, God, mind, and matter, and that the essence of matter was extension. For Spinoza, he admitted God alone as the singular substance, while holding that both extension and thought are attributes of God. For Leibniz, he held that extension cannot be an attribute of a substance because there is a plurality of individual substances, and this he termed as â€Å"monads†. He stated that â€Å"T he monad, which we shall discuss here, is nothing but a simple substance that enters into composites—simple, that is, without parts† (Leibniz, 285). Each of these monads would have some properties of a physical point, but only when understood abstractly. The manner in which Leibniz describes a monad is essentially similar to the atoms of Democritus. However, there is also some similarity to the geometrical points of Pythagoras. Like Democritus’ atoms, monads are conceived of as the ultimate indivisible elements of reality which constitutes all material things. He stated: And there must be simple substances, since there are composites; for the composite is nothing more than a collection, or aggregate of simples. But where there are no parts, neither extension, nor shape, nor divisibility is possible. These monads are the true atoms of nature and, in brief, the elements of things

Explain the theme of Work and Identity in Kafkas The Metamorphosis Essay

Explain the theme of Work and Identity in Kafkas The Metamorphosis. How is Kafkas work existentialist - Essay Example Gregor is forced to work hard; â€Å"slavery† can be the best term to describe Gregor’s state in the family. He is forced to make cash for the family members. Gregor is viewed as a source of income to the family but not as a member of it. The family has shown that without money, received from Gregor’s hard work, they have no business in associating with him. The neglect is witnessed after the metamorphosis process. Gregor had to undergo revulsion and neglect from the family members as a result of the metamorphosis process. In addition, the effects of money can be seen to be present in the family immediately they begin working. Work and money has made it difficult for family members to communicate, and to eat together (Kafka par 1). On debt, Gregor longs for the day; he will be able to pay all his debts and quit the job. As long as the debts are owed, Gregor cannot stop working because the family depends on the salary received from the job. Debt and work; denied Gregor the freedom from restrictive demands of the society. During the metamorphosis process, Gregor escapes from the debts and duties which have long troubled him. However, the metamorphosis, which is seen as escapism, does not fully help Gregor in achieving full freedom. The family members have decided to imprison Gregor in his room (Kafka par 4). On existentialism and work, an individual’s destiny depends upon that individual and their ability to make choices. Kafka explains the metamorphosis process in relating the way in which Gregor must work to provide for the family. Family duty had to be done by Gregor. Gregor needed money to provide for the basic need to his parents as well as send the sister to a school. Work and family duty has to be done, despite the challenges being experience. However, the efforts put in place by Gregor in providing for the family is not appreciated. The family sees him as a source of income, slave, and a bother (Kafka par 6). After the

Connexin Degradation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Connexin Degradation - Essay Example This essay seeks to explain in details, the connexin degradation mechanisms of three pathways. These pathways to be discussed are: lysosomal, ubiquitin/proteasome and autophagy. Lysosomal pathway Participation of lysosomes and endocytosis in the deprivation of gap junction plaque was planned 20 years ago. This was after the examination of intracellular vesicle-like configurations which are double-membrane, similar to gap junctions in conduction of electron micrographs. This is a research which was carried out to check on how lysosomes can be a pathway to connexin degradation. This was done by looking at the effect to the half-life of the connexins in order to find out how and to which degree they do cause degradation of connexin. These structures were referred to as annular gap junctions. The first descriptions of these structures were made available by Bjorkman from the granulosa units of life of the ovarian follicle. These gap junctions have been experimented in several dissimilar cell types. They have spacing between their particles which are clearly observed in the gap junctions. They can as well be decked out with antibodies that are anti-connexin. Various approaches have been used for verification that some of these annular gap junction outline correspond to gap junctions who are internalized instead of the cross-sections of invaginations or interdigitations of gap junction plaques. The interdigitations of gap junction plaques include sequential sectioning or lack of classification of the intercellular gap by lanthanum and freeze-fracture replicas. Research also suggests that Tyr286 is as well involved in targeting Cx43 for the process of connexin degradation by the lysosomal pathway Ubiquitin/proteasome pathway Investigation on this pathway was first done by James and Eric where they give explanation on how it relates to degradation of connexins. They carried out research on degradation of the protein connexin43 in cardiomyocyte-derived cells and the E36 Chinese ovary cells. Results from the tests show that lysosome plays a minor role in the proteolysis of connexin43 while ubiquitin antibodies play a major role in the degradation of connexin43 (Laing and Beyer, 10-13). This is because when the two tests were done, it was found out that the lysosome contributes in increasing the half-life of the connexin. This gives a clear impression that lysosome helps to increase the formation of gap junction which is significant in formation of family proteins required in the body. Ubiquitin on the other hand, reduces the half-life of the connexin. This gives a clear impression that it contributes in reducing the formation of gap junction. The reduction in this case, in turn reduces the amount of family proteins formed, making it impossible for physiological processes to take place in the body as expected. Autophagy pathway This is a degradation pathway which is known to have been implicated in a number of diseases and may be stimulated by cellu lar stresses for instance starvation. Research shows that connexins that are cytoplasmic are cup-shaped or ring shaped and are enclosed by structures that contain autophagy-related protein which is the LC3. There are other connexins colocalized with p62, a protein that may as well serve as a freight receptor for autophagic deprivation. Starvation is one of the situations which lead to reduction of connexins.

Feminist and Virtue theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Feminist and Virtue theory - Essay Example In 2007, Preston delineated the advantages or usefulness of virtue theory. Virtue theory has put emphasis on character-building which can be useful in everyday morality. It is also applied to the ethic of role and professional ethics, checks other cognitive style approaches to allow a place for feelings, roles, and relationships of ethic of care, serves as a tool in core community values identification, and provides basis for cultivating virtues and moral education among the youth. The relationship between virtue theory and feminist ethics has been identified. Now that we have understood virtue theory, let us have a specific view of feminist ethics which had gain popularity during the time of Carol Gilligan. Gilligan differentiate the social formation and role among men and women. She stated that men have abstract thinking which sees moral problems arising from conflicts and solves it by appealing to the rights of the individual. On the other hand, women focus on specific situation, seeing moral problems arising from the needs in relationships and solve it through moral obligation and appealing the rights of others(Preston, 47).